Synodicon in Gallia reformata, or, The acts, decisions, decrees, and canons of those famous national councils of the reformed churches in France being I. a most faithful and impartial history of the rise, growth, perfection and decay of the reformation in that kingdom, with its fatal catastrophe upon the revocation of the Edict of Nants in the year 1685 : II. the confession of faith and discipline of those churches : III. a collection of speeches, letters, sacred politicks, cases of conscience, and controversies in divinity, determined and resolved by those grave assemblies : IV. many excellent expedients for preventing and healing schisms in the churches and for re-uniting the dismembred body of divided Protestants : V. the laws, government, and maintenance of their colleges, universities and ministers, together with their exercise of discipline upon delinquent ministers and church-members : VI. a record of very many illustrious events of divine providence relating to those churches : the whole collected and composed out of original manuscript acts of those renowned synods : a work never be extant in any language.

CHAP. IX. Particular Matters.

1. THERE was read an Act of the Colloquy of Higher Agenois, in which the Council of Lower Guyenne complained against the Lord of Pujole, and against a certain Judgment of the said Colloquy, past in his fa∣vour, because that the said Lord had seriously protested of his sincere in∣tentions to persist in the profession of our Religion, they could not imagine that he would admit into his heart such a disloyal thought as to abandon the Sacred Communion of our Churches, and to bring the worst of evils

upon his Soul in good earnest;* 1.1 yet nevertheless they did judge the said Lord worthy of the heaviest Censures for his great miscarriages in all his publick actings, particularly, that instead of demanding in a lawful Assembly the Reformation of those Defaults and Abuses he pretended to have obser∣ved in the Council, he had as much as in him lay exposed it to the highest contempt and infamy, and followed a course notoriously contrary to all Or∣ders, which have been until now uniformly obeyed and practised among us with good acceptance and success; a matter of very dangerous consequence, and which might cause an irreparable breach in our Union: Which fault of his he did confess and acknowledge, and promised for the future to conform him∣self to the Canons which are now, or hereafter may be established by these Assemblies. And Monsieur Ferrand, a Pastor, was ordered to acquaint this Assembly of it. All things duly considered, this Assembly approveth of the Judgment of that Colloquy, and of the said Lord du Pujol's submission, and ha∣ving once more reiterated the same Remonstrances, it drew from him those promises, by means of which he was reconciled unto the Provincial Coun∣cil, and to all those who were known to have shared in the scandal that he had given: And all the Churches, Parties in those disturbances, were ex∣horted to live in Peace and Union for the future, which was mutually pro∣mised on all sides.

2. The Deputies of the Churches of Auvergne remonstrated their deplo∣rable estate and condition, earnestly desiring the favour and assistance of this Assembly, to help them in their prosecutions at Court, that they might be inabled to uphold and continue the exercise of the true Religion at Issoyre, and that they may be provided of a Pastor meet for so weighty a work; this Assembly ordered the Lords General Deputies to have a most especial care of their concern, and to allow them the two hundred Livers which they have received on accompt from the Lord du Candall; and they do farther grant them one hundred Livers more, and continue unto them their four portions which had been formerly appointed to be paid in unto them free of all taxations and defalcations by the Province of Sevennes and Gevaudan up∣on the score of any charges ordinary or extraordinary whatsoever, and it or∣daineth that the Churches of Issoyre shall be incorporated with the said Pro∣vince, from which, according to order, they shall receive their aforesaid por∣tions, and dispose of them towards the maintenance of their Pastors, and the remainders thereof shall be expended in defraying their charges before men∣tioned until the next National Synod.

3. The same Deputies for that Province of Higher and Lower Auvergne having petitioned this Assembly to provide them a Pastor for the afore-mentioned Church of Issoyre, had granted them Monsieur Babat, who was now at full liberty, to serve the Church of Issoyre, and its annexed Congrega∣tions, and to be their own peculiar Pastor, who shall be brought over to them with his houshold goods and Library at their charges, and they shall furnish him with Moneys and the assistance of an Elder to be present at the Provin∣cial Synods of Sevennes, as often as they should be summoned to them.

