The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 27 (Alençon) · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. The Copy of a Letter from the Paſtors and Profeſſors of Geneva, ſent unto the National Synod of Alanſon, touching the Doctrine and Books of the Sieurs Amyraud and Teſtard.
Meſſieurs and our moſt Honoured Brethren,
THe Return of another Holy Synod to be held by you, giveth us a new ground of adoring the infinite Mercy of our God; who having for divers Ages, choſen your Nation above many others, wherein to erect his Kingdom with the Glorious Enſigns of ſundry and long continued Combats and Sufferings, and with the peculiar Priviledges of Purity, Union, and a Holy Diſcipline, doth now alſo in theſe woful turbulent times, through that Clemency and Equity, which he hath inſpired into your Sovereign Lord the King, vouchſafe unto you that excellent means for your Subſiſtence, and the Conſervation of his unvaluable Gift, the Bleſſed Goſpel, among you, even your Synodical Meetings, whereby your way and courſe may be kept even without ſtumbling, and your Poſſeſſion of the Divine Faith, ſafe and laſting. And verily all Ages have judged this Ordinance the only Powerful, Profitable, and moſt Effectual means for the preſervation of the Church, and the Reducing of it back again, when fallen from, unto its firſt, pure, and holy Principles. But yet the beſt Canons that were ever framed and eſtabliſhed, have not been ſo conſtantly practiſed nor obſerved, as among you; tho' it is our daily Prayer, and we hope in God, that through his Divine Grace, thoſe of your Diſcipline ſhall be continually obſerved for many Ages. That part we have in your Communion, and which we have by reaſon of your ſingular Affection to us, cauſeth us to recognize ſo great a mercy with thankfulneſs; and the rather, becauſe the dangers of the times had left us quite hopeleſs of it. And tho' conſidering your Eminent Abilities, Prudence, Zeal, Godlineſs and Knowledge, we can contribute very little, if any thing, beſides our Conſent, Prayers, and Vows unto God for you; yet in as much as you ever accepted kindly of our Lines, we ſhall preſume once more with our wonted freedom, to unboſom our ſelves to you, and to give you the thoughts of our Hearts upon the preſent State of your Churches, according to that general knowledge we have of it, and ſo leave on Record, as we are perſwaded, the mutual Harmony of our Sentiments and inward motions with yours. This offers it ſelf firſt unto us, that when we contemplate your condition, and compare it with that of very many other Churches, which for a long time together, have been lying and groaning under deep and extream Oppreſſions both Corporal and Spiritual, we cannot but bow the knee of our Souls before the Throne of the Heavenly Majeſty, who changeth Times, and ruleth Hearts, and turneth them as the Rivers of Waters, which way ſoever he pleaſeth; who bringeth into Temptation, ſupporteth under it, and granteth a joyful iſſue and deliverance from it; and who hath ſhortned the days of your Trial, having ſeen, as 'tis reaſonable for us to believe, the promptitude of his Gracious Remnant among you for Repentance and Converſion, and their improvement of the day of their Viſitation, and hath therefore put a period to your Deſolations, and not ſuffered the Fiery Trials of ſome of your Members to be without ſeaſonable refreſhments, nor thoſe terrors which had generally poſſeſſed you to be without the dawnings of ſome renewed Hopes and Comfort. And we cannot but unite our Affections and Zeal with yours, whereby to invite you and our ſelves to Conſecrate this ineſtimable Mercy of your Peace, vouchſafed you of God, to the Glory of his Great Name, the Celebration of his Wonders, and to the renewal, and reinforcement of our Obedience and Service to him; that as you have been the firſt in theſe laſt General Calamities of the Churches in deliverance, ſo you may alſo have this advantage above them all, to walk before them in a moſt illuſtrious example of a Serious and Holy uſage of it, employing your ſelves Religiouſly in all thankfullneſs unto God, who is the Sole and Sovereign Author of it, and demeaning your ſelves, according to your bounden Duty, in all Obedience and Subjection to the Inſtruments thereof, and in an inoffenſive, peaceable, and becoming Converſation towards all Men; ſo that you may remove all former Jealouſies and Suſpicions taken up againſt you, and whatſoever may provoke them to wrong or hurt you, and acquire unto your ſelves that Praiſe and Applauſe which is natural and peculiar to your Faith and Religion, that learns you how to bear and ſuffer the worſt of evils; when God calls