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. I. Of Predestination, Election, and Reprobation.

• CANON I. FOrasmuch as all Mankind sinned in Adam, and are thereby become liable unto the Curse and Eternal Death, God had done them no wrong, in case he had left Men in their Estate of Sin, and under the Curse, and Damn'd them for evermore. Thus speaketh the Holy Apostle, Rom. 3.19, 22. All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. And Rom. 6.23. The Wages of Sin is Death.
• CANON II. But in this hath God manifested his Love, that he sent his onely Son into the World, that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but obtain everlasting Life, 1 John 4.9. John 3.16.
• CANON III. And that Men may be brought to believe, God sendeth the glad ty∣dings of Salvation in the Gospel to whom he pleaseth, by the Ministra∣tion whereof Men are called unto Repentance, and Faith in Jesus Christ crucified. For how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a Preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be sent, Rom. 10.14, 15.
• CANON IV. Such as believe not the Gospel, the Wrath of God abideth on them; but such as receive and embrace Christ Jesus the Saviour with a true and lively Faith, they be delivered by him from the wrath of God, and Damnation, and are made partakers of Everlasting life.
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• ... CANON V. God is in no wise the Cause nor guilty of Mens unbelief, they them∣selves are, as of all other their Sins. But Faith in Jesus Christ and Sal∣vation by him is the free gift of God, according as it is written, Ephes. 2.8. You are saved by Grace, through Faith, and this not of your selves, but the gift of God, and also Philip. 1.29. To you it is given freely and graciously to believe in Christ Jesus.
• CANON VI. That God giveth Faith in his time unto some, and not unto others, this proceeds from his Everlasting Decree, for known unto God from the beginning are all his works, Acts. 15.18. And he doth all things ac∣cording to the Council of his own Will. Ephes. 1.11. And in the Ex∣ecution of this Decree, he doth by his grace soften the hearts of the Elect, though they be never so hard and stony, and maketh them to believe, but he doth in his Righteous Judgment leave the Non-Elect in their Wickedness and Obduracy. And from this do we principally dis∣cover the profound depths of his Mercy, and also that just distinction among the Children of Men, who were all equally forlorne, lost and undone Sinners. And as the Decrees of Election and Reprobation re∣vealed by Gods Holy Word, doth administer unspeakable Consolation to Pious and Devout Persons, so as the Ungodly and Unbelievers take it, it must needs be wrested and perverted to their destruction.
• CANON VII. Now Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, by which accor∣ding to the most free and good pleasure of his Will, out of mere Grace, he hath chosen in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before the foundation of the World out of Mankind fallen by their own fault, from their first Integrity, into Sin and Destruction, a certain number of Men who were in themselves not better than others, for they were all alike plung'd into the same gulph of Misery. And this Jesus Christ God hath also constituted from all Eternity the Head and Mediator of his Elect, and the Foundation-stone of their Salvation; and so decreed to give them unto Christ, that he might save them, and call, and draw them effe∣ctually by his Word and Spirit into Communion with himself, and to give them true saving Faith in him, to justifie and sanctifie them, and having kept them by his Mighty Power in Communion with his Son, to shew forth the Sovereignty of his Mercy, and the praise of the Riches of the Glory of his Grace, he will at last glorifie them, as it is written, Ephes. 1.4, 5, 6. God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we might be Holy, and unblameable before him in love, having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his Will, to the praise of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in his Well-Beloved. And Rom. 8.29. Whom he predestinated, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
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• ... CANON VIII. This Election is not divers for kind, but one and the same only as to all that shall be saved in the Old and New Testament. For the Scrip∣tures doth teach and preach but one only good Pleasure, Purpose, De∣crees, and Counsel of Gods Will, by which he hath chosen us from Eternity both to Grace and Glory, to Salvation the End, and to the way and means, which he hath prepared that we should use and walk in.
• CANON IX. This self-same Election was not done out of fore-seen Faith and Obe∣dience of Faith, Holyness, or any other good Quality and Disposition, as a Cause or Condition prae-required in Man that is to be Elected, but that God might give him Faith, and Obedience of Faith, and true Ho∣lyness. And therefore Election is the Spring and Fountain of all saving Good, from which flow out Faith, Holyness, and all other saving Gifts, yea, Everlasting Life it self, as the Fruits and Effects thereof, according to that saying of the Apostle, Ephes, 1.4. He hath chosen us, not be∣cause we were, but that we might be Holy and Unblameable before him in Love.
