The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 24 (1st Charenton) · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. PARTICULAR MATTERS.
1 THE Province of Poictou requeſted that Monſieur Ferrand Paſtor of the Church of St. Claud might be joyned unto their Synod, becauſe that the Churches of Champagne-Mouton, and Courcilles which are Dependencies of the ſaid Province, do compoſe two thirds at leaſt of his Auditory. But the Deputies of Xaintonge oppoſed it, for that their Province had maintained the ſaid Ferrand, and received him into the Sacred Miniſtry, and preſented him unto the Church of St. Claud, and the two others did of their own accord annex themſelves unto it. Letters from the Church of St. Claud were read, declaring that they could not be ſeparated from the Province of Augoumois, but rather if there muſt be a ſeparation that it might be from the Churches of Champagne-mouton and Courcilles, in caſe they demanded that Monſieur Ferrand ſhould perſonally reſide among them. This Aſſembly decreed that as long as thoſe three Churches continued annext each to other, they ſhould be reckoned as Members of the Province of Xaintonge; and when as that of Poictou could provide diſtinct Paſtors for thoſe of Champagne-mouton and Courcilles, or one for them both, they ſhould then return back again unto the Province of Poictou; in which caſe the Miniſtry of Gods Holy Word and Sacraments may be fixed in the Church of St. Claud, and the Province of Xaintonge ſhall take care that they be ſupplied with an able Miniſter, and that he have a competency to maintain him.
2. In purſuance of the Judgment paſt by this Aſſembly on the Appeal brought by the Church of Meſnill Imbert, (the Province of Normandy requeſting that ſome Proviſion might be made for Monſieur Bayeux deſigned Paſtor to the Church of Falaiſe and Meſnill Imbert) This Aſſembly leaveth it to the care of that Province to allow him what they ſhall think fit, and forbids that Province of Normandy to burden the Churches, as they have done, with Exhibitions unto Propoſans, before they have a Call unto the Miniſtry.
3. The Province of Poictou requeſted that the Church of Rochechouart, which was formerly of their Synod, but is now of late joyned unto the Province of Lower Guyenne, might be again conjoyned with that of Poictou. The Deputies of Lower Guyenne being demanded their Opinion of it, replyed, that they were never concerned in this Matter, nor would, unleſs that Monſieur Barthe Paſtor of the Church of Limoges, and at preſent living at Rochechouart, ſhould take up his conſtant Abode in their Province. Whereupon this Aſſembly decreed that the ſaid Monſieur Barthe ſhould retire unto his own Church, and that the ſaid Church of Rochechouart ſhould return again unto the Province of Poictou, which ſhall be obliged for the future to provide them of a Paſtor.
4. Monſieur L' Oyſeau a Paſtor Emeritus may retire into his own Province of Poictou, where his Portion, ſhall be aſſigned him.
5. The Province of Lower Guyenne requeſted that the Higher Languedoc might be obliged to reimburſe them thoſe Portions, vvhichwhich they had received under the Names of Monſieur Perery, and Caſaux, two Miniſters now octually ſerving in the Churches of their Province. This Aſſembly conſidering the Condition of the Province of Higher Languedoc, and its ſingular care in getting a ſupply for thoſe Churches which the aforeſaid gieurs Perery and Caſaux did of late ſerve, and that thoſe Portions were aſſigned during their Abode in that Province, and that the Summs demanded are very ſmall and inconſiderable, judgeth that there ought not any reſtitution to be made in this caſe.
6. The Province of Higher Languedoc petitioned that ſome certain Churches in the Colloquy of Nerac might be joyned unto the Colloquy of Armagnac. The Deputies of Lovver Guyenne, to vvhichwhich Nerac belonged, oppoſed this their requeſt. Whereupon the Synod ordained that the Colloquy of Armagnac ſhall be Augmented and Corroborated by the Addition of ſome more Churches from out of other Colloquies in the Higher Languedoc, and leaveth the Execution of this Decree unto the care of the ſaid Province.
7. Mr. Joly formerly Miniſter in the Church of Montauban, See Alez. Appeals 24.Depoſed from his Office by Sentence of the National Synod of Alez, petitioned this Aſſembly that he might be reſtored unto the Miniſtry, becauſe that the aforeſaid Synod had not utterly deprived him of all hopes of reſtauration. That judicial Sentence at Alez being diligently reviſed and conſidered, and the Provincial Deputies of the Higher Languedoc heard, vvho declared that they had an Expreſs Order from their Province to intercede for him vvith this Synod, and the Atteſtations of the Church and Conſiſtory of Montauban, and of the Synod of Higher Languedoc being produced, and read, who certified of the Godly Converſation of the ſaid Joly ever ſince his Depoſal, and all requeſting his Reſtauration; This Synod judgeth that he may be reinſtated once more into his Miniſterial Office; but yet nevertheleſs for a farther Proof and Tryal of his Repentance and Converſion his re-eſtabliſhment is deferred till the meeting of the next National Synod.
8. The Deputy of the Province of Bearne reported that their Circumſtances were ſuch at preſent as would not ſuffer them intirely to conform unto the Orders of our Churches in France, and therefore requeſted that they might be borne withal a little longer. This Synod thought good to forbear them till the ſitting of the next National Synod.
9. Whereas the Province of Lower Guyenne demands that the Paſtor of the Church of Labour to whom the National Synod of Alez had granted the Summ of Three Hundred Livres might be reckoned a Member of their Province, and ſit in their Synod, and be accountable to them for his Miniſtry. This Aſſembly judged that Matters ſhould be left in the ſame manner as now they be, and were heretofore until the meeting of the next National Synod, but on this condition that the Province of Bearne ſhall be accountable both for thoſe Moneys, and the Service of that before-mentioned Paſtor, and the Succeſs of His Miniſtry in the ſaid Land of La Bour.
10. The Province of the Iſle of France demanded what courſe ſhould be taken with profeſt Arminians, and ſuch as ſpread abroad in Diſcourſe their Dogmes and Tenents. This Synod decreeth that all Dogmatizers be proſecuted with Church-Cenſures, And as for ſuch as are known Arminians, but do not diſperſe their Opinions, our Paſtors and Conſiſtories ſhall deal with them for Three Moneths time in order to reclaim them unto ſound Doctrine: But in caſe they continue obſtinate after that time, they ſhall be debarred Communion with us at the Lords Table.