CHAP. I.

Monsieur De Morell, Lord of Callonges, was at that time Minister of the Church of Paris. Publick Mat­ters. FRancis de Morell, otherwise called De Callonges, presided, and there assisted at it, on behalf of the Reformed Churches of France, the Pastors of Diep, and St. Lo in Normandy, of Paris, of Angiers, of Orleans, of Tours, of Chastelherand, of Poitiers, of Xaintes, of St. John d' Angeli, and Marennes.

CHAP. II. The First CANON.

I. NO Church,Discipline, Cap. 6. Art. 1. nor Church-Officer, be he Minister, Elder, or Deacon, shall Claim or Exercise any Jurisdiction, or Authority over another.

In every Sy­nod there must be a Pre­sident chosen His Office in the Synods.II. A Moderator shall be chosen by general Consent in every Synod, who shall give Notice of the Days and Places of Meeting, and of the Sessions of the Synod: And he shall gather the Suffrages, and declare which is the greater Number, and pronounce the Synodical Decisions. Moreover, he shall see that Order be observed in Speaking, without confusion, and impose Silence on such as are eager and contentious; and in case of Disobedience, he shall cause them to withdraw, that Advice may be taken how to Censure them. Moreover, he shall preside at the Censure of every Person, and make the Remonstrances. As also to give Answers in case of Counsel demanded; or unto Letters sent unto the Synod, yet therein always observing the Advice of the Assembly; And he him­self also shall be subject unto Censures. The Office of the Moderator shall expire with the Synod; and the next Synod is at liberty to chuse him, or any other.

A Pastor may bring with him an Elder unto the Sy­nod.III. Ministers that are sent unto the National Synod, may bring with them one or two Elders or Deacons, but not more; and those chosen by the Body of their Consistory, who also shall have their Votes in the Synod. As for the Elders and Deacons of that Church where the Synod shall be assembled, they may be present also, and speak in their Order; yet to avoid confusion, two of them only shall [Page 3]have Power of Voting in it. And no Person shall depart from the Assembly, without leave first had, and obtained.

IV. National Synods shall meet according to the Necessities of the Churches, and in them there shall be an amicable and brotherly Censure of all its Members;The Lord's Supper to be administred at the end of every Natio­nal Synod. and at the closing up of the Synod, the Lord's Supper shall be celebrated, to testifie their Union, not only by the Ministers and Elders of the Synod, but in general with that whole Church.

V. The Ministers, with one Elder and Deacon at the least, from every Church in all the Provinces of this Kingdom, shall meet together once a Year, and choose such a Time and Place, as shall be most convenient for their Synodical Assembly.

The manner of Receiving a Minister.VI. No Minister for the present shall be chosen by one only Minister, or by his Consistory, but by two or three Ministers and their Consistories, or by the Provincial Synod, or by the Colloquy, which in those Places (where they be already established) shall be, if possible, called together for this purpose. And the Elect-Minister shall be presented unto the People for their Approbation: but in case there be opposition, the Consistory shall judge thereof; and if neither part do consent, the whole shall be Reported to the Provincial Synod, which shall take Cognisance thereof, as well for Justifying of the Minister, as for his Reception; provided the major part of the Consistory and People do consent thereunto.

No Minister may be sent unto the Sy­nod w [...]hout sufficient [...]ow­ers.VII. Ministers shall not be sent from the Churches without Authentick Let­ters, or some other sufficient Testimonials from those Places whence they come; and if having no such Commission, they should offer themselves to be Received, they shall not be Admitted, unless their Conversation be fully known, and upon what Account they have quitted their Church. And in case of opposition, they shall be dealt with as was before determined.

The Elect De­puty must sub­scribe the Confession of Faith.VIII. The Deputies Elect shall subscribe our Confession of Faith, both in their own Churches in which they were chosen, as in those also from which they be sent, and their Election shall be confirmed by Prayers and Imposition of Hands by the Ministers; yet without Superstition, or Opinion of Necessity.

How Intru­ders into the Ministry are to be proceed­ed against.IX. Such as shall intrude themselves into the Ministry, in those Places where the Ministry of the Word of God is already established, shall be sufficiently ad­monished to forbear; and in case of their persistency, they shall be declared Schis­maticks; and the same Admonition shall be given unto their Followers, who also abiding contumacious and obstinate, shall be denounced Schismaticks.

X. If A People, not having the Ministry of the Word of GOD fixed and setled among them, should choose unto themselves a Pastor: The Neighbour-Church shall amicably and earnestly intreat him to confer with them, and exhort him to subscribe the Confession of Faith, and Church-Discipline established among us: And in case of refusing such Subscription, three or four Ministers of the next Churches shall assemble together with their Elders, and shall then declare him a Schismatick, and the People shall be advised to avoid such a Person. But in case of Non-conforming to our Discipline, he may not be declared Schismatick, un­til such time as the Provincial Synod shall have ordained some other course to be taken with him.

None may Preach in ano­ther Church, without the Past [...]r or Consistory [...]s leave.XI. The Minister of one Church may not preach in another without the con­sent of its Pastor; but in his absence the Consistory may give Leave and Autho­rity unto that Stranger. And in case the Flock be scattered by Persecution, or any other Trouble, he shall endeavour to assemble the Elders and Deacons; but if that cannot be effected, he may notwithstanding Preach for the Re-uniting of the Flock.

A Minister may be in­treated, but not enforced to accept of the Call.XII. He that being called to the Holy Ministry, and hath once accepted of that Call, shall betake himself wholly to this Employment: but in case he should afterwards change his mind, and refuse it, he shall be sollicited by fitting Exhor­tations, to embrace it: but he may not by any other means be enforced there­unto.

[Page 4] XIII. Ministers that cannot discharge their Office in those Places whereunto they have been appointed, if being sent elsewhere, by the Advice of their Chur­ches they do refuse it, they shall then declare the Causes of such their refusal un­to the Consistory, who shall judge whether they may be admitted; and if they may not be, and they still persist in their not accepting the said Employment, the Provincial Synod shall determine of it.

No Intruder into the mini­stry may be approved.XIV. Whoso intrudes himself into the Ministry of the Gospel, although he may be approved by the People, yet shall he not be approved by the Neighbour-Mi­nisters, nor others, in case another Church excepts against him: Wherefore e're they proceed farther, the Provincial Synod shall be assembled, as soon as conve­niently it may, for to determine about it. And in case that Synod cannot be called, if there be a Colloquy of six Ministers at the least established there, the said Colloquy shall have Power to take Cognizance of this matter.

Ministers are such for their Life.XV. Such as are once chosen unto the Ministry of the Word must know, that their Call is during Life. And as for those who were sent for a certain time, and to whom for some special Reasons we gave admittance, it is advised, That the Church in which they are do make provision of a fixed Minister, that so the others may intend their own Affairs. But if the Churches cannot provide a Pa­stor for this Flock, these shall not be permitted to abandon the Church for which Jesus Christ died.

An Exchange of Ministers for a time.XVI. If a Minister be personally persecuted, so that he cannot without great danger unto himself discharge his Office in the Church whereunto he was ordained, he may exchange for a time with another Church, and this with Advice and Consent of both Churches. And in case of the Minister's Disobedie [...]ce to the Judgment of their Churches, the Cause shall be referr'd unto the next Provincial Synod. There may be other Causes of changing, which shall be proposed and judged in the Provincial Synod.

No Pastor shall forsake his Church without leave.XVII. No Pastor shall quit his Flock without leave first had and obtained from his Consistory, and the Neighbour-Churches also shall approve the cause of his departure. Yet on such occasions it will be fitting to admonish Churches to re­lieve their Pastors, and to minister unto their Necessities. And if necessary Relief be refused them, when they have been advised to it, in this case it shall be lawful for the Minister to ingage himself unto some other Church.

This is the Se­cond Article in the First Chapter of the Discipline. It is not law­ful to [...]car the Popish Prea­chers.XVIII. Novices received of late into the Church, especially Monks and Priests, shall not be chosen unto the Ministry, without a long and diligent enquiry into, and approbation had of their Lives and Doctrine.

XIX. Forasmuch as it is not lawful nor expedient to hear the Sermons of Po­pish Preachers, or of others introduc'd without a lawful Call, in those Places where the Ministry of the Word is established. Therefore the true Pastors are obliged as much as in them lieth, to hinder their Flocks from going to them.

Causes for the Deposing of a Minister.XX. Ministers teaching Evil Doctrine, and not desisting upon sufficient Ad­monition; and such as are disobedient to the Holy Orders and Counsels of God's Word, given them by their Consistory; as also they who lead a scandalous Life, deserving Punishment by the Magistrates, or Excommunication; and they who are totally insufficient for their Office, shall be deposed: But those who be ren­dred uncapable by Age, Sickness, or any other Affliction, or hindred by the Providence of God from the Exercise of their Ministry, shall not; yea, their double Honour shall be continued to them, and the Churches are required to maintain them, and to provide another Minister to execute their Office.

Crimes for Deposing.XXI. Scandalous Crimes punishable by the Judges, as Murder, Sodomy, and High-Treason, or any other Sins, which would redound to the great Dishonour and Scandal of the Church, although they had been committed not only before his Call unto the Ministry, but even in the time of his Ignorance, merit the De­posing of such a Minister. As for other Sins less scandalous, the Judgment of them is left to the Prudence of the Provincial Synod.

[Page 5] XXII. A Minister Convict of enormous and notorious Crimes, shall be imme­diately deposed by the Consistory, two or three Pastors of unstained Reputation being called into Counsel with them. And in case the Delinquent Minister com­plain against his Accuser, and of the Calumny laid upon him,Presently by the Consistory. the whole Matter of Fact shall be reported to the Provincial Synod.

If he has taught any Heresie or False Doctrine, he shall be out of hand suspended by the Consistory, two or three Ministers, as before, being called in, until such time as the Provincial Synod shall have Decreed about it. The Causes of Depo­sing, unless necessity so require, of which the Consistory shall judge, may not be published unto the People.

