you Sirs when ever the time comes of the sitting of your National Synod that we are possesed with holy jealousies and solicitous fears trembling at those confusion and horrible mischief brought forth by that wicked one upon an ungodly World by which it is corrupted and ruined whence we take occasion to lift up our Souls in extraordinary Prayer unto Heaven that our great head and chief Pastor would deign to preside in the midst of you by the sole authority of his holy word and to conduct you by his good Spirit bending your hearts to an intire subjection docility and obedience to him and that he would still keep his ground among you and firmly uphold and maintain the possession of his Sanctuary in the midst of you from whose fixedness and stability Life and Health is convened into all it's parts and members and that he would vouchsafe you that Grace to obtain a testimony hereof immediately from himself that your last works may be better than your first And in this juncture of affairs we are more earnest in our wrestlings with God than ever because we cannot rid our Souls from the frightful apprehensions of injoyed a calm In our peace as saith the Sacred Scripture we have had great bitterness The Commotions in your Kingdom the report whereof is scattered far and near make us believe that that bloody Spirit which raged so much heretofore in Murders and Massacres is not yet glutted nor satiated and that the wrath of the just and dreadful Jehovah will burn more than ever against the enormities and impenitencies of the World hardning it self under the patience and indulgence of God and that the poor Church will be a sharer and sufferer in those judgments for her wretched compliance with an ungodly World even then when he respited and reprieved her from that mortal hatred it hath ever born her We should wrong your integrity and approved wisdoms did we so much as entertain a sinister or distrustful thought of them yet nevertheless that great and earnest concern we have for your well-being doth make us assume she Liberty to exhort you by all that is most sacred dear and precious with you that on all occasions which shall offer themselves unto you you would not only justifie your selves fully and clearly before the World but our most Holy Religion also which is professed by you and that renouncing all secular designs and interests you would keep to the Commandments of our God which are the true infallible rule of wisdom and the standard of our patience to the perfecting of our Works It will be a prerogative favour bestowed on you by Heaven to have kept that unvaluable treasure of the Faith in a pure Conscience towards God and it will give you a most signal Victory over your Adversaries who calumniate you to their deeper conviction and confusion It will evidence your singular prudence before the Churches of Christ to have been able to guard your selves against the hatred and scorn of the World poverty and baseness a mean uncertain and perillous condition here below Yea we fixedly hope that our good God will hear and answer your and our daily Prayers by not exposing you unto any sorer trials but that under the long and happy Reign of your King you may be delivered from all fears of your Enemies and serve him in Holiness and Righteousness the remainder of your days There were some other heads upon which we could and would have enlarged and communicated to you our thoughts but we shall at present forbear Mr. Jeremy Fâ—â—rier Pastor and Professor at Nismes who revolting from the Truth was excommunicated July 14. 1613. being overborn with grief and horrour caused by the fall of that * eminent Apostate who having for many years together abused the excellent gifts of God and that place of Honour he held among you and was particularly supported by you doth now serve as a sorrowful spectacle of the direful vengeance of God Almighty His past ungodly conversation was not bruited abroad in forreign Nations till such time as they heard of his Revolt which like a sudden thunder clap stunn'd and amazed all that had the relation of it as of an unexpected and prodigious ruine We have heard and read what hath been spoken and written of him and we cannot guess at any other ground of his depravation than his pragmatical intermedling with mundane affairs From whence we take the freedom to intreat you for Gods sake strictly to inspect into vocations and employments that they be not mixed nor confounded to the detriment both of the one and other The Ministerial function is expresly limited by the Word of God as to its Laws Ends Means and Actings it being altogether different from yea and totally contrary to the secular Government And we conceive that there is no such difficulty in the matter but that Ministers may be kept within the inviolable bounds of their most holy calling and yet be useful unto the publick without glorying in those little arts of subtilties and surprisals which abutt at no other Mark than temporal and carnal profit Besides that 't is a very rare thing to find a man capable both of the one and other calling there is this grand mischief in it that flesh and blood seeing in the Holy Ministry nothing but what is mean and humble despicable and painful difficult and dangerous and contrariwise meeting in the management of secular affairs with food and fewel enough for Pride Ambition and Covetousness the ground of all envies and jealousies and with the means and helps to carryon designs of self advancement and domination as tricks craft and dissimulation It will be almost impossible to hinder the spreading of this contagion which creeps insensibly into the greatest wits and seizeth upon them at unawares and not as an affected and approved vice We know very well that necessity the Law of the present day is pleaded and urged on behalf of this Practice too too much in use among you to vindicate and justifie it But for Gods sake most dear Brethren we beseech you to consider whether it were not better that your temporal affair should suffer some inconveniencies than your Spiritual ones to be contaminated And whether the great risque you run in ruining and depraving your Pastors should be preferred unto your temporal Interests And whether it were not better to have a Reserve among you of some pure and savoury salt against the general corruption rather than to hazard all in this Universal overthrow by the World upon which Theatre we see the most valiant Champions to be foiled If the necessity be absolute peremptory and indispensable then let them go about such secular political affairs with regret and grief troubled at their enforced distraction from their Heavenly calling lamenting a the Spouse in the Canticles that they have made me the keeper of the Vineyard but mine own Vineyard have I not kept Let them go but then only when
Converts are not alwayes so guided and moved of God as they may not through their own fault in some particular Actions swerve from the Conduct of his Grace and be seduced by the Lusts of the Flesh to obey it Therefore they ought alwayes to watch and pray that they may not be led into temptation and in case they neglect this their Duty they are not only obnoxious to be seduced and drawn away by the Flesh the World and Satan into grievous and atrocious Sins but by the just permission of God they do actually fall and that very shamefully And we have sad instances of this in David Peter and divers other Godly Persons mentioned in Scripture CANON V. In the mean while by such Sins they hainously offend God and render themselves guilty of Death they grieve the Holy Spirit they interrupt the Course and Exercise of their Faith they do wound their Consciences most sorely and may lose the Sence and Feeling of the grace of God for a time 'till that he do once again lift up the Light of his Fatherly loving Countenance upon them vvhich he may do upon the serious renevval of their Repentance and returning into the good vvayes of their Duty CANON VI. For God vvho is rich in Mercy according to the unchangeable purpose of Election doth not utterly take away from his own his Holy Spirit no not in their greatest and most lamentable falls nor doth he suffer them to fall so low as to lose the grace of Adoption and their Estate of Justification or to commit that Sin unto Death against the Holy Ghost Nor doth he so forsake them as to suffer them to be precipitated into Everlasting Destruction CANON VII For even under those falls God preserveth in them principally and most carefully his Immortal Seed of Regeneration so that it is not totally lost nor destroyed in them Yea and afterwards he doth truely and effectually renew them by his Word and Spirit and bring them to Repentance working in them a godly sorrow for their Sins so that with a contrite and broken heart they do petition for and obtain their pardon through Faith in the Blood of the Mediator and feel once again the Grace of a Reconciled God and adore his faithfulness and tender bowels of Compassion and do for the future work out their Salvation more sollicitously with fear and trembling CANON VIII So then 't is not from any Merit or Strength of their own but by the Sole and Soveraign Free Grace and Mercy of God that they do not totally loose Faith and Grace nor live and die and perish finally in their Sins which might easily have been done and without all doubt would have eventually befallen them had it not been for God himself who can in no wise suffer his Council to be changed nor his Promise to be vacated nor that their Calling decreed in his Eternal Purpose should be revoked nor the Merit and Intercession of the Lord Jesus and his keeping of them should be annihilated nor the Seal of his Holy Spirit to be evacuated and abolished CANON IX And as for that keeping of the Elect unto Salvation and the perseverance of true Believers in Faith Believers themselves may be and are according to the Degrees of their Faith assured of it by which they be certainly perswaded that they are and shall continue true and lively Members of Christs Church and that they shall obtain the forgiveness of all their Sins and at last Everlasting Life CANON X. And therefore this Assurance doth not arise from any particular Revelation which is besides or without the Word but it proceedeth from Faith in Gods promises which he hath most abundantly revealed in his Holy Word for our comfort and from the witness of his Holy Spirit together with our Spirit that we be the Children and Heirs of God Rom. 8.16 17. and finally from a Serious and Religious Study and endeavour to keep a good Conscience and the unwearied performance of good works And should Gods Elect be deprived here below of this Sacred Consolation that they shall obtain at last the Victory should they be destitute of this infallible pledge and earnest of Eternal Glory they would be of all Men the most miserable CANON XI Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures testifie that Believers must conflict in this Life with many doubts arising from the Flesh and being thus agitated with grievous temptations they may not then feel this full Consolation of Faith and this certainty of preserving But God the Father of all Consolation will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear but together with the temptation will give them strength to undergo it and a most happy issue out of it 1 Cor. 10.13 and by his Holy Spirit will again revive in them the assurance of their perseverance CANON XII And this Assurance of persevering to the end is so far from rendring true Believers proud or plunging them into Carnal Security that its rather the Soarce and Root of true Humility and of Filial Fear of true Godliness and Patience in all our Conflicts and Combats of most ardent Prayers constancy under the Cross confession of the Truth and of Solid Rejoycing in God So that the Consideration of this benefit is a Spur and Incentive to quicken and provoke them to a serious and dayly Exercise of Thanksgiving and good Works As is evident from Scripture Instances and the Examples of Saints CANON XIII So that when as the Confidence of Perseverance is enkindled again in the faithful which are recovered from their falls this doth not beget in them a laziness and neglect of Piety but a far greater care to keep themselves in the ways of God which are ordained for us to walk in And they retain the certainty of their hope least by abusing the Paternal Love and Kindness of their God he should once again turn away his gracious and loving Countenance from them the sight whereof is unto all the faithful far better than Life and the deprival of it far more bitter than Death and they should fall into greater anguish and torments of Conscience CANON XIV And forasmuch as it hath pleased God by his grace to begin his Work in us through the preaching of the Gospel so also will he preserve continue and perfect it by the Hearing Reading Counsels Threatnings and Promises of the Gospel and by our Usage of the Sacraments CANON XV. This Doctrine of the Assurance and Perseverance of Real Saints and sound Believers which is so abundantly revealed by God in his Word unto the glory of his Name and the Consolation of Pious Souls and which is imprinted by him on the hearts of the Faithful is such as no Flesh can comprehend Satan hates the World laugheth at the Ignorant and Hypocrites abuse and is opposed by erroneous Spirits But on the other hand it hath been ever beloved and that most ardently by the Spouse of Christ and as a most inestimable
of Grace all other our Brethren who he groaning under the heavy Yoak and Burden of Afflictions that he would restore unto them the Consolations of his Spirit and put an end in his appointed Time according to his own good Pleasure unto all their Anguish and Sufferings Those many and sad Objects which are daily presented to our Eyes of a multitude of Refugees who were once themselves a Refuge unto the Faithful from the Storm and a Covert from the Tempest but being now saved by a miâ—aculous out-stretched Arm from a most calamitous Shipwrack are wandring up and down seeking an Ark and Retreat from this overflowing Deluge and sheltring themselves as in a Sanctuary in this our poor City will not permit us to leave our God alone nor to give him any Rest till by our most importunate Prayers we have prevailed with him to stir up the Bowels of his Compassions for the deliverance of his Children And we also pour into your Bosoms the Sentiments of this Grief which as on the one hand it cannot but move our Sympathies so on the other hand it doth make us seriously reflect on God's Methods and Dealings with his Churches and principally to consider his exquisite Trials of Church-Officers who be constituted by him Overseers in his House and Service and were bound to sanctify his Name in their Performances lest he should sanctify himself upon them by his Judgments This was what he had denounc'd against all that draw near unto him and they have seen it executed in its Perfection Besides we cannot in these last Troubles of the Church but observe how poor and feeble a thing an Arm of Flesh is and how very perillous thole Succors and Assistances are which Men receive from it Whereas the true Shields and Bucklers of Salvation do belong to God who only hath the Priviledg and deserves the Glory of his Churches Protection and Deliverance And in this Confession the Faithful knowing that the Assistance of Heaven is promised unto those who do patiently wait for it as you your selves most honoured dear Brethren have frequently sensed and experienced in your Trials do always prefer the Resolutions and Weapons of the Spirit of God to the Counsels of the Flesh that so there may not be the least pot reflected or fastned upon the Gospel And those who despise Dignities and subject them to the Power of that Man of Sin to be trampled under foot by him may be ashamed and confounded at their Lies and Calumnies cast upon us from those evident Testimonies of our Loyalty and Fidelity which according to the Gospel is rendred unto God and unto those to whose Authority he hath subjected our Persons and Estates in this World And this will be most clearly owned and acknowledged even then whenas Pastors shall intend the interiour Service of the Sanctuary which is the Edification of precious and immortal Souls and do not walk according to the World nor fear their Fear but glorify God in the Day of their Tribulations by an absolute and intire resignation of themselves to him and dependance on him whom they must need know can never divest himself of that Care and Charge of them which he hath once took upon him so expresly and particularly as to be their Guardian their Fortress their strong Tower and a Wall of Fire and Brass round about his Church marching as their Captain-General in the Van and Front and bringing up the Rear-guard of his Israel whilst that the Priests are wholly busied and imployed in carrying the Ark of his Covenant And we do not speak this as taking upon us to be the Judges of any one's Work but with all due Respects communicating to you the Sentiments of our Consciences which we hope will be approved also by your Reverences we do hereby express the most affectionate Desires of our Souls that the Breaches in the Temple of God may be repaired and that the Face of our Lord Jesus Christ may shine forth more gloriously upon our Brethren and our selves unto Salvation by the Spirit of his Power in the Gospel of his Glory waiting always for that blessed Hope of his last Coming whose near Approaches are notoriously visible and conspicuous from those frequent Travel-Pangs of the Church and general Convulsions and Shakings of the Nations infallible Harbingers and Fore-runners of his glorious Appearance before which we comfortably hope that having chastised his Church he will turn the fiery Stream and Current of his Judgments upon the Enemies of his Truth and Glory and will most effectually by the Spirit of his Mouth destroy the Son of Perdition True indeed there is one thing which cuts the Sinews of our Hopes and obstructs the Progress of this Divine Work and exceedingly damps and saddens our Hearts to wit that incredible and astonishing Stupidity of vast Numbers of Persons who harden themselves in their Sins under the Rods of God's Wrath and do sottishly yield unto the Temptations of the Devil in the Hour of their Trials Yet notwithstanding we be greatly comforted most Honoured Lords and Brethren at the glad Tidings of those excellent Fruits which the Lord's Visitation hath produced in many of your Churches once again bringing into use and exercise those Graces and Vertues so necessary for the Faithful and so difficult to be exerted and practised in Times of Prosperity such as the love of God's Word contempt of the World and kindling again a Fire of holy Zeal by the Spirit of God upon the Altar of the Sacred Ministry to the conviction of Sins and Errors and the reformation of Life and of former Miscarriages and the strengthning of the infirm and weaker Christians This is a demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God who is not only magnified in rescuing of his Church whenas the World gave her up for lost but also as we are from all Parts credibly informed and for which we rejoice together with you in our Lord in manifesting the Power of his Truth whenas the Adversaries taking occasion from your Afflictions believed that it was as easy for them to triumph by their Sophistry over the Doctrine of the Gospel as to throw down your sorry Ramparts of Earth but they have in truth sound the Rock of God's Word to be then inexpugnable whenas there was least of the Work of Man and the Truth then most prevalent and invincible when discovered in its primitive native Beauty and Simplicity Whence we ground our Hopes and Considence that God who hath poured out his Blessing upon your Labours will not begin and advance his Work to destroy it nor will he build his Sion with your Hands and at last abandon it unto those of his most cruel Enemies Wherefore most honoured Lords and Brethren The Joy and Crown of God's Churches be you incouraged in the Lord and whatsoever Difficulties may befal you from without or from within by those who suffer themselves to be debauched by this evil World do you be fortified in your
