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.

CHAP. VIII. General Matters.

1. THE Motion of Lower Languedoc, for certain new Canons about Divorces, was not accepted.

2. This Assembly Ordained, at the request of the same Province, that such Parents who chuse for their Childrens Baptism Sureties of the Romish Religion, though they appear not in Person, but by their Proxies of the Reformed Religion, shall be prosecuted, both Parents and Proxies, with all Church-Censures.

3. Notice shall be given in all our Churches, to take special heed, that they give no Attestation unto the Moors (banished out of Spain, and who wander from one Church to another) till they be very well satisfied of their Religion, and religious Conversation; and such as have been already re∣ceived, and make their abode in any of our Churches, shall be once more examined with all possible care, as to their Faith, and Knowledge, and

Life, and in all Attestations that shall be given them, express mention shall be made of their having been baptized, and of the number of their Chil∣dren.

4. The Deputies of Xaintonge moved, whether Moors and other Infidels, that were brought away by pure force out of their Native Country into Christendom, and baptized by Popish Priests, without any previous In∣structions in the Doctrines of Christian Religion, ought to be Rebaptized, they having been since duly Catechized by our Protestant Ministers. This Assembly, though it acknowledgeth abundance of defaults in their Bap∣tism, doth yet notwithstanding hold, that such persons ought not to be rebaptized. And therefore those Churches unto whom these poor Wretches be presented, are advised to take all possible care, that they be well prin∣cipled in the Faith of our Lord Jesus.

5. At the request of the Provincial Deputies of Anjou, and of the Isle of France. This Assembly ordained, that the Decree of the National Synod of Saumur shall be still in force, which was couched in these words,

That although by reason of the present necessity of these times in which we now live, Pastors are permitted to be sent Deputies unto these Political Assemblies, in which affairs, relating to the Churches preservation, are treated and debated: Yet our Provincial and general civil Assemblies are earnestly requested to discharge and dismiss all Pastors from Deputations unto Court, and this at the desire of several Provinces.

6. At the request of the Province of Berry all the Provinces are enjoined to extend their Equity and Charity towards the poorer Churches, in their distributions of the Kings money, and in their allowances for expences in travel unto the general Assemblies, whether they be Political or Ecclesi∣astical.

7. The Deputies of Burgundy demanded whether a Patron might with a good Conscience sell away his right of Presentation unto any Rectory or Benefice, provided he dispose of those moneys unto pious uses. It was an∣swered, that he might warrantably do it. For it was thus decreed in the National Synod of Vitré, in the year 1583.

8. The same Province of Burgundy demanded that a special Canon might be made for direction how we should receive, and what maintenance we should exhibit unto Monks, who come unto us from foreign parts. Order was given unto the Provinces where such Fellows first come, to examine them most strictly, and to see whether they be fit for the study of Divinity, that so they may be supplied with maintenance accordingly, or to employ them in other Callings according to their Capacities; and the said Provinces shall give account of them unto the National Synods, that they may dispose of them as of their own Peculiar.

9. The Province of Higher Languedoc moving it, all the Churches are in∣joined to suppress, with the greatest care imaginable, all manner of Inso∣lencies, such as they call Charivary's Redemptions of Marriage, and the like: and they, who after admonitions prove incorrigible, shall be prose∣cuted with all Ecclesiastical Censures; and Magistrates professing the re∣formed Religion are intreated to exert their Authority, so as to hinder or punish such Scandals.

10. The Deputies of the said Province demanding, that Ministers or∣dained abroad, without the Kingdom, might not be permitted to exercise their Ministry in our Churches at home, without subjecting their Testi∣monials unto the Examination of Colloquies, or Provincial Synods. The Assembly ordered, that all the Provinces should yield exact Conformity unto the ninth Article of Observations upon the Discipline made by the Synod of Gap on that of Gergeau.

11. At the request of the forementioned Deputies, the Professors in our Universities are ordered not to be too easy in giving their Testimonials un∣to Scholars, but first of all carefully to examine their parts, proficiency, and conversations, and according to the progress they have made in Humanity, Philosophy, and Divinity, and as they shall merit, to give them their At∣testations.

12. On a Remonstrance exhibited by the Deputies of Normandy, it is or∣dained, that if a Pastor have given his Ministry unto any one particular Church, he shall not leave it at his pleasure, but shall first demand and ob∣tain the advice and consent of his Colloquy, or Provincial Synod in the matter, and in case they judge of its expediency, he may remove.