The Elder's Office.XXIII. The Elders and Deacons are the Counsel of the Church, in which the Ministers of the Word ought to preside. The Office of Elders is to assemble the People, to make Report of Scandals unto the Consistory, and such other like Matters, according as in every Church it is couched in Writing, together with the proper Customs of those Places and Times. Yet is not their Office for Life.

The Deacon's Office.XXIV. The Deacon's Office, as now used by us, is not perpetual; yet this belongs unto them, to Collect the Moneys for the Poor, the Prisoners, and the Sick, and by the Advice of the Consistory to distribute those collected Charities among them; to Visit them, and in their respective Houses to Catechize them; and in case any Deacon shall be found fit, and he promise to devote and conse­crate himself during Life unto the Service of God in the Ministry, he may be chosen by the Ministry and Consistory to Catechize publickly, according to the Form received in our Churches; and this in order to their Trial, without per­mitting them to administer the Sacraments.

The manner of Electing Elders and Deacons.XXV. The Office of Elders and Deacons is not to Catechize publickly, nor is their Office perpetual: However, neither the one nor the other, shall quit it without leave first obtained from the Church. In the Minister's absence, or sick­ness, or in any other necessity of the Church, the Deacon may read Prayers, and the Holy Scriptures, but he shall not take upon him the Office of Preach­ing.

XXVI. In those Places in which Church-Order is not yet established, both Elders and Deacons shall be chosen by the common Suffrage of Pastor and Peo­ple; but where Discipline is already constituted, it shall be done by the Minister and Church-Councel, who shall give them their Charge, and they shall subscribe the Confession of Faith professed and avowed by us, then they shall be presented unto the People; and in case any one should oppose their Election, it shall be debated and determined in the Consistory; but if they cannot agree, it shall be referr'd unto the Provincial Synod.

Causes of De­posing Elders and Deacons.XXVII. The Deacons and Elders shall be deposed for those very self-same Rea­sons, that the Ministers of the Word were, according to their quality; and if being condemned by their Consistory, they should make their Appeal, they shall be suspended, until such time as the Provincial Synod shall have ordained otherwise.

Books forbid­den to be Printed, till first commu­nicated.XXVIII. Ministers, nor any Other Members of the Church, may not Print their own, or others Works concerning Religion, nor in any wise Publish them, till they have first communicated them unto two, or more, of the Gospel, of unspotted Reputation.

Who are to be Excommuni­cated.XXIX. Hereticks, Contentious Persons, Despisers of God, Rebels against the Consistory, Traytors to the Church, such as be impeached and convicted of Crimes worthy of Corporal Punishment, such as scandalize the whole Church, shall be utterly excommunicated and cut off, not only from the Sacrament, but from all Communion with the whole Church. And as for Delinquents suspen­ded from the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and guilty of other Vices, it is left to the Church's prudence, whether they shall be admitted to hear the Word preacht or no.

[Page 6] XXX. Such as are Excommunicate for Heresie, Contempt of God, Schism, Treason and Rebellion against the Church, or other grievous Offences, scanda­lous to the whole Church, shall be denounced Excommunicate Persons before the People,Who are by Name to be declared Ex­communicate, and who not, unto the Peo­ple. together with the Causes of their Excommunication. And as for those who were Excommunicate for lesser Offences, it's left to the Church's Pru­dence, to consider whether they shall be published by Name unto the Congre­gation or not. And this Order shall hold, till it be otherwise determined in a National Synod.

Manner of Receiving Ex­communicate Persons.XXXI. These having been Excommunicated, shall address themselves unto their Consistory, for Re-admission into Church-Fellowship; who shall judge of their Repentance. And if they have been publickly Excommunicate, they shall testifie their Repentance publickly; but if they have not been publickly Excom­municate, they shall only in private, before the Consistory, express their Re­pentance.

Denial of the Faith de­mands a Pub­lick Acknow­ledgment. When Fasts are to be pro­claimed.XXXII. Such as through force of Persecution have abjured the Gospel, shall not be received into the Church, till such time as they have expressed their Re­pentance publickly before all the People.

XXXIII. Publick Prayers, and extraordinary Fastings, yet without any scru­ple or superstition, shall be enjoyned in times of severe Persecution, of War, Pestilence, Famine, and other grievous Affliction; as also, whenas a Minister is to be chosen, or a National Synod to be conven'd.

Of the Publi­cation of Mar­riage.XXXIV. Marriages shall be propounded unto the Consistory, in which the Contract of Marriage shall be produced, signed by the Publick Notary, or pro­ved by some other sufficient Attestation, in such places where there is not a No­tary: Or if the Persons will not produce their Contracts, they shall however bring a sufficient Attestation under the Notary's hand, or some other way; and a Fortnight after the Banes shall be published on three Lord's Days following, in those Places where the Word is ordinarily preached, and in other Places where is Exhortation and Publick Prayers, provided that this Publication be con­tinued a full Fortnight; and then the Marriage may be solemnized in the Church. This Order shall not be infringed, unless there be very great Causes for it: whereof the Consistory shall take Cognisance.

Marriages and Baptisms are to be Regi­stred.XXXV. Both Marriages and Baptisms shall be Registred, and the Register preserved carefully by the Church, together with the Names of the Fathers and Mothers, and Sureties for the baptized Infants.

XXXVI. The Faithful may not contract Marriage within the prohibited De­grees of Affinity and Consanguinity, and the Church is to take heed that all scandal in this particular be avoided.

The Church may not dis­solve a Mar­riage.XXXVII. The Faithful whose Yoke-fellows are convict of Adultery, shall be advised to reconcile themselves with them; but in case of refusal, that liberty they have by the Word of God shall be declared to them. However, none of the Churches shall dissolve the Marriage, least they should intrench upon the Authority of the Civil Magistrate.

The Consisto­ry, in case Pa­rents refuse their Consent, shall order a­bout it.XXXVIII. No Person may contract Marriage without the Consent of Parents. But in case Parents should be so unreasonable, as to refuse their Consent to such an holy and needful Ordinance, the Consistory shall advise what is to be done herein.

XXXIX. Promises of Marriage once made, cannot be dissolved, no not by mutual consent of the Parties, who have past those Promises each to other: And the Consistory of that Church where these Persons are Members, shall judge of the lawfulness of those Promises.

In a particu­lar Affair the Common Cause is not to be concern­ed.XL. No Church shall undertake any Matter of great consequence, wherein the Interest or Damage of other Churches is of right to be comprised, without consulting the Provincial Synod, if it may be conveniently assembled. But if the business be urgent, they shall communicate it to other Churches of the Pro­vince, and obtain, at least by Letters, their Advice and Consent.

[Page 7] XLI. These present Articles of Discipline are not so ordained by us, but that if the Churches Profit do require, they may be changed. But it shall not be in the Power of any one particular Church to change them, without having first Advised with, and got the Consent of a National Sy­nod.

CHAP. III. Particular Matters Propounded and Decided in the aforesaid Natio­nal Synod held in PARIS.

Such as have Popish Licen­ses to Marry, shall not be married with­out having first confessed their Sin.1. AS to that Case of Conscience propounded by the Minister of Diep, it was answer'd, That such as had Licenses from Popish Vicars or Cu­rates to Marry where they pleased, should not be married in the Church of God, unless they do confess this their Offence before the Congregation where­in they be married: And the Minister of the Gospel shall be instant with them to evidence their Repentance by Tearing of the License. But whe­ther the Tearing of it in pieces be done in the Church or Consistory, that is left unto the Church's Prudence, where this Matter may fall out.

None can be discharged of their Marri­age-Promise upon pretext of Religion.II. As to the Question propounded by the Minister of Angers, it was an­swered, That he who had espoused a Maid of the Popish Religion, but is himself since converted, although the said Maiden refuseth to be married in the Church of God, is nevertheless bound by his Promise; wherefore he ought sollicite her to accomplish it; but if she will not consent unto it, he must contain himself until such time as the Bond be broken, either by her Marriage or Whoredom. The same Advice was given in the like case by Mr. Calvin.

Whether the Children of Papists are to be receiv'd in­to the Church.III. The Minister of Castelherand having moved this case: A Papist displeas­ed with the Creasme, and Spittle, and other Ceremonies added unto Baptism by the Popish Church, desireth him to Baptise his Child: It was queried, Whether he should do it. But because there was another Question first to be debated, viz. Whether the Children of Papists ought to be received into the Church of Christ? Divers Arguments having been banded on both sides, the Decision thereof was remanded to a more full Assembly.

What Course is to be taken with the Broachers of Heresies.IV. As to what was related by the Minister of Poictiers, concerning La­van, who for a long time hath publickly Taught and printed strange Do­ctrines, Schisms and notorious Heresies: The Brethren may, if they judge meet, cite him to appear before the next Provincial Synod, or privately Com­mune with him; and if he be found Obstinate, there being made a diligent and faithful Collection of his Heresies, they shall be brought into the Pro­vincial Synod, that so they may be, according to the Rule of GOD's Word, condemned. However, out of hand the People shall be admonished to a­void so great a Plague.

V. And whereas our Brother of Poictiers hath declared in private Confe­rence, That an Heretick is not to be punished as an Heretick, but as a Di­sturber of the Civil Government; we say, That were there no other Fault but this, yet he should be admonished not to create Troubles unto the Church; but there being other Circumstances reported unto this Assembly, and these in particular, That he hath very proudly scorned Counsel given him; and basely Calumniated the Minister his Tutor, and the whole Con­sistory, calling him, A blind Leader of the Blind; and notwithstanding the many Remonstrances made him, not to frequent a certain Schismatical He­retick, nevertheless he continues to keep him company: Therefore for these [Page 8]causes we advise, that he be cut off by Excommunication from the Fellow­ship of the Faithful.