of Death that the Efficacy thereof should particularly belong unto all the Elect and to them only to give them justifying Faith and by it to bring them infallibly unto Salvation and thus effectually to redeem all those and none other who were from all Eternity from among all People Nations and Tongues chosen unto Salvation Whereupon although the Assembly were well satisfied yet nevertheless they decreed that for the future that Phráse of Jesus Chist's dying equally for all should be forborn because that term equally was formerly and might be so again an Occasion of stumbling unto many Article 19. And as for the Conditional Decree of which mention is made in the aforesaid Treatise of Predestination the said Sieurs Testard and Amyraud declared that they do not nor ever did understand any other thing than God's Will revealed in his Word to give Grace and Life unto Believers and that they called this in none other Sense a Conditional Will than that of an Anthropopeia because God promiseth not the Effects thereof but upon condition of Faith and Repentance And they added farther That although the Propositions resulting from the Manifestation of this will be conditional and conceived under an if or it may be as if thou believest thou shalt be saved if Man repent of his Sins they shall be forgiven him yet nevertheless this doth not suppose in God an Ignorance of the Event not an Impotency as to the Execution nor any Inconstancy as to his Will which is always firmly accomplished and ever unchangeable in it self according to the Nature of God in which there is no Variableness nor Shadow of turning Article 20. And the said Sieur Amyraud did particularly protest as he had formerly published unto the World that he never gave the Name of Universal or Conditional Predestination unto this Will of God than by way of Concession and accommodating it unto the Language of the Adversary Yet forasmuch as many are offended at this Expression of his he offered freely to raze it out of those places where-ever it did occur promising also to abstain in from it for the future and both he and the Sieur Testard acknowledged that to speak truly and accurately according to the Usage of sacred Scripture there is none other Decree of Predestination of Men unto eternal Life and Salvation than the unchangeable Purpose of God by which according to the most free and good Pleasure of his Will he hath out of mere Grate chosen in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before the Foundation of the World a certain number of Men in themselves neither better nor more worthy than others and that he hath decreed to give them unto Jesus Christ to be saved and that he would call and draw them effectually to Communion with him by his Word and Spirit And they did in consequence of this Holy Doctrine reject their Error who held that Faith and the Obedience of Faith Holiness Godliness and Perseverance are not the Fruits and Effects of this unchangeable Decree unto Glory but Conditions or Causes without which Election could not be passed which Conditions or Causes are antecedently requisite and foreseen as if they were already accomplished in those who were fit to be elected contrary to what is taught us by the sacred Scripture Acts 13. 48. and elsewhere Article 21. And whereas they have made distinct Decrees in this Counsel of God the first of which is to save all Men though Jesus Christ if they shall believe in him the second to give Faith unto some particular Persons they declared that they did this upon none other account than of accommodating it unto that Manner and Order which the Spirit of Man observeth in his Reasonings for the Succour of his own Infirmity they otherwise believing that though they considered this Decree as diverse yet it was formed in God in one and the self-same Moment without any Succession of Thought or Order of Priority and Posteriority The Will of this most supreme and incomprehensible Lord being but one only eternal Act in him so that could we but conceive of things as they be in him from all Eternity we should comprehend these Decrees of God by one only Act of our Understanding as in Truth they be but one only Act of his eternal and unchangeable Will Article 22. The Synod having heard these Declarations from the Sieurs Testard and Amyraud it injoined them and all others to refrain from those terms of conditional frustratory or revocable Decree and that they should rather choose the Word Will whereby to express that Sentiment of theirs and by which they would signify the revealed Will of God commonly called by Divines Voluntas Signe Article 23. And whereas in sundry Places marked in the Writings of the before-mentioned Monsieur Testard and Amyraud they have ascribed unto God as it were a Notion of Velleity and strong Affections and vehement Desires of Things which he hath not hot never will effectuate they having declared that by those figurative Ways of speaking and anthropopathical they designed to speak properly none other thing than this that if Men were obedient to the Commandments and Invitations of God their Faith and Obedience would be most acceptable unto him according as was before expressed by them The Assembly hearing this their Explication did injoin them to use such Expressions as these with that Sobriety and Prudence that they might not give the least Occasion of Offence unto any Person nor cause them to conceive of God in any way unsuitable to his glorious Nature Article 24. Monsieur Testard and Amyraud declared farther that although the Doctrines obvious to us in the Works of Creation and Providence do teach and preach Repentance and invite us to seek the Lord who would be found of us yet nevertheless by reason of the horrible Blindness of our Nature and its universal Corruption no Man was ever this way converted yea and it is utterly impossible that any one should be converted but by the hearing of the Word of God which is the Seed of our Regeneration and the Instrument of the Holy Ghost whole Efficacy and Virtue only is able to illuminate our Understandings and to change the Hearts and Affections of the Children of Men. Article 25. And forasmuch as the Word of God hath always revealed the Knowledg of the Lord our Redeemer the said Sieurs did farther protest that no one Man was ever nor can be saved without some certain Measure of this Knowledg less indeed under the old Testament but greater under the New the Death and Resurrection of the Son of God being most plainly and distinctly manifested in the Gospel and they hold it as an undoubted Truth that now under the New Covenant the distinct Knowledg of Christ is absolutely necessary for all Persons who are come unto Years of Discretion in order to their obtaining of eternal Salvation And they do from their very Heart anathematize all those who believe or teach that Man may be saved
and becoming Conversation towards all Men so that you may remove all former Jealousies and Suspicions taken up against you and whatsoever may provoke them to wrong or hurt you and acquire unto your selves that Praise and Applause which is natural and peculiar to your Faith and Religion that learns you how to bear and suffer the worst of evils when God calls you to it which else you will never be able nor know how to practise This will be a Fence and Bullwark both to your Persons and Consciences against all Accusations which may be brought in against you before God We see with Joy and Admiration how the good Providence of God hath appeared for you in your Kingdom and what wonderful Salvations he hath wrought out for you in your greatest necessities and in what a glorious manner he hath owned and blessed the Fidelity and Vertue of many of our dear Brethren yea and those of the greatest Quality so that we are fully perswaded the mercy will be Universal and the memory thereof Immortal and that we shall be suffered to live in peace Wherefore we will leave it to the good pleasure of God to effect and bring about a perfect Union of mens minds in the Faith in his own time when he shall cause that great day of his Light to shine forth and in the mean while to make bare his Almighty Arm in setting bounds unto all Hostilities and putting a period unto all Contentions one only excepted which will be an Honour and a Blessing to the contending Parties to strive most one with another in all good Offices of Charity and Examples of Edification If there be yet behind any remaining troubles you are too well fortified in this old War to demand any great or singular consolation Possibly they will be none other than the foamings of the Sea after a violent Storm some frightful impressions upon the mind when the Ague-fits are over but whatever they may be they shall certainly be none other than the inseparable Marks and Badges of the word of Christ's Patience none other than necessary Exercises for our Faith than Barriers to rail us in and guard us from the impure Society of the World and Amulets to preserve and save us from its contagion and a Fire to purifie and refine the good Metal and to separate the Dross from it And indeed tho' the breaches which have happened among you by these dispensations have demonstrated this last effect in divers ill-grounded and unsettled Spirits yet also hath there been daily produced in others a far greater abundance of the power of Faith and of the perpetuity of the true Seed of God in their hearts The sad examples of Foreign Nations and Provinces which lie rotting in idle and brutish Pleasures the killing Vices of our Age should cause us not in the least to envy them this false and imaginary good or to regret and mourn at the bitterness and severity of that Discipline wherewith it pleased God to exercise us for he doth thus mortifie us unto the World and to the Concupiscences thereof and giveth us a taste and relish of the Powers of the World to come when we shall be fed and satisfied by him with those solid and substantial Blessings in the Palace of his Glory Yea the many difficulties and oppositions that God encounters with to disengage your hearts from the World should cause you to tremble lest he should remove that hand of his which seems so heavy and violent upon us And if he did we should infallibly lose our peace with him and tumble headlong into the deep gulph of Destruction from which we were but a little while since most miraculously delivered And in as much as by these overturnings of the World 't is visible that its last end cannot be a far off and that our long-look'd and long-hop'd for Redemption in the coming of the Eternal Kingdom of the Son of God draweth nigh for God's sake Most Dear Sirs and Honoured Brethren be not weary of fighting the good fight with the Weapons of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left against the Baits and Charms of this present World and against that hatred and fury you shall meet withal for opposing the Torrents of its general and reigning Corruptions Revive therefore the Zeal of Elijah Preach the words of Life and Wisdom get the Spirit of Might of Judgment and of Burning weild the two edged Sword of the Spirit of the word of God that it may cut on this side and on that that it may hew down them who do actually deceive and poyson Souls with their Erroneous and Seducing Doctrines that so the true Faith and Religion which we have received from our Godly and Blessed Fathers may be handed down unto our Children and we recalling into our personal practise and imitation that Holiness of their lives by which they did so nobly justifie their Profession and exalted to the highest pitch of Evidence the power of the Gospel and made it known unto the World to its Condemnation this very Holiness of our Heavenly Father may appear more conspicuous in the Holiness of our lives who are his own sanctified Children It would be not only a rash and needless undertaking in us to urge motives whereby you might be quickened and excited to the performance of these Sacred Duties in which you are labouring with so much courage and diligence but it would be a very inhumane thing also in us to increase thereby your sorrows now whenas you can enjoy but a small part of your Edicts and Priviledges yea and now when you are so frequently disturbed and affrighted with new Alarms as we have heard to our very great grief and astonishment how you have of late times been troubled in your own Bowels by the publishing and spreading of new Doctrines in the highest and most important Articles and Points of our Common Creed the substance whereof seems to be much wounded and altered and its Face and native Beauty exceedingly disfigured This accident hath been the worst and most ill-boding Sign and Token that could befal you for you had for many years together retained constantly and invariably that most Holy Faith taught and established in your Churches in its Purity and Simplicity the wicked one not being able during all that time to mingle any of his Leaven nor to sow any of his Tares among you you having therein imitated the most Famous Gallican Church of the best and purest times of Antiquity which was as free of Heresies as your Land is of Monsters And tho' these Opinions and Speculations may be reputed slight and venial by idle lazy and unthinking persons especially if compared with those more ardent Combats and serious Disputes of our quarrelsom Age managed by persons abstracted from all ties of Duty and sojourning among us yet the faithful Pastors who know how earnestly their Churches do desire solid and substantial Food will like Wise and Prudent Physicians Minister
