The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 20 (Privas) · Chapter 1 – Chapter 4
CHAP. I. Of the Deputies to the Synod.
There appeared as Deputies,
FOR the Province of Vivaretz, Maſter John de la Faye, Vivaretz.Paſtor of the Church of Aubenas, Mr. Michael le Faucheur, Paſtor of the Church of Annonay, Paul de Chambaud, Lord of St. Quintin, Elder of the Church at St. Fortunate, and Iſaac Gautier Advocate, Elder of the Church of Annonay.
For the Churches of the Principality of Bearn, Mr. John d'Abadie, Bearn.Paſtor of the Church of Nay, and Mr. Raymond Thoulouze, Paſtor of the Church of St. Gladie, and the Lord David de Braſſalay, Elder of the Church of Maſlay, and Maſter David de Saliens, Lord of Hairdultant, Advocate for the King in Navarre, Elder of the Church of Baigter, or Baiglé.
For Provence, Monſieur James de la Planche, ProvencePaſtor of the Church of Lormarin, and Mr. Peter Huron, Paſtor of the Church of Riez, Peter de Villeneufve, Lord of Eſpinouze, Elder in the Church of Riez, and John Feurandy, Elder of the Church of Manoſque.
For Dolphiny, Mr. Daniel Chamier, Paſtor of the Church of Montlimard, Dolphiny.and Mr. John Paul Perrin, Paſtor of the Church of Nions, and Mr. John Julian Advocate, Elder in the Church of Grenoble, and Francis de la Combe, Elder in the Church of St. Marcellin.
For Burgundy, Mr. David du Piotay, Paſtor of the Church of Gex, Burgundy.and Mr. Anthony le Blanc, Paſtor of the Church of Lyons, Mr. Job Bonnett Advocate, Elder in the Church of Chaalons, and Humbert Perreau Advocate, Elder in the Church of Buſſy.
For Berry, Orleans, Bleſois, Dunois and Nivernois, Berry.Mr. Stephen de Montſanglard, Paſtor of the Church of Corbigny lez St. Leonard, and Mr. Simeon Jurieu, Paſtor of the Church of Chaſtillion upon Loir, and Jerom Groſlott Lord de l'Iſle, Elder in the Church of Orleans, and Elias du Bois Lord of Seinerreves, Elder in the Church of Chaſleaudun.
Lower Languedoc.For the Lower Languedoc, Mr. Andrew de la Faye, Paſtor of the Church of St. Germain, and Mr. Peter Roſſel, Paſtor of the Church of Bedarieux, and Peter de Malmont Advocate, Elder in the Church of Niſmes, and John Breny Lord of Hommes-Sargues, Elder in the Church of Albiez.
Higher Languedoc.For the Upper Languedoc, Mr. Bernard de Sonis, Paſtor and Profeſſor of Divinity in the Univerſity of Montauban, and Mr. Hector Joly, Paſtor of the ſame Church, and Levy de Barjac, Lord of Biraul, Elder in the Church of Brueil, and James du Croix Advocate, Elder in the Church of Caſtres.
For the Lower Guyenne, Mr. Moyſes Ricotier, Paſtor of the Church of Clerac, and Mr. Moyſes Ferrand, Paſtor of the Church de la Parade, and John de Verteil, Lord of Maleret, Elder in the Church of Bourdeaux, and Stephen Maniald Advocate,Lower Guyenne. Xaintonge. Elder alſo of the ſame Church.
For the Province of Xaintonge, Aulnix, and Augoulmois, Mr. Paul Bonnet, Paſtor in the Church of Saujon, and Mr. Samuel Petit, Paſtor of the Church of Xaintes, and Samuel de Campet, Baron of Saujon, Elder in the Church of Saujon, and Elias de Glatignon Advocate, Elder in the Church of Angouleſme.
For Poictou, Poictou.Mr. Iſaac de Camille, Paſtor of the Church of Cobe, and Mr. George Tompſon, Paſtor of the Church de la Chaſtaignoraye, and Moyſes Suzannes Lord de la Foreſt Breduliere, Elder in the Church of Marevil, and Peter de Cognac Advocate, Elder in the Church of Fontenay.
