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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56905	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.	Quick, John, 1636-1706.; Eglises réformées de France.	1692 (1692)	Wing Q209; ESTC R10251	1,424,843	1,304

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 CHAP. XXIX The Testimonials of divers Doctors and Universities unto the Treatise of Monsieur Rivett against the Books of the Sieurs Amyraud and Testard To the most Honoured and our most Excellent Colleague Andrew Rivett Professor of Divinity WE did read with singular delight your Remarks on the Writings of Monsieur Amyraud Pastor and Professor at Saumur which we had seen sometimes before and we have found them exactly agreeing both with the Holy Scripture in all Articles of Faith and in those wherein our National Synod of Dort had declared its Judgment and therefore we approve of your Writing as being very Learned and Moderate and count it Worthy of Praise from all Orthodox Divines and we doubt not in the least but that this your Labour will be most acceptable unto the now approaching National Synod of France and will be useful and serviceable for the suppressing and putting a period by due and proper ways unto these late Controversies which some certain Pastors affected and addicted unto Novelties have to their shame raised in the French Churches to the great Offence of very many Godly Persons From Leyden March 14. 1637. Your Reverences most Affectionate Colleagues Johannes Polyander Antonius Wallaeus Antonius Thysius and Jacobus Triglandius Extracts out of a Letter sent by Mr. John Bogerman to Mr. Andrew Rivett from Franequer Feb. 7. 1637. HAving thus concerted that Affair among our selves we now Write you our present Judgment which in this Paper is Transmitted to you begging of God with all our heart That he would bless your Holy Labours and behold in the Son of his Love your distressed Churches of France which have been hitherto as a Pure and Chaste Virgin and have kept inviolably their Oath of Fidelity unto the Truth but now-a-days begin to be troubled with impure Errors and of a very dangerous Heterodoxy My Colleagues could not read that French Book of the Professor Amyraud because they don't understand the French Tongue therefore did I most Faithfully make those Extracts which you see out of his Writings Our ears could not suffer with any Patience those Novelties of a double Predestination unto Salvation and of a certain general knowledge by the light of Nature of the Mercy of God to all Men and of another particular knowledge of the same Mercy unto particular persons of a double Decree of God without any knowledge of Christ The good Lord be merciful unto these Brethren and according to his infinite goodness grant that they may have but one and the same Mind and the same Language with all the Churches of Christ and may he ever watch over you to keep and preserve you for many long years yet to come to the Glory of his Great Name and the Edification of his Church To that most Excellent Person our most Dear Brother in Jesus Christ Master Rivett Greeting SIR HAving received your Writing together with the Books of this 21. of January we perused them very diligently and were grieved in our hearts that the Seeds of new troubles were sowen in your Churches of France Thus Satan who is always the same and like himself endeavours by vile Errours to obscure the Lustre of the Truth and continually discovers himself a most mortal Enemy of the Grace of God And Oh that our most Gracious God whose great Benignity towards us deserveth our everlasting Praises would deign to preserve your poor Churches of France from all their Enemies and from those woful troubles attending on them These Attacks of the Adversary are ill-boding signs of some sad Events which may betide them unless they be resisted with singular Prudence and an immovable Resolution in their first beginnings and that they be stifled in the Birth For what is it that Men are hammering out of this multitude of Errors but a certain new Arminianism Pelagianism and Socinianism That odd and ridiculous Opinion of Vorstius concerning the changeable Decrees is once again digged out of its Grave and brought upon the publick Theatre yea and that spurious Doctrine of the Jesuits condemned by the School-men themselves appears bare-faced before the World Alas How many points incompatible one with another are there to be found in Monsieur Testard his Book For his latter Theses subvert the former and so far are these Pamphlets from conciliating Peace that to the contrary we believe the Adversaries are more exasperated by them animated and strengthened to Combat with us and that Saying of Monsieur Beza may be justly applied to this Script He would have forged a Peace but he hath forged out Dissention Sir You are very well acquainted with the Man and therefore