you to it, which elſe you will never be able, nor know how to practiſe. This will be a Fence and Bullwark both to your Perſons and Conſciences, againſt all Accuſations, which may be brought in againſt you before God. We ſee with Joy and Admiration, how the good Providence of God hath appeared for you in your Kingdom, and what wonderful Salvations he hath wrought out for you in your greateſt neceſſities, and in what a glorious manner he hath owned and bleſſed the Fidelity and Vertue of many of our dear Brethren; yea, and thoſe of the greateſt Quality; ſo that we are fully perſwaded, the mercy will be Univerſal, and the memory thereof Immortal, and that we ſhall be ſuffered to live in peace. Wherefore we will leave it to the good pleaſure of God to effect and bring about a perfect Union of mens minds in the Faith in his own time, when he ſhall cauſe that great day of his Light to ſhine forth; and in the mean while, to make bare his Almighty Arm, in ſetting bounds unto all Hoſtilities, and putting a period unto all Contentions; one only excepted, which will be an Honour and a Bleſſing to the contending Parties, to ſtrive moſt one with another in all good Offices of Charity, and Examples of Edification. If there be yet behind any remaining troubles, you are too well fortified in this old War, to demand any great or ſingular conſolation: Poſſibly they will be none other than the foamings of the Sea after a violent Storm, ſome frightful impreſſions upon the mind, when the Ague-fits are over; but whatever they may be, they ſhall certainly be none other than the inſeparable Marks and Badges of the word of Chriſt's Patience; none other than neceſſary Exerciſes for our Faith, than Barriers to rail us in, and guard us from the impure Society of the World, and Amulets to preſerve and ſave us from its contagion, and a Fire to purifie and refine the good Metal, and to ſeparate the Droſs from it: And indeed tho' the breaches, which have happened among you by theſe diſpenſations, have demonſtrated this laſt effect in divers ill-grounded and unſettled Spirits, yet alſo hath there been daily produced in others, a far greater abundance of the power of Faith, and of the perpetuity of the true Seed of God in their hearts. The ſad examples of Foreign Nations and Provinces, which lie rotting in idle and brutiſh Pleaſures, the killing Vices of our Age, ſhould cauſe us not in the leaſt to envy them this falſe and imaginary good, or to regret and mourn at the bitterneſs and ſeverity of that Diſcipline wherewith it pleaſed God to exerciſe us; for he doth thus mortifie us unto the World, and to the Concupiſcences thereof, and giveth us a taſte and reliſh of the Powers of the World to come, when we ſhall be fed and ſatisfied by him with thoſe ſolid and ſubſtantial Bleſſings in the Palace of his Glory. Yea, the many difficulties and oppoſitions that God encounters with to diſengage your hearts from the World, ſhould cauſe you to tremble, leſt he ſhould remove that hand of his which ſeems ſo heavy and violent upon us: And if he did, we ſhould infallibly loſe our peace with him, and tumble headlong into the deep gulph of Deſtruction, from which we were but a little while ſince moſt miraculouſly delivered. And in as much as by theſe overturnings of the World, 'tis viſible that its laſt end cannot be a far off, and that our long-look'd and long-hop'd for Redemption in the coming of the Eternal Kingdom of the Son of God draweth nigh, for God's ſake, Moſt Dear Sirs, and Honoured Brethren, be not weary of fighting the good fight, with the Weapons of Righteouſneſs on the right hand, and on the left, againſt the Baits and Charms of this preſent World, and againſt that hatred and fury you ſhall meet withal, for oppoſing the Torrents of its general and reigning Corruptions: Revive therefore the Zeal of Elijah; Preach the words of Life and Wiſdom; get the Spirit of Might, of Judgment, and of Burning; weild the two edged Sword of the Spirit of the word of God, that it may cut on this ſide and on that; that it may hew down them, who do actually deceive and poyſon Souls with their Erroneous and Seducing Doctrines, that ſo the true Faith and Religion which we have received from our Godly and Bleſſed Fathers, may be handed down unto our Children; and we recalling into our perſonal practiſe and imitation, that Holineſs of their lives, by which they did ſo nobly juſtifie their Profeſſion, and exalted to the higheſt pitch of Evidence, the power of the Goſpel, and made it known unto the World to its Condemnation, this very Holineſs of our Heavenly Father, may appear more conſpicuous in the Holineſs of our lives, who are his own ſanctified Children.
