The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. APPEALES.
THE Sieur Ginoux brought his Appeal from a Judgment of the Province of Sevennes, and he was patiently heard ſpeaking of thoſe pretended grievances, which occaſioned his Appeal, and of that oppoſition which was made and formed by him and his Party againſt the Settlement of Monſieur Courant in the Paſtoral Office in the Church of Alez, and about the Suſpenſion decreed againſt him from the Lords Table by the Conſiſtory of his own Church and the Provincial Synod. The Deputies of Sevennes were heard alſo ſpeaking in the behalf of their Province. This Synod did hereupon declare that the ſaid oppoſition was groundleſs,1626. The 25th. Synod. and confirmed the Decree of the Provincial Synod for the Setting of the ſaid Monſieur Courant in the Church of Alez; and foraſmuch as the ſaid Sieur Ginoux doth yield unto thoſe Exhortations and Remonſtrances that have been made him, and out of deference to them proteſteth that he will relinquiſh as he now relinquiſheth all thoſe Accuſations brought by him againſt Monſieur des Mareſts and his Colleague Monſieur Courant whom he reckoneth and believeth to be True, Worthy, and Faithful Miniſters of the Goſpel, Holy and Exemplary in their Lives, of Unblemiſhed and Unſtained Reputations. And farther it ordaineth that the ſaid Sieurs des Mareſts and Courant ſhall openly and publickly declare before the Conſiſtory of Montpellier that they do reciprocally hold and eſteem the ſaid Sieur Ginoux for an honeſt Gentleman, of good Reputation, and without Reproach; and after this Declaration thus made, the ſaid Conſiſtory ſhall reconcile them one to the other, and by Authority from this Synod the ſaid Sieur Ginoux ſhall be received by them unto the Peace and Commmunion of the Church, and that Suſpenſion decreed againſt him by the Province of Sevennes ſhall be removed, and taken off the File.
2. Letters were read from the Church of Paris, with its appeal from the Judgment of the laſt Provincial Synod, and Monſieur Meſtrezat and d' H…yſſeau with the other Deputies of that Province were heard ſpeaking to it. This Aſſembly voted a Decree, that the Cenſure paſt on the Church of Paris in that Synod of he Iſle of France ſhall be reverſed, and that the Church of Paris ſhall be adviſed preciſely to obſerve the Canons concerning the re-ſearch of Paſtors: Moreover to comply with their inſtant, urgent Importunities Monſieur Daille is purely and abſolutely reſigned to them.
3. Whereas John Mellier having oppoſed the Election and Reception of the Sieur John Celaris into the Office of an Elder, and brought his Appeal unto this Synod, it is remanded back unto the Province of Higher Languedoc, who have full power to determine it.
4. The Synod ratifying the Judgment of the Province of Xaintonge, from whence the Church of Montendre had appealed, This Aſſembly ordaineth, that for the future Provincial Synods ſhall judge ſoveraignly and finally in all cauſes about diſmembring and conjoining of Annexed Churches.
5. And therefore according to this Canon the Appeal of the Church of St. Hillary in the Province of Poictou is declared null, notwithſtanding what hath been remonſtrated to the contrary by the Lord de la Begaudiere.
6. For the ſame reaſon the Appeal of the Church of St. Fulgentius in the ſame Province is diſanulled.
7. The ſame Sentence was given on the Appeal of the Church of Quiſſac from the Decree of the Province of Sevennes.
8. And for the like reaſon the Church of Sauve in the ſaid Province having brought an Appeal had it rejected.
9. Although the differences about the diſtribution of His Majeſties Liberality granted us to our Churches ought not to be brought before theſe National Synods, yet that the conteſtations in the Churches of the Lower Guyenne may be terminated, the Deputies of that Province are commanded to confer with the R. R. Mr. Belot and de Baux, Miniſters of the Goſpel, and with the Sieurs Marlat and la Briere Elders, that in caſe they ſhould hit upon an expedient of accommodating Matters, it may be ratified by the Authority of this Aſſembly, not that we would have a precedent made hereof. And once again that Ancient Prohibition againſt our Miniſters is now revived. That not one of them ſhall touch a Denier of His Majeſties Bounty aſſigned to; and distributed by the Provinces unto their particular Churches; becauſe the ſaid Churches ought ſolely to receive it, and it muſt remain wholly at their diſpoſal, and becauſe our Paſtors ſhall not have an uncertain, but a moſt certain and determinate Penſion for their ſubſiſtence from their Churches.
