other houses whose principal Inhabitants or those who manage the affairs of the said Cities do Profess the Reformed Religion who shall be intreated by the Provincial Synods to do the Church this right as to assign the Rents out of the clearest Common Income and this by good Contracts passed between them and the Deputy of that Church to which the said Legacies had been bequeathed and the Mayors Sheriffs Consuls and principal Burgesses of the said Cities and other persons of note residing in them And the Consistories of those places shall be present at those Contracts to see that no Article or condition which may contribute to the Ratification and security of the premisses be omitted and the Consistory of that Church to whom the Legacy is bequeathed or its Deputies shall be vigilant and carefull that the payment of those Rents be well made and constant and that it be given in either by Bills of Exchange or any other ways with the least charges that may be in the Provinces and that the dividend be made in such a proportion unto every Church as of right belongeth to them And Provincial Synods are injoyned to look to it that the Intentions of the Donors be not diverted but punctually and most exactly observed and followed To this purpose there shall be annually tendred by every Church unto their Colloquy and by the Colloquies unto their Provincial Synod a just and true Account of what has been given by whom and to what uses with an Exhibition of the Contracts that they may be registred And in case there be any considerable sum of Moneys in Stock they shall be carried unto some one of the aforesaid Cities as shall be thought most advisable there to be laid up in Bank for the benefit of the Churches to which the said Moneys were bequeathed 4. And forasmuch as we who live in France are under divers Laws and Customs and that the style and form of contract is very different in several Provinces It 's therefore decreed that in every Province there shall be one and the same form used for Legacies and Gifts which shall be transmitted unto all the Consistories and by them communicated unto the Notaries professing Reformed Religion and unto such others as may be thought expedient The form shall be conceived in these insuing words excepting always a power of changing it in case of necessity I give and bequeath to the maintenance of the Ministry of the Gospel in the Church of N. the sum of N. which my will is that it be laid out in purchasing of a settled Rent or Estate in Land in the Cities of Rochel Montauban or Monpelier c. and this by the advice of the Consistory of the said Cities which Rent or Revenue shall be annually paid in and delivered unto the Consistory of the said place for the better maintenance of the sacred Ministry without ever being diverted to any other use And in case it should so fall out which God of his great mercy prevent that the Ministry of the word there in that Church should be suppressed either by war or any other publicly calamity it is my will that during the said Intermission and until the re-establishing of the said exercise of the Ministry that the said Rent be imployed towards the maintenance of the nearest Church unto that said place or otherwise as shall be judged most fitting by the Consistory Colloquy Provincial or National Synod of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom And I humbly and earnestly intreat the said Synods to have a strict and watchful eye that this Moneys be not diverted unto any other usage than what is now designed and intended by me CHAP. XIV Political Acts of matters treated in the National Synod held at Rochell in the month of March 1607. by His Majesties Writ THE Lords de la Noue and du Crois Deputed by the Assembly of Chastelleraud to reside near his Majesty being present in this Synod delivered us the Kings writ the Tenor whereof is as followeth This 29th day of December in the year of our Lord 1606. His Majesty being at St. Germain in Laye He then granted and permitted that in the National Synod which shall be celebrated by his subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion in the City of Rochell this next ensuing March they may proceed to the Nomination of their Deputies whom his Majesty permits to reside near his Royal Person on condition that the said Deputies shall be Nominated out of six persons who are Members of the same Synod to be presented unto his Majesty out of whom he may and will chuse two to whom that Office shall be given and which shall be continued to them for three full years as also that in the said Synod the Deputies aforesaid shall debate of none other business excepting the aforementioned Nomination and matters purely Disciplinary relating to the well-governing of their Churches as is expresly declared in the Edicts and Grants of his said Majesty on pain of forfeiting those Grants and Priviledges in case they act contrary to this his will and pleasure His said Majesty having commanded me to dispatch the said Writ which he would sign with his own hand and enjoyned me also to countersign it being a Member of his most Honourable Council of State and Secretary of his Commands Signed thus Henry And below Forgett 2. It being moved Whether the Deputies of the City of Rochel be called in to the Debate about the King 's Writ The Assembly considering that they were only summoned as a National Synod under which Quality the Answer given to the 17th Article of the Memoirs last presented unto his Majesty expresly forbids the admission of any other persons Ministers and Elders only excepted into our Synodical Meetings on pain of forfeiting them for the future It was resolved that a Committee of Pastors and Elders should be delegated unto the Mayor Aldermen and Council of the City and represent unto them this difficulty craving their Advice upon it and give them to understand upon what grounds their Deputies sent unto us have not been hitherto received by us Whereunto they gave this Answer That it was their sole Intention to be present only at those Debates which related to the Writ sent by his Majesty down unto this Assembly as being matters purely civil according to that exception made in his Majesties Answer to the 17th Article of the Memoirs last presented him and as by the same Answer they were allowed to be present at Political Assemblies whereupon the Synod having pondered their Arguments and considering their Importunity gave leave unto them to be present with us upon the Debates about his Majesties Writ and accordingly Monsieur de Romagne and de Mirande the two Sheriffs of the City and de Beaupreau and the Bayliff of Aunis Burgesses of the said City were admitted into the Synod 3. The said Writ having been read The Assembly well weighing the Conditions inserted in it judged that
that aforesaid Decree in the said Church This Assembly having heard Monsieur Merlin speak in behalf of the Synod and Monsieur Bonnet for the Colloquy judged that the Church of Soubize failed in their Letter of Summons inserting a clause that the Colloquy had exceeded their power by an over-rigorous censure inflicted on the said Church and Minister and it approveth the Decree of the Synod against the said Colloquy But for as much as publication hath not been made of it we do ordain that it shall be forborn only Monsieur Petit shall read in the Consistory of the Church of St. Just this present Article that so the honour of the said Minister maybe repaired 39. Bertrand Faugier formerly Minister of the Church of Viners in Dolphiny appealed from the Decree of the Synod of that Province whereby he was Deposed from the Sacred Ministry but his Appeal was declared null and void for non-appearance in person at this Assembly 40. The Appeal of the Church of Lamure in Dolphiny from a Decree of their Provincial Synod being only about Money matters shall according to the Canon made at Rochel be determined by the next adjoining Province CHAP. VI. Of General Matters 1. NO Church shall seek a Minister for it self out of the Province unless it have first consulted with the Colloquies or Synod of the Province 2. The Provinces shall be admonished carefully to observe the tenth Article of the eighth Chapter of our discipline wherein are declared the proper causes which may be brought by Appeals unto our National Synods and if any shall hereafter bring those matters before us which are determinable in Provincial Synods they shall not be heard And Provincial Synods shall give notice hereof unto such persons as Appeal without just cause 3. The Deputies of those Provinces in which are erected the Mixt Courts consisting of half Protestants and half Papists are ordered in the name of this Assembly to wait upon the Lords Presidents and Counsellors of those Mixed Courts professing the Reformed Religion and to exhort them to persevere in their zeal and good affection to the general welfare of the Churches and of their poor oppressed Members who have recourse to them for justice against their oppressors and Letters shall be written to them to this purpose 4. The Consistory of Nerac shall in the Name of this Assembly exhort the Lords Presidents and Counsellors professing the Reformed Religion in the mixt-Court of Guyenne to take special care that nothing do pass in their Court to the prejudice of the Edicts and Articles granted to the Professors of our Religion and that private persons may not be unjustly oppressed And in case of their neglect and connivency at such injustice the Consistory of the said Church shall proceed against them by all Church Censures 5. The Deputies of Lower Languedoc moved this Question what course should be taken with those persons against whom the Consistories having proceeded by Church Censures for their delinquencies according to the Discipline were yet abetted by their Friends and Kinred who combining together with them against the Consistories do forbear hearing of Sermons neglect Sacraments and refuse their ordinary contributions towards the maintenance of the Ministry It was decreed that they be prosecuted both abettors and abetted with all Church-Censures and Colloquies and Provincial Synods ordered are to take special care that these Censures be duly executed 6. The Deputies of the Isle of France and Picardy propounding it the Provinces are charged to proceed against such as do by underhand dealings canvass for deputations unto Politcal Assemblies by all Church Censures And they who Represent the Provinces shall make oath that they never obtained to be Deputies by any of those unfair practices and in all Elections of members unto such Assemblies in whatsoever place Burrough City or Province that they neither have nor shall in any wise give their Votes for them who by such undue courses have demanded Craftily contrived or Ambitiously affected and sought after those Deputations nor have they nor will they seek or demand the same for themselves by such or the like ways and means And in case his Majesty out of his Royal Bounty should defray their charges at those General Assemblies It is ordained that the Moneys so given by him shall be received by the Treasurer of the Churches for their benefit and the Churches shall pay the respective Deputies all the expences of their Journy Professors are exempted from all Deputations unto Political Assemblies 7. the Provinces are injoyned never to depute unto our General National Assemblies whether Political or Ecclesiastical the Professors of Theology nor shall they be imployed in any Deputations unto Court And whether they shall be sent or not unto our National Synods it 's left wholly to the prudence of the Provinces 8. Theophilus Bleuitt otherwise called de la Combe having been deposed from the Ministry by the Province of Anjou and his deposition ratified by an act of the last National Synod held at Rochel presented himself unto this Assembly craving the favour of re-admission into the Ministry The Assembly having heard the causes for which he was deposed and those enormous Crimes whereof he stood convicted declareth him utterly unworthy of that Sacred Office yea that he shall not be so much as suffered to teach School in any of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom and forbids him for the future ever to put his foot within any of our Synodical Assemblies more 9. The Deputies of the Isle of France moving it this Assembly decreed that in those Provinces where that Custom was established of bringing the fifth Penny of all Charities to the Colloquies or Provincial Synods to be employed in the maintenance of our Proposans shall continue it as long as they see it expedient And in case any Churches of the Provinces should oppose themselves against it they be enjoyned to conform unto the practice of the major party on pain of being deprived of the Ministry In consequence hereof the Deputy of Burgundy complaining of the great inconveniencies befallen them by the Exemption of the Church of Lion from this Ordinance it was again decreed that the said Church should be subjected to it as well as the other Churches of that Province 10. It 's left to the prudence of Consistories to judge what Poor are fit to be relieved by every particular Church and who are to be sent back unto the places of their Nativity or of their former Residence And herein to carry it with all Charity both towards the Poor and those Churches whereunto they do return them An Order for maimed Souldiers bearing the Cross on their Cloaks 11. The Deputies of the Lower Guyenne moving it this Assembly resolved That Protestant Souldiers to receive the Relief granted by His Majesty unto those who had been maimed in His Service might wear the Cross on their Cloaks not as a Badge of Superstition but as the Mark and Cognisance of their
Synod ordaineth that the Province of Sevennes shall provide two Pastors for them to be sent unto them immediately one of which shall reside in the Town of Issoyre and the other shall serve the Churches of the Mountain according as it shall be prescribed them by the said Province And that those two Pastors may have a comfortable maintenance this Synod continuing the Decree of the former National Synods which had appointed four Portions free of all charges for those Churches of the Vpper Auvergne doth add a fifth for their Incouragement Which five Portions shall be received by the said Province and paid into the very hands of those Pastors to each of them the sum of five hundred Livers And the remaining Portions shall be distributed by those Provinces towards the necessities of those said Churches and all this to be duly and continually performed untill the meeting of the next National Synod Below p. m. 25. Alez p. m. 20. And in the mean while the respective Members of those Churches shall be pressed to contribute towards the maintenance of their Pastors and they shall give an account of their duty herein unto the next National Synod And whereas the said Monsieur Babat requests that he may be discharged from the service of those Churches he was ordered to continue the exercise of his Ministry among them until the meeting of the approaching Synod of Sevennes by which in case he then desire it he may be set at liberty and another substituted in his place However till the sitting of that Provincial Synod the said Babat shall wholly serve the Town Issoyre as its proper Pastor and the Colloquy of St. Germain shall give another Pastor to supply the Churches of the Mountain And forasmuch as the said Babat hath been at great expences in travelling unto this Synod and to the Assembly of Rochell the Lord of Candal is ordered to pay him an hundred Livers out of the mass of moneys belonging to all our Churches And as for that demand of the Deputies that a Fund might be given them for the raising and fixing of a Colledge at Issoyre This Assembly cannot do it because that having eased many persons among them of the charge in maintaining their Ministers they may very well as in Conscience they are bound and we also exhort them to do take care of this matter themselves CHAP. IX The King's Letter to the Synod Above Art 5. after the Catalogue of Deputies THE third of June Messieurs Hesperien and Bouteroue Pastors and Balene and Moussac Elders deputed by this Assembly unto the King returned hither and notified unto us with how much kindness and favour they were received by his Majesty and having declared to him their Commission and delivered their Memoirs and Instructions he heard and answer'd them very graciously as appears by his Majesty's Letter brought with them unto this Assembly and they had the thanks and applause of all the Deputies in it for their most affectionate care faithfulness and diligence in the discharge of their Commission And because it very much imported our Churches to be particularly informed of that good will and love his Majesty bears them that so they may be in an extraordinary manner stirred up to praise and bless the Lord for it and own and acknowledge themselves to be more strictly obliged to fidelity and perseverance in their obedience and subjection due unto his Majesty and to pray more heartily for the augmentation of his Majesty's Prosperity and Grandeur This Assembly ordained that the Letter which it pleated his Majesty to write us should be transcribed and Copies thereof sent abroad among the Churches which is here inserted word for word in this present Article By the KING To our Dear and Well-beloved the Deputies of our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion assembled in their Synod at Vitré DEar and Well-beloved we received your Letters of the one and twentieth day of this Month by which we have sensible experience of your Zeal and Affection for our Service and for that of the Common-weal participating as you have done in the common joy of all our Subjects for the Peace and Settlement of the Kingdom which we have so happily procured for them whereof we were also more particularly informed by your Deputies sent unto us for this same purpose from whom we have gladly received the fresh assurances and protestations made by you of persevering in your Loyalty and Obedience to us as you have done heretofore and you may be very well assured that we will be always careful to maintain and preserve you in all your priviledges formerly granted to you And we will give you all in general and every one of you in particular new tokens of our Love and good will upon all occasions which shall occur unto us Given at Paris the 29 th of May 1617. LOUYS Phelippeaux 2. The Deputies of Xaintonge demanded a Decree Nymes 11. that no Colloquy might hence forward separate any particular Congregation which was annexed to conjoin it unto another without the previous advice and authority of a Provincial Synod This Assembly finding their demand very Equitable did Ordain that this should be an Universal Canon binding all Colloquies and Churches 3. Divers Persons of Quality having moved it that inasmuch as our Mechanicks are obliged by the Kings Edict to forbear working on the Festivals of the Romish Church over and besides the Lord's day It is left unto the prudence of Consistories to Congregate the People on such Holy-Days either to hear the word Preached or to join in common publick Prayers as they shall find to be most expedient See Synod of Saumur Art 13. of g. m. And whereas Complaints are made us that in some Churches before Sermon they sing part of the Psalm and reserve the last Verse for conclusion of the Exercise This Assembly injoins all the Churches to sing * * * This last Clause was rased out in the seventh Obs of this Synod by that of Alez out the whole pause and to conform themselves as much as may be to the ancient Order 4. Monsieur de Bertreville our General Deputy came unto this Synod the sixth day of June and took his place in it according to the Canons of our National Synods and had his Vote of deliberation and decision and sware and subscribed the Oath of Union of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom 5. The Lord of Bertreville our General Deputy declared to us Tonneins g. m. 6. that the King's Letters Patents though granted for exempting our Ministers from payment of Taxes were not as yet verified nor delivered into his hands nor unto his Colleague the Lord of Maniald This Assembly doth earnestly intreat them to use all needful means to get them dispatcht as soon as possible 6. Whereas the National Synod of Tonneins had injoined all the Provinces to consider of a Proposal made by several great Persons both at home and abroad Tonneins g.