VI. The Minister of Poictiers having demanded, Whether it be well done to take their Oaths, who are newly received into the Church not to discover their Brethren.Whether an Oath may be take from such as are re­ceived into the Church. Again, these Novices being made Prisoners for the Gospel's sake, and the Magistrate tendring them an Oath to declare the Truth, whe­ther notwithstanding their first Oath they should discover their Brethren? As to the former it was answer'd, That respect must be had unto the cir­cumstance of Places, that so they may obviate the Levity and Malice of those Persons, who otherwise by their Imprudence and Malice would en­danger an whole Church.Whether a Man notwith­standing his former Oath, may yet after­ward declare his Brethren. And as to the second Question, It is most certain that the end of that Oath being to glorifie God, and preserve Charity, the latter Oath does not oblige to speak or do any thing contrary unto these: But it were better that they did Protest at first never to speak any thing that might redound to the Dishonour of GOD, or the Damage of their Neigh­bours.

Whether Chil­dren may be baptized with­out a Sermon, and where no Church is.VII. Is it necessary that Infants should be baptized in a Publick Church-As­sembly? Or may it be done without such a Congregation, as in a private Family, where there be very few People? We answer, That where a Church is already constituted publickly, there the Children shall be baptized pub­lickly: But where there is none gathered, nor publickly established, and Parents through Infirmity are afraid to carry them to a publick Assembly far distant from them there to be baptized, Ministers may yeild what in Pru­dence they may judge convenient for them.

Whether the Faithful may write their Childrens Names in the Registers of Popish Priests.VIII. Our Brother of St. John d' Angely demanding, Whether the Faithful might lawfully suffer their Childrens Names to be recorded in the Registers of Popish Priests? It was answered, That because it was a Civil Ordinance of his Majesty, the Ministers and Consistories should specially observe the Design and End of him that it, and admonish him that he be very care­ful lest thereby he be taken for a Papist.

Whether the Faithful may Rent Eccle­siastical Reve­nues.IX. Advice hath been taken upon what was proposed by the Minister of St. John d' Angely, viz. Whether the Faithful might lawfully Farm the Eccle­siastical Revenues of Monks and Priests, &c? And it is our Judgment, That it is in no wise lawful for the Faithful to intermeddle with any Matter that hath Idolatry conjoyned with it, as the Patten, or the Baise-mains, or to cause Masses or Vigils to be said or sung, or to maintain Monks, who were appoint­ed to no other Service: But to Farm a Field, Rents, or Lordship, and to pay the Profits accrewing from them unto those Ecclesiasticks, for as much as they be Temporal Lords of them, the Faithful are left unto their liberty therein to do as they please.

Civil Jurisdi­ction may be [...]x [...]d un­der Popish Church-men. Whether an insufficient El­der may be deposed, and a Banker cho­sen.X. It was also determined, That the exercising of Civil Jurisdictions or Pro­curations under the aforesaid Ecclesiasticks, is not in itself unlawful, provided it he not in Spiritual Matters, as they call them.

XI. Moreover, whereas our said Brother of St. John d' Angely hath de­manded, Whether Elders uncapable of discharging their Office, who had [...]een admitted when the Church was first gathered, might lawfully be de­posed, that other better qualified may be elected into their Places? And whether a Banker might be chosen into the Eldership? As to the First Article we answer, That if those Elders be utterly incapable of discharging their Du­ties, they shall be deposed; according to what hath been determined alrea­dy in the Articles of our Discipline. But if they can tollerably perform them, they ought not without their Consent to be laid by. And touching Bankers, in case they meddle with those Diabolical Dispatches of Pardon and Dispensations, and other such-like Popish Abominations, they shall be so far from being received into Office in the Churches, that if after Admonition gi­ven them to desist from such Actions, they do not refrain them, they shall be forthwith Excommunicated.

[Page 9] XII. Our Brother of Orleans propounded the case of a Woman, who was resol­ved to serve God with a pure Continence, but could not agree with her Husband, a Time-server, to commit Idolatry; and whereas fearing trouble that may betide him and his Wife, he gives leave, yea sollicites his Wife to withdraw into a Place of Liberty: Is it lawful for her to follow this Counsel? We an­swer, That as long as this Woman can possibly subsist with her Husband, she ought to live with him, that so many Inconveniencies may be avoided, which would otherwise fall out through her absence: But in case she cannot with­out imminent Danger to herself abide with him, let her embrace our Lord's Counsel, If they persecute you in one city, flie ye unto another. Yet always earnestly importuning her Husband, as in Conscience he is bound, to come un­to her.

Whether Py­rates ought to be received unto the Lord's Sup­per.XIII. Our Brother of Marennes having craved our Advice concerning Py­rates and Tradesmen, who, before they were admitted into the Communion of our Churches, had ill-gotten their Estates, Whether they ought to be re­ceived unto the Lord's Supper? We answer, That not only these, but all o­ther Persons who shall unjustly detain the Goods of other Men; however, that Injustice may be modified, are yet bound in Conscience to make Restitution of those Goods, if they be able, unto their right Owners. And Ministers and Consistories shall take especially care herein: and in case they find them e­minently penitent, and mourning for their Sin, having exhorted them unto Charity, they may admit them unto the Lord's Table.

XIV. He also proposing this Case, Whether Goods sold by Pyrates, might be bought? We answer, That those Merchandizes are either sold publickly by the Permission and Approbation of the Magistrate or not: If the Magi­strate consent unto their Sale, they may with a safe Conscience; but if the Sale be Clandestine, they ought not, because they in buying should be Parties with the Pyrates.

Such as serve themselves of Papal Excom­munications pollute their Consciences. Tythes must be paid in O­bedience to the King's Laws. Children of excommuni­cate Persons are not to be paptized but conditionally.XV. As to the Proposition of our Brother of Xaintes, we answer, That such as use Papal Excommunications do defile their Consciences.

XVI. As to what was proposed by our Brother of St. Lo, we answer, That notwithstanding the Popish Priests do unjustly claim a Right to Tithes up­on the account of their Ministry, yet they must be payed, because of the King's Commandment, as a matter in itself indifferent, and that Sedition and Scandal may be avoided.

XVII. To another Proposal of our Brother, was given this answer, That where both Father and Mother were Excommunicate, their Children should not be received unto Baptism, until such time as the aforesaid Parents, or one of them had reconciled himself unto the Church; unless the Grand-father or Grand-mother of the said Child should present it, in which case it might be baptized, it being their Blood, and descended from them.

One may be present at Po­pish Marriage-Feasts with­out wound­ing Consci­ence.XVIII. He also propounded this Matter of Fact, The Church of St. Lo had been informed, and thereupon maintained, that to be present at Marri­age Feasts celebrated by Popish Priests, although there was no Idolatry in it, at least none consented to by those Guests, yet upon this account only, that the Marriage was contracted and performed after the Popish Way, they were defiled. For which cause, before the Lord's Supper was administred to them, they swear, that they were not present at those Feasts as aforesaid. Yet af­terwards having come to a right understanding of the Truth in this matter, they demand, Whether they be absolved of their Oath, made by them thro' false Information that had been given them. It was answer'd, They were discharged from the Bond of such an Oath.

XIX. Another Fact was also propounded by the same Brother, A Man of S. Lo, being ignorant of the evil Conversation of a Woman, marrieth her, about five Months after she is delivered of Child, whereupon he would forsake her; but the Parents of his Wife telling him, That a Child might be born, and [Page 10]that honestly too in that time, for twelve Months; this Year his Wife carried herself exceeding chastly, or at least he had no occasion to suspect her. But afterward the Husband possibly being weary of his Wife, separates himself from her, and publish­eth how much he was abused by her Parents; though he declares with his own mouth, that he had accompanied with her as an Husband with his Wife. It is demanded, After what manner he is to be dealt with, since he will neither take his said Wife, nor hearken to the Remonstrances of the Consi­story. This Assembly adviseth, That repeated Admonitions be Ministered to him, in which if he do not acquiesce, he shall be rejected by the Church.

XX. That Woman who refuseth or delays to joyn herself unto her Hus­band infected with some contagious Disease, may not however be suspended the Lord's Table: yet shall she be admonished conscienciously to perform that Duty which a Wife owes unto her Husband. And at the same time the Husband shall be acquainted with the Danger to which he doth expose his Wife.

XXI. And in answer to the Question of the Minister of Tours, it was said, That the Wives of infected Persons should not be rejected by the Assembly, provided they may come without danger of infecting it. The other Co­pies read it thus: That the Wives of Unbelievers may be admitted unto our Church-Meetings, provided the Church be not endangered by them.

That Man who suffers his Child to be baptized by a Popish Priest is not to be received to the Lord's Supper but conditional­ly. It's not lawful to Appeal un­to Ecclesiastic Judges.XXII. And to another Case propounded by the same Brother, this an­swer was given, That the Husband of an Unbelieving Wife was not excusa­ble, unless that to the utmost of his power, he had hindred his Child's being baptized by a Popish Priest; and therefore inasmuch as he was wanting un­to his Duty, he shall not be received into Communion with the Church at the Lord's Table.

XXIII. Neither the present Bishops, nor their Officials, nor Arch-Deacons have of right any Jurisdiction Civil or Ecclesiastical: Wherefore it is not law­ful for Believers to cite any one in any Case to Judgment before them, or to appear in Person to answer unto their Citations without a Protestation a­gainst their Power of Judging in Matters belonging unto Conscience: But as to Civil Causes, because we be compelled oftentimes to appear before them that we may recover our Right, which otherwise could never be obtained, we may Address ourselves unto them, as we would unto a Thief that Robs upon the Highway, to obtain some Kindness from him. However, it is more desirable, that every one would totally forbear in such Matters.

XXIV. Such as will have their Banes published by the Parish-Priests may do it, because it is a thing meerly Civil.

XXV. As for such who waiting upon their Masters, enter with them into the Popish Churches, though they do not in the least bend their Knee; yet because the Weak are scandalized, they shall be reproved: And whereas they do commonly alledge the Examples of Naaman and the Duke of Saxony, they shall be born withal when they give as publick Testimony and Evidence not to defile themselves with, or consent unto that Idolatry which is committed in those Temples whereinto they enter, as the Duke and Naaman did.

