The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 9 (St. Foy) – Half title 10

The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France · 9 (St. Foy) – Half title 10

p. 116THE Synod of St. Foy.1578 Synod IX.

SYNOD IX.

Of the Ninth National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France, held at St. Foy the Great, in Perigord, on the 21ſt. day of February, and ended the 14th. day of the ſame Month, in the Year of our Lord, 1578. being the 4th. Year of the Reign of Henry the Third King of France and of Poland.

CHAP. I.

Art. I. AFter Prayers made by the Paſtor of that Church, Maſter Peter Merlin, Miniſter of the Word of God, and Paſtor of the Church gathered in the Houſe of the Right Honourable Guy Earl of Laval, was by general Suffrages choſen Moderator, and Mr. Francois Oyſeau, Miniſter of the Church of Nantes, and Mr. William de la Jaille, Miniſter of the Church of Saujon were choſen Scribes of the Synod.

Art. II. There was preſent and voted in it the moſt Noble and Illuſtrious Lord Henry de la Tour (afterward Duke of Bouillon and Mareſchal of France) Viſcount of Turenne, Earl of Montfort, Baron, of Mountague, &c. repreſenting as Lieutenant-General, His Majeſty the King of Navarre, in the Province of Guyenne.

Art. III. There fate alſo in this Synod the Judges, Magiſtrates and Conſuls of the ſaid City of St. Foy.

CHAP. II. General MATTERS.

I. NO Province ſhall claim any Primacy or Preheminence over another.

II. The Deputies of every Province are charged to ad…iſe and preſs their reſpective Provinces, to look carefully to the Education of their Youth, and to ſee to it, that Schools of Learning be erected, and Scholaſtick Exerciſes, as Propoſitions and Declamations be performed, that ſo their Youth may be trained up and prepared for the Service of God and of his Church in the holy Miniſtery.

III. Synods and Colloquies ſhall proceed againſt ungrateful Perſons, to their Miniſters by all conſures, according to the 27th. Article of our Diſcipline, under the Title of Miniſters.

p. 117IV. Colloquies and Synods ſhall uſe their beſt and utmoſt diligence that the Tenth Article in the Chapter of Miniſters be moſt punctually obſerved, concerning Forſakers of their Miniſtery, who upon ſlight and trivial Grounds do abandon it, and their Churches.

For the Widows and Orphans of Miniſters, ſee the Synod of Vertueil, General Matters, 22.V. The Provincial Synods ſhall keep a Memorial of the Widows and Children of deceaſed Miniſters, eſpecially of thoſe who died in their Churches Service, that ſo they may be relieved, and maintenance may be given them out of the common Stock of the Churches in their reſpective Provinces, according as their neceſſities ſhall require.

VI. The Synod of Upper Languedoc ſhall ordain two or three of their Aſſembly, and ſuch as they eſteem beſt fitting for that Service, to anſwer the publick Writings of our Adverſaries, and in their Replies and Refutations they ſhall deport themſelves according to the Canons of our Diſcipline in that caſe, provided with all Gravity, Piety, Civility and Moderation.

Concerning publick and private Catechiſings.VII. Churches ſhall be admoniſhed more frequently to practice Catechiſings, and Miniſters ſhall Catechiſe by ſhort, plain and familiar Queſtions and Anſwers, accommodating themſelves to the Weakneſs and Capacity of their People, without Enlargements, or handling of common Places. And ſuch Churches as have not uſed this Ordinance of Catechiſing, are hereby exhorted to take it up. Yea, and all Miniſters ſhall be obliged to Catechiſe their ſeveral Flocks at leaſt once or twice a Year, and ſhall exhort their Youth to ſubmit themſelves unto it conſcientiouſly. And as for their Method in preaching and handling the Scriptures, the ſaid Miniſters ſhall be exhorted not to dwell long upon a Text, but to expound and treat of as many in their Miniſtery as they can, fleeing all Oſtentation and long Digreſſions, and heaping up of parallel Places and Quotations; nor ought they to propound divers Sences and Expoſitions, nor to alledge, unleſs very rarely and prudently, any paſſages of the Fathers, nor ſhall they cite prophane Authors and Stories; that ſo the Scriptures may be left in their full and ſovereign Authority.

