The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Diſcipline Exerciſed on a Scandalous Miniſter.
This Peris did afterwards by flight ſave himſelf from being proſecuted by the Lord Commiſſioners for a Libel which was found upon him, and for which he was condemned to the Gallows.34 PEter Peris formerly Paſtor in the Church of Eſtray in the Colloquy of Aunix complained perſonally unto the Synod againſt the Province of Xaintonge, for that having diſcharged him the Service of his Church, they refuſed him an Atteſtation of his Life and Doctrine. The Deputies of that Province immediately aſſigned the reaſons of their refuſal, grounded upon the ſcandalous Converſation of the ſaid Peris, and his Method of teaching, which was exceeding offenſive unto divers Churches: And the ſaid Peris Apologizing for himſelf, The Council took thence occaſion to interrogate him on divers Articles, of which he was accuſed, and convicted, as 1. For deſertion of his Ministry, 2. Of haunting, and over-much familiar and ſcandalous Acquaintance and Communion with our Adverſaries, particularly with Apoſtates revolted from the True Religion unto Romiſh Idolatry, and with Perſons caſt by the dreadful Sentence of Excommunication for Errors and Blaſphemies out of theſe our Reformed Churches. 3. Of Prophaneneſs, Inſolency and Vanity. 4. Of Lyings, Slanderings, and Plottings againſt our Churches, and ſeveral of their Members. And foraſmuch as he had about him even now whilſt he was under examination a moſt execrable Libel againſt His Majesties Honour, and the Tranquillity of the State, compos'd by ſome mutinous Spirits, diſturbers of the Publick Peace, which was delivered into the hands of His Majeſties Commiſſioner, the Lord Galland, to diſpoſe of it as his Lordſhip in his Wiſdom ſhould think fit, The Council Depoſed the ſaid Peris from the Sacred Miniſtry, and debarring him all hopes of ever being again reſtored to it, decreeth that he ſhall be ſuſpended all Communion in the Sacraments until ſuch time as he giving Glory unto God, and confeſſing his Offences, ſhall have manifeſted to the World the Gracious Fruits of a ſerious and ſound Repentance. And this Act ſhall be notified unto all the Churches.
35. Mr. Peju a Paſtor, Baignou…n Elder, and Rouſſeau, all deputed by the Heads of Families in the Church of Mer declared the grievances for which they appealed, and on the contrary the Provincial Deputies of Berry vindicated the Sentence of their Synod, The Letters and Acts alſo of both Parties were produced, and read both by Monſieur Peju, and by the Province: Upon the whole the Council judged, that the Province ought not to have brought before this Aſſembly Acts and Memoirs not verified in their Synods,1626. The 25th. Synod. and which were tranſacted in private Caballs, nor ought they to have hindred the Church of Mer from Aſſembling to conſult about joyning with their Paſtor in his Appeal; and as for the ſaid Monſieur Peju the Council adviſed him to ſtand upon his Guard, and conſcientiouſly to uſe and exerciſe that moderation becoming his Age and Calling, and decreed that the two next Paſtors to the Church of Mer in the Province of Anjou ſhall viſit that Church, and cenſure very ſharply thoſe of its Members who have threatned and abuſed the Provincial Synod, and ſhall commune with them about their deſires and wants, that ſo a report thereof may be made unto the approaching Synod of Anjou, which is impowered to judge of all thoſe Matters which are objected againſt Monſieur Peju, and to diſpoſe of his Miniſtry, either by freeing him from the Church of Mer, or continuing him in it, as they ſhall upon due and diligent Inquiry find will moſt contribute to the Service and Glory of God, and the Repoſe and Edification of that Church, unto which the ſaid Monſieur Peju is remanded back again, there to continue his Miniſterial Labours, until ſuch time as this Affair ſhall be finally judged and determined.
36. There were Letters from the Conſiſtories, Heads of Families, and Monſieur Ferrand Paſtor of the Church of Bourdeaux, as alſo from Monſieur Percy Paſtor of the Church of Monflanquin, directed unto this National Synod read in it, as alſo certain Memoirs were produced by the Provincial Deputies of Lower Guyenne. The aforeſaid Deputies, and the Sieurs Roberdeau and d' Herbaux ſent by the Churches of Monflanquin and of Bourdeaux were all heard: After which the Synod ratified the Judgment of that Province, and finding Monſieur Percy by reaſon of his Irreſolutions and Inconſtancy very much deſerving Cenſure, decreed that thoſe Letters and Memoirs ſhould be carried by the Deputies of Lower Guyenne unto their next Provincial Synod where the ſaid Monſieur Percy ſhall in like manner appear in Perſon, and give a full account of all his Actions.