13. This Assembly ordaineth, that Catechising be more frequently used in all our Churches than ever, and that the manner of expounding it, whe∣ther Sermon-wise, or by Questions and Answers, is wholly left to the pru∣dence of the respective Consistories, who are to consider of the capacities and apprehensions of the Children in their Churches.

14. Forasmuch as divers notable errors have been met withal in the Im∣pressions of whole Bibles, and of the New-Testament singly, and of the Psalm-Books; The Consistories of those Churches, which have a Printing Press belonging to them, are injoined to look carefully to it, that their Printers have good Overseers and Correctors of the Press, and that they Print with a fair Character, and a good Paper: And particularly the Pa∣stors of the Church of Montauban are charged to call in all the Copies of the New Testament, Printed in their City, in Octavo, and to suppress them, because of the many and frequent faults in that Impression, which quite al∣ter and pervert the sence, and because of the evil Consequence, if that Im∣pression should be vended; and in answering the Letters of our Brethren the Pastors and Professors in the City and University of Geneva, this Clause shall be inserted, that we earnestly desire them to over see the Impressions of the Holy Bible, of the New Testaments, and Psalm Books, that they may for the future be more correct than heretofore.

15. The Deputies of the Isle of France demanding that the second part of the fifth Canon in the sixth Chapter of the Discipline might be a little qua∣lified; This Assembly did not think fit to make any alteration in it: but exhorts Consistories, Colloquies, and Synods, to use it unto Godly Edifying.

16. The Deputies of Anjou and Poictou remonstrating how exceeding needful it is, that our Universities should be supplied with able Professors in Divinity: This Assembly exhorts the Provinces to come prepared for this Debate unto the next National Synod, and in the mean while to consi∣der how to raise a Fund for the maintenance of some Scholars of great parts and hopes, who may be wholly destinated unto this work, or to find out some better expedient, if they can.

17. Complaints coming to us from divers hands, that the Pensions paid by Scholars in the University of Saumur, are so very high, and the expence so exceeding great, that many cannot, and others will not send their Chil∣dren to it. This Assembly chargeth Monsieur Rivet, Lanusse, and de la Pil∣letierre, that in their way homeward to their respective Provinces, they do visit the University Council of Saumur, and report unto them these Com∣plaints, and to assure them, that in case they do not take some effectual course for moderating those excessive rates for lodging, diet, and washing, the next National Synod will advise about it; and transfer the said Uni∣versity to a cheaper and more convenient place.

18. The Deputies of Bearn brought with them a History of our Martyrs collected by that Province in the year fifteen hundred sixty and nine. This Assembly ordained, that it be sent unto Monsieur Goulark Pastor of Geneva, that it may be added to the next Impression of our Martyrology.

19. For the right understanding of those Canons made by the Synods of Rochel, in the year sixteen hundred and seven, and at Tonneins in the year sixteen hundred and fourteen, concerning a fixed Rule about the quota to be exhibited unto Monks for the defraying of their expences, who abandon∣ing their Convents do come and imbrace the Protestant Religion, and live in Communion with our Churches: This Assembly ordaineth, that for the future the Churches and Provinces which first received them, shall not have any power to redemand the charges they have been at about them from those Provinces in which they were born.

20. Forasmuch as the nine and twentieth Canon in the fifth Chapter of our Church-Discipline had ordained, that if any persons, professing the Pro∣testant Religion, should cite their Pastors, or Elders, or the whole Consi∣story before the Civil Magistrate, to enforce them to bear witness against Delinquents, who had confessed their faults before them, that they should be prosecuted with all Church-Censures, yea even as far as Excommunica∣tion. This Assembly doth farther injoin all the Churches to prosecute such persons with the very self-same Censures, who that they may avoid the Censures of their Consistories, do arm themselves with Prohibitions from the Civil Magistrate, although the matters for which they be censur'd are purely Ecclesiastical, and not belonging to the Civil Tribunal or Juris∣diction.

21. All Ministers are forbidden to vent in the Pulpit their private Senti∣ments of State-affairs, it being contrary to the Resolutions taken up in our ge∣neral Assemblies. And Consistories, Colloquies, and Provincial Synods, are in∣joined to have a watchful Eye over such Pastors as so do, and to inflict upon them all the Censures of the Church, yea and to suspend them from the Mini∣stry; and the same punishment shall be also laid on them who in their pub∣lick Sermons do clash one against another upon these matters.

