The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 24 (1st Charenton) · Chapter 20 – Chapter 21
CHAP. XX.
N. B. This Curcelles was after fixed Paſtor in the Church of Vitre le Francois in Champagne, where having begot his Servant Maid with Child, he forſook his Church, and fled into Holland, that the might eſcape the puniſhment due unto his crime, which of his free will he had committed; where he returned with the Dog unto his former Vomit, and licke up his once Abpured …rror… and lived and dyed an implacable line my of the Truth and and of all its Profeſſors. When he was dead, there was found among his Books a Manuſcript written with his own hand againſt the Godhead of Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the profeſſion of the Truth.17 MOnſieur de Courcelles formerly Paſtor in the Church of Amiens, having refuſed to ſubſcribe the Doctrine received in the Synod of Alez, did freely and of his own accord reſign his Paſtoral Charge into the hands of the Provincial Synod of the Iſle of France, but now proteſting in this Aſſembly that he had quite rejected thoſe Arminian Dogmes, and that he did own and acquieſce intirely in the Doctrine received of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, and humbly petitioned this Synod, that they would be pleaſed to reſtore him again unto his Charge, upon the promiſes he did now make of retaining the form of ſound words. After that the Deputy of the Iſle of France had related the proceedings of their laſt Synod upon the fact of Courcelles his quitting of his Place and Calling, he was again called in, and did plainly, and clearly, and with great earneſtneſs avow and confeſs his conſent unto the whole Doctrine taught and contained in thoſe Canons decreed at the Synod of Alez, and in this alſo, holding and believing it to be the truth, and agreeing with the Word of God, and that he renounceth all Errors condemned in thoſe aforeſaid Canons; and that he believeth thoſe ſaid Canons in every Branch and Article of them, and was reſolv'd to ſign and defend them for the future to the utmoſt of his power during Life. The Aſſembly having received this his Declaration and Proteſtation reſtored him again unto his Miniſterial Office, and remanded him back unto the Iſle of France to be preſented unto a Church, and in caſe he could not meet with one in that Province, then he might accept of a Call in any other. And for his Comfort he had Licenſe given him in the interim to preach in any Church for its Ediſication, yea, and in the Church of Paris alſo, provided the Reverend Paſtors of that Congregation, did invite him to it. Moreover this Aſſembly approved of all thoſe former proceedings of the Province aforeſaid in and about this buſineſs of Courcelles, as having been done and managed with ſingular prudence, Candor, and Charity: And it gives alſo unto the ſaid Courcelles one Portion for his ſubſiſtence, until ſuch time as he be provided of a Church.
18. Letters were tendred and read in this Aſſembly from the Lords Curators and Profeſſors in the famous Univerſity of Leyden, requeſting that Monſieur Rivett, who had been lent unto the ſaid Univerſity by a former National Synod for their Divinity Profeſſor might be confirmed and continued to them during Life by the Authority of this alſo. The Letters of Monſieur Rivett writ unto this Aſſembly were in like manner peruſed; and his Brother the Lord of Chamvernown declared, that Doctor Rivett teſtified and expreſſed a continual Love and ſincere Affection, as in Duty he was bound, unto his Native Countrey, and that Cordial deſire he had alwayes to ſerve it; but that he could not at preſent be removed from the Univerſity of Leyden, but to its very great dammage and his own in particular, for which cauſe he intreated this Aſſembly to continue him for ſome few years more in the aforeſaid Univerſity of Leyden. The Synod did hereupon grant him his requeſt, and ordered his continuance there until the next National Synod, and that an anſwer ſhould be written unto the Lords Curators and Profeſſors there accordingly. He lived there to his Death, which fell out in the year 1651. His Works are Printed in Three Folio's.
19. The Church of Alez petitioned that the Reverend Monſieur Chauve Miniſter of the Church of Sommieres, might be co…ferred upon them for their Paſtor. After peruſal of theſe Letters, thoſe of Monſieur Chauve were alſo conſidered, who complained that his burthen was too heavy for his Shoulders, and that he could not without aſſiſtance go through the neceſſary Duties of his Charge in either of thoſe Churches. The Deputies alſo of Sevennes, and the Lower Languedoc, and Monſieur L' Eſpeiſſes for the Church of Alez were all heard; whereupon this Synod confirmed Monſieur Chauve in his Miniſtry of the Church of Sommiers and enjoyneth the ſaid Province to take care that he have help and comfort given him in his great labours.