Years of Age deserted his Ministerial Calling and is since turned Apostate 5. Nicolas Jacornais formerly Pastor of the Church of Cheilary in the Province of Lower Languedoc a little brown Fellow chesnut-colour'd Hair high-eagle-nos'd short Neck somewhat crook-back'd deserted his Ministerial Calling about thirty five Years old 6. John Garsin Pastor of the Church of Graue in the Province of Dolphiny but a deserter of it and now an Apostate about forty Years of Age of a middle Stature red-favour'd and frowning holding his Head a little side-ways red Hair his Eyes deep sunk into their Holes very rude in his Discourse and Carriage quarrelsom conceited hugely of himself and totally incorrigible he was deposed by the same Province 7. Paul Puy formerly Pastor in the Church of Chastean Queyras having been two Years suspended he was at last finally deposed from the Sacred Ministry by the Province of Dolphiny for Adultery proved upon him 1626. The 25th Synod and Perjury lying Calumnies and divers other atrociou he is now an Apostate aâ—middle-statur'd black and dead-look'd Fellow high Eye-brows wide open Nostrils flat Nose sharp-picked Heard very proud and stately in his Gate aged about thirty six Years 8. George Arbaud formerly Pastor of the Church of Boicoiran in the Province of Lower Languedoc deposed by the Synod of his Province for Usury Theft contempt of his Calling writing of disfamatory Libels and Batteries he is a short thick Fellow brown-favour'd bald-headed cagle-nos'd meagre Face and black Beard about fifty Years old 9. James Joly formerly Pastor in the Church of Millaud deposed by the Province of Higher Languedoc for attempting to commit Adultery for impious and profane Discourses and designing to revolt from the true Religion for solliciting like the Devil other Pastors to apostatize with him for Rebellion against the Order and Discipline of our Churches he is tall of Stature a little small Head and bald red weeping Eyes about fifty five Years old his Beard beginning to turn gray 10. Cousins Vagrants who was born in Haynault heretofore Regent at St. Lo a middle-statur'd meagre-fac'd Fellow his Hair and Complexion black little Eyes and sunk into his Head about thirty five Years old a Vagrant 11. Beauvillier wandring from one Church unto another intruding himself into the Ministry of the Gospel where-ever he hath opportunity he says he was born at Negrepelisse and Son-in-Law to Monsieur Reynault deceased who was late Minister of Bourdeaux by Profession an Advocate a short Fellow chesnut-colour'd Hair meagre Face his Eyes deep sunk into his Head lame of his left Arm about thirty six Years old a Wanderer 12. Bonitons heretofore Pastor of St. Affrick a red-hair'd Fellow half gray his Face and Hands spotted all over with black Morphew a big out-bending Belly low of Stature having been by the Consistory and Neighbour-Pastors of St. Affrick deposed from his Ministry he afterwards turn'd Apostate and is about fifty five Years old CHAP. XXXVI An Act for calling of the next National Synod in Normandy THE Provinces of Normandy and Burgundy craving they might obtain the Priviledg of calling the next National Synod it was by plurality of Suffrages granted unto the Province of Normandy with Order to issue out Letters of Summons unto the Provinces in May 1629. All these Acts and Canons were done and decreed in the National Council of the Reformed Churches of France assembled at Castres the 15th day of September and which continued till the 5th of November 1626. and signed thus in the Original Chauve Moderator O. Blondell Petit Scribes Bouterove Assessor O. Blondell Petit Scribes And by all the other Deputies both Pastors and Elders who were sent unto the Council CHAP. XXXVII 1626. The 25th Synod A Catalogue of all the Churches Reformed in France and Principality of Bearn together with the Names and Sir-names of their Pastors regularly disposed according to the Order of the sixteen Provinces making up so many distinct Provincial Synods and brought by the Deputies of their respective Provinces unto this present National Council held at Castres First The Province of Burgundy THE Province of Burgundy is divided into four Colloquies having thirty two Churches and thirty four Pastors 1. The Colloquy of Chaalons 1. The Church of Chaalons hath for its Pastor Theophilus Cassegrini 2. The Pastor of Bourbon is Bartholomew Garnier 3. Bussy hath Heliodorus du Noyer 4. At Coursac is Jeffery Bruy 5. At Paras is John Veridet 6. At Maringues is Lewes Romph 7. At Cheirac is Paul Canett 8. At Mouleas is Noel Leslege 2. The Second Colloquy of Burgundy is Lyons 9. Esajah Baillé and Alexander Romph are Pastors of the Church of Lyons 10. The Church of Mascon hath Peter Belior 11. Pont de Vellé Jacob Textor 12. Belleville Peter Tannol 13. Bourg Peter Pelet 3. The Third Colloquy is at Dijon 14. At St. John Delesme is David Roy. 15. Cinallin hath Peter Balenat 16. Dijon hath Stephen Gautier 17. Issurtille injoyeth John Durand 18. At Beaune is Francis Renaud 19. At Chastillon upon the Seine is Samuel Rondot 20. At René le Duc is Francis Manget 21. At Noyers is John Compere 4. The Fourth Colloquy is at Gex 22. At Chalais is John Japes 23. At Versoy is Francis Perreau 24. At Crassett is Peter de Preau 25. At Lesly is James Clerk 26. At Gex is James Goutier and Daniel Sauret 27. At Toiry is John Vauralongue 28. At Farnex is Joseph Prevost 29. At Saconey is Francis Borsat 30. At Farges is Amand de Bore 31. At Colonges is Joseph Aubery 32. At Divonne is Paul Bacuett The Second Province and Provincial Synod is the Isle of France divided into four Colloquies having thirty six Churches and forty one Pastors 1. The First Colloquy is that of the Isle of France 33. Wherein is the Church of Paris and its Pastors are Peter du Moulin John Mestrezat and Charles Drelincourt 34. Chasteauthierry hath Mr. Noyensel 35. At Claye is Mr. Jacobé 36. At Fountainbeleau is Depresse 37. At Senlis is Mr. le Blanc 38. At Meaux is Carre 39. At Touguin is Migneau 40. At Lisy and La-Ferte and Spenay is Danois 2. The Second Colloquy is of Champagne 41. At Chaalons is Massin 42. At Vitry is Courselles 43. At Sesannechaltazay is Boucher 44. At Velmora is Beaune Becud 45. At Bar on the Seine is Bilet 46. At Espinet is Rasquett 47. At Netancour is Campdemer 48. At Vassy is Juigne 49. At St. Mars is Alpez 50. At Falaise and Royencour is Richard 51. At Passavant is Rouuel 3. The Third Colloquy is of Picardy 52. At Clermont and its Annexes viz. Compiegne Mondisier and Omecrcour is Mr. Maillard 53. At Chanvierassy is Tricottell 54. At Lain is Icoriges 55. Le Balgensy hath Rambours 56. At St. Quentin is Mestayer 57. At Oysemond is Blanchard 58. At Amiens is Delacloche 59. At Establet is Blondel 60. At Calais are Buguet Laulier and Berard 4. The Fourth Colloquy is of Beausse 61. At
Request to the Chambers ordained by this present Edict without suffering the time imported by those Ordinances to be ran out to their prejudice And till such times as the said Chambers and their Chanceries shall be established Appeals either by word of mouth or tendered in by writing by those of the said Religion before the Judges Registers or Deputies Executors of the Decrees and Judgments shall have the same effect as if they had been uplifted by Royal Letters LXI In all Inquests which shall be for any cause whatsoever in civil matters If the Inquisitor be a Catholick the Parties shall be bound to agree among themselves of another to be in Conjunction with him and in case they cannot agree the said Inquisitor or Commissioner shall by vertue of his Office take one unto himself who shall be of the said pretended Reformed Religion And the same also shall be practised when as the Commissioner or Examiner shall be of the said Religion he shall take an Assessor to himself who shall be a Roman Catholick LXII We Will and Ordain that our Judges may take knowledge of the validity of Testaments in which those of the said Religion are concerned in case they do require it and Appeals from those Judgments may be taken out from the said Chambers ordained for the Processes of those of the said Religion notwithstanding all Customs to the contrary yea and those of Brittain also LXIII To prevent all differences which may fall out in our Courts of Parliament and the Chambers of those Courts ordained by our present Edict we shall make a good and ample Regulation betwixt the said Courts and Chambers and such an one as that those of the said pretended Reformed Religion may intirely enjoy the benefit of the said Edict which regulation shall be verified in our Courts of Parliament and shall be kept and observed without any respect had unto the former LXIV We do prohibit and forbid all our Soveraign Courts and others of this Kingdom to take Cognisance of or judge in the Civil or Criminal Processes of those of the said Religion the Cognisance of which by our Edict is attributed unto the said Chambers provided that they demand the dismission of them thither according to what was said before in the 40. Article LXV We will also by way of provision and till we have taken some further course and shall have otherwise ordained that in all Processes moved or to be moved in which those of the said Religion shall be in the quality of Plaintiffs or Defendants principal Parties or Securities in civil matters in which our Officers and Presidial Courts have full power of judging finally without Appeal that they shall be permitted to require that two of the Chamber where the Processes ought to be judged shall abstain from giving judgment on them who without any cause shown shall be bound to abstain notwithstanding that Ordinance that the Judges may not be held for persons excepted at without cause offered they retaining over and above this those exceptions of right against the rest And in criminal matters in which also the said Presidial and other Subalternate Royal Judges do judge without Appeal the accused also of that Religion may require that three of the said Judges do abstain from judging of their Processes without shewing of any Cause And the Provosts of the Mareschals of France the Vice-Bailiffs the Vice-Seneschals the Lieutenants of short Robe and other Officers of the like quality shall judge according to the Ordinances and Regulations formerly given upon the account of Vagabonds And as for the Inhabitants in the Jurisdiction of those Provosts charged and accused if they be of the said Religion they may require that three of those Judges aforesaid who may take cognisance of their cause do abstain from judging of their Processes and they shall be bound to abstain without any cause shewed by them unless in that Company where the said Processes shall be judged there be no more than two in Civil matters and three in Criminal matters of the said Religion in which case they shall not be permitted to except against or refuse those Judges without shewing of a cause why And this shall be common and reciprocal with the Catholicks in that form as above as to their refusing of Judges where those of the pretended Reformed Religion shall be the greatest number And 't is not our meaning nor intention that the said Presidial Courts Provosts of Mareschals Vice-Bailiffs Vice-Seneschals and others who judge Soveraignly and without Appeal should in virtue of what hath been said take Cognisance of the palled troubles And as for Crimes and Riots which have fallen out upon other accounts than those of the late Troubles since the beginning of March in the year 1585. unto the end of the year 1597. In case they should take Cognisance of them we will that they may take out their Appeals from those judgments and bring them before the Chambers Ordained by this present Edict And the same shall be likewise practised by the Catholick Complices and where those of the said pretended Reformed Religion shall be Parties LXVI We Will also and Ordain that from henceforward in all Instructions besides the Informations of Criminal Processes in the Seneschallies of Tholouse Carcassonne Rouergue Loragais Beziers Montpellier and Nismes the Magistrate or Commissioner deputed for the said Instruction if he be a Catholick shall be bound to take an Assessor who shall be of the said pretended Reformed Religion of which the Parties shall agree and in case they cannot agree there shall be chosen by vertue of his office one of the said Religion by the Magistrate or Commissioner aforesaid As also in like manner if the said Magistrate or Commissioner is of the said Religion he shall be bound in the same form as was said before to take unto himself a Catholick Assessor LXVII When as the Provosts of the Mareschals of France or their Lieutenants shall be demanded to issue out a Criminal Process against an Inhabitant within their Jurisdictions who is of the said Religion and is charged and accused of a Crime which is triable in their Provost's Courts the said Provosts or their Lieutenants if they be Catholicks shall be bound to call in to the drawing up of the said Processes an Assessor of the said Religion which said Assessor shall be present at the Judgment of the Competency and at the definitive Judgment of the said Process Which Competency may not be judged but in the next Presidial Court in an Assembly of the principal Officers of the said Court who shall be present upon those very places upon pain of nullity unless that the Accused should require that the Competency should be judged in the said Chambers ordained by this present Edict In which Case as to what concerns the Inhabitants in the Province of Guienne Languedoc Provence and Dolphiny the Substitutes of our General-Attorneys in the said Chambers shall cause at the request of the said
that they are of the said Religion and honest Men. ARTICLE L. That Act of Indempnity granted unto those of the said pretended Reformed Religion by the 74. Article of this said Edict shall be of force as to all taking away of Royal Moneys whether by breaking up of Coffers or otherwise yea and as for those which were levied upon the River of Charante although they had been affected and applied unto private uses ARTICLE LI. The 49. Article in the secret Articles made in the year 1577. touching the City and Archbishoprick of Avinion and County of Venise as also the Treaty made at Nismes shall be observed according to their form and tenour and there shall be no Letters of Mark given by vertue of those Articles and Treaties but only by the Kings Letters Patents Sealed with his Great Seal Yet nevertheless such as would obtain them may get them by vertue of this present Article and without any other Commission from the Royal Judges who shall take informations of the contrary actings denial of Justice and iniquity of Judgments propounded by those who shall desire to obtain the said Letters and shall send them together with their advice closed and sealed up unto his Majesty that he may Ordain therein according as he shall see reason ARTICLE LII His Majesty accordeth and willeth that Master Nicholas Grimoul be restored and maintained in his Title and Possession of the Offices of ancient Lieutenant-General Civil and of Lieutenant-General Criminal in the Bailywick of Alanson notwithstanding that Resignation by him made unto Mr. John Marguerit and his admission into it and the Provision obtained by Mr. William Bernard of the Office of Lieutenant-General Civil and Criminal in the Court of Eximes and the Decrees given against the said Marguerit resigning it during the Troubles unto the Privy-Council in the years 1586 1587 and 1588. by which Mr. Nicholas Barbier is maintained in the Rights and Prerogatives of the ancient Lieutenant-General in the said Bailywick and the said Bernard in the said Office of Lieutenant at Eximes whom his Majesty hath cashiered and all others contrary to this Article of the Edict Moreover his said Majesty for certain and good Considerations hath granted and Ordained that the Grimoult shall reimburse within the space of three Months the said Barbier of that Revenue which he paid in unto the Casual Parties for the Office of Lieutenant-General Civil and Criminal in the Viscounty of Alanson and of fifty Crowns for charges and he shall order the Bailiff of Perche or his Lieutenant Mortaigne to do it And the money being reimburst or if the said Barbier shall refuse or delay to receive it his Majesty hath forbidden the said Barbier as also the said Bernard after the signification of this present Article to intrude themselves into the exercise of the said Offices upon pain of being guilty of Cheating and he the said Grimoult is put into the possession of his Offices and Rights unto them appertaining and thus doing those Suits which were depending in his Majesty's Privy-Council betwixt the said Grimoult Barbier and Bernard shall be terminated and suppressed his Majesty forbiding the Parliaments and all others from taking Cognisance and the said Parties from all Prosecutions for them Moreover his said Majesty hath undertook himself to reimburse the said Bernard of a thousand Crowns furnished unto the Casual Parties for his Office and of the sixty Crowns for the mark of gold and costs having to this purpose now ordained a good and sufficient assignment which the said Grimoult shall diligently get in and at his sole Charges ARTICLE LIII His said Majesty shall write unto his Ambassadours that they do importunately desire on behalf of all his Subjects yea and for those of the said pretended Reformed Religion that they be not prosecuted for their Consciences nor subjected unto the Inquisition going coming sojourning trading and trafficking in all Foreign Countries Allies and Confederates of this Crown provided that they commit no offence against the Government of those Countreys in which they shall be ARTICLE LIV. It is his Majesties Pleasure that there shall be no inquiry made after the receipt of those Impositions which were levied at Royan by vertue of the Contract made with the Sieur de Candelay and others who succeeded him and he confirmeth and approveth of the said Contract for that time in which it took place in the whole Contents thereof until the 18th day of May now coming ARTICLE LV. Those Riots which were occasioned about Armand Courtines in the Town of Millaud in the year 1587. and of John Reines and Peter Seigneuret together with the proceedings against them by the Consuls of the said Millaud shall by vertue of this Edict be abolished and supprest nor shall it be lawful for their Widows and Heirs nor for the Attorneys-General of his Majesty their Substitutes or other Persons whatsoever to make any mention Inquiry or Prosecution notwithstanding and without any respect had unto the Decree given in the Chamber of Castres the tenth day of March last which shall be null and without effect as also shall be all Informations and Proceedings both of the one and other side ARTICLE LVI All Prosecutions Proceedings Sentences Judgments and Decrees given as well against the late Lord of La Noue and against the Lord Odet of La Noue his Son since their detention and Imprisonment in Flanders which happened in May 1580. and in November 1584. and during their continual imployment in the Wars and for the service of his Majesty shall be void null and of none effect and whatsoever hath ensued in consequence thereof And both the said Lords De la Noue shall be admitted to defend themselves and be restored unto that Condition and State in which they were before the said Judgments and Decrees they not being obliged to refund the expences nor to pay the Fines if they had incurred any nor shall there be alledged against them any non-suit or prescription during the said time Done by the King in his Council at Nantes the second day of May 1598. Signed HENRY And a little lower Forget Sealed with the Great Seal upon yellow Wax HEnry by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre To our Beloved and Faithful Officers holding our Court of Parliament at Paris Greeting We did the last April cause to be expedited our Letters of Edict for the establishment of a good order and peace between our Catholick Subjects and those of the said pretended Reformed Religion Moreover we have granted unto those of the said Religion certain secret and particular Articles which we will to be of the self-same force and vertue and to be observed and accomplished in like manner as our Edict For these Causes We Will We Command and do most expresly injoin you by these presents That the said Articles Signed with our Hand and attacked unto this under the Counter-Seal of our Chancery you do cause to be Recorded in the Register of our
part in them In common civil matters as about a piece of Land an House a Debt between a Roman Catholick and a Protestant Religion must be one of the chief Heads of Accusation against the Protestants The Monks the Missioners the Confessors and that whole Crew of malicious fiery Zealots interessed themselves immediately in the affair They bawl out in Courts of Justice I plead against an Heretick I have to do with a Man of a Religion odious to the State and which the King will have extirpated By this means there was not any Justice to be expected Few Judges were proof against this false Zeal for fear of drawing down the fury of the whole Cabal upon themselves or passing for Favourers of Hereticks 'T is not to be imagined how many unjust Sentences these prejudices procured in all the Courts of the Kingdom and how many Innocent Families were ruin'd by them If any one complained of the wrong done them they were presently twitted in the Teeth You have the remedy in your own hands Why do you not become Catholicks Thus the Consciences Goods Honour and Lives of these poor Servants of God lie at the mercy of unrighteous Judges and of their merciless perfidious Enemies A Roman Catholick may at his pleasure destroy a Protestant Witnesses are never wanting the Kings Attorneys-General or their Deputies or the Agents and Syndicks of Bishops or Judges for Convents and Collegiate Churches will never fail to prosecute Some have been Condemned to the Pillory others to the Chain in the Gallies others to exorbitant Mulcts and Fines for but relating a story out of known Authors how a Priest cheated the World with a false Miracle by passing a Vine through the Head of an Image which being pierced in that Season of the Year when the sap ascends upward the sap would drop out of the Eyes whereat the deluded People believed that the Image did weep of it self Another Protestant was forced to stand in the Pillory and severely Fined for saying That God had buried the Body of a dead Saint lest his Bones should be adored and that when the Devil offered to take them up again an Angel from God opposed him with The Lord rebuke thee Satan Another was cast into Prison because he had said that the Roman Priests did hide their Lights under a Bushel Another had an Unconscionable Fine put upon him for saying That the Cross which they worshipped was but a piece of Wood. SECT XXIV Let the Protestants prove the Witnesses which swear against them to be suborned to have sworn falsly yea though they proved Perjury upon them they are either not punished at all or else their punishments be so slight and trifling that instead of terrifying they do embolden these malicious Villains to do the more mischief I shall produce a few Instances The Priest of Eymet in Guienne accused very many of the Inhabitants of that place for profaning the holy Mysteries of the Church of Rome The Judges examining this matter found his Accusation to be false a most malicious and mischievous Calumny which though it tended to the destruction of so many Innocent Persons of their Lives and Estates yet he escaped without punishment The Priest of Chastelheraut accused a poor harmless Damsel for speaking disrespectfully of the King For this she was in danger of having her Tongue cut out and being whipped by the Common Hangman But though the Judges discovered this Priest to be a Villain an impudent bloody false Accuser yet no punishment was inflicted on him Monsieur de la Touche was accused by the Abbot of La Chappelle before the Parliament at Rennes to have taken a Chalice out of a Church for this supposed Crime he was by Order of that Parliament burnt alive But though since this horrible Execution his Innocency hath appeared and he was found guiltless of the fact the real Offender having confessed when and how he stole it for which he suffered condign punishment yet they have done nothing to repair the injury done unto the name and memory of the Innocent Sieur de la Touche but declared That because he was an Heretick he deserved to be burnt to ashes as he was Monsieur Robineau Pastor of the Church in Pausange was also falsly accused by an Augustinian Fryar and a base Curate to have Preached Sedition and for this pretended Crime only he was kept many Months in the Prison at Poictiers and though at last his Accusers were convicted of Falshood Calumny and Perjury yet he could never get any satisfaction for his great Sufferings Monsieur Borie Pastor of the Church in Turenne for Preaching that none but Jesus Christ was born without sin was accused of blaspheming the blessed Virgin and yet this very Doctrine is that of the Dominican Fryars However this Godly Minister is handled most unmercifully he is thrown into a deep Dungeon bound with Iron Chains menaced with Death and treated after a most inhumane manner for a whole year and at last by an Order of the Parliament of Bourdeaux he was banished for ever the Land of his Nativity A Priest of Niort was Convicted before the King and Council for falsifying an Order to demolish the Protestant Church in that Town which was intended against the Church of Mer Never was there a more bold attempt before his Majesty and the Privy-Council Yet instead of punishing him according to his Deserts they turned the whole fact into a piece of Raillery and Laughter SECT XXV They gave all manner of freedom to the Priests and Monks whose Carriage was most insolent to insult over the poor Protestants and to execute the severest and most unrighteous Decrees and Orders of the King against them as in Poictou where the Priests of any were the most furious and industrious in demolishing of Temples and rasing their Foundations and over-throwing several private Houses plundering the Castles of Persons of Quality who professed the Reformed Religion If unhappily any Division were in private Families between Man and Wife or other Relations these Fomenters of strife these Firebrands of Hell would come and offer them the Protection of the Church against their adverse Party If a Man were poor and brought to Beggary they promise him the Protection of the Church against his Creditors and Mountains of gold if he will but change his Religion They will provide for his Children put his Daughters into Nunneries his Boys into Abbies or good Imployments but no sooner are they debauched but as the Priests said to Judas after he had betrayed his Lord See thou to it so they chouse and slight him leave him in the lurch never perform their Promises so that through despair some of them have ended their days as Judas did by laying violent hands upon themselves If a debauched Son would shake off his Father's Yoke they shall flock to him with the greatest profession of kindness imaginable pitying him and wheedling him with the deceitful Promises of what great matters they will
