The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 21 (Tonneins) · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Obſervations on reading the Acts of the National Synod of Privas.
Art. 1. Privas, Art. 3. after the Liſt of the Deputies.IN reading that Article concerning ſuch as will not yield to the Majority of votes in our General Aſſemblies: the Deputies of the Province of Xaintonge craved advice how to Cenſure them that will not acquieſce in the votes and reſolutions of our General and Provincial Aſſemblies, whether Eccleſiaſtical or Political, but ſet themſelves vigorouſly againſt their Execution. This Aſſembly ordains, that ſuch refractory perſons in any of thoſe Aſſemblies ſhall be proſecuted with all Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures, according as Conſiſtories, Colloquies, Provincial and National Synods ſhall Judge meet.
Art. 2.The Lord de la Millitiere Deputy General earneſtly demanding, both in his own name, and in their's alſo who were joynt Deputies together with him for the Reunion, that the Cenſure paſt on the Sieur de Barjac, which ſeemed to revive the Memory of our by-paſt diviſions, might be taken off the file, and razed out of the Acts of the Synod of Privas. This Aſſembly ordained that the ſaid Canon ſhall remain in thoſe very words in which it was conceived.
Art. 3. In that Article which gives leave unto Elders, the Paſtor being refuſed and excepted at, to Judge of ſome Emergent differences, yea even to ſuſpenſion from the Lords Supper, the Province of Lower Languedoc demanded that there might be ſome mittigation of its rigour. This Aſſembly Judged that that Article ſhould abide as it was conceived, whithout any alteration at all.
Art. 4. Upon the fourth Article treating of Marriage-Promiſes, that they ſhould be made in words de futuro, The Lord de la Riviere demanded that the name of the Church of Rouen might be razed out of that admonition which had been given it,Privas, obſ. 3. See Vitré 2. Obſervat. upon this preſent Synod. Art. 2. and to that of Diep, to forſake their Cuſtom of betrothing perſons publickly in their Temples declaring that in the Church of Rouen they were only done in the Conſiſtorial Chamber, the Paſtors and Elders being preſent. This Aſſembly acquainted him, that they could not in the leaſt approve of this Order and Practice among them.
Art. 5. Privas, obſ. 2. on the preceding Synod.On that Article concerning the Works of Monſieur Chamier Paſtor and Profeſſor at Montauban, the Aſſembly ordained that before they be ſent unto the Preſs, they ſhall be put into the hands of ſome certain Paſtors and Profeſſors in Divinity to be peruſed and examined, and the Paſtors and Profeſſors his Colleagues in the Church and Univerſity of Montauban are named to this purpoſe.
Art. 6. Privas, obſ. 3. upon the preced. Synod. and p. m. 10.The Synod of Dolphiny is charged to read over the Hiſtory of the Waldenſes and Albingenſes, collected and written by Monſieur Perrin, who alſo is required as ſoon as it is Printed to ſend a Copy to every one of the Provinces.
Art. 7. Privas, obſ. 7. upon the preced. Synod.That Article which deferred the changing of that of St. Maixant, concerning Baptiſm, to the examination of the Provinces, being now again read, this Aſſembly adviſed that the Provincial Deputies ſhould gather the judgment of this Synod by Majority of voices, and not the particular opinion of each ſingle perſon. In purſuance whereof, it was carried by plurality of Votes, that the order practiſed before the ſaid Synod of St. Maixant ſhould be ſtill obſerved, and that it ſhould not be lawful to celebrate Baptiſm, unleſs there were a Sermon either immediately before or after that Sacrament.
Art. 8. Privas, Appeal 2. 2 Vitré, Appeal 7. below Appeal 31.On that Article concerning the expences of the Church of Annonay in getting a Miniſter to Preach among them during the abode of Monſieur le Faucheur at Saumur: This Synod ordaineth, that it ſhall paſs into a General Canon, that the Provinces ſhall defray the charges of thoſe Churches whoſe Paſtors are Commiſſionated unto General Aſſemblies, be they either Political or Eccleſiaſtical.
Art. 9. Privas, App. 10.The Aſſembly having received a good Teſtimonial of the worthy carriage of Monſieur Banſillon Paſtor of Aigueſmortes ſince the laſt National Synod, doth ordain that that Article of his Cenſure be razed out of the Acts of the Synod of Privas.
