The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The Anſwer of Monſieur Daille the Moderator of the Synod, unto the Speech of the Lord Commiſſioner.
AS ſoon as my Lord Commiſſioner had ended his Speech, Monſieur Daille, who was Moderator of the Synod, made this Anſwer following, in the Name of the whole Aſſembly unto his Lordſhip.
My Lord,
THE long interruption of theſe Holy Aſſemblies, have made us but too ſenſible of their ſingular uſefulneſs, and how needful they be unto our Churches. And this hath augmented our Joys, to ſee that God hath at laſt touched the Heart of his Majeſty our Sovereign Lord with that goodneſs, as to grant us this preſent Synod. And without doubt, My Lord, you obſerved Yeſterday upon Reading the Letters of Commiſſion from the reſpective Provincial Synods, how deeply they were affected with the Mercy, for they could not refrain the Expreſſions of their Senſe and Reſentment of it even in their Diſpatches. We therefore having received this ſingular favour from his Majeſty, do own and acknowledge it to be a mere and pure Act of his Grace and Clemency, and take it as a Pledge and Earneſt of his Majeſties Good Will unto us, and ſincere purpoſes of keeping inviolate his Edicts. Unto this his Majeſty hath added another and more eſpecial favour, in pitching upon your Lordſhip to repreſent his Perſon in this Aſſembly, even you, my Lord, who for Piety and Integrity, for Faith and Vertue, are renowned not only in our Churches, but in the World it ſelf. In ſo much that the worſt and greateſt Adverſaries of our Religion being won with the luſter of that Juſtice and Uprightneſs which have ever ſhined forth in your Adminiſtration of that high Dignity and Office poſſeſſed by you theſe many Years in the firſt and chiefeſt Parliament of France, do deſire and continually demand, that your Lordſhip may be their Judge and Reporter of their Cauſes, and do account themſelves happy in caſe they can obtain it.
Certainly, my Lord, his Majeſty could never have made a more advantagious Choice for us; and we render your Lordſhips our moſt humble Thanks, that overlooking your great Age, your many and weighty Affairs, the tedious incommodities of Travel, and of the Seaſon of the Year, your Lordſhip hath accepted of this Commiſſion, and cloſed with this opportunity, which the good Providence of God hath put into your Hands for the Service of his Majeſty, and for doing all good Offices to our poor Churches, which God knoweth have great need of ſo Faſt and Faithful a Friend as your Lordſhip near his Majeſty. We need you, my Lord, and we intreat your Lordſhip, that you would be pleaſed to teſtifie it with all Efficacy imaginable unto his Majeſty, and to his Miniſters, the Innocency, the Simplicity of our Conduct, that the Jealouſies which our Ill-Wiſhers do ſuggeſt unto him againſt theſe our Aſſemblies may be abated and removed. Our National Synods are in no wiſe prejudicial to his Majeſties Service; yea, the very contrary is true, for their firſt and principal uſe is to confirm us the more ſtedfaſtly in our Religion, the Firſt and moſt Illuſtrious Article whereof you know my Lord, (for you have been educated in it from your Infancy,) is the belief of the Sovereign Authority of Kings over all Perſons whatſoever, without Exception, in their Dominions, and of that indiſpenſable Obligation lying upon all their Subjects, to yield them in all things all Honour, Service and Obedience, (not only out of Fear but for Conſcience ſake,) and ſuch an intire and profound Submiſſion, that their reſpects are extended and performed unto all Officers acting by and under them and their Order, and in whoſe Employments and Miniſtry there ſhineth forth any Beam of Royal Authority. This Doctrin the Holy Apoſtles learnt us, to be ſubject unto Kings, and thoſe who be Commiſſionated by them. This Doctrin we received from the Primitive Chriſtians, that the King is next and under God, and that there is no middle power intervening between God's and hi…; and after that Service we owe unto our God, there is none more Sacred or inviolable than his. In the very firſt Seſſions of this Synod, your Lordſhip ſhall ſee every one of us ſubſcribe this Holy Creed, juſt as we have expounded it in our common and publick Confeſſion, and we truſt that God will ſo enable us by his Grace, that we ſhall more and more juſtifie the Confeſſion we now make of it, by a moſt conſtant and inviolable Fidelity in his Majeſties Service. And in the mean while, we ſhall offer up our moſt ardent Prayers unto our God for the Health of his Majeſty's moſt Sacred Perſon, for the Proſperity of his Family, for the happy Succeſs of his Deſigns, and for the Peace and Glory of the Kingdom. But, my Lord, foraſmuch as by the Orders of your Commiſſion, your Lordſhip hath preſented to us divers points, and of very great importance, we beſeech your Lordſhip to give way unto this Aſſembly, to conſider of them diſtinctly, that our Anſwers may be returned with that Humility and Reverence which is owing by us unto the Will and Pleaſure of his Majeſty our Dread Sovereign.