22. The Deputies of Anjou demanded at what time Monks who are lately converted from Popery unto the truth of the Gospel, might be ad∣mitted to make their publick abjuration. Answer was given by this Assem∣bly, that it was left wholly to the Wisdom of the Consistory to act there∣in, according as they found such persons to have grown in Grace, and in the knowledge of God's Truth.

21. The Sieur de la Viale, one of the Deputies of Higher Languedoc, pre∣sented unto this Assembly Letters from Monsieur Chamier, Pastor and Pro∣fessor of Divinity at Montauban, by which he informed us of the progress made by him in his body of Controversies, which he undertook at the in∣treaty of the last National Synod held at Rochell, and that there were three Volumes ready and fitted for the Press, the heads and matters of which were included in a particular Memorial, that was also tendered by him. The Assembly ordered their thanks to be returned him for his great and worthy labours, and that the two thousand Livers which had been formerly promised him by the Synod of Privas, should be kept by him as an incourage∣ment for his travail, and to help defray his charges: and that the Church of God may be no longer deprived of his most singular and fruitful Labours, whose publication it hath most ardently desired these many years; The Consistories of Paris and Lyons are ordered to treat with the Printers and Booksellers of their Cities, and with those of Geneva, or with their Com∣pany, who deal in such matters, to undertake the Impression of these three Volumes without delay, and to get them Printed either in Germany or Ge∣neva; and in case they should demand monies to be paid them in before hand, they may oblige themselves to advance three thousand Livers, depo∣sited for this purpose with the Lord of Candal, unto those that will ingage to finish the said Impression, provided, that as soon as it is finished, they do cause to be deliver'd into those afore-mentioned Consistories of Paris and

Lions, according to the Articles Covenanted between them, so many in∣tire and perfect Books, as will satisfy the aforesaid sum of three thousand Livers already received by them, at the rate of four deniers per sheet. And these Books lodged in the hands of those two Consistories shall be sold unto the Pastors of our Churches at a very moderate price; reserving always twelve compleat Copies to be presented unto their Reverend and Learned Author, free of all costs and charges whatsoever. And farther those Con∣sistories before-mentioned shall be accountable unto another National Synod for their receit and disbursement of the sum aforesaid, and of the Books re∣ceived and sold by them. And that this Excellent Work of Monsieur Cha∣mier may be the sooner finished and wrought off at the Press, he is intrea∣ted to send speedily unto the abovementioned Consistories, the Titles of his Works, the number of Quires, and of Folio's in each Quire, together with one Folio-leaf of the same fairly written, that so an estimate may be made of the bulk of the whole. And these two Consistories having per∣used it, they shall consult together about the best and most advantaglous terms they can agree on with the Printers, which being signed, notice thereof shall be given unto Monsieur Chamier, with their request, that he would be pleased to send his Manuscript Copy unto such a place as they shall appoint him, at the charges of the Undertaker, who shall be reim∣burst, by deducting such a number of Books, at the rates before contracted for, as his charges amounted to in fetching the said Original Papers from their Reverend Author. And the said Printers shall be obliged to work off the whole Impression within the space of one year at the farthest, from the date of the Contract made with them.

24. In pursuance of this Order for Printing those worthy Labours of the most Reverend Chamier, Thomas Portau a Printer, living at Saumur, appear∣ed in Person before this Assembly, and offered those terms unto it, which were accepted. Whereupon the Consistory of Saumur were char∣ged to contract with him, taking therein the advice of the Lord du Plessis their Governour, and of Monsieur Rivet Pastor of the Church of Touars; and Monsieur Chamier shall be intreated to deliver unto the said Portau his Manuscript Copy, who on notice given him shall wait upon him for it, and at his own charges: And besides this Article, there shall be added these ensuing Conditions unto the Contract, stipulated with him, that he shall finish the Impression of these three Books against the next Mart of Franckfort, and that he shall bring them to the place appointed before the next Easter at the farthest, that he shall print them on fair and large Paper, which will hold ink without washing, such as that on which the Lord du Plessis his Book of the Eucharist was Printed, with as large a Margent, and weighing fifteen pounds a Ream, or there away; that the Character shall be such as that Little Cicero Printed by Colomiés; that the Letters shall be new foun∣ded with which he begins the work, and to be renewed in the progress thereof, in case occasion do require it, and that the Consistory, contracting with him, do judge it needful; that the stamps for the Latine, Greek and Hebrew Quotations shall be all new and proportionable to the Work, that the Books, which according to the beforementioned Articles and Conditi∣ons he is to render unto the Churches, shall be kept at Saumar, there to be sold, and a part of them shall be sent by the said Portau to Lions and Rochell, and all of them delivered unto the respective Consistories of those Churches, who shall take care for their being distributed abroad among our Ministers. And in case Monsieur Chamier shall not deliver his Copy unto the said For∣tau, then the Consistory of Paris is ordered to divide equally the three thousand Livers, remaining in the hands of the Lord du Candal, and to send the respective dividend thereof unto the Provinces to whom it doth belong.