It would be, not only a raſh and needleſs undertaking in us, to urge motives whereby you might be quickened and excited to the performance of theſe Sacred Duties, in which you are labouring with ſo much courage and diligence; but it would be a very inhumane thing alſo in us, to increaſe thereby your ſorrows, now whenas you can enjoy but a ſmall part of your Edicts and Priviledges, yea and now when you are ſo frequently diſturbed and affrighted with new Alarms, as we have heard to our very great grief and aſtoniſhment, how you have of late times been troubled in your own Bowels, by the publiſhing and ſpreading of new Doctrines in the higheſt and moſt important Articles and Points of our Common Creed, the ſubſtance whereof ſeems to be much wounded and altered, and its Face and native Beauty exceedingly disfigured. This accident hath been the worſt and moſt ill-boding Sign and Token that could befal you; for you had for many years together retained conſtantly and invariably that moſt Holy Faith taught and eſtabliſhed in your Churches in its Purity and Simplicity, the wicked one not being able, during all that time, to mingle any of his Leaven, nor to ſow any of his Tares among you, you having therein imitated the moſt Famous Gallican Church of the beſt and pureſt times of Antiquity, which was as free of Hereſies as your Land is of Monſters. And tho' theſe Opinions and Speculations may be reputed ſlight and venial, by idle, lazy, and unthinking perſons, eſpecially if compared with thoſe more ardent Combats, and ſerious Diſputes of our quarrelſom Age, managed by perſons abſtracted from all ties of Duty, and ſojourning among us; yet the faithful Paſtors, who know how earneſtly their Churches do deſire ſolid and ſubſtantial Food, will like Wiſe and Prudent Phyſicians, Miniſter to thoſe neceſſitous Flocks the moſt Sovereign Antidotes, for the preſervation of their precious Faith, and of their precious and immortal Souls: and like faithful workmen, who having well nigh finiſhed a great Building, well laid in its Foundation, and far advanced to the top of its perfection, do account it abſurd and dangerous to rake and dig about the Foundation. Beſides, the ſad example of our Neighbour Provinces, who have ſuffered this Canker to fret into their Bowels, ſhould oblige us to keep this Poyſon at the greateſt diſtance from us. For ſince we have once agreed, and ſeriouſly and ſincerely conſented unto the Faith and Canons of the Holy Synod of Dort both by word of mouth, and our own manual Subſcription; it ſeems to us, that we cannot recede from it, without offering a moſt notorious injury to all the Reformed Churches, and particularly to thoſe of the Netherlands, who have been at vaſt expence and trouble to give us thoſe clear lights into, and thoſe Pious and Judicious Deciſions and Determinations of theſe very Controverſies; and 'tis a great unkindneſs in us to thwart and croſs them by our contradictions, and to aſſault and batter their Buttreſſes and Foundations.
The firſt eſſay and attempt of this nature was about thoſe Opinions, which like ſome certain Simples and Drugs, are more wholſome when taken in the Maſs, than when they be minced and ſubtilized by Diſcourſes, Diſtinctions, and Diſputes, which deprive them of all reſpect, and enfeeble their Virtue for the inſtruction and comfort of the Soul, and rob God of the greateſt part of his Rights, Glory, and Adoration; and do corrode mortally, producing endleſs debates and ſtrifes, in no wiſe edifying, but hugely embarraſſing the Conſcience, to the diſturbance of its peace, polluting the heart by raſh Judgments and Diſcourſes about theſe deep and abſtruſe points, and cauſe it to deſpiſe and reject that ſaving Grace of God, which he would have us accept and entertain at, the very firſt ſight and tender thereof. Moreover, we are very much aſtoniſhed, and our dear Brethren of Switzerland are alſo extreamly offended, that the Names of the greateſt Doctors of our Churches, have been uſed for the defence of theſe Novelties. And would Charity ſuffer it, we ſhould believe, that they were perſons not in the leaſt to be credited, becauſe the Noveliſts do impute and tax them with a very great inconſtancy in their Doctrine, the contrary whereunto, notwithſtanding their pretended Allegations out of them for their darling Opinions, is Univerſally known: and their different Sentiments from theſe new Dogmes, will clearly and ſufficiently juſtifie them before the whole World. However we were ſomewhat comforted in our Spirits, by the Advice given us, That theſe upſtarted