In publick Penance the Cauſe and Sin muſt he confeſſed.VIII. There ſhall be no publick Penance done in the Church without expreſs Confeſſion of the Cauſe, and Crime committed by this publick Penitent.

They ſhall not be choſen Elders nor Deacons who have Popiſh Wives.IX. For the future none ſhall be choſen, if poſſible, into the Elderſhip or Deaconry, whoſe Wives are of a contrary Religion, according as the Apoſtle Paul hath ordained. Nevertheleſs, that the Church may not be deprived of the Service of divers godly and well-deſerving Perſons, who by reaſon of paſt ignorance have Wives of another Religion, they may for this preſent neceſſity be tolerated, provided they do their endeavour by Inſtructions and Counſels to convert their Wives, and to bring them into Communion with the Church.

X. Neither Miniſters nor Elders may give Atteſtations without an expreſs and punctual Declaration of the Places and Perſons Names, and the way which they intend to travel, who obtained theſe Certificates at their hands. And if any Atteſtations are preſented to them without theſe Circumſtances, they are required to vacate and tear them in pieces, and thoſe who granted them ſhall be cenſured in the next enſuing Colloquy or Synod.

p. 118CHAP. III. An Act for a National FAST.

IX. FOraſmuch as the Times are very Calamitous, and that our poor Churches as are daily menaced with many and ſore Tribulations, and for that Sins and Vices of all ſorts are riſen up, and growing in upon us in a very fearful manner, a general Day of Prayer and Faſting ſhall be publiſhed, that our People may humble themſelves before the Lord, and all the Churches of this Kingdom ſhall obſerve it on one and the ſelf-ſame Day, which ſhall be Tueſday the 25th. of March next following, and if it may be done, the Lord's Supper ſhall alſo be adminiſtred in all the Churches on the enſuing Sabbath.

XII. According to the 2d. Article in the Chapter of Conſiſtories and Book of Diſcipline, about Common-Prayers, The Churches ſhall be exhorted, where Morning and Evening Common-Prayers are publickly uſed, to conform themſelves unto thoſe others which have none, and where this Cuſtom was never introduced; And Miniſters ſhall adviſe all Governors of Families to Worſhip God by Morning and Evening Prayers, in and together with their reſpective Houſholds and Families.

XIII. Churches refuſing to defray the Expences of their Miniſters in going to Claſſes and Synods,Churches ſhall defray their Miniſters expences at Coll…quies and Synods. ſhall be admoniſhed of their Duty, and in caſe of non-performance, and that their Miniſters be inforced to travel to thoſe Seſſions at their own Coſts and Charges, they ſhall be deprived of their Miniſters, unleſs they remind themſelves of their Duty, and reimburſe them thoſe Sums they had ſo expended. Moreover, Colloquies ſhall reaſſume their diſuſed Exerciſe of Propoſitions on the Word of God, as they were formerly handled to their very great Profit and Edification. That ſo Miniſters may better know their Duty, and grow in the Study and Underſtanding of the Holy Scripture, and be more Methodical in their Sermons and Divinity Diſcourſes.

XIV. God-mothers ſhall be equally bound to the Religious Education of thoſe Children, for whom they be Sureties as their God-fathers. And Miniſters ſhall charge them to ſee that they conſcientiouſly fulfil their Promiſes.

XV. The Synod having been acquainted, that in divers Places during the Celebration of the Lord's Supper, Miniſters do vary in their Expreſſions, it judgeth that nothing ſhall be innovated in particular Churches, but that herein they be left unto their Liberty for the preſent, only the Provinces ſhall be advertiſed to come prepared about this Matter unto the next National Synod.

XVI. His Majeſty ſhall be Petition'd to approve of thoſe Marriages which have been celebrated among us during the laſt Civil Wars, according to the Tenor of the former Edict againſt the Laws of the Romiſh Church, in that particular Article of Conſanguinities and Affinities.

p. 119CHAP. IV. Caſes of CONSCIENCE.