4. The Lord Vicount of Leyran demanding by his Letter sent unto this Assembly,* 1.2 some additions from us unto two hundred Livers which he pro∣miseth for himself shall be paid to the gathering and constituting of a Church at Legran l'Imbrassat and d'Ur; there was granted him one ordinary portion, and another half extraordinary, both free of all charges ordinary and extra∣ordinary from that Province, just as it comes from the Dividend made by the National Synod, and that said Province shall be accountable for the disposal of those portions unto the next National Synod. And Letters also shall be written unto the said Lord of Leyran, praising and commending his Zeal and Affection towards the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

5. John de Luna, and Laurens Fernandez, both Spaniards; presented them∣selves

Montauban, declaring their Abjuration of Monkery and Popery, and appro∣ving of their Conversation ever since their Conversion; as also Stephen Con∣versett of the Franche Comté, who had quitted the Order of the Domini∣cans, and Peter Mercurin a Provincial, who had also abandoned Popery. This Assembly granted unto the said Fernandez, Conversett, and Mercurin, an hun∣dred and forty Crowns a-piece, and farther ordaineth, that the said Mercu∣rin shall be put into the Catalogue of Proposans, and be first of all employed in the Ministry in Provence. And as for John de Luna, who desires leave to retire for some time into Holland, there be sixty Livers granted him for his Voyage. And whereas one called Buisson, born in the Lower Guyenne, is lately converted from the Popish Religion unto the Reformed, thirty Livers are given him towards his relief until the next Provincial Synod, wherein he shall be particularly cared for. All which shall be paid, without making it a Prefident for the future; and the Provinces and Pastors are expresly charged and forbidden never to present more unto these Assemblies any such Con∣verts.

6. The Sieur Constantin declaring his most miserable estate, and craving our charitable Relief in his deep Poverty; this Assembly ordained, that there should be paid him yearly the sum of an hundred Livers, which shall be put to the account of the Moneys distributed to the Province of the Higher Guyenne, and immediately 300 Livers were given him to defray his charges in coming unto this Assembly, and the Corporation of Bergerac shall be exhort∣ed to augment his Salary as Regent of that Classis in which he serveth.

7. The Deputies of the Church of Pons did in the name of its Elders and Heads of Families present their Petition, that they might be provided of a Pastor; This Assembly ordained, that Monsieur Constant, who is now freed from the Church of Mazgravier, be given unto the said Church of Pons, in case that they like of him, and he of them. And that they may treat hereof, the aforesaid Deputies are advised to go to Montauban, in which City they may hear, and discourse with him about it; who having been there, they did bring with them the said Constant, who consented to pass over unto their Church, that they might have a proof of his Ministry, and he a tryal of their Tempers; and in case of mutual Agreement, he intended to settle among them as their Pastor: This Assembly approved of this their Reciprocal Transaction, and decreeth, that after their acceptance of him according to the Discipline of our Churches, he shall be confirmed in his Pastoral Office to them.

8. The Deputies of the Church of Pons demanding the establishment of a Colledge in their City,* 1.3 and a supply of Moneys necessary its charges, were remanded back to the Province of Xaintonge, who should take such care about it, as they judged needful.

9. The Churches of Soules having deputed the Sieur Bustonoby Pastor,* 1.4 remonstrate the necessity and advantage that would accrew by the personal Residence of Ministers among them, which yet they could never effect by rea∣son of their poverty and inability, requesting also some little Moneys to for∣ward the impression of a few Manuscripts in the Biscain Language; this As∣sembly over and above the portions received by them from the Province of Lower Guyenne, doth bestow upon them two portions quitted, free, and dis∣charged of all expences, taxations, and deductions whatsoever, and three hundred Livers to be paid at one entire payment towards the Printing of the said Manuscripts: And the said Province shall bring in those Moneys upon Accompt unto the next National Synod.

