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.

Concerning Particular ORDERS.

IV. THere shall be added after the Word, Lands belonging unto Castles, this word, And the Titles in the first Article.

V. To the third Article, there shall be this Addition, Judges shall not be reproved for giving Sentences in Causes concerning Ecclesiastical Goods, and the Execution of the King's Edict. And Arbitrators shall in no wise intermeddle with any of those Matters, which either directly or indirectly do concern Idola∣try. Advocates shall be admonished neither to demand nor give Councel in Causes belonging to the Execution of the said Edict.

VI. On the 4th. Article, the Queen of Navar demanded our Advice, whether through want of others she might with a good Conscience Receive and Establish Roman Catholick Officers in her Dominions, as also in her Conrt and Family. To which the Synod humbly replied, That her Ma∣jesty should take special heed about her Domestick Officers, and as much as pos∣sible only to imploy Persons fearing God, and of the Reformed Religion; And that she should cause the Papists that are peaceable, and of unblameable Lives to be instructed, and that she should utterly discard those Traytors, who forsook her in her Necessities, and cruelly persecuted God's Saints in these last Troubles.

VII. After those words in the 6th. They may address themselves, shall be added, in case they be sent by the Magistrate.

VIII. After Brethren and Sisters, in the Eighth Article shall be put, and other Parents. And the last Clause shall be thus couched, And they shall be exhorted to assist and provide for them according to the Laws of Humanity and Book.

This present Body of Church-Discipline having been diligently examin'd according to God's Word, by all the Ministers and Elders of the Reformed Churches of France, was in all its Heads and Articles approved by the said De∣puties, who in their own Names and for their Churches did Promise and protest to keep and observe it, for the Edification of the Church, the Conservation of Order, and their mutual Union, that God might be the better glorified by them.

N. B. The Discipline was kept most strictly forty Years after this Synod; and then they began to lax the Reigns, yeilding too much to the Iniquity of the Time.

Notes

• This Article is the 2d. in the Chapter of particular Orders.
• This Article is divided into the 5.6. and 7. Articles of particular Or∣ders, in the Book of Dis∣cipline.
• This is the 13. Article in this Chapter and Book of Dis∣cipline.
• This is the 8th. Article in this Chapter and Book of Discipline.
• This is the 16th. Article in the Chapter and Book of Discipline.