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. VII. Of COLLOQUES.

ARTICLE I.

IN each Province there shall be a Division of Churches, according to the Number of them, and the conveniencie of Places, into Classes, or Colloques, the most contiguous. And this Partition shall be made by Authority of the Pro∣vincial Synod. And the Neighbour Churches shall so assemble in Colloques, twice a year, or four times a year, if it may be done, according to the Antient Custom, this being referred to the discretion of Provinces, and there the Ministers shall meet with one Elder of each Church.

CONFORMITY.

Our Colloques do in a manner agree with the Dioce∣san Synods of each Bishop, * 1.1 like that of Anacharius Bi∣shop of Auxer, in the year 578; or to the Assemblies of some Neighbouring Bishops, to decide the Differen∣ces which hapned in the adjacent Parts, it is to what do amount the Cannons 11, 20, 28, 125. Of the Afri∣can Code of Mr. Justel; However it be, it appears by the 100 Cannon of the same Code, that the Ecclesiasti∣cal Elders, and of the Order of Layicks, assisted at these sort of Judgments; * 1.2 I know not but Firmillian Bishop of Cesaria in Cappadocia, had this Custom in his mind when he wrote to St. Cyprian, We do meet every Year, Pastors and Elders, to regulate the things committed to our care.

II.

Such Assemblies and Colloques shall be held to consider and compose Differences which shall happen in the said Chur∣ches, as is appointed by the Discipline; and generally to provide for what shall be known to be Expedient and Ne∣cessary for the good and support of the Churches.

CONFORMITY.

To this Second Article may be apply'd the Cannons of the African Code which I cited on the first, and also joyn thereto the Fifth Cannon of the Council of Nice, by which we find that one of the Motives of the Con∣vocation of Ecclesiastical Assemblies, was to appease Differences, and to preserve Unity and Concord; The Twentith of the Synod of Antioch tends to the same end.

III.

There also Ministers shall Preach the Word of God, eve∣ry one by his turn, to the end it may be known what care every one takes in exercising himself in the Study of the Holy Scriptures, and in the Method and Form of treating of it.

CONFORMITY.

Ministers being Established for instructing of their Flocks, it is the Duty of their Superiours to take cogni∣sance of their Conduct, and of the progress they make in the Study of Divinity, and because it may be judged by their Preaching, our Discipline has very well ap∣pointed, That Ministers shall Expound the Word of God every one by turns, in the Colloques.

IV.

The Authority of Colloques is inferiour to that of Pro∣vincial Synods, as those of Consistories are to Colloques.

CONFORMITY.

It appears by the 21 and 125 Cannons of the Afri∣can Code, that Appeals might be made from the Judg∣ment of Neighbouring Bishops, whose Assemblies were much the same of Colloques: It appears I say, that Ap∣peals might be made to the Councils of Africa, or to the Primates of their Provinces; And it was by the Esta∣blishment of the same Discipline, That Appeal was made from a Provincial Synod, to a greater Synod, such as was the Council of all the Provinces of a Diocess. It is just what is prescribed by the Antient Cannons, as the XII. of Antioch, the VI. of the first General of Constantinople, the IX. and XVII. of that of Calcedon.

V.

The Colloques and Synods shall deliberate of limiting the Extent of Places wherein each Minister shall Exercise his Ministry.

CONFORMITY.

This Establishment is also very conformable to the Antient Discipline of Christians, according to which the Synod took cognisance of the Jurisdiction of Bishops and of its Extent, as also of the places where they were to Exercise their Ministry; from thence proceeds all the Prohibitions made them of undertaking nothing with∣out

the bounds prescribed them, as has been shewn on the first Chapter.

VI.

At the end of the Colloques amicable and brotherly Sensures shall be made, as well by the Pastors as the Elders, which shall be there present, of all things which shall be thought fit to represent to them.

CONFORMITY.

The Fourth Council of Orleans in the Year 541. made a Rule like this in the 37 Cannon, which requires that Metropolitans should once a year assemble their Synods, to the end that whilst the Brethren are assembled, the needful Sensures should be made with Charity, which is also verified by the principal Motive of convocating this Assembly, which was as I just now said, to deter∣mine all Differences, and to appease all Quarrels and Contests.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tom. 1. Conc. Gall.
• * 1.2

  Ap••d Cypr. contral p. Steph. pag. 144.