10. Mr. Stephen Rochers, Pastor of the Church of Monthasillac and Piles, having been suspended from his Office by the Provincial Synod of St. Foy, un∣til the next Synod of that Province, appeared in person before this Assembly, petitioning to be restored unto his Ministry, and producing laudable Certi∣ficates

from the Colloquy and Church of Bergerac, where he hath since resided, as also from that in which he had served, his request was granted him, and he was declared from this instant Reinstated into the holy Ministry, which he was exhorted to discharge with all prudence, diligence and faithfulness; and whereas he complained of his Churches Poverty, the consideration thereof was deferr'd till such times as the Moneys granted us by the King should come to be distributed.

11. The Deputies of the Isle of France demanding that another Order might be Issued out against Monsieur de la Touche Pastor of the Church of Mouchamp in Poictou to Account with them about the Moneys owing them for maintaining him several years together in his preparatory Studies for the Ministry,* 1.5 to the performance of which he stands obliged by the very or∣ders of one or two former National Synods. This Assembly having heard his exceptions, and reflecting upon the inconsiderableness of the debt, and that his brother hath served in the Ministry in the very self same Province, and that he was at great expences in Paris, where he fell sick in a Journy which he took on purpose to put an end to this business, doth cancel his obligation, and intreats the said Province also never to trouble him any more about it.

12. The difference in the Church of Mussidan, and the Complaint of Mon∣sieur Chabot, for that the Publick worship of God had been transferred unto Lunga, and the Sieur Latane given without the Consent of the said Chabot unto that Church, are dismissed over unto the Provincial Synod to be ex∣amined by it and that matter concerning our Cautionary Town there it shall be decided by the next Mixt Provincial Assembly; and that things may be brought into a good temper in order to an accommodation, some of the Members of this Assembly shall in their way homeward call in at Mussidan, and by their best arguments perswade them to a sincere Peace and hearty Union among themselves.

13. Phillip Marulles born at Realmont, Student in Divinity in the Univer∣sity of Montauban, was presented by the Deputies of Higher Languedoc, crav∣ing some charitable assistance from this Synod; who gave him sixty Livers, to be paid him by the Receiver General out of the Moneys allowed unto the said Province.

14. The Deputies of Vivaretz reported, that divers Churches in their Province sending two Elders unto their Synods, caused an Inequality in their Votes, and the lesser Churches on several occasions do make greatest noises and complaints. This Assembly leaveth that Synod, In case of contestation, full power to gather the suffrages, not by Deputies, but by their Churches; however this shall not be made a precedent unto the other Provinces.

15. John Guerin second Regent in the Colledge of Die in Dolphiny, re∣quested to be restored unto the sacred Ministry of the Gospel, from which he was deposed thirty years ago, for a crime committed by him, when as he lived at Geneva. This Assembly, having read and heard the Attestations given him by the Churches of Dolphiny, in which he hath since made his aboad, and of the University of Die, and of his Provincial Synod, gave orders unto the said Provincial Synod to write unto our Reverend Brethren the Pastors, Professors and Elders in the Church of Geneva to give us their thoughts about it, and in case by their answer they approve and consent unto it, the said Province having pondered all circumstances, and believing that he may be useful in Edifying God's Church, is impowered with full au∣thority from this Assembly, to restore him unto the Ministry.

16. The Deputies of Berry declaring that the Moneys granted unto the Lord Duke of Sully for the Colledge of Boisbelle were laid out and employed in repairing the Colledge of Chastillon,* 1.6 and in divers other pious and requesting that they might be discharged from making restitution of them, as they had been injoyned by the National Synod of Privas, they be∣ing

in no wise able to do it by reason of their deep poverty, and very great necessities of their Province; This Assembly compassionateing their deplo∣rable condition, doth for this reason only grant them their request.