do for him provided he will but relinquish his Religion who had none and become of theirs a Catholick If a Daughter be unruly and undutiful to her Parents they will seduce her away from them and God flattering her with the false hopes of a good Match or intice her into their Nunneries those sinks of Uncleanness and oblige her Father to maintain her to give her an yearly Pension far above what his Estate can possibly allow or bear If a Man be prosecuted for any Crime let him but change his Religion he gets a Pardon and gets into a Sanctuary from Justice By this means the old Count de L'orge saved his life when he was clapt into the Bastile for coining Money But these Cheaters have been cheated themselves 'T is a diverting story for my Reader out of Les derniers efforts de l' Innocence affligée p. 176 177. Conversions are now adays in fashion Every one will be in the mode Cavaliers Soldiers and Ladies as well as our Bigots must be Converters One told me lately a pleasant passage of a common Soldier in the Garrison of Fribourg who for a considerable Robbery was clapt up in Prison This Fellow was a subtil shaver and very well perceived there was no hopes of Life or Mercy for him As soon as he was brought into Gaol the first Question put to him was about his Religion And you may be sure a Thief hath enough of that and to spare But without any hesitation he professeth himself an Hugonot that is a Protestant Immediately all the devout persons in Town bestir themselves to save the Soul of this poor Heretick and who more zealous with him and for him than my Lady Chamilly the Governor's Wife This Heretick stands out against all their assaults and resolves to die a Martyr for his Religion Never did a Martyr defend his Cause better than he Nay Monsieur de Chamilly hath a pang of zeal for the perishing Soul of this wretched Hugonot and out of pure compassion to him visits him in his Dungeon tells him he is a dead man as well as damned if he don't turn Catholick Eternal damnation doth not fright him only the dread of the Wheel and Halter put him into an Ague-fit He begins to relent the Piety and Charity of my Lord-Governor and his Lady work a Miracle upon him He is willing provided he may have good Terms to relinquish his Heresie and go to Heaven But it must be upon sure Grounds He will have his Pardon first in due form of Law under the King's Hand and Seal that he may not be cheated nor surprised nor hung up after he is converted And they deal which is a wonder indeed honestly and honourably with him They get him his Pardon he pleads it in Court where 't is accepted and he is discharged by open Proclamation No sooner is this Convert at large but he declares to all the World what a precious Convert he was who had never been an Heretick but a Roman Catholick all his days This Trick was a little mortification to the Bigots of Fribourg But let us pass from raillery unto something more sad and serious SECT XXVI If a man be sick and by reason of poverty is carried to the Hospital his Entertainment will be very harsh and cruel unless he renounceth his Religion he shall have no attendance but die miserably A Danish Gentleman was carried to the Hospital at Paris called l' Hostel Dieu being mortally wounded The Papists earnestly press him to renounce his Heresie but finding him fixt and immoveable in it they make use of false Apparitions of supposed Devils appearing with a Death's Head in which they had put lighted Candles telling this poor young Gentleman that he should be damned if he did not change his Religion and of a Lutheran become a Catholick They follow him so often and closely with these Mormo's that being worn out with terrors he died in despair This happened Jan. 24. 1666. The Liberty of Conscience formerly granted is miserably abridged and the Inquisition in effect set up no Protestant daring to discover his Faith before the Papists lest he should be prosecuted for Blasphemy The Sick cannot lye quiet in their Beds in their own Houses no more than in Hospitals without being persecuted with the continual Sollicitations of Priests and Monks to change their Religion they having got liberty to enter their Houses at pleasure which to dying men tho' never so well setled in their Religion must needs be a very grievous torment The Priests with this Licence do frequently and falsly pretend that the deceased party by signs or otherwise discovered a desire that their Children should be bred up in the Popish Religion Thus did they deal with Monsieur Rossell a Minister in Xaintonge If a man in a violent Feaver tho' under a delirium do but let fall the least expression the Priest snatcheth at it immediately and pretends there is a real Conversion and then all the Friends and Relations of this delirious person are driven out of the Chamber even his own Wife and his Children are taken into custody And if he chance to recover they will force him to go to Mass or else put the Decree against Apostates in execution against him If a sick man be in his right senses they will then by subtil insnaring Questions interrogate him whether he would not imbrace a true Faith a good sound and orthodox Doctrine and whether he desireth not to die in the bosom of the true Church If he answer that he doth or not 't is all as one he is persecuted to death Take an instance or two out of Les derniers Efforts de l' Innocence affligée p. 62 63 64. In the Suburbs of St. Marcel in Paris a poor Woman lay delirious The Commissary and Priests of the Parish enter into her Chamber drive out all her Relations and Friends that attended her and made her speak what they pleased then they go and fetch the consecrated Host and holy Oils for her viaticum and lest any one in their absence should get into the Chamber they lock it and carry away the Key with them In the mean while this sick Woman returns to her right senses but is affrighted at the sight of a Cross at her Bed's foot which they had left behind them She immediately conjectures what had befallen her during her delirium and thereupon ariseth goeth to the door to save herself but finding it shut she resolves to escape by the window This was too bold an Enterprise for so feeble a creature and as she was sliding down from the third story she falls upon the Pavement and with the violence of the fall dieth in the place There was another sorrowful Accident at Ville Dieu a Village in Poictou The Curate and Sexton of the Parish visit an aged person upon his sick bed They drive away from him all his Children terribly threatning them that if ever they came
have here inserted it A Letter of the French King to the Prince Elector Duke of Brandenburgh BROTHER I Would not have discoursed the Matter you write to me about on the behalf of my Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion with any other Prince besides your self But to shew you that particular esteem I have for you I shall begin with telling you that some persons disaffected to my Service have spread seditious Pamphlets among strangers as if the Acts and Edicts that were passed in favour of my said Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion by the Kings my Predecessors and confirmed by my self were not kept and executed in my Dominions which would have been contrary to my Intentions for I take care that they be maintained in all the Priviledges which have been granted them and be as kindly used as my other Subjects To this I am engaged both by my Royal Word and in acknowledgment of the Proofs they have given of their unspotted Loyalty during the late Troubles in which they took up Arms for my Service and did vigorously oppose and successfully overthrow those ill Designs which a rebellious Party were contriving within my own Dominions against my Royal Authority I pray God to take you Brother into his Protection LOUIS N.B. That Rebellious Party which the French King stigmatizeth so hainously in this Letter were the Roman Catholicks adhering to the late Prince of Condé who having some Evidences of the Illegitimacy of the present French King began with the Sword in his hand to publish his own Banes unto the Crown of France And the Loyal Protestants opposing this Rebellious Prince and his Rebellious Army and in the Providence of God having been the unhappy Instruments of his and their overthrow are applauded by the King himself from whence they drew this natural Conclusion that he then when he writ this Letter to the Duke of Brandenburgh had no intentions to destroy them But that they were mistaken and that Prince Elector abused is notorious to the whole World SECT XXXVII Another and the fifth method used by the Council for their ruine were those jugling Tricks with which they were frequently amused As for Example At the same time that some Churches were Condemned and accordingly demolished others were conserved and confirmed To make the World believe they were very Conscientious Observers of the Rules and Measures of Justice and that those Temples condemned by them were such as were not grounded upon any good Titles Sometimes they would mollify over-rigorous Orders and Decrees At other times they seemed not to approve of those violences which were offered by the Intendants and other Magistrates and would therefore grant out new Orders to restrain and moderate them After this manner did they hinder the Execution of a Decree made in the Parliament of Rouen which injoined those of the Reformed Religion to fall on their Knees when they met the Sacrament Thus they also granted a Noli prosequi against the actings of a puny Judge of Charanton who had ordered that Prayer in the Protestant Liturgy who groaned under the Tyranny of Antichrist to be struck out of it And thus also they seemed not to favour another Persecution which began to spread and become general in the Kingdom against the Ministers under pretence of obliging them to take an Oath of Allegiance in which other Clauses were inserted contrary to what Ministers do owe unto their Callings and Religion And 't was thus also that they suspended the Execution of some Edicts which they themselves had procured as well to tax the Ministers as to oblige them to a precise Residence upon those places where they exercised their Ministry With the same design the Syndicks of the Clergy had the art to let the principal Churches of the Kingdom to be at rest for many years together without any disturbance in their religious Assemblies whilst at the same time they desolated all others in the Country They suspended also the Condemnation of the Universities to the very last The Court seemed at first unable to believe and at last in no wise to approve the horrible excesses of Marillac the Intendant of Poictou which he committed in his Province though yet that poor and bloody Fellow did nothing but by their express Order SECT XXXVIII But amongst all those illusions there be five or six which are most remarkable The first was that at the very time when the Court issued out all those Decrees Declarations and Edicts which we have before recited and which they caused to be put in execution with the greatest severity yea at the very same time that they interdicted Church-Assemblies demolished the Temples deprived particular Persons of their Offices and Employments reduced People to Poverty and Famine flung them into nasty Jails loaded them with grievous Fines banished them from their Houses and Estates and in a word had almost ravaged all The Intendants Governours Magistrates and other Officers in Paris and generally over all the Kingdom did very coolly and gravely give out That the King had not the least intention to touch the Edict of Nantes but would most religiously observe it The second was that in the same Edict which the King published in the year 1682. to forbid Roman Catholicks to embrace the Reformed Religion that is to say at a time when they had made considerable progress in their grand work of the Protestants destruction they caused a formal Clause to be inserted in these terms That he confirmed the Edict of Nantes as much as it was or should be needful The third remarkable is That in the Circular Letters which the King wrote to the Bishops and Intendants obliging them to signify the Pastoral Advertisement of the Clergy to the Consistories of the Reformed He tells them in express terms That his intention was not that they should do any thing against those Grants which had been formerly made by Edicts and Declarations in favour of those of the Reformed Religion The fourth That by an express Declaration published about the latter end of the year 1684 the King ordained That Ministers should not remain in the same Church above the space of three years nor return to the first within the space of twelve And that they should be thus translated from Church to Church at least twenty Leagues distant from the other Supposing by a most evident consequence that his design was yet to permit the exercise of Religion to the Ministers in the Kingdom for at least twelve years Though at that very moment they had fully resolv'd in Council upon the Edict of Revocation A fifth Remark is a Request presented to the King by the Assembly of the Clergy at the same time that they were drawing up an Edict to repeal and abrogate that of Nantes and giving instructions unto the Attorney-General how to frame it And in that Decree which was granted on this Request of theirs the Clergy complained of the mis-representations which Ministers are wont to
to Fountainbleau that we might wait upon the Bishop of Meaux which was a truth had the kindness for us as to order him to come to Paris and if after our Conferences ended with my Lord Bishop of Meaux we could not with a good Conscience hold Communion with the Church of Rome he would then give us when ever we should desire it a Licence for our selves and Families to depart the Kingdom and that finally my Lord of Meaux would charily preserve our Writing which had been presented unto his Majesty We all three accepted the Proposals And had several Conferences with the Bishop of Meaux But this very day we are urged to come to a Resolution and upon our refusal of signing the new Formulary we are plainly told That it is ill done of us to recoil after that of our own accord we had advanced so far and they farther tell us That our own Writing obligeth us to far greater matters than the new Formulary and that we declare in the very beginning of it That of all Evils Disunion is the greatest and that by this our Confession neither Transubstantiation nor any of those other Points debated by us could be a bar to our Re-union and that in effect we do formally re-unite ourselves by our very Writing and that by submitting our selves to the Conduct of Bishops and of their pitiful Curates we do subject our selves to the whole Ecclesiastical Discipline and that we intreating the Higher Powers who went unto Mass to believe our Sentiments to be the same with theirs who desired the Cup we were engaged at the same time to do as they did even to wait for that Reformation which was universally desired and which the King incessantly pursued as having resolv'd that the Cup should be delivered unto the People in the Sacrament And thus they boast we are caught by our own Writing which was left imprudently enough in the hands of my Lord Bishop of Meaux and which they say also at the same time is in the King 's This is the truth of our present Estate and for which we conjure you most dear Brother to send us as soon as possible your advice lest c. WE whose Names are here-under written being fully perswaded that among Christians there cannot be a greater mischief than to be divided one from another especially when as the providence of God has made us all Subjects to our King who is the most glorious Monarch in the whole World and being unmeasurably grieved that we are bound to depart his Kingdom and to subject our selves unto the authority of strangers whom we can never own for our Soveraign Lawful Princes Do declare That from this very day we can promise my Lord the Bishop of Meaux that we will subject our selves to the Sermons and Even-Songs used in the Catholick Church thereby giving a sensible demonstration of our Union with the Archbishops Bishops and Curates of France We also intreat That we may be absolutely believed to be in the same Sentiments with the Higher Powers who in conformity to the Liberties of the Gallican Church gave in divers Articles as our Historians relate to my Lord Cardinal de Joyeuse concerning the Council of Trent and until such time as they may be established by the King's Authority and signed by the most Reverend Clergy of France in the sence of the second Article of the last Edict verified in Parliament the 22d of this instant October we most humbly beseech his Majesty to grant us the liberty of abiding within his Kingdom in quality of poor private persons we calling God to witness by our Oaths That we will do nothing against his Majesty's Declarations but contrariwise we shall endeavour by our example to keep the People within those bounds of Fidelity and Obedience which we all owe unto the King and our Superiours I suppose those Articles were the same which had been demanded by the Cardinal of Lorrain and the other French Ambassadours in the Council of Trent as they be mentioned by De Mezeray in his 3d Tome p. 1470. viz. That an Ecclesiastick Person should hold but one Benefice That the Mass being finished Prayers might be celebrated in the Vulgar Tongue That the People might Communicate in both kinds That all Pastors should be capable and obliged to Preach and Catechise That the abuse crept in among the Common People in the Worshipping of Images might be removed SECT LV. Now the Ministers have left the Kingdom and vast multitudes of their People steal away after them as well as they can But the King and Haman the French King and his Cabal sit down and drink whil'st that Paris as Shushan of old and all other places in which the Reformed remain are in great perplexities In every Province whithersoever the King's Commandment and his Decree came there was great Mourning among the Protestants Fasting Weeping and Wailing and many lay in Sackcloth and Ashes Yet among the Sighs and Groans or God's poor Saints who mourn for the Desolations of Zion the Ruines of their Temples and Sanctuary the loss and reproach of their Solemn Assemblies the Prophanations of their Holy Sabbaths their deprival of Religious Ordinances the banishment of their Pastors the dissipations of their Churches and the total extirpation of the pure Evangelical Religion and cannot be comforted the Popish Clergy the Monks and Jesuits have their Jubilees and Triumphs and the Pope sends a Letter to the King congratulating him for his Zeal against the Hereticks in his Kingdom and for repealing the Edict of Nantes It spake this Language The Pope's Letter to the French King congratulating him for Abolishing the Edict of Nantes Innocent the XIth to our dearest Son in Christ Lewes the XIVth the most Christian King of France Our dearest Son in Christ SInce above all the rest of those illustrious Proofs which do abundantly declare the natural inbred Piety of your Majesty that Noble Zeal and worthy the most Christian King is most conspicuous with which being ardently inflamed you have wholly abrogated all those Constitutions that were favourable to the Hereticks of your Kingdom and by most wise Decrees set forth have excellently provided for the Propagation of the Orthodox Belief as our beloved Son and your Ambassadour with us the Noble Duke de Estrées hath declared to us We thought it was incumbent on us most largely to commend that excellent Piety of yours by the remarkable and lasting Testimony of these our Letters And to congratulate your Majesty that Accession of immortal Commendation which you have added to all your other great Exploits by so illustrious an Act of this kind The Catholick Church shall most assuredly record in her Sacred Annals a Work of such Devotion towards her and celebrate your Name with never-dying Praises But above all you may most deservedly promise to your self an ample Retribution from the Divine Goodness for this most excellent Vndertaking and may rest assured that we shall never cease to pour
made this Decree That if through want of will on their side they were not employed in the sacred Ministry they shall be bound to make restitution unto those Churches which had furnished them with necessary Supplies towards their Education as soon as God shall enable them XLIX The present Synod returns Thanks unto Monsieur Beraud Rotan and the other Pastors for their pious endeavours in maintaining the Truth at the Conference held at Mants with Monsieur De Perron and other Popish Theologers and ratifies their whole proceeding and that offer made by them to continue the said Conference at the pleasure and commandment of His Majesty In pursuance whereof the Synod hath nominated twenty Pastors out of whom twelve shall be chosen to confer with those of the Romish Church that so the Provinces may have notice and come prepared for the said Conference And in case the Provinces would recommend any other they are required to do it speedily and shall acquaint the said Beraud and Rotan with it Catalogue of those nominated for the General Conference The twenty Persons nominated are Monsieur Rotan of Xaintonge Monsieur Ceovt of Bourgogne * * * Mr Chauve See the Synod of Saumur Gen. Mar. 12. Monsieur De L'Estang Godion of Poictòu Monsieur D'aneau of Higher Languedoc Monsieur Pacard of Xaintonge Monsieur De la Noue of Anjou Monsieur Constans of Lyonnois Monsieur Cazenave of Bearn Monsieur De la Banserie of Normandy Monsieur De la Faye of Geneva Monsieur De Beaulieu of France Monsieur Des Alâ—ues of Tourain †††Another Copy hath Monsieur De Serres Monsieur Chamier of Dauphine Monsieur De Chambrisé of Brittany Monsieur Ricotier the Son of Gascony Monsieur Gigord of Lower Languedoc Monsieur Berault of the Higher Guyenne Monsieur | | | But Baron's Name was razed out Baron of England Monsieur Melanez of Gascony and Monsieur Junius of Leyden in Holland L. The Province of Lower Languedoc demanding our Advice What course should be taken with those Ministers who having been deposed did afterwards live soberly and religiously without giving any the least offence tho' a long time had past since their Deposition whether it were lawful to employ them again in the Dispensation of the Word and Sacraments in that self-same Province where they had been deposed or not This Synod answers That it is in no wise expedient because contrary to the very Letter of the Canons of our Discipline LI. The same Deputies having moved That there might be nothing innovated as to the Observation of Holy-days such as Christmas and the rest the Synod doth accord unto it LII This Assembly having seen Monsieur Daneau's Answer unto the first part of Bellarmin's Works doth judge them worthy to be made publick whereof Notice shall be given our said Brother by Letters from this Synod and he is entreated to intimate in his Preface that he designed brevity in his Answer because others had been more large and ample LIII Monsieur De Serres having requested by his Letters written to this Synod See Synod of Saumur Part. Mat. 3. that some learned Men might be appointed to revise his Collection out of the Fathers a Work undertaken by him to prove our Religion to be the most Ancient Catholick Religion and the Romish to be New and Particular This Synod hath ordained That the said De Serres shall cause three Copies of his Collection to be fairly transcribed whereof one shall be sent into the Lower Languedoc and from thence into the Higher Languedoc Guyenne and Gascogny another into Xaintonge and from thence into Poictou and the Churches beyond the River of Loire and the third shall be sent unto Geneva that care may be taken about its Impression And till it be thus revised the said Monsieur De Serres is expresly ordered neither to print nor publish any thing of the said Collection LIV. The Synod being informed that several Sums of Money were collected in the Churches for their Service whereof no account hath been render'd This Synod ordereth That all Receivers of those Collections made in the said Churches do bring in their Accompts of those Moneys unto the next National Synod notwithstanding any Agreement past between these Receivers and particular Churches to the contrary And the Province of Lower Languedoc shall give Notice to Monsieur De Serres and John Chalais that they come and yield up their Accounts and pay in the remaining Moneys in their hands at the time appointed them before the six Ministers and six Elders or other Persons well skill'd in matters of Accompt which shall be deputed by the Synod of Lower Languedoc and these Accounts shall be audited in the City of Monpellier And in case the said Monsieur De Serres refuse so to do he shall be suspended from the Ministry and the said John Chalais from the Sacrament And both of them are required to appear in Person before the next National Synod But De Serres died the very day before it sat LV. The Deputies of Higher Languedoc demanding Whether Sinners who had committed certain Crimes for which by Sentence of the Magistrate they were punished with Brands of publick Infamy ought also to be censur'd by the Church so far as to do publick Penance in the face of the whole Congregation The Synod resolved affirmatively because they be two distinct Matters the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate and the Ecclesiastical Cognisance taken by Consistories this relating to the Conscience and the interiour concerns of the Soul and that only to the Body and outward Man CHAP. V. Of APPEALS I. WHereas the Church of Rochel hath brought an Appeal from the Province of Poictou about Monsieur Esnard whom the said Church claims for its Minister by Vertue of an Order granted it by the National Synod celebrated in the Year 1581. It is now decreed That because the. said Church hath not produced the Grant of that Synod Monsieur Esnard shall remain where he is at present in the Province of Poictou and moreover the said Church shall be censured for having used Terms of Law in the said Appeal II. An Appeal being brought by the Colloquy of Angoulesme against the Church of St. Mesme about a Judgment past in the Synod of Xaintonge This Article was razed out in the Synod of Saumur Part. Mat. 4. this Assembly doth confirm that Judgment in the whole and in every part of it denounced by the said Synod which is also charged by the Authority of this Assembly to censure Monsieur De Bargemont and his Associates for troubling us with their Impertinencies III. The Church of Cognac and Monsieur De Bargemont having appealed from a Judgment given in the Synod of Xaintonge held at Pons This Assembly decreeth That the said Monsieur De Bargemont shall be appropriated to the Church of Segonsac with this Proviso that he serve alternatively the Church of Coignac and Segonsac and that