20. The Church of Bourdeaux petitioned that Monſieur Alba Miniſter of the Church of Tonneins, and Ferrand Miniſter of La Parade, in the Province of Lower Guyenne might be beſtowed on them for their Paſtors. Another Petition alſo was preſented from the Lords Preſident and Counſellors in the Court of Agen, that they might be favour'd with the Miniſtry of the ſame Monſieur Alba. After peruſal of ſeveral Letters from the Churches of Tonneins, La Parade, Bourdeaux, and Agen, and thoſe of the Lords Preſident, and Counſellors there, and hearing of Monſieur Coderois, Elder in the Church of Bourdeaux, and of Monſieur Alba, and of the Provincial Deputies of Guyenne; This Aſſembly preſented Monſieur Ferrand unto the Church of Bourdeaux, and Monſieur Alba unto that of Agen until the next National Synod: And it does enjoyn the Colloquy, and on their default, the Synod of that Province to make ſome ſpeedy proviſion for the Church of La Parade, that they may be without delay ſupplied with a Paſtor.
21. Relation was made by the Province of Vivaretz concerning ſome Miſcarriages of Monſieur des Maretz heretofore Paſtor in the Church of Valet. This Aſſembly not being able to judge of this Matter, becauſe of his abſence, hath diſmiſſed the buſineſs unto the next Seſſion of the Colloquy of Valentinois in Dolphiny, to take cogniſance of it, and to examine Witneſſes about it, and to give a final Judgment therein, by Authority from it, and ordaineth that the ſaid des Maretz be cited to appear before them, and that the Deputies of the ſaid Province ſhall carry thoſe Evidences thither which they produced in this Aſſembly.
22. Monſieur Huron a Miniſter without Imployment was preſented to the Church of Mirembeau in the Province of Xaintonge at the requeſt of Monſieur Thomas Elder in the ſaid Church, and this Aſſembly did alſo by vvay of Advance give him Sixty Livres.
23. Monſieur Morell Deputy from the Church of Die deſired this Aſſembly that it would be pleaſed for the future to pay the Profeſſors of that Univerſity their Stipends; and in caſe the Synod vvould be pleaſed to do it, they offered freely to relinquiſh their right which by contract with the Province of Dolphiny they had over the ſaid Univerſity; or elſe that we would grant ſome greater Augmentation than heretofore towards the maintenance and keeping up of the ſaid Univerſity. This Synod ordered that the Six Hundred Livres granted by the National Synod of Alez, ſhould be continued unto that Univerſity.
24. The Province of Provence complained by Letters of Monſieur Huron ſometime ſince Miniſter of the Church of Riez in the ſame Province that he had lying by him very many Papers belonging to them, and that he had not given an Account of his Deputation unto the laſt Synod of Alez, and finally that he ſtood indebted a conſiderable Summ of Money unto the ſaid Province; and therefore they requeſted this Aſſembly to injoyn him the ſaid Huron to come in Perſon unto their next Provincial Synod, and to give an Account of theſe Matters. After that Monſieur Huron was heard ſpeak for himſelf, and the Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny, who produced the Memoirs of the Province of Provence, this Aſſembly did not judge the two firſt Articles complained of either reaſonable or charitable, and declares him acquitted and abſolved from them: And as for the third concerning the Summs of Money pretended to be owing by him, the Cogniſance and Judgment thereof is devolved on the Conſiſtory of Montpellier, unto which Monſieur Huron may ſend, or in Perſon deliver what he has to produce for his own Juſtification and Diſcharge.
25. The ſame Monſieur Huron complaining that the Province of Provence have not payd him one farthing of the Dividend he ſhould have had of the Kings Moneys ſince the ſitting of the laſt Synod at Alez: This Aſſembly counting this Affair not to belong to its cogniſance, did remand it as that laſt immediately foregoing unto the Conſiſtory of Montpellier.
26. The Widow of Monſieur Touſſaint deceaſed, late Paſtor of the Church of Luc in Provence complained, that notwithſtanding all her earneſt Sollicitations and Endeavours uſed by her with that Province ſhe could never get a Denier of the Four Hundred Livres, nor of the Seventy and Five Livres, nor a Doit of the Arrearages ordained by the National Synod of Alez for the maintenance of her poor Orphans. This Aſſembly ordaineth the Lord of Candal to pay the ſaid Four Hundred Livres unto the ſaid Mrs. Touſſaincts out of the Moneys belonging to that Province, becauſe of the ſecurity brought by her from Monſieur Galles her Father, Phyſitian to the City of Orange; and as for the Arrears, and other Articles of her demands the Judgment of them is devolved upon the Colloquy of Baronniers in Dolphiny, which injoyned to put the Decree of Alez in Execution, and by Authority from this Aſſembly, to put a final period to this buſineſs.
