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* 1.11 ALL* 1.2 our Churches are Exhorted to govern themselves in the Ele∣ction, Examination, and Ordination of their Pastors according to that Order prescribed in the Fourth Cannon of the First Chapter: And whereas the Provinces of both the Languedocs and Sevennes have usually be∣gun with an examin, they shall henceforward conform themselves punctu∣ally to that Article.
2. The Province of Anjou mooved, whether a Solemn Fast ought not to be observed at the Ordination of Ministers. A Decree past that nothing should be innovated in this matter, but the former Customs should be re∣tained; only if there was a particular necessity for it, the Third Canon in the Tenth Chapter of our Discipline shall be most exactly followed.* 1.3
3. Upon the Ninth Canon of the First Chapter the said Province of Anjou demanded, what is the Duty of that Church or Province which hath a Proposan every way fit for Employment in the Holy Ministry, and hath not a vacant Congregation for him, and he is earnestly importuned by some other Church or Province to be lent unto them. This Assembly ordaineth that the Canon shall be most exactly observed, That no Proposan shall be lent or sent without assigning him to some particular Church to which he shall stand related as their Pastor. And it his own Church or Province cannot imploy the said Proposan, they may out of their Charity grant him unto that Church or Province, which desires him of them; where he shall be fixed as their own peculiar Minister.
4. The Provinces are Exhorted to make inquiry in their Synods whether the Eleventh Canon be observed or transgressed;* 1.4 that so the Transgressors of it may be censured according to the former Decrees of our National Synods.
5. Catechising being a most necessary and prositable Ordinance,* 1.5 all the Provinces are injoyned to see the Twelfth Canon more carefully observed in their Churches than it hath been formerly; and the Provinces shall give in an account hereof unto the next National Synod.
6. This ensuing Cannon made by the Synod of Privas shall be read in all Consistories, that so the scandals given by Pastors Transgressors of it may be prevented for the future; and all Consistories shall give in an ac∣count thereof unto Colloquies, and Colloquies unto Provincial Synods, and Provincial Synods unto the National.
7. Reading the* 1.6 Eighteenth Canon in the First Chapter of our Disci∣pline, which enjoyned Ministers† 1.7 to exhort their People unto all Modesty in their Fashions and Habits, and they themselves to go before them in a good Example they, their Wives, Children and Families refraining all bravery in Apparel; Many Complaints were brought in against divers Mi∣nisters, whose Wives and Children transgressed this Holy Canon, and were exceeding vain in their Habits, fashioning themselves according to the World, and were very much estranged from that Modesty command∣ed and expected from them and all theirs. This Assembly desirous to re∣medy such a growing and notorious scandal, doth give express charge unto all Moderators of Colloquies and Provincial Synods to correct and reform these Excesses by Censures and severe Reprehensions, and by the Authority of this Assembly to suspend the Refractory from the Sacred Ministry, un∣til such time as they have removed all matters of offence. And that this Canon may be the better observed, License is given unto all private Per∣sons according to our Discipline to inform the Consistories of the aforesaid Excesses, and to demand their Reformation. Which being denied, they may address themselves unto the Colloquies for Censures against these Of∣fenders,* 1.8 and all those who shall abett or countenance them in such their scandalous miscarriages.
8. In those Copies of the Nineteenth Canon, where towards the end of it are these words, To make but one and the self-same Church and Consistory, those words one and the self-same Consistory shall be blotted out.
9. Upon the Fiftieth Canon there was this Observation. Forasmuch as through the corruption of the Age in which we live it may so fall out, That a Minister deposed in one Colloquie or Province may intrude himself into another, and take upon him to preach the Word, before the Meeting of the
National Synod, by which all the Churches in this Kingdom may be ad∣vised of the said deposed Person. This Assembly doth Exhort all Pastors, and Consistories not easily to admit any Stranger from another Province in∣to the Pulpits, unless they be very well acquainted with him. And as for Apostates, the Pastors of the adjoyning Churches in which they revolted live, shall give speedy and publick notice of these Apostates, that so none of our Churches or Ministers may be surprized by them.
10. On the Second Canon of the Third Chapter,* 1.9 the Provinces of the higher and lower Languedoc were particularly enjoyned to observe the said Canon more carefully for the future.
11. The Second Canon of the Second Chapter shall be thus worded, Regents and School-Masters shall subscribe our Confession of Faith and Church-Discipline, and no Towns nor Churches shall admit of any one without the consent of the Consistory of that place.
12. On the Fifth Canon of the Fifth Chapter a Question was moved by the Province of Provence, Whether a Person that was never called to the Office of an Elder might warrantably read the Word of God, and the Common-Prayers unto the Church in the Ministers absence, especially in lesser Churches, which have no Consistories, nor any Persons fit to read. This Assembly judgeth that the Consistory hath full liberty to choose any one whom it conceiveth meet to read the Scriptures and Prayers, although he be not in the Eldership, provided he be of sufficient years and unblame∣able Life, and that he have subscribed the Confession of our Faith, and Church-Discipline.
13. At the req••est of the Province of Sevennes to these words in the Sixteenth Canon of the Fifth Chapter, Fathers and Mothers who marry their Children, shall be added these following, Tutors, Guardians, and all other Persons instead of Parents who dispose of their Orphans and Minors in Marriage.
