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. V.

IV. THat Abuses committed by divers Vagrants may be prevented, who wander up and down with Attestations from Ministers whereof they serve themselves at all times and places, shamelesly begging from the Churches, and thereby robbing God's true Poor of their necessary Relief: This Assembly adviseth Ministers for time to come, rarely to give such At∣testations, and when they do, to none but those who upon their particular knowledge they are assured to be Persons of true Godliness, and of an upright Conscience, and groaning under pressing Necessities, specifying in their At∣testations the Name, Quality and Abode of those to whom they give them, and what Relief has been administred to them, mentioning also the Day and Place from whence they parted, and whether they go, and upon what occa∣sion: And such as bear them shall bring them forth, and get them renewed in every Church through which they pass by the Ministers, who shall always specifie what hath been given them, and the Day when, until such time as

they be come unto their Journey's end. And before May next all the Chur∣ches shall be advertised of this present Canon, that so all former Certificates given in any other Form than this abovementioned, may be accounted null and void, and torn in pieces.

V. Forasmuch as divers debauched Persons of very wicked Lives, do mingle themselves with us in our publick Meetings, to the great Dishonour of God, and great Scandal of the Church; and because Discipline cannot be exercised against these, who will not subject themselves unto it, yet never∣theless they shall be frequently and personally admonished of their sins, and solicited to submit unto the Churches Order: which if they refuse, and con∣tinue in their Wickedness, that so the Crimes and Scandals committed by them may not be imputed to the Church, nor redound to its Dishonour, and that the Enemies of the Gospel may not take occasion thence to Calumniate it, the Minister shall from the Pulpit signifie unto the Faithful that such vicious Persons (without naming any) are not to be accounted true Mem∣bers of the Church; which also shall be done by the Elders in their particu∣lar Charges, and respective Quarters, informing every one particularly, that such and such, naming them by their Names, belong not unto the Church. And this Assembly doth farther judge it meet and expedient, that the Order observed in some Churches be observed in all; that the Novices who desire to be received into the Church, and listed among her Members, do intimate this their desire unto the Elder of their Division, who shall inform himself of their Life, and make report of it unto the Consistory; which being unex∣ceptionable, he shall at the close of his Sermon or Catechising, present them unto the Pastor, who shall cause them make the Promises and Protestations that are usual, viz. To embrace the Doctrine of the Gospel, which shall be taught them, and to submit themselves to the Order and Discipline of the Church, and by this means they shall be counted Members of the Church: Further, they must be admonished to give their Attendance ordina∣rily at Sermons and Catechisings, that being instructed in the Faith, they may be judged capable and fit to participate of the Lord's Supper. And if after having been instructed, they shall too long time defer their Communi∣cating, and it be known that their refraining is from Contempt of that Holy Sacrament, they shall be proceeded against according to the Discipline: but if their forbearance spring from infirmity, they shall be born withal for some time, till they have gotten more Soul-strength. As for those who conform not to the Rules of our Church, and yet frequent Sermons, and be not of an ill Life, nor scandalous, they shall be admonished and enticed by all means to conform to them.

VI. Whereas some certain Churches, and in particular that of Sens, earn∣estly demand, that it may be permitted them to establish a Council in their City, composed of wise and experienced Persons, not being Officers of the Church; urging for it, the multitude of their Enemies necessitating them to stand upon their Guard, and that hourly divers Affairs of great importance do occur, calling for prompt and speedy Succours to the Conservation of the Church; that their Pastors and Elders dwell not in Town, who might pre∣vent those Discontents brought upon them by Monsieur de la Croix, their Pastor, who would neither countenance nor authorize any such Council. This Assembly in pursuance of the Article of the Discipline relating to this matter, and expounding it, is of Opinion, That for time to come no such Council be established, excepting that composed of Ministers, Elders and Deacons, be∣ing confident, that God will ever bless their Labours and Councils, whom he hath called to Office in the Church, and better serve himself by their Sim∣plicity, than by the Prudence of Worldly Politicians: Besides, it shall be al∣ways lawful for the Pastors and Elders on any great and difficult Affair, to call unto them, such Persons as by whose Counsel they may be any ways aided:

Not hereby debarring particular Persons the benefit of mutual Counsel which they may one afford another upon emergent occasions, for their better Pre∣servation. But we do not hereby intend to authorize any company of Men, besides the Consistory, to be stiled the Council of the Church.

Notes

• Care taken that Vagrants by feigned Certificates may not rob the Churches Charity.
• Such as will not submit to Church-Dis∣cipline are not to be reckoned Church-mem∣bers.
• Such as would be received into the Church, must first acquaint the Eider of their Quarter with it.
• Whether a∣nother Coun∣ceil besides the Consistory may be esta∣blished in the Church.