The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 20 (Privas) · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX. The Synods Declaration againſt this Proclamation.
The Letters Patents of His Majeſty bore date the 13th of April, 1612. And the Synods Declaration was dated the firſt of Ju…, 1612.1. HIS Majeſties Letters Patents were read, containing his Royal Pardon unto them, who had called Political Aſſemblies ſince that General one held at Saumur; which exceedingly ſurprized and aſtoniſhed this National Synod; and that there might be ſome remedy provided in time againſt ſuch Impendent Storm, it was judged needful by all the Deputies unanimouſly to prepare a Declaration on this occaſion, which ſhould be inſerted in this place among our Acts, and forth-with Printed, that ſo by this Imprinted Act, the Innocency of our Churches might be atteſted and publiſhed to the whole Chriſtian World.
Here followeth the ſaid Declaration.
THE Reformed Churches of this Kingdom Aſſembled in a National Synod at Privas, having, as it uſual, took the Oath of Fidelity and Humble Obebedience to their Majeſties Command and Service, and being informed by divers Deputies of the Provinces that the Kings Letters Pattents were directed to the Parliaments and Courts of the Edict, containing an Abolition and Pardon of the faults pretended to have been committed in calling of Particular Aſſemblies in the ſeveral Provinces, as alſo a Pardon for what hath been heretofore, and ſince tranſacted in them; they could not be unſenſible of ſuch an horrid diſhonour as this done unto them, ſo great, ſo contrary to their Intentions, and to that Loyalty they have ever upon all occaſions expreſt both to the ſervice of his Majeſty, and the happineſs of his Government; and they could not but be pierced with a moſt juſt grief to ſee themſelves blaſted with ſo great a reproach on the account of the ſaid Provincial Aſſemblies, which have been always held as they were in the Reign of Henry the Great of moſt happy Memory, and ſince alſo by a Priviledge granted the ſaid Churches in a Letter Written by her Majeſty unto the General Aſſembly of …aumur the 22th of Auguſt, 1611. by which they were commanded every one of them to break up, and depart unto their reſpective Provinces, and carry back unto their Principals, who had Deputed them, the good Intentions of their Majeſties. Ʋpon which the ſaid General Aſſembly inferred their Right and Priviledge of Meeting in particular Aſſemblies, and voted the Congregating of them, and ordained that the Deputies of every Province ſhould bring with them their Cahiers to be peruſed, and what reflexions had paſt upon them, and anſwers given to them; which was a matter well-known unto the Lords of the Council, nor could they believe it or judge it unreaſonable, becauſe that in thoſe very Inſtructions given unto the Commiſſioners ſent by their Majeſties into the Provinces, about the inexecutions and tranſgreſſions of the Edict, they were commanded to return home immediatly, and without delay, that they might be in the Provinces before the meeting of thoſe particular Aſſemblies: and 'tis a moſt certain truth they were for the moſt part either Authorized by the ſummons of his Majeſties Lieutenants, or by the conduct and direction of ſome one or other of the Preſidents in the Soveraign Courts, and ever in the Magiſtrates preſence. The Kings Officers and other perſons of Quality having expreſs charge from their Majeſties to be there upon the place, and ſit with them; or otherwiſe ſome one of the aforeſaid Commiſſioners ſent by the ſaid Provinces did moderate and preſide in them. None of which would ever have plunged themſelves in ſo much guilt, in caſe there had been any as is now pretended. Yea ſo far were our Lords of the Council from judging us guilty, that on the contrary they received all our Cahiers, Remonſtrances, and moſt humble Petitions, framed in thoſe Aſſemblies, with the greateſt kindneſs, and have ſince anſwered them. Inſomuch at they never eſteemed them Criminal, nor needing Abolition and Pardon. This grieveth, and woundeth deeply the very Souls of all who do Profeſs the Reformed Religion in this Kingdom, becauſe it faſtens the blot and brand of a Crime upon them, which that they might evade, they have on all occaſions hazarded both their Lives and Fortunes.
But they have another and farther ground of Grief and Affliction, which it that theſe Letters Pattents look at if ſome ill men had a deſign of kindling again thoſe Flames, and reviving once more thoſe old hatreds and animoſities of their Fellow Citizens and Countreymen againſt them; which have lain Dead and Buried theſe many years, and that they are ſeeking a new pretext, wherewith their moſt inveterate Enemies may be hereafter furniſhed to aſſault and ruine them, and finally to render them odious and execrable to all ſorts of perſons both at home and abroad, within and without the Kingdom. Such conſequenoes as theſe cannot but involve them in great troubles, cannot but ſhake and unſettle the repoſe and tranquillity of the Government, and grievouſly augment their fears and ſorrows, being compelled after this manner to eaſe their burdened Spirits, and to expreſs their ſenſe and reſentments of ſuch great indignities; becauſe they cannot but avow themſelves the beſt and moſt Faithful Subjects that ever their Majeſties had, or ſhall have in their Kingdoms and Dominions.