CHAP. I.

Monsieur Le Bailleur Mo­derator. Monsieur Re­land Scribe. LE Bailleur chosen President.

Roland Scribe.

CHAP. II. A Memorial to be presented unto the States of FRANCE.

Extract out of the C. of the Fr. Ch. of L.WHenas the States of France shall be assembled at the Day appointed, there shall be this propounded unto the King's Majesty, to the Queen Mother, and to the Princes of the Bloud, That they cannot be in a Capacity to satisfie the Requests tendered by the King of Navar at Orleance, till such time as there be a lawful Counsel established for his Majesty: Because there will o­therwise be no Security for the performance of any Contracts and Ordinances that may pass between the King and his Subjects, or between the Subjects themselves, as hath been at all times done, and by those of the last Assembly, who declar­ed, That none could be his Majesty's Privy-Counsellors, nor in his Council of State for any of his Affairs, unless they had been appointed and approved ac­cording to Law. For the Powers of those in being expired at the Death of the late King, so that they are now only in the nature of a Committee, nor can they be reckoned among those Counsellors, whose Commission is irrevocable, as is theirs who are Counsellors in Soveraign Courts, and such like invested with ordinary Jurisdiction: And at present his Majesty hath no Will in Law, being a Minor, nor hath his Majesty constituted them of his Council; nor hath the Queen Mo­ther any Power to make them such. Wherefore none other but the States of the Kingdom can nominate unto the Princes of the Bloud, those Persons whom they judge sit to be Counsellors of State: nor do the said States hereby in the least design or intend to revoke the Power and Authority of their Highnesses the Princes of the Bloud; but only they desire this, That they would be pleas­ed [Page 13]to take their Advice in providing fit and worthy Persons, Persons of Quality and Honour, to take upon them, as Privy-Counsellors, the Management of the Affairs of this Kingdom, who shall be recommended to them, and chosen from a­mong the Nobility and Lawyers. Nor do the said Estates intend to propose or answer any thing till such time as the said Council be thus constituted by the Wisdom of their Highnesses the Princes of the Bloud, and be confirmed accord­ing to Law. And they do protest, That if any thing be attempted, or ordain­ed by any others, that they will Appeal from them unto the next Assembly of the States, which shall be lawfully called, of the Nullity of their Powers and Actings. And farther, they do require, That the Lord High Chancellor, L'Hospital, do forbear acting in his Office as Chancellor, because he hath not been nominated and recommended by the Estates, nor thereupon chosen and appointed by their High­nesses the Princes of the Bloud.

CHAP. III. Observations, Corrections, and Additions to the Church-Discipline, couched and comprised in the Acts of the first National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France, held at Paris, May 25th, 1659.

• ARTICLE I. WHereas the Third Article of our Church-Discipline began with these words: [Every Minister shall come accompanied unto the Synods Pro­vincial or National, with one Elder or Deacon of their Churches or more; and they shall all have their Votes in those Synods.] There shall be this added as is now decreed, That Ministers who come unto the National Synod, may bring with them one or two Elders or Deacons, but not more, chosen by their Consisto­ry, who shall have their, Votes in the said Synod: And the Elders and Dea­cons, or others of that Church, where the Assembly shall be held, may be present at the Debates, and in their order they may give in their Opinions, and Ar­guments upon the Question debated, but two of them only shall have power of Voting to avoid Confusion, nor shall any Deputy depart the Synod without leave first had from the Moderator.
• ART. II. To the Fifth Article, which ran thus: A Minister accompanied with one Elder or Deacon at least from every Church, shall meet together at least once a Year in every Province; there shall be this added, And they shall choose the most commodious Time and Place that may be for their Meeting.
• ART. III. The Sixth Article was thus altered and amended: No Minister shall be now elected by one only Minister or his Consistory, but with two or three Mini­sters together with the Consistory of the vacant Church, or if it may be the Provincial Synod, or by the Colloquy, which shall be called to sit as much as may be in those places where Consistories be already instituted, and unto this the Mi­nister who is to be ordained, shall make his Addresses, and from the Colloquy he shall be presented unto the People to be accepted by them; but in case any one oppose his Admission, the Consistory shall judge hereof, and if neither part con­senteth, [Page 14]senteth, the whole shall be referred to the Provincial Synod, which shall take cog­nisance as well of the Minister's Justification as of his Reception, provided the Consistory and the greater part of the People do approve and consent unto it.
• ART. IV. There shall be this added to the Close of the Twelfth Article,
  Ʋnless in in which
  those places where the Colloquy is made up of six Ministers at least, case the Colloquy may take cognisance of this Intruding Minister.
• ART. V. Forasmuch as it is in no wise expedient that our People should bear Po­pish Preachers, or any others who are not lawfully called to preach the Go­spel in those Churches which have a settled and standing Ministry; there­fore all true Pastors are to hinder as much as in them lieth, the wandring of their People after them.
• ART. VI. And whereas the Sixteenth Article begins thus: Such as teach unsound Do­ctrine, and being admonished will not forbear; there shall be this Addition to it, And those who shall disobey the godly Counsels of God's holy Word given them by the Consistory.
• ART. VII. The Twenty Second and Twenty Third Articles of the said National Sy­nod of Paris speaking of Elders and Deacons, and of their Office, were thus explained: The Elders Office as now used by us is not perpetual. And the Dea­cons Office is to Collect and Distribute the Poors Monies unto them, and to the Prisoners, and to the Sick, and to Visit them in their Afflictions, and to go from House to House, and to Catechize the Members of those Families: and in case a­ny one of these Deacons be fit and qualified, and promise to devote himself for life to the Service of God in the Ministry of the Gospel, then he may be chosen by the Pastor and Consistory to Catechize publickly according to the Form received in our Churches, and this by way of Tryal of their Gifts only, without giving them a­ny power of Administring the Holy Sacraments.
• ART. VIII. Upon the Twenty Fourth Article it was said, That it did not belong to the Office of Elders and Deacons to Catechize in publick, and that their Office was not perpetual; yet notwithstanding, neither the one nor other may de­part from it, without leave first had and obtained from the Church.
• ART. IX. Whereas the Thirty Third Article begins thus: Marriages shall le pro­pounded, after those words Notary Publick, shall be added, Or sufficient At­testation where there is no Publick Notary.

CHAP. IV. New Articles added unto the Church-Discipline, framed in the First Synod of PARIS, May 1559.

• ART. X. IT is now unanimously concluded, That in the Close of every National Synod, one certain particular Church shall be invested with full Power to call within the Year a General Council of all the Provinces; in which there shall meet one Minister, and one Elder or Deacon at least, for every Pro­vince; and other Ministers have liberty to come if they please, and obtain leave from their Churches for so doing: And this General Council shall de­termine of all Church-Matters, nor shall there be any Appeal admitted from it, excepting in such Points as itself shall judge needful to be turned over to the next General Council of all the Churches of this Kingdom, and of other Persons who may think fit to come unto it. And it is left wholly to the Prudence of the General Council in being, to ascertain the time when the next General Council shall be Assembled, which shall be according as the ne­cessity of our Churches Affairs may require it.
• ART. XI. And all Consistories shall be admonished by their Ministers, that they do strictly forbid all Dancing, Mummeries, and Tricks of Jugglers.
• ART. XII. And whoso is once denounced an Heretick or Schismatick, shall also be de­clared such unto the other Churches, that they may be aware of him.
• ART. XIII. Item, The Doctor in a Church may not Baptize, nor Administer the Lord's Supper, unless he be ordained a Minister as well as Doctor at the same time.
• ART. XIV. In every Church the Candidates for the Ministery shall Preach upon Try­al, and their Text shall be some certain Portion of God's holy Word, and this as time and place may conveniently bear.
• ART. XV. Item, Whatever shall be decreed by the Provincial Synods concerning the Suspension of Vagrant Ministers, who intrude themselves into Churches, it shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been ordained by the National Synod.
• ART. XVI. All the Churches shall be admonished to Maintain and Relieve their Mi­nisters in their Necessities. And in case they should refuse a Competency unto their Pastors for their Subsistance, and having been warned of this their [Page 16]Duty, it may be lawful for those Pastors to remove from them, and to en­gage themselves unto the Service of some other Church.

CHAP. V. General MATTERS.

• ARTICLE I. IT is thought needful that in every Church there be a Consistory, consist­ing of Ministers, Deacons and Elders, exercising their Offices, who when Affairs so require may call in whom they think good to consult withal.
• ART. II. The Consistories of the respective Churches shall be advised, that for time to come they do better discharge their Duty towards their Ministers, by succouring them in their Necessities, and raising Maintenance for them and their Families; because Forreign Countries have been exceedingly scan­dalized at the Neglect and Ingratitude of divers Churches even in this par­ticular.
• ART. III. No Matters shall be propounded unto the National Synods, but such one­ly as could not be resolved in the Provincial, nor shall any Cases be brought unto them, but what are of general concernment to all the Churches.
• ART. IV. When as Contention or Debate may arise about Articles of Faith,
  In Articles of Faith, Doctrin or Heresie, the Votes of Mini­sters, Deacons and Elders e­qual. But in Matters of Go­vernment the Votes of all shall be vallid notwithstand­ing the ine­quality of Numbers.
  Doctrine or Heresie, which cannot be decided by Disputes either in the National or Provincial Synods, the Deacons and Elders shall be reduced to an equal number in voting with the Ministers. And in other Matters relating to the Government of the Churches, although the Elders and Deacons exceed in number the Ministers, yet their Suffrages shall be collected.
• ART. V. In the first Constitution of a Church, he may be chosen for an Elder, who hath formerly, or doth as yet hold Communion with the Idolatry of Rome, provided always that he promise never to return more unto it.
• Art. VI. A Minister newly chosen shall bring with him a Testimonial to be deliver­ed into the hands of the Consistory unto whom he is sent, which shall be kept by them very carefully.
• ART. VII. This Order shall be observed by him who begins to Preach in Publick, and to gather a Church, viz. That as soon as possible he can, he shall take their Names and Number who will submit unto Discipline, and who are to be own­ed [Page 17]as Sheep of that Flock, that so all may not be received higly-pigly with­out distinction unto the Lord's Table; and over these there shall be had a most diligen [...] Inspection.
• ART. VIII. All Violences and Injurious Words against the Papists,
  No Injuries shall be offer­ed unto the Popish Church Men.
  as also against their Chaplains, Priests, and Monks shall not only be forborn, but to the utmost of the Church's Power shall be suppressed.
• ART. IX. The Church of Orleance is deputed to call the next National Synod within an Year, or thereabout, and to give notice thereof unto all the Churches three Months before of the Place, Day, and of all those difficult Questions which are to be handled in it: And in order hereunto the other Churches shall within nine Months send unto them those Difficulties which they would have debated and decided by them.

