The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 27 (Alençon) · Chapter 12 – Chapter 13
CHAP. XII. The Reſtoration of a penitent Miniſter deferred.
13.JOſeph Obery, depoſed by the laſt National Synod, and reſiding at preſent in the Canton of Bearn, wrote Letters unto this Aſſembly, petitioning for his Reſtoration unto the ſacred Miniſtry; which before they were opened, were preſented unto the Lord Commiſſioner, who having read them, declared that they contained nothing but Matters purely Eccleſiaſtical: And after they had been ſeen and peruſed by the whole Synod, and the Teſtimonial given him by the Conſul of Aubonne in the County of Vaux, and that the Provincial Deputies of Burgundy had delivered in their Opinion concerning him; this Synod could not grant him his Requeſt; yet nevertheleſs received with Joy the good News of his Repentance and Converſion unto the Lord, and he was exhorted to confirm himſelf more and more in it, and to continue in the Grace of God.
14. The Province of Lower Guyenne is injoined to make uſe of their Authority upon Monſieur Perery, and to ſee that he do actually reſide with his Flock; and in caſe he continue refractory and diſobey their Order, that they do then immediately cenſure him according to the utmoſt Rigor and Severity of our Diſcipline.
15. The Practice of the 3d Article of General Matters in the laſt National Synod, is recommended unto all the Churches.
16. Complaints having Been brought againſt divers, Paſtors Non-Reſidents in the Colloquy of Lower Quercy, unto the laſt National Synod, and thoſe Complaints together with the Letters of thoſe Miniſters apologizing for themſelves, having been diſmiſſed to the Colloquy of Albigeois, and the Synod of Higher Languedoc to judg of their Caſe; now the Sentence paſs'd upon them was reviſed in this preſent Synod; and this Aſſembly being willing to ſupport and incourage them in their Miniſtry, did once more ordain the Colloquy of Albigeois to renew their Informations, and to examine afreſh the pretended Inability of thoſe Churches, and to urge and induce them by all kind of Arguments, and thoſe the moſt forcible, to perform their Duties, and to bring in an Account hereof unto the next National Synod.
17. The Appeal of the Church of Nerac, which refuſed to defray the Charges the Church of Agen were at in the Removal of Monſieur Vignier, is diſmiſſed over to the Judgment of the Province of Lower Guyenne; becauſe it is not of the Nature of thoſe Affairs which do depend upon National Synods.
18. That Judgment given by the Province of Dolphiny in the Cauſe of Monſieur Aymier, is ratified by this preſent Synod.
19. Foraſmuch as the Province of Vivaretz hath given their Conſent unto it, this Aſſembly permitteth for this time, that the Church of St. Eſtienne in Foreſt, be incorporated with the Province of Burgundy.
20. The Promiſe made by the laſt National Synod unto the Province of Bearn, about the Miniſters born in it, and imployed in divers Churches of this Kingdom, is again confirmed, and the ſaid Province is exhorted to acquieſce and reſt ſatisfied therewith.
21. Whereas the Adjunction of the Church of Valence unto that of Soyon, is indiſpenſably needful for the Subſiſtence of this latter; the Synod injoineth the ſaid Church to incorporate it ſelf with it, as it hath done formerly; and this Act ſhall be notified unto them by the Deputies of Lower Languedoc, of Sevennes and Provence, as they return in their way homeward.
22. The Deputies of Vivaretz, remonſtrated, that the Article concerning Monſieur Perrier's Account was left out in that Copy of the laſt National Synod, which was brought down unto their Province, and that it were ſit the ſaid Accompt ſhould be reviſed. This Aſſembly ordaineth, that the ſaid Province do apply it ſelf unto that of Dolphiny, which ſhall ſummon the ſaid Perrier before them, and judg finally of the Merits of the ſaid Remonſtrance.
23. The Synod of Lower Guyenne ſhall cite Monſieur Buſtanoby before them, that he may accompt with them about the Imployment of the three hundred Livers delivered unto his deceaſed Father by the National Synod of Caſtres, and they ſhall make Report thereof unto the next National Synod.
A penitent Miniſter ſeeking and petitioning to be reſtored, is denied, but with Advice to betake himſelf to ſome other Calling.
24. SAmuel du Freſné, depoſed from the ſacred Miniſtry by the Conſiſtory of Vienna, and Synod of Higher Languedoc, preſenred himſelf unto this Aſſembly, and with a Shower of Tears implored the Pardons and Bowels of the Church, whom he had offended by his Fall. But upon Peruſal of the Acts of his Depoſition, and the 51ſt Article of the Diſcipline, which depriveth them of all Hopes of Reſtoration, who are fallen into ſuch Crimes of which he ſtands convicted: The Aſſembly adviſed him to betake himſelf to ſome other Calling, and to repair the Scandal he had given, by his Perſeverance in true Repentance and the Practice of Godlineſs.
