Conformity of the ecclesiastical discipline of the Reformed churches of France with that of the primitive Christians written by M. La Rocque ... ; render'd into English by Jos. Walker.

XLVII.

Ministers that teach bad Doctrine, shall be depos'd, if they persist after having been several times warn'd; also those which do not obey holy Admonitions given them by the Con∣sistory, taken out of the Word of God; those also which shall lead Scandalous Lives; those which shall be convinc'd of Heresies, Schisms, Rebellion against Ecclesiastical Order, and manifest Blasphemies, worthy of Secular punishment; Simony, and all corruption by Presents; endeavours to have another's place; forsaking their Flock without due leave and just occasion; Falshood, Perjury, Adultery, Theft, Drunken∣ness, Fighting, worthy of being punish'd by the Laws; Ʋsury, Sports forbid by Laws, and scandalous; Dancing, and other like dissolutions; any crime having the mark of Infamy; any Crime which should in another deserve separa∣tion from the Church; and those which are insufficient to discharge their Office.

CONFORMITY.

The Truth of the Holy Trust committed to the Apo∣stles, and after them to their Successors, has ever been so dear and precious to those amongst them, which have been Followers of the Zeal and Piety of those first Ministers of the Son of God, that they could not suffer it should be alter'd, without severely punishing those which sowed Tares amongst this good Corn, and espe∣cially Pastors, whom they depos'd from their Office, at the very instant that they taught Doctrines contrary to this Heavenly Truth. When Paul of Samosatia, Bi∣shop

of Antioch, stir'd up by the Evil Spirit, had the impudence in the 3d Century to teach, That Jesus Christ was but meer Man; the Ministers of the Gospel came flocking from all parts, as against the Enemy and De∣stroyer of the Flock, and Fold of the Lord; but this Heretick having avoided the Sentence of his Condem∣nation, in the first Synod held at Antioch against him, in the 12th year of the Emperor Gallien, and about the Year of our Lord 266. because he promis'd to change his Opinion; he was at length depos'd, in the Year 170. in another Assembly in the same City of Antioch. In the Year 346 Euphrates Bishop of Cologne, was also depos'd by a Council Assembled in the same City, for an impiety much like that of Paul of Samosatia; for he denied that Jesus Christ was God. It was on the same ground that in the Ancient Church, Pelagius, Celestius, Julian, and their followers, Nestorius, Eutyches, and many others were Anathematiz'd; not to speak of what was done against Arrius, in the first Council of Nice. I do not here make mention of scandalous vices for which Ministers deserve to be depos'd, because I shall speak of them in the following Articles; I will only add, that the 45th Canon of the Apostles, deprives of the Com∣munion, the Bishop, Priest, and Deacon, which do so much as pray with Hereticks, that is to say, accord∣ing to Balsamons interpretation, If they have any Communication with them; but he deposes them, if they permit them to do any Ecclesiastical Function; and the 46th. if they allow of their Baptism, and Oblation.