CHAP. VI. Particular MATTERS.

An Abjurati­on before the Magistrate must be re­paired pub­lickly.I. OUr Brother of Poictiers propounded this Case, Whether a Person having Abjured the Gospel before a Judge and his Clerk, he be not bound to publick Pennance? To which it was answered, That inasmuch as the Magistrate is a publick Person, the Abjuration done before him was publick, and therefore it must be repaired by a publick Repentance.

Promises of Marriage by words de prae­senti or de fu­futuro, ought to be kept in­violate.II. Whether plain and sincere Promises of Marriage made by word de fu­turo, may by consent of the Parties be dissolved? We answer, That such Promises whether by words de proesenti or futuro, ought inviolably to be per­formed: for although by those words de futuro, the Accomplishment be de­laid, yet the Parties are nevertheless bound and obliged before God to fulfil them.

Touching the Baptising of Papists Chil­dren, see Par­tie. Matters, c. 3. of the first Synod at Pa­ris.III. The Children of Popish Parents shall not be admitted unto Baptism in our Reformed Churches, although they were presented by a believing Sure­ty, unless the Father or Mother will devest themselves of their Authority, and devolve it upon the Surety, yeilding up and releasing to him their Right, and solemnly ingage that they will allow their Child to be Educated in the true Religion.

IV. Whether for Warning unto others such Persons may not be debarred the Lord's Supper, whose Repentance is only Exteriour? That may be order­ed according to the Grievousness of the Fact.

Whether we may lawfully serve ourselves of Papal Di­spensations.V. Whether a Monk who hath quitted his Monastery, may make use of the Pope's Dispensation, that so he may enter again upon his Estate? We an­swer, That the Monk hath done very ill in using such unjust Means whereby to recover his Estate.

Whoso makes a Trade of Dancing, af­ter divers Ad­monitions, shall be ex­communica­ted.VI. Upon mature Deliberation it is decreed, That whoso professeth a Trade of Dancing, and hath been divers times admonished, and doth not quit it, shall be excommunicated, and principally because of his Obstinacy and Re­bellion.

VII. It being demanded, What Course should be taken with such who ha­ving been a long time Members of the Church, yet do not Communicate at [Page 18]the Lord's Table, lest they should be obliged to a total Renunciation of Idola­try. We answer, That if after some convenient Time and Admonitions gi­ven them, they do not reform this their neglect, they shall be [...]nt off from all Communion with the Church.They are to be Excommuni­cate who re­fuse to par­take with the Church at the Lord's Table. Whether a dying Child may be bapti­sed.

VIII. As to that Question, Whether Baptism may be lawfully administred extraordinarily where the Child is ready to die? It was resolved, That in those places where the Word of God is ordinarily preached, the established Order shall be observed; but in such places where Sermons are had only ex­traordinarily, at an undue Hour, it is left to the Minister's Discretion to ac­commodate themselves to the Infirmities of Parents, yet to be very careful that they do not nourish them up in Superstition.

I [...]s not lawful to marry the Sister of the deceased Wise.IX. May a Man lawfully Espouse the Sister of his deceased Wife, who hath left him Children begotten on her Body by him? To which was an­swered, That this is in no wise lawful nor expedient, and the Church must see to it, that no such Marriages be solemnized in it.

X. May a Woman kept by a Priest as his Concubine, although she pro­test he is her Husband, and the Priest also secretly owns her for his Wife, yet before Witnesses denies it, may she be continued in, or cut off from the Communion of the Church? We answer, That she ought to use all Diligence in summoning the Priest to get their Marriage celebrated, and blessed in the face of the Church; and in case of refusal by the Priest, she shall separate herself from him; and having given satisfactory Proofs of her Repentance, she shall be received into the Fellowship of the Church.

Baptism by a private Per­son is null.XI. What is to be done in case a Child has been baptized by a private Per­son? It's answer'd, That to avoid the Scandal given and taken, there shall be Sermons preached for the better Information of the People, who shall al­so be acquainted with the Nullity of such Baptism; and that this may be im­printed upon their Hearts, the Child shall be brought publickly into the Church there to receive the true Baptism.

XII. In a Church already constituted, may he be chosen for an Elder, who through weakness hath defiled himself with Idolatry, since his Admission into Church-fellowship? It's answered, In case his Fall has been lately commit­ted, and is fresh in memory, he ought not to be chosen.

May a Popish Priest admi­nister the Lord's Sup­per, since we do not disan­nul his Ba­ptism.XIII. May the Lord's Supper be received from a learned Popish Priest, since the Baptism administred by him is not repeated? It's answered, The Case is greatly differing; for he that Communicates is of Age, come to Years of Discretion, and capable of rejecting all the Impurities of his Ministration; whereas this cannot be done by the baptized Infant: wherefore it is in no­wise lawful to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper from the Hands of such a Man.

Whether they ought be re­baptized who had been ba­ptized by a Monk.XIV. Ought they to be rebaptized who were baptized by Monks? We an­swer, That Baptism administred by one destitute of Commission and Calling is altogether Null: wherefore inasmuch as Monks have no Call, neither from the Reformed Churches nor elsewhere, such as have been baptized by them ought to be rebaptized, unless the Monk have been received by a People to preach the Gospel to them, in which case there is the appearance of a Call.

XV. Should a Minister pay so much Deference to his Consistory as to re­fuse Preaching the Gospel to another People, when he can do it without pre­judicing his own Church? We answer, He ought to consider what is most expedient for the Glory of God, and apply himself thereunto, and indeavour with his utmost power to keep Peace and good Understanding with his Con­sistory.Whether they may be in­form'd against who have been guilty of a Crime pu­nishable by the Laws.

XVI. May the Faithful turn Informers against such Church-Members as are guilty of Crimes punishable by the Laws? We answer, That as for scan­dalous Sins, and dangerous to the Commonwealth, the Faithful ought to assist the Magistrate in his Proceedings against the Impenitent, that persist in their [Page 19]Wickedness: but w reiterated, the Censure of the Church shall be sufficient.

XVII. May Priests and beneficed Persons, yet now become Members of the Church, and serving in the Ministry, receive the Revenue of their Cures?Priests tho' Converts, and in the Mini­stry, may not receive a Pen­ny of Revenue from their Be­nefices. Whether a Man having espoused a Maid, and ab­sents himself from her three Years, upon his return her finds married, ought re-de­mand her. We answer, No; by no means.

XVIII. A Man having made promise of Marriage to a certain Maid; up­on Discontent given him by her Parents, and to despight them, utters these words, You shall not see me in three Years time; and accordingly he leaves the Country for that time: Being returned at three Years end, he finds her mar­ried, Is he bound in Conscience to re-demand her, or may he marry himself unto another? It was answered, That if it appear unto the Consistory, that she had re-married herself lightly, without having just and sufficient cause to believe her Husband dead, because she hath falsified her Faith plighted to him by joyning herself unto another, he is not bound to re-demand her: But it shall be sufficient for him to desire the Magistrate, that he would declare him Discharged of his Promise. But if through false Reports she had occasion to believe him dead, and she would not have plaid the Harlot, nor have violated her Faith given him, he must demand her, and be importunate that she be re­stored to him.

May a Judge together with his Office ex­ercise the Mi­nistry.XIX. As to that Case, whether a Judge may together with his Judicial Office exercise the Ministry; it's answered, This is tolerated for a time, but not approved, because the Ministry requires the whole Man, and therefore he ought to lay down his Judicial Office.

Advocates may not plead in the Offici­als Court.XX. Advocates of the Reformed Religion shall neither postulate nor plead in the Officials Court, unless it be in such Cases where Right only is to be had and obtained from them.

A Priest ha­ving sold his Cure, can't be admitted to the Lord's Supper with­out a Recog­nition. Proceedings against an El­der for Un­cleanness.XXI. A Priest having sold his Benefice, though he hath not received the Monies, shall not be received unto the Lord's Table, unless he will protest never to touch or take a Farthing of that Sum, and for the Fault commit­ted by him in selling his Benefice, he shall do Pennance before the Consisto­ry.

XXII. An Elder is accused of Adultery, which yet is denied by him: and although there be no sufficient proof of his Crimes, yet because of the great noise about it, and that the Woman protests the truth of it, that he hath had carnal Knowledge of her, and a Child by her, it is demanded, What Course is to be taken with him? It was answered, That he should be su­spended his Office, and the Cognisance of the Fact should be referred to the Provincial Synod, to whose Jurisdiction this Business doth properly belong, and from whence there shall be no Appeal.

How he is to be dealt with, who hath had a Child by his Cousin-Ger­man.XXIII. A Man having promised Marriage to the Cousin-Geman of his de­ceased Wife, before his Marriage with her has carnally known her, and had a Child by her; but now ho desires to be received into Communion with, and married in the Church. It was answered, That forasmuch as the Mar­riage of Cousin-Germans is not prohibited by the Word of God, although it be by our Magistrates, it is advised, That they shall separate for some time, and make publick Confession of their Fault before the Church; and then the Mi­nister reproving it, and admonishing that none offend for the future in this manner, they shall be then married.