For Anjou, Anjou.Tourain, le Mayne, &c. Mr. Peter Perillan, Paſtor of the Church de l'Iſle Bouchard, and Mr. John Vigner, Paſtor of the Church of Mans, and James de Laufernat, Lord of Villiers, Elder in the Church of Audenay, and Daniel Fevron Advocate, Elder in the Church of Loudun.
For Brittany, Brittany.Mr. John Parant, Lord of Preau, Paſtor of the Church of Vitré, and Mr. Bertrand d' Avignon, Lord of Souvigné Paſtor of the Church of Rennes, and Stephen le Maiſtre, Lord de la Reignelaye, Elder in the Church de la Roche-Bernard, and Gaſpard Ezille, Lord of Coign, Doctor of Phyſick, Elder in the Church of de la Mouſſay.
For Normandy, Normandy.Mr. Moyſes Cartaud, Paſtor in the Church of Dieppe, Mr. John Bonvier, Lord de la Freſnaye, Paſtor in the Church of Caen, and John de Bradefer, Lord de la Maneville, Elder in the Church of Fontaine Grougny, and Paul du Vivier, Elder in the Church of Bajeux, but abſent by reaſon of his ſickneſs; which excuſe was accepted.
The Iſle of France.For the Iſle of France, Picardy and Champagne, Mr. Peter du Moulin, Paſtor of the Church of Paris, and Mr. John Carre, Paſtor of the Church Deſpenſe, and Anthony de Cormons, Lord of Villeneufve, Elder in the Church of Sezanne, and Elias Biggott Advocate, Elder in the Church of Paris.
Deputy General.The ſecond day after the opening of this Synod, there came alſo unto it James de Jacourt, Lord of Rouvray, Deputy General for the Reformed Churches of France, reſiding with their Majeſties, who had his priviledge of Voting in this Aſſembly.
After Prayers offered up to God, the whole Aſſembly elected Mr. Daniel Chamier Moderator, and Mr. du Moulin Aſſeſſor, and the Sieurs de Monſanglard and Maniald Scribes.
CHAP. II. Orders about the Election of Moderator and Deputies. A Deputy cenſured for bringing his Election.
1. LEST in chuſing the Moderator any one ſhould give his vote who had by undue ways and crafty deſigns gotten his Deputation unto theſe National Synods, it was unanimouſly reſolved by this whole Aſſembly that the firſt thing which ſhall be done in it, before ever the Moderator be choſen, ſhall be the reading of the Letters of Commiſſion granted by the Provinces unto their Deputies to repreſent and act for them, and the Paſtors of that place in which the Synod ſhall be Aſſembled, ſhall adminiſter the Oath unto the reſpective Deputies, who ſhall ſwear by the Eternal God, that they have not themſelves in their own perſons, nor do they know that any other for them, or that any of their Colleagues hath Craftily or by any undue means and under-hand dealings procured his or their Deputations.
2. The Deputies of Lower Languedoc moved, that before we paſſed unto any other buſineſs, Inquiry might be made, whether any of the Provincial Deputies, ſince their Election, had not Committed ſuch Acts as merited Excluſion from this Aſſembly. The motion was accepted, and order Given for the Examen that the unworthy might be Cenſured.
3. The Lord of Barjac was Cenſured for not adhearing to the Reſolutions taken in the Aſſembly of Saumur by plurality of ſuffrages, Anno 1611. And for joyning himſelf unto their private Cabal, who would have made the Leſſer number carry it from the greater, contrary to the Natural Order of all Synods. But the ſaid Lord of Barjac giving publick Teſtimony of his ſorrow for this Miſcarriage, and proteſting ſeriouſly for the future never in any wiſe to depart from the Univerſally received order of being Concluded by the Majority of Votes, his Cenſure was taken off, and his offence remitted to him. To prevent all diviſions in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, this National Synod framed an Act or Oath of Union to be taken by all the Deputies.
CHAP. III. The Oath of Ʋnion ſworn by all the Deputies of the Reformed Churches of France aſſembled in the National Synod at Privas in Vivaretz, and ſubſcribed by them all, the day, month and year above-mitten.
