The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 27 (Alençon) · Chapter 5 – Chapter 11
CHAP. V. Deputies ſent with a Letter unto the King.
24. THere were choſen, by Plurality of Voices in the Aſſembly, the Sieurs Ferrand, Gigord and Cerizy, to carry unto his Majeſty the moſt humble Thanks and Petitions of the Churches, who were furniſhed with their Inſtructions and Letters unto his Majeſty, and to our Lords the Miniſters of State.
25. A Copy of the firſt Letter written by the Synod unto the King.
SIRE,
THE Great God, whoſe lively Image you are, accepting indifferently and irreſpectively the Prayers and Homages of all his Creatures, we believed that your Majeſty would not he diſpleaſed with our Boldneſs in laying ours at your Feet, your Majeſty having granted us the Priviledge of aſſembling our ſelves in this Place. And 'tis to acquit our ſelves of this neceſſary Duty, Sire, that we have ſent the Sieurs Ferrand, Gigord and Cerizy, unto your Majeſty, moſt humbly petitioning, that your Majeſty would daign to behold them with the Eye of your Favour, and to hear with your wonted Benignity from their Mouths, the Proteſtations of our Fidelity, and our juſt Supplications and Requeſts for the continuance and confirmation of that Liberty granted us by your Majeſty's Edicts: That being delivered from all Fear, we may live quietly under the Shadow of your Goodneſs and Power, having none other Care than continually to call upon God our Maker for the Health of your Majeſty's Sacred Perſon, and his Divine Benediction upon your Royal Family, the Proſperity of your Eſtate, and the Glory of your Crown; yielding joyfully and unweariedly unto your Majeſty that moſt humble Obedience and Subjection, which is the bounden Duty,
From Alanſon, this fourth of June, 1637. SIRE, Of your moſt humble, and moſt obedient, and moſt faithful Subjects and Servants, The Miniſters and Elders aſſembled by your Permiſſion in the National Synod at Alanſon, and in the Name of them all, by
Baſnage, Moderator of the Synod.
D. Coupe, Aſſeſſor.
D. Blondel, Scribe.
De Launay, Scribe.
26. The Provinces having intruſted their Deputies with divers Memoirs concerning the Violations of the Edict, to be tendred unto his Majeſty; as they began to read them, the Lord Commiſſioner remonſtrated, That it was his Majeſty's Will and Pleaſure, that in his Preſence none other Matters, ſaying what related unto the Exerciſe of the Church-Diſcipline, ſhould be debated; and that the Title of the ſaid Cahier or Memoirs ſhould be thus qualified, The Cahier and Memoirs of the Pretended Reformed Religion. Whereupon, the Aſſembly requeſted his Lordſhip to conſider, that it was never in their Minds or Intentions to treat of Political Affairs, or any State-matters, but only to make a plain and naked Report and Preſentment of our Complaints, none of which need to fall under Deliberation, all and every of them being moſt apparently and undeniably true, juſt, and expreſly grounded on his Majeſty's Edict. Beſides, his Majeſty never took it in any ſort ill, that we ſhould addreſs unto him our moſt humble Remonſtrances for repairing the Violations of his Edicts, nor that his Subjects, ſpeaking according to their Conſciences, ſhould, contrary thereunto, ſtile and qualify themſelves of the pretended Reformed Religion.
27. The Lord Commiſſioner making report, that by his Inſtructions he was charged to acquaint the Synod, That in caſe they would agree with him about two Perſons meet and fit to exerciſe the general Deputation for the Weal and Service of the Churches, his Majeſty would approve of them, but if not, that then the Lord Marqueſs of Clermont ſhould be continued in the Functions of the ſaid Office, and another from out of the third Eſtate ſhould be choſen and joined with him. The Aſſembly nominated out of every Province, one Deputy, to confer with the ſaid Lord Commiſſioner about this Matter: and theſe Deputies accorded with his Lordſhip, that the ſaid Lord Marqueſs of Clermont and the Lord Marbaut ſhould be the Perſons, whoſe Names ſhould be immediately preſented unto his Majeſty, moſt humbly alſo requeſting his Majeſty to allow and approve of this their Election. And to this purpoſe there was this following Letter written unto the King.
CHAP. VI. A Copy of the ſecond Letter written by the Synod unto th King, concerning the General Deputies.