17. The great necessity and famine befallen the Church of Mas St. Espueilles having been reported in this Assembly,* 1.7 the Lord du Candal w to pay out of the Common Moneys of our Churches unto the Inhabitants of the said City the sum of nine hundred Livers, and to Monsieur Aubriot their Pastor charged with a great and numerous family the sum of three hundred Livers, the whole being 1200 l. Which sum of nine hundred Li∣vers shall be distributed by the Consuls and Consistory, who are to give an Acquitance for it. And that the said distribution may be made among the People with the greater Order and fidelity, Monsieur Isaiah Lignier, Lord de la Menarie Elder of the Churches of Melquel and Lunel, who is now personally present in this Assembly, and was an Eye-witness of their sore and deep affliction, is intreated to see this Charity well-managed and distributed, and he shall carry home with him what other Collections he hath received for the said City. Which accordingly he promised to see done and performed.

18. The Deputies of Dolphiny complaining that the Sieur Scoffier had not obeyed the Decree of the Synod of Privas,* 1.8 in paying the Moneys which he owed them; this Synod voted that ninety Livers should be detained, out of the Moneys beloning to the Province of Berry (in which the said Scoffier serves as a Minister) in the hands of the Lord du Candal, and delivered unto the Province of Dolphiny; yet leaving the Province of Berry at Liberty to take what course they thought good to recover the said sum from Monsieur Scof∣fier.

19. The Deputies of Dolphiny complaining that the Sieur Jarry had re∣ceived thirty Livers from the Church of Castel-Dolphin, upon promise that he should come and serve them, which yet he hath not done, nor restored to them the said Moneys; Order was given to the Synod of Sevennes, that they injoin him to make them satisfaction, and that they consult what cen∣sure to inflict upon him.

20. Bertrand Auger, or Faugier, who was put upon the File of the Depo∣sed Ministers by the National Synod of St. Maixant, having cleared himself of the Crimes laid unto his charge, was restored unto the exercise of his Mini∣stry by the Synod of Dolphiny, whose Deputies now demanding that his name might be razed out of that black Kalander, this Assembly did accord∣ingly grant it to them.

21. A judgment of the Province of Normandy about some Money-matter being put in execution,* 1.9 which was remanded thither by the Synod of Privas; this Assembly ordained, that the Province of Brittany should pay two thirds of the charges expended by the Sieur Trizonius, who was commissio∣nated in that affair by the Province of Anjou; and the Moneys for the said charges shall be kept by the Lord du Candal in his hands out of the Moneys appertaining to the Province of Brittany, unless their Deputies would rather compound, and make present satisfaction.

22. Complaint being made by the higher Generality of Normandy, that the general charges for the whole Province were divided by equal portions between the Lower and Higher Normandy, although there was a very great inequality both of Churches and Colloquies betwixt them; this Assembly ordaineth for the future that the said Charges shall be divided into five parts, whereof the Lower Normandy shall pay three, and the Higher the other two.

23. The Synod of the Isle of France complained of the Church of Paris for not paying in, as the other Churches of that Province have done, and still do the fifth penny of their Charity-Moneys. This Assembly having heard the Sieur Bigot, and seen the Acts of the Provincial Synod, and the

Accounts of the said Church, approveth of the administration of their Cha∣rities, and ordereth that the said Church shall continue in the same estate as it was heretofore, only that their Deputies shall bring in to their Provincial Synod an account how they dispose of their fifth penny.

24. The difference betwixt the Church of Orleans and their Provincial Synod, about Claudius Garnier a Dominican Fryar converted unto the Pro∣testant Reformed Religion, is turned over to the Province of Anjou, to put a final period thereunto by the authority of this Assembly.

25. The Province of Lower Languedoc having referred unto this Assembly the separation of the Churches de la Bastide, Viras, Vignas, and Bessars from the Church of Barjac, that they might be incorporated with the Province of Vivaretz. After hearing the Deputies of both Provinces, and perusal of the Judgment given by the Synod of Lower Languedoc, the aforesaid Churches were all adjudged unto the Province of Vivaretz, excepting only that those of the Quarter of Bessars, and only they are left to their own choice, whe∣ther to continue Members of the Church of Barjac, or to follow those other Churches.

