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. XXI. Three ANSWERS of the Pastors and Professors of Geneva, and of some of the Ministers who were deputed unto the National Synod of Lions, 1563, and impowered by it▪ to make these fol∣lowing Returns unto the Questions propounded to them.

The first Question was about Marriage, viz. Whether Promise of Marri∣age might be dissolved by the mutual Consent of the engaged Parties?

The Brethren of Geneva's ANSWER.

• Article. I. WE cannot judge otherwise, but that the Reverence which all ought to have for Marriage, should keep the Parties, who have pledged their Troth to each other, from breaking it: For sith it is as Solomon stileth it, The Covenant of GOD, it is not of the same nature with other Bargains and Agreements, which depend upon the wills of Men: and we cannot but believe, that this was the Mind and Intendment of our Lord, when lie spake these words, Whom God hath joyned together, let not man put asunder; tho' as yet there had been no carnal knowledge of each other. Therefore the Pro∣mise is Sacred, and must be held Irrevocable: For, God having punished the Fornication of a Man with a betrothed Maid, as if it were the very Crime of Adultery, he doth thereby sufficiently demonstrate, that the Maid was obli∣ged as if she were married; for Adultery presupposeth Marriage.
• Article. II. And whereas some Inconveniencies are alledged, we answer, That they will as well hold against them that are in Age as against Minors: for it often∣times falls out that they do as badly agree as Cats and Dogs; and yet they cannot be suffered to quit one another, because neither of them are now at liberty for so doing.
• Article. III. The Opinions of Lawyers in this case is of no force; because they do allow of Divorces between Husbands and Wives: Which yet is directly con∣trary to the Ordinance of God.
• Article. IV. And that Gloss put upon those words, To be joyned together; i. e. to have accomplished Marriage, ought not to be admitted: And the Judgment of St. Paul is urged to no purpose, 1 Cor. 6. 16. for when the Apostle saith, that the Fornicator is one Body with the Harlot, he useth only a Comparison, from which there cannot be deduced any true Definition. For it is other∣wise certain, that this Sentence cannot be properly avouched of Fornication, because God hath honoured Marriage only with this Priviledge, to make two Bodies lawfully conjoyned to be but one. But as we said, St. Paul, that he might aggravate the sin of Fornication, alledgeth this Passage of Moses's to conclude, That a man is separated from Jesus Christ, whenas he defiles and po∣lutes his body in coition with an harlot.
• Article. V. And although the betrothed Maid be under the power of her Parents till such time as her Husband is intrusted with her; yet this must admit of an Exception, viz. That it do not derogate from the Rights of the espou∣sed Husband, and that the Father be not compelled against his will to re∣sign

• up his Daughter to him, and so to bring no prejudice unto Marriage.
• ...Article. VI. Moses doth not distinguish at all between the Crimes of a married and espoused Wife, when they commit Whoredom, Deut. 22.22, 24. but ac∣counts them both Adulteresses.
• Article. VII. Nor do the Laws determine against these Promises of Marriage mu∣tually past between the Parties, as if they were not indissolvable: For altho' a Father may oppose the Marriage, and endeavour the Dissolution of the Pro∣mises, yet the Parties themselves are not suffered to do it.
• Article. VIII. Moreover, there is a very great difference between the Consent of the Parties, and the cognisance of their Cause: For we do not deny, but that a Man having been deceived, may declare the Trick put upon him, that he may be relieved. But we say plainly, that the Parties being reciprocally obliged are not acquitted, nor freed one from the other, nor will they be al∣lowed to discharge and acquit each other. And 'tis in this Point, and none o∣ther, that we count Espousals to be the same with Marriage.
• Article. IX. It is not said, That because the holy Apostle doth not particularly de∣clare that a Man may not give a Bill of Divorce unto his betrothed Wife, that therefore he may dismiss and leave her to her former liberty. But ra∣ther we may say, that the Law for both the betrothed and married is one and the same, because there is the same reason for it.
• Article. X. Besides there is one thing more to be observed, that he doth not of set purpose handle this matter, but he toucheth at it by the by, and upon occa∣sion: The sin which he then mentioned calling alowd upon him for Reproof: yea, and 'tis certain that he suffered Polygamy both in publick and private Persons, because at that time it could not be remedied. For this may be ga∣thered from those words of his, A Bishop ought not to be the Husband of two Wives, both living at the same time.
• Article. XI. Although the Church requires a publick Declaration on the Wedding-day, it cannot be thence inferred, that the Parties may retract their Pro∣mises: but this is rather done to prevent those Inconveniencies of clande∣stine Marriages only, and so the Parties do but ratifie their Promise before the People, that they may be Witnesses unto it.
• Article. XII. That Passage in the 22d of Deut. is very clear and express to prove, that she who had pledged her Faith unto a Man is his Wife; so that 'tis not in her power, nor can she at her pleasure leave her Husband. We know al∣so that Tamer having been reserved as a Wife for the youngest Son of Judah, and playing the Harlot, was condemned to the Fire for Adultery. And a Widdow in Israel could not marry out of her Husband's Family; if she had no Issue by him, she being the reputed Wife of his surviving Brother. And when as Joseph neither durst nor would Defame the Blessed Virgin, doth there∣fore declare, That if she had prostituted her Body, it was a Crime of Adulte∣ry. Wherefore let the Parties look before they leap, and be curiously inqui∣sitive about each other, before they do mutually oblige themselves; for they must know, that this is a Contract without Repentance: Unless they be af∣ter informed of an Error, Cheat, or some such-like Mistake in the Person. Nor will this Consideration be at their pleasure, when the Judge shall come to give Sentence upon the cause.