SIRE,
AS ſoon as your Majeſty's Intentions were notified unto us about our choice of General-Deputies to reſide near your Majeſty's Perſon at Court, we immediately and unanimouſly agreed with the Lord of St. Mars, your Majeſty's Commiſſioner unto this Aſſembly, and have elected into that Office the Lords Marqueſs of Clermont and Marbaud. And we moſt humbly beſeech your Majeſty to allow and accept of them, and to give your favourable Ear unto all our Supplications, which by their Mouth our urgent and extraordinary Neceſſities ſhall oblige us to tender to you. That Inclination which is natural unto your Majeſty to eaſe and comfort your People, doth raiſe our Hopes, that you will vouchſafe to caſt the Eyes of your Compaſſion upon the Miſeries of a vaſt multitude of Souls, who are breathing, and will never breath any thing elſe but a moſt profound Obedience, Subjection, and Service unto your Majeſty; and that you will cauſe graciouſly to dart down upon our Churches, the Beams of your Royal Favour and Benificence, the Effects whereof they have comfortably reſented: And which makes us the more ardent and zealous in our Prayers and Devotions to Almighty God, for the Preſervation of your Majeſty's Sacred Perſon, for the Glory of your Crown, and for the long Continuance of your Majeſty's Reign. As being, Great Sir, of your Majeſty,
From Alanſon, June 1637. The moſt humble, the moſt obedient, and moſt faithful Servants and Subjects, The Miniſters and Elders aſſembled, by your Majeſty's Permiſſion, in the National Synod of Alanſon, and in the Name of all,
Banage, Moderator of the Synod.
D. Coupé, Aſſeſſor.
D. Blondel, Scribe.
De Launay, Scribe.
CHAP. VII. Obſervations upon, and Confirmation of the Confeſſion of Faith received in the Churches of this Kingdom.
THE Confeſſion of Faith was read, word by word, one Article after another; approved and ſubſcribed by all the Deputies of the Provinces, who did, as well for themſelves, and in their own Names, as in the Names, and on behalf of their ſeveral and reſpective Synods that had commiſſionated and ſent them, and given them expreſs and particular Charge for ſo doing, proteſt, t hat they would live and die in the Profeſſion of this Faith, that they would teach it unto their Churches, and put to their helping Hands, that it ſhould be inviolably maintained and conſerved.
CHAP. VIII. Obſervations on reading of our Church-Diſcipline.
Article 1. THoſe Churches which have exhibited unto Scholars a Penſion and Maintenance for their Studies, in order to fit and prepare them for the Sacred Miniſtry, ſhall have a Right and Preference above all others to uſe and employ them. And all the Churches are exhorted to be mutually helpful and aſſiſting unto each other in Love.
Article 2. Sinners publikly ſuſpended from the Lord's Supper, ſhall make Publick Acknowledgment of their Offences for which they had been cenſured. And the Church of Alanſon is admoniſhed to ſee this Canon put in execution.
Article 3. The better practice, and ſtricter obſervation of the 12th Canon in the 8th Chapter, is recommended unto all the Provinces: and that of Brittain in particular is adviſed not to omit it for the future. See this Article in the Book of Diſcipline.
Article 4. This Aſſembly doth once again enjoin the Church of Niſmes, to ſubmit and conform themſelves unto the 9th Canon, in the 12th Chapter of our Diſcipline, according to the Intention of former Synods. The Article is this; The Churches ſhall be informed, that it belongeth unto Miniſters only to adminiſter the Cup, and this for the avoiding many evil Conſequences.
Article 5. Without ſuffering any new Cuſtoms to be introduc'd at Funeral-Solemnities, and that the Parents of the Deceaſed may be comforted, the practice and obſervation of the 5th Canon in the 10th Chapter of our Diſcipline, is recommended to all the Churches: Moreover, in caſe any one of our Churches hath had, for a long time, any particular Form, which it hath uſed to its Edification, that Church may retain the obſervation of that their Order, even by the Allowance of this Aſſembly.
Article 6. Foraſmuch as the 12th Canon, in the 13th Chapter of our Diſcipline, ſeems to contradict the 16th Obſervation of the National Synod of Montpellier upon the Diſcipline; All the Provinces are exhorted to bring with them, unto the next National Synod, their ſeveral and reſpective Opinions, whether the ſaid Article ſhall be razed, or receive any Change or Emendation.
Article 7. Though all the Provinces do keep and obſerve moſt exactly the 16th Canon in the 14th Chapter of our Diſcipline; yet ſhall every one of them carefully make uſe of ſuch Expedients as they, in their own particular Judgments, do conceive to be moſt meet and proper for their better Obſervation, and the avoiding of all Inconveniences.
Article 8. The Church-Diſcipline having been read, all and every one of the Provincial Deputies did, both for themſelves and their reſpective Synods, promiſe to obſerve it, and ſee that it be exactly obſerved by their Provinces.
CHAP. IX. Obſervations on reading the Acts of the former Synod, held for the ſecond time at Charenton, in the Months of September and October, 1631.
Article 1. THE Provinces bringing in their reſpective Judgments upon the Matters commended to their Deliberation by the laſt National Synod; This Aſſembly decreed, that nothing ſhould be changed in the 19th and 20th Canons of the 5th Chapter of our Diſcipline.
