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.

Of the CONSISTORY.

III. THE Fourth Article shall be thus formed, Ministers and Elders com∣pose the Consistory, in which Ministers shall always preside, and the Deacons may be present, if so be the Consistory do judge it fitting.

IV. On the Seventh Article after these Words, For tryal of their Ability shall be added, which yet shall not be done without great Prudence and Discre∣tion, with promise of Secrecy.

V. There shall be this Addition made to the Close of the Eighth Article, And if there be any other Counsels they shall be supprest.

VI. After these words in the Ninth, But principally at the Auditing of Accounts, there shall be this Addition, of which the People shall have notice given them.

VII. The Tenth Article was thus Explained, If there should arise any Contention concerning Doctrine, it shall be out of hand notified unto the Col∣loquy subordinate unto the Synods, where also the Elders and Professors in Di∣vinity may be present, to give their Judgment on the Points, but the Decision of these Controversies shall especially belong unto the Ministers and Professors of Divinity.

VIII. In the Twelfth, instead of Adjured to speak the Truth, there shall be, Exhorted and Summoned in the Name of God to speak the Truth.

IX. On the Sixteenth, after these words, Propositions of the Word of God, shall be added, Among Scholars.

Of Delinquents, and Censur'd Persons, and what are these Offences which render them obnoxious unto Censures.

* 1.1X. THE Question being mov'd, whether a Copy may be given of the Excommunication, or of any other Censure; It was answered, That because the whole Process was a Matter of Conscience, it ought not to be given; And as for the publick Act, it's subject properly to the Magi∣strates Jurisdiction.

XI. The first Article was approv'd of, but after those words, And if not∣withstanding all this they do not convert, but persist in their Stubbornness and Obstinacy, there shall be added, On the fourth Lord's-day, the scandalous Per∣sons shall be Excommunicated, either in this or such like form as shall be ad∣vised on by the Consistory, we do declare unto the whole Congregation, that we do not own him for one of the Members of our Church, and in the Name, and by the Authority of our Lord Jesus we cut him off from it.

XII. On the third, unto those words, After they shall have continued firm, shall be added, without expecting the Advice of a National Synod.

Of Provincial SYNODS.

XIII. ON the first: Article, instead of once a Year, shall be inserted, at least twice.

XIV. In the second after the first; Period, shall be added, And the said Ministers and Elders shall produce their Orders of Deputation.

XV To the sixth,* 1.2 this Article of the Synod of Vertueil shall be added, If there arise any difference between two Synods, they shall choose a third to reconcile them.

Of BAPTISM.* 1.3

XVI. AFter these words, in the second Article,* 1.4 Quit and resign their Right unto the Sureties, shall be added, As to Instruction. And a little before shall be added, If the Parents do consent. The second and third Article shall make but one, Papists and excommunicate Persons being joyned together.

XVII. And the fourth after these words, And is wholly null, shall be a∣bridg'd and cut short, and shall be thus expressed, Baptism administred by a Person who hath neither Call nor Commission, is wholly null and void.

Notes

• * 1.1

  No copy of Excommuni∣cation or Church-cen∣sures to be given.
• * 1.2

  This Article is the 11th. in the Chapter of Provincial Synods in the Book of Discipline.
• * 1.3

  1571. Synod VIII.
• * 1.4

  This is the 4th. Article in the Chapter and Book of Discipline.