Whether Wo­men may pre­sent Children to Baptism.XXIV. The Question being started, Whether Women might present Chil­dren unto Baptism? It was answered, That this Custom should not be intro­duced. Yet nothing hindred but that for some considerable Reasons it might be upon times admitted.

XXV. It was thought meet to Advise the Churches, that in Matters of ge­neral concern to them, they should send from every Province, upon a com­mon Purse, some particular Person, who follows the Court, to solicite the Af­fars of the Churches in that Province, at Court: and all these Soliciters are [Page 20]to communicate their Counsels together, that so they may be found unani­mously agreeing in those Suits which they prosecute. They shall also carry with them the Confession of Faith, and consult of some means how to Pre­sent it unto the King in the Name of all the Churches. Yet none of them shall pretend unto any Superiority over another: Moreover, every of them shall be admonished by the Province, who dispatched him with its Memoirs and Instructions, that in Matters of importance they decline not in the least from them, without first imparting it unto their Province, or in case of great and urgent Necessity, without having took Advice from such Ministers as are then in Court, and the nearest Church: Yet all these together shall have no Command nor Power over any Church, but only send their Advice unto their respective Provinces; and the Provinces upon those Advices shall take that care and course which they shall judge most expedient.

XXVI. An Elder having collected Monies to be given unto Priests or o­thers, that may sing Masses for the Dead, is he to be deposed from his Of­fice? We answer, Let him be first heard in the Consistory speak for him­self, before they proceed unto his Deposal.

XXVII. It was demanded, Whether the Word of God might be preach­ed publickly, without Authority from the Civil Magistrate? Answer was gi­ven, That there should be special care had of the Time, and Publick Peace, and above all that there be no Tumults nor Sedition.

XXVIII. The Churches of Paris, Orleance, and Rouan are deputed by this present Synod, to Protest against the Popish Council now held at Trent, and of the Nullity of all its Decisions and Decrees; and their Protestation shall be done either by Printed Books, or Oral Remonstrances unto the King's Maje­sty, or by any other way, as they shall judge needful.

XXIX. It is now Decreed, That the Deputies of the Provinces when they go to Court, shall take with them our Confession of Faith; and consult a­mong themselves how to present it unto His Majesty, together with the Pe­titions of our Churches; and to this purpose they shall make Application un­to those Lords, who they know to be Favourers of our Cause and Religion.

XXX. Whereas divers Persons do solicite this National Synod to supply the Congregations, who have sent them hither, with Pastors; they are all an­swered, That at present we are utterly unable to gratifie them; and that there­fore they be advised to set up Propositions of the Word of God, and to take spe­cial care of Educating hopeful young Men in Learning, in the Arts, Languages, and Divinity, who may hereafter be imployed in the Sacred Ministry; and they are most humbly to Petition the Lord of the Harvest to send Labour­ers who may get it in.

XXXI. May he be admitted to communicate in the Bread only at the Lord's Table, who hath an Antipathy against Wine? Yes, he may, provided that he do his utmost to drink of the Cup; but in case he cannot, he shall make a Protestation of his Antipathy.

CHAP. I.

Monsieur De Chandieu, was a very learned French Divine: His Works are, 1. The Marks of the True Church. 2. De L'Ʋnique Sacrifice. 3. Contra les Traditions, &c. in Follo. He was Lord of Chandieu, and Baron of Cha­bot, chosen by the Church of Paris to be their Pastor at Twenty Years of Age, and Moderator of this National Synod at Twenty three: A Gentleman of eminent Piety and Gravity. He was desired by the King of Navary to be his Pa­stor; and upon his Death removed to Geneva, where he was called to the Pastoral Office in that City, and discharged it with very great fidelity. He never took any Wages for his Work in the Ministry. He wrote himself, Sadeel; which is the Hebrew of Chandieu, The Field of GOD. He died of an Hectick Fever, in the 57th Year of his Age, saith Mr. Du Thou; but he was mistaken, for it was in the 63d, Anno 1591. Melchior Adams hath writ his Life, among his Theolog. Exteri. ANthony de Chandieu, Minister in the Church of Paris, chosen Pre­sident. Robert le Macon, Lord La Fountaine, Minister in the Church of Orleance, and Peter Sevin Deacon of the Church of Paris, cho­sen Scribes by General Consent of the Deputies.

CHAP. II. General MATTERS.

This Synod bears the Name, and has the Au­thority of a General Coun­cil, by the Advice of the Assembly.I. THE Ministers and Elders Convocated in this Assembly of Orleance, for the General Council of France, following the Determination of the last Synod held at Poictiers, are of Opinion, That the present Assem­bly should have, and bear the Name and Authority of the Council General of the Deputies of this Kingdom, notwithstanding that several Deputies are absent, who shall be sufficiently informed of Matters debated and resolved in this Council, together with the Reasons for which, notwithstanding their absence, we were constrained to proceed without them; all which shall be more largely declared in the next General Council; where also shall be heard the Reasons of those absent Deputies, for their Non-attendance, and their Ar­guments, if need be, against the Decisions of the present Council.

Ministers of Princes and great Lords shall sign the Confession of Faith.II. The Princes, and other great Lords following the Court, in case they would have Churches instituted in their Houses, shall be desired to take such for their Pastors, as are Ministers in Churches truly Reformed, bringing with them sufficient Testimonials of their Lawful Call unto the Ministry; [Page 23]who shall before their Admission, subscribe the Confession of Faith of the Churches in this Kingdom, and our Church-Discipline. And that the Preach­ing of the Gospel may be more successful, the said Protestant Lords shall be requested, every one of them, to erect a Consistory,There shall be a Consistory in their Houses. composed of the Mi­nisters and other Persons most eminent for Piety in their said Family; by which Consistory all Scandals and Vices shall be supprest, and the Rules of Discipline observed. Moreover, those Ministers shall be present at Provin­cial Synods, if it may possibly consist with their occasions: And that this may be effected, the Council hath ordained, That the Province in which the Synod shall be assembled, shall be obliged to call them to it: And those Ministers especially, or a part of them shall be there present, being deputed by the rest unto the General Synods together with their Elders, who may inform the said General or Provincial Synods, of their Lives and Conver­sation. And in case the said Lords and Princes have divers Houses, they shall be advertis'd,None to have preheminence over another. that none of their Ministers may pretend domination or preheminence over another; according to that Article of our Church-Disci­pline in this case expresly provided. And when as the said Lords and Prin­ces shall reside in those Houses of theirs, where there is a Church already formed, we desire for the preventing of all Divisions, that the Church in their Family would joyn itself unto the Church of that place, and for that time to make but one Assembly.

III. Whenas the Lord's Supper shall be celebrated in the close of every Sy­nod, according to the Fourth Article of our Church-Discipline, in the Acts of the First National Synod: The said Sacrament shall not be administred privately to the Ministers and Elders only deputed unto these Synods, but in publick, and to the whole Church, in which they be assembled.

A Bishop or Curate may not be recei­ved into the Ministry, till they have first renoun­ced all their Benefices, and long tryal had of them.IV. If it happen that a Bishop or Curate, desire to be promoted unto the Ministry of the Gospel, they may not be received, till such time as they are first admitted Members of the Church, renouncing all their Benefices, and other Rights depending on the Church of Rome, professing also publickly Repentance for their past sins, as they shall be ordered by the Consistory; and after long tryal and proof had of their Repentance, and Godly Con­versation, they may be chosen into the Ministry of the Gospel, according to the Canons of our Church-Discipline, 6 & 8. of the Synod of Paris, and 3. of Poictiers.

A Minister must be or­dained to a particular Flock. Ministers may not quit their Churches, nor joyn them­selves unto a­ny other, without the Authority of the Provincial Synod, or without the Consent of the Neighbour-Ministers, or of that Church unto which they were sent. Ministers pre­side by Turns. Provinces may not be divi­ded without the Advice of Synods.V. Ministers shall not be ordained without assigning them to some parti­cular Flock. If they be sent any where for a certain time, that time being expired, they shall return unto the Church from whence they parted, and be under her power: And in case they were not accepted by the Church, unto which they were sent, they shall be at liberty to return unto the Church from which they parted, or else to wait the Determination of a Provincial Synod concerning them; during which time they may not Preach, but by the Advice of two or three Neighbour-Ministers. And this also shall be observed by them, who having leave do depart their Churches, without ever being sent elsewhere, that so no Ministers may be Vagrants, nor by their own Authority intrude themselves where best liketh them.

VI. Ministers shall preside by Turns in their Consistories and Synods, that so none may presume to any superiority over another.

VII. The Division of Provinces, as they relate unto Provincial Synods, shall remain in their first Estate: And in case the said Provinces have too great a number of Churches, they may be divided according to the Advice of those Provincial Synods, which shall consider the conveniency of those Churches, complaining of their too great distance, and recommend them to another Province nearer to them, and more commodious for them; and gi­ving them to this purpose Letters of Dismission unto that Province, into which they shall be incorporated. And as for Churches erected since the [Page 24]last Provincial Synods, and others that may be hereafter constituted, they shall be obliged to joyn themselves unto the nearest Province.

VIII. The Faithful shall be exhorted not to Scandalize the Papists by work­ing upon Holy-days.Works may not be done on Festivas. Spiritual Kin­red not com­prised in the words of Affi­nity and Con­sanguinity. Rule for Mar­riages dissol­ved by Adul­tery. And as concerning that which they call Spiritual Kin­red, this Council is of Opinion, That it is not comprised nor understood by the words of Affinity and Consanguinity in the last Edict of January: How­ever, it adviseth, That the Deputies of the Churches do, upon the first oc­casion presented to them, endeavour to obtain the King's Declaration as to this and other matters.