the preservation of their mutual Union and to obtain a commodious Peace it was very well accepted and approved by this Synod who farther declared the necessity of a punctual and general Observation of it at least until such times as it shall please God to incline the Heart of our King to grant us the Free Exercise of our Religion by a Royal and Favourable Edict which may be embraced and approved by all the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom And that the said Union and Order may be carefully preserved all Pastors Colloquies and Provincial Synods are earnestly intreated to put to their helping hand XXXV Professors of our holy Religion having Law-suits or Differences among themselves be it either in Matters Civil or Criminal shall be seriously exhorted by their Pastors to compose their Quarrels by Arbitrators of our own Religion without impleading one another at the Bars of Popish Judges CHAP. V. Of APPEALS I. AN Appeal being brought by the Deputy of the Church of Dangeau re-demanding Monsieur Vian who by certain Colloquies was Licensed and sent unto the Church of Marchenoir and whereunto the Provincial Synod had also consented Upon hearing the Deputies of both Churches and the said Monsieur Vian this Assembly ordered That the said Vian should be appropriated unto the Church of D'angeau and that as he returned homeward he should preach some Sermons at D'angeau aforesaid and then return unto Machenoir where he shall remain by the space of one Month and if within that time the Church of D'angeau do not pay him all the Arrerages of his Stipend which they owe him he shall be affixed wholly unto the foresaid Church of Marchenior and if he be satisfied and return to D'angeau he shall be paid hereafter duly every Quarter his Salary and in case the said Church should again fail in her Duty as formerly in not satisfying the said Vian within three Months that Order of the Provincial Synod shall be confirmed and the said Monsieur Vian shall be appropriated unto the Church of Marchenior II. An Appeal being brought by the Church of Fescamp concerning the Person of Monsieur Lazarus Robert their Pastor who by the Provincial Synod of Normandy was lent unto the Church of Pont-dorson it is ordained That the said Monsieur Lazarus shall remain with his Church of Fescamp provided they take care for his better maintenance III. The Church of St. John d' Angely brought an Appeal by the Advice of the Synod of Xaintonge wherein they declare That * * * Monsieur D'amours was a mighty Man in Prayer and Chaplain in Ordinary to Henry IV. before his last Apostasie The very Papists in the Army and the greatest Lords and Commanders in it were melted by him in that Duty and would call upon the King That before they went to fight that the Minister who prayed yesterday might pray again Monsieur D'amours was sent unto the Church of Barbezieux the Letters and Memoirs of the Consistory and other Writings having been read this Assembly determined That the Synod of Xaintonge had very good and sufficient grounds for their disposal of Monsieur D'amours but Madam the King 's only Sister having requested of this National Synod by her Letter That the said Monsieur D'amours might be Pastor to the Church in her Family this Assembly granteth unto her Royal Highness the said Monsieur D'amours for the Service of her Church and Family and forasmuch as the said D'amours doth ordinarily reside at St. John the said Church is intreated to help that of Barbezieux and in case they do not the Provincial Synod are ordered to make provision for them Monsieur Turquet Deputy for the Church of Lion entred his Protest against this Ordinance concerning Monsieur D'amours as prejudicial to the Church of Lions which claimed him of Right as their own IV. An Appeal was brought by the Church of Marianges from the Provincial Synod of Languedoc which had adjudged Monsieur Moinier to the Church of Nismes the Church of Nismes requesting That in regard of her great Needs Monsieur Moinier might be left unto her This Synod de creeth That forasmuch as the said Church of Marianges hath not appeared to defend its Appeal the Order of the Provincial Synod of Languedoc shall stand in force V. Complaint being made by the Church of Aymet against a Decree passed in the National Synod of Montauban which adjudged Monsieur Balarand unto the Church of Castres the Deputy of Aymet requiring that the said Decree might be revers'd and the said Balarand restored unto the Church of Aymet for the Reasons assigned by them and Monsieur Rotan being heard on the behalf of the Church of Castres it is ordained by this present Synod That Monsieur Balarand doth of Right belong unto the Church of Aymet and that he shall be restored again unto the said Church which may recal him within three Months counting from this 14th of June 1596 and in case of his Disobedience unto this Order he shall be interdicted the Exercise of his Ministry VI. An Appeal was brought by Monsieur Simon L'hermite Lord of Puy deposed from the holy Ministry by the Colloquy and Classis of Fontenay held at St. Germain in