ANSWER II.

ABout Consistories there was this Question, How may we carry ourselves towards those Delinquents who are guilty of Crimes deserving Civil or Corporal Punishments? for if you call them into the Consistory their Crime will be published, for the Magistrate is usually present in the Consistory.

The Brethren of Geneva's ANSWER.

• Article. I. IT's very difficult in this case to shut the Doors against those Persons who delight in Sin; for one Inconveniency draws on another. It is a most mischievous things, that the King's Officers, being of another Religi∣on, are brought by an absolute Power, into the Consistory: but so it is, and there is no Remedy. They have more power than could be wished them; so that sith we cannot hinder it, if they have just cause of punishing Delin∣quents, even let them do it.
• Article. II. If it be alledged, That this will hinder poor Sinners from a free Confes∣sion and Acknowledgment of their Offences, and that we shall be utterly dis∣abled to bring them unto Repentance; and that there will be a world of Hy∣pocrisie, and Ostentation, and Dissembling in our Churches. But what can't be helpt must be endured, till such time as God shall have blessed us with a better Remedy: However, there may be some course found out whereby poor Wretches who are fallen into scandalous Offences, may be saved from Peril: Let two or three Members of the Consistory remonstrate to them in private their Miscarriages; and though they may palliate and dissemble the matter, yet we may be contented to have dealt thus with them: In short, we must use our best Endeavours to divert the bad Affections of the Church's Ene∣mies from it, and to keep them from hurting and doing that mischief to it they would. But in case the Crimes be scandalous, rather then nourish them, let Discipline be exercised. In those Towns where the Magistrates are god∣ly Persons, and Professors of our Religion, there may be means of communi∣cating the matter to them, that so they may punish and chastise these Offen∣ders gently, and after a Christian-manner, who deserve to be punished by Law. And so the Consistory shall be exempted of blame; and the Confes∣sion shall not be made to it, but to the Civil Magistrate.

ANSWER III.

Concerning Baptism, this is the Contents and Answer of a Letter to certain Ar∣guments urged for the Validity of Baptism administred by private Persons.

• Article. I. WE Ministers and Doctors in the Church of Geneva, accompanied with our Brethren come from the National Synod of Lions, being met together in the Name of God, after that we had heard that Case of Con∣science propounded to us, Whether Baptism administred by private Persons, without Office in the Church of God, ought to be reiterated or not; did unani∣mously declare this our Judgment, That such a Baptism did not in any wise agree with the Institution of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore consequent∣ly is of no force, power, validity or effect; and that the Child ought to be brought into the Church of God there to be baptized: For to separate the Mi∣nistration