10. The Appeal of Monſieur Perez Paſtor of the Church of Cajarre was vacated; and the Aſſembly injoyned the Province of Higher Languedoc to put forth their hand, that the ſaid Perez may receive for time coming greater ſatisfaction from his Church than heretofore. And in caſe the ſaid Church do not fully content him, and pay him his juſt dues betwixt this and the next Synod of that Province, they ſhall be deprived of his Miniſtry, and he ſhall be aſſigned to ſome other Flock; yea and though they ſhould give him all poſſible ſatisfaction, yet ſhall he not be compelled to ſerve a Church againſt his Will, whereunto he was not ſent but for a time.
11. This Judgment paſt upon the Appeal of the Church of Angles; that it was very needleſs, and ill layd, the Sentence of their Province being founded on Equity and Charity.
12. The Appeal of Monſieur Peter Prevoſt a Paſtor Emeritus is declared null.
13. The Church of Bergerac appealed and petitioned, that foraſmuch as the Sentence of the Province of Lower Guyenne hath been invalidated, the Twelve Hundred Livres formerly granted unto their Colledge might be continued. The Letters and Memoirs of that Church being read, and the Deputies of that Province heard, this Decree was made, That the Four Hundred Livres given unto every Province for their reſpectiye Colledges ſhall be continued unto that of Bergerac until the next National Synod, unto which they ſhall give a clear and good account of what has been done by them for the re-eſtabliſhment of their Colledge, on default of which, that Sentence of the Provincial Synod for tranſlating the ſaid Colledge to the Town of Nerac ſhall be confirmed. And as for the remaining Eight Hundred Livres, Four Hundred of them ſhall be detained by the Lord of Candal in his hands, and the other Four Hundred ſhall be accorded to the Church of Nerac, but on this condition only that the Town of Bergerac do find out ſome means for the re-eſtabliſhment of their Colledge. And our National Synods may hereafter give them ſenſible pledges of their accuſtomed Love and Kindneſs.
14. Monſieur des Mareſts ſuſpended the Holy Miniſtry by the Province of Vivaretz, petitioned in his Appeals, that they might be obliged to reſtore him unto the Publick Exerciſe of his Office, and come to an account with him, upon hearing the Deputies of that Province, this Synod voted that his ſuſpenſion ſhould be removed, and that the ſaid Province ſhould accompt with him for the Moneys owing to him before the Conſiſtory of Alez, and that Monſieur Cuper ſhall pay him preſently in ready Moneys Three Hundred Livres, out of what might accrew unto the ſaid Province, and to repair the want of Charity which thoſe of that Province have been notoriouſly guilty of towards him, they ſhall for the future take ſpecial care to incourage him in his Miniſtry.
15. Mr. George Arbaut formerly Paſtor of the Church in Boiſcoiran appeared in Perſon before this Synod to maintain his Appeal. But upon hearing the Deputies of the Province of Lower Languedoc, by which he was Depoſed, and Monſieur Paulett Paſtor of the Church of Vezenobre who gave in Evidence againſt him on one of the Principal Articles for which he was condemned, the Letters and Acts produced both for and againſt him having been peruſed, The Synod confirmed the Judgment denounc't againſt the ſaid Arbaut, and declareth him for ever unworthy of Employment in the Sacred Miniſtry, and decreeth farther that he ſhall not be admitted to Communion in the Sacraments, till ſuch time as being toucht with a deep remorſe, and ſerious Repentance for his Sin, he do fully, freely, and ingenuouſly Confeſs his Offences before that Church, in which he conſtantly reſideth.