Article 2. The Colloquy of Montpellier, which was commiſſionated by the Synod of Charenton, in its Name, and with full Authority, to judg of the Charge brought in againſt the Sieur Bony, making Report of their Execution of the ſaid Commiſſion; and the Provincial Synod of Sevennes, whereof he is a Member, giving him a very honourable Teſtimonial; This Aſſembly ordaineth, that the Articles which concerned him ſhall be razed out of the Acts of the firſt and ſecond National Synods of Charenton, and of that of Caſtres.
CHAP. X. A penitent Miniſter, after ten Years Penance, reſtored.
3. MR. George Arbaud, who was formerly depoſed from the Sacred Miniſtry, by the National Synod of Caſtres, appearing now in Perſon, and humbly petitioning that he might be reſtored again unto it; and the Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc, teſtifying to his godly Life and Converſion for ten Years laſt paſt; This Aſſembly conſidering the Sincerity of his Repentance, confirm'd by ſo long a trial, and condeſcending both to his Supplications, and the Atteſtations given him by his Province, and having very ſeriouſly exhorted him to be more ſtrict and religious in his future Actions than formerly, and to grow in Grace and true Godlineſs, did grant him his Requeſt, and left it to the Care of the Synod of Lower Languedoc, or of the Conſiſtory of Niſmes, to provide a Church for him.
4. Whereas the Sieurs Bony and Donadiu, deputed by the Synod of Sevennes to execute a Commiſſion given them by the laſt National Synod; had born all the Charges thereof themſelves; it was ordained, that the Province of Lower Languedoc ſhould ſee them reimburs'd and ſatisfied.
5. All the Provinces are ſtrictly charged to ſee, that the 14th Canon of the 14th Chapter of the Diſcipline, be very carefully practiſed and obſerved, and that they bring in an Account of their Obedience to this Canon unto the next National Synod.
CHAP. XI. The Snappiſhneſs of the Commiſſioner, and the Prudence and Patience of the National Synod.
6. LEtters were read from Monſieur Privas, Paſtor of the Church of Chaſtillon, detained Priſoner in the Jail of Agen, humbly petitioning this Synod to endeavour his Enlargement; and the Lord Commiſſioner demanding, Whether the Synod intended to make his Affair their own, and to intereſt themſelves in it? The Aſſembly conſidering that the ſaid Monſieur Privas was before his natural and proper Judges, declared, that, as his preſent Circumſtances were, they could do nothing for him, except the recommending him to the good Providence of God, and exhorted him to wait and ſuffer patiently whatever ſhould be decreed againſt him by the Court of Agen.
7. This Aſſembly remembring the Promiſe made by the laſt National Synod unto Monſieur Chamier, decreed, that it ſhall be performed as ſoon as God ſhall bleſs the Churches with Ability. So that Monſieur Chamier had never a Penny of Monies granted him for his Father's Works.
8. The Monies granted unto Monſieur Bellot and Conſtans, ſhall be faithfully paid them, as ſoon as the Churches may recover their Aſſignments granted them by his Majeſty.
9. All the Provinces are ordered to get for themſelves the Acts of all our National Synods, that ſo they may comfortably diſcharge the Duty laid upon them by the National Synod of Charenton.
10. The Church of Montpellier informing this Aſſembly, that the Deſign and Intendment of the National Synod of Caſtres was not ſatisfied; the Conſiſtory of the Church of Niſmes is ordered to exhort the Widow of Mr. Scoffier to accompt with them, how that Sum of Money hath been imployed, which was given by the ſaid National Synod for the Relief of Mrs. Blandina Scoffier her Siſter, that in caſe the ſaid Monies be yet in her Hands, they may be reſtored unto the Heirs of Mrs. Jacquelina Scoffier, by whom ſhe was actually maintained.
11. The Judgment of the Synod of Anjou having been peruſed, to whom the laſt National Synod had turned over the Cognizance of that Difference riſen between the Provinces of Xaintonge and Poictou, about the Conjunction of the Church of Saveilles with that of Villefaignan; and ſeveral Letters, Memoirs, and Articles of Agreement between the ſaid Churches ſince the ſaid Judgment, having been read, and the Deputies of the two contending Provinces being heard, this Aſſembly diſallowing the Proceedings of the Colloquy of Augoulmois, which had actually united the ſaid Churches, in prejudice of the Judgment given to the contrary by the Province of Anjou, doth ordain, that the Churches of Chefboutonné and Saveilles, ſhall continue joined together as heretofore.
12. The National Synod of Charenton having charged the Province of Burgundy to ſhut up the Accompt with Monſieur Graſs; which yet could not be performed, this Aſſembly commits the execution thereof to the Conſiſtory of the Church of Lyon.