IX. And as for Marriages dissolved for Adultery, it is now Ordained, That the Churches may not marry those Persons without observing this Or­der: The wronged Person, who hath not offended, shall be bound to Prose­cute at Law before the Magistrate its offending Party, so long till that by his final Sentence he be convicted;See the 53d Article of the Synod at Ver­t [...]til. which said Sentence he shall produce before the Consistory, demanding leave and permission to marry. Which Consi­story having called the Parties concerned before them, may grant them Li­cense to marry. But the offending Party shall not be permitted Marriage till such time as the Offended be first married; and then this Offender ha­ving done publick Pennance according to the Prudence of the Consistory, may have License to marry. And this Canon shall be in force till the Churches have greater Liberty. This shall hold also in the case of Fornica­tion after Promises of Marriage, where the Whoredom was not known unto the espoused Party.

Such as coha­bit before Marriage shall do publick Penance, or before the Consistory.X. Whoso shall have cohabited together as Man and Wife without having been first lawfully and solemnly married, and now demand to be married, shall do publick Penance, or at least before the Consistory, according to its Discretion: and then the Marriage may be celebrated, all requisite Solemni­ties being first observed; excepting such Persons who shall have cohabited together during the time of their Ignorance, and not despised contemptuous­ly the Orders of our Churches. And it shall hold also in their Case who have cohabited together, where there was no Church constituted in the places of their abode: These shall only be called into the Consistory, that their Marriage may be ratified.

None may with a good Conscience advise the buying of an Office Judi­cial. Care must be had about Mo­desty in Gar­ments.XI. It being expresly forbidden us by the Kings to purchase any Estate or Office of Judicature; no Church shall advise the doing of it.

XII. The Churches shall admonish the Faithful of both Sexes to be very Modest in their Apparel, and to retrench all Excesses and Superfluities, which are originally committed in and about it: However, the Churches shall make no Decrees concerning it, because 'tis a matter belonging to the Ci­vil Magistrate; but they shall cause the King's Ordinances relating hereun­to diligently to be observed. Nor may the Churches excommunicate any Man or Woman for using such Habits and Fashions as are common and cu­stomary in this Kingdom.

Benefices may not be pur­chased for fear of countenan­cing Idolatry. No Pastor may be depu­ted to Visit the Churches.XIII. The Faisthful cannot with a good Conscience purchase any Benefices, nor part of their Revenue, least by this means they should be intangled with some kind of Idolatry, or in the least sort be Favourers of it.

XIV. Whereas some Ministers have been deputed by certain Provincial Synods to visit the Churches; this Council doth advise, That the Order formerly used to discover Scandals, arising in the Churches being sufficient for that purpose, is now again ratified and approved by this Council, and this new-found Office is condemned, because of its dangerous Consequence.

No Prayers at the Grave.XV. That all Superstition may be avoided, Ministers shall not use any Prayers at the Interment of our Dead.

When the Dis­cipline is to be read in the Consistories.XVI. The Articles of our Ecclesiastical Discipline shall be read in the Con­sistories of the Reformed Churches, at such times at least when as the Sacra­ment of the Lord's Supper is administred.

[Page 25] XVII. The Churches shall suppress Usuries, and all manner of Extortions, as much as lieth in their Power: yet they may not condemn those who re­ceive a moderate Profit for the Loan of their Monies, provided it be con­formable to the King's Ordinance, and the Rule of Charity.All Usury is sharply to be reproved. See the Synod of Lyons, p. 9.

XVIII. Priests, Monks, and other Ecclesiasticks of the Romish Church, be­fore they be received unto Communion with us at the Lord's Supper, shall manifest their Repentance before the Consistory, and for some particular cau­ses, if the Consistory do judge it requisite, they shall testifie it before the whole Assembly.

Concerning Monitories. See the Synod of Montpeil­lier, Observa­tions on the Discipline, Art. 24. The Faithful may do no­thing that may favour Idola­try.XIX. The Faithful may not take out Admonitions, or execute Excommu­nications from the Church of Rome, nor obtain a Dispensation for Swearing from the Official, or any other belonging unto that Church; and though there hath been a Recompense given, the Oath cannot hinder the Rescission of the Contract.

XX. Printers, Booksellers, Painters, and in general all the Faithful, espe­cially such as bear Office in the Church, shall be admonished, not to exer­cise their Arts, Office, or Calling in or about the Superstitions of the Romish Church, or their Dependencies, nor in the least to savour them: and the Cog­nisance of particular Matters, that may happen hereupon, and their Corre­ction and Reformation shall belong unto the Consistories.

What Names may be given or rejected in Baptism.XXI. Concerning Names, imposed upon Children, Ministers shall reject those which yet remain of old Paganism; nor shall they give unto Infants such as are attributed unto God in Holy Scripture; nor Names of Office, as Baptist, Angel, Archangel: moreover, Parents and Sureties shall be admo­nished, as much as in them lieth, to take those which are approved by God's sacred Word.

XXII. Although a Church having lent a Minister for a time, and that expired, may re-demand him back unto its Service; yet ought it to have re­spect unto the Necessities of that Church where the said Minister hath been sent, and shall ordain herein what will make most for the Glory of God, and the Edification of his Church.

XXIII. No Church shall marry any Persons without having first received ample Information and Approbation of and about them.

XXIV. The Inconveniencies which have already risen, and may in time to come arise from the usual publick Catechisings by Deacons having been heard and consider'd, the Council hath remitted the intire Decision of this Matter unto the next National Synod; and in the mean while Exhorts those Churches which have not received that Custom, never to admit it; and in other places where it is practised, the Churches are likewise exhorted to deal with their Deacons in case they be fitted for it, to enter into the Mi­nistry as soon as possible they can.

One may be adjured in Consistory to declare the Truth. Booksellers may not print any thing a­gainst Religi­on, nor may the Hawkers vent any scan­dalous ones.XXV. The Faithful may by their Consistories be adjured to declare the Truth, because this doth not in the least derogate from the Authority of the Civil Magistrate.

XXVI. Churches having Printers and Booksellers, shall carefully advise them to print no Books concerning Religion, or the Discipline of the Church, before they have communicated them unto their Consistories, because of the Inconveniencies that have arriv'd: Nor may many Booksellers or Hawkers sell scandalous Books, nor may they in the sale of their Books take unto themselves immoderate Gains.

CHAP. III. Discipline exercised upon Delinquents.
Particular Matters.

THe Council having heard and considered the Proceedings against James le Fevre, his Excommunication, and the publick Penance imposed on him by the Authority of the last Provincial Synod held at Gien, and the De­portment of the said Le Fevre in undergoing publick Penance, together with its Consequences; and having understood the whole of that Affair partly from the Relation of the Brethren, and partly from his own Confession; the Council is of Opinion, That the said James le Fevre hath not well nor due­ly made that publick Confession which was injoyned him, nor given Testi­mony of his Repentance; and for this cause the Excommunication denoun­ced against him, shall abide in its full power and vigour: and therefore the Council hath declared, and doth now again declare him a Man uncapable of serving the Church of God until such time as he shall have first undergone publick Penance in the Church of Bourges; in which Penance shall be de­clared the Facts contained in the Article of the said Synod of Gien touching this matter: And moreover, this shall be added, That by his Replies and Murmurings he had shewn himself Refractory and Disobedient to the Dis­pline of the Church: And whenas there shall be good Evidences of his Repentance, he may be received into the Communion of the Lord's Sup­per.

II. As to those matters concerning David de Brosses, who calling himself Minister of the Church of Melun; after hearing the Charge brought in a­gainst him by the Deputies of the Church of Paris, who had opposed his Election, because of the wicked Doctrine formerly broach'd by the said Da­vid, and because of the Troubles and Schisms excited by him, particularly in the Church of Melun, and because of his wicked and debauched Life, which hath occasion'd a Process of Enormous Crimes to be commenced against him, and from which he hath not purged himself before the Consistory; the proofs of all these matters having been laid down in Writing, read and dili­gently considered, divers Brethren, Ministers of God's Holy Word, having been heard also, both as to the Doctrine published by the said David, and his Life and Conversation: The Council judgeth the Opposition founded by the Church of Paris against him, to be good and valid; the Election of the said David made by the Church of Melun to be null, void, and of no force nor ef­fect: And farthermore, the said Council hath declared, and doth delare the said David uncapable of the Ministry of the Gospel, until such time as he shall have manifested his Innocency before a National Synod of the Reform­ed Churches in this Kingdom: Yea, moreover, the said Council hath ex­communicated him out of the Church, until such time as he shall have testi­fied publickly his Repentance, by confessing publickly his Sin, and that in the Church of Melun, which he hath troubled by his Schism, in case he re­turn unto it, or in any Church unto which he would hereafter joyn himself; and that Church having good Evidences and Testimonials of his Repentance, may receive him unto Communion with it in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. But and if the said David despising the present Decree of this Council, shall hereafter intrude himself into any Church, and cause new Troubles and Divisions in it; then this Council commands that Province, in which the said David shall be, and reside, to Formalize itself against him: and upon this account the Church of Paris shall be obliged to furnish the said Pro­vince [Page 27]with Proofs which it hath now, or may have had heretofore lying by against the said David; that so he may be proceeded against in such a man­ner as shall be thought most advisable for the Repose of the Church.

III. Touching the matter propounded by the Minister of Paris, the Coun­cil is of Opinion, That the Marriage pretended to be broken by reason of Spiritual Kinred, doth remain firm, and in its full power: and therefore the second Marriage which hath since intervened is null, and these second married Persons are excommunicated because of their Adulteries, until such time as they have done publick Penance, and shall have duely evidenced their Re­pentance.

IV. Whereas our Brother the Minister of Varennes, in Picardy, doth usu­ally administer the Lord's Supper every Month, the Council doth advise, That our Brother of Mont-mejor do admonish him in the Council's Name, to follow the general Practice of our Churches, that so there may be no Diver­sity among us, and our Uniformity may be preserved.

