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. General MATTERS.

ARTRTICLES.

• * 1.1I. FOrasmuch as the first and principal End of Marriage was the Procreation of Children, and to be a Preservative from Fornication; he then that is a known Eunuch, shall not be married in any of our Reformed Churches.
• * 1.2II. No Man shall marry the Aunt of his deceased Wife: For such Com∣mixtures are incestuous; and altho' the Civil Magistrate may permit it, yet such a Marriage shall not be solemnized in any of our Churches. And all Pa∣stors are warned carefully to observe this Canon.
• * 1.3III. Such as Apostatize from the Reformed Religion unto Popery, and em∣brace the Idolatries of the Romish Church, and all Endeavours used to reclaim them proving useless and unsuccessful in case they persist in their Apostacy, they shall be declared Apostates publickly before the Congregation, unto which they did belong.
• IV. In giving Names unto Children, let all Preciseness on the one hand, and Superstition and Scandal on the other be avoided: Because Matters of this nature should have a perpetual tendency to the Churches edifying. So that when Parents or Sureties do offer Children unto Baptism, and desire their own Names to be put upon them, this their Request shall be granted; provided they be not Names prohibited in the close of the Ninth Canon of Baptism, as the Names of God, Angel, or Office, or such as be notoriously ridiculous.
• ...

• V. Colloquies and Provincial Synods shall most humbly intreat and ex∣hort Kings, Princes, Great Lords, and all Impropriators of Church-Lands, and all our opulent and wealthy Churches,, to lay by and dedicate some con∣siderable Portion of their yearly Incomes, Estates, and Revenues towards the maintenance of Students in Divinity, and of poor Schollars of excellent and hopeful Parts, who may be hereafter imployed in the Sacred Ministry. And that this Canon may be observed, this Assembly will give the first Example, and doth now order that Letters shall be written unto those most Illustrious and Noble Personages, and to our richest Churches, inviting them unto this most needful Contribution; and these Letters shall be signed in the Name of this National Synod, by the Moderator, Assessor, and Scribe.
• VI. National and Provincial Synods shall be held once every Year for time coming, and Colloquies twice a Year; but by this Canon we do not in∣tend to abridge the Provinces (who can better do it) of their Priviledge in observing the first established Order.
• * 1.4VII. Pastors shall ever come unto these Ecclesiastical Assemblies accompa∣nied with an Elder; and in case they be sent alone, there shall be no regard had unto Memoirs, as in like manner it shall be with the Elders, if they come singly.
• * 1.5VIII. Pastors shall diligently exhort all Sureties of both Sexes seriously to weigh and consider their Promises ingaged at Baptism; and Parents shall be advised to chuse such Sureties for their Children, as are well instructed in Re∣ligion, and of exemplary Life and Conversation; or at least such, as if need be, may be able to educate their Children in the knowledge and fear of God.
• * 1.6IX. Upon Repentance and Satisfaction given unto the Church, all Crimes and Offences shall be razed out of the Books of Consistories, except such who for their Contumacy and Rebellion had been censured with Suspension from the Lord's Supper, or Excommunication.
• * 1.7X. Consistories shall not give in Evidence against any Person, by Act, or any other way unto the Magistrate: And the Members of those Consistories shall not reveal any Person the Confessions of Penitents, who voluntarily, and of their own accord, or by Admonitions given them, shall have confes∣sed and acknowledged their Offences.
• XI. Forasmuch as divers sickly Persons are Communicants at the Lord's Table, and some for fear of Infection scruple to take the Cup after them, Pastors and Elders are advised to use their best prudence and discretion in this case.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eunuches may not be marri∣ed.
• * 1.2

  The Aunt of a dead Wife may not be married. See St. Foy. G. M. art. 5.
• * 1.3

  See the Synod of Rochel, art. 22.
• * 1.4

  Pastors must come accom∣panied with one Elder unto Synods or Classes.
• * 1.5

  Sureties must ponder seri∣ously their Engagements at Baptism.
• * 1.6

  Some Crimes shall not be blotted out the Books of Consistory.
• * 1.7

  None of the Consistory may declare the Sins of ingenuous Pe∣nitents.