The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 18 (3rd Rochelle) · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Obſervations on reading the Confeſſion of Faith.
1. ON the tenth Article, in which it's ſaid, that the whole off-ſpring of Adam are infected with Original Sin, The Paſtors of Lauzanna by their Letters requeſt that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt may be excepted. But it was not found needful to accord it to them, becauſe that it's expreſly mentioned in another Article of the ſame Confeſſion, and for that in this place it is to be underſtood of other perſons; as alſo for that the Scripture expreſſeth this in plain terms.
2. Whereas the Synod of Gap had charged the Provinces to conſider in what terms the twenty fifth Article of the Confeſſion of Faith ſhould be couched, and to come prepared for it, unto the preſent Synod, and to judge whether any mention ſhould be made of the Catholick Church, ſpoken of in the Apoſtles Creed, as alſo whether it would not be expedient to add the word pure to that of true Church in the twenty ninth Article, and that all in general ſhould come ready to debate that Queſtion of the Church: The Provinces having been heard ſpeak by their Deputies, it was finally reſolved by common unanimous conſent that nothing ſhould be added to, or taken from theſe Articles, and there ſhould be no more diſcourſe had about that point of the Church.
3. It was Decreed that nothing ſhould be added unto the eighth Article of our confeſſion, which treats of Juſtification, becauſe it's couched in the very expreſs words of Scripture, and in its own common phraſe. Thoſe Explications and Amplifications deſired by ſome, may be received either from Doctors in our Univerſities or Paſtors of our Churches.
4. Whereas Doctor John Piſcator Profeſſor in the Univerſity of Herborn by his Letters of anſwer to thoſe ſent him from the Synod of Gap, doth give us an account of his Doctrine in the point of Juſtification,Concerning Man's Juſtification in the Opinion of Piſcator. as that it's only wrought out by Chriſt's Death and Paſſion, and not by his Life and Active Obedience: This Synod in no wiſe approving the dividing cauſes ſo nearly conjoined in this great effect of Divine Grace, and judging thoſe arguments produced by him for the defence of his cauſe weak and invalid, doth order that all the Paſtors in the reſpective Churches of this Kingdom do wholly conform themſelves in their Teaching to that form of ſound words which hath been hitherto taught among us, and is contained in the Holy Scriptures, to wit: That the whole Obedience of Chriſt both in his Life and Death is imputed to us for the full remiſſion of our Sins, and acceptance unto Eternal Life; and in ſhort that this being but one and the ſelf-ſame Obedience is our entire and perfect Juſtification. And the Synod farther ordains that anſwer ſhall be made unto the Letters of the ſaid Doctor Piſcator, propounding to him this Holy Doctrine together with its principal foundations, yet without any vain jangling, and with that devotion as becomes the ſingular modeſty expreſſed by him in his Letters to us, wherein there is not the leaſt bitterneſs or provoking expreſſion, leaving it unto God, who can when he pleaſeth, reveal unto him the defects which are in the Doctrine of the ſaid Piſcator, as alſo to aſſure him that he hath exceedingly ſatisfied this Aſſembly in his Explications on that Topick of Repentance.
The ſuppreſſion of the Book of Felix Huguet on the point of Juſtification, for being written without the Warrant, tho' in the name of all our Churches, againſt Piſcator.5. Letters were ſent by Mr. Felix Huguet Miniſter of the Goſpel, together with two Copies of a Book writ by him in Latine concerning Juſtification, which ſaid book he had for ſome time paſt cauſed to be Printed at Geneva, without the knowledge of the Paſtors of that City, or the Approbation of the Paſtors of the Province of Dolphiny where he reſides. Upon report made of it by ſeveral Brethren Paſtors of Churches ordered to peruſe the ſaid Book, both as to its ſtyle and matter; The Synod judgeth the ſaid Huguet to have incurred a moſt grievous cenſure; firſt for writing in the name of the Synod in a matter of General concern without any warrant from it for ſo doing, and ſecondly for giving a publick anſwer to a Book which, was never publiſhed; and laſtly for having Printed his Book contrary to the Canons of our Church-diſcipline: And therefore it ordaineth that the ſaid Book be ſuppreſſed, and that thanks be returned to the Magiſtrates of Geneva for their preventing of its publick ſale, and to intreat them that for the future they would totally ſuppreſs it. And farther the Synod hath thought good, that in the Letter which ſhall be written unto Dr. Piſcator, he ſhall be acquainted that Huguets Book was writ without the order, knowledge and conſent of our Churches, and only attempted by him upon a private caprice of his own, without any publick Warrant or Authority for ſo doing.