14. These words as much as may be shall be rased out of the Ninth Ca∣non of the Twelfth Chapter. And in all the Provinces Pastors shall be obliged to administer the Cup as well as the Bread unto every individual Communicant without distinction of Persons, as also they shall use meet words in the Administration of both the Elements to quicken the Hearts and Spirits of the Communicants at the Lords Table. And express Order is given to all Provincial Synods that they take special care that Pastors do not in the least transgress this Canon.
15. On the Third Canon of the Thirteenth Chapter, the Province of Normandy desired, That all the Churches of this Kingdom would conform themselves to their Custom, That Espousals before Marriage should be Celebrated by Ministers with Prayers and Exhortations to the betroathed Persons to prepare them for that Holy Estate whereunto they be called. The Assembly though it praiseth and approveth of this their practice, and of them that observe it, yet did not judge meet to oblige all Persons ne∣cessarily thereunto, but leave the faithful unto their liberty.
16. On the Fifth Canon of the same Chapter there was made this re∣flection. That whereas there is a great difference in divers Copies of our Church-Discipline, that Canon which was made by the National Synod of Privas shall be inserted word for word into the Body of our Discipline, To witt,
Henceforward all promises of Marriage and Espousals shall be made by words de futuro, nor shall such promises be reputed as firm and undissolvable as the words de Praesenti, because the words de praesenti do not promise Marriage, but do effectually accomplish it. Nevertheless those words de futuro shall not be dissolved without very great and law∣ful cause, Wherefore the Custom of some certain Churches is condem∣ned who celebrate Espousals by the Ministerial Benediction of their Pa∣stors
with gift of Bodies by words de praesenti: For by such a Solemnity we cannot but account the Parties to be truly and actually Married, and that the Publication of Banes is thereby preposterous, done after Mar∣riage, and another Solemnization of the Marriage, in Gods Church is needless. However we cannot disapprove of Ministers officiating at Espousals, or that they should pray for, and Exhort the Parties betroathed to mutual Love, Concord, Fidelity, and the Fear of God; but we would have them leave those other Formalities, which serve only to render a Bond indissolvable, which oftentimes we be constrained afterwards to break by reason of Oppositions made at the Publication of the Banes, and for divers other Impediments which may happen. For this cause all the Churches shall hereafter utterly abandon that custom of Solemni∣zing Espousals in the Temple with those Formalities resembling Mar∣riage, and they shall conform themselves unto the other Churches of this Kingdom.
17. On the Sixteenth Canon of the Thirteenth Chapter, the Province of Anjou demanded, Whether we should suffer the Banes of Strangers, as Germans, Scots, or any others to be published in our Churches, without having Certificates from their Country, which will be very difficult to ob∣tain, and possibly may be counterfeit. This Assembly leaveth the matter wholly to the prudence of Consistories, and to act therein as will be most expedient, ordaining however that if possible they should get Certificates.
18. On the same Canon the Province of lower Guyenne requested that another might be made for the right ordering of Banes, which are mostly attended with Titles full of vanity. Tins Assembly conceiving that such an Ordinance would not take well with Persons of Quality, doth therefore advise them to keep, as much as possibly they can within the bounds of Christian Modesty and Simplicity.
* 1.1019. The Seventh Canon of the Fourteenth Chapter shall be couched in these words
Neither Counsellors nor Attorneys at Law may plead in such Causes as tend to the suppression of the word of God preached, nor to the setting un of Mass, nor in any wise shall they be suffered to give Counsel or Assistance unto the Romish Church-men in those Causes which have a tendency directly or indirectly to the oppression of the Church.
* 1.1120. The Province of Normandy demanding that the Eleven Canon of this Fourteenth Chapter might be a little mollified, This Assembly ordained that it should abide in its full and whole Power, according to what had bin decreed in the Synod of Tonneins.
21. On the Sixteenth Canon, Synods,* 1.12 Colloquies and Consistories are Exhorted to watch over Ministers and other Persons, who shall publish their Works, and not first of all communicate them in Manuscript to be perused and approved by the Divines thereunto appointed; and the Trans∣gressors of this Canon shall be most severely censured.
The Articles of our Discipline having been read and diligently considered were sworne to by all the Pastors and Elders Deputed unto this Assembly, both in their private and publick Capacities, and they promised for them∣selves and Provinces to see them faithfully and carefully observed.
St. Maixant Observat. 2.
Two other Copies read, our Provinces.
1 Paris Act. 34. Orleans Act. 5.
Ste Foy. Act. 7.
Ste Foy. Act. 7.
In the Dis∣cipline Prin∣ted at Que∣ville 1663. It is the 19. Act. in 3. other Copies that I have 'tis the 20. Act.
See in the the Acts of the Synod of Privas, Ob∣servat. 2. up∣on the Disci∣plie.
In the Disci∣pline printed at Queville 16. It is the 20. In the latter Editi∣ons it is the 21. Act.
Ste Foy Act 9.
Above the 1. Synod of Rochell. Ob∣serv. 59.
See Synod of Orleans. Act. 22.
Paris 1. Act. 29.