March last the causes and grounds of his Appeal having been reported to us and the motives inducing the said Colloquy to depose him to wit his pertinacious asserting That the Humane Nature of our Lord Jesus Christ was destroyed in his Death This Synod appointed Master Merlin Rotan de Serres and the Lord du Plessis to confer with the said du Puy and to convince him of his Error who relating to us That the said du Puy doth own and approve our Confession of Faith and that he had offended and fallen into an Error as above-mentioned which also the said du Puy confessed openly before this Assembly That he had held that erroneous Opinion but doth now acknowledge the Humanity of our Lord Jesus to have been ever conjoyned to his Divinity in Life and Death yea whilst his Body lay in the Grave and he doth abjure all other Errors contrary unto this Truth now subscribed by him The Deputies also of the Province of Poictou having been heard upon the whole matter this Assembly approveth the Proceedings of the said Colloquy as just and equitable But because the said du Puy hath abjur'd that his Error and earnestly desireth to serve the Church of God and promiseth for the future to carry himself with greater modesty and humility this Assembly doth restore the said du Puy unto his Office of the Ministry yet ordaineth That for three Months he shall be silent and not exercise any of the Publick Duties thereof which time expired he getting a Certificate of his pious Conversation from that Church wherein he liveth he may be by the approbation of the Colloquies sent unto any Congregation which shall give him a Call CHAP. VI. Particular MATTERS I. THE Theses of Anthony de L' Escale being presented unto this Synod

the Province of Vivaretz And whereas the Church of Paris lent him already in his great Necessities one hundred Livers they be desired out of pure Christian Charity freely to forgive him that Sum. 28. The Synod taking into consideration the Complaint of the Widow of Monsieur Rossel deceased and the great Losses suffered by the Church of Bedarioux decreed that the Province of Lower Languedoc should pay her in the Stipend allowed her for the Year of her Widowhood and discharge that poor Church from the paiment thereof and take special care that this Widow have some settled Maintenance for the future Moreover an Order was granted that because her Necessities at present were very sore and pressing she should receive fifty Livers which the Lord of Candall is intreated to advance before-hand out of the Moneys accruing unto the aforesaid Province whose Receiver shall be obliged to allow it him on his Account 29. The Synod accepting his Offers promised its best Assistance unto the Reverend Monsieur le Faucheur Pastor of the Church in Monpellier and prayed him to take heart unto himself and couragiously to imploy those excellent Talents and Graces the Lord had bless'd him with in the Refutation of those Heaps of Sophism's piled up by the Cardinal of Perron in his huge Volume of the Eucharist that so the Church of God may be edified by so laudable and profitable a Work and the sorry sophistical Wranglings of the Enemies of God's Truth may be check'd and represt 30. There was granted threescore and twelve Livers unto the Sieurs Maurice de Bloy de Matrimont and Collan to defray the Charges of their Journey unto Montauban which is eighteen Livers apiece 31. Monsier Caper was ordered to pay unto Mr. Moynier Pastor of the Church of Bourniquett immediately seven-score Livers in consideration of his great Losses and this is not intended as a diminution of that Relief which the Synod hath reserved for him when it comes to divide the Monies destinated to the support and maintenance of our Churches in the Higher Languedoc And the Synod of that Province is charged to communicate unto his necessitous Family as they are bound by the Laws of Christian Charity for its Subsistence 32. An hundred Livers were assigned unto Monsieur Baylin Pastor of the Church of Villemur and to be paid him out of the clearest Monies which belong unto the Churches And farther it was voted that when the Dividend should be made of those Monies there shall be a special regard had unto the Necessities both of the said Church and Pastor 33. The Sieurs Crubel and Montanier Pastors of the Churches at Bias and La Corbaride declared and proved before the Synod by authentick Evidences and Memoirs the utter impossibility of their Residence on their Churches because of the dismal and deplorable Condition to which they be reduced Whereupon License was given them to reside at Montauban until such time as it should please God to bless those distressed Churches with Ability for their Resettlement among them and the next Provincial Synod shall take special care that it may be effected 34. The Churches of Soulés and La Bour being at a vast distance from the other Churches of this Kingdom whereby our National Synods have had little knowledg of their Estate and Wants and of that Relief