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. VI. Of General Matters.

1. NO Church shall seek a Minister for it self out of the Province, un∣less it have first consulted with the Colloquies or Synod of the Province.

2. The Provinces shall be admonished carefully to observe the tenth Ar∣ticle of the eighth Chapter of our discipline, wherein are declared the proper causes which may be brought by Appeals unto our National Synods, and if any shall hereafter bring those matters before us, which are determinable in Provincial Synods, they shall not be heard. And Provincial Synods

shall give notice hereof unto such persons as Appeal without just cause.

3. The Deputies of those Provinces, in which are erected the Mixt Courts consisting of half Protestants and half Papists, are ordered in the name of this Assembly to wait upon the Lords Presidents, and Counsellors of those Mixed Courts professing the Reformed Religion, and to exhort them to persevere in their zeal and good affection to the general welfare of the Churches, and of their poor oppressed Members, who have recourse to them for justice against their oppressors, and Letters shall be written to them to this purpose.

4. The Consistory of Nerac shall in the Name of this Assembly exhort the Lords Presidents and Counsellors professing the Reformed Religion in the mixt-Court of Guyenne to take special care that nothing do pass in their Court to the prejudice of the Edicts and Articles granted to the Professors of our Religion, and that private persons may not be unjustly oppressed. And in case of their neglect, and connivency at such injustice, the Consistory of the said Church shall proceed against them by all Church Censures.

5. The Deputies of Lower Languedoc moved this Question; what course should be taken with those persons against whom the Consistories having proceeded by Church Censures for their delinquencies, according to the Disci∣pline, were yet abetted by their Friends and Kinred, who combining to∣gether with them against the Consistories, do forbear hearing of Sermons, neglect Sacraments, and refuse their ordinary contributions towards the maintenance of the Ministry. It was decreed, that they be prosecuted both abettors and abetted with all Church-Censures; and Colloquies, and Provincial Synods ordered are to take special care that these Censures be duly executed.

6. The Deputies of the Isle of France and Picardy propounding it, the Provinces are charged to proceed against such as do by underhand dealings canvass for deputations unto Politcal Assemblies, by all Church Censures. And they who Represent the Provinces shall make oath that they never ob∣tained to be Deputies by any of those unfair practices, and in all Elections of members unto such Assemblies in whatsoever place, Burrough, City, or Province, that they neither have nor shall in any wise give their Votes for them who by such undue courses have demanded, Craftily contrived, or Ambitiously affected, and sought after those Deputations, nor have they, nor will they seek or demand the same for themselves by such or the like ways and means. And in case his Majesty out of his Royal Bounty should defray their charges at those General Assemblies; It is ordained, that the Moneys, so given by him, shall be received by the Treasurer of the Churches, for their benefit; and the Churches shall pay the respective Deputies all the expences of their Journy.

* 1.17. the Provinces are injoyned never to depute unto our General National Assemblies, whether Political or Ecclesiastical, the Professors of Theology, nor shall they be imployed in any Deputations unto Court: And whether they shall be sent or not unto our National Synods, it's left wholly to the prudence of the Provinces.

8. Theophilus Bleuitt, otherwise called, de la Combe having been deposed from the Ministry by the Province of Anjou, and his deposition ratified by an act of the last National Synod held at Rochel, presented himself unto this Assembly craving the favour of re-admission into the Ministry. The Assem∣bly having heard the causes for which he was deposed, and those enormous Crimes whereof he stood convicted, declareth him utterly unworthy of that Sacred Office; yea, that he shall not be so much as suffered to teach School in any of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, and forbids him for the future ever to put his foot within any of our Synodical Assemblies more.

9. The Deputies of the Isle of France moving it, this Assembly decreed, that in those Provinces where that Custom was established, of bringing the

fifth Penny of all Charities to the Colloquies or Provincial Synods, to be employed in the maintenance of our Proposans, shall continue it as long as they see it expedient: And in case any Churches of the Provinces should oppose themselves against it, they be enjoyned to conform unto the practice of the major party, on pain of being deprived of the Ministry. In conse∣quence hereof, the Deputy of Burgundy complaining of the great inconve∣niencies befallen them by the Exemption of the Church of Lion from this Ordinance, it was again decreed, that the said Church should be subjected to it, as well as the other Churches of that Province.