25. This Synod received Letters from the Gentlemen deputed by the

Provinces unto the Assembly at Rochell, and Monsieur Preau, Pastor of the Church of Vitré Commissionated by them, reported their unanimous in∣tentions and resolutions to live and die in the Union sworn by all the Churches, for which he was ordered to render them the hearty thanks of this Synod, and to assure them that we never had, nor will ever have any other end or aim, than firmly and inviolably to secure and promote this holy Union. And as touching that particular reported by the said Du Preau unto this Synod, by word of mouth, and by Letters from the said Assem∣bly, how that the necessities of the day obliging them to send several Depu∣tations unto Court, and elsewhere, whilst the six Provinces met, and since all the others have joined them, they were forc'd to borrow in one place five hundred Livers, and in another place two thousand Livers more, to defray their charges, and there will be a want of five hundred Livers more to make another, and their last Deputation unto Court, which they shall be constrained also to take up at Interest; For the payment of which sums the Deputies aforesaid, have, by an Act which was here presented us, bound and obliged the moneys given us by the Kings Liberality for the main∣tenance of our Ministers. This Assembly gives those Deputies to under∣stand, that the disposal of this money is wholly and solely in the power of our National Synods, and of this in particular, and that not a penny of it can be disposed of by any Political Assembly whatsoever; yet notwith∣standing (for some special reasons in this juncture, and not intending here∣by to make a precedent of it for the future) the Lord du Candal is ordered to pay unto the said Deputies the sum of three thousand Livers, and this only by way of Loan, that so their expences may be cleared of: And whereas the six Provinces have borrowed five hundred Livers, this Synod can do nothing in it, because it was imployed on a private concern of the City of Rochell, and by parity of reason, the other Provinces might as well demand a reimbursement of their charges also, expended by them on the like occasions. And our Lords, the General Deputies, are intreated most humbly to Petition his Majesty, that the said three thousand Livers may be returned us again, and distributed among our Churches. Since this, the said Deputies assembled at Rochell, have writ unto this Synod by the Lord of Cusonnel, Deputy for Vivaretz, that now they had no need of the said sum of four thousand Livers demanded by them before. Whereupon ad∣vice was given to the Lord of Candal, to furnish them only with two thou∣sand one hundred Livers.

26. Monsieur du Preau did also represent the distressed estate of the City and Church of Sancerre, who by reason of their past sufferings, and to se∣cure the possession of this Cautionary Town, were well-near undone, ha∣ving borrowed so much moneys, and Mortgaged their Estates for the pay∣ment thereof, that without considerable assistance and relief from the Churches, they shall never be able to pay their Debts, nor to free their Estates from those great Incumbrances. The same also was attested by Letters from the Lord Baron of Belette, and by the Deputies of Berry. This Assembly considering that all the Churches are concerned in the preserva∣tion of this important place, exhorteth those Provinces which have not as yet charitably contributed towards their relief, to do it out of hand, and to remit the moneys Collected by them unto the Consistory of the said Church. And our General Deputies are requested to have an extraordinary care of that City for the future.

27. The same Monsieur du Preau complained to us from the Deputies, in the Assembly at Rochell, that Monsieur du Crest, Pastor of the Church of Manosques in Provence, did together with his Church and Consistory, op∣pose the Election of the Lord Baron of Semis, and of Monsieur Huron, a Pastor, to be Deputies unto the said Assembly. Whereupon an Order past,

that those Pastors and Elders which were authorized by this Synod, viz. the Deputies of Lower Languedoc, to take cognisance of those many and great differences which are fallen out in the Province of Provence, should also examine this matter, and inflict such Censures as the Authors and Partners in these Divisions have incurred and deserved.