A Man may n…t marry his dead Wife's Aunt.XVII. IT being Queried, Whether any one might Marry the Aunt of his deceaſed Wife. Anſwer was given, That ſuch a Marriage was altogether Inceſtuous, and in caſe any Church had permitted it, the ſaid Church deſerved Cenſure.See the Synod of Bergera…, Art. 2.

XVIII. This Caſe being propounded, A Maid was betrothed unto a Man by words de preſentl, and with the uſual requiſite Solemnities;The Reſolution of this Caſe was to be given by the Magiſtrate. but afterwards this Man happens to be condemned unto the Gallies during Life, yet by ſome how or other he eſcapeth out of them, and returning home doth demand and ſummon his betrothed Spouſe to marry him according to her Promiſe. What ſhall be done herein? The Synod doth adviſe, That becauſe Marriage is a mixt Alliance, the Parties concerned ſhall apply themſelves unto the Magiſtrate, according to whoſe Decree the Church ſhall be governed?

XIX. Although the holding Temporalities of Benefices in France be an indifferent Matter, yet the Faithful are admoniſhed to intermeddle as little as may be with ſuch Purchaſes, becauſe of their evil and dangerous Conſequences, and Conſiſtories and Colloquies ſhall uſe a great deal of Prudence in their Opinions and Actings in and about them.

Scripture-ſtories muſt be handled with modeſty by Poets.XX. Such as ſhall put into Verſe or Poems Scripture-ſtories, are admoniſhed not to blend nor mingle Poetical Fables with them, nor to aſcribe unto God the Names of falſe Gods, nor to add or diminiſh from the Sacred Scriptures, but to confine themſelves ſtrictly to the Scripture-Terms.

Modeſty in Apparel. See the Synod of Paris, Gen. Mat. Art. 33.XXI. That Article concerning the immodeſt Habits and Faſhions of Men and Women, ſhall be obſerved with the greateſt Care imaginable. And both Sexes are required to keep Modeſty in their Hair, and every thing elſe, that no Scandal may be given to our Neighbour.

See the Synod of Bergerac, Art. 9. upon reading the Diſcipline.XXII. A Miniſter may not together with his Miniſtery practice Phyſick: But yet out of Charity he may give his Advice and Aſſiſtance unto the ſick Members of his Church, and to the Neighbourhood, without diverting himſelf from his Function, nor ſhall he draw Advantage from it, unleſs in time only of Trouble and Perſecution, when as he cannot exerciſe his Miniſtery in his own Church.

XXIII. Fathers and Mothers are exhorted to be exceeding careful in Inſtructing their Children, which are the Seed and Nurſery of the Church, and they ſhall be moſt bitterly cenſured, who ſend them to the Schools of Prieſts, Jeſuits and Nuns: As alſo the Gentry ſhall be reproved, who place them Pages or Domeſticks in the Houſes of Lords and Noble-men of the contrary Religion.

XXIV. Such as commit enormous Crimes, as Inceſts, Murders, or the like, ſhall be without any more ado cut off from Communion at the Lord's Table, and their Suſpenſion ſhall be publiſhed in the Church.

XXV. If there ariſe any difference between a Church and its Miniſter, and that Church having been twice informed (which is ſuffered) of the Day and Place when the Colloquy and Synod ſhall meet, refuſeth to appear, The ſaid Colloquy or Synod may proceed farther, and determine finally about that difference, notwithſtanding the Abſence of one of the Parties.

The Union of the Church muſt not be quitted for any Perſecution.XXVI. The Churches and particular Perſons ſhall be admoniſhed never to depart from the Sacred Union of the Church, whatever Perſecutions may befal them, nor ſhall they procure for themſelves a ſeparate Peace and Liberty diſtinct from the whole Body of our Churches. And in caſe of failure p. 120…in, they ſhall be cenſured as the Colloquy or Synod ſhall judge expedient.

XXVII. Appellants from Provincial Synods unto the National ſhall be bound perſonally to appear at thoſe very National Synods,…as App…al un… Synods muſt … ther appear in Perſon or ſend their moſt …le Me…rs. or to ſend thither their moſt ample Memoirs; and in caſe of default, the Sentence of the National Synod ſhall he ratified. And this Rule ſhall hold good in all Appeals from Conſiſtories unto Colloquies, and from Colloquies unto the Provincial Synods.