• CANON X. Now the Cause of this free Election is the only good pleasure of God, which doth not stand in this that he hath chosen as a Condition of Salvation some certain Humane Qualities or Actions, which are possible to be done, but in this, that he hath took unto himself some certain select Persons from among the vast Multitude and Community of Sin∣ners to be his peculiar Inheritance: Even as it is written, Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. Before the Children were born, and before they had done good or evil, &c. It was said unto her, viz. Rebecca, the Elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. And Acts 13.48. And all those, who were ordained unto Eternal Life, they believed.
• CANON XI. And forasmuch as God is most wise, unchangeable, knowing all things and Almighty, therefore his Decree of Election can never be broken off, nor changed, nor revoked, nor disanulled, nor can the Elect be repro∣bated, nor their number impaired and diminished.
• CANON XII. The Elect are in due time assured of their Everlasting and Unchange∣able Election unto Salvation, though it be done gradually, and in a very unequal measure. Nor do they get it by a curious diving into the Depths and Secrets of God, but upon an exact scrutiny into their own hearts they meet with Spiritual Joys, and Holy, Heavenly Rejoycings, and with those infallible Fruits of their Election, noted and recorded in the Word of God, such as Faith unfeigned in the Lord Jesus, a Filial Fear of God, Godly Sorrow for Sin, and hungring and thirsting after Righ∣teousness.
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• ... CANON XIII. From this assurance and inward Sence and feeling of their Election Children of God do dayly take occasion for greater Abasement and deeper Humiliation of themselves before God, and to adore the unfa∣thomable depths of his Mercy, and purge themselves from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit, and also to love God most ardently and tran∣scendently, who hath first loved them with such a potent and unparal∣lel'd Affection. So far are they by this Doctrine from growing slothful, careless, carnally secure, or negligent of Duty, and of keeping the Commandments of God, that they ordinarily through the just judg∣ment of God are guilty of these sins, who rashly and unwarrantably presuming of their Election, do riot it at Noon day, and turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness, and refuse to walk in the good ways of Gods Elect.
• CANON XIV. And as this Doctrine of Divine Election according to the Infinite wise Council of God was preached by the Prophets of old, by our Lord Je∣sus Christ, and by his Apostles under both Testaments, and after recor∣ded in the Holy Scriptures; So also ought it now in our days to be taught publickly in the Church of God; for whom it is principally de∣signed, but with a Spirit of Discretion, Religiously and Piously, in time and place, relinquishing all curious Inquiries into the wayes of the most High, and all to the Glory of Gods Holy Name, the Peace and Comfort, the Everlasting Life and Happyness of his People.
• CANON XV. Moreover the Sacred Scriptures do render this Everlasting Free Grace of God in our Election the more illustrious, and recommend it to us by testifying that all Men are not Elected, but that some in the Eternal Election of God, are passed by, to witt, those whom God in his good pleasure (which is alwayes most Free, most Righteous, Unblameable, and Unchangeable) Decreed to leave in that gulph of common Misery, whereinto by their own sin they had flung themselves headlong, and not to give them saving Faith, nor the Grace of Conversion; but having abandon'd them to their own ways and lusts, he doth finally in his Righ∣teous Judgment condemne and punish them Everlastingly not only for their unbelief, but also for all their other sins, for the manifestation of his Justice. This is the Decree of Reprobation, which doth not in any wise make God the Author of Sin, the very thought whereof is horrid Blasphemy; but on the contrary doth demonstrate him to be a most dreadful, irreprehensible, and Righteous Judge, and Revenger of all Sin.
• CANON XVI. Such, who do not as yet effectually feel in their own Souls a lively Faith in Christ Jesus, or a particular confidence of Heart in God, Peace of Conscience, a diligent care and endeavour to yield Filial Obedience, and to glorifie God through Jesus Christ, and do yet nevertheless use the means, by which God hath promised to work those Graces in us,

• they should not be discouraged when as they here speak or Reprobation, nor should they reckon themselves in the number of Reprobates, but they ought carefully to continue in the use of means, and ardently to petition for that happy hour when this Grace of God shall be abundant∣ly poured down upon them, and to wait for it in all Reverence and Humility, much less should they be affrighted at the Doctrine of Re∣probation, who, when as they desire to be sincere Converts, and would please God intirely, and be delivered from this Body of Death, sin dwel∣ling in them, yet cannot make so great a progress in Piety and Faith as they would: Because God who is full of Mercy hath promised that he will not quench the smoaking flax, nor break the bruised reed. But this Doctrine is indeed terrible unto them, who forgetting God, and Je∣sus Christ our Saviour, are totally imbondaged unto the heart-piercing cares of this present World, and the Concupiscencies of their fiesh, du∣ring the whole time of their unregeneracy.
