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. XV.

UPon those Remonstrances presented by the States of Languedoc unto this Synod, there was this Advice given: As to the first and second Ar∣ticles concerning Ministers, Letters shall be written unto the Provincial Sy∣nod

of Languedoc, exhorting the Ministers of that Province to watch mutual∣ly over one another: as also other Letters unto the States, acquainting them, That because we cannot learn neither by Letter nor word of Mouth from their Deputy, who those Ministers accused of Negligence be, we will write in general concerning it unto the Provincial Synod of Languedoc. And as to the third and fourth Articles, this shall be inserted in the Letters to our Brethren of Languedoc, That they do their endeavour to advance the Kingdom of God, as much as in them lieth, not only at home in their own Churches, but if it may be done without incommoding their own Flocks, abroad also. And in the Letters to the Estates, it shall be remonstrated, That it is the Minister's Office to regulate them and their Flocks according to the Word of God, and the Church's Discipline; and that it is the Duty of Magistrates to watch over all Orders and Degrees of Men, and in particular over Ministers, that they walk uprightly in their Calling, and in case Ministers be deficient and faulty, that they cause them to be admonished and censured according to the Disci∣pline by Classes and Synods: Not hereby understanding such Crimes as are punishable by the Laws, the Cognisance whereof doth properly appertain un∣to the Civil Magistrate.

As to the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth Articles, the Ministers of Langue∣doc shall be informed by our Letters to them, that in case of lesser, slighter, private and domestick Injuries, it shall be sufficient if a Member of the Con∣sistory do secretly admonish the Offender: But in case of publick and scan∣dalous Offences, as circumstances may be, those who implead others at Law may be called into the Consistory, unless besides their Law-suit they had com∣mitted some other and more scandalous Crime: nevertheless, they shall by Exhortations and other means endeavour to compromise and reconcile the litigant Parties. And in our Letter to the States, this Clause shall be insert∣ted, That though in Law-sence a Crime is then called publick when it me∣rits exemplary Punishment, yet we account that a publick Crime, which coming to the knowledge of the World, or of many does beget Scandal or evil Example; so, that all circumstances considered, nothing hindreth but that these publick Crimes may be censured and corrected.

As to the ninth, tenth and eleventh Articles, by which the Estates demand Obedience to be yeilded unto Magistrates, and in particular that they be cal∣led into Consistories, Classes, and Synods, provided this be communicated un∣to both the Parties Plaintiff and Defendant, this Council does freely grant it.

As to the twelfth and thirteenth Articles, we answer, That in the Civil Go∣vernment the Magistrates Ordinances ought to be obeyed: And in Ecclesia∣stical Affairs, Ministers shall have the ordering of them in conjunction with Synods. And when a Common concern doth offer itself to be discussed, as for instance, if this Question shall be propounded, How many Ministers ought to be established in a City? they shall consult together, and ordain about it by joynt Suffrages.

Lastly, as to the fourteenth Article, it's answered, That Ministers may be removed from one Church unto another; which shall be debated and resol∣ved on by the Provincial Synods, according to the Tenour of the sixteenth Article of our Discipline.