The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Obſervations upon reading the laſt National Synod of Charenton, in the Year 1644.
1. THE Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc and Sevennes, demanding that ſomething might be changed in that Decree of the National Synod of Charenton in the Year 1644. which empowred Conſiſtories with full Authority to judge Sovereignly and without Appeal of thoſe differences ariſing upon the Account of Seats erected in our Temples. And the Conſiſtory of Montpellier having ſent Memoirs, and demanded, quite contrary to them, a Confirmation of the ſaid Decree. This Aſſembly waving the Decrees of Provincial Synods made in prejudice of the Ordinances of the National Synod of Charenton, and which have not been as yet put in execution by their Conſiſtories, and are now vacated and diſannulled by this preſent Aſſembly, it doth judge, that there ought not to be any change made in that Decree of the ſaid National Synod of Charenton, but ordaineth only, That in caſe the Difficulties be ſo great, as that they cannot be compoſed by the particular Conſiſtory, then it may call in the moſt conſiderable Heads of Families belonging to their own Church, or of the Neighbour Conſiſtories, to be corroborated by their United Counſels, and to judge Sovereignly without Appeal concerning thoſe Seats, and to proſecute with Church-Cenſures all ſuch Perſons as will not ſubmit unto their Orders, and particularly thoſe, who ſhall attempt to remove a buſineſs of this nature from our Eccleſiaſtical Aſſemblies. Moreover it declareth and judgeth, as did the laſt National Synod held at Charenton, in the 7th and 11th Articles of Appeals; That there be fewer Inconveniences in leaving all Seats free and in common, than in affecting them unto particular Perſons, who being meerly private Perſons, cannot of right lay claim unto any preheminence before others. And all the Churches are exhorted to do what in them lieth to make all places common.
2. Foraſmuch as True Piety and Holineſs depend upon the right knowledge of the Myſteries of Religion, this Aſſembly ratifying that Decree made in the laſt National Synod of Charenton, which was to this effect, That whereas in ſeveral Great Churches of this Kingdom it was requiſite for their general Edification, that the Sunday's Catechiſms ſhould be handled, not by familiar Queſtions and Anſwers, but by Common-places. And that their Inſtruction might be facilitated, who were grown in Years, they had ſubſtituted extraordinary Catechiſings upon ſome certain days of the Week preceding the Lord's Supper, their Practice being approved, all the Churches of this Kingdom are exhorted to conform themſelves to that Order preſcribed by the Diſcipline, as far as God ſhall enable them; and in caſe they cannot Catechiſe their Children on every Sabbath-day, they ſhall then chuſe out ſome particular Day of the Week for this Exerciſe, eſpecially before the Celebration of the Lord's Supper. And Provincial Synods are charged to take knowledge, whether every particular Church in their Diſtrict do perform their Duty herein or no, and to give an Account thereof unto the next National Synod. This Decree is again revived, and 'tis now ordered, that it ſhall be exactly obſerved in all our Churches, which ſhall take ſuch care and courſe in their reſpective Conſiſtories as they ſhall judge will beſt contribute to the Inſtruction of the Faithful; and in thoſe Churches which have two Sermons on the Lord's Day, the Second Sermon ſhall be turned into an Expoſition of the Catechiſm by way of Common-Place, adapting their Diſcourſes to the meaneſt Capacities. And in thoſe Churches and Towns where there is more frequent Preaching, as on every day of the Week there is in ſome, they are exhorted to exchange one or more of theſe Sermons into familiar Catechiſtical Exerciſes; and ſuch as be more populous, and diſperſed into divers quarters, they are exhorted to hire a fit Perſon n to inſtruct the Children in all the Quarters of thoſe Cities, and of the Country; or at leaſt to chuſe out in every Quarter ſuch Elders, as are Men able and willing to do this good Service unto the Church of our Lord Jeſus. And all Fathers and Mothers ſhall take an eſpecial Care of the Religious Education of their Children, teaching them themſelves, and committing them to Godly Miniſters, who may form their tender years unto Godlineſs. And all Colloquies and Synods are enjoyned to take Cognizance once a year of the Obſervation of this Order by Paſtors and Conſiſtories. And in caſe there ſhould occur any difficulty to obſtruct and hinder this good Deſign, Provincial Synods are empowred with Authority to judge of it, and whatever ſhall be determined and ordained by them, ſhall be executed (notwithſtanding any Appeal that may be made from them) and put in practice till the meeting of the next National Synod, unto which an Account of the whole ſhall be given. And that Paſtors may acquit themſelves more carefully of this moſt needful part of their Miniſtry, and may have the more time for their private Studies, and better prepare themſelves for their publick Work in the Pulpit, and give more ſatisfaction unto their Auditories, by a clear, judicious and ſolid Explication of the Sacred Scripture: Thoſe Churches, whoſe Miniſters are obliged to preach oftner than three times in the Week, are entreated to diſcharge them of ſome part of this Exerciſe, that they may be the better qualified for their Work, and may apply themſelves more profitably to the Inſtruction of the Youth by familiar Catechiſings. And Synods and Colloquies ſhall ſee unto it, that Paſtors and their Churches do all of them endeavour the Advancement of their Members Edification, and the Glory of God, and of the Goſpel.
3. Monſieur Drelincourt Paſtor of the Chrch of Paris, having given an Account of his Works, undertook, in Obedience to the Counſel of the laſt National Synod held at Charenton, received the Praiſe and Thanks of this Aſſembly for thoſe his Learned Labours already publiſhed in Defence of the Truth, and for Conſolation of the Faithful, which have been very beneficial to them; and he is exhorted to continue his painful Studies, and to print thoſe other Treatiſes, as ſoon as they be finiſhed, which are now in his Hands.