• CANON XVII. Wherefore since 'tis our Duty to judge of Gods Will by his Word, which testifieth for the Children of Believers, that they be Holy, not indeed by Nature, but through the singular benefit of the Covenant of Grace, in which they be included with their Parents; Fathers and Mo∣thers fearing God should not doubt of their Childrens Election and Sal∣vation, whom God takes unto himself in their Infancy.
• CANON XVIII. In case any Person murmur against the free Grace of God in Election, and the Severity of Gods Justice in Reprobation; we should oppose them with that of the Apostle, Rom. 9.20. O! Man, who art thou, that contendest with God? And with those words of our Saviour, Matth. 20.15. Is it not lawful for me to do with my own as I please? But as for us, who adore these Divine Mysteries, let us cry out with the Apostle, Rom. 11.33, 34, 35, 36. O! The Depths of the Riches, and of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his Judgments, and his Waves are past finding out? For who hath known the Mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his Counsellor? Or who hath first given unto him, and it shall be rendred unto him again? For of him, and by him, and for him are all things. To him be Glory for ever and ever, Amen.

Errors Rejected. The Orthodox Doctrine of Election and Reprobation having been Expounded, the Synod Rejected their Errors.

• CANON I. I. WHO teach that the Will of God to save them that shall be∣lieve and persevere in Faith, and Obedience of Faith is the full and whole Decree of Election unto Salvation; and that there is nothing else revealed in the Word of God concerning this Decree. For these deceive the simple, and do apparently contradict the Holy Scriptures, which doth not only witness that God would save such as shall believe; but also that from all Eternity he hath chosen some certain Persons, to whom in his own time, he will rather give Faith in Jesus Christ and perseverance than unto others. As it is written, John 17.16. I have manifested thy Name unto the Men, whom thou hast given me. And Acts 13.48. And all those believed who were ordained unto Eternal Life. And Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us before the foundation of the World, that we might be Holy.
• CANON II. Those who teach that Gods Election unto Eternal Life is of divers kinds, the one general and Indefinite, the other definite and particular, and this again is either incomplete, revocable, not-peremptory, but conditional, or else complete, unchangeable, peremptory, or absolute: Item, there is Election unto Faith, and another unto Life and Salvation; so that Election unto Justifying Faith may be without a peremptory Election unto Salvation. For these are nothing else but the vain Inven∣tions of brain-sick-Men, forged without Scripture Light or Warrant, and which corrupt the Sacred Doctrine of Divine Election, and do dissolve asunder all the Links in that Golden Chain of our Salvation, Rom. 8.29. And whom God hath predestinated them he also called, and whom he called, them also he justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
• CANON III. Those who teach that the good pleasure and determinate purpose of God, whereof the Scripture maketh mention in the Doctrine of Election, consisteth not in this, that God hath chosen some certain Persons rather than others, but in this that from out of all possible Conditions, among which also are the works of the Law, or from the Rank and Order of all things God hath chosen the Act of Faith, though vile in it self, and the imperfect Obedience of Faith, for the condition of Salvation; and that of his meer Grace he will accept and reckon it for perfect Obe∣dience, and judge it vvorthy the recompence of Eternal Life. For by this pernicious Error the good Pleasure of God, and the Merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ be all enervated, and Men are turned avvay by un∣profitable Questions from the true Doctrine of the Free Grace or God

• displayed in our Justification, and the simplicity of the Scriptures. And that Sentence of the Holy Apostle must be branded with falsity, 2 Tim. 1.9. God hath called us with an Holy Calling, not according to Works, but according to his own determinate Purpose and Grace, which was given us in Jesus Christ from the beginning of the World.
• CANON IV. Those who teach, that in Election unto Faith, there is this Condition pre-required, that Man do make a good and right use of Nature, that he be an honest Man, humble, and disposed for Eternal Life, as if Ele∣ction did some way or other depend on these things. For this Opinion is rank Pelagianisme, and doth too overtly and boldly tax the Apostle of falsehood, when as he saith, Ephes. 2.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. We have all had heretofore our Conversions in the Lusts of the Flesh, ful∣filling the desires of the Flesh, and of our Minds, and were by Na∣ture Children of Wrath, as well as others: But God who is Rich in Mercy by his great love, wherewith he loved us even then when as we were dead in our sins, hath quickned us together with Christ, by whose Grace you are saved, and he hath risen us up together with him, and hath made us sit down together in heavenly places through Jesus Christ, that so he might manifest in Ages to come the abundant Ex∣cellencies of the riches of his Grace, by his loving kindness towards us in Jesus Christ. For you are saved by grace, through Faith, and this not of your selves, but the gift of God, not of works, least any one should boast or glory.