particularly promiseth to hinder the out-breaking of Piscator's Notions provided he be not provoked elsewhere by any others This Assembly ordaineth John Earl of Nassau his Letters unto Monsieur Regnault that Lettes shall in its name be written unto the said most Noble Lord thanking him for his pious affection and humbly intreating that Prince to continue his endeavours for effecting of that much-desired Union and to take care that none of his Subjects do break out into bitter expressions and to assure him on the behalf of our Churches in this Kingdom that no person shall be suffered to exasperate Dr. Piscator by any publick Writings as also that if any one hath heretofore done it he had no Commission for so doing from us and it was disowned by this Synod and that we shall take special care to prevent it for the future See the first Synod of Rochel G. Mat. 6. and of Montauban observat upon the Confes Art 4. Th' Article concerning Antichrist to be printed and inserted into our Confession 8. Our Printers shall be once again charged according to the Decrees of the Synods of Montauban and Saumur to put the word Union instead of Unity in the twenty sixth Article of our Confession And all Pastors in whose Churches there be Printing Houses are required to oversee the next impressions that so it be done accordingly 9. That Article concerning Antichrist inserted by the Synod of Gap into the body of our Confession and making the thirty first having been in its order read weighed and examined was approved and allowed by general consent both as to its form and substance for very true and agreeing with Scripture-Prophesie and which in these our days we see most clearly to be fulfilled Whereupon it was resolved that it should continue in its place and that for time coming it should be imprinted in all Copies which should come from the Press 10. That word Superintendent in the thirty third Article shall abide according as it was expounded by the Synod of Gap 11. Whereas the Pastors and Classis of Lausanna Morges c. do demonstrate in their Letters that it would be fit to add unto the close of the thirty third Article after the word Appertaining this restriction as far forth as they be grounded on the Word of God This Assembly hath found it needless and superfluous because that the foregoing words For in Excommunication we ought to follow what our Lord hath declared to us do sufficiently express unto us the aforesaid Restriction 12. Whereas some have remonstrated that it were meet to express in the thirty sixth Article more clearly that Union which the faithful have one with another and which is signified to us in the Lord's Supper But this point having been debated it was judged needless for that the Conjunction of the head with the Members there mentioned did necessarily infer the mutual Union and Communion of the Members one with another 13. The Consistories of Churches in which our Printers live are charged for time to come to have a special care that our Printers do not forget those words of our Lords Institution Take Eat c. And Drink ye all c. according as was Decreed in the Synod of Saumur 14. The Province of Higher Languedoc scrupling the word Lieutenant in the thirty ninth Article This Assembly saw no reason for it but that it might continue in it as importing nothing contrary to what is signified by that word when attributed unto Magistrates by the Holy Scriptures and equivalent to those words which the Word of God doth bestow upon them 15. The Confession of Faith having been read over word by word and in every Member Article and Clause of it it was unanimously approved and sworn to by all the Deputies present in the Synod who promised and protested to live and die in this Faith and particularly in what had been determined according to the Scriptures That we be justified before God by the imputation of that obedience of our Lord Jesus which he yielded unto God his Father in his Life and Death Which said Protestation the Deputies of the Provinces will by the Authority of this Synod cause also to be taken by all the Pastors of their respective Provinces which had sent them CHAP. III. Observations on the reading our Church-Discipline 1. ON the Second Article of the first Chapter after these words of their Doctrine shall be added approved at least by the space of two years since their Conversion and confirmed by good Testimonials from those places in which they live 2. On the fourth Article of the same Chapter that alternative of two or three shall be removed and there shall be mentioned three only 3. No Church shall for the future undertake whatever sollicitations may be made it to examine or ordain those Pastors which are to serve out of this Kingdom but herein they shall conform unto the Discipline and the Decrees of former National Synods 4. After these words in the fourth Article which shall be advised there shall be added without being able during that all whole time to administer the Sacraments that so c. See Synod of Gap 4 Art uppon the Discipline 5. That Article of the Synod of Gap concerning the eleventh Canon of this first Chapter shall be most strictly observed and that it may be better kept for the future in all Consistorial Classical and Synodical Censures diligent inquiry shall be made into the Conversation and Manner of Preaching used by every Pastor and an Oath shall be imposed on the Examinant to speak the Truth to the best of his knowledge and that they may the better answer to every point they shall read unto them the said Article of the Discipline 6. On reading the ninteenth Article the Synod ordered Letters should be written unto the Lords of this Kingdom professing the Reformed Religion that they be intreated when ever they are called from their Houses unto Court or when ever they travel that they would not fail to take their Pastors with them 7. The Synod expounding the twenty eighth Article by these words their Churches being heard doth understand the Consistories and Chief of the people and by these words for certain considerations doth understand whatever may fall out in general and not particularly the proceeds of Censures A Colloquy may lend a Minister for three and the Provinc Synod 6 months out of the Province See the first Synod of Vitré g. Mat. 24. 8. On the thirty third Article where speech is had about the consent of Pastors and Churches in case of Loan of Ministers without the Province It is now decreed that notwithstanding any Appeal to the contrary a Colloquy may lend a Pastor for three Months and the provincial Synod for six 9. The means prescribed by the Synods of Gap and Gergeau to prevent their ingratitude who refuse maintenance unto their Pastors are left to be used according to the discretion and charity of the
Church provide themselves of any other for the Ministry in that Church or for the Profession of Theology during the time of his loan unto the Church and University of Saumur 4. The Church of St. Ireney le Perche in the Countrey of Limousin petitioned this Assembly for a Pastor that so their Ruine and Dissipation might be prevented and that they might be holpen with some Moneys to make him up a competency for his subsistence with them The Assembly considering that Monsieur Alix was lent unto the Church of Angeau doth injoyn the Provincial Synod of Berry to examine Monsieur Salomon a Proposan and in case they find him well qualified they shall set him apart to the work of the Ministry by Imposition of hands and send him unto the said Church of St. Ireney le Perche for two years only in case the Church of Orleans be not destitute of Pastors which is much feared for both the Pastors of Orleans and Angeau have been a long time very sick and like to die And the said Church of St. Ireney le Perche shall be put upon the same Roll with the other Churches to draw forth and receive its portion of the King's Monies 5. Whereas the Elder of the Church of Villefaignun and Savelles hath petitioned that they might be without any longer delay provided of a Pastor the next Synod of Xaintonge is charged to take care of them and to give order for their supply And in the mean while the Neighbour Ministers of Xaintonge and Augoulmois are required to visit and officiate by turns in the said Church 6. There being great divisions and contentions among the Pastors and Professors in the Church and University of Montauban and particularly one lately fallen out between Messieurs Beraud the Younger and Duncan first Regent of their Colledge and Competitor for the Profession of the Greek Tongue and there having been very ill doings and of dangerous consequence in their proceedings their Cause being removed from the Colloquies and Synods by the said Duncan and others unto the Court of the Edict in the City of Castres This Assembly that past evils may be remedied and such as are future may be prevented doth enjoyn those Gentlemen concerned in these differences and who are now personally present in this Synod to be reconciled one unto the other which was done accordingly And that the absent parties might be reunited Messieurs de Gasque Gigord and those Elders deputed by the Province of Lower Languedoc shall take in their way homeward the City of Montauban and are charged by the Authority of this Synod to accommodate and compose all their dissensions And it is farther ordained That both the said Mr. Beraud the Younger and Mr. Duncan shall desist all pursuits about the Profession of the Greek Tongue and for peace sake a third person shall be chosen into that Office And whereas the said Duncan was obliged by a special Article of the said Colloquy to prosecute his Appeal in the Court of the Edict the Provincial Synod is ordered to inflict a very severe Censure upon that Colloquy in case that Article be found registred in the Original of their Acts which for this purpose shall be produced And Messieurs de Gasques Gigord St. Chapte and Bergier as they travel through the City of Castres shall acquaint his Majesties Officers professing the Reformed Religion in that Court how very prejudicial it will be unto our Churches if those Academical Differences shall come to be impleaded at their Bar that so according to their Zeal and Piety they may prudently provide for our publick and common benefit and take care in due time that the Liberties and Priviledges of the Churches be not invaded nor disseized 7. Monsieur de la Vallade is confirmed in his Ministry unto the Church of Fontinay unto which he was formerly presented nor shall the Province of Guyenne or Bergerac claim any right to recall him and this Decree passed without any opposition from the Deputies of the said Church and Province who declared they had no Commission to redemand him So that all Agreements and Covenants made betwixt the said Vallade and his Father and the said Church are ratified and become perpetual However this Assembly doth not approve of that Form in which they be drawn up especially with reference unto the Moneys which they pretend to have furnished him and in case the Church of Bergerac should demand him the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge is impowered with Authority to determine finally of him and all matters between him and them 8. The Churches of Maringues and Paillac in Auvergne petitioned this Assembly that they might be supplied with able Ministers and because of their deep poverty and want of necessary means to allow a sufficient maintenance for a Pastor the Synod of Lower Languedoc was enjoyned to lend them a Minister for one year they taking the first opportunity of their meeting to apply themselves thither for one And that a competency may be the more easily provided over and above the four portions out of the King's Money formerly allotted unto those of the Lower Auvergne there be two more granted to them and the said Churches of Maringues and Paillac shall receive four of them and the other two shall remain with and belong unto the Church of Issoire And it is farther ordained That the said Synod of Lower Languedoc shall in the mean time chuse a Proposan of good hopes and well qualified who may be given as ordinary Pastor unto the said Church of Issoire 9. Monsieur Primrose Pastor of the Church of Bourdeaux brought Letters from the Magistrates and Ministers in the Church of Edinborough in Scotland written and directed to this Assembly and other Letters also written by his Majesty the King of Great Brittain recalling him home unto his Native Countrey to serve the said Church of Edinburgh and he declared farther that he had never absolutely ingaged himself either to this Kingdom nor to any particular Church in it but had always reserved a liberty of departure when as he should be duly recalled This Assembly replied that they would not in the least abridge him of his liberty but as he had acquired it so he might use it with a good conscience yet nevertheless they intreated him to consider well of all circumstances and to have a tender care and respect unto the Church of Bourdeaux which by his most fruitful preaching and exemplary godly conversation had been exceedingly edified Whereupon he promised seriously not to abandon the said Church till it were better supplied 10. The Sieur de la Buissonniere desiring that the Canon about calling the Provincial Synod of Normandy might be explained This Assembly decreeth that every Colloquy shall meet in its course in those places which are most commodious and the said Province is injoined to call unto their Synod a Pastor and Elder out of every Church and that it could not in any wise approve of their former actings being
more advantagiously promote the common Weal of our Churches the repose and happiness of the State and the establishment of their Majesties Authority And the like Letters to the same purpose shall be written to the Lords of Chastillion of Parabere to the Dukes of Rohan and of Sully to the Dukes of Soubize and de la Force and to the Lord du Plessis from this Assembly to acquaint them with our desires and invitations in the name and behalf of all our Churches to joyn in with the Lords Dukes of Bouillon and de les Diguieres and that as we had exhorted these so we do earnestly exhort their Lordships also to quit and forego their own particular Resentments and Discontents and that as formerly they have so they would be pleased now and evermore to testifie their zeal and affection for the Weal and Repose of our poor Churches and that they would demean themselves with a generous frankness and integrity in their mutual Correspondence and Re-union one with the other that being united in a perfect Bond of Charity they may with conjoyned Forces promote and advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Letters also shall be written unto the Lady Dutchess of Tremouille intreating her in the name of all our Churches to continue her endeavours in mediating the said Peace and Re-union and to give her thanks for her singular care in the Education of her Children in the True Religion and in the Fear of God and in Love and Affection to our Churches hoping and praying that they may hereafter prove excellent and useful Instruments of God's glory and of the Churches good And it shall be protested to all and every one of those Lords in the name and behalf of our Churches in the said Letters directed to them of our Intention and Resolution to consider honour and value them according to their Families Qualities Dignities and Merits as being the most honourable Members of our Body And the said Letters shall be presented them to wit unto the Lords of Bouillon and of les Diguieres of Chastillion and to the Lady Dutchess of Tremouille by the immediate hands of our General Deputies Those for the Lord Duke of Rohan and my Lord of Soubize by the Lords Barons of Saujon and Bonnet Deputies for the Province of Xaintonge who shall also acquaint them particularly from this Assembly with our sentiments desires and designs exhorting them to approve of them and to consent unto them and they shall be intreated to declare freely their thoughts of the whole that so the General Deputies may be out of hand advised and allured of it The Letter to the Lord Duke of Sully shall be tendered by Monsieur de l'Isle Grossat Deputy for the Province of Berry That to the Lord de Plessis by the Sieurs Perillau Vigneux and Ferrand Deputies of the Province of Anjou That for the Lord de la Force by the Sieurs de Brassalay and du Hau Deputies of Bearne That for the Lord de la Parabere by the Sieurs de Cuville and Cognac Deputies of Poictou And all these Gentlemen are charged with one and the same Message as above-mentioned only they may make such additions as their zeal and dexterity shall judge to be most conducing to the Weal and Perfection of so glorious a work Moreover this Assembly intreateth and exhorteth that for God's sake and the glory of his great name and their own salvation and for the peace and welfare of the Nation yea it adjures by all that is desirable or commendable the whole Body of our Communion in general and every faithful Soul in particular to divest themselves of all Animosities whatsoever and to lop off immediately all dissolutions and dissentions lest they should be the causes of the dissipation of the Churches of God in this Kingdom which have been planted in the Blood of infinite Martyrs and preserved by the Zeal and Concord of our Fathers and that they would at length open their Eyes and see and consider that the Churches Enemies bottom all their designs of ruining us upon our own Intestine Dissentions and that by reason of these we are become very little and exceeding despicable with our Adversaries And all Pastors and Elders of Churches are enjoyned diligently to procure the Re-union of the respective Members of their Flocks and to lend one another their helping-hand to effect so good a work and mightily to insist upon it in their puâ—lick Sermons and private Exhortations and Remonstrances And in case they should meet with contempt scorn and reproach in the discharge of this their duty and that any one through an obdurate perverseness should shew himself implacable and irreconcilable This Assembly according to that Authority which the Great God gives unto the Ministers of his holy Word denounceth to them the dreadful Judgments of God and wisheth that they may be had in Execration among and by all the Faithful yea all the ensures of the Church shall be exerted against such Refractory persons and the utmost rigour of our Discipline shall be inflicted and executed upon them lest the good Name of God should be blasphemed through our sins and that we may not contract upon our selves the guilt of the Churches desolation but rather that b the Bond of Peace and Fraternal Union the Church of God may send forth a sweet perfume among our Adversaries and his holy Name may be blessed and glorified by the Children of men 9. And whereas in the prosecution of the said Re-union the several persons before mentioned to be employed in it must needs be at considerable Expence this Assembly leaveth that Affair unto the prudence of our Lords the General Deputies who shall apply themselves to the Lord of Candall with this our Order to disburse Moneys for their necessary Charges And the Lords the General Deputies at Court are ordered to complain unto their Majesties that the Moneys granted by them by way of Augmentation unto our Churches are not paid nor have we the disposal or management or receipt of them and they shall again by word of mouth renew their former Instances and vigorously importune that the said Augmentation-Moneys and all other sums belonging to us may be put into such hands as shall wholly depend upon our Churches that so according to the Warrants granted us for the said Moneys and according to the Promise made us they may be paid in unto us without any defalcation or diminutions and that our poor Churches may be cased of that Penny in the Liver which the Receivers attribute unto themselves and their condition bettered if may be And as to what sums have been advanced by the aforesaid Lords Deputies notice shall be given thereof unto the Provinces CHAP. XII A Warrant signed for 45000 l. for the Churches FRiday the 22th of June the Lord de Rouvray produced in this Assembly the Original Grant of Augmentation of five and forty thousand Livers which it hath pleased His Majesty to bestow upon
rest they may write their thoughts about it unto that Province which is impowered to call the next National Synod and in case the matter be urgent it shall be couched in the Letters of Summons that so they may come prepared for it 9. The Province of Dolphiny moved whether if two or three Witnesses were brought by an Informer to give in evidence against a Pastor or Elder they might be admitted so that their testimony should be of sufficient force and vertue to condemn the accused altho there be none other crime objected against them This Assembly seeth no difficulty at all in the case 10. The Province of Anjou requesting it 1. Paris 27. this Synod injoineth all Consistories in their choice of Elders to cause such persons to be elected as are irreprehensible according to our Discipline and carefully to observe that Canon about the qualities necessarily required in them who are called unto those Offices And all Colloquies and Provincial Synods are charged to put to their helping hand that this Ordinance be duely kept and observed 11. The Province of Xaintonge moving it this Assembly ordained that such Persons who get themselves preferred unto the Government of our cautionary Towns or unto the office of Counsellors in the mixt Courts or shall obtain any other places granted unto Gentlemen professing our Religion without taking the necessary attestations according to the Letter and import of the Kings Writ for Governours and the particular Articles for Counsellors in Sovereign Courts they shall be declared Desertors of the Union of our Churches and prosecuted with all Church-censures And those of our Religion which are in possession shall be exhorted to keep still possession of those places and not to resign them but on this condition nor consent to their admission and reception who offer themselves without such a Testimonal And as for those other ways of complaints and remonstrances to be made unto their Majesties of the notorious violations of our Priviledges they shall be carried unto the next approaching Political Assemblies granted us by the Writ of their said Majesties But for the present our Lords the General Deputies are charged to require that some other person duely qualified according to the above mentioned orders may be substituted in the place of the Sieur Berger who is of late revolted from the truth And if that particular Government now become vacant by his Apostacy be not supplied before the next meeting of the general Assembly notice shall be given unto them of it that so they may prosecute it in the name of all the Provinces 12. At the request of the same Province of Xaintonge all Consistories be injoined to take special heed that Commanders in our Cautionary Towns do not admit into their familiar converse any debauched persons who be guilty of crimes deserving corporal punishment 13. And whereas the same Province hath desired that we would frame another form of excommunication besides that which is inserted in our Discipline we concur with them in their motion and shall take care that it be done accordingly 14. The Province of the Isle of France requested that an order might pass for our Readers to publish the Banes of Marriages out of their desks 3. Rochel observ 23. and not for Pastors to do it from the Pulpit But this matter was left to the prudence and liberty of Consistories 15. The aforesaid Province of the Isle of France demanding it this Assembly ordained that the Canons of former National Synods concerning Attestations should be most strictly observed and whatsoever Consistory presumeth to give one in any other form shall be most severely censured And therefore all Officers into whose hands such Attestations may fall are intreated to detain them and to present them unto the Provincial Synods or Colloquies upon whom the Churches which have given them are dependant 16. The Provinces of Xaintonge the Higher and Lower Longuedoc Privas of Colledges 23.2 Vitré of Colledges 1. and of the Isle of France all moving that it would be expedients lessen the number of our Universities in this Kingdom and to reduce them unto two only that so they might be rendered more compleat This Assembly doth not judge meet to diminish their number but adviseth that the Professors there employed do discharge their duty carefully and acquit themselves of their Offices faithfully and most conscientiously 17. Provincial Synods 2. Paris 3. Colloquies and Consistories are expresly forbidden to admit any Persons unto the Lords Table who directly maintain Idolatry or breed up their Children in it or have recourse unto the Pope for Dispensations that they may enjoy Benefices or others under their name And all such are judged utterly unworthy of obtaining Testimonials from our Churches whereby they may be advanced unto those important Charges in our Cautionary Towns 18. The Lord's General Deputies are ordered to give their Majesties the most humble Thanks of this Assembly for that they have been pleased to discharge our Churches of the Sous in the Liver which was formerly taken for paying the Salaries of our General Deputies out of the Moneys granted us by their Liberality Privas p. m. 20. and they are with all humility earnestly to request them to ease us of paying three thousand six hundred Livers which have been extraordinarily given unto the Inhabitants of the Baylywick of Gex by way of recompence for the loss of their Churches Stock whereof they were formerly in possession and that it may be paid them out of some other Fund than ours 19. Relation being made that divers Persons of eminent Note and Quality 2. Synod of Vitré g. m. 34. both within and without the Kingdom are designing how to bring the Orthodox Churches of France England Germany Switzerland the Low-Countreys and Geneva to a nearer Communication in some convenient place by Deputies sent from them all that so there may be a more strict and familiar Correspondence in Doctrine effected and kept up among them whereunto His Majesty of Great Britain expresseth a very great inclination It was resolved that those excellent persons who travail in this most pious Undertaking should have the Thanks of this Assembly and be intreated to persist in their laudable prosecutions of it And in the mean while this Design shall be imparted by the Provinces unto such as understand these matters that so this Proposal may be more seriously advised on in the next National Synod 20. For as much as the pernicious Doctrine of the Jesuits against the Lives Estates and Authority of Soveraign Princes is propagated and most impudently published to the World by the chiefest of that Sect Suarez having within a few months gone beyond all the Fellows of his Order in a Book newly published by him This Assembly detesting that abominable Doctrine together with its Authors exhorts all the faithful of our Communion to abhor and execrate it and all our Ministers and Professors are to Teach and Preach against it powerfully and