• of the Sacraments from the Pastor's Office; 'tis as if one should tear out a Seal to make use of it without the Commission or Letters Pat∣tents to which it was affixed. And in this case we must practise that Rule of our Lord, What God hath joyned together, let no man put asunder. This for, and in the Name of all the Assembly, JOHN CALVIN.
• Article. II. And whereas in that Letter there were Reasons to the contrary, and that we were desired by the Synod to answer them in Writing, we shall do it, though we found them very feeble and Impertinent.
• Article. III. The first Argument of that Scribler was, We must distinguish betwixt the Vertue of the Sacrament, which belongeth only unto God to vouchsafe, and the outward Sign, of which Man is the Minister. But this confirms our Assertion; because God hath told us by his Son's own Word, who the Persons are that shall administer Baptism.
• Article. IV. His second Reason, which depends upon the former, and to speak pro∣perly, is but an Accessory to it, is nothing to the purpose: For tho' Christ only do baptize with his Spirit, yet it will not follow that he will not have the Sign and Figure to be annexed unto his Grace.
• Article. V. And this self-same Answer will suffice to refute his third Argument: For when we reform what hath been done amiss in this Ordinance, we do not confine God's Vertue unto the Water; for we hold that this is a Counterfeit Baptism, a meer Mockery, a Prophanation of the Sacrament; to whose first Institution we must keep strictly. Besides, such Language as this is very im∣proper, we do not reiterate Baptism, for the pretended Baptism is utterly un∣lawful, yea, wholly null. As for Example: If you give a Child a Draught of salt or puddled Water, you do not give him again Drink immediately up∣on it: But if you give him an empty Bottle, and he suck nothing out of it but Wind, you will repair this Fault by giving him Drink in earnest. More∣over, those Expressions of his, Of throwing Water, or Plunging, are affected, and made use of by him to degrade the Usage and Utility of Baptism. And we could wish, that in handling of such Questions Men were more serious and sober. In short, either Baptism is unprofitable and appointed to no purpose, or else it must be observed according to its Primitive Institution, to be a Seal of the Remission of our Sins.
• Article. VI. His fourth Argument is altogether frivolous: We know, God be-thank∣ed, that our Spiritual Washing is in the Blood of Jesus, and not from the Ba∣ptismal Water. And he might have spared his pains in mustring up such a number of Texts of Scripture to prove that, which none of us ever doubted of: for Water in Baptism signifies the Bloud of Christ, and the Effects and Fruits thereof accomplished in us by the Holy Ghost. And tho' the Lord Jesus is no Respecter of Persons, nor doth the Validity of Baptism depend up∣on the Worthiness or Unworthiness of the Minister, yet it will not thence fol∣low, that we must not keep to that Order which he hath instituted: yea, and this also is alledged out of Ignorance. For, inasmuch as all our Dependance is upon the Word of God, the Rule and Standard of our Duty, given us by Christ himself, if you neglect and slight it in Baptism, and let one administer it who hath no Call from God to do it, 'tis all one as if an Ape, as he that hath no Commission to preach the Gospel, did administer it.
• Article. VII. His fifth Argument takes that for granted, which will never be yeilded to him, viz. That even Baptism administred by an Heretick, who hath no Office in the Church, is yet held for true Baptism. For were this so, Ba∣ptism would not belong unto the Church, but also to Turks and Pagans: So that whilst he labours by such sorry trifling Arguments as these to build up

