The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 21 (Tonneins) · Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III. Ʋrgent Matters.
2. THE Church of Paris excuſed its Conſiſtory, and Monſieur du Moulin one of their Paſtors, about his abſence from this Aſſembly, tho' nominated thereunto by the Synod of the Iſle of France, and offered, that if he might have ſpeedy notice of it, and this Aſſembly judged it needful, he ſhould yet come unto them: But upon debate it was found utterly inconvenient for the ſaid Monſieur du Moulin to appear in perſon among us, or that the cauſe of his trouble ſhould be examined and judged by this Aſſembly, this being no proper place for its tryal; for by ſuch an Anticipation we ſhould imbroil our ſelves with the Civil Magiſtrates, wherefore the excuſes both of the Conſiſtory of that Church, and of the ſaid Sieur du Moulin were accepted.
3. The Letters of the Lords Dukes of Rohan and Sully, and from the Lord du Pleſſis Marli, were received and read in this Aſſembly, all tending to aſſure the Churches of this Kingdom of their holy Reſolution immovably to perſevere in our Faith and Diſcipline, and to adventure their Eſtates, their Lives and Fortunes for the advancement of the Kingdom of Chriſt, expreſſing alſo their great deſire that all the Members of our Churches might be preſerved in a ſweet and perfect Concord. After thanks given them in the perſon of their Meſſengers, Letters were ordained to be written unto each of them, applauding their Zeal and Religious Affection, and exhorting them to perſeverance in this their godly Reſolution; and farther, to aſſure them that this Aſſembly will do its utmoſt endeavour that their pious deſires of uniting all the Members of the Church may be accompliſhed.
4. This Aſſembly being informed that Mr. David Hume formerly Paſtor in the Church of Duras in the Lower Guyenne was lately returned from his native Country of Scotland, and as he paſſed through England, his Majeſty of Great Britain had charged him with a Letter, to be delivered to us, concerning differences ſprung up in our Churches on ſeveral points of Doctrine. The Aſſembly ordained that (before it was read unto us) a Copy thereof ſhould be tranſcribed and ſent unto the Lord de Rouvray our Deputy General at Court, that ſo in caſe we ſhould be ſuſpected there, he might immediately diſcover that it was nothing of State-Affairs, but only a Point of Doctrine, which concerned all the Reformed Churches gathered in divers Kingdoms, and Republicks: To Communicate in which Matters we had all freedom ever promiſed us, and as for thoſe of another nature we would never intermeddle with them, unleſs we had an expreſs and new permiſſion from the King.
5. Monſieur Hume being called in, did by word of mouth relate what was given him in charge by his Majeſty of great Britain, who adviſed this Aſſembly as from him to procure and maintain a firm Union in points of Doctrine among the Paſtors, Profeſſors and others the Members of our Churches, without quarrelling with the Divines of Germany or any perſons teaching otherwiſe, who handled the point of Juſtification in a different manner from us: and particularly that we would ſilence that controverſy riſen up between the Sieurs du Moulin and Tilenus, and yet to prize and value thoſe Gifts which the great God hath ſo plenteouſly beſtowed upon them for his Churches Edifying; Aſſuring us farther of his Majeſties good will, affection and purpoſe to defend the Churches of God, and particularly ours: Which alſo was the ſubſtance of his Letter.See afterwards the 18th obſerv. on the Synod of Privas. This Aſſembly returned their moſt humble thanks unto the King of Great Britain (ſpeaking by the ſaid Mr. Hume the bearer of his Letters,) and put off their conſideration and reſolutions about this affair unto its proper place, viz. then to be debated, when as the Acts of the Synod of Privas ſhall be reviewed.
6. The Deputies of the Council for the Province of Lower Guyenne craving leave to be heard in this Aſſembly about matters of great importance, which they were ordered to declare unto us, being introduced, they began to vindicate and juſtify the means uſed by them in their proſecution of the violations of the Edict, by which their Churches had exceedingly ſuffered, whereof they gave many and particular inſtances in divers Articles, and concluded with an earneſt ſuit unto this Aſſembly that we would by all lawful means prevent diviſions among our ſelves, and ſo obviate the Plots and practices of the enemies of our Religion in the preſent State of affairs which are now upon the wheel. Whereupon the Aſſembly did aſſure them of that favourable conſtruction it put upon their good intentions, and on their proceedings as reported by them, and of the ways and means they had uſed; and it farther promiſed that every one of the Deputies of this Synod ſhould remonſtrate the ſame unto their reſpective Provinces, that ſo none ill opinion might be taken up or entertained to their prejudice. And as for thoſe remedies craved by them for hereafter, againſt our common publick evils, and their particular ſufferings, the Aſſembly knoweth none more proper and fit than what is offered us, viz. the next General Aſſembly granted us by their Majeſties, who therefore ſhall be moſt humbly thanked for it, and yet moſt earneſtly and humbly intreated to change the place of their meeting, and to defer the time thereof unto the twentieth day of Auguſt next, that ſo the Provincial Aſſemblies may ſit the longer, and have the more time and leiſure to intend and perfect our deſired Union. And this Aſſembly ſeeth it ſelf obliged to procure it, becauſe of what has been already Propoſed and advanced, which alſo it will do by all lawful and poſſible means. And as for the Modifications and reſtrictions of the Writ, it Judgeth that they ought to be ſent over to the mixt Provincial and General Politick Aſſemblies, which the Deputies unto this Synod ſhall every one of them at their return repreſent unto their reſpective Provinces; and Monſieur de Rouvray our General Deputy ſhall be written unto out of hand, to preſent our moſt humble thanks, as alſo our before-mentioned Requeſts unto their Majeſties, that ſo this Aſſembly may receive an anſwer before its diſſolution.
CHAP. IV. Obſervations made on Reading the Confeſſion of Faith.
Article 1. THERE, being found ſome difference about the 6th. Article of the Confeſſion in the Latin and French Copies; the firſt reſtraining that approbation which had been determined in the Myſtery of the Trinity unto the four firſt ancient Councils, but the others extending it indefinitely unto the ancient Councils: This Aſſembly decreed that nothing ſhould be altered in the French Edition of it.
Art. 2. On the 8th. Article. Becauſe that in divers Copies there was a Typographical Error which altered the very ſence of the Article, Exprimant que Dieu (fait) Convertir, au lieu de dire (qui'l Scait) Convertir, this Aſſembly exhorts the Paſtors of thoſe Churches which have Printers, to admoniſh them that they get ſome Judicious Perſon to overſee and correct the preſs, that we may not be troubled any more with complaints of this nature, and that once for all our Confeſſion be Printed with the greateſt exactneſs according to the Copies reviſed in the laſt National Synods, and the like notice ſhall be given to the Paſtors and Profeſſors in the Church of Geneva.
Art. 3. On the 9th. Article inſtead of theſe words (qui'l y ait) there muſt be read, qui'l ait.
Art. 4. Montauba… obſ. 6. Saumur obſ. 1.3 Rochel obſ. 13.On the 39th. Article, towards the cloſe of it, the words of Inſtitution ſhall be added, according to the Decree of former National Synods, in the expreſs terms of St. Matthews Goſpel, Take, eat, &c.
Art. 5. The Confeſſion of Faith of the Churches in this Kingdom having been read word by word was approved in all its Articles by the Deputies, not only for themſelves perſonally, but generally for all the Provinces repreſented by them, and by whom they were commiſſionated, and all of them ſwore for themſelves, and for their Principals, That they believed it to be true, that they would teach it as ſuch, and procure to the utmoſt of their pow…r that it ſhould be taught and believed in and by all their Churches and Provinces.