16. Monſieur Beraut Paſtor of the Church of Montauban, and Profeſſor in that Univerſity, appealed from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc, and conſequentially from the Actions of the Delegates of that Synod, and of the Colloquy of Lower Quercy. Letters from the Magiſtrates in the Sheriffdom or Montauban were read, as alſo from the Four Conſuls of the ſaid City; The Lords de la Roche and Bardon Counſellors in that Sheriffdom, the Lords de la Roſe and Auglas firſt and ſecond Conſuls, and the R. Mr. Charles a Miniſter one of thoſe Delegates, were all heard ſpeaking of this Affair, and Monſieur Beraud alſo declaring his grievances, as alſo did the Deputies of the Province. The Synod did hereupon take unto it ſelf the cogniſance of this Caſe, and voted that the R. R. Mr. Maurice and le Bloy Miniſters of the Goſpel, Martimont and Laullan Elders ſhall to this purpoſe ride unto the City of Montauban, and joyning with the Conſiſtory of that Church, ſhall inquire into thoſe matters alledged againſt Monſieur Beraud, and examin Witneſſes, and form a Proceſs againſt him, and proceed to a definitive Sentence, and ſee that right be done upon thoſe Appeals, and the principal of that Affair as is but juſt and reaſonable.
17. Monſieur Scoffier Paſtor of the Church of Lunell brought an Appeal in his own Name, and that of his Siſter Mrs. Blandina Scoffier from a Judgment of the Synod of Sevennes, which having been read and peruſed, This Synod declared that the ſaid Judgment was very unrighteous, and utterly unjuſtifiable. And that the oppoſition made by Mrs. Jacquelina Scoffier was ill-grounded, and that the Summ of Four Hundred and Three Livres, One Sous, Four Deniers liquidated by the Conſiſtory of Anduze, Authorized thereunto by the Synod of Sevennes, ſhall immediately, and without delay be payed by the Receiver of the ſaid Province into the hands of the laid Monſieur Scoffier, to be imployed by him for the Relief of his poor Siſter Blandina.
18. The Sieurs Guez Paſtor, and Bien-nous-vienne Elder of the Church of Aubuſſon declared the reaſons of their Appeal and Complaints againſt the Province of Berry. And the Deputies of the ſame Province, and Mr. Texier an Elder delegated by the Conſiſtory of Aubuſſon produced their Arguments and Allegations to the contrary. After the whole had been heard and debated, the Judgment of the ſaid Province was invalidated, becauſe they ought not to remove a Paſtor from his Church without aſſigning him to ſome other, much leſs ſhould they prefer a Scholar unto an ordained Miniſter. And farther it was decreed, that Monſieur Guez ſhould continue in his Paſtoral Office in that Church of Aubuſſon until the next Provincial Synod, and the differences between the Elders of that Church, and Monſieur Guez, their Paſtor, and between thoſe Elders and other Members of that Church are remanded back unto the ſame Synod. And the Deputies of that Province are commanded to carry unto their Synod the Memoir which was produced in this Aſſembly, and the Sieurs Salmon and Scoffier are to make inquiry into the truth of thoſe Articles of Accusation contained in the ſaid Memoir, that ſo the ſaid Synod may do right unto the wronged Parties, and cenſure the Delinquents.
19. This Aſſembly ratified the Judgment of the Province of Higher Languedoc, and vacated the Appeal of Monſieur Bicheteau Profeſſor of the Hebrew Tongue in the Univerſity of Montauban, and decreed that a free Portion ſhould be aſſigned him on the Dividend of the ſaid Province, and that he may according to the Canons of former National Synods preach in the Church of Montauban, when as he ſhall be thereunto requeſted by the Conſiſtory, and as in prudence and charity they be bound, they ſhall look more carefully after the General Edification of the Church, and the particular Conſolation of the ſaid Monſieur Bicheteau.