And afterwards the Deputies did by the Mouth of their ſaid Moderator add as followeth.
My Lord,
WE do acknowledge in the Firſt place, that it was a moſt ſignal effect of his Majeſty's Goodneſs, that when the Office of General Deputy became void by the Death of the Lord Marqueſs of Ar…illiers, that his Majeſty was pleaſed to fill it up with the Perſon of my Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny, a Noble-man endowed with all Qualities requiſite for it, and who will undoubtedly diſcharge it faithfully. And if our Churches had choſen for themſelves as was accuſtomed, they could never have made an Election more advantagious. And we alſo have cauſe enough to be thankful unto his Majeſty, for granting us the Liberty of Deliberating about his Confirmation in this Office, without impoſing on us in this juncture any Force or Neceſſity. And for as much as our Churches are intirely ſatisfied with the care and pains which the ſaid Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny hath taken in our Affairs, and that they believe he will always continue to acquit himſelf moſt worthily in this Imployment; and becauſe his Majeſty hath given us to underſtand, that it would be very pleaſing to him that he ſhould be Confirmed; this Aſſembly not knowing how or where to make a better Choice, do continue him in this Office, and reſign into his own Hands the Writ by which he was Eſtabliſh'd, and after that Solemn Proteſtation which he hath made unto this Aſſembly of diſcharging his Deputation with all poſſible care and faithfulneſs, we gave him his Priviledge of Sitting, and his deliberative and deciſive Votes among us, as all General Deputies his Predeceſſors have had, according to his Majeſty's deſire: And the Act hereof ſhall be inſerted afterward into the Body of the Acts of this Synod.
As for the reſt, This Aſſembly being purely Eccleſiaſtical, we know very well that none other matters, but ſuch as are Eccleſiaſtical, and which concern the Religion and Diſcipline of our Churches, ought to be treated in it, and we are abſolutely reſolved, that we will not in any wiſe ſwerve or depart from the Rules of our Duty and Callings; nor will we ſuffer any other Aſſembly whatſoever to be held, wherein any of our affairs ſhall be debated, or any Election made of Deputies: And we believe that there is not ſo much as One Man among us, who is one of our Members, that hath the leaſt inclination thereunto.
And as for the Proclaiming of General Faſts by the Provincial Synods, it being expreſly Ordained by our Canons, that the Province whoſe right it is to call the National Synod, may publiſh a General Faſt, if there be a neceſſity for it, and the King having permitted us the Exerciſe of our Diſcipline, and the putting of our Canons in Execution: This Aſſembly hopeth that his Majeſty's Equity and Goodneſs will not deprive us of the Power and Liberty to reduce them into act and practice. And the rather, becauſe our extraordinary humbling of our ſelves before God, is not deſign'd only for this end, that we may obtain from his Sovereign Mercy a peculiar Bleſſing on thoſe of our Communion; but alſo we do then wreſtle with our God for the proſperity of the whole Nation, and for the Preſervation of his Majeſty's own Perſon.
And as for that Diſcreet Carriage required from our Miniſters in the Exerciſe of their Paſtoral Office in their Books and Sermons, printed or preached in Defence of our Religion, our Fathers before ever the Exerciſe of our Religion was permitted by the Edicts, and in the very midſt of Fire and Faggot, had Chriſtian Charity in that great Eſteem and Commendation, that they by a moſt plain and Expreſs Article of our Diſcipline, did prohibit the Uſage of any injurious reproachful Terms, which might in the leaſt exaſperate Men's Spirits; ſo that the Times in which we now live being more calm and peaceable through the Grace of God, and the Goodneſs of our King, his Majeſty may be fully aſſured, that on this Account he ſhall always find us yielding a moſt perfect Obedience, a moſt exemplary Moderation.