10. It's left to the prudence of Consistories to judge what Poor are fit to be relieved by every particular Church, and who are to be sent back unto the places of their Nativity, or of their former Residence: And herein to carry it with all Charity both towards the Poor, and those Churches where∣unto they do return them.

* 1.211. The Deputies of the Lower Guyenne moving it, this Assembly re∣solved, That Protestant Souldiers, to receive the Relief granted by His Ma∣jesty unto those who had been maimed in His Service, might wear the Cross on their Cloaks, not as a Badge of Superstition, but as the Mark and Cog∣nisance of their Afflicted Condition, and they should not therefore be ex∣cluded Communion at the Lord's Table: But withall, they be advised to take special care that in Church-Meetings they do avoid all occasions of giving offence unto the weak Members.

* 1.312. Ministers in giving their Attestations unto them who would be pro∣vided of Offices, as Governours, and Lieutenants of places in our Cautio∣nary Towns, (the places of Surety granted us by the King) or of Offices in the Courts of the Edict, shall be exceeding careful that the 23th Article of General Matters in the National Synod of Rochel, be fully observed, and those who do act otherwise shall be suspended from their Ministry for one whole year.

13. Divers Provinces complaining of the general contempt of the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus, of the Blasphemies, Debauches, and Prophane∣ness universally abounding among us, of the woful decays of Faith and Cha∣rity, threatning us with a deluge of Divine Wrath ready to break in upon us for the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, and that therefore it's most needful to appoint a day of solemn publick Prayer and Fasting to be kept in all the Churches of this Kingdom, for their extraordinary humilia∣tion before God, and the averting of his Judgments from us. This Assembly ordaineth, that it shall be celebrated in all our Churches the first Tuesday of November next ensuing, which will be the fifth day of the same month.

14. That hereafter there may be a General Uniformity in the Churches of this Kingdom in the Administration of the Lord's Supper, and all scruples by reason of difference and singularity arising in weak, but honest hearts, un∣capable of distinguishing between the Substance and Circumstance of the Sacred Action may be prevented; all Pastors are enjoyned to abstain from any new or private Methods of their own, as of reading the words of In∣stitution between the ordinary long Prayer, and that appointed particularly for this Sacrament, which ought indeed to be read after, nor shall they, whilst reading the words of Institution, uncover the Bread and Wine, nor shall they bring the people up in ranks unto the Table, there to sit or stand, whereas they should cause the faithful to pass one after another up unto it; nor shall the Exhortations or Thansgivings be made till that the Elements have been distributed among the Communicants of every Table; nor shall the Cup be given by the faithful one unto another, it being contrary to the express Letter of a Canon of our Discipline, which ordaineth Pastors, if possible, or if they cannot, the Elders to assist the Pastor tired by the multi∣tude of Communicants in populous Churches, to deliver it. And Collo∣quies

and Synods shall have their Eyes over those who act contrary to this Order, and reduce them to their duty by all befitting Censures.

15. Colloquies and Synods shall use their best discretion in the exercise of Discipline upon those persons, who, that they may inflame our Churches, raise and foment Divisions in them, do get into Offices of Judicature, do plead for those Incendiaries, and procure them Monopolies and secret Sub∣scriptions under Hand and Seal.

16. The province of the Isle of France demanding that the poorer Churches might be relieved out of our common Stock: The inconveniencies having been well considered in case a General Order about this matter should be enacted; This Assembly doth, as that of Rochel did before it, leave it wholly to the prudence and charity of the several Provinces, to see that what is done herein do make for Edification.

17. The Deputies of Xaintonge propounding this Question, Whether a Baptism administred by a deposed Minister at the request, and in the pre∣sence of the whole Church, were valid? This Synod judgeth, that in case the deposed Minister had presented his Appeal unto a National Synod, the Baptism were valid, and ought not to be reiterated. But nevertheless, if any such Deposed Minister shall hereafter presume to Administer any publick Ordinances, he shall be denounced Excommunicate immediately.