Opinions were not at ſo great a diſtance from the Truth as was firſt reported, nor eſtranged from that Center of Union in the Churches, as the terms in which they were couched, at their firſt publick appearance did repreſent; and for that ſeveral perſons of Eminent Piety had uſed their beſt endeavours to quench this Sparkle, before it grew into a Flame, and the Dread and Reverence born your then approaching Aſſembly, hath happily contributed to the Reduction and Eſtabliſhment of the Principal Truth. And we give due Praiſes unto thoſe Worthy Perſons who firſt ſounded the Alarm, and marched forth againſt theſe Tenents; as alſo unto thoſe who brought the Waters of Moderation to extinguiſh the fire of this Controverſy, and who, in the dreſſing of this Wound, applied proper Lenitives, whereby they qualified and removed the moſt dangerous Symptoms, reſerving for the more powerful hand of your Supreme and Venerable Aſſembly, the total extinction of this fire-brand, and the perfect cure of this Malady. And we beſeech you, to exert your full Authority in and about theſe matters, ſaving all that lieth in your power, regaining what is loſt, retaining Truth and Love as much as is poſſible, without violencing your own Integrity, without degenerating into any dangerous Connivency, and ſpeedily and ſolidly repairing the Breach, which otherwiſe the common Adverſaries will not fail to keep open, and come in upon you to your utter Deſtruction. And tho' we very well know that your Wiſdoms will not be wanting to ſuggeſt prudent Advice and Counſel, and to preſcribe wholſome Remedies, yet we take upon us the boldneſs to acquaint you, that foraſmuch as theſe queſtions have been moved without occaſion or neceſſity, and that it will be very hazardous to let them be ſpread abroad to the ſcandal of the World, to the raiſing of Diſputes and Controverſies among your ſelves, and to the exaſperating of Spirits, who will be exceedingly moved and imbittered by a formal condemnation of them; eſpecially ſith they have been along time revolved in their moſt ſecret thoughts by thoſe, who yet proteſt, that in the bottom of this buſineſs they conſent with you; and ſith they be perſons who are at preſent, and may be hereafter, ſerviceable unto the Church of God, we conceive the ſafeſt and moſt inoffenſive Remedy that you can uſe, will be this, To enjoyn all the Churches and Univerſities to be wholly ſilent, and that neither from the Pulpit nor Preſs, any of theſe new Doctrines be broached nor vended; And farther to Decree, That when occaſionally theſe matters ſhall come to be debated, that all perſons do keep themſelves to the ſimplicity of our Confeſſions, and to the Canons, concluded and made in the Renowned Synod of Dort, without mingling with them theſe new Hypotheſes, Phraſes, and Diſtinctions. And ſo doing, you will calm the now troubled Spirits, and you will diſpoſe them to a perfect cure, and to joyn in with you in a full and uniform conſent, and divert them from gazing on an Object, whoſe ſparkling Luſtre would attract their Affections, and make them addict themſelves unto others far more profitable and edifying. A Puiſſant Neighbour Commonwealth did very happily fleer this courſe, whenas divers years ago, they were troubled with ſuch Alterations, and Scruples raiſed on the like points, which were degenerating into profaneneſs, and would have raiſed Factions and Confuſions in the State, and Schiſm in the Church: This evil was nipp'd in the Bud, and the Wound healed as ſoon as given, by the ſole interdiction of any farther Diſputes; and to prevent ſuch dangers in time to come, we conceive it very needful, that you Eſtabliſh, if you have not done it already, an Ordinary Super-Intendant over your Univerſities; for 'tis in thoſe Schools of Learning, where Leiſure, and the Pleaſures of Speculation, Variety of Reading, and curious Inquiries into matters out of the common Road, and the bait of Singularity, do tranſport great Wits with too much facileneſs after theſe Novelties; which how tolerable ſoever they may ſeem to be in Diſcourſe and Conference, with Learned and Accompliſh'd Men, yet ought not at any time to be publiſhed, nor thrown into the minds of young Students, who are to be dealt with all after another way; to wit, by a more careful inſtilling into them the choiſeſt and ſoundeſt Truths of the Sacred Oracles; leſt by the weakneſs of their Judgments, and the fervour and inſtability of their age, which enamours them of Curioſities; they ſhould be intangled in Debates and Controverſies, and embrace Factions