unto Salvation and thus effectually to redeem all those and none other who were from all Eternity from among all People Nations and Tongues chosen unto Salvation Whereupon although the Assembly were well satisfied yet nevertheless they decreed that for the future that Phrase of Jesus Christ's dying Equally for all should be for born that term Equally was heretofore and might be so again an occasion of stumbling unto many And as for the conditional Decree mentioned in the aforesaid Treatise of Predestination the said Mr. Testard and Amyraud declared that they do not not ever did understand any other thing than God's Revealed Will in his Word to give Grace and Life unto Believers and that they called this in none other sense a Conditional Will than that of an Anthropopia because God promiseth not the effects thereof but upon condition of Faith and Repentance And they added farther that although the Propositions resulting from the manifestation of this Will be conditional and conceived under an If or It may be as if thou believest thou shalt be Saved if a Man repent of his Sins they shall be forgiven him yet nevertheless this doth not suppose in God an Ignorance of the Event nor an Impotency as to the Execution of nor any inconstancy as to his Will which is always firmly accomplished and ever unchangable in it self according to the nature of God in which there is no variableness nor shadow of turning And the said Monsieur Amyraud did particularly protest as he had before published unto the World that he never gave the Name of Universal or Conditional Predestination unto this Will of God than by way of concession and accommodation unto the Language of the Adversary yet forasmuch as many are offended at this Expression of his he offered freely to raze it out of those Places wherever it did occur promising also to abstain from it for the future And both He and the Sieur Testard acknowledged that to speak truly and accurately according to the usage of Sacred Scripture there is no other Decree of Predestination of Men unto Eternal Life and Salvation than the unchangable purpose of God by which according to the most free and good pleasure of his Will he hath out of meer Grace chosen in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before the Foundation of the World a certain number of Men in themselves neither better nor more worthy than others and that he hath decreed to give them unto Jesus Christ to be Saved and that he would call and draw them effectually to Communion with him by his Word and Spirit And they did in consequence of this their Doctrin reject their Error who held that Faith and th' Obedience of Faith Holiness Godliness and Perseverance are not the fruits and effects of this unchangable Decree unto Glory but conditions or causes without which Election could not be passed which conditions or causes are antecedently requisite and foreseen as if they were already accomplished in those who were fit to be elected contrary to what is taught us by the Sacred Scriptures Acts 13.48 and elsewhere And whereas they have made distinct Decrees in this Counsel of God the first of which is to save all Men through Jesus Christ if they shall believe in him the Second to give Faith unto some particular Persons they declared that they did this upon none other account than of accommodating it unto the manner and order which the Spirit of Man observeth in his Reasonings for the succour of his own Infirmities they otherwise believing that though they considered this Decree as Diverse yet was it found in God in one and the self same Moment without any Succession of Thought or order of Priority and Posteriority The Will of this most Supream and Incomprehensible Lord being one only Eternal Act in him so that could we but conceive of things as they be in him from all Eternity we should comprehend these Decrees of God by one only Act of our Understanding as in truth they be but one only Act of his Eternal and Unchangable Will. The Synod having heard these Declarations of the Sieurs Testart and Amyraud injoyned them and all others to refrain from those terms of Conditional Frustratory or Revocable Decree and that they should rather chuse the Word Will whereby to express that Sentiment of theirs by which they would signifie the Revealed Will of God commonly called by Divines Voluntas Signi And whereas in sundry places marked in the Writings of the before-mentioned Mr. Testard and Amyraud they have ascribed unto God as it were a notion of Velleity and strong Affections and vehement desires of things which he hath not nor ever will effectuate they having declared that by those figurative ways of Speaking and an anthropopathical they designed to speak properly none other thing than this that if Men were obedient to the Commandments and Invitations of God their Faith and Obedience would be most acceptable to him according as was before expressed by them The Assembly hearing this their Explication did injoyn them to use such Expressions as these with that Sobriety and Prudence that they might not give any occasion of offence unto any Person nor cause them to conceive of God in any way unsuitable to his Glorious Nature And the same Monsieur Amyraud and Testard declared farther that although the Doctrins obvious to us in the works of Creation and Providence do Teach and Preach Repentance and invite us to seek the Lord who would be found of us Yet nevertheless by reason of the horrible blindness of our Nature and its Universal Corruption no Man was ever this way converted yea and it is utterly impossible that any one should be converted but by the Hearing of the Word of God which is the seed of our Regeneration and the Instrument of the Holy Ghost whose efficacy and vertue only is able to illuminate our Understandings and to change the Hearts and Affections of the Children of Men. And forasmuch as the Word of God hath always revealed the knowledge of the Lord our Redeemer the said Sieurs did farther protest that no one Man was ever nor can be saved without some certain measure of this Knowledge less indeed under the Old Testament but greater under the New the Death and Resurrection of the Son of God being most plainly and distinctly manifested in the Gospel And they hold it as an undoubted Truth that now under the New Covenant the distinct knowledge of Christ is absolutely necessary for all Persons who are come unto Years of Discretion in order to their obtaining of Eternal Salvation And they do from their very Heart anathematize all those who believe or Teach that Man may be saved any other way than by the Merit of our Lord Jesus Christ or in any other Religion besides the Christian And whereas divers Persons were much offended at the Professor Amyrald for calling that knowledge of God which Men might gain from the consideration of his Works and
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
Consistories there was this Question How may we carry ourselves towards those Delinquents who are guilty of Crimes deserving Civil or Corporal Punishments for if you call them into the Consistory their Crime will be published for the Magistrate is usually present in the Consistory The Brethren of Geneva's ANSWER Article I. IT 's very difficult in this case to shut the Doors against those Persons who delight in Sin for one Inconveniency draws on another It is a most mischievous things that the King's Officers being of another Religion are brought by an absolute Power into the Consistory but so it is and there is no Remedy They have more power than could be wished them so that sith we cannot hinder it if they have just cause of punishing Delinquents even let them do it Article II. If it be alledged That this will hinder poor Sinners from a free Confession and Acknowledgment of their Offences and that we shall be utterly disabled to bring them unto Repentance and that there will be a world of Hypocrisie and Ostentation and Dissembling in our Churches But what can't be helpt must be endured till such time as God shall have blessed us with a better Remedy However there may be some course found out whereby poor Wretches who are fallen into scandalous Offences may be saved from Peril Let two or three Members of the Consistory remonstrate to them in private their Miscarriages and though they may palliate and dissemble the matter yet we may be contented to have dealt thus with them In short we must use our best Endeavours to divert the bad Affections of the Church's Enemies from it and to keep them from hurting and doing that mischief to it they would But in case the Crimes be scandalous rather then nourish them let Discipline be exercised In those Towns where the Magistrates are godly Persons and Professors of our Religion there may be means of communicating the matter to them that so they may punish and chastise these Offenders gently and after a Christian-manner who deserve to be punished by Law And so the Consistory shall be exempted of blame and the Confession shall not be made to it but to the Civil Magistrate ANSWER III. Concerning Baptism this is the Contents and Answer of a Letter to certain Arguments urged for the Validity of Baptism administred by private Persons Article I. WE Ministers and Doctors in the Church of Geneva accompanied with our Brethren come from the National Synod of Lions being met together in the Name of God after that we had heard that Case of Conscience propounded to us Whether Baptism administred by private Persons without Office in the Church of God ought to be reiterated or not did unanimously declare this our Judgment That such a Baptism did not in any wise agree with the Institution of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore consequently is of no force power validity or effect and that the Child ought to be brought into the Church of God there to be baptized For to separate the Ministration of the Sacraments from the Pastor's Office 't is as if one should tear out a Seal to make use of it without the Commission or Letters Pattents to which it was affixed And in this case we must practise that Rule of our Lord What God hath joyned together let no man put asunder This for and in the Name of all the Assembly JOHN CALVIN Article II. And whereas in that Letter there were Reasons to the contrary and that we were desired by the Synod to answer them in Writing we shall do it though we found them very feeble and Impertinent Article III. The first Argument of that Scribler was We must distinguish betwixt the Vertue of the Sacrament which belongeth only unto God to vouchsafe and the outward Sign of which Man is the Minister But this confirms our Assertion because God hath told us by his Son 's own Word who the Persons are that shall administer Baptism Article IV. His second Reason which depends upon the former and to speak properly is but an Accessory to it is nothing to the purpose For tho' Christ only do baptize with his Spirit yet it will not follow that he will not have the Sign and Figure to be annexed unto his Grace Article V. And this self-same Answer will suffice to refute his third Argument For when we reform what hath been done amiss in this Ordinance we do not confine God's Vertue unto the Water for we hold that this is a Counterfeit Baptism a meer Mockery a Prophanation of the Sacrament to whose first Institution we must keep strictly Besides such Language as this is very improper we do not reiterate Baptism for the pretended Baptism is utterly unlawful yea wholly null As for Example If you give a Child a Draught of salt or puddled Water you do not give him again Drink immediately upon it But if you give him an empty Bottle and he suck nothing out of it but Wind you will repair this Fault by giving him Drink in earnest Moreover those Expressions of his Of throwing Water or Plunging are affected and made use of by him to degrade the Usage and Utility of Baptism And we could wish that in handling of such Questions Men were more serious and sober In short either Baptism is unprofitable and appointed to no purpose or else it must be observed according to its Primitive Institution to be a Seal of the Remission of our Sins Article VI. His fourth Argument is altogether frivolous We know God be-thanked that our Spiritual Washing is in the Blood of Jesus and not from the Baptismal Water And he might have spared his pains in mustring up such a number of Texts of Scripture to prove that which none of us ever doubted of for Water in Baptism signifies the Bloud of Christ and the Effects and Fruits thereof accomplished in us by the Holy Ghost And tho' the Lord Jesus is no Respecter of Persons nor doth the Validity of Baptism depend upon the Worthiness or Unworthiness of the Minister yet it will not thence follow that we must not keep to that Order which he hath instituted yea and this also is alledged out of Ignorance For inasmuch as all our Dependance is upon the Word of God the Rule and Standard of our Duty given us by Christ himself if you neglect and slight it in Baptism and let one administer it who hath no Call from God to do it 't is all one as if an Ape as he that hath no Commission to preach the Gospel did administer it Article VII His fifth Argument takes that for granted which will never be yeilded to him viz. That even Baptism administred by an Heretick who hath no Office in the Church is yet held for true Baptism For were this so Baptism would not belong unto the Church but also to Turks and Pagans So that whilst he labours by such sorry trifling Arguments as these to build up Baptism 't is certain that he turns
transmitted Difficulties shall be maturely examined and the Arguments on both sides urged being fair and carefully written down shall be sent unto the National Synod And forasmuch as our present Circumstances will not admit any great Number of Ministers and Elders in this National Synod we are of Opinion that for this time only and during these Difficulties that the Brethren assembled in each Provincial Synod should choose from among them one or two Ministers and as many Elders of the ablest and most expert in Church-Affairs to be sent in the Name of the whole Province who shall come furnished with good Memorials and premeditated Thoughts upon those Difficulties which had been communicated to them The Provinces shall not prescribe any set time or term unto these their Deputies for returning but shall let them tarry in the said Synod as long as there may be need of them and the Charges of the said Deputies shall be defrayed by their respective Provinces And that the National Synod may be no more imployed in Matters already decided by former Synods the Provinces shall be advised to read over carefully the Acts of the past Synods before they prepare their Memorials and to send nothing but what is general â—nâ— of common concern to all the Churches or else that which merits the Resolution of the said National Synod And the Churches of Poictiers which is charged with the calling of the next National Synod shall be informed of all this that they may intend their Duty CHAP. XI General Advertisements unto the Churches XXIV THE Printers in every Province shall be advised That whereas at the end of Psalm-Books and Catechisms they do add the Confession of Faith of our French Churches that they do especially this which begins with these words We believe and confess that there is but One GOD c. and which hath an Epistle prâ—fixed to it dedicated to the King and not that other Confession which begins thus Forasmuch as the Foundation of Faith c. not but that both are conformable in Doctrine And hereof also Notice shall be given to the Printers of Geneva Elders not to be displac'd without great cause XXV Although the Elders Office as now used by us be not perpetual as is exprest in the 35th Article of the Discipline nevertheless the Churches shall be admonished not to discharge their Elders but for great Causes whereof the Consistories shall take Cognizance that so the Church may be be conducted after the bed manner by Persons well verst in her Government XXVI Ministers in places appointed by the King and in all others are advised not to receive the Members of any other Churches unto the Lord's Supper without a sufficient Attestation produced by them under the hand of their Pastors or Elders if it may be had No Books must be written ridiculously but Modesty is to be observed in them XXVII Ministers and others whom God hath endowed with Gifts and Abilities to write in Defence of the Truth are requested not to publish their Thoughts in a ridiculous or injurious manner but to keep to that Modesty and Gravity which becomes the Majesty of God's Word and to observe that self-same Modesty and Majesty in their Sermons and in their ordinary Stile to use the Language of God's Spirit in the Holy Scripture Schollars to be maintained by the Churches in the Universities XXVIII Because there is every-where a visible decay and a great want of Ministers and that some provision may be made for a Succession the Churches shall be admonished by our Brethren the Provincial Deputies that such as are rich would maintain some hopeful Schollars at the Universities who being educated in the Liberal Arts and Sciences and other good Learning may be fitted for and employed in the Sacred Ministry XXIX Altho' in our Churches for the most part the Lord's Supper is administred only sour times a Year yet the more frequent Celebration of it is very desirable due Reverence in approaching to it being always observed because it 's most beneficial for God's Children to be exercised and grow in Faith which is done by the frequent usage of the Sacraments as also because this was the Practice of the Primitive Church Nâ—â—â—e mâ—n may not carry with them in their Journeys the Ministers of the Churches leaving them â—â—â—upplied XXX Ministers being given to the Service of the Church and not to the Persons and Palaces of Great Lords altho' their Families may equallize in Numbers some Churches yet their Lordships shall be desired not to carry away with them in their Removals or Travels abroad with their Families the Churches Ministers least thereby they be left unprovided XXXI Lords and Gentlemen shall be censured according to the Discipline of our Churches if after frequent Admonitions they entertain in their Houses scandalous and incorrigible Persons especially if they suffer Priests to sing Mass or by Dogmatizing to debauch their Domesticks or if having cashiered them they shall again receive them into their Service XXXII The Churches shall be admonished to beware of a Book written by Mr. Charles Du Moulin Entituled Vnio quatuor Evangelistarum because in it there be divers Errors as about Limbus Free-will and the Sin against the Holy Ghost and the Lord's Supper and in particular about the Calling of Ministers and Church-Discipline which he treats with scorn and would totally subvert The Faithful also are warned not to assist at any of his Sermons or Sacraments it being against the Discipline of our Church Modesty to be kept in Attire See the Synod of St. Foy General Matters Art 2. The Faithful must use Charity towards their Brethren or Sisters that have forsook their Monastries XXXIII Ministers shall exhort their People to be modest in their Habits and that they themselves do in this and all other Matters give them the best Example forbearing all Gaudery in their own Persons and in their Wives and Children XXXIV They whose Brethren and Sisters have quitted their Monastery that they might serve God in freedom of Conscience shall be exhorted to admit them unto a part of their Estate at least they shall be compelled by all Censures to afford them Maintenance and a competent Pension according to their ability For they would otherwise shew themselves void of Natural Affection The End of the Second National Synod of Paris THE ACTS DECISIONS and DECREES OF THE VI. National Synod OF THE Reformed Churches of Christ IN The KINGDOM of FRANCE Held in the Town of VERTVEIL and Province of AVGOVLMOIS the First Day of September 1567. THE CONTENTS of this SYNOD CHap. I. Moderator Alterations and Annotations upon the Church-Discipline Chap. II. Marriage of Excommunicated Persons and Infidels Provincial Synods Reading of the Holy Scriptures Bread in the Lord's Supper to be taken by them who can't the Cup Church-Government Loan of Ministers Pastors deserting their Churches Rejection of Church-Officers Chap. III. A Case of Conscience about a Deaf and Dumb Man's