And it were to be wiſhed that the Preachers in the Romiſh Communion were as circumſpect; then ſhould we not be ſo much torn in pieces as we are continually by them both in Print and Pulpit.
But as for thoſe Words Antichriſt in our Liturgy, and Idolatry, and Deceits of Satan, which are found in our Confeſſion, they be Words declaring the Grounds and Reaſons of our Separation from the Romiſh Church, and Doctrins which our Fathers maintained in the worſt of Times, and which we are fully reſolved as they, through the Aids of Divine Grace, never to abandon, but to keep faithfully and inviolably to the laſt Gaſp.
Whilſt his Majeſty's Predeceſſors were pleaſed to permit our Churches the choice of Foreigners for their Paſtors, we made uſe of that Priviledge, and none of our Synods either Provincial or National ever knew one of them to deport himſelf otherwiſe than a Native of this Kingdom, all of them when inveſted with the Miniſtry in our Churches, have lived, and acted, and preached as natural born French-men: But ſince that Interdiction made us by the late King of Glorious and Immortal Memory, we never received any, but have utterly forborn it; and we have moſt humbly petitioned his Majeſty now reigning, that he would be pleaſed to put a diſtinction between thoſe who are wholly Strangers, and others who, tho the Sons of Strangers, are yet born in the Kingdom, and are under the Protection and Government of his Crown, and whom our Parliaments, in all Queſtions about Inheritances and Succeſſions to them, and other Priviledges of this Nature, have equalized with all other his Majeſties Subjects. And although ſome of them have been Educated in Commonwealths, yet their Religion learns them to ſubject themſelves with all Reverence to the Superior Powers under all Forms of Government whatſoever, and that Protection which they have from this Kingdom doth incline their Affections upon Principles of Gratitude and Intereſt unto a Monarchical Government. And in caſe his Majeſty ſhould be pleaſed to allow them the Exerciſe of their Miniſtry among us in this Kingdom, as we moſt humbly petition his Majeſty ſo to do, he would have full, and clear, and ſufficient Proof of their Loyalty in his Service.
As for Letters, which may be ſent by Strangers unto this Aſſembly, although there is none of our Religion in any Nation that doth ſollicit us unto Actions contrary to our Duty; and in caſe they ſhould go about to do it, all and every Individual Member of this Aſſembly at the firſt ſight of ſuch a Letter, would reject the Motion with Horror and Execration: And we cannot but acknowledge that in ſome reſpects, as for publick Orders ſake, the Lords Commiſſioners deputed to us, and ſet over us by his Majeſty, are to receive and diſpoſe of them according to his Majeſty's Will▪ But yet as to matters concerning our Religion, we hope that his Majeſty will ſuffer us to hold Communion and Correſpondence with our Brethren. For other Letters coming from his Majeſty's Subjects to this Aſſembly, and relating to Eccleſiaſtical matters, wherein they be concerned, his Majeſty having graciouſly permitted us to debate of theſe very matters, we doubt not in the leaſt but that he will allow us to receive thoſe Letters and Memoirs, which contain their Informations and Inſtructions to us.
In ſhort, our whole Religion being grounded upon the Word of God, and this Word teaching us to fear God, and honour the King, we never perform any Act of Religious Worſhip to that Great God who created us, in which we do not offer up a Prayer with our moſt ardent Vows for the Supreme Power here on Earth, and particularly for all that are in Authority over us, and upon all occaſions that occur unto us, we do leave Impreſſions hereof upon the Souls of the Faithful, who are Members of our Churches, in our Sermons. And we are well aſſured that before the breaking up of this Synod, your Lordſhip, my Lord Commiſſioner, ſhall ſee not in one ſingle Exhortation only, but in many, thoſe inviolable Inclinations we have unto the Weal and Happineſs of the Government, and that Obedience which we are all unanimouſly reſolved to render unto the Will and Laws of our Prince, when as they be not contrary to that of the Law of God, who is the King of Kings.
