The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 20 (Privas) · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The Act of Re union.
8. THE preſent National Synod▪ of the Reformed Churches in this Kingdom deſiring to ſecure the Peace and Union of the ſaid Churches, and inflamed with the Zeal of Gods Houſe and Glory, and grieved to ſee Satan ſowing the Seeds of diſcord among us, which redound to the Infamy and weakning of the ſaid Churches, and may in after times produce worſe and more dangerous effects; moved with charity towards the Members of our body, and being willing to make ſome proviſion for a Fraternal concord, the indiſpenſable duty of all the Faithful, hath and doth now reſolve to exert it ſelf even unto the utmoſt for the compaſſing of a Bleſſed and Holy peace and re-union among ourſelves under their Majeſties Authority. And having once again Sworn our Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity to them, and that this Union may be the more eaſily effected and obtained; This Aſſembly ordereth the Sieurs du Moulin and Durant Paſtors, and the Sieur de l'Iſle Groſſat Elder in the Church of Orleans to be joined as Commiſſioners together with our General Deputies in Court. And all perſons are exhorted to labour that the Memory of paſt matters be Buried in Oblivion, and in the name of all our Churches to become Peace-makers, that ſo the ſeveral humors and different Opinions riſen up in the Aſſembly of Saumur may be Ballanced, Allayed, and Compoſed, Declaring that the General deſire of the ſaid Churches is to reunite in one their affections, who have been alienated from each other; and this to be done according to the Methods and Counſels given and preſcribed by this Aſſembly, whereunto they may make ſuch Additions as their Zeal and Prudence ſhall ſuggeſt; and they ſhall diligently and conjointly inform the Provinces of their actings herein, together with the reſult and ſucceſs of their Mediation. To this end Letters ſhall be Written and ſent from this Aſſembly unto the Lords Mareſchals and Dukes of Bouillon and de les Diguieres, exhorting and adjuring them in the Name of God, that they would be pleaſed at the inſtant intreaties of our Churches to join themſelves together with us in an humble Petition and Addreſs unto their Majeſties, and to teſtifie by evident effects their Zeal and Affection towards them, and readily to embrace all opportunities that may either publickly or privately contribute to the ſafety of the State, Quiet and Honour of the Kingdom, as alſo that they would be pleaſed to join themſelves together with our Churches for the procuring an entire removal of thoſe Letters of Abolition, verified and publiſhed of late by the Parliaments, although never demanded nor deſerved by us, and to inſiſt on it that the more important and neceſſary matters in our Petitions tendred unto their Majeſties may receive a gracious anſwer, and to endeavour that for the future all gratifications of perſons and parties may be equal, and all marks and notes of diviſion and ſeparation may be removed, demonſtrating thereby their forgetfulneſs of what is paſt, and that they do cordially purſue, without partiality, the good of all, and that generally (upon all occaſions which may ſo fall out) they do manifeſtly expreſs their zeal, care and affection to the common publick Weal of our Churches as they ſhall be required, admoniſhed and informed by the General Deputies of the ſaid Churches. Moreover, the ſaid Lords ſhall be exhorted in our before-mentioned Letters, that they would be pleaſed to reſign up their own private Intereſts to thoſe of the publick, and that they would lay by their own particular Reſentments (which have been very much inflamed by the cunning crafts, artifices and devices of the Enemies of our Religion) and that they would hold a more firm Correſpondence and ſincere intelligence with the Lords Duke of Rohan, and of Sully, of Soubize, de la Force, and of the Lord du Pleſſis, and with all others, from whom, by reaſon of theſe unhappy differences, they have been eſtranged, that ſo being all joyntly reunited in the Bond of Friendſhip, they may more advantagiouſly promote the common Weal of our Churches, the repoſe and happineſs of the State, and the eſtabliſhment of their Majeſties Authority. And the like Letters to the ſame purpoſe ſhall be written to the Lords of Chaſtillion, of Parabere, to the Dukes of Rohan and of Sully, to the Dukes of Soubize, and de la Force, and to the Lord du Pleſſis, from this Aſſembly, to acquaint them with our deſires and invitations in the name and behalf of all our Churches to joyn in with the Lords Dukes of Bouillon and de les Diguieres, and that as we had exhorted theſe, ſo we do earneſtly exhort their Lordſhips alſo to quit and forego their own particular Reſentments and Diſcontents, and that as formerly they have, ſo they would be pleaſed now and evermore to teſtifie their zeal and affection for the Weal and Repoſe of our poor Churches; and that they would demean themſelves with a generous frankneſs and integrity in their mutual Correſpondence and Re-union one with the other, that being united in a perfect Bond of Charity, they may with conjoyned Forces promote and advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus. Letters alſo ſhall be written unto the Lady Dutcheſs of Tremouille, intreating her in the name of all our Churches, to