which hath by this and former National Synods been ministred to them The Sieurs Mizaubin and Grenouilleau are ordered to travel thither immediately upon the breaking up of this Assembly and as Visitors appointed by this Synod to inspect their Condition and to inquire into those Differences between the Sieurs Busthonoby and Guillemin and to compose them and to make report of the Necessities of those Churches they being now incorporated with the Synod of Lower Guienne unto it and they shall take care that those Churches do by their Deputies appear at their Synodical Meetings and bring in an Accompt of their disposal of those Monies which have been formerly and may hereafter be allotted them And that Synod is charged to concern it self for the well-being of those Churches 35. The Province of Sevennes having advanced a thousand Livers before-hand for the Churches of Auvergne did request this Assembly that they might be reimbursed A Decree past that the said Province proving those Disbursments they should be repaid accordingly out of the Monies granted by the last National Synod unto those Churches 36. Monsieur Paulet informing this Synod with how great Violence he was forced and driven away from his Church of Vezenobre it was immediately voted that his Cause should be particularly recommended unto the Lords our General Deputies and that when the distribution of Monies shall be made in the close of this Sessions all care and respect should be had unto his Necessities 37. The Lord and Lady of Dangeau complaining that the Synod of the Isle of France had forbidden the particular recommending of them unto God in the Publick Prayers made by the Church of Chartres meeting at the Bridg of Tranchefetus although they had been formerly made for the Lord and Lady of that Place And the Deputies of the Isle of France having declared the Reasons of that Prohibition and justified it by the Acts of two several Synods thô they had also condemned the omission of those aforesaid Prayers and that they would have ordained their re-usage were it not for those many Oppositions they had encountred in it The Synod decreed That the Pastor of the Church of Chartres shall mention in his Prayers and pray particularly by Name for the said Lord and Lady according to the Intention of the Synods of that Province 38. The Sieur Codur writ Letters of Excuse which were read in this Synod as also the Acts of the last National and Provincial Synods of Lower Languedoc concerning the removal of his Ministry out of the Province of Sevennes Whereupon it was decreed that the Province should be censured for their over-much Indulgence to the said Codur and judged that the Gloss put upon the Canon of the Synod of Charenton by one of its Deputies was not in any wise to be admitted because it directly contradicted the Intention of that Synod And it doth now forbid the said Codur to exercise his Ministry either in the Provinces of Lower Languedoc or Sevennes and interdicts the Synods of those Provinces the granting him any License for so doing on pain of censuring the Moderators of those Synods in their private Capacities Moreover the said Codur is once again commanded to obey the Canon of the National Synod of Charenton and to retire himself into the Province of Dolphiny that there he may be provided of a Church And in case he refuse Obedience unto this Order the Synod of that Province is now impowred with full Authority to proceed against him according to the utmost rigour and severity of our Discipline 39. There were six-score Livers ordered to the Lord of La Beguadiere for defraying the Charges of his

Holy Work and as you have been made a Spectacle to Men and Angels so do you persist to hold forth the Light of the Gospel in all Pureness and to fight the good Fight with the Weapons of Righteousness on the right Hand and on the left taking all possible Care that no Root of Bitterness do spring up which under the Shadow and Pretext of subtle Questions may weaken or diminish the Union of all your Members and whom 't is most indispensably needful you should firmly cement in an Uniformity of Confession to avoid those dreadful Distractions which will infallibly arise from a Diversity of Opinions and Affections All the Reformed Churches as far as ever we could learn were filled with Joy at those solid Declarations made in your National Synods against revived Pelagianism and at that singular Care taken by those venerable and Holy Councils to exclude it out of your Churches Now he that lowed those Tares in God's Field is not asleep but is still at Work wherefore there is need of continual Watchings there must be no relaxing of your Circumspection lest you should lose the things which you have wrought But we may forbear insisting any longer on this Argument nor is there any reason that we should exhort you to continue in your godly Purposes and Resolutions Sith your great Zeal is a most powerful Example to excite others It 's enough that we have thus opened our Hearts