And as his Majeſty hath hitherto been pleaſed to favour us with our Liberty of ſerving God according to that Light we have received, and in the Purity of the Goſpel; and whereas my Lord Commiſſioner hath now declared to us his Majeſty's good Pleaſure to uphold us favourably in this Liberty under the Protection of his Edicts, and to exert that Authority, which God hath put into his Hands, to ſecure us from their Attempts, who would deprive us of it; and as we have no ground nor cauſe to complain of Oppreſſion and Perſecution; ſo alſo we ſhall not make uſe of any ſuch Terms as are expreſſive of them, and we ſhall upon all Occaſions give clear and ample Evidence of that reſpect we bear unto our Sovereign, and we ſhall take a moſt eſpecial care for keeping the Publick Peace, of which our Actions, Words and Writings (and theſe Laſt ſhall never be publiſhed, but according as we are allowed by the Edicts, and regulated by the Canons of our Diſcipline, and by the Decrees of our National Synods) ſhall, by the Grace of God, be moſt valid and authentick Sureties for us as they have been in times paſt, ſo for the future. And as we ſhall never render our ſelves unworthy of his Majeſty's favour, ſo we hope that he will continue to extend unto us the Honour of his Love and good Will, and that he will ordain all Governors of his Provinces, Places and Fortreſſes, and all Officers in Parliament, and all other Courts of Judicature, where Juſtice is adminiſtred, to ſee that his Edicts be carefully executed, that ſo there being no violation of them on their parts, we alſo on ours may never have any occaſion for the future of complaining to his Majeſty, who next and after God is our only Sanctuary, to whom we may betake our ſelves for Refuge againſt all Injuſtices and Oppreſſions.
And as for what is paſt, there being very many Places in this Kingdom where the good Intentions of his Majeſty have not been followed, and where thoſe of our Religion have been diſturbed in the Exerciſes of it, and have ſuffered very great Violences in their Families, in their Children, in their own Perſons, and in their Eſtates in ſundry and divers ways, contrary to what is granted us by the Edict: And the inferiour Judges have been ſo far from doing us right, that even they have been the very Perſons who have encouraged the Animoſity of many others againſt us: Our King being the Image and Vicegerent of God, and who will undoubtedly endeavour to reſemble him, as in the Independency of his Power, and Glory of his Majeſty, ſo alſo in his Juſtice and Clemency. He therefore cannot but approve, that afflicted perſons do make their Addreſſes to Heaven to be ſupported under their Sufferings, and comforted in their Afflictions, ſo we alſo ſhould have recourſe unto his Royal Throne for Support under our Burthens, and Redreſs of our Grievances, and the Conſervation of our Invaded Liberties and Properties.
And whereas his Lordſhip, my Lord Commiſſioner, was pleaſed to ſay, That his Majeſty hath greater reaſon to complain by far of his Subjects of the Reformed Religion for their Infractions and Transgreſſions of the Edict, as if they had either in Languedoc, or any where elſe, attempted to reſtore the Preaching of Gods Word by overt Actions, by mere Force and Violence, contrary to the publick Peace, and the General Laws of the Kingdom; we profeſs, that the hearing of this Relation was a moſt ſenſible Grief and Sorrow to us. We do not complain in the leaſt of your Lordſhip, my Lord Commiſſioner; for you did but follow thoſe very Orders and Inſtructions which were given you. We receive with all poſſible reſpect and humility whatever comes from his Majeſty, becauſe we reverence his Authority, and becauſe we have many Pledges and Tokens of his Kindneſs and Love unto us. But we are exceedingly grieved and concerned, that thoſe who are near his Majeſty do us very ill Offices, and ſlander us unto him, repreſenting our Actions in very odious colours; ſo that in ſtead of informing him, that the Exerciſe of our Religion hath been violently aboliſh'd and removed from very many places, where it was permitted by the Edicts, and that our Temples have been demoliſhed by main Force, and in an Hoſtile manner, they have diſperſed wicked falſe Stories of us at Court, as if we had ſome new and unlawful Enterprizes and Deſigns in our Heads. Beſides, we have another thing of very hard digeſtion, that whereas the Canons of our Diſcipline do expreſly forbid thoſe of our Communion to ſend their Children unto Jeſuits, and to other profeſſed and avowed Enemies of our Religion, becauſe that through their fiery and inconſiderate Zeal for their own, they turn every Stone, and uſe all ſort of means to prevent them from that Duty they owe unto God, and to their Parents, yea, and to his Majeſty himſelf; and we being allowed the Exerciſe of our Diſcipline as well as of our Religion, why ſhould we be counted blame-worthy for our care in the Religious Education of our Children, and for our juſt Severity in cenſuring their ſinful negligent Parents?
