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. 6. The Reformed form themselves into regular Church-Assemblies, separating themselves, as the Primitive Christians did from the unbelieving Jews, and their Synagogues, so from the unbelieving Papists and their idolatrous Worship. It was the great care of the first Reformers to preach up sound Doctrine, to institute and celebrate pure Evangelical Worship,

and to restore the ancient Primitive Discipline. They set up purity of Worship, according to the Scripture Rule. The Holy Bible was translated by Olivetan (Uncle unto Mr. Calvin, and a Minister in the Valleys of Pi∣edmont) from the Original Hebrew and Greek into the French Language. He had not any assistance nor incouragement unto this work from any great Prince, or State, and yet finished it in one Year. The Lord blessed him in his undertaking wonderfully, that he should begin and finish it in so short a time. This Star scatters bright Beams of Heavenly Light and Truth into the dark Corners of the Land, to the inlivening and comfort∣ing of many thousands of Souls. Now the Fountain of Life is opened, and the Waters thereof flow down in plenteous streams from the Throne of God, and the Lamb, to the cleansing, quickning, and refreshing of the City of God. This Holy Bible is read in their solemn Meetings, in the great Congregations. This divinely inspired Scripture is perused and stu∣died by Nobles and Peasants, by the Learned and Ideots, by Merchants and Tradesmen, by Women and Children, in their Houses and Families; by this they be made wiser than their Popish Priests, than their most subtle Adversaries. By this they stop the mouths of Gainsayers, and put them to silence and confusion. Clement Marot a Courtier, and a great Wit, was advised by Mr. Vatablus, Regius Professor of the Hebrew Tongue in the U∣niversity of Paris, to consecrate his Muse unto God; which Counsel he embraceth, and translateth fifty of David's Psalms into French Meeter. Mr. Beza did the other hundred, and all the Scripture-Songs. Lewis Gua∣dimel, another Asaph, or Jeduthun, a most Skillful Master of Musick, set those sweet and melodious Tunes unto which they are sung even unto this day. This holy Ordinance charmed the Ears, Hearts and Affections of Court and City, Town and Country. They were sung in the Louvre, as well as in the Pres des Clerks, by the Ladies, Princes, yea and by Henry the Second himself. This one Ordinance only contributed mightily to the down∣fal of Popery, and the propagation of the Gospel. It took so much with the genius of the Nation, That all ranks and degrees of Men practised it in the Temples and in their Families. No Gentleman professing the Reformed Religion, would sit down at his Table without praising God by singing. Yea it was a special part of their Morning and Evening Worship, in their several Houses, to sing God's Praises. The Popish Clergy raged, and to prevent the growth and spreading of the Gospel by it, that mischievous Cardinal of Lorrain, another Elymas the Sorcerer, got the Odes of Horace, and the filthy obscene Poems of Tibullus and Catullus to be turn'd into French, and sung in the Court. Ribaldry was his Piety, and the means used by him to expel and banish the singing of divine Psalms out of the prophane Court of France, The Holy Word of God is duly, truly, and powerfully Preached in Churches and Fields, in Ships and Houses, in Vaults and Cellars, in all places where the Gospel-Ministers can have admission and conveniency, and with singular success. Multitudes are Convinced and Converted, established and edified. Christ rideth out upon the white Horse of the Ministry, with the Sword and Bow of the Gospel Preached, Conquering and to Conquer. His Enemies fall under him, and submit themselves unto him. O! the unparallell'd success of the plain and zealous Sermons of the first Reformers. Multitudes flock in like Doves into the Windows of God's Ark. As innumerable drops of dew fall from the Womb of the Morning, so hath the Lord Christ the dew of his Youth. The Popish Churches are drained, the Protestant Temples are filled. The Priests complain that their Altars are neglected, their Masses are now in∣deed solitary. Dagon cannot stand before God's Ark. Children and Per∣sons of riper years, are Catechised in the Rudiments and Principles of Christian Religion, and can give a comfortable account of their Faith, a

reason of that hope that is in them. By this Ordinance do their pious Pa∣stors prepare them for Communion with the Lord at his holy Table. Here they communicate in both kinds, according to the Primitive Institution of this Sacrament, by Jesus Christ himself.