20. The Letters and Acts of the Church of Pamiers were tendred by Monſieur du Toc que their Deputy, and read in this Council, requeſting on behalf of that Church, that the Decree of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc might be reverſed, and Monſieur Galliard might be diſcharged from ſerving that Church. The matter having been debated, the Synod declared upon the whole, That the Province had judged well, and that the Church had ill appealed; and becauſe of the importance of that Church leave is given it to ſeek out for a ſecond Paſtor, but yet nevertheleſs Monſieur Galliard ſhould be continued in his Miniſtry unto that Church until the next Provincial Synod, who ſhall have a singular regard unto the Honour and Comfort of Monſieur Galliard, and provide him of another Church, in caſe the Peace and Edification of that of Pamiers ſhall ſo require it.
21. Monſieur Peyroll Paſtor in the Church of Montpellier is injoyned within five dayes after this preſent Act ſhall be ſignified to him perſonally to appear in this City, and to anſwer unto ſuch queſtions as this Synod ſhall deſire to be reſolved in from his own Mouth, and in caſe he vefuſe Obedience unto this injunction, he ſhall then be proſecuted with the utmoſt rigour according to the Diſcipline.
22. This Aſſembly ratified the Sentence of the Synod of Higher Languedoc, which had diſannulled the Appeal made by Ruinall againſt the Election of James Canac unto the Elders Office in the Church of St. Afrique, and afterwards reconciled them one unto the other.
23. There were produced and read in open Synod Acts and Letters from divers Inhabitants of the Town of St. Ambroiſe, appealing from the Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc, as alſo from ſundry other Inhabitants of the ſame Town, Writing in favour of Monſieur Courroy, Paſtor of the Church of the ſaid place. This Aſſembly confirmed the Sentence of the Colloquy of Ʋſez, and of the Provincial Synod, and cenſured thoſe Appealers in the Perſon of their Deputies, for having through their unbridled paſſion paſſed Church-Acts out of Conſiſtory, in the Conſuls Houſe of their Town, and brought a parcel of frivolous Accuſations againſt Monſieur Courroy their Paſtor, and decreeth farther that he be continued Miniſter unto the ſaid Church of St. Ambroiſe, and that if he ſhould be removed thence, though it was at his own requeſt, yet ſhall not the ſaid Church be provided of another Paſtor, till the whole Body of them have baniſhed all their diſorderly paſſions and bitterneſs, and be viſibly re-united in one and the ſame mind, that ſo they may by all juſt and peaceable wayes ſeek after a Miniſter, who may be conceived moſt proper and fitteſt to promote their common Edification, and this ſhall be ſignified unto that Church by the Deputies of Burgundy, who are charged in their way homeward to paſs through that Town of St. Ambroiſe, and then and there they ſhall inform the Inhabitants of the Intentions of this Synod, and do their beſt endeavours to reconcile them among themſelves, and to their Worthy Paſtor Mr. Courroy, and to know their minds about it, that ſo they may malſe report thereof unto the Synod of Lower Languedoc, which is impowered by this Aſſembly to uſe all Lawful and Holy Means for promoting the Peace and Edifying of that Church.
24. The Letters and Memoirs produced by the Conſuls of Anduze appealing from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Sevennes, and from the Conſiſtory of the ſaid Town who wore Parties to it were all examined. And the Deputies of that Province together with the Sieurs Puyredon Deputy Conſul and Cheiloit an Elder ſpeaking on behalf of the Conſiſtory, and Monſieur Horle a Miniſter, were all heard After which the Council rejecting that Appeal, and cenſuring their proceedings, who had brought it in, and would ſupport it by unuſual and undue means, and with Libels of Accuſations written out of Conſiſtory, ſtuff't with matters of no moment, confirmed Monſieur Horle in the Paſtoral Office of that Church, and gives it leave to provide themſelves of a ſecond Paſtor, either within or without the Province, as the Lord ſhall offer them an opportunity, and farther it decreeth that the ſaid Church ſhall attend their next Provincial Synod, and gain an Order from it for re-uniting the Church of Tornas, now joyned unto that of Lezan, unto themſelves, and the ſaid Synod ſhall comply with them in this their requeſt, and uſe ſome other means for the maintenance of that Church of Lezan, when as that of Tornas ſhall be again incorporated with that of Anduze, as it was heretofore.