of Maiâ—ant 1609. 4th Article of Observations upon the Discipline Then shall be read in the hearing of the whole Assembly 1. Tim. 3. and 1. Titus Where the Apostle delivers the Characters and Qualifications of a true Minister and that the Elect Person may be enabled by divine Grace faithfully and conscientiously to perform the Duties of this holy and honourable Office a pithy and fervent Prayer suitable to the occasion shall be powred out before the Lord for him in the close of which he shall Impose his hands on the Head of the Elect Person beseeching God that as he is consecrated unto his Service So that from the year 1559. to the year 1609. there was no stated Form of Prayer to whose words the Minister in Ordination was tied up necessarily and invariably so he may be replenished with the Graces of his Holy Spirit and that he would vouchsafe to bless his Ministery and pious Labours unto the Glory of his great Name the Edification of his Church and the Salvation of this elected Minister V. Under the Ninth shall be added And the Church-discipline and Confession of Faith shall be signed and subscribed by the Minister Elect. VI. The Tenth and Eleventh Articles shall be explained and conjoyn'd in one and after these Words They shall be Ministers during life there shall he this Addition If they be not lawfully discharged upon good and sufficient Grounds and those approved by the Provincial Synod Moreover there shall be added And deserters of the Ministery shall be excommunicate by the Provincial Synod in case they repent not And after these Words And as for those who be sent unto any Church shall be added for a time VII The Twelfth which was the Thirteenth shall be thus corrected Altho ' a Minister do tell it publickly that he was forsaken of his Church or persecuted yet shall he not be received by another Church without evidencing unto the Colloquy or Synod his conduct in this Matter and the said Colloquy or Synod shall act therein according to their best judgment and discretion VIII Under the Fourteenth after these words Such who intrude themselves into the Ministery in lieu of Places shall be inserted Provinces IX Under the Seventeenth after these words or expecting the Determination instead of the Council there shall be put in of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod and before instead of Sent there shall be Lent X. To the Eighteenth shall be added with the good Will and Consent of the said Minister XI The Two and twentieth Article shall abide unchanged only with this Addition And all Advises and Letters shall be sent unto one particular Church and not unto any one particular Person This Article iâ— the 37th of the Chapter of Ministers in the Book of Discipline XII Under the Twenty Seventh in lieu of those words After he was summoned there shall be put Three Months being past the first Summons Also after those words It may be lawful for him to joyn himself unto some other Church shall be added by the Advice of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod which shall consider both the Poverty of the Church and the Estate of the Minister And in case of urgent necessity the said Colloquy or Synod may shorten the said Term of Three Months and it shall be lawful for them to censure those ungrateful People even with Excommunication CHAP. IV. Acts passed on Wednesday the Fourth day of the said Month. This Article is the 19th in the Chapter of Ministers in the Book of Discipline I. UNder the 11th Article of Ministers which had been lain by whilst the Princes sate among us there shall be these Alterations for General shall be put Provincial and National and at the end there shall be added As shall be Advised on in an amicable Conference of Ministers of both sides that so what is most expedient may be followed And this Article was approved by the Queen of Navar and by the Princes of Navar and Conde and by my Lords Count Lodwick and the Admiral II. Under the 31st there shall be this Addition The Provinces shall be informed by each other of the deposed Minister that so the Deposed may not be received into other Churches III. Under the 32th after those words During the time of his Ignorance shall be added And this in case the said Minister abiding in his Ministry do bring greater scandal than Edification unto the Church whereof the Synods shall take Cognizance IV. On Article the 38th Monsieur Beza having propounded according to the Commission given him by our Brethren of Geneva that there might be some certain Person chosen to answer those many Books published against our Doctrine and that those Answers might be brought into the Provincial Synods and there perused by them and so to be Printed either with or without the Author's Name as the Synod should judge most convenient This Motion was well approved by the whole Assembly And it was also ordered That in whatsoever Churches there were sound Books Printed against our Doctrine they should be sent unto the said Deputies CHAP. V. V. THE Catalogue of Vagrants being read the Names of these following Persons were rased out of it Torteveau P. Bouleu La Tornevie Roberty and there were inserted into it Le Breuil of Lazan together with Merillo Paul de Haye Rouseau John Bougayott Bavillardy an Albigensis And the Churches were warned by Monsieur Beza to beware of them and of John Tevignon a Burgundian c. Claudius Alexius who bore about him a Certificate under the Hand of Mr. Melancthon deceased and yet both deposed by the Classis of Monbelliard VI. Ministers must use no other Calling but their Ministery This Article was added unto the former concerning Ministers Ministers shall be forbidden to practice Physick or any other Calling Trade or Vocation whatsoever VII Another Article was also subjoined That Ministers who had Estates of their own might nevertheless receive Wages from their Churches but in so doing they ought to consider the Necessities of the Church and the Rules of Charity CHAP. VI. A particular Matter about Elders and Deacons VIII MOnsieur * * * He is called in two other Copies Vires and in a fourth Virel Vercelle Deputy of Brie declareth unto this Synod that the Elders and People of Meaux are dissatisfied with the first Article of particular Matters and complain that they be deprived of their Freedom and Priviledge in Elections Whereupon it was advised that inasmuch as they had been divers times heard and particularly that by the Synod of La Ferte under Joarre they had been largely instructed in the Will of God from his Holy Word in this Article Letters should be dispatcht unto them from this Assembly exhorting them to acquiesce in the Order of Discipline received in our Churches of France and in case they will yet have the Business heard over once again they shall apply themselves unto their own Provincial Synod about
at home with them all Pastors of Churches and Elders who have no deputation from them unto the National Synods that so the complaints and importunity of those who have no call to sit or vote in them may be obviated and prevented CHAP. II. Observations upon Reading our Confession of Faith UPON the 14th Article The Provinces were exhorted to study whether it were not expedient to take away those particular expressions which mention the Heresies of Servetus and to acquiesce in a general detestation of his Errors and the rather because they be now extinct and buried in oblivion And the Province of Burgundy is ordered to communicate this Decree unto the Reverend Pastors and professors of Geneva for their advice The Confession being read with great attention every word point and article thereof was unanimously approved and ratified by all the Deputies who did promise and swear by the holy Name of God that for themselves and their Respective Provinces who had delegated them they should Teach and Preach it and unviolably keep and observe it CHAP. III. Observations upon Reading of our Discipline ON the fourth Article of the first Chapter The Deputies of Lower Languedoc propounded that the different courses took in divers Provinces about the Choice Examination and Ordination of Ministers brought with it a world of Inconveniences and was the occasion that unworthy persons were in several places admitted into the Ministry This Synod judged it exceeding needful to Establish an Express Canon exactly universally and most uniformly to be observed by all the Provinces which being prepared was approved and consented to by the whole Assembly and inserted into the Body of our Discipline in the form following The Decree for Receiving of Proposans into the Ministry 2. The 4th article of the first Chapter of our Discipline shall be couched in these words its beginning being joyned with the fifth Article in manner following A Minister of the Gospel unless in time of persecution in which case of great and urgent necessity he may be chosen by three Pastors only together with the Consistory of the place shall not be admitted into this holy Office but by the Provincial Synod or Colloquy provided that Colloquy be composed of seven Pastors at least and in case there be not so many to compleat it the Neighbour-Ministers shall be invited to concur in this Election And the Elected Proposan shall be presented to them with good and valid Testimonials not only from the Universities and particular Churches but also from the Colloquy of that Church wherein he hath been longest conversant The Proposan shall be examined in this method first by a Proposition one or more from the Word of God the Texts whereon his discourse is to be grounded shall be given him One of these his Exercises ought to be in French the other in the Latine Tongue in case the Colloquy or Synod do judge it meet and he shall have four and twenty hours time to prepare himself for each of these his Exercises If by these he shall have given satisfaction unto the Assembly then a Chapter of the New Testament in Greek shall be put into his hand upon which he shall be posed that it may be known whether he does understand that Language and can expound it and afterward he shall be examined in the Hebrew whether he can at least read it and use good Books for the better finding out of God's Sacred Will in the Scriptures And to this shall be added an Essay of his upon some of the most needful parts of Philosophy and the whole shall be managed with great tenderness and charity and without affectation of any thorny or unprofitable Questions Finally he shall make a Confession of his Faith in Latine upon which he shall be examined and opposed And if upon the whole he be judged capable the Assembly shall declare unto him the duties of the Office whereunto he is called and denounce unto him in Christ's Name that Authority which is now conferred upon him to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments in that Church of Christ whereunto he is now sent upon his full Ordination And in conclusion two Ministers shall be deputed to present him unto the people 3. The 5th Article shall begin with the words of the fourth He that shall be presented shall preach the Word of God publickly on three several Sundays but not administer the holy Sacraments all the people hearing him that so they may know his manner of teaching c. And after these words in the end The Order of presenting a Minister unto the Church Nor shall the Pastor be imposed upon the Church against his will shall be added this clause and the difference shall be determined according to the Canon above mentioned at the costs and expences of the Church which had demanded him 4. In the 7th Article about the manner of Imposition of hands towards the end after those words That so he may well and duly discharge it shall be added as followeth And a prayer meet and pertinent to the purpose shall be conceived in which the Pastor shall insert these or the like words We beseech thee O God to enrich and furnish this thy Servant duly chosen according to the Order established in this thy Church with the Gifts and Graces of thy Holy Spirits adorning him abundantly with all Endowments needful for his worthy discharge of this High Calling to the Glory of thy great Name the Edification of thy Church and the Salvation of his own Soul whom we do now dedicate and cousecrate by this our Prayer unto the Office of a Gospel Minister At these words the Pastor praying shall stand up and lay his hands on the head of the Ordained Minister who kneels before him at the foot of the Pulpit And Prayer being ended and the new Pastor risen up the two Ministers deputed by the Synod or Colloquy shall give him in the presence of all the people the Right hand of Fellowship And this Canon and Form shall be unanimously observed by all the Provinces 5. On the 11th Article the Provinces are bound in Conscience to give in a faithful report unto the National Synods whether the Ministers of their Churches do hold fast the form of sound words in their publick Sermons 6. On the 17th Article Colloquies and Synods shall have a watchful Eye over those Ministers who study Chymistry and grievously reprove and censure them 7. On the third Article of the 7th Chapter it was advised that for the future the additions made at the close of Propositions in Colloquies should be omitted because of the inconveniencies which have happened and do far exceed the benefit which we expected from them And all Pastors shall be censured by Pastors only in presence of the Elders 8. On the 7th Article of the 8th Chapter these words with a Low voice added by the Synod of Rochel shall remain and it 's enjoyned that if any Province do act otherwise
which he was threatned that if he once more offended in the like manner he should be proceeded against with greater severity The Synod also that commissionated them was censured for assembling themselves irregularly and not observing the Rules and Orders which are usually and necessary to be observed in such Synodical Meetings And sith it appears there be very many and great Divisions in that Province the Province of Lower Languedoc is charged to Commissionate some certain Pastors and Elders who by the Authority of this Assembly shall assemble the Synod of the said Province and meeting with them shall use their utmost power and indeavour to appease their troubles and to reunite those that be divided and to restore and settle Order in those Ecclesiastical Assemblies 17. The twenty second day of May there came into this Assembly for the Province of Higher Languedoc Monsieur John Josion Pastor of the Church of Castres and James * * * Joly afterward turned Apostate Joly Pastor of the Church of Milland together with James de Laureney Baron of Mombrun Provost of Figeac Elder in the Church of Cajars and John de la Viale Counsellor for the King and Lieutenant Criminal in the Seneschalsey of Quercy and Montauban The excuses urged by them for their delays were rejected and their Letters of Commission judged defective And all these four Deputies did take and swear and subscribed for themselves and those who Commissionated them the Oath of Union the Confession of Faith and our Church-Discipline 18. All and every one of these Deputies swore and protested before God Privas Art 1. after the Election of the Moderator Alez Art 3. ibidem that they did not use any indirect nor underhand-dealing nor did any other for them procure as they knew their Deputation nor did they know that any of their Collegues had brigued his or their Election unto this Assembly CHAP. II. Rules and Orders about By-standers and Spectators in the Synod 1. WHereas the Letters of Commission brought by the greater part of the Provincial Deputies do exceedingly differ in that Clause of Submission due and owing by the Churches unto the Decrees of our National Synods And for that very much of our time is spent and wasted in examining and debating of them It is now decreed that for the future All the Provinces should confine themselves unto the words and substance of this ensuing form We promise before God to submit our selves unto all that shall be concluded and determined in your Holy Assembly to obey and execute it to the utmost of our power being perswaded that God will preside among you and lead you by his holy Spirit into all truth and equity by the Rule of his Word Tonneins Art 1. after the Roll of the Deputies for the good and edification of his Church to the glory of his great name which we most humbly beg of his Divine Majesty in our daily Prayers 2. Whereas divers Pastors and Elders chosen by the Provinces have not appeared in their own Persons but by their Surrogates in this Synod the Provinces shall be advertised to take Cognizance of their Excuses and to pass Judgment on them by the Authority of this Assembly 3. The Provincial Deputies of Brittain Tonneins at the â—nd