Art. 10. Privas, g. m. 8.Reading the Act of Re-union, the Lord de la Millitiere General Deputy gave in an account of the endeavours uſed by the Sieurs du Moulin, Durant, de l'Iſle Groſlot together with the General Deputies in reconciling all thoſe Lords mentioned by name in that Act, as alſo of other private perſons; for which the Aſſembly returned them hearty thanks, and doth diſcharge them of their Commiſſion with that honour which is deſervedly due unto them for their great diligence in it.
Art. 11. Privas, Ap. 1.The Churches in the Principality of Orange reiterating their complaints by the month of the Sieur Julien againſt the Synod of Dolphiny held at Veines, for excluding them from the Political Aſſembly of that Province: This Aſſembly (the Deputies of that Province having owned the charge brought in againſt them, viz. That they were excluded an Eccleſiaſtical Synod) judgeth that the ſaid Churches of the Principality of Orange ought to be reſtored unto their former priviledge.
Art. 12. Privas, p. m. 21.Mr. Mayor of Bergerac declaring on behalf of that Church and Town, that it was never their Intention to depart from the Union of our Churches, or to procure their own private good to the prejudice of the Publick, as they were condemned for by the Cenſure of the National Synod at Privas: And the Province being heard on thoſe inquiries they were obliged to make, and teſtifying for them, that they could never find by any Witneſſes, nor by any probable conjectures, that they had gotten the Kings Writ of grant for their Colledge out of the Moneys beſtowed upon the Churches;See below of Univerſities 2. and the ſaid Mr. Mayor requeſting on their behalf that that ſumm might be vouchſafed them by order of this Aſſembly out of the free and charitable benevolence of our Churches: It was decreed that the ſaid Mr. Mayor ſhould produce an Act, proving that the ſaid Communalty of the Town of Bergerac do addreſs themſelves for this matter unto this Synod, and that they renounce all other ways of obtaining it, and particularly the effects of that Writ aforeſaid, and upon doing this, they were promiſed full contentment in all their demands.
Art. 13. The Deputies of the County of Veniſe and Archbiſhoprick of Avignon requeſting,Privas, p. m. 1. that according to what was promiſed them in the Synod of Privas, ſo by the authority of this Aſſembly our Deputies in Court might recommend their affairs unto their Majeſties, and that particular Prayers might be offered up unto God for them in all the Churches; This Aſſembly granteth them their deſire on thoſe two heads, and enjoyneth all the Deputies as ſoon as they return unto their reſpective Provinces to report unto thoſe Provincial Aſſemblies their miſerable eſtate, that ſo it may be inſerted into their Memoirs which ſhall be ſent unto the next General Aſſembly.
Art. 14. Privas, p. m 3.The National Synod of Privas having ordered the Colloquy of Niſmes to examine the matter of Fact about that difference between Monſieur de Banſillon and de Mallamont concerning an Act of that Colloquy for which Mallamont accuſed him of forgery. It appears by an Act of the ſaid Colloquy ſince held, and now produced, that that which was produced by the Sieur Banſillon was certainlytrue, and the ſaid Sieur Mallamont being fully convinced of it, doth renounce his Accuſation of the ſaid Banſillon.
Art. 15. Privas, p. m. 8.Monſieur Brunier Paſtor of the Church of Uſez is charged to yield up unto the Province of Lower Languedoc, thoſe Letters forged by that infamous Apoſtate Jeremy Ferrier under the name of Captain Gautier.
Art. 16. Privas, App. 18.In executing that Decree of the National Synod of Privas about the Expences which the Province of Orleans had disburſed in the Univerſity upon Mr. Salomon, and which the Province of Lower Guyenne, now enjoying his Miniſtry, ſtands obliged to return back again unto them: The Deputies of Berry acknowledged that they drew out of the hands of the Lord du Candal the ſum of five hundred Livers upon an Acquittance of the ſaid Province of Guyenne, which yet the ſaid Deputies redemanded, as having before paid it in unto the ſaid Salomon for his encouragement. This Synod ordaineth, that the Moneys detained by the ſaid Province of Orleans ſhall remain in their cuſtody, ſaving always to the ſaid Province of Guyenne a power of redemanding from the ſaid Salomon what they had disburſed for him.