18. The Deputies of Poictou demanding how they should act where the Banes of Marriage were forbidden before the last time of Publishing. This Assembly judged, that in case the opposition were made without Authority from the Civil Magistrates, the Consistories might continue their Publica∣tion, but otherwise not, unless the Magistrate should only forbid the Cele∣bration of that Marriage, and not the Publishing of the Banes.

19. The Deputies of Xaintonge informed this Assembly that the Printer of Rochel designed with our approbation a new Impression of the Bible in a Les∣ser Volume, more Commodious, and that might be easily carried any where in the pocket; and forasmuch as divers Godly persons desired there might be an Index added to it of those Texts, which were most proper and perti∣nent for confirming the Truth, and confuting Error: This Synod approv∣ed the undertaking because of its singular usefulness, and intreated Monsieur Merlin to see it accomplished: which also he promised to perform.

20. The Deputies of Poictou craved remedy against that evil custom in di∣vers Churches, of sending their Pastors without Elders unto Colloquies and Provincial Synods. This Assembly replied that no general Order could be well decreed in this Case, and therefore left the whole unto the prudence of the provinces.

* 1.421. A Case was proposed, How a Minister might govern himself when injoyned by the Magistrate to press those who were privy to any notorious Crime to reveal it. It was answered, that he was under no obligation of o∣bedience unto such commands, no more than he was to discover the secret passages and transactions of the Consistory. Wherefore all Pastors are admo∣nished to take no notice of any such injunctions, and the Churches are ordered to stand by them in case, for this their refusal, their Ministers should be prose∣cuted by the Superiour Civil Powers.

22. The Province of Anjou made this Proposal, that it were expedient the Provinces should nominate some worthy Ministers particularly to Study controversies, and in every Province some one to be most prepared for the defence of one particular Truth opposed by our Adversaries. The Assembly approved and embraced the motion, and divided the controversies among the Provinces in this ensuing Order. To wit.

• 1. To Poictou, de verbo Dei Scripto & non Scripto.
• 2. To Anjou, de Christo, & Pontifice, & Antichristo.
• 3. To Xaintonge, de Ecclesiâ & Conciliis.
• ...

• 4. To Orleans and Berry, de Ministrorum vocatione, gradibus, & potestate Clavium.
• 5. To the Isle of France, de Monachis, Clericis & Laiciss.
• 6. To Provence, de Limbo Patrum, Infantium, & Purgatorio,
• 7. To Normandy, de sanctorum beatitudine, Invocatione, reliquis, Angelorum Hierarchiis, cultu & Ministerio.
• 8. To the Higher Languedoc, de Sacramentis in genere, & de veris in specie.
• 9. To the Lower Guyenne, de sacrificio, & Missâ Poncisl••i••••
• 10. To Burgundy, De quinque falsis Sacramentis Pontificiorum, ubi & de Indulgentiis & Jubileo.
• 11. To the Lower Languedoc de Statu primi hominis, peceato, & causâ peccati.
• 12. To Brittany, de precato Originali, Lege & Legis impletione.
• 13. To Vivaretz, de libero arbitrio & praedestinatione.
• 14. To Dolphiny, de justificatione, bonis operibios, & meri••o in genere & in specie.

And the Provinces shall chuse Persons meet and fit for this work, and shall enjoyn them to be ready upon all occasions, as oft as necessity requites them, either to defend the Truth, or refute the Adversary.

23. Neither Colloquies nor Synods shall be Assembled in any other form than that prescribed by the Discipline, whatever Authority may be pretended for it. Nor shall any Single Minister give of his own head an Attestation upon any ground or occasion whatsoever, to such who not pro∣fessing our Religion, may demand it of him, without Warrant first had from his Colloquy or Synod for so doing, on pain of being Suspended from the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Professors are exempted from all De∣putations un∣to Political Assemblies.
• * 1.2

  An Order for maimed Soul∣diers bearing the Cross on their Cloaks.
• * 1.3

  Advice for Pastors about Attestations to be granted unto Officers in Garrisons or Courts of the Edict.
• * 1.4

  A Minister may not press any to disco∣ver a secret Crime unto the Civil Ma¦gistrate.