and underneath g. m. 36. did give an Account of their Calling the National Synod unto this place because the Province of Bearn had resigned their priviledge unto them which the last National Synod held at Tonneins had conferred upon them This Assembly approved of what was done by them but yet told them it had been requisite on their part to have been more diligent and careful in acquainting the Provinces more early of the time and place of meeting by their Letters of Advice and Summons And this Advertisement shall serve for all the Provinces that when as any one of them shall have the charge and priviledge of Indicting our National Synods they may so order matters as to free and acquit themselves of all blame and complaint in this particular 4. Monsieur Petré Pastor of the Church of Vitré Petitioned for his Church and Consistory that he together with the Elders of the said Church might be permitted to sit in this Assembly whilst the Confession of Faith and the Ecclesiastical Discipline were reading The Synod granted it for himself and for two Elders chosen and named by the Consistory and unto those other Pastors who having leave from their Churches to attend the Synod about the concerns of their Churches 3. of Râ—chel Art 3. after the Elect. of the Moder St. Maixant the same Alez ibid. or their own private business as also unto Proposans But as for others who would intrude themselves that Canon of the National Synod of Rochell in the year sixteen hundred and seven shall be strictly observed 5. As soon as the Assembly was form'd and setled the first thing they Voted was an Address unto his Majesty to testify the Joy of all our Churches Below g.m. 29. for those many and wonderful Blessings which God hath graciously vouchsafed Him and to protest unto his Majesty from all the Deputies of the Provinces here Assembled and from all the Churches of this Kingdom that we are and ever will be his most humble most loyal most affectionate and most obedient Subjects and Servants And to this purpose there were deputed from among the Pastors Messieurs Hesperien and Bouteroue and from the Eldership Messieurs de Balene and de Moussac who had Letters given them to present unto his Majesty together with a particular Message which they were to deliver him in the name of this Assembly Of which the Lords Deputies who are now sitting in the Town of Rochel shall have notice given them and Letters shall be sent to the Lord du Candall to furnish these our Deputies with a supply of Monies to defray the Charges of their Journey 6. The Oath of Union of all the Churches of this Kingdom Priâ—as Art 4. after the Elect. of the Moderat under our most humble obedience due unto the King was renewed sworn and subscribed by all the Deputies in this Assembly both for themselves and the respective Provinces from whom they were Commissionated CHAP. III. The Confession of Faith THE Confession of Faith of these reformed Churches in the Kingdom of France was read word by word from the beginning to the end and approved in all its Articles by all the Deputies as well for themselves as for their Provinces that sent them and all of them sware for themselves and Provinces that they would teach and preach it because they believ'd that it did perfectly agree with the Word of God and they would use their best endeavour that as it had been hitherto so it should be ever more received and taught in their Churches and Provinces CHAP. IV. Observations on reading of the Church-Discipline Containing matter of advice given unto certain Provinces 1. THE Deputies of Anjou
of the Fifth Chapter a Question was moved by the Province of Provence Whether a Person that was never called to the Office of an Elder might warrantably read the Word of God and the Common-Prayers unto the Church in the Ministers absence especially in lesser Churches which have no Consistories nor any Persons fit to read This Assembly judgeth that the Consistory hath full liberty to choose any one whom it conceiveth meet to read the Scriptures and Prayers although he be not in the Eldership provided he be of sufficient years and unblameable Life and that he have subscribed the Confession of our Faith and Church-Discipline 13. At the reqâ—est of the Province of Sevennes to these words in the Sixteenth Canon of the Fifth Chapter Fathers and Mothers who marry their Children shall be added these following Tutors Guardians and all other Persons instead of Parents who dispose of their Orphans and Minors in Marriage 14. These words as much as may be shall be rased out of the Ninth Canon of the Twelfth Chapter And in all the Provinces Pastors shall be obliged to administer the Cup as well as the Bread unto every individual Communicant without distinction of Persons as also they shall use meet words in the Administration of both the Elements to quicken the Hearts and Spirits of the Communicants at the Lords Table And express Order is given to all Provincial Synods that they take special care that Pastors do not in the least transgress this Canon 15. On the Third Canon of the Thirteenth Chapter the Province of Normandy desired That all the Churches of this Kingdom would conform themselves to their Custom That Espousals before Marriage should be Celebrated by Ministers with Prayers and Exhortations to the betroathed Persons to prepare them for that Holy Estate whereunto they be called The Assembly though it praiseth and approveth of this their practice and of them that observe it yet did not judge meet to oblige all Persons necessarily thereunto but leave the faithful unto their liberty 16. On the Fifth Canon of the same Chapter there was made this reflection That whereas there is a great difference in divers Copies of our Church-Discipline that Canon which was made by the National Synod of Privas shall be inserted word for word into the Body of our Discipline To witt Henceforward all promises of Marriage and Espousals shall be made by words de futuro nor shall such promises be reputed as firm and undissolvable as the words de Praesenti because the words de praesenti do not promise Marriage but do effectually accomplish it Nevertheless those words de futuro shall not be dissolved without very great and lawful cause Wherefore the Custom of some certain Churches is condemned who celebrate Espousals by the Ministerial Benediction of their Pastors with gift of Bodies by words de praesenti For by such a Solemnity we cannot but account the Parties to be truly and actually Married and that the Publication of Banes is thereby preposterous done after Marriage and another Solemnization of the Marriage in Gods Church is needless However we cannot disapprove of Ministers officiating at Espousals or that they should pray for and Exhort the Parties betroathed to mutual Love Concord Fidelity and the Fear of God but we would have them leave those other Formalities which serve only to render a Bond indissolvable which oftentimes we be constrained afterwards to break by reason of Oppositions made at the Publication of the Banes and for divers other Impediments which may happen For this cause all the Churches shall hereafter utterly abandon that custom of Solemnizing Espousals in the Temple with those Formalities resembling Marriage and they shall conform themselves unto the other Churches of this Kingdom 17. On the Sixteenth Canon of the Thirteenth Chapter the Province of Anjou demanded Whether we should suffer the Banes of Strangers as Germans Scots or any others to be published in our Churches without having Certificates from their Country which will be very difficult to obtain and possibly may be counterfeit This Assembly leaveth the matter wholly to the prudence of Consistories and to act therein as will be most expedient ordaining however that if possible they should get Certificates 18. On the same Canon the Province of lower Guyenne requested that another might be made for the right ordering of Banes which are mostly attended with Titles full of vanity Tins Assembly conceiving that such an Ordinance would not take well with Persons of Quality doth therefore advise them to keep as much as possibly they can within the bounds of Christian Modesty and Simplicity Above the 1. Synod of Rochell Observ 59. 19. The Seventh Canon of the Fourteenth Chapter shall be couched in these words Neither Counsellors nor Attorneys at Law may plead in such Causes as tend to the suppression of the word of God preached nor to the setting un of Mass nor in any wise shall they be suffered to give Counsel or Assistance unto the Romish Church-men in those Causes which have a tendency directly or indirectly to the oppression of the Church See Synod of Orleans Act. 22. 20. The Province of Normandy demanding that the Eleven Canon of this Fourteenth Chapter might be a little mollified This Assembly ordained that it should abide in its full and whole Power according to what had bin decreed in the Synod of Tonneins 21. On the Sixteenth Canon Synods Paris 1. Act. 29. Colloquies and Consistories are Exhorted to watch over Ministers and other Persons who shall publish their Works and not first of all communicate them in Manuscript to be perused and approved by the Divines thereunto appointed and the Transgressors of this Canon shall be most severely censured The Articles of our Discipline having been read and diligently considered were sworne to by all the Pastors and Elders Deputed unto this Assembly both in their private and publick Capacities and they promised for themselves and Provinces to see them faithfully and carefully observed CHAP. VI. Observations made on Reading the Acts of the last National Synod held at Vitre 1. THAT Article enjoyning Monsieur Rivett to compose an History of those Remarkable Providences which had befallen our Churches 〈◊〉 observ 〈◊〉 upoâ— the 〈…〉 being read together with his Excuses by Letters for non-performance the Provinces not having communicated to him their Memorials as they were ordered This Assembly commands that Letters shall be dispatcht to Monsieur Buffon Lieutenant General of Casteljaloux exhorting him to prosecute this great Work undertaken by him of writing the History of our times and that he would be pleased before it go unto the Press to impart it unto the Synod of his Province and all the other Provinces be charged to send unto him their Memoirs 2 Pâ—â—â— Obâ—arv 2. upon the Synod of â—â—â—â—ins 2. In reading that Canon of Tonneins inserted into the last Synod of Vitre which gave leave unto Elders in Consistory the Pastor being excepted against to suspend
pur-blind about eight and thirty years of Age Deposed by the aforesaid Synod held at Nay for his un-natural and un-dutiful Carriage unto his Aged Parents for very great and shrewd suspicions of Adultery from which he could never clear himself and because in his common Deportments and Conversation he acted as one altogether unworthy the Sacred Ministry 12. John Perrier formerly Pastor in the Church of Paillac in Auvergne low of Stature red Hair copper-Nos'd about fifty years old Deposed by the Synod of Burgundy for deserting his Church and a great many other Crimes All these afore-mentioned Acts Decsiions and Canons were past in the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France and Principality of Bearne assembled at Charenton St. Maurice near Paris from the First of September to the First of October in the year 1623. As also was sworn the Oath of Union in Doctrine and Discipline and of fidelity to His Majesty as was practised heretofore in these National Synods and in the very words of that Oath framed by the Synod of Alez Thus Subscribed by Durant Moderator Bailly Assessor Faucheur Scribes and de Launay Scribes And there was this Appendix written by the hand of the Lord de Launay at the close of this Synod A True Copy sent unto the Colloquy in the Land of Chartres attested by the Manual Subscription of De L' Aunay one of the Scribes of the said Synod and one of the Deputies for the Province of the Isle of France and by these Deputies whose Names follow William Rivett Berlie Pastor of the Church in Quissac J. Clerc De Chambrun Chamier Pastor of the Church at Montlimart St. Amblier Jurieu Pastor of Chastillion on the Loir Villon Havres M. de Langle Pastor in the Church of Rouen P. Paulett Pastor of Vezenobre D' Avignon Pastor at Rennes P. Beraud Pastor and Professor in the Church of Montauban Savoye Pastor in the Church of Castres Isle Pelletier Pastor in the Church of Vandome Cottiby Pastor at Poictiers CHAP. XXVI CANONS and DECREES Made and Establish'd in the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France held at Charenton near Paris September l623 inviolably to be observed by all the Churches and Vniversities in that Kingdom CHAP. I. Of Predestination Election and Reprobation CANON I. FOrasmuch as all Mankind sinned in Adam and are thereby become liable unto the Curse and Eternal Death God had done them no wrong in case he had left Men in their Estate of Sin and under the Curse and Damn'd them for evermore Thus speaketh the Holy Apostle Rom. 3.19 22. All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God And Rom. 6.23 The Wages of Sin is Death CANON II. But in this hath God manifested his Love that he sent his onely Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him may not perish but obtain everlasting Life 1 John 4.9 John 3.16 CANON III. And that Men may be brought to believe God sendeth the glad tydings of Salvation in the Gospel to whom he pleaseth by the Ministration whereof Men are called unto Repentance and Faith in Jesus Christ crucified For how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach unless they be sent Rom. 10.14 15. CANON IV. Such as believe not the Gospel the Wrath of God abideth on them but such as receive and embrace Christ Jesus the Saviour with a true and lively Faith they be delivered by him from the wrath of God and Damnation and are made partakers of Everlasting life CANON V. God is in no wise the Cause nor guilty of Mens unbelief they themselves are as of all other their Sins But Faith in Jesus Christ and Salvation by him is the free gift of God according as it is written Ephes 2.8 You are saved by Grace through Faith and this not of your selves but the gift of God and also Philip. 1.29 To you it is given freely and graciously to believe in Christ Jesus CANON VI. That God giveth Faith in his time unto some and not unto others this proceeds from his Everlasting Decree for known unto God from the beginning are all his works Acts. 15.18 And he doth all things according to the Council of his own Will Ephes 1.11 And in the Execution of this Decree he doth by his grace soften the hearts of the Elect though they be never so hard and stony and maketh them to believe but he doth in his Righteous Judgment leave the Non-Elect in their Wickedness and Obduracy And from this do we principally discover the profound depths of his Mercy and also that just distinction among the Children of Men who were all equally forlorne lost and undone Sinners And as the Decrees of Election and Reprobation revealed by Gods Holy Word doth administer unspeakable Consolation to Pious and Devout Persons so as the Ungodly and Unbelievers take it it must needs be wrested and perverted to their destruction CANON VII Now Election is the unchangeable purpose of God by which according to the most free and good pleasure of his Will out of mere Grace he hath chosen in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before the foundation of the World out of Mankind fallen by their own fault from their first Integrity into Sin and Destruction a certain number of Men who were in themselves not better than others for they were all alike plung'd into the same gulph of Misery And this Jesus Christ God hath also constituted from all Eternity the Head and Mediator of his Elect and the Foundation-stone of their Salvation and so decreed to give them unto Christ that he might save them and call and draw them effectually by his Word and Spirit into Communion with himself and to give them true saving Faith in him to justifie and sanctifie them and having kept them by his Mighty Power in Communion with his Son to shew forth the Sovereignty of his Mercy and the praise of the Riches of the Glory of his Grace he will at last glorifie them as it is written Ephes 1.4 5 6. God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we might be Holy and unblameable before him in love having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will to the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in his Well-Beloved And Rom. 8.29 Whom he predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified CANON VIII This Election is not divers for kind but one and the same only as to all that shall be saved in the Old and New Testament For the Scriptures doth teach and preach but one only good Pleasure Purpose Decrees and Counsel of Gods Will by which he hath chosen us from Eternity both to Grace and Glory to Salvation the End and to the way and means