unto your Reverences and have largely experienced the harmonious Uniformity of your Holy Thoughts and Intentions And forasmuch as by these late Troubles some famous Universities have to our unspeakable Grief suffered very sad Eclipses and Interruptions we shall do our best and utmost Endeavour to keep burning that little Candle which the Goodness of our God hath lighted up in our poor Candlestick And our most honoured Magistrates have resolved to continue their Incouragement and Maintenance of our School and University which from its first Foundation had none other Design or End than to prepare Instruments who might be another Day capable of edifying God's Church And they conceive themselves at this time more especially concerned and obliged to serve your Churches because 't is but the Repayment of an old Debt We owing the Original of our Academy unto the worthy Labours of some of your most eminent and famous Ministers besides your favourable Respects have been exceeding serviceable to it in its Growth and Progress and they do receive with singular Consolation the Assurances of your good Will both from the Letters of the last Synod at Charenton and from your sending of Students hither to whose Advancement in Learning and Godliness we shall most willingly contribute whatever God hath imparted to us that so we may return them to you well improved and furnished with those requisite Talents for the Ministry in the Temple of the Lord. Moreover we do return you our most hearty Thanks for your kind Remembrance had of our Church in times past and we do bless the Lord for the Expressions of his Majesty's Love and Kindness towards our City which is a Continuance of those Royal Favours we have ever received from the Crown of France and consonant to his former Declarations that he would not exclude the Natives of this Town in case according to your excellent Discipline they should be called out unto the Ministry in the Churches of his Kingdom And we are so very well satisfied of your Love unto us that it the aforesaid Declaration should not be notified unto some of the Churches yet by your means it shall be so for the future and this will be a renewed Pledg and Confirmation of your ancient fraternal Charity and Affection to us Whereupon we do most affectionately salute in the Lord your Holy Synod and tender you our most humble Service intreating the Continuance of your good Will unto us and that you would strive together with us in your Prayers for us as we do continually recommend you unto our God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Word of his Grace and to his Spirit of Consolation and all your Churches Persons Labours and your whose sacred Assembly to his most blessed Protection beseeching the great Shepherd of Souls that he would daign to preside in the midst of you and make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you what is well pleasing to him and accumulate upon you his best and most Heavenly Benedictions to the Glory of his Holy Name And subscribe our selves Most Honoured Lords and Brethren Your most affectionate Brethren and most humble Servants in the Lord the Pastors and Professors in the Church and University of Geneva and in the Name of them all Prevost Diodati B. Turretin Du-Pan The Superscription was thus To our most Honoured Lords and Brethren the Pastors and Elders of the Reformed Churches of France assembled in their National Synod at Castres The Answer of the Pastors and Elders in the National Synod of Castres unto the Letter of the Right Reverend Pastors and Professors of Geneva Most Honoured Lords and Brethren AMong the Consolations which the Goodness of our God hath granted us in this Place this which we have received from your Communion in Spirit with us and those cordial Affections which you have expressed to us have been therefore the more acceptable because that as we rejoice in the Lord so we cannot but be thankful to him for that after so many Troubles and Desolations we be yet permitted to assemble from all Corners and Quarters of this Kingdom to the upholding settling and confirming of his Holy Worship You also are come in by your Letters to bear your Parts in this sacred Harmony augmenting by the Union of your Hearts with ours the rich Blessing which the Prophet hath compared to that precious Oil poured out upon the Head of Aaron and to the Dew which descends from Mount Sion and this too with such an Efficacy that the bare hearing of your sweet Consolations and Holy Counsels hath by a most secret and powerful Motion sensibly operated upon us and raised up the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Head in us who doth unite us though many Members into one Body in the Lord. We do therefore imbrace you in our God and accept thankfully of your Prayers and Holy Affections giving Thanks unto our Heavenly Father that as you have piously confess'd it he made us an Example of his Compassions and having saved us out of divers Perils and Distresses he hath preserved us our Lives by no less a Miracle than that of old when as he preserved the Bramble-Bush from being consumed in the midst of those Flames of War which ravaged our whole Country Nor can we sufficiently adore his singular Loving Kindnesses that although the Sins of his People had so far provoked his Wrath as to throw down all our Fences and to demolish all our Fortresses and to wither that Arm of Flesh in which we had so