27. The ſaid Province of Provence having given in none Account of the Obſervation of thoſe Canons which were made particularly for them in the Synod of Alez. This Aſſembly ordereth the Sieurs of Chambrun and Crubelier to go in Perſon unto the next Synod of the ſaid Province, which ſhall bear their Charges, and that afterwards the Province of Dolphiny and Lower Languedoc ſhall ſend each of them one Paſtor unto their following Synods to ſee thoſe aforeſaid Canons punctually obſerved by that Province of Provence. And theſe Three Provinces of Dolphiny and Lower Languedoc and Provence, ſhall each of them give an Account hereof unto the next National Synod. And once more the ſaid Province of Provence is injoyned carefully to obſerve and keep thoſe Canons, or elſe they ſhall loſe and forfeit all part and intereſt in the Moneys of His Majeſties Bounty.
28. Monſieur Jaſper Martin Paſtor in the Church of Saliens complained that he was never payed one farthing of that Portion granted him by the Synod of Alez, and therefore petitions this Aſſembly to give him another until the meeting of the next National Synod. This Aſſembly orders that he be payd in this preſent year the Portion granted him in the year 1620. by that of Alez, and farther as an augmentation the Summ of One Hundred Livres more.
29. Monſieur du Val heretofore Paſtor in the Church of Falaiſe in the Province of the Iſle of France appeared perſonally in this Aſſembly petitioning to be reſtored unto the Miniſtry, and provided of a Church by its Authority. The Synod not being fully informed for what reaſons the ſaid Province had ſuſpended him the Exerciſe of his Miniſtry hath remanded him b…ck again unto the ſaid Province, which ſhall diſpoſe of him according as they ſhall judge beſt for the Glory of God, and the Edification of his Church.
30. The Widow of Monſieur de Preau late Paſtor in the Church of Vitre, in the Province of Britain petitioned this Aſſembly to allow her the ſame Penſion they did others in her condition only till ſuch time as ſhe had finiſhed her Law-Suit commenc't againſt the Murderers of her Husband. This Synod not judging this Affair to belong unto its cogniſance hath diſmiſſed her over to that of the Province, and recommends it particularly unto them.
31. Monſieur Joly formerly Paſtor of the Church of Hour and Baillolet petitioned this Aſſembly, that whereas the Colloquy of Beauſſe by Order of the Provincial Synod of the Iſle of France had ſuſpended him from the Miniſtry for Three Moneths time, becauſe he had deſerted thoſe aforeſaid Churches, we would be pleaſed to take his ſuſpenſion off the File, and out of the Acts of the ſaid Colloquy after that both the Lord of Saſſeuſe Elder in the ſaid Church of Baillolet, and the Deputies of the Province had been heard: This Aſſembly approveth of the ſaid ſuſpenſion: Yet for divers Conſiderations doth ordain that it be razed out of thoſe Acts.
32. The Province of Lower Guyenne complained that in the dividend of Moneys given us by the King, and to be received this very Year, the Synod had forgotten the Summ of Three Hundred Livres appointed by the National Synod of Alez for maintaining of a Miniſter in the Churches in the Land of La Bour in Biſcay. This Synod intreateth the Lord of Candal that out of the good Moneys which might accrew for the Wages of a Second Profeſſor in the Univerſities of Saumur, Montauban, and Niſmes, he would be pleaſed to pay unto the aforeſaid Province of Lower Guyenne, the Summ of Three Hundred Livres yearly.
CHAP. XXI.
33 MOnſieur Cameron repreſented unto this Aſſembly, that although he had been ſought after, and earneſtly urged to accept of very advantagious Imployments without the Kingdom, yet he would not at all cloſe with any of them, becauſe of his great Affection and Obligation unto the Churches of France: But His Majeſty not approving that he ſhould at preſent re-enter upon his Miniſterial or Profeſſoral Offices in Church or Univerſity, he was now deſtitute of Imployment, and ſo without any convenient means for the maintaining of his Family, wherefore he intreated this Venerable Aſſembly to have reſpect unto him, and his deſolate Condition. The Synod did hereupon order a Thouſand Livres to be payd him, viz. Seven Hundred Livres for his Sallary as Profeſſor this preſent year, two hundred Livres for one Portion, and one hundred Livres more for defraying the Charges of his Travels. And the Lord of Candal is deſired to pay him the ſaid Thouſand Livres out of thoſe Forty Thouſand, which His Majeſty hath been pleaſed now to beſtow upon us in ready Money, and he ſhall deduct and abate Seven Hundred Livres out of thoſe Moneys he ſhould have payd in for this preſent year unto the Univerſity of Saumur, and Three-Hundred Livres out of the Remainders of the precedent years yet unpaid. Mr. Cameron was called afterward to be Profeſſor of Divinity at Montauban, where he died in the year 1625, about 44, or 45 years of Age. His Works are his Myrothecium in Quarto, and foreign in Folio.