since the fall that by his good usage of them he may by degrees obtain a far greater Grace to witt Evangelical and Saving Grace yea and Salvation it self and so by this means God is ready on his part to discover himself and to reveal Jesus Christ unto all because he doth sufficiently and efficaciously administer unto all those necessary means whereby they may attain the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and of Faith and Repentance But that this is notoriously false besides the Experience of all Ages it is evident also from Scripture Testimony Psal 147.19 20. He declared his words unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with every Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them Acts. 14.16 And in times past God suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes Acts 16.6 7. And they were forbidden viz. Paul and his Company by the Holy Ghost to declare or preach his Word i. e. the Gospel in Asia and when they were come into Mysia they essayed to go into Bithynia but the Spirit of our Lord Jesus suffered them not CANON VI. Who teach that when God doth truely and savingly convert Man it cannot be that he should put into his Will new Qualities Habits or Gifts and that therefore Faith by which we be first of all Converted and from which we be called Believers is not a quality or gift infused into us by God but an Action of Man only and that it cannot be called a gift unless it be upon this Account that Man can of himself attain it For these are palpable Contradictions to the Divinely inspired Scriptures which do in plain terms declare That God sheddeth abroad into our Hearts the new Qualities of Faith Obedience and the sence and feeling of his Love Jer. 31.3 I will put my Law in them and I will write it in their hearts Esaiah 44.3 I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed Rom. 5. ver 5. And the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given to us And these Opinions be repugnant to the Prayers and Practice of Gods Church in all Ages who have ever cryed with Jeremy 31.18 Convert me O God and I shall be converted CANON VII Who teach that Converting Grace is no other than a sweet perswasion or as some others of them explain it that the most noble manner of working in Mans Conversion and most suitable to his Humane Nature is that which is done by swasion and that nothing can hinder but that the Grace which they call Moral that is to say Arguments simply perswasive may change the Natural Man into Spiritual yea that God doth not any way else induce the Will to consent but by this way and manner of perswasions and herein consisteth the efficaciousness of Gods operation by which he doth so much surmount the operation of Satan Sathan only promising temporal good things but God such as be Eternal For this is rank Pelagianisme and crosseth the whole tenour of Sacred Scriptures which besides this way of operation by Moral Swasion in the Conversion of Man doth yet acknowledge another to wit that of Gods Holy Spirit which is far more Divine and efficacious as in Ezek. 36.26 I will give unto them a new heart and a new spirit will I put within them and I will take away the heart of stone and give unto them an heart of Flesh CANON VIII Who teach that God doth not exert in the Conversion of Man all the Majesty of his Omnipotency so as thereby most powerfully and infallibly to bow his stubborn and rebellious Will to believe and convert but notwithstanding Gods exertion of all those operations of Grace which are used by him in Mans Conversion yet Man may resist God and the Holy Ghost even then when as God purposed and had resolved to convert him yea and that in very deed Man doth oftentimes resist God in such a manner as doth totally and intirely hinder his Regeneration yea that it is still in his own power whether he will be regenerated or not For this is nothing else but to rob God of the efficaciousness of his Grace in our Conversion and to subject the Action of God Almighty to the will of the weak Man which is contrary to the Apostolical Doctrine Ephes 1.19 learning us That we believe according to the efficacy of his Mighty Povver And 2 Thessalon 1.11 And God fulfilleth and accomplisheth in us all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with power 2 Pet. 1.3 And by his Divine power are given unto us all things appertaining to Life and Godlyness CANON IX Who teach that Grace and Free Will are Con-Causes and act though each his part yet jointly together in the first point of Conversion and that Grace as a Cause doth not in order precede the efficiency or motion of the Will that is in plain English God doth not efficaciously help the Will of Man to convert it self before the Will of it self doth first move and determine it self But Gods Ancient Church hath many Ages since anathematized this Doctrine of Pelagius by the words of the Apostle Rom. 9.16 'T is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy 1 Cor. 4.7 And who is it that maketh thee to differ from another And vvhat hast thou vvhich thou hast not received And Philip. 2.13 'T is God vvho vvorketh in us vvith Efficacy both to vvill and to do according to his ovvn good pleasure CHAP. IV. Concerning the Perseverance of SAINTS CANON I. THOSE whom God calleth according to his determinate purpose unto the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and regenerateth by his Holy Spirit he delivers them from the Dominion and Slavery of Sin but not wholly from their Flesh and Body of Sin in this Life CANON II. Hence it is that we dayly see so many sins of Infirmity and that the best Works of Saints are not without their Spots which is a continual ground for their deep humiliation before God and of recourse unto a crucified Jesus and dayly more and more to mortifie the Flesh by the Spirit of Prayer and the Sacred exercises of Piety and to breath after perfection till that being rid of this Body of Sin they may for ever Reign in Heaven with the Lamb of God CANON III. By reason of the Remainders of Sin indwelling in them and of the Worlds and Satans Temptations those who be converted could not persist in this Grace if they were left unto their own Strength But God is faithful who through the Riches of his Mercy doth confirm them in that Grace which he hath once given them and will keep them by his power unto the end CANON IV. Now although this power of God strengthning and preserving true Believers in their Estate of Grace be so very great that it can never be surmounted by the Flesh yet so is it that
Holy Work and as you have been made a Spectacle to Men and Angels so do you persist to hold forth the Light of the Gospel in all Pureness and to fight the good Fight with the Weapons of Righteousness on the right Hand and on the left taking all possible Care that no Root of Bitterness do spring up which under the Shadow and Pretext of subtle Questions may weaken or diminish the Union of all your Members and whom 't is most indispensably needful you should firmly cement in an Uniformity of Confession to avoid those dreadful Distractions which will infallibly arise from a Diversity of Opinions and Affections All the Reformed Churches as far as ever we could learn were filled with Joy at those solid Declarations made in your National Synods against revived Pelagianism and at that singular Care taken by those venerable and Holy Councils to exclude it out of your Churches Now he that lowed those Tares in God's Field is not asleep but is still at Work wherefore there is need of continual Watchings there must be no relaxing of your Circumspection lest you should lose the things which you have wrought But we may forbear insisting any longer on this Argument nor is there any reason that we should exhort you to continue in your godly Purposes and Resolutions Sith your great Zeal is a most powerful Example to excite others It 's enough that we have thus opened our Hearts unto your Reverences and have largely experienced the harmonious Uniformity of your Holy Thoughts and Intentions And forasmuch as by these late Troubles some famous Universities have to our unspeakable Grief suffered very sad Eclipses and Interruptions we shall do our best and utmost Endeavour to keep burning that little Candle which the Goodness of our God hath lighted up in our poor Candlestick And our most honoured Magistrates have resolved to continue their Incouragement and Maintenance of our School and University which from its first Foundation had none other Design or End than to prepare Instruments who might be another Day capable of edifying God's Church And they conceive themselves at this time more especially concerned and obliged to serve your Churches because 't is but the Repayment of an old Debt We owing the Original of our Academy unto the worthy Labours of some of your most eminent and famous Ministers besides your favourable Respects have been exceeding serviceable to it in its Growth and Progress and they do receive with singular Consolation the Assurances of your good Will both from the Letters of the last Synod at Charenton and from your sending of Students hither to whose Advancement in Learning and Godliness we shall most willingly contribute whatever God hath imparted to us that so we may return them to you well improved and furnished with those requisite Talents for the Ministry in the Temple of the Lord. Moreover we do return you our most hearty Thanks for your kind Remembrance had of our Church in times past and we do bless the Lord for the Expressions of his Majesty's Love and Kindness towards our City which is a Continuance of those Royal Favours we have ever received from the Crown of France and consonant to his former Declarations that he would not exclude the Natives of this Town in case according to your excellent Discipline they should be called out unto the Ministry in the Churches of his Kingdom And we are so very well satisfied of your Love unto us that it the aforesaid Declaration should not be notified unto some of the Churches yet by your means it shall be so for the future and this will be a renewed Pledg and Confirmation of your ancient fraternal Charity and Affection to us Whereupon we do most affectionately salute in the Lord your Holy Synod and tender you our most humble Service intreating the Continuance of your good Will unto us and that you would strive together with us in your Prayers for us as we do continually recommend you unto our God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Word of his Grace and to his Spirit of Consolation and all your Churches Persons Labours and your whose sacred Assembly to his most blessed Protection beseeching the great Shepherd of Souls that he would daign to preside in the midst of you and make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you what is well pleasing to him and accumulate upon you his best and most Heavenly Benedictions to the Glory of his Holy Name And subscribe our selves Most Honoured Lords and Brethren Your most affectionate Brethren and most humble Servants in the Lord the Pastors and Professors in the Church and University of Geneva and in the Name of them all Prevost Diodati B. Turretin Du-Pan The Superscription was thus To our most Honoured Lords and Brethren the Pastors and Elders of the Reformed Churches of France assembled in their National Synod at Castres The Answer of the Pastors and Elders in the National Synod of Castres unto the Letter of the Right Reverend Pastors and Professors of Geneva Most Honoured Lords and Brethren AMong the Consolations which the Goodness of our God hath granted us in this Place this which we have received from your Communion in Spirit with us and those cordial Affections which you have expressed to us have been therefore the more acceptable because that as we rejoice in the Lord so we cannot but be thankful to him for that after so many Troubles and Desolations we be yet permitted to assemble from all Corners and Quarters of this Kingdom to the upholding settling and confirming of his Holy Worship You also are come in by your Letters to bear your Parts in this sacred Harmony augmenting by the Union of your Hearts with ours the rich Blessing which the Prophet hath compared to that precious Oil poured out upon the Head of Aaron and to the Dew which descends from Mount Sion and this too with such an Efficacy that the bare hearing of your sweet Consolations and Holy Counsels hath by a most secret and powerful Motion sensibly operated upon us and raised up the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Head in us who doth unite us though many Members into one Body in the Lord. We do therefore imbrace you in our God and accept thankfully of your Prayers and Holy Affections giving Thanks unto our Heavenly Father that as you have piously confess'd it he made us an Example of his Compassions and having saved us out of divers Perils and Distresses he hath preserved us our Lives by no less a Miracle than that of old when as he preserved the Bramble-Bush from being consumed in the midst of those Flames of War which ravaged our whole Country Nor can we sufficiently adore his singular Loving Kindnesses that although the Sins of his People had so far provoked his Wrath as to throw down all our Fences and to demolish all our Fortresses and to wither that Arm of Flesh in which we had so
that by his means they may as soon as possible have the Honour of waiting upon and Saluting His Majesty and Present Him with the Letters of this Assembly and shall follow His Orders when and after what manner they ought and may speak unto the King and to the Lord Cardinal and to the Lord Chancellor And having paid their Duties to the King the Lord Cardinal and to our Lord the Principal Ministers of State they shall give them to understand with what Respect and Thankful Acknowledgments we have received from the mouth of the Lord de St. Marc His Majesty's Commissioner in this Assembly those assurances given us in His Majesty's Name for preserving us the Privilege of His Edicts and to continue to us His Royal Favours But they shall not conceal that all the Members of this Assembly were exceedingly surprized and astonished that immediately after those aforesaid Assurances given us by the Lord Commissioner he made such Proposals to them as had no agreement at all with these Promises of His Majesty's good Will unto us as when He declared That he was charged by the King to forbid all Ministers to serve their annexed Congregations which tends to the utter Ruine of the far greatest part of our Churches and depriveth a vast multitude of the Professors of our Religion of their Spiritual Consolation As also when he propounded as from the King That it was his Majesty's desire That we should ratisie Baptism Administred by Midwifes and others who have no Call so to do which is formally contrary to our Belief They shall also insist on this That His Majesty be acquainted and from their own Mouths with that Rigorous Decree of the Council concerning the hanging forth of Tapistry and Adorning of our Houses on that Festival which they call by the Name of The Holy This being a matter directly contrary to the Edicts made in our Favour They shall take care also to Petition our Lord the Cardinal and the Lords of the Council and especially the Lord de Buillon That they would be pleased to supply this Assembly with Moneys for the defraying of our Charges and Expences during the Sessions thereof as hath been always accustomed to be done by His Majesty And the rather because for a very long time notwithstanding His Majesty's Promise we have not received one Farthing of His Bounteous Liberality The Assembly leaveth it to the Prudence of these our said Deputies either to prolong or shorten their abode at Court according to the Success of their Negotiation and they be ordered to acquaint us upon all occasions of what is necessary to be done by us CHAP. XXVI 3. Monsieur Ferrand's Speech made unto my Lord the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu My Lord SIth that in our days and under the Incomparable Wisdom of Your Government Peace and Justice are so Gloriously preserved that the Greatest Monarch of the Vniverse is not only known to be the Just King but also the King of the Just by the strict Observation of His Edicts and Sacred Orders The Ministers and Elders Assembled in a National Synod under the Favourable Authority of His Majesty and the Good Counsels of Your Eminency have took the Boldness to send us unto His Majesty as to the Common Father of His Subjects to render to Him Their most unfeigned Thanks and to Present Him Their most Humble Requests and in all Humility to demand His Royal Protection against those Violences which do every day Rob and Spoil us of His Favours and have most expresly charged us to Implore on this Account the Succours and Assistance of Your Eminency And that Experience we have formerly had hereof filleth our Hearts with Hopes for the future Because the Stedfastness of God and the King's Word are visible in the Face of Your Eminency You being Their most lively Protraiture We cannot be ignorant My Lord That Your Eminency is that Intelligence who moves this admirable Monarchy with the greatest Regularity That Assistant Spirit of this Great Body which heretofore was like one of the Floating Islands but now Your most Admired Conduct hath bound it so fast with the Chains of the Royal Authority that in the Greatest and most Astonishing Tempests it abideth firm and immovable And it will be with France as with the Land of Licia which tho' subject unto Storms and dreadful Earthquakes yet no sooner are those Tempestuous Winds which caused them dissipated but that the Inhabitants thereof do enjoy for Forty Days together 〈◊〉 most Wonderful Calm and Tranquility but these days of our Tranquility shall be Prophetical a Year for a Day and may Your Eminency's Life be prolonged to a full Century of those Years And we do protest in the Presence of God that we own our selves bound Eternally to Obey His Majesty by the Laws of our Birth and Conscience and for His Majesty's Favours continually accumulated upon us And therefore we do Address our Prayers without intermission unto the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth that he would be pleased to keep his Anointed as the Apple of his Eye His Majesty being the very Heart and Life of His Kingdom and that he would take from our days to add unto His and to add unto Yours also My Lord whom we reckon next to God and the King our surest Sanctuary hoping for some Rays and Beams of Your Eminency's good Will to be imparted to us that may quicken us under those disconsolating Troubles with which we are menaced and be a most meet and proper Remedy for those Afflicting Evils which press in sore upon us from every part and quarter of the Land And Your Eminency's Reward for this signal goodness of Yours extended to us will be the continuance of that Glory You have most justly acquired in all Christendom and we shall beg of God in our Prayers and may the Divine Majesty actually fullfil them to pour down upon Your Eminency an abundant Confluence of his best Blessings and that we may obtain this Consolation to be believed by Your Eminency that with all sincerity of Heart and Soul we are My Lord Your Eminency's most Humble and most Obedient Servants Banage Moderator of the Synod Coupe Assessor Blondel and de Launay Scribes CHAP. XXVII A Copy of the Bill of Grievances presented unto His Majesty by the Sieurs Ferr and Pastor of the Church of Bourdeaux Gigord Pastor of the Church of Montpellier and De Cerisy an Elder Deputed by the National Synod of Alanson May the 7th 1637. unto the King SIRE THe Deputies of Your Subjects of the Reformed Religion Assembled by Your Majesty's Permission in a National Synod at Alanson do most Humbly Petition That according to Your wonted Goodness and Justice continued to them You would be pleased to vouchsafe us the enjoyment of Your Edicts and Declarations of Peace which have to their very great prejudice been broken and violated in every Article and particularly in divers places of Your Kingdom nor can we get our Damages repaired