XXVIII. Miniſters ſhall be bound to Aſſiſt perſonally at Colloquies and Provincial Synods,If P…ſtors do not attend on Colloquies and Provincial Synods, they may be depoſed by them. or to ſend their Memoirs and lawful Excuſes; and in caſe of diſobedience to this Order, the ſaid Colloquy or Synod may judge difinitively of their neglect, and diſpoſe of their Perſons.

CHAP. V.

XXIX. THE Province of higher Languedoc is ordered to call the next National Synod, in the beginning of May, 1579. However the ſaid Province is intreated, if the Lord be pleaſed to grant the Churches any further liberty, to have reſpect unto the Conveniences of the far diſtant Provinces. Which alſo their Deputies have promiſed ſhall be done.

XXX. The fourth Canon in the Chapter of the Lord's Supper ſhall be couched in theſe words, Beneficed Perſons who bear the Name and title of their Benefices, and do either directly or indirectly communicate with Idolatry, and receive the Revenues of their Benefices either immediately with their own hands, or mediately by the hands of others, ſhall not be admitted to communion with us at the Lord's fable. But ſuch as enjoy thoſe Benefices by his Majeſty's Gift or Toleration, and are downright Profeſſors of the true Religion, and do viſibly own and maintain it, they ſhall have the ſame priviledge with all other Members of our Churches, to ſit down with us at the Lord's Table: Only they ſhall be exhorted to apply the Revenue of their aforeſaid Benefices unto pious Ʋſes. And the Management of this Exhortation is left wholly to the Prudence of the Colloquies and Conſiſtories.

CHAP. VI.

XXXI. UPon peruſal of the Memoirs and Inſtructions produced in a late Aſſembly of many Deputies from ſundry famous Reformed Churches, Kingdoms and Provinces who met at Francfort, and were invited thither by the moſt Serene and Illuſtrious Prince Elector John Caſimir, Prince Palatine and Duke of Bavaria) in which were laid down ſeveral Means, Expedients, and moſt proper and effectual Remedies for uniting all the Reformed Churches of Chriſtendom in one common bond of Union, as alſo for ſuppreſſing and terminating the Differences which are riſen up and fomented by their common Adverſaries, among them, and for hindring ſome hot-headed and bigotted Divines from condemning, and as they had menaced and proteſted they would condemn and pronounce an Anathema againſt the greateſt, and ſoundeſt part by far of the Chriſtian Reformed Churches. Now that ſuch imprudent and wicked Deſigns might be obviated and prevented, they did after mature Advice and Conſultation had among themſelves, unanimouſly reſolve and agree to draw up a Petition unto their moſt Illuſtrious Highneſſes, the Princes of the Empire, who adhering to the Confeſſion p. 121of Ausbourg; Moreover, they had given an expreſs charge, that one uniform Confeſſion of Faith ſhould be framed, which was to be taken and accounted as the general and common Confeſſion of all Proteſtants, and to ſend ſeveral Copies of it unto all thoſe Kingdoms and Provinces, in which thoſe Churches were gathered, to be examined and approved by them, and to be crowned with their joynt, common and unanimous Conſent, and Approbation. And they had alſo agreed upon the time when, and place where the Deputies of thoſe Kingdoms and Provinces might be convocated, and particularly they had invited the Churches of this Kingdom to ſend thither ſome prudent Perſons of great Experience, well approved for their Piety and and Integrity, and impowered by all the Churches with ample Authority to treat, agree, and decide all Points of Doctrine, and other Matters concerning the Union, Peace, and Conſervation of the Churches, and of the pure Worſhip of God.