WE whoſe Names are here under written Deputies for the Reformed Churches of France Aſſembled in a National Synod at the Town of Privas in the Province of Vivaretz, knowing by paſt-experience, that nothing is more needful to preſerve the Weal, Peace, and good Eſtate of the ſaid Churches than an holy Union and unviolable Concord both in Doctrine, Diſcipline and their Dependencies, and that the ſaid Churches cannot long ſubſiſt without a good, intimate and mutual Conjunction one with the other, and better kept than formerly. Being for this cauſe deſirous to remove all ſeeds of diſunion and occaſions of diviſions which may hereafter trouble the ſaid Churches, and to prevent all Impoſtures, Calumnies, private Factions, Plots and Practices, by which divers perſons ill-affected to our Religion, do endeavour to diſſipate and ruine them: Which quickens us more than ever to find out by joynt accord, and Common Conſent, the proper and moſt effectual means of our juſt, lawful and neceſſary conſervation in the aforeſaid Union, under that obedience due unto his Majeſty our Soveraign Lord and the Queen his Mother. We have in the Name of all our Churches, and for their good, and for the ſervice of their Majeſties Sworn and Proteſted, and we do Swear and Proteſt, (Promiſing alſo our utmoſt Endeavour that theſe very ſelf-ſame proteſtations ſhall be ratified in and by all our Provinces,) to remain inſeparably united and conjoyned in that confeſſion of Faith of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom read in this Synod, approved and ratified by every one of us, Swearing not only in our own Name, but alſo in the reſpective Names of all the Churches of our Provinces, which have Deputed us unto this Synod, that we will live and die in it. As alſo we Proteſt in our own and their Names to keep inviolably that Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline Eſtabliſhed in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, and to ſee its Canons obſerved, for the better Government of theſe our Churches, and the reformation of life and manners: Acknowledging that it is Moſt agreeable to Gods holy Word, whoſe Authority is Supream; And we Proteſt and Swear to yield all obedience and fidelity to their ſaid Majeſties, deſiring nothing elſe, but that under the Protection of their Edicts, we may ſerve our God with Liberty of Conſcience.
CHAP. IV. Obſervation on Reading the Confeſſion of Faith.
1. WHereas there is mention made in the 14th Article of the Hereſies of Servetus, ſome of the Deputies deſired that the ſpecifying of them might be removed, becauſe thoſe his Hereſies are now as it were dead and buried, and the Deputies of the Provinces, in purſuance of that Decree paſt in the laſt National Synod of St. Maixant, having brought with them the Judgment of their reſpective Provinces upon this Subject, it was thought meet, that nothing ſhould be innovated in that Article, but that it ſhould be entirely left as we found it.
2. That Union in Doctrine may be preſerved among us, and no Errors may be ſuffered to creep into our Churches: All Paſtors in actual ſervice, and all Propoſans who are to be received into the Miniſtry, ſhall ſign this following Article,
I Whoſe Name is here under-written, do receive and approve the Contents of the Confeſſion of Faith of the Reformed Churches in this Kingdom, and do promiſe to perſevere in it until death, and to believe and teach agreeably thereunto. And whereas ſome perſons contend about the ſenſe of the eighteenth Article, treating of our Justification, I declare and protest before God, that I understand it in the ſame ſenſe in which it is received in our Churches, approved by our National Synods, agreeably to the Word of God, which is, That our Lord Jeſus Christ was obedient to the Moral and Ceremonial Law, not only for our good, but alſo in our ſtead, and that his whole Obedience yielded by him thereunto is imputed to us, and that our Justification conſists not only in the forgiveneſs of ſins, but alſo in the Imputation of his Active Righteouſneſs; and ſubjecting my ſelf unto the Word of God, I believe that the Son of Man came to ſerve, and that he was not a Servant becauſe he came into the World. I do alſo promiſe, that I will never depart from the Doctirne received in our Churches, and that I will yield all Obedience to the Canons of our National Synods in this matter. And this Article ſhall be religiouſly obſerved in and by all the Provinces.
3. Our Printers be forbidden henceforward to print the Confeſſion of Faith with this Title, The Confeſſion of Faith reviſed and amended by the National Synod.
4 The Confeſſion of Faith being read, and heard, was approved by all the Deputies, who proteſted that by the Grace of God, they would live and die in it: As was manifeſt by their Act in ſwearing the ſaid Union.