The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, Introduction 2 · Section 38
SECT. XXXVIII.
But amongſt all thoſe illuſions there be five or ſix which are moſt remarkable. The firſt was that at the very time when the Court iſſued out all thoſe Decrees, Declarations, and Edicts, which we have before recited, and which they cauſed to be put in execution with the greateſt ſeverity, yea at the very ſame time that they interdicted Church-Aſſemblies demoliſhed the Temples, deprived particular Perſons of their Offices and Employments, reduced People to Poverty and Famine, flung them into naſty Jails, loaded them with grievous Fines, baniſhed them from their Houſes and Eſtates, and in a word, had almoſt ravaged all: The Intendants, Governours, Magiſtrates, and other Officers in Paris, and generally over all the Kingdom, did very coolly and gravely give out, That the King had not the leaſt intention to touch the Edict of Nantes, but would moſt religiouſly obſerve it.
The ſecond was, that in the ſame Edict, which the King publiſhed in the year 1682. to forbid Roman Catholicks to embrace the Reformed Religion, that is to ſay at a time when they had made conſiderable progreſs in their grand work of the Proteſtants deſtruction, they cauſed a formal Clauſe to be inſerted in theſe terms, That he confirmed the Edict of Nantes, as much as it was or ſhould be needful.
The third remarkable is, That in the Circular Letters which the King wrote to the Biſhops and Intendants, obliging them to ſignify the Paſtoral Advertiſement of the Clergy to the Conſiſtories of the Reformed, He tells them in expreſs terms, That his intention was not that they ſhould do any thing againſt thoſe Grants, which had been formerly made by Edicts and Declarations in favour of thoſe of the Reformed Religion.
The fourth, That by an expreſs Declaration publiſhed about the latter end of the year 1684, the King ordained, That Miniſters ſhould not remain in the ſame Church above the ſpace of three years, nor return to the firſt within the ſpace of twelve. And that they ſhould be thus tranſlated from Church to Church, at leaſt twenty Leagues diſtant from the other. Suppoſing by a moſt evident conſequence, that his deſign was yet to permit the exerciſe of Religion to the Miniſters in the Kingdom, for at leaſt twelve years. Though at that very moment they had fully reſolv'd in Council upon the Edict of Revocation.
A fifth Remark is, a Requeſt preſented to the King by the Aſſembly of the Clergy, at the ſame time that they were drawing up an Edict to repeal and abrogate that of Nantes, and giving inſtructions unto the Attorney-General how to frame it. And in that Decree which was granted on this Requeſt of theirs, the Clergy complained of the miſ-repreſentations which Miniſters are wont to make of the Roman Church, unto which they attribute Doctrines which are none of hers, and beſeech his Majeſty to make ſome proviſion againſt it. And farther they expreſly declared, that they did not deſire the Revocation of the Edict. Whereupon his Majeſty did ſtraitly forbid all Miniſters to ſpeak either good or hurt, directly or indirectly, of the Church of Rome in their Sermons; ſuppoſing as every one may ſee, that 'twas his intention ſtill to let them continue in the exerciſe of their Miniſtry.
But were there ever ſuch illuſions known? or was there ever any greater than this which they have put into the Revocatory Edict we are now ſpeaking of? The King after having Cancelled and Diſannulled the Edict of Nantes, and all its Members, Articles, and Dependencies, after that he had for ever interdicted all publick Religious Exerciſes of the Reformed Religion, and had for ever baniſhed all the Miniſters from his Kingdom, yet notwithſtanding he doth peremptorily declare, That 'tis his will, that his other Subjects, who are not willing to change their Religion, may remain where they are in all liberty, enjoy their Eſtates, and live with the ſame freedom as formerly, without any trouble or moleſtation upon pretence of their Religion, 'till it ſhall pleaſe God to enlighten and convert them. Theſe were the amuſements and gins laid to intrap the poor Reformed, as hath ſince appeared, and is daily more and more notorious by thoſe barbarous uſages they ſuffer, of which we ſhall give ſome few inſtances by and by, leaving the larger and fuller account of them unto that Reverend and Learned Exiled Paſtor Monſieur B. who will publiſh to the World very ſhortly his laborious Martyrology of the French Churches under this preſent Reign and Perſecution.