enjoyment of their respective Functions and that your Majesty would be pleased to Abrogate and Revoke all Decrees and Judgments given to the contrary 18. In the year 1617. by the Edict of Restauration made in Favour of the Reformed Churches of Bearn Confirmed by Your Warrant for the Peace of Monpellier Your Majesty was pleased to maintain those Churches aforesaid of Bearn in the Liberty and full Enjoyment both of their Doctrine and Discipline without Changing or Innovating of any Article or Canon in either of them yet nevertheless Your Court of Parliament of Navarre in prejudice of their Liberty of Ordaining and Deposing of Continuing or Removing their Pastors from those Churches unto others where they be sent by their Synods doth forbid them to Proclame or Celebrate any Fasts without its permission or to make Appeals in matters purely Ecclesiastical elsewhere than unto the said Parliament or to Toll any Bell at any time for the Convocation of our Church Assemblies in that Province as is evident from the Decrees of the said Parliament Wherefore Your Majesty is most Humbly Requested to continue unto those Churches their Liberty granted them in those matters and to forbid the said Parliament of Navarre from intermeddling with such things for the suture and that You would be pleased to Abrogate and Disannul all those Decrees which have been made on this occasion 19. Your Majesty was pleased by all Your former Declarations made in favour of Your said Subjects to promise the continuance of that Bounty granted them by the late King Henry the Great of Glorious and Immortal Memory and divers times since Confirmed by Your Majesty for the Maintenance of our Ministers and Universities which was in Compensation of the Tythes paid by Your Subjects aforesaid unto the Popish Parish Curates Yet nevertheless for divers years last part they have been totally deprived of this Liberality And whereas several Assignments were made them for the former years there is yet remaining due unto them a very considerable Sum And although this Favour hath been again and again Promised and was Granted to them in the year 1629. whenas the Towns of the Lower Languedoc submitted themselves to Your Majesty's Authority and the said Promise was since confirmed by Your Majesty's Answer at Montauban to our Bill of Grievances we then tendered You yet nevertheless those very Assignations given them for the year 1627. have been revoked nor have there been any given them for the following years therefore Your Majesty is most Humbly intreated in pursuance of Your Royal Promises to continue unto Your Subjects aforesaid the enjoyments of those former Favours and Liberalities and to ordain and cause them to be paid all Arrears due for the years past and to continue them for the future The End of the Bill of Grievances 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 't is 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

Sieur Doul in that of Professor of Eloquence without suffering the said Nomination to be made a Precedent and on this condition that the said Professor Doul do every three Months keep a Publick Act. And this Assembly hath likewise approved and ratified that Canon of Agreement betwixt the Consistory and the said University for taking Cognizance of all Affairs depending upon both those Assemblies And that this present Decree may be put in Execution the Sieurs Guitton and de Bourdieu Pastors and the Sieur des Champs an Elder are deputed to pass over unto Saumur and to visit the said Church which is ordered to defray their Expences Now Sirs let me add what was given me in charge from this Holy Synod to deliver to you Ton cannot be ignorant of what the Faithful in all Ages have generally owned and confessed and which the Church of God hath always sung to its Consolation that there is nothing better nothing more pleasant nothing more desirable for your selves nothing more advantagious for the Interest of God than to see Peace on Earth in the midst of its horrible Confusions than whilst the Children of Rebellion who are possessed by the Devil do by their turbulent and intollerable Passions turn things upside down to see the poor Church of God in Peace Zion a quiet Habitation all the Faithful united the whole Houshold of Faith of one Heart having the same Love enjoying the same Hope and wholly busied and taken up in the Works of their common and holy Calling 'T is by this that God their Heavenly Father is most especially glorified This Peace is not of this World nor sustained by carnal Interests which may either