Art. 17. Privas, App. 23.The Decree of the ſame Synod, concerning the Charges of thoſe Commiſſioners ſent unto Orleans, which were to be equally defrayed by all the Churches of that Province, ſhall ſtand valid.
Art. 18. Privas, App. 34.Le Sieur de la Vienerie, Paſtor of the Church of Tonne-Boutonne in Xaintonge, preſented his Petition, that the Canon of the Synod of Privas concerning his Book, might be moderated, and thoſe words in it by which his ſaid Writings were declared to be very ſuſpicious and erroneous in the points of Juſtification, Predeſtination, Invocation of Saints departed, &c. might be obliterated. Moreover, he profeſſed that he was not convinced in his Conſcience to be guilty of thoſe matters whereof he is accuſed, and deſireth they may be proved, he having written nothing, but what he believeth to be the truth. This Aſſembly voted, that the aforeſaid Canon ſhould remain ſtill in force; and that Monſieur Banage and Bouchereau ſhould peruſe his Book, and give him inſtruction, and make report thereof unto this Synod; which they did accordingly; whereupon this Aſſembly did once more enjoyn him to ſuppreſs that his Manuſcript, which tho' reviſed by himſelf, cannot be approved of neither in his words, nor in his manner of handling it: And exhorts him in his way of teaching to follow the form of ſound words contained in the holy Scriptures; however, we judge charitably of him, and of his Opinions and Intentions, believing that he is orthodox, and ſound in the Faith, principally as to the Fundamentals of Religion.
Art. 19. Privas obſ. 2. upon the Coufeſſion.Reviſing that obſervation made upon the 18th Article of our Confeſſion of Faith, eſpecially about the Oath enjoyned to be taken by all Paſtors actually employed, and Propoſans who are deſigned for the Miniſtry, concerning Juſtification, divers Provinces remonſtrated that it needed ſome explanation:See Art. 5. after the Roll, in this Synod. The Aſſembly, after mature deliberation and long debate had of the matter, ordained that it ſhall be couched in theſe terms. Foraſmuch as divers perſons demand an explanation of the 18th Article of the Confeſſion of our Reformed Churches in this Kingdom, wherein the Doctrine of Juſtification is freely aſſerted; this Synod declareth, that in this point, the Form of Doctrine which ought to be received and taught in the Churches of this Kingdom, according to the Scriptures, is, That Man (not having in himſelf, either before or after his Effectual Calling, any Righteouſneſs of his own, by which he may ſubſiſt before the Judgment-ſeat of God,) he cannot be juſtified but by Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour, who being incarnate, was obedient unto his Father from the firſt moment of his birth, unto the laſt of his ignominious death upon the Croſs, having moſt perfectly both in his life and death, fulfilled the whole Law given unto men, and that particular Commandment impoſed on him by his Father of ſuffering, and giving his Soul a ranſom for many: By which moſt perfect Obedience we are juſtified, becauſe it is counted ours by the Grace of God, and apprehended by that Faith which he gives unto us. From which we are aſſured, that through the merit of this whole Obedience we have, and ſhall obtain the forgiveneſs of all our ſins, and be made worthy of everlaſting life. And all Paſtors, Profeſſors in Divinity, and all other the Members of our Churches are enjoyned to hold faſt this Doctrine, and in no wiſe to depart from it, and they be forbidden either by word of mouth or writing to teach or preach publickly or privately any thing that may be directly or indirectly repugnant to it. Moreover, this Synod ordaineth, that whoſoever are choſen into the holy Miniſtry, ſhall promiſe it before God; and all Conſiſtories, Colloquies and Provincial Synods ſhall exert their whole Authority to ſee this Canon punctually obſerved, inſpecting their Miniſters, and all other perſons, that none act contrary hereunto, and to proſecute ſuch as do, with all the Cenſures of the Church.
Art. 20. Privas p. m. 12. ſee about this Saumur p. m. 32. Montp. p. m. 4. Gergeau p. m. 2. Gap obſ. 12. on the foregoing Synod.In obedience to that Decree of the National Synod of Privas, the Province of Normandy hath paid in to Monſieur Vatable the hundred Livers by the hands of the Deputies of Poictou, and took up from them their Acquittance.