• CANON V. Those who teach that incomplete and not-peremptory Election of particular Persons is done through foresight of their begun Faith, Con∣version, Holyness and Piety, or of its continuance for some time: But that complete and peremptory Election is done from a foresight of their final perseverance in Faith, Conversion, Holyness, and Piety, and therein lieth that gratuitous and Evangelical Worthiness for vvhich he vvho is Elected is more Worthy than he vvho is not Elected, and thus consequently Faith, and the Obedience of Faith, Holyness, Piety and Perseverance are not the Fruits and Effects of Immutable Election unto Glory, but Conditions and Causes vvithout vvhich there can be no Election; vvhich Causes and Conditions are prae-required, and foreseen in such a manner in those Persons vvho vvould be completely Elected, as if they vvere already accomplished. This is a Doctrine diametri∣cally opposite unto Scripture, vvhich in divers places inculcateth into our Ears and Hearts these and the like Sentences, Rom. 9.12. Election is not of Works, but of him that calleth. Acts 13.48. All those vvho vvere ordained unto Eternal Life believed. Ephes. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him that vve might be Holy. John 15.16. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. Rom. 11.6. And if it be by grace, then it is no more of vvorks, 1 John 4.10. In this is love, not that vve have loved God, but that he hath loved us, and sent his Son into the VVorld that he might save us,
• CANON VI. Those vvho teach that all Election unto Salvation is not unchange∣able, but that some of the Elect notvvithstanding all or any part of

• God's Decree may perish, and that Eternally. By vvhich gross Error they may make God changeable, and overthrovv the Consolation of Believers, vvhich is bottom'd and grounded upon the immoveable firm∣ness of Gods Election, and professedly contradict the Sacred Scriptures, learning us that the Elect can never be seduced. Matth. 24.24. And John 6.39. That Christ loseth not one of them, vvho are given him by the Father. And Rom. 8.29. Whom God hath predestinated, them he called, justified, and vvill also glorifie.
• CANON VII. Those vvho teach, that during this Life there proceedeth not from the unchangeable Election unto Glory any other Benefit, or Experience, or Assurance, than vvhat may flovv from a mutable, and contingent Condition. But besides that this is a most gross absurdity to suppose a Certainty vvhich is uncertain, it is also repugnant to the common Sence and Experience of the faithful, who together with the Holy Apostle rejoyce in the Sence and Feeling of their Election; praising God for this Divine Benefit, according to the Counsel of our Lord Jesus, for that their Names be vvritten in the Book of Life, (Luke 10.20,) vvhich is in Heaven. In short they oppose the Sence of their Election to the fiery darts and temptations of the Devil, challenging him thus, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? Rom. 8.32.
• CANON VIII. Those vvho teach that God out of his Just and Soveraign vvill only hath not decreed to leave any one in fallen Adam, and in that common Estate of Sin and Condemnation, and to pass them by in the Commu∣nication of Grace necessary to vvork Faith and Conversion: For this is firm and immutable, Rom. 9.18. He vvill have Mercy on vvhom he vvill, and vvhom he vvill he hardneth. Item, Matth. 13.11. To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but un∣to them it is not given. Item, Matth. 11.25, 26. I give thanks unto thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth for this, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes and little Children. It is even so, O Father, for such is thy good pleasure.
• CANON IX. Those that teach, that the cause wherefore God sendeth the Gospel rather to one Nation than to another, is not the Sole and Soveraign good will and pleasure of God, but because one Nation is better and more worthy than another, to whom the Gospel is not communicated. For Moses doth in plain words contradict it, speaking thus unto the Children of Israel, Deut. 10.14, 15. Behold the Heavens, and the Heaven of Heavens belong unto Jehovah thy God, the Earth also, and all that is in it, but Jehovah delighted in thy Fathers only to love them. and hath chosen their posterity after them, to wit you from among all People, as is evident this day. And Jesus Christ, Matth. 22.28. Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethsaida, for if these Miracles had been done in Tyre and Sydon which have been done in the midst of you, they would have repented in Sackcloth and Ashes.