continue her endeavours in mediating the ſaid Peace and Re-union, and to give her thanks for her ſingular care in the Education of her Children in the True Religion, and in the Fear of God, and in Love and Affection to our Churches, hoping and praying that they may hereafter prove excellent and uſeful Inſtruments of God's glory, and of the Churches good. And it ſhall be proteſted to all and every one of thoſe Lords in the name and behalf of our Churches in the ſaid Letters directed to them of our Intention and Reſolution to conſider, honour and value them according to their Families, Qualities, Dignities, and Merits, as being the moſt honourable Members of our Body. And the ſaid Letters ſhall be preſented them, to wit, unto the Lords of Bouillon and of les Diguieres, of Chaſtillion, and to the Lady Dutcheſs of Tremouille by the immediate hands of our General Deputies: Thoſe for the Lord Duke of Rohan, and my Lord of Soubize, by the Lords Barons of Saujon and Bonnet, Deputies for the Province of Xaintonge, who ſhall alſo acquaint them particularly from this Aſſembly with our ſentiments, deſires and deſigns, exhorting them to approve of them, and to conſent unto them, and they ſhall be intreated to declare freely their thoughts of the whole, that ſo the General Deputies may be out of hand adviſed, and allured of it. The Letter to the Lord Duke of Sully ſhall be tendered by Monſieur de l'Iſle Groſſat, Deputy for the Province of Berry. That to the Lord de Pleſſis by the Sieurs Perillau, Vigneux and Ferrand, Deputies of the Province of Anjou. That for the Lord de la Force by the Sieurs de Braſſalay and du Hau, Deputies of Bearne. That for the Lord de la Parabere by the Sieurs de Cuville and Cognac, Deputies of Poictou. And all theſe Gentlemen are charged with one and the ſame Meſſage as above-mentioned, only they may make ſuch additions as their zeal and dexterity ſhall judge to be moſt conducing to the Weal and Perfection of ſo glorious a work. Moreover, this Aſſembly intreateth and exhorteth that for God's ſake, and the glory of his great name, and their own ſalvation, and for the peace and welfare of the Nation; yea it adjures by all that is deſirable or commendable, the whole Body of our Communion in general, and every faithful Soul in particular, to diveſt themſelves of all Animoſities whatſoever, and to lop off immediately all diſſolutions and diſſentions, leſt they ſhould be the cauſes of the diſſipation of the Churches of God in this Kingdom, which have been planted in the Blood of infinite Martyrs, and preſerved by the Zeal and Concord of our Fathers; and that they would at length open their Eyes and ſee, and conſider that the Churches Enemies bottom all their deſigns of ruining us upon our own Inteſtine Diſſentions, and that by reaſon of theſe we are become very little, and exceeding deſpicable with our Adverſaries. And all Paſtors and Elders of Churches are enjoyned diligently to procure the Re-union of the reſpective Members of their Flocks, and to lend one another their helping-hand to effect ſo good a work, and mightily to inſiſt upon it in their pu…lick Sermons, and private Exhortations and Remonſtrances: And in caſe they ſhould meet with contempt, ſcorn and reproach in the diſcharge of this their duty, and that any one through an obdurate perverſeneſs ſhould ſhew himſelf implacable and irreconcilable; This Aſſembly, according to that Authority which the Great God gives unto the Miniſters of his holy Word, denounceth to them the dreadful Judgments of God, and wiſheth that they may be had in Execration among and by all the Faithful; yea, all the (enſures of the Church ſhall be exerted againſt ſuch Refractory perſons, and the utmoſt rigour of our Diſcipline ſhall be inflicted and executed upon them, leſt the good Name of God ſhould be blaſphemed through our ſins, and that we may not contract upon our ſelves the guilt of the Churches deſolation; but rather that b the Bond of Peace and Fraternal Union, the Church of God may ſend forth a ſweet perfume among our Adverſaries, and his holy Name may be bleſſed and glorified by the Children of men.
9. And whereas in the proſecution of the ſaid Re-union, the ſeveral perſons before mentioned to be employed in it, muſt needs be at conſiderable Expence; this Aſſembly leaveth that Affair unto the prudence of our Lords the General Deputies, who ſhall apply themſelves to the Lord of Candall, with this our Order, to disburſe Moneys for their neceſſary Charges. And the Lords the General Deputies at Court, are ordered to complain unto their Majeſties, that the Moneys granted by them by way of Augmentation unto our Churches are not paid, nor have we the diſpoſal, or management, or receipt of them; and they ſhall again by word of mouth renew their former Inſtances, and vigorouſly importune that the ſaid Augmentation-Moneys, and all other ſums belonging to us, may be put into ſuch hands as ſhall wholly depend upon our Churches, that ſo according to the Warrants granted us for the ſaid Moneys, and according to the Promiſe made us, they may be paid in unto us without any defalcation or diminutions, and that our poor Churches may be caſed of that Penny in the Liver (which the Receivers attribute unto themſelves,) and their condition bettered, if may be. And as to what ſums have been advanced by the aforeſaid Lords Deputies, notice ſhall be given thereof unto the Provinces.