by time be abolished or by corrupt Affections changed This is that Peace of God which his well-beloved Son our Lord Redeemer Christ Jesus hath left as a Legacy unto us and which is nourished and supported by that precious Blood which he shed for us and it shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given unto us of which the World shall never deprive us as long as we cherish and value it When once this Peace dwells and rules abundantly in our Hearts whenas our Holy Communion is strengthened by it whenas it leaveth Characters and Marks of its Glory upon us and our Souls tast its Sweetness then is Heaven above us reconciled with us then is the Sanctuary of our Hope opened to us then are the Bowels of God's Compassions yearning on us then is his Jealousie excited for us and then shall we obtain the most glorious Deliverances a Troop an Heap a Multitude of Divine Benedictions Sirs I never think of this Heavenly Blessing but that my Head is Waters and mine Eyes Fountains of Tears and mourn bitterly for those Sad Divisions which have so long time reigned among you These are horrible Scandals and noised abroad in the whole Kingdom By these Breaches hath Satan the Prince of this World got admission into your Hearts by these breaches is your Faith exposed to extream danger and I tremble at the Indignation of the God of Peace against you For when he seeth his Peace despised his Church distracted and dismembred and that Service owed him by your Consciences altered and abated and the profession of the Truth exposed to the Laughter and Scorn of his Adversaries he hath too just cause of being exasperated against you and to correct you with his Severest Judgments This Gracious God hath forborn you a long time he hath supported with wonderful Patience and Indulgence your grievous Disorders he hath compassionated your Infirmities he would rather remove them by the sweetness of his Grace than cut you off by the Sword of his just Vengeance He assembled when you least hoped it even at your Doors the Deputies of all the Provinces of this Kingdom who having as to your Concerns none other Interests than that of your Salvation did according to that Authority which God hath given them over your Consciences put a period unto your differences and compose them with singular Equity in order to your Peace When I consider Sirs what I was formerly in this City and Academy the least among you in all respects instructed by them who are your Instructors that profound respect which I have ever conserv'd in my Heart for you causeth me to fear and tremble whilst I am speaking to you For my own part I had much rather that this important Commission had fallen into any other Hands than mine that it might have been discharged by a Person much more worthy of your esteem and commendation but the most wise God hath disposed otherwise by the Suffrages of his Servants and 't is his Call by them that incourageth me to execute it That great deference which I know you have for our Church-Discipline this holy Order set up by God himself in the midst of us in his own House raiseth my Hopes that you will not so much reflect upon the Messenger that speaks unto you in Earth as upon his Message now brought unto you from God who is in Heaven and who doth great things and marvellous among his Saints by the weakest Instruments I beseech you most Honoured and Dear Brethren for the sake of our common Saviour that you would with Heart and Soul accept of that Peace which is now by God himself exhibited and offered to you Forget all past matters consider what is to come look not behind you but before you you are entred into a new World open the Doors of your Hearts to our Lord Jesus who demands it by my Mouth suffer this King of Glory to set up the Standard of his Cross in your Souls to pour into them the Consolations of his Love Let him crucifie your Old Man and all his Actions let him make your many Hearts to be but one all your Souls but one Soul that so he may live in you all and as you live by him so you may live for him Yon stand obliged unto this by his Grace the Commands of God demand it of you The example of your Rverend Pastors is a powerful motive to ingage you to it Be you Followers of them in Love imitate that Charity which they have first Sworn in the presence of Christ Jesus Consider them as Persons in the same Office imploy'd in the same work and pay an equal Respect unto them Encourage their Hearts and strengthen their Hands in the Service of God and of your Souls by your Affectionate and orderly Carriage and Obedience Pray for them as they do for you Love them as they love you Repay their Love unto them with Interest Evidence yours unto them by all kind of good Offices they are studious to approve themselves unto you by their Zeal and Labours for you And if you practise these Counsels all the Churches will be filled with joy you will be blessed by all the Children of God the Adversary will be confounded and the God of Peace will dwell among