and Partialities. And indeed, the Butt and Mark of well Educated Students in Divinity, ſhould not be to be the firſt Authors and Forgers of Novel and Subtil Opinions, as in the Papacy, where they be plung'd into a gulph of endleſs Errors; and abaſtardized by a world of fruitleſs, uſeleſs, and endleſs Inquiries; nor is it that they ſhould be wrangling and worthleſs Diſputants, nor Speculative Doctors without any Savour or Power; but the true End and Deſign of theſe our Theological Students ought be this, That they may be a Holy Seed-plot of Able and Godly Paſtors, Sound in the Faith, Mighty in Word and Doctrine, Wiſe unto Sobriety, keeping the great Myſtery of Godlineſs in a pure Conſcience, delivering and dividing the word of Truth aright: And in fine, to be Men of God, perfect and prepared for every good work of their Calling; to which Holy and Noble ends, all forts of Subtilties are utterly unſerviceable, and have ever marred the Divine Doctrine by wicked Errors; or the Broachers of them by Ambition, Contention, Curioſity, Conceitedneſs; or the Church by a diſguſt of Scripture Purity and Simplicity, or by Factions and Diviſions, which never happen when the common Sentiments of the Church are taught, tho' by Miniſters of meaner Parts and Talents; whereas theſe have always happened by means of affected Singularities, which is the true and genuine Food of the Romiſh Ambition, which ever laboureth to ſubdue the common Sentiments, becauſe they be its greateſt obſtacles and moſt obſtructing its growth and progreſs. The Lord grant that the Sparkles of this Fire in the midſt of you, may not ſpring from the ſame Source! Poor Germany hath ſadly felt the direful effects of the flames kindled by it in its frequent and bitter Schiſms. Every Prince would have his Univerſity, and every Univerſity admired and exalted its own Doctor, as the moſt Eminent Profeſſor of them all; every Doctor had conceived, and muſt needs broach and vend his new Notions, and ſingular Opinions, and theſe new Opinions are brought upon the publick Stage of the World, where it hath met with fierce Antagoniſts, and between theſe doughty Champions, the poor Church of God hath been torn all to pieces. To this conſideration let us ſubjoin another; for God's ſake, keep Philoſophy within its due and proper bounds, cloſely and ſtrictly watched and reſtrained, that it may only, if we may ſo expreſs it, break up the Fallow ground of the Spirits of our youth; but not in the leaſt to take upon her by her Maxims and Aſſertions, to bring in Seed and Food for the Church and Houſe of God, which muſt be fed with the pure Manna of the Divine Word, whoſe Majeſty and Liberty was ſo happily aſſerted and recovered by our Godly Fathers from that Bondage and Captivity whereinto the School-Divines of the Romiſh Church had enſlaved it, and into which 'tis very likely it will be again inſenſibly reduced, either by a too great fear of their falſe Weapons, or by a perverſe Emulation of them. And yet in the mean while, the Sacred Scriptures will be beſt underſtood by a diligent reading of them, by comparing one Text with another, and by Invocation of the Holy Ghoſt to enlighten our dark minds in the Knowledge of them; and they will be thus more eaſily digeſted, and brought home with a greater force and efficacy upon Conſcience, in a ſober ſenſing of them according to the ſimplicity of Faith and Demonſtration of the Spirit, than by the moſt audacious and curious Applications of theſe falſe Lights, new Notions, and vain Diſcourſes of Philoſophy. Pelagianiſm in the Low Countrys, was the Plant of the Spaniſh Metaphyſicks, producing not Pious, and Painful, and Profitable, but Subtile Paſtors and Preachings, an infinite Brood of Diſputants, void of Underſtanding, and corrupt in Points of Faith. Subtilties bring forth Thorns, which never leave the Churches nor Conſciences at reſt, but ſcratch and tear them to pieces. And we exhort you to be Jealous and Suſpicious of new Methods, and imaginary Hypotheſes, and an affected ſingular way of Teaching, and to avoid them. Arminius took his walks at firſt in theſe by-paths, till ſuch time as he had gotten a ſtock of Credit and Reputation, and had form'd for himſelf a Party, then he pull'd off his Vizard, and canvaſſeth all Points of Doctrine, even thoſe which were but acceſſary, with no little vehemence in his Diſputations, and was uneaſy till the roots had been ſearched, and the moſt Fundamental Points had been aſſaulted and ſhaken. Indeed the one wounds the other; and it was always known, that they who once chang'd