the great losses it sustained in the Troubles of Privas as also to help defray the Expences they shall be at in a Suit at Court about the Consulship of their Town This Assembly judging that the Moneys granted us by His Majesty ought not to be diverted unto such uses doth notwithstanding recommend their Affair unto our Lords the General Deputies that they might get right due to them by the Lords of the Privy Council and because of the Necessities of the said Church there shall be a supernumerary portion assigned to them when we make the publick Dividend 6. Monsieur Massez Notary Publick and Secretary to the Consul of Montauban in the Higher Languedoc requesting to be reimburst by the Churches the great Expences he was at in prosecuting the wrongs done him by the Parliament of Tolouse It being a business of General Concern because of the Notorious Violations of the Edicts granted us by our Kings This Assembly exhorted the Province of Higher Languedoc to take care that the said Monsieur Massez have satisfaction given him for his past Losses and that he be indemnified for the future and that they extend their Charity to him in a most ample and exemplary manner sith they themselves have judged his case to be of very great Importance to all the Churches 7. The Magistrates Consuls and Consistory of the Town of Privas having represented both by Letters and Word of Mouth by Monsieur Tavernier one of their Elders deputed to us the great Losses Dammages and Afflictions sustained by them since the Death of Monsieur Chambaud whereby they be now reduced to a most lamentable condition and worthy of our most tender compassions which also was confirmed by Letters from the Synod and Political Assembly of Vivaretz and praying some Charitable Relief to be Exhibited to them that so this considerable and populous Church might not be totally desolated and dissolved This Assembly ordained That the Summ of Six Hundred Livres should be given the said Church of Privas for a present supply And all the Churches of this Kingdom shall by their Deputies here in this Assembly as soon as they return unto their respective Provinces be exhorted to open the Bowels of their compassion to the said afflicted Church of Privas and to relieve them by a General Collection upon the Lords Day in their respective Temples The Moneys of which Collection shall be sent unto the Churches of Lions and Nismes to be distributed by them unto that of Privas And Letters also shall be writ to the Lord Governour of Montauban to the Marquesses of La Charse of Montbrun and other the Parents and Kindred of the late Deceased Monsieur de Chambaud desiring them to take special care of the Religious Education of his Children that they may not be diverted from the True Religion and trained up in Popish Idolatry but that they would be pleased to undertake for them and become their Tutors and Guardians according to the known Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom 8. The Heads of Families professing the Reformed Religion in the Baylywick of Orillac in the Mountains of Upper Auvergne petitioned that the Portions granted them by the National Synods of Gap and Rochel might be contined to them This Assembly ordained that the Portion belonging unto the said Church in the Baylywyck of Orillac shall be given it free and discharged of all Taxes by the Province of Higher Languedoc Gap p. m. 18 3. Rochell 9. Monsieur Casaud Pastor of the Church of Lectoure petitioned on its behalf for some charitable Relief to raise it up from that woful Ruin and Misery into which it is now plunged and to sustain it against its Enemies for the future This Assembly compassionating the said Church did order and assign a free Portion out of the Dividend of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne unto it and one part of the Collection which shall be made in the Higher Languedoc and Guyenne for the Church of Privas shall be given unto the said Church of Lectoure 10. The Church of Tulette belonging to the Province of Dolphiny but inclosed on all parts with the County of Venisse humbly requested some relief for its subsistence Because this is a Church of great importance very poor exceeding feeble and unable to resist the many Enemies which do surround it This Assembly ordained that besides the free Portion which it should receive as well as others out of the Dividend for the said Province of Dolphiny It shall have also an half portion free out of the Common Stock of all the Churches until the sitting of the next National Synod 11. Hierome Quevedo a Spaniard escaped out of the Prison of the Inquisition demanded some relief that he might live in the profession of the Gospel This Assembly ordered him an Hundred Livres out of the common Moneys of the Churches which shall be put into the hands of the Consistory of Montpellier to pay him Quarterly a Portion that so he may learn some honest Trade whereby to gain a livelyhood Which Summ shall be continued to him or taken from him as the Consistory of the Church of Montpellier shall judge of his Deportments 12. Lawrence Joly one of the Exiled Protestants of the Marquisate of Salluces having brought Letters from the Church of Guillestre which is composed of the poor Refugees of the said Marquisate unto this Assembly did most humbly petition that they might have a Portion of the Moneys granted us by the King for the maintenance of a Pastor because they are in hopes that it may allure and attract a great many others who are groaning under that sore and heavy persecution in the Marquisate and doe hunger after the Bread of Life and ardently desire the Inlargement of Christ's Kingdom to quit and forsake it This Assembly in the Dividend of its Moneys will ordain a supernumerary Portion for the said Church of Guillestre 13. Monsieur Guingonis shall be assisted with Ten Crown out of the common Moneys belonging to the Province of Province And as for Mr. John Dury Student in Divinity the Province of Lower Languedoc is ordered to provide for him according to the Canons of our National Synods and in the mean while he shall receive Twenty Crowns out of the Moneys appropriated to the said Province of Lower Languedoc that so he may quit this Town and remove to Montauban 14. Anthony Verdier formerly a Priest in the County of Avignon had Six Livres given him that he might depart hence unto Grenoble 15. The Church of St. Paul Trois Chasteaux demanding some Relief to set up a School among them and to help build their Temple were dismissed over to the Province of Dolphiny which is exhorted to have a special care of that Church 16. Monsieur John Perier Pastor of the Church of Paillac in Auvergne did on behalf of his Church complain against the Provincial Synod of Burgundy for not giving him the Portions granted by the National Synod of Privas and requested that
Council that the Moneys granted by his Bounty unto the Churches might be assigned on some particular Tally for this year That a long time was spent before he could find any success of his endeavours But at last they would give him Orders and Assignations which in truth he refused to accept because he knew them to be naught and worth nothing And that finally about the end of the last April they had given him others which he was constrained to take because he saw the Lords of the Council fixed in their resolutions of giving him none other That indeed these latter Assignations were a little better than the former but it would be a very great while before any payment were made that it would be at least Six or Eight Moneths before the first Summ would become due that the whole Assembly knew they would not grant him any Order or Tally for the last year 1622 yea and His Majesty had revoked his former grant of Moneys to the Churches for the year 1621 and employed them elsewhere to some other purposes And as for the Arrears due unto us in the foregoing years he had took all care possible and used the utmost diligence to recover them but with very little or no success that he had brought in his Accompts and prayed the Assembly to constitute a Committee to audit and close them The Assembly having most heartily thanked the said Lord of Candal for his singular care respects and kindnesses upon all occasions expressed unto the Churches and desired the continuance of his Love did nominate Messieurs de Basnage and Le Clark Pastors du Port and du Four Elders to peruse and examine his Accompts And whereas a world of inconveniencies will befal our Churches by so long delay of paying in the Moneys granted us by His Majesty for this year now current the Synod deputed the Sieurs de L' Angle a Pastor and du Port an Elder and the Lords of Montmartyn and Candal to wait upon His Majesty and on the behalf of this Assembly most humbly to beseech him to grant some other Assignations and Orders for the more speedy paying in of His Majesties Great Bounty unto our Churches and that as a Token of His Royal Goodness and Liberality he would be pleased to add some other Summs to us instead of those which have been taken from us in the last foregoing years we having received not so much as one farthing or doibt for them 15. A few dayes after the said Deputies being returned from the King they made Report in this Assembly how Graciously they had been received by His Majesty who assured them that in case his said Subjects of the Reformed Religion continued in their Duty and Obedience he would alwayes give them all possible content And the same Expressions of kindness they received also from the Lords of His most Honourable Privy Council who ordered out of hand Forty Thousand Livres to be payed in unto them they yielding up unto their Lordships the old Warrants for the like Summ but as for what was requested about reimbursing us the years past by fixing those Summs due unto us on some other Tallies and Assignations their Honours were pleased to say There was no reason why they should promise it 16. The Province of Anjou requested that the University of Saumur might not any longer be left destitute of Professors in Divinity but that some speedy care and course might be taken to send Monsieur Cameron to be Professor of that faculty in it The Lord Commissioner and Deputy for His Majesty unto this Synod declared that it was the Will and Pleasure of His Majesty that those two Gentlemen Mr. Gilbert Primrose and Mr. John Cameron should not be preferred neither of them to any Publick Office either of Pastors in the Churches or of Pastors and Professors in the Churches and Universities of this Kingdom not because of their Birth as being Foreigners but for some private Reasons of State relating to his Service And the said Lord of Galland presented us His Majesties Letters Written and Signed with His Own Hand Lewes and a little lower de L' Omeny Dated the Twenty Fifth day of this present Moneth The Assembly understanding this to be His Majesties pleasure would not put it to the Vote Whether they should be continued or not in their Ministry but deputed the Sieurs Cottiby Minister of the Gospel and du Bois and St. Martyn Elders together with the Lord of Montmartyn General Deputy to carry unto His Majesty a Petition from this Assembly wherein this Assembly did most humbly beseech His Majesty that as he had lately with his own Mouth most graciously promised so His Majesty would be pleased to give Order that all our Ministers might as fully injoy the fruit and benefit of his promise CHAP. XV. N. B. What picque the King of France had against Monsieur Cameron as I cannot tell so I shall not write my guesses and conjectures about it because they may be and may not be true Mr. Cameron if he had designed what afterwards some others attempted a coalition of both the Religions Protestant and Popish yet certainly was no Papist yea far enough from their Doctrine and Worship But he had angred the Jesuits not so much as his Reverend Colleague and Countreyman And this was the true reason why Monsieur Primrose was necessitated to quit Bourdeaux and France when as Cameron was permitted to tarry and return to Bourdeaux and was preferred unto the Professors Chair in Divinity afterwards at Montauban On Whitsunday in the year 1619. Father Arnoux the Jesuit preaching before the King Queen and Court of France in the Castle of Amboise attempted a Task impossible to whiten Blackamores to wash or wipe his Church clean and especially his own Order from an indelible blot viz. That they held it lawful to kill Kings This the Jesuit with a boldness and audaciousness which is the proper Talent of their Society would have some how or other evaded He assures that Royal Auditory with the greatest confidence that it was never the Doctrine of their Catholick Church never believed by these good Fathers that Subjects might lawfully rebel against their Sovereigns yea that it doth anathematize all those who teach and preach that the Sacred Persons of Princes may be lawfully made away and murdered yea that the whole Society of Jesuits doth condemn detest and as much as hi them lieth doth anathematize all Advisers Abettors and Aiders of Rebels against their King upon any pretext vvhatsoever His Majesty and that vvhole illustrious Auditory vvere overjoyed at this free and liberal Declaration of the Jesuit and quitted the Sermon as they said very much edified And His Majesty told it publickly that he had great reason to be pleased with the Fathers of the Society and that Father Arnoux had in the Name and stead of them all plainly and fully enough condemned the Book of Mariana Monsieur Primrose vvas present at this Sermon and
it necessary to make a Deputation unto His Majesty and voted the Sieurs de Bouteroue and de Baleines to carry their most Humble Petitions unto His Majesty who were charged with Letters and Instructions unto His Majesty and to the Chief Ministers of State CHAP. VII A Copy of the Councils Letter sent unto the King SIR The Synods Letter sent unto the King THE Sence and Experience we have of Your Majesties Royal Bounty unto our Churches and of their great Sufferings notwithstanding this your goodness through the Non-Execution of your Edicts in the Provinces of your Kingdom do compell us to depute unto Your Majesty the Sieurs Bouteroue and de Baleines to lay at Your Majesties feet together with the sincere protestations of our inviolable fidelity unto Your Majesties Service our most humble acknowledgments and thanks for your gracious favours and our just and necessary requests for the relief and comforting of our poor Churches We humbly trust that Your Majesty will be pleased to give them a favourable audience and to grant us our most Humble Petitions and to accept of the Devout and most hearty Prayers of many Thousands of Godly Persons for Your Majesties Prosperity who whilst they lie groaning under the most insupportable pressures in the World do notwithstanding live in a profound Obedience unto Your Majesties Authority And from the bottom of our Souls and with the greatest ardency imaginable we supplicate the Throne of Grace to bless and preserve Your Majesties Most Sacred Person and to augment and continue the happyness of Your Majesties Reign and Government being alwayes Most Dread Soveraign From Castres Septemb. 1626. Your most Humble most Faithful and most Obedient Subjects and Servants The Pastors and Elders of the Reformed Churches of France Assembled in their National Synod at Castres and for them all Chauve Moderator Bouteroue Assessor Blondel and Petit Scribes CHAP. VIII THE Eight and Twentieth day of October The Sieurs Bouteroue and de Baleines Deputies unto the King returned with Letters from His Majesty and the Lord d' Herbaut Secretary of State and reported that they had a very favourable Reception from His Majesty and Ministers of State and that having presented their Address unto the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council they had obtained a Command unto the Parliament of Thoulouse to take away the Modifications put by the said Parliament upon the last Edict of Peace and were promised that Commissioners should be sent into the Provinces of Xaintonge the Higher and Lower Languedoc Rochell and the Land of Aunix to see that the Edict be duely executed They were also assured that the Assignations formerly given unto the Lord of Candal should be made good and valid and that they had an order for twelve hundred Livres to defray the Charges of their Journey besides the Summ of Ten Thousand Livres granted by His Majesty unto this Council to pay their Charges But as for the restoring of Monsieur du Moulin to the Church of Paris and a License for holding of a General Assembly His Majesty was utterly averse unto it and would in no wise yield thereunto and we should know more of his mind upon this Article and of his good intentions as to the nomination of our General Deputies by his Commissioner the Lord Galland Thanks were given unto our good God that he had granted us to find favour with the King and the Deputies also which were sent unto His Majesty had the thanks of the Council and were commended for their Conduct and Dexterity which was so acceptable unto the King and Lords of His Majesties Council and approved by this Assembly A Copy of the Kings Letter unto this National Synod DEAR and Well-beloved we received the Letters by the Sieurs Bouteroue and de Baleines your Deputies and understood from their Mouths and your Address presented to us what they were ordered by you to declare unto us Whereunto we have by word of Mouth and Writing given those favourable Answers which shall be related to you by those your Deputies to which we shall add with a willing mind the Effects or our Grace and Royal favour upon all occasions that may occur for the Weal and General happyness of Our Subjects of your Religion and of you all joyutly and severally as we also promise our selves that you will keep you within those bounds of Fidelity and Obedience which good and Loyal Subjects owe unto their King and that you will verifie by your actions the words of your aforesaid Deputies as we exhort you so to do and moreover to give credence unto the Lord Galland our Counsellor in our Council of State in all things whatsoever that he shall offer to you as from us Given at St. German in Laye this Fourteenth of October 1626. Signed Louis and a little lower Philippeaux And the Superscription was thus directed To Our Dear and Well-Beloved the Deputies of the P. Reformed Religion Assembled by our License in a National Synod in our City of Castres CHAP. IX A Copy of the Lord Herbaut's Letter unto this Council SIRS YOUR Deputies were favourably received by His Majesty and His Majesty heard with very great satisfaction those Assurances from their Mouths of your Fidelity and sincere intentions to the Publick Peace and Tranquillity When His Majesty granted it unto you it was with a full purpose inviolably to keep it with you and farther to give you with the injoyment thereof all other matters accorded to you by his Edicts What remains but that on your part you contribute whatever His Majesty might expect from your Prudence and Conduct and to measure by what is past that the duration and firm settlement of your Repose doth principally depend on your Obedience yielding unto his Majesty what is due unto him and is necessary for your well-being And you may believe that in so doing his Gracious Favours will be multiplyed upon you dayly and that I shall be ready to serve you in all good Offices with His Majesty that you may resent the comfortable Effects thereof according as you have deserved them In the mean while I rest Sirs Your most Humble and Affectionate Servant Philippeaux The Superscription was To my Lords My Lords the Deputies Assembled by His Majesties permission in a National Synod at Castres CHAP. X. Amore ample Declaration of the Kings Will upon several points demanded by the Deputies WHEN as the Letter of His Majesty but now recited was read My Lord Galland the Kings Commissioner declared that for the reasons given by His Majesty unto the Deputies and according to the import of the Articles answered by the Council he could not consent unto the return of Monsieur du Moulin nor for divers Considerations noted in those Articles now read could he at present give way for the meeting of a General Politick Assembly His Majesty reserving the grant thereof when as there shall be need of it and his Affairs of State may
the Louvre hoping that his Majesty will so far condescend as to approve of the Obedience of our Churches and hereafter to resertle them in the practice of their ancient and accustomed Order CHAP. IX Monsieur Beraud admitted as Deputy to sit and act in the Synod 22. THE three and twentieth day of September the Sieur Beraud Pastor of the Church of Montauban and Professor of Divinity in that University came unto the Synod petitioning that he might be restored and take his place in it according to his Majesty's Intention expressed in his Letters written to the Lord Commissioner who directing his Speech unto the said Dr. Beraud told him That his Actions and Writings had formerly given unto his Majesty very many and just Reasons of being dissatisfied with him and great occasion of Scandal and Complaint against those of the Reformed Religion For which cause his Majesty by his Writ of the sixteenth of August last had excluded him out of the Synod and destin'd his Abode and Ministry somewhere else than at Montauban But his Majesty having a favourable Respect unto the Petition of the Synod had of his special Grace restored him unto his Church and permitted him to assist the remainder of its Sessions as a Member of it in this Synod because he hoped that he would as he now commanded him to govern himself in all his Actions and Writings with a Moderation well-befitting his Profession Whereupon the said Dr. Beraud took his place in quality of Deputy for the Province of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne according to that Commission he had received from his Province 23. The Lords Clermont and Galland who were nominated unto the Office of General Deputies for the time coming were intreated to carry unto his Majesty the Act of their Election by this Assembly and it s most humble Petition both for the restoration of the Sieur de Bouteroue and the paiment of the Monies designed to defray the Expences of this Synod and to procure an Answer unto that Branch of our Cahier concerning the Monies granted us by his Majesty's Liberality that so the Dividend may be made before our departure And the Lord Commissioner was also intreated to accompany the Petitions of the Synod with his Lordship's Letters and by his Mediation to facilitate their Acceptance and the getting of a Decree upon them CHAP. X. A Copy of the second Letter written by the Synod unto his Majesty To the KING SIRE WE had no sooner knowledg of your Majesty's Intentions about the Election of our General Deputies who are to reside near your Majesty's Person but we immediately concurr'd with the Lord Galland your Majesty's Commissioner in this Assembly and we nominated to the exercise of this Office the Lord Marquess of Clermont and the Lord Galland eldest Son of the Lord Commissioner who were no sooner chosen than we commissionated them to wait upon your Majesty and to present and tender together with the sincerest Protestations of our most inviolable Fidelities and immoveable Resolutions to live and die in that Devotion which we all owe unto your Majesty's Service our most humble and thankful acknowledgments for the favourable Promise vouchsafed us to defray the Charges of this Assembly as also our most humble Petitions That it would please your Royal Goodness in which only next unto and after our God lieth all our Consolation And 't is our hope that you will continue your Royal Benefits unto us as to your dutiful and most faithful Subjects and that you will always under this Quality shroud us with the Sacred Covert of your Majesty's Protection Wherefore with all reverence we beseech your Majesty to give them a favourable Audience as well for the present in this our Request that you would daign to shower down upon our Churches the Streams of your Majesty's Liberality and Bounty which we have formerly enjoyed as also that hereafter in all those Remonstrances and Petitions which our urgent and extraordinary Necessities shall oblige us to make unto you we may experience the natural Inclination of your Majesty to cherish and comfort your People and we shall always study and zealously endeavour to render our selves worthy of the Fruits and Effects thereof by all Acts of Duty Obedience and imaginable Submissions Which give us Sire to hope that you will not refuse to cast the Eyes of your Compassions upon our Miseries and to open your Ears to the groanings of thousands of Souls who under all their Grievances and Oppressions suffered by them do yet notwithstanding breath nothing else but a most profound Obedience and unshaken Loyalty unto your Majesty And this makes us the more devout and zealous in our Addresses unto the Throne of the King of Kings ardently and most importunately beseeching him for the preservation of your Majesty's most Sacred Person for his Benediction on all your Designs and Vndertakings for the Glory of your Crown for the Fidelity of your People and for the long Continuance of your Reign because Sire we are From Charenton Sept. 23. 1631. Your Majesty's most humble and most obedient and most faithful Subjects and Servants The Deputies of the National Synod assembled by your Permission at Charenton and for them all Mestrezat Moderator Jamett Assessor D. Blondell Scribe Armett Scribe of the Synod CHAP. XI The General Deputies make Report of their Audience and the King's Answer to that Letter 1. THE fourth Day of October the Lords General Deputies being returned and making Report of their kind Reception from the Ministers of State who also informed them that his Majesty had granted sixteen thousand Livers for defraying the Expences of this Synod and that he permitted Monsieur Bouteroue to take his Place with the other Deputies in the Synod and that his Majesty did judg meet that this Synod should break up of its own Accord as soon as possible it could and that after their Departure the Cahier presented by the Sieurs Amyraud and de Villars should have a favourable Answer and that without Delay And the Lord Commissioner added that his Majesty expressed in his Letters written to him his singular Satisfaction in the Synod to which he granted three Days more for the perfecting and strengthning of their remaining Affairs and that they should be no sooner separated but he would answer their Cahiers and that in the most favourable manner particularly in what relates unto the Maintenance of the Ministers that the Choice of Deputiâ—â— was very acceptable to him though they could not enter upon their Office till after the Separation and Departure of this Synod Upon which the Assembly having returned their most hearty Thanks unto the Lords Deputies aforesaid for their singular Affection and Diligence in promoting the Weal of our Churches They intreated the Lord Commissioner to continue his wonted good Offices unto the Churches and by his daily Intercession for them with his Majesty to be more and more useful and beneficial to them And inasmuch as he was near his Majesty and