25, The Decree of the laſt Synod of the Iſle of France, notwithſtanding the Letters and Complaints of Monſieur Richard Paſtor, and and of ſome certain Elders of the Church of Vandieres to the contrary, was confirmed, and the ſaid Richard was injoyned by the Synod to exerciſe his Miniſtry in thoſe Churches unto which he was aſſigned, on pain of being ſuſpended from his Office; and that Province is requeſted to compaſſionate his great wants, and to extend unto him their wonted Charities.
26. Whereas Monſieur Razes appealed from a Judgment of the Provincial Synod of Lower Languedoc, This Council rejected his Appeal, and to put a period unto the contentions of the ſaid Razes about the precedency of Monſieur Martyn an Attorney at Bezieres, it decreed, that for the future no buſineſſes of this Nature ſhould ever be preſented unto theſe Aſſemblies.
27. The Appeal of the Church of Mazamet was alſo rejected, becauſe it was not of the Nature of thoſe buſineſſes, which ought to be decided in theſe Councils, and becauſe the Provincial Deputies of Higher Languedoc offered to take care that both the Appealers and their Partners ſhould have full ſatisfaction given them.
28. The Appeal of Monſieur Roſſel Paſtor in the Church of Iſſoire about pecuniary matters, is according to the Canons in that caſe provided, diſmiſſed over to the Judgment of the Province of Lower Languedoc.
29. The Several Appeals of Monſieur Genoyer Paſtor of the Church of Riez in Provence are devolved on the Colloquy of Ambrun, who ſhall call upon the Church of Luc, to produce what they have to ſay for themſelves, and to threaten them, that notwithstanding their Appeal, in caſe of their abſence, or refuſal to obey this Order, and to bring forth the Book of their Conſiſtory, whereby the juſtice or unreaſonableneſs of what is demanded of them may be diſcovered, Judgment ſhall paſs upon them.
30. Report was made in full Council of the Contents of Monſieur Sauceux his Memoirs, who appealed from the Judicial Sentences of the Synod of the Iſle of France and of their Commiſſioners ſent on their behalf unto the Church of Bayolett; and the Deputies of that Province were heard alſo: Whereupon without invalidating the Judicial Sentences of that Synod, or of its Commiſſioners, They were told that the form of their proceedings was wrong; that the ſaid Synod ſhould have cited Monſieur Sauceux to have appear'd before them, and have omitted in that Act concerning him, the mentioning of His Majeſties Edict, and that the bottom of the buſineſs may be found out, the Council decreed that the Provincial Deputies of Normandy ſhall in their return homewards paſs over unto the Church of Bayolet, and ſhall examin the ſaid Mr. Sauceux and his Conſiſtory, and after hearing both Parties, they ſhall pronounce a final Judgment on them.
31. Whereas Monſieur des Maretz Elder of the Church of Oyſemont hath ſent neither Letters nor Memoirs to defend his Appeal from the Judgment of the Province of the Iſle of France, his Appeal was therefore declared null.
32. That Appeal from the Judgment of the Province of Burgundy, brought by the L. L. Renaut and Fronevill in the Name of the Sieur L' Adviſe, touching a certain Declaration delivered unto the Sieur de Villemenat to be kept by him is declared null.
33. The Lord of Fournivall Elder in the Church of Beaune appealed in behalf of its Conſiſtory from a Decree paſt in the laſt Synod of Burgundy held at Iſſurtilles, which had cenſur'd the ſaid Conſiſtory for not obſerving all requiſite Formalities in receiving a Perſon of the contrary Religion into Fellowſhip and Communion with us; but his Appeal was declared null, and the ſaid Conſiſtory was cenſured for appealing unto this Council upon the ſcore of a ſingle Cenſure.