their note and language, and the ſound Doctrine delivered to them, have been attended by ſome ſecret hidden Vice, or elſe they do engender it in their Followers. Diſcharge therefore, moſt Reverend and Honoured Brethren, your bounden Duty unto your Churches, and give this Memorable example unto them all, and unto us this ſingular Conſolation, That you do maintain inviolably the Faith once Taught, Eſtabliſhed, and Sealed among you far more than in any place of the World beſides, by a multitude of Divine Witneſſes and Approbations, which have rendered you a Spectacle of admiration to Men and Angels; grub up by the Roots every Plant of Heterodoxy, and by your Authority do you re-inforce, as you ſhall find needful, that Harmony and Agreement of the Reformed Churches, which was declared in the Synod of Dort, which having been the firſt General Council of the Churches in our days, wherein God moſt evidently preſided by his Holy Spirit, (and there will be difficulties enough to get ſuch another) doth therefore of right deſerve the greater Reverence and Submiſſion, becauſe of the diſreſpect offered it by the Broachers of theſe Novelties: And this ſhould be done, unleſs we intend to be cry'd down as a ſort of ungovernable perſons, refractary to that Order and Diſcipline, which God hath Sanctified and Eſtabliſhed from the very beginning in the Chriſtian Church. Ponder well how your paſt actions have been juſtified; and may it pleaſe you to take that care, that you may not hereafter be neceſſitated to make uſe of this Remedy againſt affected Ambiguities and Obſcurities. We very well know that ſome are charming your Ears with the Re-union of both Religions; but that conſtancy and firmneſs you teſtified in your laſt Synod, the nature of the points wherewith you be tempted, that cannot admit of any reconciliation, and for that you muſt make the firſt Overtures to a Party (which keeps the wound open, and holds the departure from them intolerable) if ever you hope to get from them clear and plain Declarations of their Intentions; and finally, the whole ſet on foot without any Authority or Warrant, and with apparent marks of very little ſincerity, and for great Worldly Reſpects and Intereſts, freeth us of all fears, that it will ever take with or go down in your Churches or Spirits, and makes us believe that all theſe little Projects will be reſolved into their firſt Principles of wind and ſmoak, to the ſole prejudice of the Vanity of the Undertakers. Accept, moſt Reverend and Honoured Brethren, in good part, theſe thoughts ſo freely Communicated to you from your Loyal Siſter, which owes you her All, and can pay you but Little, excepting the deep ſorrows of her heart for the general Calamities of the Church, and her continual Sighs and Cries unto Almighty God for the Peace thereof; and that he would be pleaſed to return with his Majeſty and Glory unto the many thouſands of Iſrael, and re-edifie his ruinated Zion, and above all to continue his Grace, Protection and Benediction upon you All, with whom ſhe is moſt intimately united and perfectly conjoin'd in the firmeſt and moſt antient bonds of an Holy Love, which together with her moſt earneſt Cares and devouteſt Prayers ſhe doth continually offer up unto the Divine Majeſty, for the Health and long Life of your Sovereign Lord the King, for the proſperous ſucceſs of his Affairs, for the re-eſtabliſhing of Peace and Tranquillity in his Kingdom, in which both ye and we are ſo very much concerned, and by means whereof we cannot but hope, that our poor afflicted Brethren in Foreign Provinces, may alſo through the Grace of God, meet with Peace and Settlement. May the good hand of the Almighty make your Aſſembly a bleſſed Inſtrument of your Peace, Union, and Perſeverance in the Truth! and fullfil all our Deſires and Prayers for the Conſolation of all his Churches! and that you may be the firſt, who ſhall enjoy the Fruit of your Labours, by the Witneſs of God's Holy Spirit in your Hearts, and the happy effects of your Holy and Prudent Debates and Counſels! We conclude all with the tender of our moſt Humble, Faithful, and Cordial Services and Affections, and of our moſt intire Union with you in Spirit; which we moſt humbly beg of the Lord to Sanctifie and Conſummate in its full and total Perfection in the Kingdom of his Glory. Your moſt Humble and moſt Affectionate Brethren and Servants in the Lord, the Paſtors and Profeſſors in the Church and Univerſity of Geneva, and for them all
From Geneva, April 26. 1637.
Diodati.
Tronchin.
Chabray. Prevoſt, and
Pauleint.