This preſent National Synod of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, bleſſing God for ſo good a Motion, for ſuch an excellent Propoſal, and applauding the Care, Diligence, and good Counſel of thoſe worthy Deputies in the fore-mentioned Aſſemblies and approving the Remedies and Expedients propounded and preſcribed by them, doth now ordain, that if the Copy. of the ſaid Confeſſion be ſent timely enough unto us, it ſhall be examined in each of our Provincial Synods, or in ſome other place and manner as will beſt conſiſt with the Conveniences of our reſpective Provinces, and in the mean while four Miniſters moſt verſt in all Eccleſiaſtical Affairs are conſtituted a Committee to intend this buſineſs, to-wit, Mr. Anthony de Chandieu, Mr. John de Eſtre, Miniſters of the Word of God in the Church of Paris, and Mr. Peter Merlin, Miniſter of the Church of Vitre in Britain, and Monſieur Gabert, late Miniſter of the French Church at Francfort, and they be expreſly charged and commanded to meet at the day and place appointed with their Letters of Deputation, and with a moſt full and ample Commiſſion from all the Miniſters and Elders deputed by the Provinces of this Kingdom, and there will accompany them the moſt illuſtrious Lord Viſcount of Turenne, that ſo they may do all Matters as were above deſigned.

But in caſe the Provinces ſhould neither have opportunity, nor conveniency to examine the ſaid Confeſſion in their reſpective Synods, 'tis leſt unto their Prudence and ſoundeſt Judgment to agree and come to a concluſion about all thoſe Matters which ſhall be debated by them, whether they be Points of Doctrine, or any other Articles relating to the Peace, Union, Weal and Happineſs of all the Churches.

XXXII. Theſe ſame Commiſſioners deputed (as in the immediately foregoing Article) unto the Conference in Germany, are ordered to peruſe that Treatiſe of Monſieur de Chandieu, Intituled, La Confirmation de la Diſcipline des Egliſes Francoiſes, and to prefix their manual Approbation of it, and to dedicate it with a Preface unto the Church of Chriſt, and to haſten, with as much Expedition as they can, its Publication.

XXXIII. Monſieur Eſnard having according to the Commiſſion given him in the Month of June, the laſt Year, 1577. by divers Churches of this Kingdom, rendered an account of his ſaid Commiſſion unto this Aſſembly, produced and read the Acts, and made an ample Relation of what was done and tranſacted in that general Synodical Meeting at Frankford, in Germany, the laſt September, 1577. in which were gathered the Deputies of the Reformed Churches of Chriſtendom, and in which he aſſiſted alſo as a Deputy from our Churches: This Aſſembly was very well pleaſed with his whole Negotiation, accepted and approved of it, and doth now diſcharge him of his ſaid Commiſſion, and all Inſtructions, and Blanks ſigned and given him by our Churches, relating to his ſaid Commiſſion, were vacated and diſannulled, as being altogether needleſs for the future, and all Duplicates of the p. 122ſaid Commiſſions and Inſtructions, which he was bound under his own Hand and Seal to obſerve and follow, were in like manner cancelled and diſannulled; that ſo he might be intirely acquitted, freedand diſcharged, and we do alſo now diſcharge him, without ever demanding any Matter, or farther account from him for the future.

Given at St. Foy, this 13th. Day of February, 1578.

The firſt Appeals mentioned in any of their Synods.

CHAP. VII. Appeals and Particular Matters.

Art. [N. B. One Book calls this the 34th. or 36th. Article of General Matters.]