the said Lord Chabassier had decreed That the Censure justly pronounced against Mr. Poujade Minister in the Church of St. Hippolyte should be razed out of the Acts of the Provincial Synod held at Alez ordaineth That the said Censure shall be again inserted into the Body of the Acts of the said Synod and that the Contents of this Ordinance may be ratified and become more valid all Pastors who extraordinarily assist any vacant Churches are enjoined to rest satisfied with the defraying of the Charges of their Journey and sojourning in it as hath been hitherto constantly practised in all the Provinces and they be strictly and expresly forbidden to exact so much as one Farthing from any one of those Churches because they receive their Maintenance and Sallaries from their own particular Churches unto which they stand related And whereas the said Poujade hath appealed from the Synodical Decree made at Anduze this Assembly declareth That the said Synod had most just occasion to charge the Consistories of Sauve and Manobles to watch over the Deportments of the Consistory of Nismes and the said Consistories shall be assisted and strengthned if need be with the Presence of the Neighbour-Pastors and they be authorized to cite the said Poujade before them that he may give in Answer unto all Articles which shall be brought against him and to prosecute him according to the nature of the Facts whereof he shall be found guilty even unto Deposition from the Sacred Ministry and it shall be denounced to him that in case he refuse to appear before the said Consistory that he is now this very instant suspended his Ministerial Function 19. In explaining the Sense of that Judgment past upon Monsieur Deschamps above in the fourth Article of Appeals this Assembly declares That Ministers and Elders may concert among themselves in Consistory such Matters as they shall esteem and think to be most needful for the admission or exclusion of any Pastor of a Church but they may not come to any final Resolution till they have first of all consulted with the Heads of Families duly called and Members of that Church which Resolution of them all shall be determined by plurality of Suffrages according to the Order observed in all well-regulated Assemblies and under the direction of the Consistory 20. The Assembly received the Appeal of the Faithful of Boisgency and disannulled the Sentence of Suspension from the Lord's Table pronounc'd against them by the Synod Berry because the Church of Mer whereunto they had joined themselves is well able to subsist of it self without any Relief or Assistance from them And farther it doth ordain That the said Inhabitants shall have the Priviledg of taxing themselves to all Church-Rates and Charges and out of that Tax whatever it be that they do or shall promise to pay annually unto the Church of Mer there shall be deducted the Sum of fifty Livers which shall go to the discharging of the Arrears of Wages owing by the said Inhabitants of Boisgency unto Monsieur Guerin who was formerly their Pastor till the whole Debt be paid according to the Accompt stated and concluded the 18th day of April in the Year 1632 unless there shoul be a necessity of revising it 21. Although the Appeal brought in by the Inhabitants of St. Roman and of Val Francesque be not receivable yet the Assembly out of special Favour took cognizance thereof and decreed That Letters should be writ unto them exhorting them to mutual Peace and Union in the Worship of God and the Ordinances of Religion with those of Val Francesque 22. Monsieur Pejus was heard declaring his Grievances and petitioning for his Re-establishment in the Church of Mer and for payment of his Arrears due unto him from the said Church James Martincau deputed by divers Members of the same Church adhered to his Demands There was heard on behalf of the Church of Mer the Lord de la Bordechabin sent by the Consistory as also the Provincial Deputies of Berry The Acts of the Provincial Synods from which the Appeal was formed were seen and perused the Judgments of the Commissioners sent by the Church of Mer and Boisgency the Letters of Monsieur Jurieu resigning his Ministry to the Disposal of the Synod the Memoirs of the Church of Mer representing the Poverty whereunto they be at present reduced and sundry other Considerations which yet did not in the least reflect upon the Honour of Mr. Pejus's Ministry and other Memoirs from divers Heads of Families who desire he may be settled again among them and the Letters and Memoirs from the Church of Argenton petitioning that he may be absolutely given to them for their Pastor After which the Synod rejecting all the Appeals and confirming the judicial Sentences of the Province of Berry decreed That the Censures pronounced against Monsieur Pejus should be razed out of the Body of the Acts of those Synods and that his Ministry is now granted unto the Church of Argenton and exhorteth the Church or Mer aforesaid and the Province to give him all Satisfaction or to provide better for him and all Caballings of particular Members in the Church of Mer are interdicted them and forbidden And whereas the said Monsieur Pejus claimeth Arrears of Wages owing to him forasmuch as the Church of Mer protesteth that by Reason of their deep Poverty for these five Years last past they are utterly disabled from maintaining two Pastors and that they express and restify a more than ordinary Respect and Affection to Monsieur Jurieu and that the Province being obliged by this their Protestation had provided for him for the present till they could do more and better for him and till such time as the matter of his Appeal was determined had lent him unto the Church of Boisgency which had exhibited to him as great and good a Maintenance as he could have had from the Church of Mer and by his Refusal of such a comfortable Imployment he had thereby deprived himself of that Assistance and Relief they had so charitably procured him his Petition was rejected 23. Letters being read from James de Valleroux Lord of la Gayerie and the Acts produced by him and the Censures denounced against him by the Consistory of Vertueil Colloquy of Augoumois and Synod of Xaintonge the Synod approving of those Censures râ—jected his Appeal 24. Mr. Daniel Loquet heretofore Elder and Reader in the Church of Barbezieux having sent neither Letters nor Memoirs to defend his Appeal from the Sentence of the Synod of Xaintonge the said Appeal was declared null But afterwards the Letters of the said Loquet before the Synod broke up were presented to it who dismissed his Cause to be finally judged by the Consistory of Bourdeaux 25. None appearing on behalf of the Church of Vangeau to maintain their Appeal opposing the sending of Monsieur Twiscard by the Province of Berry unto the Church of Chamerolles and Bandaroy it was declared null 26. The Appeal
Maeil Elder in the Church of Dieppe being chosen by the common Votes of the Pastors Elders and Heads of Families there and sent unto the Deputies of the Province of Normandy to move and intreat them to request that Mr. Texier who was freed from the Church of Mauvesin in the Province of Higher Languedoc might be given to them absolutely and the said Lords Deputies having introduced him into the Assembly to make his Demand in which also they joined with him After that Mr. Texier had been heard on the one part declaring how that for the Ingratitude of his Church he accepted of the Call given him by the Church of Dieppe upon Condition that his Province should judg it reasonable to set him at Liberty and with Design to oblige his Church by the Authority of the National Church to give him a full Satisfaction and on the other part the Deputies of Higher Languedoc complained that they were not in due time and place acquainted with his Intention and requesting that the Right of their Province might be intirely secured it having many Churches to be supplied which were destitute of Pastors and particularly the Church of Mauvesin which had sufficiently assured the said Texier that he should be paid the Arrears of his Wages The Assembly decreed that he should apply himself unto his Synod which is exhorted to see that he be fully satisfied and in case he be set free from his Church and that he cannot be commodiously provided for within his Province that then leave shall be given him to depart where he best liketh 3. The Assembly conserving to the Province of Berry the Right they have hitherto had over the Church of la Selle ordaineth that as long as it shall be supplied by the Pastors of the Isle of France it shall be under the Jurisdiction of the said Province which shall continue their Contributions towards the Subsistence of the Colledg of Chastillon 4. Forasmuch as the Assembly is not now in Possession of any Fund out of which those who have Recourse unto it might be relieved by its Charities Monsieur Falquet whose Necessities are very great is recommended unto the Province of Berry to be assisted and comforted by them either by allowing him some certain Portion out of their Alms or by recommending his afflicted Condition to be relieved by the more rich and populous Churches 5. The Deputies of the Province of Vivaretz relating the extream Poverty whereunto Monsieur Zuccond a Pastor emeritus hath been for several Years last past reduced by reason of his great Sicknesses Losses Expences and Imprisonments suffered from the Lord of Chanal and la Motte and that the precedent National Synods had in Consideration of his great Afflictions granted him a free Portion out of the Monies of his Majesty's Liberality and requested this Assembly that they would be pleased to vouchsafe him some sensible Tokens of their Charity and Compassion Answer was made them that forasmuch as the Churches had no Monies at all of their own nor now to be disposed by them the said Province was exhorted to take care of him for his comfortable Subsistence and Relief from among themselves 6. Whereas the Province of Sevennes had formed a Complaint against Monsieur James Pasquier Pastor in the Church of St. John de Breuil this Affair was turned over to the Judgment of the Province of Higher Languedoc 7. The Deputies of Bearn requesting that the Divisions which have been judged and condemned in the Church of Morlas maybe totally and effectually remedied and that there may be an End put unto the Complaints brought in by Monsieur Fabas against his Province and sundry particular Persons on the one hand and of divers others against him on the other that therefore some Deputies may be sent with an express Charge to take Knowledg of and give a final Judgment on all those Articles which could not possibly be examined or clearly inspected into in this Place and at so great a Distance The Assembly accepting the Offer of the Deputies of the Province of Bearn promising to bear their Charges who should to this Purpose be sent unto them did nominate the Sieurs Ferrand and Charles Pastors and Charron an Elder to receive the Information drawn up at the Request of Monsieur Rival by the Lord D'abbadie the Decrees past in Parliament against the Lords D'abbadie Rival and others who by Order of their Colloquy had admitted unto Communion at the Lord's Table some particular Persons of Morlas and generally all Papers whatsoever which have given Birth and Fewel unto this Fewd and Contention that so they may proceed to a final Judgment on the remaining Matters yet under Debate and Controversy And they shall bring in their Accompt hereof unto the next National Synod 8. To regulate the Pretensions of the Churches of Alanson St. Aignan and Mans about the Donative given for their Benefit by the Lady de la Harangere and destined to the Maintenance of some poor Scholars This Assembly ordaineth that according to the Tenor of the said Legacy the Administration of the Monies arising from it ought to be left in the Hands of the Church of Alanson and those two other Churches shall agree with it about the choice of him to whom the Pension shall be exhibited and that the first of these three Churches which shall be unprovided may proceed to receive and imploy him and that the Son of Monsieur Vignier Pastor of the Church of Mans who hath already received some Fruits of the aforesaid Pension shall injoy it and be preferred before all others in the Injoyment of it 9. Forasmuch as the Sieur de la Milletiere hath sent unto the Pastors deputed by the Provinces the first Part of a Book written by him intituled Les Moyens de la Paix Chrestienne en la Reunion des Catholiques Evangeliques sur les differends de la Religion divisé en quatre parties and the Title of the first Volume La Refutation de la procedure de Monsieur Daillé en son Examen and Letters also in which he asserts that he is moved hereunto by the sole Spirit of God for to reconcile the Differences in Religion He takes for granted that what he hath offered or may hereafter offer will be received without any Contradiction by all the Churches and presupposeth that all our first Reformers and their Successors were abused and do abuse themselves through a Misunderstanding which cannot be discovered but by them who shall admit his new conceited Lights And whereas he hath been too long even for the space of three Years tolerated and that the Church of Paris hath used all Endeavours to reduce him unto his Duty and that in the Articles contained in his first Script he hath designedly concealed his Opinions though under the very Phrases used by the Doctors of the Romish Religion and with which they are accustomed to express their own Sentiments and that in the second which he hath sent abroad
Amyraud and Testard Messieurs and most Honoured Fathers and Brethren UNderstanding from good Hands That my Pains and Labour in the Defence of the Truth is very much blamed by persons of a contrary Perswasion I believed that as that Treatise Composed by me through the occasion of these new Controversies was submitted unto your Judgment so it was my Duty to undertake my own Justification and to wipe off those Reproaches wherewith I had been aspersed They say that I might have done well not to have medled with this Quarrel and that I am a Fellow who love to be embroyl'd and to fish in troubled Waters and who do presumptuously take upon me to prescribe my own private Notions as infallible Oracles You know Sirs that Messieurs Amyraud and Testard have kindled this fire which hath caused all this noise and hubbub and that 't is they who have fill'd all our Churches with those Books which in a very ill hour do remove the antient bounds by their new fangled Doctrines about the most important points of our Religion and that Monsieur Amyraud hath sent forth his Book of Predestination without ever submitting it to be examined by his Province or so much as waiting for its Approbation by them and that since that time contrary to the Advice of two Provinces and contrary to the Promise made by him unto Messieurs Vincent and du Soul he hath caused some certain Sermons of his containing the very self-same Doctrine to be Printed It was a long time before I stirred hoping that this Commotion would have calmed of it self and have found none to approve it But being well informed That this Distemper grew worse and worse and that this Sparkle might cause a great Conflagration I feared lest my Silence on such an urgent occasion might be interpreted for want of Zeal unto the Truth and be taken for an Approbation of their Errors I have none nor will I have any Quarrels with the Persons of those Gentlemen but only with their Doctrines It cannot be but ill resented that they should be permitted to Publish unto the World from the Press a new Doctrine and that it should be a Crime in me to Refute it in Manuscript I went about this Work with a great deal of Grief having nothing that lay heavier upon my heart or was more contrary to my Temper than to contend with my Brethren in the Work of the Lord especially now that my Age calls for Repose and that I am daily waiting for my Dissolution But I saw the Evil to be so great and its consequences so dangerous that I counted my self bound in Conscience to defend the Cause of God and to endeavour to discover the very bottom of the Imposture and the hidden Nature of it I very well know that your Assembly is made up of Persons of clearer and more piercing Judgments than my self nor would I be so presumptuous as to take upon me to be your Teacher but in what I have done I have satisfaction from my own Conscience nor durst I be wanting in my Duty unto God and the defence of his Cause But these Gentlemen who complain of me were not contented to keep within these Limits For besides the Printed Books wherein they have spread abroad their Doctrine they have now very lately Published a Treatise against me under the Name of Monsieur Vignier a Copy of which was sent unto the Provincial Synod of the Isle of France And I do not question but that they have disperst them elsewhere far and near I am also advised That Messieurs Amyraud and Testard do complain very much of a little Script of mine dictated not in the Publick School but in my private Chamber unto some few Scholars wherein I have changed their Names one of them into Greek and the other into Latin which I did out of fear lest if it should fall into the hands of any of the Romish Church they might understand my Discourse and learn out the Persons with whom I disputed of which little Treatise I never Communicated a Copy unto any one And understanding that these Gentlemen take this exchange of their Names in ill part I have Composed another more ample and exact than the former unto which I have set their Names that so I might give them content You be too Prudent not to observe that these Gentlemen do play at Tarriers with you and whilst they amuse you with Triftes their design is to take you off from diving into the bottom of their Doctrines and to divert you with idle Stories of my Practice and Custom instead of maintaining their own Cause 'T is but a small matter to change a French Name into Latin if compared with what they have done in changing the very Nature of God of the Law and of the Gospel I am informed that they make great out-cries for that in certain Letters written by me to Monsieur de la Millitierre I told him they endeavoured to make a new Religion a Hotch-potch of Popery and Cameronianism But let me not be misapprehended 't was never in my thoughts to charge the Doctrine of Monsieur Cameron who is now at rest with Heresy or that he intended to Model out a new Religion I only spake the Sence and Intention of de la Milletierre and the mark at which he aimed For he endeavours from the Doctrine of Monsieur Cameron to frame a new Religion and never speaks of him but as of an Oracle as of a most incomparable Person When we say that the Lutherans are equally bent both against Popery and Calvinism we do not thereby understand that Calvin was the Author of a new Religion I Honour the Memory of Monsieur Cameron and when there was need I defended it But yet I am truly of that mind That he had done very well if he had never over-turned the Order of God's Decrees as they were Explained and Asserted by the Synod of Dort and Approved by all the Reformed Churches of Europe and particularly by three National Synods at home which he had never done if he had soberly and seriously considered the consequences of his own Tanents For this new Method of his is that very Foundation upon which the Arminians have built all their Doctrines Nor can any one deny it but that one third part at least of all Cameron's Works is spent in the Confutation of Calvin Beza and the rest of our most Famous Doctors Yet notwithstanding these his Blemishes we are not to despise those Gifts and Graces God had so plentifully bestowed upon him and when I read his Works I cannot find that Doctrine which is now vented by those who boast themselves to be his Disciples and Followers and cover themselves with the Shield of his Authority I cannot find where he saith That the distinct knowledge of Jesus Christ is not necessary to Salvation nor that he saith That Jesus Chrict died equally and alike for all Men nor doth he Teach That the Reprobates may
as a mark of their Esteem and Favour by this very Synod But being invited to the Profession of History in the Illustrious School of Amsterdam he left his Native Country accepted of the Employment and died in that City 2. Monsieur Drelincourt Pastor of the Church of Paris a very learned and holy Man of God of him and his Works I say more in my Icones 3. Monsieur Basnage He was in high Esteem with their Churches he hath a very Learned Son now living in Exile at Rotterdam 4. Monsieur de L' Angle a most eloquent Preacher His Son is one of the Prebends of Westminster 5. Monsieur Vincent Pastor of the Church of Rochel the Jesuits called him Two Thousand He perpetually mawl'd them in the Pulpit 6. Monsieur Jurieu his Son is that worthy Pastor of the French Church and Professor of Divinity at Rotterdam 7. Monsieur Garrissoles the Moderator was a Person of Eminent Learning and Piety When all the other Professors in the University of Montauban quitted it for want of their Stipends he alone continued in the Discharge of the Duties of his Professoral Office doing his Work faithfully and painfully trusting God for his Wages 8. Monsieur de Croy was nominated by this National Synod to the Professors Chair of Divinity in the University of Nisms Mr. Amyraut had a very great Esteem for him and Dedicated his Treatise De Libero Hominis Arbitrio unto him The End of the Twenty Eighth Synod THE Acts Decisions and Decrees Made and Done in the XXIX National Synod OF The Reformed Churches OF FRANCE Held in The Town of Loudun and Province of Anjou The Tenth Day of November 1659. The CONTENTS of the Synod of Loudun Chap. I. THE Kings's Writ for calling the National Synod Names of the Deputies Election of Synodical Officers Chap. II. The Kings Letters Patents to Monsieur de Magdelaine to be his Commissioner in the Synod Chap. III. The Lord Commissioners Speech to the Synod Chap. IV. The Moderators Answer to that Speech Chap. V. The Marquiss of Ruvigny sworn General Deputy 2. His Commission from the King unto that Office 3. A Limitation of his Votes 4. Deputies from the Synod to the King 5. The Synods Letters to the King Queen and his Eminency the Cardinal Mazarin 6. Return of the Deputies from the Court unto the Synod with the King and Cardinals Letters 7. Three Persons presented to the King out of which One to be prick'd by him for another General Deputy 8. Letters from Foreign Churches to the Synod but not suffered to be answered 9. Another Letter of the Synod unto the King and Cardinal Chap. VI. Notes upon the Confession of Faith Chap. VII Observations upon the Discipline 1. Churches not to be too hasty in admitting Converted Priests into the Ministry 2. Proposans must be examined in Colloquies and Synods 4. Imposition of Hands in Ordination The Discipline sworn Chap. VIII Observations upon the Synod of Charenton 1. About Seats in the Temples 2. A Canon about Catechising 4. A Pragmatical Minister censured 6. An incestuous Couple not to be admitted to the Lord's Table till Six Months after their Separation 11. The Canons about the Imputation of Adam's Sin not to be altered Chap. IX Of Appeals The Case of a poor Minister 6. A Minister impeached in the Synod for practising Physick 10. An Intricate Appeal 18. The Business of Mr. Morus 21. The Business of Mr. D'Hysseau and Amyraut Chap. X. General Matters An Act against the Profanation of the Lords Day 4. A Canon against Duels 6. An Observation about the Lutherans 8. Whether the Lord's Supper may be administred upon a Working Day 9. The Consistory of the Church of Paris are to take care of a more correct Edition of the Bible Psalms Liturgy and Catechism 13. Baptism of Infants not to be delayed 1â— Errors to be confuted in the Latin Tongue 17. No Sermons to be Printed without Approbation 21. Method for Voting in the National Synod 23. Complaints against Mr. Daille and Amyraut about their Writings 24. Articles of Peace extracted out of the Acts of N. Ss. of Alanson and Charenton 25. Manner of determining Appeals 25. An Act against Blasphemy 26. Care taken to preserve the Annexed Congregations a kind of Daughter Churches 27. The Generosity Self-denial and great Affection to the Churches of Mr. Loride des Gallnieres 28. Chap. XI Particular Matters Orders about the Election of a Proposan to a Pension 11. Care had of a Worthy Minister 14 15. Of a Ministers Widow 21. Of another Minister 22. Of a Learned Lawyer writing in Defence of the Truth against Cardinal Baronius his Annals 27. About an accused Minister 29. Chap. XII Of Vniversities The Corruptions got amongst Students in the V niversities corrected and reformed 2. Excessive Rates for Lodging and Commons in those Vniversity Towns retrenched and redressed 3. Prizes given unto Scholars in the Vniversity of Die 4. Provinces censured for their neglect of the V niversities 7 8. Care of Professor's Widows 9 10. Chap. XIII Accounts of the Lord du Candal Chap. XIV An Act for the National Fast Chap. XV. A Dividend of Sixteen Thousand Livres Chap. XVI The Roll of Deposed and Apostate Ministers Chap. XVII An Act for Taxing the Expences of the Deputies Chap. XVIII An Act for calling the next National Synod Chap. XIX An Act for the Validity of all Acts which shall be Delivered and Signed Chap. XX. Commissions given by the Synod executed and the Commissioners Speeches unto the Vniversity and Consistory of Saumur Chap. XXI A Letter to Martyn the Apostate Chap. XXII Remarks upon the Deputies unto the Synod Chap. XXIII Catalogue of the Churches and Ministers The Synod of Loudun 1659. The 29th Synod SYNOD XXIX In the Name of God Amen The Acts of the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France Assembled by his Majesties Permission in the Town of Loudun the Tenth Day of November One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Nine and continued Sitting full Two Months viz. till the Tenth Day of January 1660. CHAP. I. MOnsieur Desloges Pastor of the Church of Loudun opened the Synod with Prayer the next day after their Meeting viz. the Eleventh of November and then the Lord Marquiss of Ruvigny who was General Deputy of the Churches presented his Majesties Writ for calling this Synod the Tenour of which is as followeth This Sixth Day of September One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Nine the King being at Burdeaux upon the most humble Petition of his Subjects of the P. R. Religion tendered unto his Majesty that he would be pleased to permit them to Call and Assemble a National Synod because there had not been one held since that of Charenton in the Year 1644. His Majesty being willing to gratify and treat favourably those his said Subjects he hath permitted and doth permit them to convocate a National Synod on the Tenth Day of May next in his Town of Loudun but on this condition that there shall
