Moise Amyraut, a French Calvinist theologian, born in 1596, died in July, 1664, at Bour-gueil, in the province of Anjou. He was educated at Saumur, where he was afterward a professor of divinity. By his talents and moderation he soon acquired reputation and influence. In 1631 he attended the synod of Cha-renton, and was commissioned to present to the king a remonstrance against the infraction of the edicts of pacification. In fulfilling this mission he procured the abrogation of the humiliating requirement that Protestant deputies should address the king only on their knees. He endeavored to bring about a complete union between the various Protestant churches, which he advocated especially in a Latin tract, De Secessione ab Ecclesia Romana, deque Pace inter Evangelicos in Negotio Religionis insti-tuenda. The favor and respect with which he was treated by the heads of the French government, Richelieu and Mazarin, are to be ascribed to his opinions concerning the power of princes; he publicly maintained on several occasions the doctrine of implicit obedience to the sovereign authority.

Among his numerous writings, now nearly forgotten, though popular in their time, are treatises on Christian morals, on the natural laws of marriage, against indifferentism, and against the Millenarists.