28. Moreover Monsieur de Preau informed us of the deplorable Estate of the Churches in Auvergne, which Information was confirmed by Mon∣sieur Babat, Pastor in the Church of Issoyre, who came from them. This Synod having heard them both, and perused the Letters sent from the As∣sembly at Rochell, and those from the Consistory of Issoyre, and from the Lord Viscount of La Roche Courtan, all advising us or the most miserable Condition of those poor and persecuted Churches; It doth ordain, that whereas the Deputies of the Provinces assembled at Rochell have recommen∣ded this affair unto our Lords the General Deputies, the Synod will in a more special manner take care of this, and be more concerned for it than for any other, and will Petition his Majesty, that Commissioners may be dispatched thither out of hand to cause the persecutions to cease, and that satisfaction may be given unto our poor Brethren, who have been so barbarously and cruelly tormented, and that his Majesty's Edicts may be vigorously and faithfully put in execution. And forasmuch as the Deputies of Sevennes, and the said Babat, have urged the necessity of setling two Pastors in those Churches aforesaid; this Synod ordaineth, that the Province of Sevennes, shall provide two Pastors for them, to be sent unto them immediately, one of which shall reside in the Town of Issoyre, and the other shall serve the Churches of the Mountain, according as it shall be prescribed them by the said Province. And that those two Pastors may have a comfortable main∣tenance, this Synod, continuing the Decree of the former National Synods, which had appointed four Portions, free of all charges, for those Churches of the Ʋpper Auvergne, doth add a fifth for their Incouragement. Which five Portions shall be received by the said Province, and paid into the very hands of those Pastors, to each of them the sum of five hundred Livers. And the remaining Portions shall be distributed, by those Provinces, to∣wards the necessities of those said Churches, and all this to be duly and continually performed untill the meeting of the next National Synod. And in the mean while the respective Members of those Churches shall be pressed to contribute towards the maintenance of their Pastors, and they shall give an account of their duty herein unto the next National Synod. And whereas the said Monsieur Babat requests that he may be discharged from the service of those Churches, he was ordered to continue the exercise of his Ministry among them until the meeting of the approaching Synod of Sevennes, by which, in case he then desire it, he may be set at liberty, and another substituted in his place. However, till the sitting of that Provin∣cial Synod, the said Babat shall wholly serve the Town Issoyre as its pro∣per Pastor, and the Colloquy of St. Germain shall give another Pastor to supply the Churches of the Mountain. And forasmuch as the said Babat hath been at great expences in travelling unto this Synod, and to the As∣sembly of Rochell, the Lord of Candal is ordered to pay him an hundred Livers out of the mass of moneys belonging to all our Churches. And as for that demand of the Deputies, that a Fund might be given them for the raising and fixing of a Colledge at Issoyre; This Assembly cannot do it, be∣cause that having eased many persons among them of the charge in main∣taining their Ministers, they may very well, as in Conscience they are bound, and we also exhort them to do, take care of this matter them∣selves.

Notes

• 1 Paris 38.
• Figeac 8.
• Saumur Obs. 11.
• Li••••s p. ni. 30.
• Saumur g. m. 2••. Alez. g. m. 1.
• Gergeau. p. m. 39.
• 1 Vitré g. m. 15.
• 3 of R••chel g. m. 16 Below Art. 19.
• F••••lli••rs Obs. 14.
• Gap Obs. 9. upon the for∣mer Synod.
• St. Maixant g. m. 30. and of Univers. 8. Alez. g. m. 6.1 Paris 13.
• St. Foy 7.
• Saumur g. m 8.
• Figeac 51 Alez Obs. 4. upon this Syn.
• Alez. Obs. 5. upon this Syn.
• Above Art. 8.
• Mentauban Obs. 9. Alez. Obs.
• St. Foy 26. Alez. Obs. 5. upon this Syn.
• Privas Obs. 5. upon the for∣mer Synod.
• Tonneins Obs. 4. on the former Synod.
• See below g.m. 37.
• Below p. m. 25. Alez. p. m. 20.