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. III. Observations upon the Church-discipline; Tuesday the Third of the same Month.

I. THE Discipline being read, it was judged needful, that under the Head of Ministers, there should be made this following Addition, viz. The most diligently that may be.

II. Under the fourth Head, to these words, It shall be granted because of our present Circumstances, shall be added the Ninth Article of the Synod of Vertueil.

III. Under the Eight shall be added, Although the Ʋsage of Imposition of Hands be good and holy, yet it shall not be reputed necessary as if it were of the Substance of Ordination.

* 1.1IV. The Form of Ordination was drawn up by Monsieur de Chandieu, in these following Words. The Minister who presenteth to the People the Per∣son to be Ordained, shall briefly treat of the Institution and Excellency of the Mi∣nistery, alledging for this purpose, these or the like Texts of Holy Scripture, viz. 4. Eph. 11. Luke 10.16. John 20.22. 2 Cor. 5.19, 120. 1 Cor. 4.1. Ex∣horting every one to take special heed that both Minister and People discharge their proper Duties. The Minister shall acquit himself with the greater care and diligence in his Calling, because he knows of what high price and excellent ac∣count it is with God: And the People shall with all Reverence receive the Mes∣sage of God brought unto them by this his Embassador.* 1.2 Then shall be read in the hearing of the whole Assembly, 1. Tim. 3. and 1. Titus. Where the A∣postle delivers the Characters and Qualifications of a true Minister, and that the Elect Person may be enabled by divine Grace faithfully and conscientiously to perform the Duties of this holy and honourable Office, a pithy and fervent Prayer suitable to the occasion shall be powred out before the Lord for him, in the close of which he shall Impose his hands on the Head of the Elect Person, beseeching God that as he is consecrated unto his Service,* 1.3 so he may be re∣plenished with the Graces of his Holy Spirit, and that he would vouchsafe to bless his Ministery and pious Labours unto the Glory of his great Name, the Edification of his Church, and the Salvation of this elected Minister.

V. Under the Ninth shall be added, And the Church-discipline and Con∣fession of Faith shall be signed and subscribed by the Minister Elect.

VI. The Tenth and Eleventh Articles shall be explained and conjoyn'd in one, and after these Words, They shall be Ministers during life, there shall he this Addition, If they be not lawfully discharged upon good and sufficient Grounds, and those approved by the Provincial Synod. Moreover, there shall be added, And deserters of the Ministery shall be excommunicate by the Provincial Synod in case they repent not. And after these Words, And as for those who be sent unto any Church, shall be added, for a time.

VII. The Twelfth which was the Thirteenth shall be thus corrected, Al∣tho' a Minister do tell it publickly, that he was forsaken of his Church, or persecuted, yet shall he not be received by another Church, without eviden∣cing unto the Colloquy or Synod his conduct in this Matter, and the said Colloquy or Synod shall act therein according to their best judgment and discretion.

VIII. Under the Fourteenth after these words, Such who intrude them∣selves into the Ministery, in lieu of Places shall be inserted Provinces.

IX. Under the Seventeenth after these words, or expecting the Determina∣tion instead of the Council, there shall be put in of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod, and before instead of Sent there shall be Lent.

X. To the Eighteenth shall be added, with the good Will and Consent of the said Minister.

XI. The Two and twentieth Article shall abide unchanged; only with this Addition, And all Advises and Letters shall be sent unto one particular Church, and not unto any one particular Person.

* 1.4 XII. Under the Twenty Seventh, in lieu of those words, After he was summoned, there shall be put, Three Months being past the first Summons. Also after those words, It may be lawful for him to joyn himself unto some other Church, shall be added, by the Advice of the Colloquy or Provincial Sy∣nod, which shall consider both the Poverty of the Church, and the Estate of the Minister; And in case of urgent necessity, the said Colloquy, or Synod may shorten the said Term of Three Months, and it shall be lawful for them to censure those ungrateful People even with Excommunication.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Form of Ordination.
• * 1.2

  The Form of Prayer at Or∣dination was first framed in the Synod of Mai••ant 1609. 4th. Article of Observations upon the Dis∣cipline.
• * 1.3

  So that from the year 1559. to the year 1609. there was no sta∣ted Form of Prayer to whose words the Minister in Ordination was tied up necessarily and invari∣ably.
• * 1.4

  This Article i•• the 37th. of the Chapter of Ministers in the Book of Discipline.