37. Monſieur Le Vineux Paſtor of the Church of Bazas being Plaintiff, this Synod to do him right ordained that the Province of Lower Guyenne ſhall reſtore unto him his Portion granted by the National Synod of Charenton, in conſideration of the great dammages and loſſes ſuſtained by him during the laſt troubles: And whereas that Church of Bazas appealeth from the Judicial Sentence of its Province for▪ depriving it of the augmentation which was formerly given it, The Synod not judging their Appeal worthy to be received, commands that Church to apply it ſelf unto one of the Neighbour Provinces, which ſhall take cogniſance of their Petition, and do them Juſtice according to the Canons.
38. It being neceſſary that Monſieur Bony Paſtor of the Church of St. John of Gardonengue ſhould in perſon anſwer unto thoſe many Articles of which he is impeached and accuſed; This Synod commanded that within five dayes after the ſignifying of this preſent Act to him, he ſhould come unto this City, on pain of being declared guilty and convicted of thoſe Crimes impoſed on him. And the Deputies of the Church of Anduze ſhall out of hand give him notice hereof.
39. The Church of Bourdeaux appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Guyenne, by which Meſſieurs Alba and Percy were confirmed in their Paſtoral charge of the Churches of Agen and Monflanquin, but their Appeal was vacated, and the Sieur Roberdeau Deputy of the ſaid Church petitioning that an Order might paſs for theſe Reverend Perſons, Monſieur de la Fite Paſtor in the Church of Bigorre, de Baylin Paſtor in the Church of Villemur, Another Copy calleth him la Fort.* du Fas Paſtor in the Church of de Baylin in Armagnac, and de Raynall, Paſtor in the Church of La Fite near Clairac to ſerve the Church of Bourdeaux quarterly, upon condition, that the charges of thoſe Four Churches in getting themſelves ſupplyed during the abſence of their reſpective Paſtors, and Service of that of Bourdeaux be defrayed by it; The Council told him that they did not judge it equitable to diſpoſe of the Miniſtry of thoſe Reverend Miniſters de la Fite, and Bailin, till the conſent of their Churches and Provinces of Bearn, and Higher Languedoc was firſt obtained, becauſe they depend upon them: And foraſmuch as the ſaid Sieur de Roberdeau preſented another and new requeſt, and moſt importunately urged that it might be lawful for him inſtead of the fore-mentioned Miniſters de la Fite and Baylin to have recourſe unto Monſieur Berdolin Paſtor of the Church of Duras, and D' Aubus Paſtor of the Church of Nerac to come and help the Church of Bourdeaux upon thoſe ſame terms before-mentioned, The Council cloſed with his Offers, and condeſcending to his Demand, enjoyneth the Churches of La Baſtide, la Fite, Duras, and Nerac punctually to obſerve this preſent Ordinance, and to permit their Paſtors to ſerve the Church of Bourdeaux quarterly as it ſhall call for them.
40. There being many difficulties fallen out in the diſcuſſion of that Affair concerning Monſieur Eſpagnac, The Sieurs Taby and Longuet were appointed to paſs unto the Church of Ʋſez, and impowered to examine Monſieur Noguiere about Matters relating to him, and to know of him whether he owneth thoſe Papers that are put into their hands, and to interrogate Witneſſes that may be brought before them, and ſhall cite him perſonally to appear before this Council, and to anſwer ſuch matters as ſhall be objected againſt him, and in caſe he refuſe Obedience-unto this Order, then he ſhall be immediately ſuſpended the Holy Miniſtry.
41. The Synod doing Juſtice on the Appeal of the Colloquy of Albigeois, decreeth that the Churches of the ſaid Colloquy ſhall remain united as heretofore.
42. The Synod forbad Monſieur Recens to bring any more unto our National Synods Petitions about pecuniary Matters on pain of being proſecuted with the utmoſt rigour of Church-Cenſures, and diſmiſſeth the conſideration of thoſe Petitions unto the Province of Lower Languedoc, which ſhall put a final period to them by the Authority of this Synod.
43. Monſieur Fabry Paſtor of the Church de la Caune was commanded by the Council to come into this City the very next day after this preſent Act ſhould be ſignified to him, or elſe he ſhall be proceeded againſt with the utmoſt rigour of our Church-Diſcipline, and the Deputies of Higher Languedoc ſhall with the greateſt diligence notifie it to him.