Truths of the Sacred Oracles lest by the weakness of their Judgments and the fervour and instability of their age which enamours them of Curiosities they should be intangled in Debates and Controversies and embrace Factions and Partialities And indeed the Butt and Mark of well Educated Students in Divinity should not be to be the first Authors and Forgers of Novel and Subtil Opinions as in the Papacy where they be plung'd into a gulph of endless Errors and abastardized by a world of fruitless useless and endless Inquiries nor is it that they should be wrangling and worthless Disputants nor Speculative Doctors without any Savour or Power but the true End and Design of these our Theological Students ought be this That they may be a Holy Seed-plot of Able and Godly Pastors Sound in the Faith Mighty in Word and Doctrine Wise unto Sobriety keeping the great Mystery of Godliness in a pure Conscience delivering and dividing the word of Truth aright And in fine to be Men of God perfect and prepared for every good work of their Calling to which Holy and Noble ends all forts of Subtilties are utterly unserviceable and have ever marred the Divine Doctrine by wicked Errors or the Broachers of them by Ambition Contention Curiosity Conceitedness or the Church by a disgust of Scripture Purity and Simplicity or by Factions and Divisions which never happen when the common Sentiments of the Church are taught tho' by Ministers of meaner Parts and Talents whereas these have always happened by means of affected Singularities which is the true and genuine Food of the Romish Ambition which ever laboureth to subdue the common Sentiments because they be its greatest obstacles and most obstructing its growth and progress The Lord grant that the Sparkles of this Fire in the midst of you may not spring from the same Source Poor Germany hath sadly felt the direful effects of the flames kindled by it in its frequent and bitter Schisms Every Prince would have his University and every University admired and exalted its own Doctor as the most Eminent Professor of them all every Doctor had conceived and must needs broach and vend his new Notions and singular Opinions and these new Opinions are brought upon the publick Stage of the World where it hath met with fierce Antagonists and between these doughty Champions the poor Church of God hath been torn all to pieces To this consideration let us subjoin another for God's sake keep Philosophy within its due and proper bounds closely and strictly watched and restrained that it may only if we may so express it break up the Fallow ground of the Spirits of our youth but not in the least to take upon her by her Maxims and Assertions to bring in Seed and Food for the Church and House of God which must be fed with the pure Manna of the Divine Word whose Majesty and Liberty was so happily asserted and recovered by our Godly Fathers from that Bondage and Captivity whereinto the School-Divines of the Romish Church had enslaved it and into which 't is very likely it will be again insensibly reduced either by a too great fear of their false Weapons or by a perverse Emulation of them And yet in the mean while the Sacred Scriptures will be best understood by a diligent reading of them by comparing one Text with another and by Invocation of the Holy Ghost to enlighten our dark minds in the Knowledge of them and they will be thus more easily digested and brought home with a greater force and efficacy upon Conscience in a sober sensing of them according to the simplicity of Faith and Demonstration of the Spirit than by the most audacious and curious Applications of these false Lights new Notions and vain Discourses of Philosophy Pelagianism in the Low Countrys was the Plant of the Spanish Metaphysicks producing not Pious and Painful and Profitable but Subtile Pastors and Preachings an infinite Brood of Disputants void of Understanding and corrupt in Points of Faith Subtilties bring forth Thorns which never leave the Churches nor Consciences at rest but scratch and tear them to pieces And we exhort you to be Jealous and Suspicious of new Methods and imaginary Hypotheses and an affected singular way of Teaching and to avoid them Arminius took his walks at first in these by-paths till such time as he had gotten a stock of Credit and Reputation and had form'd for himself a Party then he pull'd off his Vizard and canvasseth all Points of Doctrine even those which were but accessary with no little vehemence in his Disputations and was uneasy till the roots had been searched and the most Fundamental Points had been assaulted and shaken Indeed the one wounds the other and it was always known that they who once chang'd their note and language and the sound Doctrine delivered to them have been attended by some secret hidden Vice or else they do engender it in their Followers Discharge therefore most Reverend and Honoured Brethren your bounden Duty unto your Churches and give this Memorable example unto them all and unto us this singular Consolation That you do maintain inviolably the Faith once Taught Established and Sealed among you far more than in any place of the World besides by a multitude of Divine Witnesses and Approbations which have rendered you a Spectacle of admiration to Men and Angels grub up by the Roots every Plant of Heterodoxy and by your Authority do you re-inforce as you shall find needful that Harmony and Agreement of the Reformed Churches which was declared in the Synod of Dort which having been the first General Council of the Churches in our days wherein God most evidently presided by his Holy Spirit and there will be difficulties enough to get such another doth therefore of right deserve the greater Reverence and Submission because of the disrespect offered it by the Broachers of these Novelties And this should be done unless we intend to be cry'd down as a sort of ungovernable persons refractary to that Order and Discipline which God hath Sanctified and Established from the very beginning in the Christian Church Ponder well how your past actions have been justified and may it please you to take that care that you may not hereafter be necessitated to make use of this Remedy against affected Ambiguities and Obscurities We very well know that some are charming your Ears with the Re-union of both Religions but that constancy and firmness you testified in your last Synod the nature of the points wherewith you be tempted that cannot admit of any reconciliation and for that you must make the first Overtures to a Party which keeps the wound open and holds the departure from them intolerable if ever you hope to get from them clear and plain Declarations of their Intentions and finally the whole set on foot without any Authority or Warrant and with apparent marks of very little sincerity and for great Worldly Respects and Interests freeth us of all
long lines of Invectives Calumnies and false groundless Suspicions which they will never be able to extract from its publication By which means I doubt not but with my Candor to demulce their humours and by the representing of the lively Light of God in his Holy Word to illuminate them and by the Celestial sweetness thereof to allure even some of the fiercest Spirits amongst them to the good ways of God for however they may contradict men 't is difficult for them to contradict the Heavenly Sweets of God's Word Which I speak by experience of my Italian Translation for having where I could with a safe Conscience followed St. Jerom it was not unsuccessful If this happiness might now befal me which is not to be hoped for from our Vulgar French Translation judged by them over partial there is no Fear nor Worldly Respect that should weigh down with me Some tell me the time is unseasonable but I answer 'T is never out of season to do good and to be too intent upon the times is the right and ready way to lose all and these times of ours which do stupifie our Souls with the horrors of those woful events happened in them do contrariwise seem the most proper for the slipping of this Labour into the World which feareth no assault but what may be given it in the birth Besides my declining years do call upon me to consider the small time that is left me to give life unto this Fruit unless I would have it buried together with me in my Grave or I must let it come forth into the World all maimed and disfigured after my Decease For all these Reasons and Considerations most Reverend and most Honoured Brethren I shall conclude with two most humble and earnest Petitions to you One is That you would not in this Affair make any Reflection upon those Sentiments which are now disputed in this Church for tho' at the bottom it cannot but have other movements than you have yet nevertheless it cannot subsist but under your Shadow which if removed it must needs fall to the ground My other Request to you is That you would be pleased freely to vouchsafe me what lieth in your power to do for me which is not an Approbation of a Work never seen by you and to demand it of you would be a very unjust thing in me much less that you should give it with the privilege of a publick usage which would be an exorbitant Temerity but this only not to condemn me nor to hinder this first Edition which I desire only to publish unto the World for discovery of Mens Opinions of it and to be farther sifted and examined by them By this Equanimity of yours you will consolate me under my Travails and sore Pains you will renew my Vigour and raise my Spirits and incourage me also to publish my Latin Translation at the many instances and ardent desires which are made me But in case you should be so pre-occupied as to deny me this small favour I do now beg your pardon if I say with an extreme grief that I shall lock up my self in the Cloister of my own Conscience and rest quietly in this confidence that this work will at last be more accepted and approved than at first and I shall imitate St. Jerome who out of meer respect to the Union and Charity of St. Augustine with the African Synods resolved to displease himself for a short time that he might afterward more happily give content unto Posterity and according to the example of all good Servants who even in some remarkable act of their Duty and Service do often digest with patience the disdain of their Superiors and exceed in obedience that they may give them a more certain and better accompt of their Fidelity in the upshot of their Work I pray God that if it be his gracious Will I may receive from your fraternal hands this Fruit of Peace and Consolation and that from his Fatherly hands you may receive his abundant and most powerful Blessing upon all your Holy Deliberations and Actions I beseech you grant me that Honour of being avowed by you Geneva May 1st 1637. Messieurs and most Honoured Brethren Your most Humble and most Faithful Brother and Servant in the Lord DIODATI THE Acts Decisions and Decrees OF THE Twenty eighth Synod OF THE Reformed Churches OF FRANCE Held the Third time AT CHARENTON St. MAVRICE NEAR PARIS On Monday the Six and Twentieth Day of December and ended Thursday the Six and Twentieth Day of January following In the Years of our Lord 1644. and 1645. The CONTENTS of the Third Synod of CHARENTON Chap. I. THe Synod opened with Prayer The General Deputy presenteth the King 's Writ for calling the Synod The Deputies unto the Synod Manner of choosing the Synodical Officers 16.3 Chap. II. Letters Patents for the Lord if Boisgrollier to be His Majesty's Commissioner in the Synod 4. The Commissioner's Speech unto the Synod Chap. III. The Moderator's Answer to it very smart close and pertinent Chap. IV. The Synod's Letters unto the King and Lords of the Council Chap. V. The Return of the Deputies with the King's Answer The Deputies Address to the Prince of Conde His Answer Letters from Foreign Churches Vniversities and Divines not suffered to be Answered 11. The Old General Deputy lays down his Office another imposed upon the Churches by the King 12. The Bill of Grievances must be drawn up privately by a Select Committee 13. Thanks returned by the Synod unto the last General Deputy 15. Chap. VI. A Second Letter to the King and the Queen Chap. VII Confession of Faith approved Chap. VIII Observations upon the Discipline An Appellant shall abstain from the Lord's Table 2. No Mm shall Marry the Mother of his Deceased Spouse without a Dispensation from the Civil Magistrate 3. The Widow of a Deceased Brother may be Married with the Magistrates Dispensation 4. No Proposans shall get into the Pulpit 5. The Deputies Letters of Commission unto the National-Synod shall be Signed by the Synodcal Officers of their respective Provinces 7. Cousin Germans shall not Marry without the King's Dispensation 8. Chap. IX Form of Baptizing Pagans Jews Mahometans Anabaptists and Adult Infidels now embraceing the Christian Religion Ministers to give the Cup at the Lord's Table 11. Order about Catechising 12. The Memoirs sent by the Provinces must be Signed by the Moderatiors in their Synods or they will be thrown out of the National 15. The Moderator to Vote last 16. Chap. X. Observations upon the Synod of Alanson The last Will of a Deceased Minister not fullfilled 4. The Business of Monsieur Amyraud revived and immediately stifled by the National Synod 6.7 Chap. XI Of Appeals A Minister made Emeritus 3. Discipline Exercised upon one who had Married his Wifes Neece and other Delinquents 13. Monsieur Codur an Ancient Minister and Professor of Divinity Censured for attempting to Reconcile the Reformed Churches of France with