HIS Excellency the Prince of Conde appealed from the Conſiſtory of Rochel, for diſſwading him from communicating at the Lord's Table becauſe of a Prize taken at Sea by his Commiſſion after publiſhing the laſt Edict of Pacification, embraced by the ſaid Prince. Unto which his Excellency made this Anſwer, That the ſaid Prize was taken before the forty Days for divulging the ſaid Peace were expired, and it was from the ſworn Enemies of the King of Navar, and of himſelf alſo. That it being a meer Civil State-Matter, the Conſiſtory had nothing to do with it. To which the Conſiſtory replied, That the whole Church and City of Rochel were greatly Scandalized hereat, becauſe they were accounted Infractors and Violators of the publick Peace of the Kingdom, and that they were commonly taxed and reproached for ſuch Prizes as Harborers and Concealers of Pirates and piratical Goods, and that for their parts they could not foreſee any thing elſe, but that divine Vengeance would light down upon them, if they did not oppoſe ſuch unlawful Practices, proceeding from certain Perſons, who maliciouſly abuſed the Name and Authority of his Excellency the Prince. So that they could not do leſs in Duty and Conſcience (conſidering their Office in the Church) than to endeavour by all good means to extinguiſh the Fire of ſuch a blazing Scandal; and they most humbly beſeech his Excellency the Prince to take kindly this their Admonition, as done net out of any ill will or bad deſign againſt him, and that he would be pleaſed to exert hit Authority in ſuch like Matters, ſo that the Peace ſworn by him may be kept and obſerved. This Aſſembly having maturely conſidered the whole Affair, doth own, acknowledge, and approve of the Zeal and good Affection of the Church and Conſiſtory of Rochel, eſpecially in oppoſing it ſelf againſt ſcandalous Sins, and that herein they have not acted beyond the Line of their Duty, for they be ſupported and maintained in it by the holy Word of God, which ought to be the Rule of all our Actions, whereby they are either to be approved or rejected, and that denounceth a Curſe upon all thoſe, who ſhall offend but the leaſt of Men, and unto this divine Word all of us muſt yield Obedience, if we intend to have and hold communion with the Lord Jeſus. Yet notwithſtanding, this Aſſembly could have wiſhed that the ſaid Conſiſtory had ſuſpended and deferr'd their Judgment in an Affair of ſo great Importance, and had not been ſo haſty and precipitant about it, that ſo all ſuſpicion of Animoſities on either ſide might have been avoided. And as for his Excellency the Prince, this Aſſembly doth earneſtly beſeech him not to miſconſtrue thoſe Remonſtrances made p. 123him in the Name of God, which we, judge were but juſt and needful, and grounded upon the Word of God, and therefore we deſire his Excellency that he would be pleas'd to remove the occaſion of the ſaid Scandal, and take in good part the Admonitions of the Church, and that he would be reconciled to it, and he ſhall be particularly intreated ſo to do by our Brethren Meſſieurs Merlin, Bouguet, De la Tour, and St. Martin, who are charged by this Aſſembly to acquaint his Excellency with this our Requeſt unto his Excellency, and to the ſaid Conſiſtory, and that we have none other end, nor deſign in it than the perfect Union of our Members, to ſerve God in Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, not giving any offence to thoſe that are within or without; and this being done, we decree that his Excellency the ſaid Prince ſhall be received into Communion at the Lord's Table.

Given at St. Foy the Great this 14 th. Day of February, 1578. And thus Signed Francois Loiſeau, Scribe of the ſaid Synod.

II. His Grace the Duke of Rohan requeſting by Letters, that this Aſſembly would grant Monſieur de Claville, Miniſter of the Church of Loudun, to be Paſtor of the Church in his Houſe and Family, or at leaſt to ſerve it in courſe four Months every Year, and that the Sieur de la Touſche, Miniſter of St. Fulgent may take up his Reſidence at Monchamp. The Miniſters of thoſe Churches being now abſent, it was thought good to diſmiſs this Affair unto the Provincial Synods, to which thoſe Churches do appertain, that they may judge of it, that his ſaid Grace the Duke of Rohan may be gratified in his demands by thoſe Synods.

III. Monſieur De Spina, Miniſter of the Goſpel ſhall be ſent Paſtor unto the Church of Angers, only the Churches of Paris and Saumur have ſtill their Right in him reſerved to them. And in caſe that through the difficulties of the Times he ſhould not be able to ſubſiſt at Angers, the Neighbour Claſſis, or Colloquy to that City ſhall take care of his maintainance, and provide it for him, and they may alſo lend him, as they ſhall ſee good for the Glory of God.

IV. Monſieur du Lygne ſhall be lent ſix Months longer unto the Church of Agen, in which time the Province of Anjou ſhall do their Duty to redemand him, and there ſhall be a Church given him, wherein to exerciſe his Miniſtery, and to make proviſion for his Subſiſtence. And in caſe the ſaid Provincial Synod ſhould not recal him within the term prefixed, he ſhall be fully ſettled in the ſaid Church of Agen.