Monſieur Sohnis anſwers orthodoxly, and in the name, and by order of the Churches unto Piſcator.6. Whereas Monſieur Sohnis Paſtor and Profeſſor of the Church and Univerſity of Montauban, hath at the deſire and in the name of this Aſſembly written Letters, and an Anſwer unto thoſe of Piſcator, which upon peruſal are found very orthodox: It's ordered that thanks be returned unto the ſaid Sohnius for his labour and diligence; but yet for peace and concord's ſake, it's thought good to detain them by us for a while, and Monſieur Sohnis is intreated to ſuſpend the publication of his Treatiſe about Juſtification for ſome ſhort time, till we ſee what fruits the ſweet and gentle procedures may produce, and the next National Synod ſhall then licenſe it.
7. Monſieur Regnault Paſtor of the Church of Bourdeaux, having ſent us the Copy of Letters written to him by the moſt Illuſtrious Lord John, Earl of Naſſau, in which he expreſſeth his deſire of maintaining the Peace and Union of the Church, and particularly promiſeth to hinder the out-breaking of Piſcator's Notions, provided he be not provoked elſewhere by any others. This Aſſembly ordaineth,John Earl of Naſſau his Letters unto Monſieur Regnault. that Lettes ſhall in its name be written unto the ſaid moſt Noble Lord, thanking him for his pious affection, and humbly intreating that Prince to continue his endeavours for effecting of that much-deſired Union, and to take care that none of his Subjects do break out into bitter expreſſions, and to aſſure him on the behalf of our Churches in this Kingdom, that no perſon ſhall be ſuffered to exaſperate Dr. Piſcator by any publick Writings; as alſo that if any one hath heretofore done it, he had no Commiſſion for ſo doing from us, and it was diſowned by this Synod, and that we ſhall take ſpecial care to prevent it for the future.
See the firſt Synod of Rochel, G. Mat. 6. and of Montauban obſervat. upon the Confeſ. Art. 4. Th' Article concerning Antichriſt to be printed and inſerted into our Confeſſion.8. Our Printers ſhall be once again charged, according to the Decrees of the Synods of Montauban and Saumur to put the word Union, inſtead of Unity in the twenty ſixth Article of our Confeſſion. And all Paſtors, in whoſe Churches there be Printing Houſes are required to overſee the next impreſſions, that ſo it be done accordingly.
9. That Article concerning Antichriſt inſerted by the Synod of Gap into the body of our Confeſſion, and making the thirty firſt having been in its order read, weighed and examined, was approved and allowed by general conſent both as to its form and ſubſtance, for very true, and agreeing with Scripture-Propheſie, and which in theſe our days we ſee moſt clearly to be fulfilled. Whereupon it was reſolved, that it ſhould continue in its place, and that for time coming it ſhould be imprinted in all Copies, which ſhould come from the Preſs.
10. That word Superintendent in the thirty third Article ſhall abide, according as it was expounded by the Synod of Gap.
11. Whereas the Paſtors and Claſſis of Lauſanna, Morges, &c. do demonſtrate in their Letters, that it would be fit to add unto the cloſe of the thirty third Article after the word Appertaining this reſtriction, as far forth as they be grounded on the Word of God; This Aſſembly hath found it needleſs and ſuperfluous, becauſe that the foregoing words, For in Excommunication we ought to follow what our Lord hath declared to us, do ſufficiently expreſs unto us the aforeſaid Reſtriction.
12. Whereas ſome have remonſtrated that it were meet to expreſs in the thirty ſixth Article more clearly that Union which the faithful have one with another, and which is ſignified to us in the Lord's Supper; But this point having been debated, it was judged needleſs; for that the Conjunction of the head with the Members there mentioned did neceſſarily infer the mutual Union and Communion of the Members one with another.
13. The Conſiſtories of Churches in which our Printers live, are charged for time to come to have a ſpecial care that our Printers do not forget thoſe words of our Lords Inſtitution, Take, Eat, &c. And Drink, ye all, &c. according as was Decreed in the Synod of Saumur.
14. The Province of Higher Languedoc ſcrupling the word Lieutenant in the thirty ninth Article; This Aſſembly ſaw no reaſon for it, but that it might continue in it, as importing nothing contrary to what is ſignified by that word when attributed unto Magiſtrates by the Holy Scriptures, and equivalent to thoſe words which the Word of God doth beſtow upon them.
15. The Confeſſion of Faith having been read over word by word, and in every Member, Article and Clauſe of it, it was unanimouſly approved and ſworn to by all the Deputies preſent in the Synod, who promiſed and proteſted to live and die in this Faith, and particularly in what had been determined according to the Scriptures, That we be juſtified before God by the imputation of that obedience of our Lord Jeſus, which he yielded unto God his Father in his Life and Death. Which ſaid Proteſtation the Deputies of the Provinces will by the Authority of this Synod cauſe alſo to be taken by all the Paſtors of their reſpective Provinces, which had ſent them.