And whereas ſome of ours are accuſed for reproaching, and other injurious Carriage towards ſuch Perſons, as have quitted our Communion for that of the Church of Rome; we are ſo far from approving of thoſe Actions towards them, that 'tis well known we require all our Members to pray for them, and to labour by all pious means to reduce them into the good way of Eternal Salvation. But we profeſs our utter Ignorance of any ſuch Abuſes offered unto our Revolters: And in ſtead hereof, this we know, that there be open Violences done unto thoſe godly Perſons, who do forſake the Communion of the Romiſh Church, and joyn themſelves unto ours. And we hope that his Majeſty will not be offended, if we produce Inſtances and Proofs hereof, in that Bill of Grievances we intend to preſent unto him.
And as for the Poor's Monies, which they ſuggeſt unto his Majeſty to have been diverted from thoſe uſes, whereunto they were deſtinated; We moſt humbly beſeech my Lord Commiſſioner to do us that Favour, as to acquaint his Majeſty, that we take ſo great care of our Poor, that rather than they ſhould want things needful for them, and wander up and down the Streets, and make a Trade of begging, our Miniſters are of that generous Spirit, they would firſt ſuffer their own Wages to be defalked, and that Abatements ſhould be made of their ſlender Stipends. So that his Majeſty, in ſtead of being diſpleaſed at our Conduct, and the pretended Infractions on our part of his Edicts, being better and more truly informed by your Lordſhip, my Lord Commiſſioner, and by my Lord General Deputy, his Protection will be continued to us, and that he will be pleaſed to ſhrowd us from thoſe Violences done us by thoſe, who delight in breaking of thoſe Edicts, and Spoiling us of thoſe Priviledges, which were granted us by his Majeſty's Predeceſſors.
We do acknowledge that our National Synods cannot be held without a great deal of Labour and Expence; but their meeting from time to time being abſolutely neceſſary for us, we undergo the Travail and Burden with a great deal of chearfulneſs. And his Majeſty having hitherto enabled us by his Bounty to bear in ſome meaſure the charge of it, we cannot but promiſe our ſelves, from his Royal Goodneſs, the continuance thereof, and that he will not deprive us of his Liberality, when as we ſhall be obliged to come from all parts of the Kingdom unto theſe General Aſſemblies. And could thoſe Affairs, which are brought unto theſe Synods, be terminated any where elſe, we would moſt willingly ſpare our ſelves the pains and trouble of travelling from one end of France unto another, and to ſit down about other Mens buſineſs for ſome Weeks, at ſo great a diſtance from our own Habitations and Families, as the moſt of us do. But it being abſolutely impoſſible that our Religion ſhould ſubſiſt without theſe Aſſemblies, and there having been a very long Interval of Years elapſed ſince the laſt held at Charenton unto this preſent, we having found by ſad Experience, that Delays and Time do multiply Affairs, and cauſe them to be diſpatched with the more and greater difficulty, we perſwade our ſelves, and ground our Perſwaſions and Confidence upon that unparallel'd Goodneſs of our Sovereign, that it will be acceptable to him, that my Lord our Deputy General ſhould demand and preſs his Majeſty to ſuffer it to be called, when as the Neceſſities of our Churches do require it, for the compoſing of our Affairs, according to the Canons of our Diſcipline, and as hath been cuſtomarily practiſed every three Years. And as for that Expedient of ending matters in our Provincial Synods, there is ſo great a quantity of Affairs of another Nature, that without a total Subverſion of our Diſcipline, they can never be determined but in our Triennial National Synods.