not being able to suffer that such Words should be Sworn in this Synod and you be all in this matter which lieth so near his Heart invited to testifie that respect and obedience which you would always render unto whatsoever shall be propounded and ordained by him Moreover he forbids your reception of Foreigners into the Ministry and Pastoral Office among you or their Admission into your Synodâ— or that you so much as speak of their Matters and Restoration who have been dispossessed and ejected out of their Churches by vertue of the Decrees of Parliament and of his Majesty's Letters nor that any Stranger be received And to this purpose it is his Will that â—n all Attestations given unto Scholars and Proposans or Ministers that are to be received there shall be inserted the place of their Birth And to prevent that Aversion for Monarchy which is contracted by them who follow their Studies in Foreign States and Commonwealths such as Geneva Switzerland England and Holland there shall be a Canon expresly made to this purpose and shall be accordingly observed That such Person as have studied in any of those Foreign Universities and offer themselves to be ordained or to be admitted Pastors of any Church shall not at all be admitted And if you shall make such non as this his Majesty assureth you that you will not only do a thing which will be very pleasing to him but which also shall redound very much unto your Advantage And it is his Majesty's Will that no Letters shall be read to open Assembly till they have been first communicated to me and that I have been acquainted with their Contents and that I suffer none to be read which come from any Foreigner Furthermore His Majesty enjoyneth all Pastors and Ministers to preach the Commandments of God and that Obedience which People owe unto their King and that it is utterly unlawful for them to revolt or take up Arms against their Soveraign upon any cause or occasion whatsoever upon which Subject there shall be one Sermon at least made and preached in my Hearing in one of the Sessions of this Synod And you be also farther forbidden from ever using hereafter in your Pulpit-Discourses these Words Scourges Persecution or other such like Expressions which are apt to stir up the Minds of his Majesty's Subjects unto Sedition and to alienate their Affections from his Majesty who is most desirous to maintain and preserve them in Tranquility And to prevent those Disorders which are caused by Books published to the World 't is his Majesty's Pleasure that no Books treating of the Protestant Reformed Religion whether Printed within or without the Kingdom shall be vended by any Bookseller or others till they have been first approved by two Ministers of this Kingdom Moreover his Majesty giveth you to understand that 't is his pleasure that none of the Deputies shall speak of the Infraction of the Edicts and leave those other ways which are permitted them to have such Infractions if any redressed Synods have heretofore done so but this shall not for it is no Judge of these matters Here matters of Doctrin and Church-Discipline only are to be handled And whereas 't is usual for these Synodical Assemblies to complain of their Grievances the King commands me to tell you that he hath far greater cause to complain of the Infractions and Transgressions of his Edicts committed by his Subjects of the Pr. Reformed Religion in contempt of them for they have dared to proceed unto that high Excess of Insolence even since his Majesty began his Reign as to set up Preachings again in Languedoc where they had been suppressed and not only in that Province but elsewhere also and that in an open presumptuous manner against the Publick Peace and the general Laws of the Kingdom which do impartially forbid the Subjects of the one or other Religion to carve out unto themselves Satisfaction and Justice although they were wronged and had the right on their side yea and they have also in divers places by their meer private Authority set up again Preachings besides those which were allowed and appointed by the Commissioners for Executing the Edict of Nantes particularly in such places where the Ecclesiasticks are Lords of the Mannor which is a grievous violation of the Edict Moreover your Ministers do notoriously transgress it by excomunicating such Parents as send their Children to study in Catholick Colledges and have written * * * * * * You have a Specimen of this in a Letter writ by an unknown Person to one Martyn an Apostate Minister which is added to the end of this Synod scurrilously and injuriously of those who have become Converts unto the Roman Catholick Religion Moreover there is a practice among you of diverting the Poor's Mony and Legacies given to Pious uses by employing those Sums towards the Maintenance of your Ministers and to the defraying of Synodical Expences and Reparation of your Temples which Methods and Courses are contrary to those prescribed by the Forty Third Article of particular matters in the Edict of Nants which His Majesty will have observed Upon all which Actions and others of the like nature done in prejudice of his Majesties Authority and the publick Tranquility of whose Preservation his Majesty is so careful he declareth that being the common Father of his People he neither can nor ought to suffer his Edicts to be thus violated and therefore giveth Notice unto his Subjects of the P. R. Religion that they reform these their Miscarriages and you are to exhort them to it and that they demean themselves better for the future that so his Majesty may have no just occasion of offence which he will certainly take at such enterprises as these are and the non-observation of his Edicts And he would believe that you willfully satisfie him on your part and in case you so do his Majesty assureth you of his Royal Protection and of all acts of Kindnesses that you can possibly desire of him for your satisfaction Finally his Majesty having considered that National Synods cannot be held without very great Expences nor without putting such as take long Journeys hither to a World of trouble and whereas many matters and businesses which are reserv'd for these general Assemblies may be terminated with more ease and less Charges in the Provincial Synods which his Majesty permits to be held once every Year for the Conveniency and Discipline of the Churches of the Protestant Reformed Religion for these considerations his Majesty thought good to propound by me unto you Sirs that for time to come you should give all power unto Provincial Synods for knowing regulating and terminating of affairs which may fall out in all the Provinces of this Kingdom the cognizance whereof did only formerly belong unto these National Synods which his Majesty is resolv'd shall never be held any more but when as he thinks meet And to conclude there is a matter of
to debate of these very matters we doubt not in the least but that he will allow us to receive those Letters and Memoirs which contain their Informations and Instructions to us In short our whole Religion being grounded upon the Word of God and this Word teaching us to fear God and honour the King we never perform any Act of Religious Worship to that Great God who created us in which we do not offer up a Prayer with our most ardent Vows for the Supreme Power here on Earth and particularly for all that are in Authority over us and upon all occasions that occur unto us we do leave Impressions hereof upon the Souls of the Faithful who are Members of our Churches in our Sermons And we are well assured that before the breaking up of this Synod your Lordship my Lord Commissioner shall see not in one single Exhortation only but in many those inviolable Inclinations we have unto the Weal and Happiness of the Government and that Obedience which we are all unanimously resolved to render unto the Will and Laws of our Prince when as they be not contrary to that of the Law of God who is the King of Kings And as his Majesty hath hitherto been pleased to favour us with our Liberty of serving God according to that Light we have received and in the Purity of the Gospel and whereas my Lord Commissioner hath now declared to us his Majesty's good Pleasure to uphold us favourably in this Liberty under the Protection of his Edicts and to exert that Authority which God hath put into his Hands to secure us from their Attempts who would deprive us of it and as we have no ground nor cause to complain of Oppression and Persecution so also we shall not make use of any such Terms as are expressive of them and we shall upon all Occasions give clear and ample Evidence of that respect we bear unto our Sovereign and we shall take a most especial care for keeping the Publick Peace of which our Actions Words and Writings and these Last shall never be published but according as we are allowed by the Edicts and regulated by the Canons of our Discipline and by the Decrees of our National Synods shall by the Grace of God be most valid and authentick Sureties for us as they have been in times past so for the future And as we shall never render our selves unworthy of his Majesty's favour so we hope that he will continue to extend unto us the Honour of his Love and good Will and that he will ordain all Governors of his Provinces Places and Fortresses and all Officers in Parliament and all other Courts of Judicature where Justice is administred to see that his Edicts be carefully executed that so there being no violation of them on their parts we also on ours may never have any occasion for the future of complaining to his Majesty who next and after God is our only Sanctuary to whom we may betake our selves for Refuge against all Injustices and Oppressions And as for what is past there being very many Places in this Kingdom where the good Intentions of his Majesty have not been followed and where those of our Religion have been disturbed in the Exercises of it and have suffered very great Violences in their Families in their Children in their own Persons and in their Estates in sundry and divers ways contrary to what is granted us by the Edict And the inferiour Judges have been so far from doing us right that even they have been the very Persons who have encouraged the Animosity of many others against us Our King being the Image and Vicegerent of God and who will undoubtedly endeavour to resemble him as in the Independency of his Power and Glory of his Majesty so also in his Justice and Clemency He therefore cannot but approve that afflicted persons do make their Addresses to Heaven to be supported under their Sufferings and comforted in their Afflictions so we also should have recourse unto his Royal Throne for Support under our Burthens and Redress of our Grievances and the Conservation of our Invaded Liberties and Properties And whereas his Lordship my Lord Commissioner was pleased to say That his Majesty hath greater reason to complain by far of his Subjects of the Reformed Religion for their Infractions and Transgressions of the Edict as if they had either in Languedoc or any where else attempted to restore the Preaching of Gods Word by overt Actions by mere Force and Violence contrary to the publick Peace and the General Laws of the Kingdom we profess that the hearing of this Relation was a most sensible Grief and Sorrow to us We do not complain in the least of your Lordship my Lord Commissioner for you did but follow those very Orders and Instructions which were given you We receive with all possible respect and humility whatever comes from his Majesty because we reverence his Authority and because we have many Pledges and Tokens of his Kindness and Love unto us But we are exceedingly grieved and concerned that those who are near his Majesty do us very ill Offices and slander us unto him representing our Actions in very odious colours so that in stead of informing him that the Exercise of our Religion hath been violently abolish'd and removed from very many places where it was permitted by the Edicts and that our Temples have been demolished by main Force and in an Hostile manner they have dispersed wicked false Stories of us at Court as if we had some new and unlawful Enterprizes and Designs in our Heads Besides we have another thing of very hard digestion that whereas the Canons of our Discipline do expresly forbid those of our Communion to send their Children unto Jesuits and to other professed and avowed Enemies of our Religion because that through their fiery and inconsiderate Zeal for their own they turn every Stone and use all sort of means to prevent them from that Duty they owe unto God and to their Parents yea and to his Majesty himself and we being allowed the Exercise of our Discipline as well as of our Religion why should we be counted blame-worthy for our care in the Religious Education of our Children and for our just Severity in censuring their sinful negligent Parents And whereas some of ours are accused for reproaching and other injurious Carriage towards such Persons as have quitted our Communion for that of the Church of Rome we are so far from approving of those Actions towards them that 't is well known we require all our Members to pray for them and to labour by all pious means to reduce them into the good way of Eternal Salvation But we profess our utter Ignorance of any such Abuses offered unto our Revolters And in stead hereof this we know that there be open Violences done unto those godly Persons who do forsake the Communion of the Romish Church and joyn themselves unto ours And we hope
rather because your Majesty hath superadded another favour to your former which is indeed inlinked with it to wit your gracious permission of us to proceed to the Election of a General Deputy according to the priviledg granted us by the Kings your Predecessors But Sire you having with your own Royal Hand conferr'd upon us the Lord Marquess of Ruvigny we were so well provided for that we most humbly beseech your Majesty to continue him unto us in this Office This is Sire what the Sieurs Eustache and de Mirabel are charged to deliver unto your Majesty and whom pre have nominated to lay at your Feet our Homages Submissions and most sincere protestations of our inviolable Fidelity together with our continual Prayers unto the Throne of Grace for the Preservation of your Majesties most Sacred Person for the Prosperity of this Kingdom for the Establishing of Peace and for the happy accomplishment of your Marriage as being Sire Of your Majesty The most Humble the most Obedient and most Faithful Subjects and Servants the Pastors and Elders Assembled by your Majesties Permission in a National Synod at Loudun and for all of them Moderator Daille Assessor J. M. de Langle Scribes John de Brissac Loride des Galinieres A Copy of the Letter written unto the Queen Madam WHen as during the King's Minority the Supream Government of this Kingdom was put into your Hands those of our Religion who live dispersed in all parts of the Kingdom have received so many marks and Evidences of your Majesties Goodness and Protection that the Remembrance thereof will be perpetually engraven upon our Hearts in the deepest sense of gratitude and acknowledgments And since his Majesty our Sovereign Lord was declared Major of Years to Govern and his Vertues have out-run his Years your Majesty Madam hath so assisted him with your good Counsels that we all know and confess that you contributed most of all to maintain us in our Repose and in the injoyment of those Priviledges which were given us by the Edicts of our Princes And now the late Grant of our Assembling in this National Synod is in part the fruit of those good Inclinations your Majesty hath for us wherewith we are so deeply affected that we cannot forbear the Expressions of our Thankfulness And therefore Madam we have given in charge unto our Deputies whom we have sent unto the King to wait also upon your Majesty and to assure you not only of your sincere Dutifulness unto your Majesty wit are here assembled but also of all those Persons who have deputed us and are represented by us and that the remembrance of your Benefits shall never be blotted out of our Souls And we most humbly Petition your Majesty that you will be pleased always to ingage us unto Thankfulness by continuing to us the Fruits of your Royal Goodness and that you would daign to inrich us with the occasions of our incessant publishing your Praises that as we now do so we may always wrestle with our God for the showring down of his best Blessings from Heaven upon your Majesty and he will hear us Madam for we cry unto him daily that you may have length of Days an uninterrupted Prosperity that your Glorious Designs of settling Peace in France and a perpetual Peace between the Two Crowns which have been so long at variance may be at last atchieved The great God Madam will bless your Care and Labours in getting a Spouse for our King which may briâ—◠〈◊〉 a Posteâ—â—â— like unto that your Majesty hath given unto the late King his Father and which may be the genuine and worthy Offspring of so many Royal Monarchs from whose Blood they be descended and to whom the Empire of France and Spain may be subjected And to say no more Madam our God will give your Majesty to see that by our inviolable Fidelity and Obedience unto your Commands there are none among the Subjects of this most populous Kingdom who are more than our selves Madam Of your Majesty The most Humble and the most Obedient Subjects and Servants the Pastors and Elders assembled in a National Synod of Loudun and in the Name of all Moderator Daille Assessor J. M. de L'Angle Scribes John de Brissac Lorile des Galinieres A Copy of the Letter written unto his Eminency My Lord ALthough that next and after God it is of his Majesty's Grace and Favour that we enjoy this Priviledg of meeting together in a National Synod yet also are we principally obliged unto the Goodness of your Eminency and to the Wisdom of your Counsels For besides that this great Kingdom is governed by them and that 't is by the Cares of this important Ministry committed by his Majesty unto your Eminency that our Churches do enjoy the Protection of his Edicts as we have been informed by my Lord de Magdelaine his Majesty's Commissioner in our Assembly and by your Letters written to the Lord Marquess of Ruvigny our General Deputy of your Eminency's most favourable Inclinations for us in this Occurrenc Therefore my Lord no sooner were we met together but we poured out our Souls in the presence of the Lord Jesus our Saviour and rendred him our most Solemn Sacrifice of Thanksgiving that he had at length inclined his Majesty's Heart to grant us what we had so ardently desired and our very next Thought was to depute some of our Body unto his Majesty with the most humble Thanks of our Hearts and then also unto your Eminency to testifie our Gratitude unto you We have therefore my Lord given in charge to the Sieurs Eustache and Mirabel sent by us unto Court to throw themselves in our stead at his Majesty's Feet to wait also upon your Eminency as from its and to assure your Eminency that all the Churches of this Kingdom who have deputed us unto this Synod will retain an everlasting remembrance of this your Favour together with in inviolable resolution of giving you the undoubted Evidences of our Sense and Resentment of it by our uncorruptible Fidelity in his Majesty's Service and in a most respectful Obedience unto those Orders we shall receive from him by the Mediation of your most excellent Ministry Moreover we do hope my Lord that your Eminency will give a favourable Audience unto our Deputies in those most humble Requests they have to tender to you for us and that you would be pleased to obtain of his Majesty that we may sensibly feel the benign Influences of his Goodness and Royal Protection and that you would daign always to accept those Requests which shall be presented to you by the Lord Marquess of Ruvigny whom his Majesty hath permitted and his commendable Qualities and Services have obliged us to confirm in his Office of General Deputy and that we may not be denied those Gratifications which these our National Assemblies have always received from our Kings and which even your Eminency its self hath procured for us All our Churches my
Lord do expect and wait for this Fruit of your Eminency's great Goodness and whatever shall be received by us it shall be as a most refreshing Shower that shall cause our Hearts to fructifie more abundantly yea and the Hearts of all those of our Religion in that Love and Affection which they have ever had and which our Religion and our Interest inspireth us to have above all other his Majesty's Subjects for his Service and to have the Praise of being true Frenchmen firmly devoted to the Advancement of the State and to that respect which all France oweth unto your Eminency But whatever may be my Lord we invocate incessantly our common Redeemer that he would preserve your Eminency's Person in all Prosperity and bless your Counsels given unto his Majesty and cause them for the future as they have in times past to succeed to the Advantage of the State the Glory of his Majesty and the immortal Honour of your Eminency These are their Vows and Prayers who will conserve inviolably the Quality which they have ever had to be my Lord of your Eminency The most Humble and most Obedient Servants the Pastors and Elders Assembled in a National Synod at Loudun and for them all Daille Moderator c. 6. The Sieurs Eustache and Mirabel who were Deputed from this Assembly unto his Majesty being returned from their Journey gave an Account of their Deputation and delivered Letters from the King his Eminency and the Lord de la Vrilliere unto this Assembly and they received the Praise and Thanks of it for their Care and Labour A Copy of His Majesty's Letter DEar and Well Beloved We were very glad at the Receipt of your Letters dated the 18th Instant and to hear from the Mouths of your Deputies the Sieurs Eustache and de Mirabel the Thanks you have rendred us for our permitting you to hold this National Synod in our Town of Loudun and the Protestations of your inviolable Fidelity and Obedience to us and being well satisfied therewith we were willing to give you the knowledge of it by this our Letter and to exhort you to persist in your Godly Purposes and Duties and to afford us upon all occasions which may offer themselves for our Service the Evidences of your good Conduct And we farther assure you that whilst you continue your selves within the Bounds we require from your Synod and upon all other Occurrences which you may meet withal to maintain as much as in you lieth the publick Peace and Tranquility you shall also receive from us all good and favourable Usage and we shall be delighted to protect you under the benefit of our Edicts and of those of our most Honoured Lord and Father the late King as we have done until now and as we shall yet again once more assure you more particularly by your Deputies whom we return unto you very much satisfied In the mean while we do the more willingly allow the Continuation of the Lord Marquess of Ruvigny in the Office of General Deputy for your Churches near our selves because we are fully perswaded that he will always acquit himself with Care and Faithfulness of that Employ Given at Tholouse the Tirteenth Day of November One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Nine Signed LOVIS And a little Lower PHELIPPEAVX The Superscription was To our dear and well-beloved the Pastors and Elders Deputed unto the Assembly of the National Synod of our Subjects of the Protestant Reformed Religion held at Loudun Copy of his Eminency's Letter Sirs YOur Deputies delivered me the Letter which you took the pains to write me I owe you Thanks for your Civilities and the more because his Majesty being perswaded as he is of your inviolable Fidelity and of your Zeal for his Service 't is but needless and superfluous to mention any good Offices for you with his Majesty I pray you to believe that I have a very great Esteem for you as you do deserve it being such good Servants and Subjects of the King I have nothing more but to leave my self to what shall be related of me by your own Deputies and by the Dispatches of the Lord de la Vrilliere I remain Sirs Your most Affectionate to do you Service The Cardinal Mazarin The Sieur de la Morinaye was Deputed by this Assembly with Letters to my Lord Chancellor and to my Lord de Bertueil Comptroler General of the Exchequer and ordered to ride unto Paris and there to take up the Sixteen Thousand Livres Gratuity which his Majesty hath been pleased to bestow upon this Assembly for defraying the Expences of it's Deputies to which purpose the Orders of the Accomptants and the Assignment of my Lord High Treasurer was delivered into his Hands which was under Signed by the Sieur Eustache 7. The Assembly considering that since the Death of the Sieur Bazin General Deputy of our Churches for the Third Estate unto the King that there is no one to supply his Place so that my Lord Marquess of Ruvigny our General Deputy is even born down with the Duties of his Office at Court which is a very great Inconveniency to our Churches it was decreed That a most humble Petition should be tender'd unto his Majesty that he would be pleased to put us again into the Possession of this Priviledge And the Assembly hoping that this their Petition would not be unacceptable unto his Majesty and my Lord Commissioner not in the least opposing it was resolved that we should proceed immediately unto the Election of such Persons as should be presented unto his Majesty according to the usual Forms Which being done it was found that the Sieurs Loride des Galinieres Advocate in the King's Council and in Parliament Jassaud Advocate in the mixt Court of Castres and des Forges Le Coq Counsellor and Secretary to the King had the Plurality of Votes Whereupon it was decreed that my Lord Marquess of Ruvigny shall be intreated to notifie it unto the King as soon as possible together with the most humble Petition of this Assembly that his Majesty would be pleased to chuse one out of these Three according to Custom and to assign him the Salary which his Majesty and the Kings his Predecessors have given unto those who have exercised the said Office of General Deputy 8. Letters being Addressed to this Assembly by the Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the Church and University of Geneva and other Letters from the Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the Churches and Universities of the Cantons of Zurich Berne Basil and Schapheusen joyntly Signed by them they were delivered unto my Lord Commissioner who having first perused them did afterwards order them to be communicated unto the Assembly and to be read in it The Contents of which were large Expressions of their Affections to the Peace of the Churches of this Kingdom and their Joy at the Liberty which it hath pleased the King to give us and the Priviledge of Assembling