* 1.1026. The expences of Monsieur Raffin in his journey to this Assembly for defending that Appeal brought by the Colloquy of Albigeois shall be re-imburst him by the Provinces of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne, out of the portions allotted to the said Colloquy.

27. The difference between the Colloquy of Albigeois and the Synod of Higher Languedoc and Gyuenne, about the distribution of their respective portions, is dismissed over to the Synod of Lower Guyenne, who have full power to put a final period to it by the authority of this Assembly.

28. The Province of Lower Languedoc desiring to be discharged by this Assembly from paying those summs for which they stood indebted unto the Synod of Privas, because that the Apostate Ferrier, who had their Moneys, and whom they had impleaded for them, hath removed his cause by way of Appeal▪ unto the Council: It was ordained, that the Decree of Privas should not in the least be changed; And yet notwithstanding that these Pe∣titioners should be holpen in their just prosecution of the said Ferrier at Law by all the Churches.

29. This Assembly approving the labours of Mr. Andrew Rivet Pastor of the Church of Thouars, and particularly those learned Works of his publish∣ed against the Adversaries of the Truth, gave him their thanks for them, and as a testimony of that love and honour they bear him, do give him the summ of six hundred Livers out of the common stock of all the Churches.

30. The Synod of Poictou having proposed that there might be a new di∣vision and increase of Colloquies in the said Province, after hearing the argu∣ments pro and con, this Assembly ordained that the Colloquies should abide in number and form as they have ever been untill now.

31. The Sieur Chabot petitioned by Letters unto this Assembly that the publick Preaching of Gods Holy Word, together with the administration of the Sacraments, and all other exercises of our Holy Reformed Religion might be again restored unto the Church of Mussidan; It was ordained that Messieurs d' Anglade and Esperien Ministers of St. Foy do visit that Church, and Preach at Mussidan, and dispose the dissenting parties to a reconciliati∣on, till the meeting of their next Provincial Synod.

32. The Province of Higher Languedoc is exhorted to consider the distres∣ses of the Church of Aiguesmortes, and to assist it with a supernumerary por∣tion, equal unto any of those other portions given by them unto Pastors, and to be paid out of that stock of Moneys which will be allotted them in the general Dividend.

33. And the said Province is intreated to give unto Master Andrew Chan∣foran the Son of Monsieur Chanforan Pastor of the Church of Poussyn the first place that falls vacant for any Proposan,* 1.11

34. The Deputies in this Synod are charged when they return unto their respective Provinces to recommend unto them the continuance of their Cha∣rity towards the poor Refugees of the Marquisate of Salluces, a great many of them still groaning under very pressing wants.

* 1.1235. According to the Decree of the National Synod of Privas, the Province of Normandy have payed their debt unto Monsieur Vatablé, and the Moneys were deposited for him into the hands of the Deputies of Poictou.