And whereas his Lordſhip, my Lord Commiſſioner, was pleaſed to touch at our holding Correſpondency with Foreigners, over and beſides what hath been ſaid, and is recorded in the Acts of former National Synods. In anſwer to this, there be yet ſeveral Perſons now preſent, who can very well remember, that the Kings, his Majeſty's Predeceſſors, did permit our Churches to hold up a Correſpondence with our Neighbours in matters concerning our Religion and Diſcipline; yea, and as occaſions offered, that we ſhould ſend our Deputies to them. And however the People of Geneva, Switzerland, Germany, and of other Countries, do live under a Form of Civil Government quite different from ours; yet becauſe thoſe Nations be Friends, and in League with France; and principally becauſe our Religion is animated univerſally by the ſame Spirit, and that it inſpireth all its Profeſſors with an inviolable Reſpect and Obedience for the Higher Powers, of what kind or nature ſoever they be, in any State, the Kings, his Majeſty's Predeceſſors, had never any reaſon to complain, that this Correſpondency was in any wiſe prejudicial to their Authority. So that if it ſhould pleaſe his Majeſty, our Sovereign Lord to give us once again the ſame Liberty, he might be fully aſſured as ever of our inviolable Fidelity.
And as for our Students, when as ever it ſhall pleaſe his Majeſty, as we moſt Humbly requeſt him ſo to do, to give them Licenſe of Viſiting Foreign Univerſities, there ſhall be no cauſe to fear that their good Inclinations ſhould be corrupted, or that they ſhould return Home diſaffected to the Perſon and Government of their Prince.
And as for Letters or Writings from Foreign Parts, we ſhall not receive nor peruſe any of them, unleſs his Majeſty's Commiſſioner do approve of it.
There is yet one Word more to be ſpoken about the duration of this Synod, which my Lord Commiſſioner ſaith muſt be very ſhort, becauſe it is his Majeſties Pleaſure it ſhould be ſo. To which we reply with all imaginable Duty and Reverence unto his Lordſhip, that the length of theſe Aſſemblies doth depend upon the multitude of Buſineſs, which cannot be diſpatch'd in a trice, but require time for ſo doing. It is now Fifteen Years ſince we had a National Synod, ſo that 'tis an eaſie matter to judge, that as Buſineſſes are multiplied extraordinarily, ſo are their Difficulties together with them. And as it lay not in our Power to prevent their out-breaking at firſt, ſo now is it not in our power ſo to ſhorten the time of the Seſſions of this Synod as we would, but it muſt of neceſſity exceed the ordinary term of former National Synods; for otherwiſe we muſt leave many Affairs undecided, or elſe their Deciſion muſt be precipitated. But in caſe his Majeſty had not declared his Pleaſure to us herein, yet it is the general Intereſt of our Churches, and of every one of us in particular, to haſten as much as poſſibly we can our return to our reſpective ſtations; and therefore conſequently, we ſhall avoid all Delays and Protractings of Buſineſſes, which if unneceſſary, cannot but be very prejudical to us. But whereas over and beſides this Conſideration, his Majeſty hath been pleaſed to notifie his Intentions to us, we do moſt humbly beſeech your Lordſhip, my Lord Commiſſioner, to believe, that we will not loſe one Moments time, but ſhall intend our Synodical Affairs with all aſſiduity and diligence imaginable. But our principal Requeſt unto your Lordſhip is, that your Lordſhip would be pleaſed to aſſure his Majeſty, that as we be Natural born French-men, ſo have we the Intereſts and Glory of France lying at our Hearts; and as we are Chriſtians, ſo we know our ſelves inviolably obliged to the Obſervation of that Apoſtolical Precept, To Fear God, and Honour the King. We have already ſaid it, and we do once again repeat it, that as by the Grace of God we do make profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and of a purer Reformed Religion, ſo alſo do we hope that God will enable us by his Grace to excel all other his Majeſties Subjects in a moſt perfect Loyalty and Obedience. To which, let me but add one word more, that as we have formerly beſieged Heaven with the importunate battery of our Vows and Prayers for his Majeſty who now reigneth over us; and as we upon God's gracious Anſwering of us, did render to his Divine Majeſty moſt ſolemn and abundant Praiſes and Thankſgivings, ſo alſo ſhall we continue as long as we live to beg of the King of Kings, that he would be pleaſed to preſerve our King, and that to the many Victories with which he hath favour'd his Arms, he would ſuperadd this 'vantage-Mercy, to give him to eſtabliſh his Kingdom in a long and profound Peace, to bleſs his intended Marriage, and that he may ſee the happy Fruits and Pledges thereof: And having Reigned many long Years in all Proſperity and Felicity, he may tranſmit the Scepter received from his Fathers unto the Iſſue of his own Body, who may weild it in all Righteouſneſs, as long as the Sun and Moon endure.