you will protect you under the shadow of his Wings he will follow you in your goings out and comings in all and every one of you in general and particular with his chiefest and choicest Benedictions My Reverend Colleagues here present do concur with me in these Prayers and what my weakness could not their more excellent Gifts will contribute most effectually on this occasion to promote your Peace CHAP. XXI A Letter written by an Unknown Person to Mr. Martin upon his Apostacy from the Reformed Religion Friend IT is nois'd abroad and I hear it from all parts that thou hast been at Tours and renounced the true Religion and took up that of the Romanists for the Sum of Eight Hundred Livres whereof thou hast already received Four and that thou bearest the Arms and wearest the mark of the Beast and hast sworn thy self a Champion against all his Enemies What hast thou done Man What is the Party thou hast abandonned What Complaints canst thou form against them Of what Crimes wilt thou accuse them Is it true that thou hast left us Canst thou think on what thou hast done without terrour and horrour Thou hast quitted the Party of God thou hast forsaken his Inheritance thou art gone out of his way the way of Life The bare knowledge of this must cause the Sinner to turn Quaker for 't is his utter ruin his total destruction Adam had no sooner sinned but he was struck with horrour and confusion but thou declarest thy self as the shameless Whoremongers who boast impudently of their Sin and hold up their Heads audaciously when they come out of the Stews Saint Peter having denied his Master was confounded muffled his Face went out and wept bitterly but thou as I am informed and it toucheth me to the quick art more Joyous than ever the World can read an extraordinary Mirth and Gayety in thy Countenance Friend do not take any thing amiss that I shall tell thee for I can swear it that what I do it is if possible to regain and save thee Thou knowest it was a Judas who betrayed the Son of God his Lord and Master and he betrayed him for Thirty Pieces of Silver No sooner had he receiv'd the Mony but he betray'd his Master yet he confessed his Treason I have saith he betrayed Innocent Blood yea and he returns the Mony Take it saith he take this accursed Thing from me 't is the price of Blood of the Blood of the Son of God But it was too late for thou very well knowest that the Miserable Wretch tortur'd with the furies of his Conscience utterly despairing of Mercy went and Hang'd himself Now inasmuch as thou hast been Partner with him in his Treason though thou hast betrayed thy Master for a greater Sum than Judas did yet I beseech thee be not Partner with him in his Despair But go and return thy Mony and throw it at their Feet who have seduced thee Tell them I have sinned I have betrayed my Saviour I have left the way of Eternal Life but I do now from my very Soul utterly renounce these matters I abhor this my Sin O look you unto it and then come weeping and mourning for thy Sin and give glory unto God in his House in his holy Temple and resolve with David that thou wilt dwell in it for ever more For the God of Glory is a God of Mercy and he will upon thy sincere Repentance and humble ardent Prayers extend his Mercy to thee Age igitur poenitentiam prima opera fac I pray thee Dear Friend have compassion upon thy self pity thy precious Soul never be ashamed of Repentance sith thou wast never ashamed of Sin That Royal Prophet David is a fair Copy for thee to write after a most excellent example every way worthy thy imitation For having fallen shamefully he was not ashamed to confess it unto God nor to beg his Pardon and rich Grace restored him Tell God I have sinned acknowledge thine Offence own it to him with Compunction and Confusion with Remorse and Godly Sorrow and thou shalt be forgiven 'T is true indeed thy Crime is heinous thou hast left the Fountain of Living Waters to hew out unto thee Cisterns yea broken Cisterns that can hold no Waters Thou hast quitted God that thou maist follow Men thou hast quitted Life to embrace Death Thou hast falsified thy Promises and broken that Allegiance which thou hadst sworn in the most solemn manner unto God thou hast violated that Sacred Vow which thou hast made to the God and Father of Spirits Yet let not this fright thee into Despair for thou canst not but know unless thou hast forgoten it that where Sin abounds there the Grace of God doth much more abound for he superabounds in loving-kindnesses and multitudes of tender Mercies Consider then from whence thou art fallen be Zealous and Repent Thou hast not kept the word of Gods Patience and therefore he hath not kept but left thee in the Hour of Temptation which cometh upon the Inhabiters of this Earth to try them Thou hast forsaken the true Riches to take up with those that perish Thou knowest not thy own Poverty and Misery Time hath not as yet discovered it unto thee I counsel thee my dear Friend to buy of the Heir of all things Gold tryed in the Fire that thou may'st be rich Thou hast forsaken the glorious Son of Righteousness who thou knowest hath healing in his Wings Thus hast thou lost both Health Sight and Sense The Lord quicken thee When the Sun sets the Night draws on apace Darkness deprives us of Light The Decays of thy Health are Evidences of the groowth of thy Disease one follows ordinarily the other unless Death intervene I speak this as to temporal matters But as to spiritual he that is blind abideth so and he that hath lost his Health can never recover it without Sovereign Mercy unless the great Physician do open his Eyes do anoint them with his Heavenly Collyrium that he may see and do purge away his Sins that he may recover his former Health Consider then what thou once wast and from whence thou art fallen and O my dear Friend Repent Repent or else God will come unto thee in his Wrath and thy last Estate will be worse than thy first and my Affliction for thine everlasting Perdition greater O Friend rouze up thy drowsy Soul and from the bottom of thy Heart and from the depths of that Dungeon into which thou art fallen cry aloud unto him who hath the Keys of Death and Hell for Mercy cry aloud unto him for there is yet some hope Hope yet in God for he that is hopeless is helpless Thou needest Divine Wisdom ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth none Call upon him and he will redeem thee he will restore thee and thou shalt refresh my Bowels Though Simoniacal Persons who believe the Gift of God may be had for Gold and Silver will perish
repent rouze up thy self out of thy Spiritual Lethargy Awake then and give Glory unto God the God of Heaven and Earth and he will raise thee up again tho thou art fallen Call upon him for who knoweth but that he may have Compassion on thee He hath not forsaken thee but thou hast forsaken him and thou canst tell in what place thou shookst Hands with him Don't consult with Flesh and Blood go seek and find him out in the beginning of thy Sin that yet he may recover thee His Gifts and Callings are without Repentance Thou hast quitted the Pastoral Office to be a wandring Sheep a Sheep wandring after the Voice of a Stranger However thou knowest what the great Shepherd saith by St. John on this occasion make use of it to thy best advantage and if thou canst not be a Pastor yet at least become a Sheep of Christ's Fold In the mean while my dear Friend I will humbly beseech God from the bottom of my Soul and with all my Heart that he would recover thee from this thy most dangerous Malady by some proper and most effectual Remedy For I know him by good Experience to be the best Physician and that he can purge out of thee all thine Errors all Humane Considerations and corroborate the good infeebled in thee through the perverseness of the former that he can again enlighten thee ingraft thee into Christ tho thou hast broken thy self off from him and give Rest unto thy Soul in the Bosom of the Church Militant that so in the Church Triumphant thou mayst enjoy those everlasting Blessings which he hath prepared for them who persevere unto the end And I being filled with Joy at thy Recovery will take thee by the Hand and we will go together into the House of our God there to render him according to our poor Abilities that Sacrifice of Thanksgiving which is his Due and our Duty Now then under this Quality and with this Hope I subscribe my self Dear Friend Excuse if my Superscription do omit these Titles which once thou hadst and I am ignorant of what thou now bearest Thy Humble Servant Aide de Dieu Help of God A Monsieur Monsieur Martin at his House in Montoire CHAP. XXII Remarks upon the Deputies 1. MR. Boschart Pastor of the Church of Caen a Man of vast Learning and reputed one of the most able Scholars in all France His Hierozoicon and Phaleg proclaim his Worth to the whole World Christina Queen of Sweedland invited him into that Kingdom and he was for some time a Professor in the University there 2. Peter de la Musse Here is a Marquess of that Name in London a faithful Confessor for Christ having forsaken his Estate are embraced the Cross rather than part with his Religion and his God and I think the same Deputy 3. Monsieur Mussard Minister in the Church of Lyons but a Native of Geneva he married Mr. Beza's Granchild By a Trick of the Jesuits which he told me he was outed of the Church of Lyons The Cardinal of Villeroy Archbishop of that City and Diocess had an esteem and value for him For he was a Person of great Worth an excellent Scholar and a most eloquent Preacher The French Church of London invited him over to their Service and he died in the Pastoral Office of it There be Printed of his Works a Volume of Sermons in French in Quarto 2. Historia Deorum satidicorum 4 to And 3. Les Conformites des Ceremonies Modernes avec les anciennes His Modesty made him not put his Name to his Works But he himself told me he was the Author of them Les Conformites doth speak English for I have seen the Translation in a Booksellers Shop 4. Monsieur de Bourdieu Pastor of Montpellier this reverend and ancient Servant of the Lord Jesus resides in London and Preacheth tho 95 Years old 5. Monsieur Guitton Pastor of the Church of Sion fled here upon the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes into England and was some time in London but since for want of Employment left the Kingdom and retired I think into the Netherlands 6. Monsieur Amyraud the Famous Professor of Saumur His Learned Writings are well known I shall say more of him God willing in my Icones 7. Monsieur Daille Pastor of the Church of Paris A most Learned and Eloquent Preacher My Worthy and Reverend Friend Mr. Soreton an eminent Nonconformist Minister in Devon translated his Commentary upon the Colossians into English His Book of the Right Use of the Fathers was translated into English and highly valued He writ against Brachet Sieur de la Millitiere a Tool of Richlieu's to compound and reconcile if possible the Two Religions Millitiere at last turned Apostate He hath a most accurate Treatise De Imaginibus Apologie des Eglises Reformees and a great many other things of which and him I shall give an Account at large in my Icones 8. Monsieur Homel Pastor of the Church of Sojon a most pious and zealous Preacher he died a constant and Faithful Martyr His Execution was most barbarous being broken upon the Wheel and left under Torments for several Hours before his Inhuman Persecutors would give him the Coup de Grace as they call it the last Blow upon the Breast to put an end to his Torments But God filled him under his greatest Sufferings with the Consolations of his Spirit I have writ a larger Narrative of his Martyrdom and shall insert it into the Life of the Great Chamier for a Great Grandson of the Famous Chamier suffer'd about the same time unless my memory fail me with him FINIS
said Auditory shall be expresly charged That if any one of them do know any impediment for which his Ordination who shall be then mentioned by his Name may not be compleated or why he may not be accepted that they do then come and give notice of it unto the Consistory which shall patiently hear the Reasons of both Parties that so they may proceed to Judgment The Peoples silence shall be taken for a full consent But in case contention should arise and the afore-named Elect be pleasing to the Consistory but not unto the People or to the major part of them his reception shall be deferred and the whole shall be remitted unto the Colloquy or Provincial Synod which shall take cognizance both of the justification of the before-named elect Minister and of his reception And although the said Elect should be then and there justified yet shall he not be given as Pastor unto that People against their will nor to the discontentment of the greatest part of them nor shall the Pastor be imposed against his will upon that Church and the difference shall be terminated by order as above at the Costs and Charges of the Church that shall have demanded him CAN. VII Who so consenteth to be chosen unto the Sacred Ministry ought to accept of the Office with which he shall be invested and in case of his refusal he shall be solicited thereunto by fitting Exhortations but he shall in no wise be constrained CAN. VIII The Election of Ministers shall be confirmed by Prayers and Imposition of Hands always avoiding all Superstition and according to this ensuing form The Form of Ordination usually observed in the Churches of France at the Reception of their Ministers All things before-mentioned having been observed two Pastors deputed by the Synod or Colloquy to lay their Hands upon the Minister elect being come into that Church one of them who preacheth the Sermon shall discourse briefly of the Institution and Excellency of the Ministry alledging Testimonies pertinent to this occasion from holy Writ such as Ephes 4.11 12. Luke 10.16 John 20.21 22. 1 Cor. 4.1 2. 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. 1 Tim. 3.8 or others of the like nature admonishing every one to see to it that both Minister and People do perform their respective Duties The Minister to acquit himself of his Charge the more carefully because he knoweth it to be precious and excellent in the sight of God and the People with all humility and reverence to receive the Word of God which shall be declared by him who is now sent unto them Then shall be read in the hearing of the whole Congregation what is written in 1 Tim. 3. and 1 Tit. where the Apostle teacheth what kind of Man a Minister should be And that it may please God to vouchsafe Grace unto this elect person to acquit himself worthily and faithfully of his holy Calling a short Prayer shall be conceived to this purpose in which the said Pastor shall insert these or the like words O Lord God we beseech thee to endow with the Gifts and Graces of thy holy Spirit this thy Servant lawfully chosen according to that Order established in thy Church and abundantly to enrich him with all Abilities needful for his acceptable performance of the Duties of his Office to the Glory of thy holy Name the Edification of thy Church and his own Salvation whom we now dedicate and consecrate unto thee by this our Ministry And then the Minister that prayeth standing upright below the Pulpit shall lay his Hands upon his Head for whom Prayer is now made he being humbly on his knees And the new Pastor arising the two Deputies sent from the Colloquy or Synod shall give him before the People the right hand of fellowship And this Form and the above-mentioned Canon shall be unanimously observed in all the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom CAN. IX Our Confession of Faith and Church-Discipline shall be subscribed by such as are chosen in the Ministry both into the Churches in which they shall be ordained and in those unto which they shall be sent CAN. X. No Ministers shall be ordained without appointing them unto a particular Flock and they shall be the peculiar Pastors of those Churches unto which they be assigned And no Church shall pretend right unto any Minister by vertue of a particular promise made by him without the authority of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod CAN. XI Such as shall be chosen unto the Ministry of the Gospel must know that they be in that Office for term of life unless they be lawfully discharged upon good and certain considerations and that by the Provincial Synod CAN. XII The principal Duty of Ministers is to Preach the Gospel and to declare the Will of God unto their People and they shall be exhorted to forbear all strange ways of teaching which have no tendency to edification and they shall conform themselves to the simplicity and common stile of God's Spirit taking heed that there be nothing in their Sermons prejudicial to the Authority of holy Scripture and they shall never Preach without having for foundation of their discourse a Text of holy Scripture which they shall ordinarily follow and they shall handle and expound as much of that Text as they can forbearing all needless Enlargements all tedious and unseasonable Digressions all superfluous heapings up of Scripture-Quotations and vain recitals of various and different Expositions They shall very rarely alledge the Writings of the Fathers nor at any time prophane Histories and Authors that so they may reserve unto the Scripture intirely its own Authority Moreover they shall not handle any Doctrine in a scholastick way of Disputation nor with a mixture of Languages In one word they shall avoid whatsoever may serve for ostentation or in any wise occasion doubts or scruples And that this Canon may be more carefully observed and practised Consistories Colloquies and Synods shall put to their helping hand CAN. XIII Churches are admonished to use more frequently the Ordinance of Catechising and Ministers are to treat and expound it by short plain and familiar Questions and Answers accommodating themselves unto the capacity of the meanest People without expatiating themselves into common places Yea all Ministers shall endeavour to catechize every one in their Flocks once or twice a Year and shall exhort them to conform themselves thereunto very carefully CAN. XIV Ministers and their Families shall actually reside on their Churches on pain of being deposed from their Sacred Ministerial Office CAN. XV. Those Persons to whom God hath given Talents and Abilities for Writing are advised to use them in a modest manner suitable to the Majesty of God's Word and therefore consequently they shall not write after a ridiculous or injurious rate and in their ordinary Sermons they shall express this self-same modesty and gravity And they who are endowed with gifts for writing shall he chosen by the Provinces and if it happen that any Books
be published against the true Religion they shall be sent unto them that they may be answered And there shall be a Colloquy in each Province appointed unto this peculiar business carefully to peruse all Manuscripts before they be Printed and what is published and to disperse the Copies CAN. XVI No Minister shall claim or exercise any Primacy or Jurisdiction over another CAN. XVII Ministers shall preside by turns in their Consistories that so none may claim a Superiority over his Fellow and none of them shall give any Testimony in matters of importance without having first Communicated unto his Brethren and Collegues in the Ministry CAN. XVIII That Custom used in some places of deputing certain Ministers from the Provincial Synods to visit the Churches shall be for time to come totally suppressed and abolished That order which hath been used until now being sufficient enough for taking cognisance of Scandals And this manner of erecting new Offices and Employments is condemned because of its dangerous consequence as also all names of superiority are rejected such as Elders of Synods Super-intendents and the like And all Advertisements for assembling Colloquies or Synods or concerning any businesses which depend upon them shall be directed unto the Church and not to any particular Minister in it And if accidentally they have been so superscribed and for some certain Considerations addressed unto any one of the Ministers or Elders they who have received them shall present them unto the Consistory that so advice and deliberation may be taken of them CAN. XIX No Minister together with the holy Ministry shall be a Practitioner in Law or Physick yet out of Charity he may give Counsel and assistance to the poor of his Flock and of his Neighbourhood provided always that he be not thereby diverted from his Calling nor derive any gain from his practice unless in times of trouble and persecution and when he cannot exercise his Calling in his Church and cannot be maintained by it And those who shall thus employ themselves in Law or Physick or in any other Worldly distracting business shall be exhorted wholly to forbear it and totally to devote themselves unto the duties of their Calling as Ministers and to the study of the Scriptures And all Colloquies and Synods are admonished to proceed according to the Canons of our Discipline against the refractory and such as be willfully disobedient as also against those who spend so much of their time in teaching youth that it is an hinderance to them in the principal duties of their Ministerial Office And all Consistories Colloquies and Provincial Synods shall have a most especial care and regard that this Canon be punctually observed and to suspend such as do transgress it from their exercise of the Ministry CAN. XX. Ministers shall exhort their People to be modest in their Apparel they themselves also giving in this particular a good example unto the World by their own their Wives and their Children's forbearing all bravery in their Habits CAN. XXI Princes and great Lords following the Court that would have a Church erected in their Houses shall be desired to chuse their Ministers out of those Churches which be duly reformed and can spare them a Pastor and of whose lawful Call unto the sacred Ministry they may be well assured and this with the good will and consent of the Colloquies or Synods These shall in the first place subscribe the Confession of Faith of the Churches in this Kingdom and our Ecclesiastical Discipline And that the Preaching of the Gospel may be the more successful they shall be every one of them desired to constitute in their Families a Consistory composed of the Minister and of the best approved persons for Godliness in their said Family who shall be chosen Elders and Deacons by which Consistory all Vices and Scandals in that Family shall be suppressed and the common Discipline of our Churches shall be maintained Moreover if it be possible for them they shall personally appear at Provincial Synods To which purpose Powers shall be given unto the Church that convocates the Synod of that Province to call them to it And the said Ministers by name or some one or other of them according as they shall be deputed by the rest shall make their personal Appearance at the National Synods in company with their Elders who may inform the Synod of their Lives and Conversations And if several of them meet together none shall claim any preheminency or jurisdiction over his Brethren according to that Canon of our Discipline made on this behalf And when as the said Princes and Lords shall sojourn in their Houses or other places in which a Church is already constituted that all divisions may be avoided they shall be desired to conjoin the Church of their Families together with the Church of that place to make but one Church as shall be advised in an amicable Conference with the Ministers of both Churches that so what may be most expedient may be followed CAN. XXII It shall not be lawful for the Pastor to desert his Flock without leave first had and obtained from the Colloquy and Provincial Synod of that Church to which he was first given CAN. XXIII Deserters of the Sacred Ministry shall be finally Excommunicated by the Provincial Synod unless they do repent and return again unto their Charge which God had committed to them CAN. XXIV Ministers shall not be Vagrants nor have liberty to intrude themselves of their own Authority into any place which best pleaseth them CAN. XXV The Minister of one Church shall not preach in another without the consent of its Minister unless he were absent in which case the Consistory shall authorize him and if through persecution or any troubles the Flock should be dissipated the strange Minister shall endeavour to assemble the Elders and Deacons which if it cannot be done yet nevertheless he may warrantably preach that so the dispersed Flock may be reunited CAN. XXVI That Minister who intrudeth himself into a Church although he get the People's Approbation yet shall he not be approved of by the Neighbour Ministers or any others but the cognisance of his Case shall be devolved upon the Colloquy or Provincial Synod CAN. XXVII Ministers shall not be sent unto other Churches without authentick Letters or some other sufficient Testimonials from those places from whence they last came which shall be put into the Consistories hands of that Church whereunto they be sent and there carefully to be preserved CAN. XXVIII No Minister who reports himself forsaken of his Church of persecuted shall thereupon be received by another Church until he have first produced valid Certificates of his holy and unblameable Conversation unto the Colloquy or Synod and the whole Affair shall be remitted to the prudence and discretion of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod CAN. XXIX When as a Minister who hath orderly obtained his Licence of departure from that Church in which he last served