CHAP.VIII.

V. JOhn Bonniot, or Bouquier, ſtyling himſelf Gaultier, exerciſing the Miniſtery at preſent at San Bouchard, near unto Great St. Foy, becauſe that he hath temerariouſly intruded himſelf into the Miniſtery, without any Call, for that he hath forged divers Letters, clipped his Majeſty's Coin, melted down his Clippings into baſe Silver Lingots, and vended them to ſeveral Goldſmiths in the City of Sedan, for which the Civil Magiſtrate inflicted corporal Puniſhment upon him in the ſaid City, all which he could not but acknowledge and confeſs to be true before this Aſſembly; For theſe Cauſes the ſaid Bonniot, or Bouquier is depoſed from the Sacred Miniſtery, as a Perſon uncapable, and utterly unworthy of it, and ſhall be continued on the Roll of Vagrants, and ſhall do publick Penance in the ſaid Church of San Bouchard. However becauſe of his deep Poverty, and great and numerous p. 124Family of Children, we do Licenſe him to keep School, and to inſtruct Youth, but with this Proviſo, that the Miniſters of the Places, where he ſhall live, do watch over him and his Deportments with a very ſtrict and careful Eye.

VI. An Appeal was brought by Monſieur De la Jaille, and the Church of Saujon, who complained of the Wrongs done them by the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge held at Saujon, which had adjudged him Paſtor unto the ſaid Church of Saujon, without obliging it to defray his Expences in coming to it. This Aſſembly ordereth, that the Colloquy or Synod of that Province ſhall cenſure the ſaid Church, and Monſieur Royan the Miniſter, for their pragmatical intermeddling in a Buſineſs not appertaining to them.

VII. Monſieur Boucquet ſhall write unto the Colloquy of Aunix, that Monſieur Baron may be returned unto the Church of La Guerche, in the Province of Anjon, there to exerciſe his Miniſtery, in Obedience to the Call given him.

VIII. The Synod of the Iſle of France ſhall make an exact Enquiry into the Life, Writings, and Converſation of Monſieur Gibbon, ſometime Miniſter of Deippe, that Judgment may paſs upon him accordingly.

IX. Foraſmuch as Mr. Bernard Giraud hath been divers times recalled by his Church of Marceoill, in Poictou, and by the Synod of Poictou, he ſhall be cenſured for his diſobedience to this Summons, and alſo for that he quitted his Church at firſt, and this according to the Canons of our Diſcipline: And the Colloquy of Annix ſhall in like manner be cenſured for admitting him among them without any teſtimonial Letters of Diſmiſſion. For which cauſe this Aſſembly will remove the ſaid Giraud elſewhere.

X. This Aſſembly will take ſpecial care of Monſieur Chriſtian for his Subſiſtance. But in the mean while, the Church of Poictiers ſhall be ſeverely cenſured for their default of Duty, baſeneſs and ingratitude to this Reverend Man of God, who was one of their firſt and moſt ancient Paſtors, and who laid the very Foundations of their flourſhing Church. And the ſaid Church ſhall be ſummon'd to the next Synod, and injoyned to give him full Contentment and Satisfaction, and to pay him all Arrerages owing to him for time paſt, and to relieve him now in his old Age.

XI. The Province of Anjou ſhall be obliged to provide for the Safety of Monſieur Daniel, a Miniſter of the Goſpel, who was formerly ſent unto them, and is now remanded back unto them by this preſent Aſſembly, and that Church which ſhall call him unto their Service, ſhall reimburſe him thoſe Expences he was at, during the laſt Perſecution.

XII. Monſieur Daniel ſhall exerciſe his Miniſtery in the Houſe and Court of his Excellency the Prince of Conde, but only for ſome Months in the Year; which being expired, he may be redemanded by his own Church and Province. And the Church of Bergerac ſhall likewiſe lend Monſieur de Borda their Miniſter unto the ſaid Prince for four Months more of the ſame Year; And this ſhall hold till ſuch time as ſome other courſe be taken. And Monſieur Martin ſhall be the ordinary Miniſter of his Excellency's Houſe and Family.