• Baptism, 'tis certain that he turns the sprinkling of Water into a Charm or In∣chantment.
• Article. VIII. The Principle in his sixth Reason is ill applied, for although the Ver∣tue and Verity of Baptism be not always conjoyned with the Sign, yet we may not therefore say, that Baptism may be quitted and totally forborn: We do sincerely confess, that a Man may be Partaker of the Grace promised in Baptism, who did never partake of the Water of Baptism; but must we thence infer, that Baptism may be lawfully omitted? God forbid! What he adds a∣bout the evil Administration of Baptism, especially as to the Gospel Form and Manner of it, containeth a double Errour; for we never did confess that the bare sprinkling of Water by one without a Call or Office in the Church of God was Baptism, or that it had its Evangelical Form there, where there was no Evangelical Minister.
• Article. IX. He hath couched his seventh Argument somewhat rudely, and disco∣vers a bitter Spirit. But let him make the most of it: we absolutely deny, that the recalling of Men to the observation of the Primitive Rule of Baptism is Rebaptising: We repute as null and void this spurious Baptism by private and uncommissionated Persons. And altho' we do not tie up the Grace of God to the hand of a poor Man; yet notwithstanding that Baptism admini∣stred by Man must be annexed unto his Quality, or else the Authority of Je∣sus Christ must be trampled under foot.
• Article. X. He corrupts by his eight Argument that Text of St. John, marreth and perverts the sence thereof; for the Question is not about the External Sign, but the Internal Vertue, the true spiritual Washing.
• Article. XI. The Similitude urged by him in his ninth Reason, is null; for the Lord Jesus hath not rejected this Sacrament, nor wholly abandoned it to be dispensed by all sort of Persons whatsoever; but he hath deposited a Commi∣sion with his Ministers who are to to dispense it.
• Article. XII. The Comparison of Circumcision with Baptism in his tenth Reason might be admitted, provided that Circumcision had been only administred by Priests: but whenas a private Person poureth Water we deny that this is that formal Baptism, which was by our Lord Jesus. Moreover, let this be noted by the way, that when the Israelites and Edomites cut themselves off from the Church, though they retained Circumcision, yet they did but prophane it, and 'twas none other than a piece of Juggling, for God accounted those Nations as Uncircumcised.
• Article. XIII. His eleventh Reason is far wide of the Mark: For tho' we confess that we be but once regenerated, but once spiritually new-born; yet we must needs say, that this imaginary Baptism doth not in the least signifie or seal our new Birth.
• Article. XIV. As to his twelfth Reason, we very well know that was the Opini∣on of St Augustine upon this Point; but he is not to be assented and con∣sented in all his Assertions. We ourselves do own, that he who was ill ba∣ptized ought not to be again rebaptized; and we add this also, That if a pri∣vate Person, who hath no Call from God, shall of his own will and fancy u∣surp that Office, which doth not belong unto him, his Baptism is but a meer Piece of Farcery, and therefore null. And this Answer may also suffice for his thirteenth Argument.
• Article. XV. In his fourteenth Argument he hath made Mr. Calvin, in the Passage quoted from him, to speak contrary to his known and printed Judgment,

• and perverted the very sence of his Words; for he does not in that place treat of the Ministry, but of the Vertues and Merits of the Ministry: for 'tis as if he had said, That all the Vices of the most debauched Minister could not derogate at all from the Vertue of Baptism.
• Article. XVI. We deny his fifteenth Argument, which is, That the Hand and Sign of our Lord Jesus Christ will be owned in the sprinkling of Water by a Person uncalled and uncommissioned by him.
• Article. XVII. What Calvin had said as to his sixteenth Argument, was enough to prove the Nullity of such a Baptism: But if any one should be dissatisfied, he declareth, that this was his meaning; and that it was an absurd, simple, and fool∣ish action to go and perswade any one that he would not have Baptism by Women to be reiterated.
• Article. XVIII. His sevententh Argument is a meer Paralogism; for he wants the Judgment to distinguish betwixt the ••orgiveness of Sins given by Jesus Christ, and the Token thereof, which he committed unto his Apostles.
• Article. XIX. To his eighteenth Argument, we say▪ That Popish Baptism is ground∣ed upon the Institution of Chr••st▪ because the Priests as perverse as they are, and totally corrupt, are yet the ordinary Ministers of that Church, in which they so tyrannically demean themselves.
• Article. XX. His nineteeth Argument needs no answer, unless it be, That the word Rebaptize is ••••isapp••••ed, ••••th i•• was never questioned but that such an Apish Trick as this Mock-baptism might be reformed.
• Article. XXI. His twentieth Argument proveth just nothing, and therefore we let it pass. And if it be said, that we have handled this Brother too roughly, who moved this Question; let him but bethink himself how Magisterial he was in his Dictates, as if it was his Province only to oppose Superstitions and Abu∣ses, and especially for his audacious condeming of St. Cyprian, with the whole Council of Carthage: And had he but better considered the whole, he would have been more moderate; And because we love and honour him, we wish that he would exercise his Parts and Wits upon Questions more profitable, and less curious.

Concerning the LORD's SƲPPER.

THe Brethren of Geneva being demanded, Whether Pastors at the Lord's Table should only distribute the Bread and Wine unto the People, do give this Answer, That it were certainly best, if it might be conveniently done at all times, but it seems for the present impossible, and for the future wholly im∣practicable: For in case God should multiply the number of his People, of Believers, and Churches, and there being so great a scarcity of Pastors, we see no Inconveniency in it, that Deacons and Elders being the Arms and Hands of the Pastor, after that he hath consecrated the Sacramental Elements, and distributed the Bread and Cup to them that are nearest to him, may come in∣to his relief and assistance, and distribute them also unto those who are more remote from him.