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. II.

* 1.1VII. WHere one Party is an Infidel or Excommunicate, the Marriage shall not be celebrated in our Churches, unless the Unbeliever do first make a Protestation to renounce all Idolatry, and to live in the Church of God as becomes a Christian, and the Excommunicate Person in like man∣ner shall have given by publick Pennance, full satisfaction for his offence to the Church.

VIII. If there be a sufficient number of Ministers to make a Synod the Provincial Synods shall be modell'd according to the Governments. But and if a Church shall complain of its being thereby incommoded, and that there arise any strife about it between the Provinces, a third shall be chosen to re∣concile them.

* 1.2IX. None other Writings besides the Holy Scriptures, shall be read in the Publick Assemblies.

X. The Synod judgeth it not advisable, that they should receive the Bread at the Lords Table, who cannot the Cup.

* 1.3XI. This Assembly understanding that some private persons had either spoken or written against the Discipline exercised in the Churches of this Kingdom, demanded of the Deputies severally and distinctly, whether their respective Churches had any scruple about the Discipline which hath been hitherto observed by us. Whereunto the Deputies did all unanimously an∣swer, that their Churches did fully consent unto the Discipline, and required its inviolable observation, and that such who opposed this our Established Order might be censured. And the absent Provinces which were but few in number, have by Letters under their own hands, testified their consent unto it.

XII. If hereafter any difference should arise between two Provinces about their Redemanding of Ministers, they shall choose a third to accord and ar∣bitrate the matter between them.

* 1.4XIII. Ministers accused for leaving their Churches without their consent first had, shall be bound to make their personal Appearance before the next Provincial Synod, unto which they did belong upon the first Summons, that so they may clear themselves publickly: And their innocency being vindica∣ted, the Church which had impeached them of unjust desertion, shall be ob∣liged to reimburse them all charges of their journey.

* 1.5XIV. Until the whole body of the Consistory have first maturely consi∣dered the causes why they should be rejected, no Minister, Deacon, nor El∣der, shall reckon themselves to be rejected.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Excommuni∣cates and Infi∣dels shall not be permitted Marriage without pub∣lick pennance.
• * 1.2

  Nothing be∣sides the Holy Scripture to be read in the Church.
• * 1.3

  The Bread shall not be given in the Lords Supper to them who refuse the Cup.
• * 1.4

  A Pastor ac∣cused of lea∣ving his Church shall purge himself before the Synod.
• * 1.5

  No Officer in the Church shall be said by till the Consistory have first de∣termined it.