XIII. Monſieur de Maleſcot, who was the firſt Miniſter of the Church of Montagu, in the County of Perche, ſhall be ſummoned by the Province of Poictou, unto which he doth belong, to return unto the ſaid Province according to the Canons of our Diſcipline, however without any prejudice unto the ſaid Church of Montagu; and the ſaid Province of Poictou is ordered to receive thoſe Informations of the Province of the Iſle of France, concerning the Deportments of the ſaid Maleſcot, his Writing, and his Way, and Manner of Preaching.

XIV. The Brethren of the French Church of London, in the Kingdom of England, ſent Letters unto this Aſſembly, petitioning that Meſſieurs de Villiers, p. 125Miniſter of the Church of Rouan, and de la Fontayne, Miniſters of the Church of Orleans might be given to them for their Paſtors. Their Requeſt was granted, and theſe worthy Miniſters of the Goſpel were lent unto the ſaid Church, till ſuch time as their own diſſipated Flocks might be recollected; and then they ſhould return, and be reſtored unto their former Churches reſpectively.

XV. On ſight and peruſal of the Writings of Mr. Anthony Fregeville, of the Town Realmont, this Aſſembly judgeth them utterly unworthy of any Anſwer, becauſe they are ſtufft with Errors, Lyes and Calumnies; and farther, the Sentence paſt upon him by the Provincial Synod was ratified, and whereas he was only ſuſpended from the Lord's Table, it is now ordered, that his ſaid Suſpenſion ſhall be publickly notified unto the whole Church: And in caſe he continue to ſow and ſpread abroad his Errors and Follies either by Word or Writing, he ſhall be cut off from the Body of the Church by the Sword of Excommunication, as a notorious Diſturber of the Repoſe and Union of the Church.

XVI. Monſieur Giraud is ſent unto the Town of Mas, in Agenois, to exerciſe his Miniſtery in the Church of Calonges, which is now annexed to that of Mas according to the Letters and Requeſt of my Lady of Calonges, and of the ſaid Church of Mas, in Agenois.

CHAP. IX. The Roll of MINISTERS provided for, and diſpoſed by this preſent SYNOD.

I. MOnſieur Chriſtian is ſent unto the Town of Sancerre, in the Viſcounty of Turenne.

2. Monſieur Queſnel unto Lectoure.

3. Monſieur Chaffepied to St, Foy, yet his Church may recall him at the Years end.

4. Monſieur de la Valle at Abbeville, in Agenois.

5. Monſieur Giraud to the Town of Mas, in Agenois.

6. Monſieur Du Puy to Le Laigne, and Bas de Fon, with their Annexes.

7. Monſieur Aniſſe to St. Aulaye.

¶ This preſent National Synod was finiſhed the fourteenth Day of February, in the Year of our Lord, 1578. Thus Signed in the Original,

Peter Merlin, Moderator.

Francis L'Oyſeau, Scribe.

William de la Jaille, Scribe.

Mr. Merlin the Moderator of this Synod, was Miniſter in the Family of that famous Nobleman the Lord De Coligni, High Admiral of France, who miraculouſly eſcaped with his Life in that horrible Maſſacre at Paris, on St. Bartholomew's Day, 1572. He leapt out of a Window, and hid himſelf in an Haylofft, where an Hen came and lay an Egg by him three days ſucceſſively, with which he was ſuſtained, till the Lord opened a Door for him to get out of this bloody City. He was afterward Miniſter of the Church of Vitre. He was dim-ſighted, a very pious and prudent Man. He hath commented upon Job and Eſther in Latine. He was a very dear Friend of Mr. Snape and Mr. Cartwright, two Eminent Engliſh N. C. Miniſters, and who read his Expoſition on Job, and made ſome Animadverſions on it, in the Iſle of Jerſey. He preſided alſo in the National Synod of Vitre, 1583.

THE ACTS, DECISIONS, and DECREES OF THE X. National Synod OF THE Reformed Churches of Chriſt, IN The KINGDOM of FRANCE, HELD At FIGEAC, the Second Day of August, 1579.