For which cauſe the ſaid Churches, conformably to thoſe humble Addreſſes, made by their General Deputies unto the Council, and to their Petition preſented unto the Court of Parliament of Paris, the 14th of May laſt, do declare as they have done, that they never requeſted, nor demanded, nor did by any Letters of theirs endeavour to obtain that Abolition or Pardon, that it was never done by them, nor are they ſo much as in word or thought guilty of thoſe imaginary Crimes preſuppoſed in them, and that they be ready all of them jointly and ſingly to be reſponſible for their actions, and to publiſh them to the whole World, openly, and at noon-day, counting all manner of torments far more eaſie to be born, than that they and their Poſterity ſhould be ſtigmatized with ſuch a ſhameful brand of Infamy, which might hereafter deprive them of that true honour and glory, which was ever aſcribed to them, of being true French-men, and to be reputed and accounted by ſtrangers the moſt Loyal and moſt Faithful Subjects of His Majeſty, in the worſt times, perſons uncorruptible, and the beſt and moſt affectionate unto His Government.
Moreover, they do farther declare, that they will not in the leaſt either help themſelves, or make uſe in any manner of way of thoſe aforeſaid Letters of Abolition and Pardon, and that they diſavow thoſe perſons, if there be any ſuch, as have accepted, and conſented to them. And whoever ſhall demand or approve them, we declare thoſe perſons to have acted contrary and prejudicial to the ſincerity of their Intentions, and to their approved Loyalty and Fidelity: All which we do once more publiſh, not out of vanity or vain-glory, but to give Teſtimony unto the Truth; and that we are ready to adventure our Honours, Eſtates and Lives in the performance of thoſe Duties, Services and Obedience, which Their Majesties may expect from us, who are, their moſt humble, moſt faithful and moſt obedient Servants and Subjects.
From Privas in Vivaretz, the firſt of June, 1612. Signed by
Chamier, Moderator.
Du Moulin, Aſſeſſor.
Scribes.
Monſanglard, and
Manjald,
CHAP. X. General Matters.
2. THE Conſiſtories of thoſe Towns in which Printers profeſſing our holy Reformed Religion do live, are exhorted to look carefully to the Impreſſions of our Pſalm-books, that nothing be inſerted into the Calendars trenching upon the honour of any particular perſons. And our Brethren, the Paſtors of Geneva, are deſired to bear a ſtrict hand over the Printers in their City, that this Canon be punctually obſerved by them.
3. Propoſans maintained by the Provinces ſhall not be received into the Miniſtry without the conſent of their reſpective Provinces; nor ſhall any Propoſans maintained by particular Churches be received into a Paſtoral Charge without the conſent of thoſe very Churches from whom they received their Exhibitions.
4. The Deputies of the Province of Aujou queried at what time after their Conversion from Popery to the Communion of our Reformed Churches, ſuch perſons might be called into the Office of Elders and Deacons. This Aſſembly ordained that it might be about the ſame time, that other ſuch might be admitted into the Miniſtry, to wit, after two years tryal and experience had of them, and of their ſincerity.
5. Foraſmuch as a torrent of Diſſolution, Irreligion and Profaneneſs is broke in upon us, and moſt ſhameful diviſions are riſen up in our Churches, which do viſibly and terribly threaten us with the near approaches of God's Judgments, ever ſince the Death of our late King. This Aſſembly enjoyneth all the Churches within the Realm to proclaim an extraordinary Faſt, which ſhall be celebrated the firſt Wedneſday in November next, and be Univerſally and moſt Religiouſly obſerved by them.
The Provinces are exhorted carefully to collect the Hiſtory of thoſe Miniſters and other Chriſtians, who in theſe laſt times have ſuffered for the truths of the Son of God, and to tranſmit ſuch Memoirs unto Geneva that they may be inſerted into our Book of Martyrs, and publiſhed to the World by the Paſtors of that Church.
7. Altho a perſon be choſen Counſellor for the Province, and would thereupon be reputed for, and Act as an Elder, yet ſhall he not be admitted unto the Office of an Elder, unleſs he paſs through the forms preſcribed by our Diſcipline.