The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 21 (Tonneins) · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. The Excommunication of Monſieur Jeremy Ferrier, ſometimes Paſtor and Profeſſor in the Church and Ʋniverſity of Niſmes, denounced in the Church of Niſmes, upon the 14th of July, 1613 being the Lords Day [Extracted out of a little Book Intituled, The Troubles happened in the City of Niſmes in Languedoc] July 15. 1613. and Printed the ſame year.
MAſter Jeremy Ferrier formerly Miniſter of the Word of God, having been judged by the National Synod, yet hath not in the leaſt owned and acknowledged God's ſingular Mercy and Benignity to him, nor the Gentleneſs and Clemency of his Judges. He hath took no notice of his great and hainous offences, though God ſaw them, the Church obſerved them, and the World cried out of them. Some days after Sentence had paſt upon him, he made ſemblance as if he acquieſced in it, requeſting to be provided of another Church. His Judges had reſpect unto his demand, and provided for him very much unto his conveniency. But the cloſe and iſſue hath evidently demonſtrated that what he did was all in Hypocriſie, was nothing elſe but fraud and mockery. Inſtead of humbling himſelf, he waxed more fierce and fiery, he kicked againſt the pricks, he hardened his heart againſt the voice of God ſpeaking to him. He hath multiplied and increaſt his ſins, ſeeking Sanctuaries for his Rebellion from the World, and protection by it in his Enter-prizes, following the train and lure of his own luſts, and loving this preſent World, he would rather be a ſlave to the Mammon of Unrighteouſneſs, than to ſerve God and his Church, and betaking himſelf to wicked and unworthy courſes, he hath refuſed to be reformed, and hateth Diſcipline and Correction, ſcorning and trampling under foot all Church-Order. He hath moſt licentiouſly inveighed againſt, and ſatyrically lampoon'd the Eccleſiaſtical Aſſemblies; he hath let flie the worſt of Calumnies againſt the Servants of God generally and particularly, in publick and private, by word of mouth, by Pen and Writing; He threw himſelf wittingly and wilfully upon temptations, and into the ſnares of the Devil; he became his own Seducer, and like tile Devil, endeavoured to ſeduce others : He hath by his ungodly comportments ſcandalized thoſe that are without, and ſuch as are within; he hath attempted to miſchief the Church of God, for which the Lord Jeſus hath ſhed his moſt precious Blood: He did moſt ſolemnly engage unto the Church of Paris, yea he ſwore it with as great ſeriouſneſs as poſſible, that he would never take upon him, nor aſpire unto any other Calling than that of the Sacred Miniſtry, unleſs the Colloquy of Lionnois ſhould diſcharge him by taking from him all poſſible means of ſubſiſtence: Before which nevertheleſs when he was called, he refuſed to appear, and would not be judged of God, nor by the Men of God: He hath caſt himſelf into a contumacious and audacious Rebellion, into the moſt injurious and exceſſive Inſolencies; he hath publiſhed himſelf guilty of a notorious and horrible Perjury, totally deſerting the Sacred Miniſtry, having rejected all the Summons and Invitations unto Repentance made him for a whole year together, by divers Church-Aſſemblies, in divers places; and at divers times, by many moſt excellent Servants of God, who cordially and induſtriouſly laboured after his Converſion and Reformation: He hath deſpiſed the long-ſuffering, patience and forbearance of God, and of the Church, and never heeded thoſe publick Admonitions, which according to the Diſcipline were uſed to reclaim him, and bring him back again unto his duty. But he perſiſts obſtinately in his ſins, in his Diſobediencies and Rebellions, and hardens hardens himſelf in his Impenitency; inſomuch, that we muſt ſpeak it, though not without tears and groans, that he hath loſt his priviledge and right of Burgesſhip in the City and Family of God. For theſe Cauſes we the Paſtors and Elders of the Reformed Churches in the Lower Languedoc, Deputies of this Province, having charge and care of the Colloquy of Lionnois, and authorized thereunto by the National Synod, we denounce the ſaid Maſter Jeremy Ferrier, to be a ſcandalous man, a perſon incorrigible, impenitent, and ungovernable; and as ſuch, having firſt invocated the holy Name of the Living and True God, and in the Name and Power of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by the conduct of the Holy Ghoſt, and with Authority from the Church, we have caſt, and do now caſt and throw him out of the Society of the Faithful, that he may be delivered up unto Satan, declaring that he ought not to be reckoned, reputed, nor numbered as a Member of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, nor of his Church, but that he be counted, and eſteemed as a Publican and Heathen, as a Prophane perſon, and contemptuous deſpiſer of God; exhorting all the Faithful, and enjoyning them in the Name of our Lord and Maſter no more to hold any converſation with this Son of Belial, but to eſtrange themſelves, and be ſeparated from him, waiting that if in any wiſe this Judgment and Separation ſerving for the deſtruction of his Fleſh, may contribute to the Salvation of his Soul, and ſtrike into his Conſcience a terrour of that great and dreadful day, in which the Lord will come with thouſands of his Saints, to execute Judgment upon the ungodly, and to convince the wicked of all their impieties, ſinful deſigns and abominable works enterpriſed by them againſt his Church.
Curſed be he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently. Amen!
If any one love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Let him be Anathema Maranatha. Amen!
Come Lord Jeſus Chriſt! Even ſo come quickly! Amen!
This dreadful Sentence was denounced againſt the ſaid Ferrier in the Church of Niſmes on the Lords Day, July the 14th 1613. by Monſieur Brunier Miniſter of the Word of God in the Reformed Church of the City of Uſez.
Examined and Compared with the Printed Copy.
Acts, Deciſions, and Decrees OF THE XXII. NATIONAL SYNOD OF THE Reformed Churches OF FRANCE, HELD The ſecond time at Vitré in the Province of Brittaine.
This Synod was opened on Thurſday, May the 18th, and ended on the 18th of June following, being the Lord's Day, 1617.