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.

Sect. 5. But notwithstanding all the Croisado's, Slaughters, Massacres, and most barbarous Persecutions of the poor Albingenses and Waldenses, there was not a total extinction of the Truth, it was suppressed but not destroy∣ed, as Fire buried under much Ashes, it doth at length break out with the more vehement flame. Its Professors were dead, but the Truth lived; it lay concealed in the hearts of the Children of these Martyrs, who groaned for a Reformation. There was a very great propensity in all the Nations of Europe, but especially of France unto it. The Papal Power had been crampt by the Pragmatical Sanction in that Kingdom. The August Par∣liament of Paris sixed bounds unto it. The learned Sorbonists had several of their Divines, who disputed against and decried it. Lewes the Twelfth threatned to destroy Babylon. When Learning was revived, by Francis the First, in that Kingdom, the Reformation had there its Resurrection. Pious and good Men passionately desired, and Preached up the necessity of it. William Brissonnet, Bishop of Meaux, promoted it in his Diocess. James Fa∣bey born at Estaples in Picardy, a Man of great Learning, and of an Angelical Life, laboured hard in it. And in the dawn of the Reformation the Do∣ctrine of the Gospel was embraced by several Persons of great Quality. Margaret of Valois, Queen of Navarre, and Sister to the French King, was accused for it by the blood-thirsty Prelates unto her Royal Brother. She was indeed a Sanctuary unto God's Fugitives, a Covert to them from the storm, an hiding place from the Tempest. In her House Faber, now an hundred years old, after a most Heavenly Discourse with the Queen at Supper, fell asleep in the Lord. Luther, a Divine Herald, publisheth the Gospel in Germany; Zuinglius one year before him, and without any know∣ledge of him, or correspondence with him, had thundered against Indul∣gences, and began the Reformation in Switzerland. A little while after, Mr. Calvin is called forth by God to be a glorious Instrument of it in France.* 1.1 And the Lord owneth him, and his Fellow-Servants, notwith∣standing all the storms of Popish rage and fury against them in this great work; Insomuch that the whole Kingdom is inlightned and ravished with it, and many of the most eminent Counsellors in that Illustrious Senate the Parliament of Paris, do profess the Gospel openly, and in the very pre∣sence of their King Henry the Second, though to the loss of Honour, E∣state and Life. It was now got into the Court, and among Persons of the highest Quality. Many Nobles, some Princes of the Blood dare espouse its Cause. The Blood of the Martyrs proving the Seed of the Church, and as Israel of old, so now, the more the Professors of the Gospel are oppressed, and persecuted, the more are they increased and multiplied.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See the Au∣thor of Status Reipubl. & Re∣lig. sab Henr. 2. p 10. & 11. & sub Carol•• 9. p. 94.