confirm the Covenant of Grace propounded to us in the Gospel Ministry Answ Yes Quest How many Sacraments do you believe that there be in the Christian Church Answ Two Baptism and the Lord's Supper Quest Do you desire to be instructed in the Nature and Use of Baptism which you now demand of this Church of Christ Answ Yes Then the Minister shall say Our Lord sheweth us in what Poverty and Misery we are all born when he telleth us that we must be born again For if our Nature must be renewed that it may enter into the Kingdom of God then 't is evident that it is universally depraved and accursed whereof he admonisheth us that we may be humbled and displeased with oar selves and by this means doth he prepare us earnestly to petition for his Grace by which all that Corruption and Malediction of our first Nature may be abolished And we are not capable of receiving it till we be first emptied of all Confidence in our own Vertue Wisdom and Righteousness that so we may pass Sentence of Condemnation upon all that is in us And look as he remonstrateth unto us our miserable Estate so also doth he comfort us with his Mercy promising to regenerate us by his Holy Spirit unto newness of Life which will be the earnest of our entrance into his Kingdom This Regeneration consisteth of two Parts First that we deny our selves not following our own Judgment Will and Pleasure but resigning our Hearts and Understandings to be led Captive by the Wisdom and Righteousness of God and so mortifying our selves and all our fleshly Members here below we do then follow the Divine Light and take up our Complacency in Obedience unto his good Will and Pleasure revealed to us in his Holy Word and subject our selves to the Guidance and Government of his Holy Spirit Now the Accomplishment of both these is in our Lord Jesus whose Death and Passion is of such Vertue that by communicating in it we are as it were dead to Sin that so our carnal Affections and the Desires of our Flesh may be mortified In like manner by the Vertue of Christs Resurrection we rise up unto newness of Live which is of God inâ—smuch as his Holy Spirit doth guide and govern us and work in us those Works which are well-pleasing to him Yet the first and chiefest Point of our Salvation is that by his Mercy he freely pardons all our Sins not imputing them unto us and blotteth out the remembrance of them that so they may not be brought in Judgment against us All these Benefits are conferred upon us when he is pleased graciously to incorporate us into his Church by Baptism for in this Sacrament he testifieth unto us the Forgiveness of our Sins And to this purpose hath he ordained the Sign of Water thereby to signifie unto us That as this Element cleanseth away the Filth of the Body even so will he wash and purifie our Souls that there may not appear the least Spot upon them In the next place it holdeth forth unto us our Renovation which standeth as was said before in the Mortification of our Flesh and in that Spiritual Life which he effecteth in us So that we receive a double Grace and Benefit from God in our Baptism provided we do not disannul the Vertue of this Sacrament by our Ingratitude First That we have a most certain Token and Testimony that God will be a propitious Father to us not imputing our Sins and Offences to us Secondly That he will assist us by his Holy Spirit that we may be enabled to combat with the Devil Sin and the Desires of our Flesh until we have won the Victory and so enjoy the Liberty of his Kingdom which is a Kingdom of Righteousness For as much then as these two things be accomplished in us by the Grace of our Lord Jesus it followeth that the Vertue and Substance of Baptism is treasured up in him And indeed we have no other Laver but that of his Blood nor any other Renovation but what is in his Death and Resurrection which as he communicateth his Riches and Benedictions to us by his Word so also doth he distribute them abroad among us by his Sacraments And in this appeareth the wonderful Love of God towards us that these Graces bestowed on us having before the Incarnation of our Lord Redeemer been as it were locked up among the Jewish People and the Partition-Wall which separated between Jews and Gentiles being broken down by his Death he hath and doth shed abroad upon Mankind the saving Waters of his Grace in such abundance that now there is neither Jew nor Greek neither Male nor Female neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision nor any outward Condition of Men that can exclude them from that great Salvation which is in him and which the Lord Jesus will have preached unto all Nations And the Covenant of his Peace is now ratified by Baptism according to the Commission which he hath given unto his Apostles saying Go ye and preach unto all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Quest And is it not true my Brother that you desire to be Partaker of this Grace by Baptism Answ Yes Quest But forasmuch as he that entreth into the House of God must look unto his ways lest he should prophane the Sanctuary and presume according to that Saying of the wise Preacher to offer the Sacrifice of Fools and ungodly Persons and that he ought to be clean purged from all Leaven of Error and Malice do you not detest from your Heart all Errors contrary to that sound Doctrin taught in our Churches Answ Yes Quest Forasmuch as we are now about to administer the Sacrament of Baptism unto you do you not protest to live and die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus which you have now confessed before us and to adorn it with an Holy Life and Conversation and to direct all your Thoughts Words and Actions to the Glory of God and the Edification of your Neighbour and to submit your self to the Order and Discipline of our Church in Conformity whereunto this Holy Ordinance must be inviolably maintained Answ Yes This being done the Minister shall add Let us call upon God that he may be entreated to give his Blessing to this present Holy Ministration O Lord our God! The most wise and merciful God! We praise and bless thy Holy Name for that Grace which thy good Hand hath deigned to bestow upon this thy Servant who lay in the profound Darkness of the Shadow of Death but is now enlightned by thee thou having caused the Day-Spring from on high with his quickening and saving Brightness to arise and shine in upon him drawing him from a most deplorable hardness of a stony Heart to mollifie and soften him delivering him from the Bonds of Death and restoring Life unto him Lord as thou hast took away the Veil that was upon his
Foreign Parts without the Kingdom and that he should not suffer them to be divulged or sold in this City of Loudun and this he did that neither the Parties concerned nor the Synod it self should complain that without those Paperâ— Pieces and Writings they could not come to a perfect knowledge of the bottom of this Affair and to judge aright of it In pursuance hereof and for these Considerations before mentioned the said Lord Commissioner declared that he did now also give full Liberty to all the Deputies who were in this Synod Judges of this matter to peruse those aforesaid Papers and Evidences as they should think meet and according to the Priviledges granted by his Majesty to his Subjects of the Reformed Religion by the Edicts and according to the Discipline received in our Churches and approved in France by the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom but without allowing them to subject themselves to any Foreign Authority Jurisdictioâ—◠〈◊〉 Judgments or to send Monsieur Morus unto any other Judges than â—â—ose of his said Kingdom to be tried by them and to undergo their Judicial Sentence this being contrary and prejudicial to his Majesty's Authority to his Ordinances and Edicts as also to the Weal and Rights and Priviledges of his Subjects All which it was his Lordships Pleasure should be inserted into the Act containing the Judgment of this National Synod upon this affair The Sieur Papillon Advocate in Parliament and Elder in the Church of Paris being admitted to produce his Arguments in defence of those Appeals brought both in his own Name and in that of Monsieur Beauchamp an Advocate and Elder also in the same Church from the Judgments given in the Synod of the Isle of France held at Ay in May last of this Year now current 1659 by which Monsieur Morus was conferr'd upon the Church of Paris to be their Minister and from those Members of the Consistory of that Church who had Ordered the said Mr. Morus to be confirmed in it notwithstanding their Appeal and for refusing to give him leave which he had demanded to pass into Holland according to his promise there to justifie himself from those Imputations laid upon him and for that they censured him the said Papillon for Appealing from them He was heard in this Assembly and the Assembly took notice of what he urg'd on behalf of his Appeal and heard him patiently in whatever he had to offer against those Judgments aforesaid And also Monsieur Morus was heard defend himself and explaining matters relating to him as were the Deputies of the Province of the Isle of France and those of the Consistory of the Church of Paris in defense of their Judgment and in their demand of the Ministry of the said Monsieur Morus And there was heard the Report made by the Committee appointed for a more exact Reading and Verification of all Papers and Writings and what Judgment had been past on the Excuses and Denials of both sides the Examination of this important business ate up several Days This Assembly having rightful Authority to judge herein and the rather for that the Synod of Nimeguen whose Act was now Read had remitted the whole unto the Prudence Discretion and Charity of this Assembly to do in it what it should conceive would most contribute to the Glory of God the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ and the upholding of that Holy Correspondence which hath always been betwixt the Reformed Churches of France and those of the United Provinces did take and retain the cognizance of this affair unto it self and declared that it found no cause obliging it to condemn the said Sieur Morus nor to blast the Reputation of his Person or Ministry but on the contrary that it had sufficient Reasons to dismiss him justified from all those grievous Slanders and Accusations which were brought into this Assembly against him Wherefore it declareth him innocent of those crimes which were imposed on him and having perused those advantagious Testimonials given him by the Magistrate Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the City of Geneva by the Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the City of Middleburg by the Burgomasters and Curators of the City and Illustrious School of Amsterdam and by divers Pastors and sundry other private Persons whose Names and Probity are celebrious and well known to this Assembly and considering the great Edification which the Church of Paris receiveth from his Ministry and their vehement desires urged with the greatest importunity that he may be continued to them this Assembly doth Establish and Confirm him in the said Church to discharge the Office and perform the Duties of an ordinary Pastor in it And making Reflections upon what hath been transacted in the Synods of La Ferte au Col and D'Ay and in the Consistory of the Church of Paris on occasion of the said Monsieur Morus it censureth that Synod of La Ferte for having judged the said Monsieur Morus when he belonged not unto them nor was under their Jurisdiction and only because an Impeachment against him had been brought before them and for that they never exacted of him in order to his Induction into the Church of Paris but a simple License of departure from the Curators of the Illustrious School of Amsterdam without making mention of his Testimonial from the Church And the Synod of Ay is censured for assuming to themselves a power of judging the competency or incompetency of the Synod of Tergou over which they had none Authority and that in speaking of that Synod they used very unbecoming Expressions and reflected unhandsomly upon their Judgment and confirming the Censures issued out by the said Synod of La Ferte against the Consistory of the Church of Paris it doth ordain that the Canons of our Discipline about the Election and Confirmation of Pastors shall be observed with greater exactness than hath been done in this Call given unto and Reception of Monsieur Morus by the Church of Paris And as for the Sieur Papillon the Assembly hath taken off the Censures inflicted on him by the Consistory of the Church of Paris and doth fully acquit him from it and declareth that there was no reason for denouncing any Censure against Monsieur Beauchamp And after grave and serious Counsels and Admonitions given unto Monsieur Morus about his Conversation which was not managed with that circumspection as was requisite and advice unto him to be more careful for the future that the mouth of Calumny which hath been wide and loud open against him may be stopped he was injoyned more particularly to look to it that he offended no Man by his Words or Writings and that he labour to the utmost of his Power to preserve Peace and to calm and reconcile the Spirits of Men of all Perswasions to himself and to regain their Love and Amity from whom he is departed 19. It being represented unto this Assembly that their Act made about Morus Mr.
trieth your Reins and offer your selves to be inrol'd in the number of his Menial Servants and Gospel-Ministers Our great Lord Redeemer neither loveth the World nor the things of the World The design and end of his Coelestial Empire is to make all Men new Creatures and he serves himself of the Doctrin of the Cross that thereby be may Crucifie the World in you and you unto the World Sirs your own Consciences must needs reproach you that it is an affront unto the pure Eyes of his Glory that it saddens the Spirit of his Holiness that it must needs irritate his indignation when the Sons of the Prophets shall present themselves before him in the garb and habit of the World stuffed up and big-swoln with Vanities Pride and Indecencies and attended with its wonted Excuses Artifices and Deportments The Mysteries which our most blessed Saviour delivers unto his Servants that they may dispense them unto his People retain nothing of Earth savour nothing of this lower World they are all Divine and Heavenly And you cannot but acknowledge that it would be a darkning of their Lustre a Profanation of their Glory to manage them with impure Hands to vend and expose them in a strange Language and to search rather from the Wisdom of the World a Buttress to support their Authority than from the Eternal Verities of God's Wisdom and from the Lights of the Sacred Scriptures If none but the Spirit of God can reveal and manifest unto us the things which are given us of God is it possible we should make any considerable Progress and Proficiency in this Holy Study when we shall intend and prosecute it with the Spirit of the World and with Hearts filled and prepossessed with its Vanities To be short Sirs you be destinated unto an Employment in which there be no Advancements made but by Prayer and Prayers are never heard nor answered by God farther than they be sincere and they be not in the least sincere where the Hearts are not guided and purified by the Truth of God's Holy Word and Spirit who dictateth our Prayers and quickens and sanctifieth our Affections Do you imagin Sirs that God will give you his Holy Spirit without whom you are nothing and can do nothing unless you ask him of God And are you then qualified and fitted for Prayer a most holy Duty whenas your Spirit is stuffed up occupied and distracted with your Youthful Lusts and replenished with the provoking Objects of your Vanity Or can you bring unto this Sacred Ordinance to this most Religious Exercise that Attention Assiduity and Perseverance which is needful to the getting of gracious Answers and Returns from Heaven when as the better and far greater part and portion of our Time is wasted and consumed in worldly Companies and Conversations Certainly Sirs you will find it exceeding difficult to disintangle your selves from those Impressions you have first received and to empty your selves of the Vanities you have imbibed that you may be at Liberty to reflect and meditate upon God's Holy Word My Dear Brethren Honour and adorn that Profession whereunto you be devoted and it will reflect Beams of Honour again upon you Consider Sirs what is decent and becoming you and God will communicate what is needful for you to every one of you Let his Name and Glory be the principal Mark and Butt of your Condition and Studies and it will bring down toe choicest and chiefest Blessings of God upon you Let your Lives and Conversations be accompanied and crowned with all the Vertues and Graces of Reformed Christians with that Humility which becometh the Servants of God with that universal Modesty and Simplicity which God requireth from the Ministers of his Sanctuary in their Lives Actions Habits Language Behaviour and in your whole Course And then Sirs this your Sanctification will be most acceptable unto God and saving unto your selves it will bring your Profession into Credit and Reputation it will attract upon you the best Blessings of Heaven it will render your Studies and Employments prosperous successful edifying The Churches will be the better for you and the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus will be promoted and advanced by you In pursuance of an Order of the same Synod Messieurs Guitton and Bourdeau being at Saumur to pacifie the differences which were between some Members of that Church and Messieurs Amyraut and D'Huisseau Monsieur Guitton made this Speech Messieurs and most dear Brethren MY most honoured Colleagues together with my self were ordered by the Nationol Synod which was lately held and dissolved at Loudun to visit this Church and to assemble the Heads of its Families into this Consistory and to read unto you the Judgment of that venerable Assembly about the Differences fallen out among you and to endeavaur by the Grace of God and your Obedience your re-union which if already most happily begun between your two Pastors upon whose account you were divided and to ratifie that reconciliation of the Deputies of both Parties which you had sent unto it You shall hear their Judgment and the Act of our Commissions The Sieurs D'Huisseau Pastor accompanied with the Sieurs de Haumont Benoist and Favre did petition for themselves and on behalf of others the Heads of Families in the Church of Saumur that Monsieur d'Huisseau might be confirmed in his Ministry unto the said Church They appealed also from the Decrees of the first Synod held at Beauge in the Year 1656. and at Saumur in the Year 1657. and at Preuilly in the Year 1658. and in the second held at Beauge in this year 1659. and from the Orders of the Consistory of Saumur bearing Date the 16th and 27th Day of March 1659. And they complained of all that had been done in pursuance of those Synodical and Consistorial Decrees On the contrary part the Sieur Amyrald Pastor and Professor of Divanity in the said Church and University of Saumur together with the Sieurs Druett and Royer as well for themselves as for the other Deputies of that Consistory and of divers Heads of Families in the said Church together with the Deputies of the Province of Anjou did abet and maintain all the Acts Ordinances and Decrees of those Synods and Consistories before-named They were also heard declaring the Grounds of their Differences The Committee also who were appointed to examin and verifie the Acts of both Parties brought in their Report and at the same time Monsieur de Bois jardin Pastor of the said Church had Audience given him by the Assembly Upon the whole Debate this National Synod censured the Consistory of Saumur for that in stead of blaming the Deputies of the Assembly of the greater part of the Heads of Families held without their Order the 17th of September 1655. they did contrarywise receive them and at their instant earnest Suit had enjoyned the Sieur D'Huisseau to withdraw himself from the Service of the said Church against his Will and in contempt of