4. There was read an Article of the laſt National Synod concerning the Differences of the Univerſity of Die with Monſieur Aymin a Miniſter, and the Letters alſo of the Profeſſors in the ſaid Univerſity were peruſed, in which they complain of the many Troubles he hath put them to upon the ſcore of the Judgments paſſed in the Conſiſtory of Lion, March 21. 1638. and March 7. 1643. notwithſtanding they had been all repealed in that laſt National Synod, and which ſelf-ſame Decree was Confirmed by a Judicial Sentence of the Supreme Court of Requeſts, May 12. 1656. into which the ſaid Aymin had driven them. And another Report was made, how he threatned them with farther Proſecutions upon the ſame Account This Aſſembly cenſureth the ſaid Mr. Aymin for drawing the ſaid Profeſſors, contrary to the Canous of our Diſcipline before the Secular Juriſdiction, yea, and contrary to the Decree of the National Synod aforeſaid. And in caſe he ſhall hereafter offer to tranſgreſs that Decree, the Provincial Synod of Sevennes is authorized, to take Cognizance thereof, and to cenſure him according to his Deſerts, either by Suſpenſion or Depoſal from his Office as it may ſo fall out: And they ſhall further Queſtion him for what Cauſes he hath deſiſted from the Functions of his Miniſtry; and all this ſhall be done by the Authority of this Aſſembly; nor ſhall there be any Appeal of his admitted from that Provincial Synod.
5. The Fifth Article of Obſervations upon reading of the Diſcipline in the Synod of Charenton, 1644. which forbad all Propoſans going into the Pulpit at thoſe Hours deſtinated unto Sermons, ſhall be moſt religiouſly obſerved, and ſuch as violate them ſhall be cenſured by Colloquies and Synods.
6. On reading the Thirteenth Article of Appeals in the laſt National Synod, the Provincial Deputies of Sevennes made their Report, and the Letter from the Conſiſtory of St. Eſtienne was produced. This Aſſembly blamed the ſaid Province and Conſiſtory for not having ſooner put in execution the Order of the ſaid National Synod, for ſeparating the Sieur Michel from his Wife. And whereas the ſaid Sieur Michel and his Wife, that they may avoid the Cenſures of the Church, do offer voluntarily, and of their own accord, to ſeparate one from the other, and ſo to remove the ground of the Scandal given by them, and taken at them: This Aſſembly ordaineth, that after they ſhall have evidenced their ſincere Repentance and Submiſſion to the Rules of our Diſcipline by a real Separation from each other for the ſpace of Six Months, then, and not till then are they to be received to the Peace and Fellowſhip of the Church.
7. The Deputies of the Province of Burgundy were heard ſpeak about that Decree of the laſt National Synod, which ordaineth the ſaid Province to examin the Accounts of the Sieur John Gras, concerning the Monies received by him for the Churches of Montauban, Rochel and Caſtres. The ſaid Deputies declaring that thoſe Accounts were audited and cloſed in the Synod held at Buſſi in the Year 1651. and put into the Hands of the Sieurs Cale and Spons, Elders of the Church of Lion, and Deputies for the ſaid Church. Upon which Relation the Deputies were very well ſatisfied.
8. The Colloquies of Roven and Cauz made a Propoſal for ſeparating the Higher and Lower Normandy, and to make out of them two Provincial Synods. After that Monſieur Bochart was heard ſpeaking for the Colloquies of the Lower Normandy: This Aſſembly judged, that the Decree paſt in the laſt National Synod ſhould hold good, without any change at all; and that the ſaid Propoſal ſhould be let die away in ſilence.
9. The re-iterated Petition of the Province of Sevennes about the Church of Doubre and D'Auchy ſhall be tendered to the next Synod of the higher Languedoc, which is intreated to conſider well of the matter.
10. The Aſſembly reviſing the eighth Article of General Matters in the laſt National Synod, which enjoyned the Conſiſtories of thoſe Churches that have Printers, to take ſpecial heed, that there be not any Change made in the Tranſlation of our Bible, nor in our Liturgy nor Pſalms, without expreſs Order from that Conſiſtory, which is empowred for ſo doing by the Provincial Synod. It doth alſo recommend the ſtrict Obſervation hereof, and declareth thoſe Perſons worthy to be cenſured who do neglect it, and willeth that an account of this be rendred both to the …rovincial Synods and Colloquies. And farthermore, all Perſons whatſo ver be forbidden to print, or bind up with our Liturgy and Ordinary Catechiſm any other Catechiſms and Prayers whatſoever.
11. On reading that Article of the laſt National Synod concerning Original Sin, divers Provinces demanding with great Importunity, that this Aſſembly would be pleaſed to moderate it; this Decree was made, That for the future all Paſtors and Propoſans who ſhould offer themſelves unto the Holy Miniſtry, ſhall be only obliged to ſubſcribe unto the Tenth and Eleventh Article of the Confeſſion of Faith held by all the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom; and in the mean while all Perſons are forbidden to preach or print any thing againſt the Imputation mentioned by the ſaid Synod in that Article before named, nor ſhall any thing more or leſs be changed in it.
12. In reading that Article of the ſame National Synod concerning the Redemption of Captives: This Aſſembly took notice, that the Alms collected from the Faithful on this occaſion had been employed moſt beneficially in this pious Work, as was made appear by thoſe Accounts brought in and examined; and whereas there is a great Neceſſity for the continuance of this noble Charity, this Aſſembly recommends the continuance of its Practice unto the Provinces according to the intent and purport of the ſaid Article.
13. The Deputies of Lower Guyenne gave in an account of what their Synod had done about the abſence of two Elders, whom they had deputed unto the laſt National Synod of Charenton, and their proceedure in cenſuring of Monſieur Sauvage for his abſence was well approved.