25. Foraſmuch as in that Information brought in againſt the ſaid du Freſné, there were ſeveral over-curious Queſtions, and very ill-becoming the Gravity of Eccleſiaſtical Perſons; the Province of Higher Languedoc is charged to make Remonſtrance thereof unto the Parties who drew up thoſe Articles of Information againſt him, and to put to their helping-Hand, that no ſuch Matters be done for the future.
26. Whereas the Holy Apoſtle in the 8th Verſe of the 3d Chapter to the Romans, ſaith expreſly, that their Damnation is juſt, who ſay, Let us do Good that Evil may come thereof; and that 'tis neither conſiſting with Reaſon, nor the Integrity of our Chriſtian Profeſſion, to prefer the Conſideration of our little temporal Loſſes and Concerns unto the Duties of Conſcience: This Aſſembly cannot therefore admit of thoſe Excuſes alledged by the Conſiſtory of the Church of Rochel, for neglecting the Execution of the firſt Article of General Matters in the foregoing Synod; and therefore doth once more renew its Injunction, that all the Churches do conform themſelves unto the Practice thereof, and judgeth the Conſiſtory of the ſaid Church of Rochel worthy of the ſharpeſt Cenſures; and farther ordaineth, that Letters be written unto the Faithful in the ſaid City, to convince them of the Greatneſs of their Sin, and of the Scandal which their Connivency and unſufferable Cowardice hath given unto all the Churches of this Kingdom; and they be adjured, by the Compaſſions of the Living God, and the Religious Reſentments of ſincere and devout Chriſtians, to hold, keep and obſerve ſtrictly, preciſely and inviolably the ſincere Profeſſion of God's Saving Truth in its Purity and Power, without ſwerving or derogating from it by any Actions, either directly or indirectly, contrary thereunto.
27. All our Univerſities are exhorted to conform themſelves, as much as in them lieth, unto the Obſervation of that Article of the laſt National Synod, which recommended the Profeſſion of Metaphyſicks to the Profeſſors of Philoſophy.
CHAP. XIII. Bearn incorporated with the Churches of France.
28. THE Deputies of the Province of Bearn having declared, that their Synod doth accept the Union of the Churches of this Kingdom, under the Conditions granted them by the National Synod of Charenton, in their Obſervations upon the firſt Article of that of Caſtres, and that they do from this Inſtant ſubmit themſelves unto all our National Synods that ſhall be held hereafter; and they promiſe alſo, that they will allow of all Appeals brought by the Paſtors, Elders and Churches of their Principality unto theſe our National Synods; and farther, that they conſent for the future to exerciſe their Diſcipline in all Points; according to the Canons of the Diſcipline eſtabliſhed in the Churches of this Kingdom, and enacted by our National Synods, over and beſides what hath been determined and decided in the Provincial Synod of Bearn. Whereupon, the Aſſembly granted that their Appeals ſhould be judged according to the Diſcipline framed for the Churches of Bearn, by the Command of their famous Princeſs Jane Queen of Navarre, and ratified by the Parliament of Pau, a Copy whereof, faithfully collationed with the Original, ſhall be depoſited in the Hands of that Province, which ſhall be charged with the Convocation of the next National Synod, by the Provincial Deputies of Bearn, ſigned, ſubſcribed and atteſted by their own Handwritings. And alſo it is farther granted them as their Priviledg, that whatever Paſtors are now actually imployed in the Miniſtry of the Churches of that Province, ſhall not be removed unto the Service of other Churches in this Kingdom, unleſs their aforeſaid Churches do yield a plenary and explicit Conſent thereunto.
29. Mr. Richard, formerly Paſtor of the Church at Saponnay in the Province of the Iſle of France, preſented himſelf unto this Aſſembly, humbly petitioning that they would be pleaſed to give him ſome Imployment in the ſaid Province, according to the Diſcipline. The Aſſembly informed him, that the Honour of his Miniſtry had not been blemiſhed by them, and therefore if he were not in actual Service as he deſired, none could be blamed for it but himſelf, and his imprudent Management of his own Affairs; and foraſmuch as there was not at preſent any vacant Church in that Province, he was adviſed to depart unto his native Country the Land of Vaux, there to paſs the Remainder of his Days; and the Province whereunto he laſt belonged, is exhorted to continue to him their wonted Charities, and to help him with Monies to defray the Expences of his Journey homeward.
30. Without making any Reflections on the Prohibition of the Province of Vivaretz, this Aſſembly, doing Right upon the Complaint of Monſieur des Maretz, ordaineth, that the Decree of the laſt National Synod ſhall be executed according to the Form and Tenour thereof.