* 1.1336. The Letters of the King of great Britain received at the opening of this Assembly, and those from the Church of Geneva, and those which were since its Session, sent from his Highness the Prince Elector Palatine, and from the Lord Mareschal Duke of Bouillon to it; being read, as also the Letters of Monsieur Moulin and Tilenus, treating of the difference between them: The Assembly deputed certain Pastors to peruse the Inventory transmitted us from the Professor Tilenus, and Monsieur du Moulin's Confession of Faith about the effects of the Personal Union, who made report, that the said Inventory contained certain terms and modes of speech that were uncouth and impro∣per, yet imputed unto the said Monsieur du Moulin as his, and extracted out of a Conference held with him at Paris, whereof they could not make any Judgment unless they had sight of the Original, or at least of a Copy of its Acts exactly and well collationed. And as for the confession of the said Monsieur du Moulin sent unto this Assembly, they do find it for its substance orthodox, and wide enough from all suspicion of Eutychianism, Nestori∣anism, Samosatenianism, and Ubiquitism. Wherefore, that this differ∣ence may be totally extinguished, and a most sincere reconciliation effected between the divided Parties, this Assembly ordained, that all the Printed Copies of the Professor Tilenus his Book, and that Manuscript before menti∣on Styled the Inventory, as also the Latin and French Books written by the said Monsieur du Moulin relating unto this Question, shall be sent to Saumur, and deposited with the Lord du Plessis Marly, that so the remem∣brance of this contention may be for ever buried in oblivion. And Monsieur du Moulin and the Professor Tilenus are exhorted by this Assembly to meet together on the same day, and at the same place in Saumur, where the Pastors of the neighbouring Churches together with the Pastors of that Church, and the Professors of that University may be summoned in together, who with the said Lord du Plessis shall endeavour a firm Union in Doctrine between these two persons, and a sincere forgetfulness of all Matters past be∣twixt them. And in the mean while Monsieur du Moulin is exhorted to continue his labors in his Church with that same zeal and greatness of Spi∣rit as heretofore, and to take courage and comfort unto himself from that Approbation and Testimonial which hath been, and is still given him for the orthodoxy of his Faith and soundness of his Doctrin. And report shall be made of these methods and means used by us unto His Majesty the King of great Britain, to his Highness the Prince Elector Palatin, to the Lord Duke of Bouillon, in our Letters of answer to them particularly, together with our humble requests unto his Majesty of great Britain, to his Electoral Highness the Prince Palatin, and to the Lord Mareschal Duke of Bouillon that they would be pleased by their Authority to oblige the said Monsieur Tilenus per∣sonally to ingage in this Interview and conference; and to command that the before-mentioned Printed Books and Manuscripts, which may have past out of this Kingdom into their Dominions, may be all called in and suppressed. And this also shall be inserted in our answer unto the Church of Geneva.

37. This Assembly ordaineth that the portion of the Sieur du Moulin Pastor of the Church at Orleans shall be discharged of all Taxes and Costs upon the Provinces,* 1.14 and paid in unto him full and free.

38. Master Hume formerly Pastor of the Church of Duras having found on his return home from Scotland and England his said Church provided of

another Pastor, and the Province not calling him unto another Church, he is declared free by this Assembly to serve in any other place where God shall call him, either in the same, or in any other Province of this Kingdom.

39. This Assembly having been, read, and heard the Letters and argu∣ments of Achilles Bonhout which prevailed with him not to remove his son from the Jesuites school, and that the consistory of the Church of Lions cannot in the least compel him to it, doth Judge them null, and commands the said Consistory to inflict upon him, and all others that shall be guilty of the like scandal, the severest Censures of the Church according to our Disci∣pline.

40. The Church of Metz by their Letter bearing date the tenth of May, and received the second of June, petitioned this Assembly to send them such a Pastor out of the Churches of this Kingdom, as It Judged would most contribute to their Edification, and if It thought good, either Monsieur Chevillette Minister of Vitry, or Monsieur de la Cloche Minister of the Church of Moysi, both of them in the Isle of France. This Assembly left the conside¦ration of this matter unto the said Province, and prayed them in their next Synod to gratifie the Church of Metz,

Notes

• * 1.1

  1614. The 21th Synod.
• * 1.2

  2. Vitré, g. m. 11. Two Copies read Dan. and Din.
• * 1.3

  2. Vitré, Ap∣peal 2.
• * 1.4

  2. Vitré, p. m. 19.38
• * 1.5

  2. Rochel, p. 3. m. 4. Privas, p. m. 17.
• * 1.6

  Privas, p. m. 35.
• * 1.7

  St. Maixant, P. m. 19.
• * 1.8

  St. Maixant, p. m. 21. Privas, p. m. 34.
• * 1.9

  Privas, p. m. 25.
• * 1.10

  See before Appeal 38.
• * 1.11

  Privas, p. m. 19.
• * 1.12

  2. Vitré, obs. 8. upon this Synod.
• * 1.13

  See the 5th Article after the Roll of names. 2 Vitré, obs. 7. upon the Synod.
• * 1.14

  See the 4th Article after the names of the Deputies.