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.

CHAP. VI. Of the Union of Churches.

ARTICLE I.

NO Church can pretend Precedencie nor Domination over another, nor one Province over another.

CONFORMITY.

Let the Reader see what I have said already on the Sixteen and Eighteen Articles of the first Chap. where he will find this Article Established, and its conformity to the ancient Cannons.

II.

No Church can transact any matter of great consequence, wherein the Interest or Dammage of other Churches may be concern'd, without the advice of the Provincial Synod, if it be possible to assemble it, and if the matter be pressing, it shall communicate and have the advice of the other Churches of the Provinces, at least by Letters.

CONFORMITY.

This Second Article is also very conformable to the Antient Discipline, according to which, the Affairs of each Province were administred by the Provincial Sy∣nods, it is partly the Subject of the Second Cannon of the First Oecumenical Council of Constantinople, That the Synod of the Province administer all things which concern the Province, as it hath been agreed on at Nice. That

is to say, in the VI. Canon of the Great Council which was held in that City under the Emperor Constantine, and which ordained to preserve to each Province their Pri∣viledges: According to which, if there hapned dispute about any point of Doctrine or Discipline which regard∣ed Christians in general, it would not be decided, but by a general Universal Council, that is to say, by a Council compos'd of Bishops of the Five Patriarchs, within the compass whereof were inclosed the Chri∣stians of the Roman Empire. * 1.1

Thence it is that the Frier Maximus in Barronius, ac∣knowledged no Legitimate Council, unless it has a Cir∣cular Letter made by consent of the Patriarchs. John Damacen writes, * 1.2 That ought to be esteem'd an Oecumenical Council which the five Patriarchs have once appointed, and made Declaration of: But if there wants any one Patriarch, or that he refuses to submit thereunto, it shall not be a Council, but a perverse Congregation, an Assembly of Pride, and Vanity: * 1.3 It is also for the same reason Pope Pelagius the I. wrote in the VI. Century, That if there arises doubt in any ones mind by occasion of a Ʋniversal Synod, those which are desirous of their Salvation, must consult the Apostolical See, to know the reason of what they do not un∣derstand. In the Preliminaries of the Second Council of Nice, it is observed there were read some Writings of Synods which prohibited the assembling of Universal Councils, or at least of holding them without the con∣sent of all the Patriarchs. To. V. Con. p. 518.

III.

The Churches and particular Persons shall be advertis'd not to separate from the Sacred Ʋnion of the Body of the Church for any Persecution as may happen, to procure to

themselves any Peace or Liberty apart; those which do otherwise, shall be sensur'd as the Colloques, and Synods shall think expedient.

CONFORMITY.

Partialities and Divisions having been ever destru∣ctive to the Church, Union and Concord can never be too much recommended to those which are Members of it, and which in this Quality are obliged inviolably to maintain Peace and Uniformity in Religion, as well in regard of Doctrine, as of Worship and Discipline: It is the Reason for which the Antient Fathers have al∣waies abhorred Schism, and have vigorously acted a∣gainst Schismaticks, particularly against the Novatians, and Donatists, which cruelly rent and tore the Unity of the Church.

IV.

The Disputes of Religion with Adversaries shall be or∣der'd in such sort, that ours shall not be Agressors; and if they are ingaged in a verbal Dispute, they shall do it but by the Rule of the Holy Scriptures, not giving too much way to Writings of Antient Doctors for Judging and Deciding of Doctrines; and shall not enter into Regular Disputes but by Writings mutually given and sign'd. And as for publick Disputes, shall not ingage therein but by advice of their Consistory, and a certain number of Pastors, which to this purpose shall be chosen by the Colloques or Provincial Sy∣nods. Shall not ingage in any general Dispute or Confe∣rence without the Advice of all the Churches assembled in a National Synod, on pain of the Ministers which shall there∣in enter, to be declar'd Apostates, and Deserters of the Ʋ∣nity of the Church.

CONFORMITY.

There is found in the Writings of the Holy Fathers sundry Disputes which the Catholick and Orthodox Doctors have had against the Enemies of the Truth; We have in the Second Century the famous Dispute of St. Justin Martyr against Tryphon the Jew, who was the Agressor. Eusebius makes mention of another Dispute which hapned at Ancyra a City in Gallatia towards the end of the same Century, betwixt a Catholick Doctor, and some of the Sect of Montanus. In the Third Cen∣tury Malchus a Priest of the Church of Antioch, Dispu∣ted earnestly a ainst Paul of Samosatia, Bishop of the Place, and confounded him in a Regular Dispute, the particulars of which was to be seen in the time of Euse∣bius, they having been collected by Persons nominated to write what should be alleadged on both parts. In the same Century was seen another famous Dispute be∣twixt Archelaus Bishop of Mesopotamia, and the Here∣tick Manes, in the House of a Person of Quality called Marcellus, in the City of Caschara, in presence of the chief Inhabitants of the place, four of which although Pagans, were chosen Arbitors, and judged the Victory to Archelaus: This Dispute has been printed in Latin some years past at the end of the Late Mounsieur Valois his Notes on the Ecclesiastical History of Socrates and Zozomen, and St. Epiphanius treats amply of it in the Heresie of the Manicheans, which is the Sixty Sixth. I may instance in several Disputes, principally those of St. Austins against sundry Adversaries, but what I have said sufficiently justifies, that the Order of our Disci∣pline don't differ from the Practice of the Antient Church, although it appoints something more of caution

in the manner of Disputing, by reason of the way of our former and present circumstances of living amongst our Enemies in this Kingdom.

V.

The Churches should understand that the Ecclesiastical As∣semblies of Colloques, and Synods, as well Provincial as National are the Bands and Supports of Ʋnion and Con∣cord, against the Schisms, Heresies, and all other inconve∣nients, to the end they should use all endeavour, and apply themselves by all means, that the said Ecclesiastical Assem∣blies may be continued and maintained, and in case some Churches and particular Persons, would not contribute to the Charges needful to be present at the Ecclesiastical Assem∣blies, such shall be surely sensur'd, as Deserters of the Holy Communion which should be amongst us. The Minister also which shall not promote what is above contained, shall be grievously sensur'd by the Provincial Synod.

CONFORMITY.

There is nothing in all the Antient Discipline which is more strictly enjoyn'd than the holding of Synods, where the Conductors of Churches were obliged to be, as shall be shewn on the Eighth chap. and where by con∣sequence, they were to go at the charge of the Chur∣ches which they serv'd; this is collected from the Eigh∣teen Cannon of the Third Council of Toledo assembled in the Year of Our Lord, 589; for it ordains, that in∣stead of assembling in Synods twice a year according to the Order of the Cannons, * 1.4 they shall assemble but once, by reason of the poverty of the Churches of Spain.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In Append. T••. 8.
• * 1.2

  To. 2. Auct. Court f. p. 696.
• * 1.3

  In Collect. Rom. Part 1. p. 227.
• * 1.4

  Tom. 4. Conc. p. 405.