V. The Churches are advertised, to take notice of a Fellow called Frede­rick Thierry, formerly an Augustin Fryar; as also of another called Marmande, as being Vagrants.

VI. 'Tis the Judgment of this Council, That a Minister being imployed in the Church, may not ordinarily exercise any other Calling, nor receive Wages for it. Our Brother of Britain moved this Question.

VII. As to that Book entituled, A Treatise of Christian Discipline and Po­lity; composed and published by John Morelly, the Council judges, That as to the Points concerning the Discipline of the Church, by which he pretends to condemn and subvert the Order received in our Churches, sounded upon the Word of God, that the said Book contains wicked Doctrine, and tends to the Confusion and Dissipation of the Church; and therefore the said Council cautions the Faithful to take heed of the aforesaid Doctrine.

VIII. A Remonstrance being made by the Church of Poictiers, about an Appeal brought by the People of the City of Loudun, from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Poictou, held at Niort, concerning the Fact of Maturin Sibileau, the said Appeal having been signified to the Church of Poictiers, on behalf of the said People of Loudun; the Decrees both of the Pro­vincial Synod held at Partinay, and of the Synod of Niort, were read and considered. Whereupon this present Council hath, and doth send back the Knowledge of the said Cause unto the next Provincial Synod of Touraine, which by the Authority of this Council, shall pass a Definitive Judgment upon these Persons, although they were absent, provided their Absence be not out of Contumacy, and they had been duely informed of the meeting of that Synod. And in the mean while it is ordained, That both the said Sibileau, and the said People of Loudun, shall yeild Obedience to the Sy­nod of Niort: And to this purpose the Church of Poictiers is required to signifie this present Sentence; and the Church of Tours is to Assemble the said Provincial Synod.

IX. A Petition being presented by Madam Margaret de la Voirie, con­cerning a Marriage pretended to have been contracted between her and the Noble William de Schilhant: The Council has approved, and doth approve of that Sentence given by the Provincial Synod of Touraine, held at Mans the last October, by which the said Marriage was declared Incestuous, be­cause the said De Schilhant had formerly espoused the Sister of the said Petiti­oner, whereunto it does injoyn the said Lady quietly to submit, and to ob­serve it with Repose and Tranquility of Conscience; moreover, the Council exhorts her to return unto her own Church, there to make such Acknow­ledgment of her Fault, as the Consistory shall think meet.

X. Having heard the Remonstrance made by our Brother the Deputy of Poictou, concerning Peter Boulay, who had intruded himself into the Ministry [Page 28]of the Church of Niort: The Council ratifies and approves the Determina­tion of the Provincial Synod held at Niort, by which the said Boulay was declared uncapable and insufficient to be chosen into the Ministry of the Gospel, until such time as he had given proofs of his Sufficiency be­fore the Provincial Synod of Poictou. Moreover, this present Council hath ordained, That this very Advice shall be signified both unto the said Boulay, and to all those who do abett him, by our Brethren La Fo­rest and De Thire, who making report unto the next approaching Sy­nod of Poictou, of the Obedience or Rebellion of the said Boulay, and his Abettors; a final Period shall be put unto this Affair according to the Rules of our Church-Discipline. And the Council leaves it to the Wisdom of the next [...]ynod, whether it be expedient for the common Edification, of the Church, that our brother De la Fayole be not also removed from Niort.

XII. There shall be no Alteration made in that Article of our Disci­pline touching the Choice of Ministers: and the Council hath ordain­ed, ThatIn the Book of Niort he is called M John Vi [...]ier. Mr. John Rebitt do sign the Confession of Faith, and Articles of Discipline; and moreover, doth expresly forbid him so Teach in his Le­ctures Doctrine contrary unto them; that so there may be no Disunion in the Church: and if he should refuse Submission to this Advise of the Coun­cil, he shall be sent back to the Consistory of that City, to be dealt withal according to the Canons of our Church-Discipline.

XII. As to that Question moved by our Brother of Orleance, the Coun­cil hath, and doth leave it to the liberty of the respective Consistories, to judge of those who may be sit to assist at the Examination of Candidates for the Ministry, as may be most expedient for their Edification, yet so as they shall not suffer any besides the Members of the said Consistory to ex­amine them.

XIII. The Council judgeth it inconvenient to publish from the Pulpit, the Articles of our Discipline; yet they may be given unto such as desire them by the Consistories.

XIV. Whereas the Letters sent unto this present General Council of the Reformed Churches of France, assembled at Orleance, byThe Book of Niort calls him Jod [...]. Maurice Joe­quin, are fraught with heavy Complaints against David Vivian, Mini­ster of Bourges, and divers others of the Consistory of the said Church; and because both Parties are absent, the said Council remands them un­to the next approaching Provincial Synod Berry, that there the said Vi­vian, and the other Members of the Consistory may be dealt withal as is just and sitting. In the mean while, considering the outragious and pro­phane Words mentioned in the said Letters, and the Contumacy of the said Joequin, disdaining to come unto this present Council, after he had been law­fully summoned, and the Threatnings contained in his Answer; divers of our Brethren having been heard on this Affair, reporting his continual Re­bellions against the Consistory of the said Church, for near six Months toge­ther: The Council doth injoyn the Consistory to call the said Joequin be­fore them, and to give him a very severe Reproof for the sorementioned Crimes; and in case of his Contempt and continued Rebellion, to depose him from his Office of Deacon without delay, as also to cut him off from the Communion of the Church, and to denounce him publickly Excommu­nicate, until such time as he shall have given publick satisfactory Evidences of his Repentance.

CHAP. I.

M^R. Peter Virett, Minister in the Church of Lions, was chosen Mode­derator and Scribe.

CHAP. II. Observations, Additions, and Annotations upon the Church-Discipline.
Of SYNODS.

• ARTICLE. I. AT the Opening of all National and Provincial Synods, the Canons of our Church-Discipline shall be read; and for the future, Provin­cial Synods shall send unto the National, those Articles and Canons composed by them for the Government of their respective Provinces, and all the Chur­ches in their District.
• ARTICLE. II. The Canons of the three former National Synods held at Paris, Poi­ctiers, and Orleance, shall be reduced into a Body: and this Order shall con­stantly be observed at the end of every National Synod.
• ARTICLE. III. Every Sentence of Excommunication confirmed by the Provincial Sy­nod shall be for the future stable and valid.
• IV. None other Articles of Discipline shall be divulged, but those which were composed by common Consent of all the Deputies.
• ARTICLE. V. The Deputies of the Provinces shall not depart from the National Sy­nod, without carrying home with them the Resolutions and Decrees of the Synod, signed and attested by the Moderator and Scribe.

CHAP. III. Of CONSISTORIES.

• ARTICLE. VI. ALtho' it may be convenient in weighty and important Business of the Church, to call into gether with the Consistory, some of the most discreet and judicious Members of the Church, though they be not in actual Office in the Consistory; yet nevertheless there ought not to be any other ordinary Assembly, or Form of Council for Church-Matters, excepting the Body of the Consistory, which hath been chosen and settled by the Church to these very ends and purposes, who be Persons in publick Offices, which the others are not.
• ARTICLE. VII. A Civil Magistrate may be a Member of the Consistory, provided it do not hinder him in the Exercise of his publick Office, nor be prejudicial to the Church.
• VIII. Professors of Divinity may be admitted Members of Consistories, and deputed unto Synods.
• ARTICLE. IX. Consistories are left at liberty to receive as Members into them, both Father and Son, and two Brothers at the same time, unless there be some­thing which may hinder it; of which the Provincial Synod shall take Cog­nisance.
• ARTICLE. X. Although the Body of the Consistory may advise, and admonish dis­agreeing Persons to terminate their Controversies and Suits at Law; yet that very Consistory shall never consent to be the Judge or Arbitrator of those Controversies betwixt Persons at Variance about worldly Goods and Estates: but in case any Members of the Church, not of the Consistory, shall be em­ployed as Arbitrators in those Differences, then the Members of the Consi­story may assist them with their particular Advice, but always in their pri­vate Capacities.

CHAP. IV. Concerning CENSƲRES.

• ARTICLE. XI. IF any Officer of our Reformed Churches shall have committed Ido­latry in times of Persecution, they shall be deposed from their Office, and before they be admitted to communicate at the Lord's Table, they shall do publick Penance. And as for private Persons, who have offended in the same manner, they also shall undergo such a Penance as the Consistory shall judge meet. The whole to be managed with Christian Moderation according to the Discipline.
• ARTICLE. XII. Ministers who scandalize the World by marrying basely and unwor­thily, the Brethren in this Synod are all of one Mind and Advice, That Con­sistories [Page 33]shall proceed against these Delinquents in such a manner, as may prevent all Scandals for the future.

CHAP. V. Of MINISTERS.

• ARTICLE. XIV. MInisters, though settled in one Church, may be lent unto other Churches for some time for their Instruction and Comfort. And whenas our Proposans are called unto the Ministry, they shall be settled in some one particular Church, there constantly to remain; yet Synods shall have Power to remove Ministers from one Place to another, for some certain Reasons and Considerations, provided their Churches do consent unto it, ac­cording to the Discipline.
• ARTICLE. XV. Here must be inserted the Fifth Canon of the National Synod of Or­leance, viz. Ministers shall not quit their Churches, nor joyn themselves unto a­ny other without the Authority of the Provincial Synod, or consent of the Neigh­bour-Ministers, or that Church unto which they were sent.
• XVI. Whenas a Minister is to be chosen, not only the Consistories of that Church, but the Neighbour-Ministers also shall, with the Colloquy pursue that Election.

CHAP. VI. Of BAPTISM.

• ARTICLE. XVII. MInisters shall admonish their Flocks to compose themselves with­all possible Reverence at the Administration of both the Sa­craments.
• ARTICLE. XVIII. Women alone shall not be admitted to present Children unto Ba­ptism.
• ARTICLE. XIX. If a Person come to Years of Discretion was never baptized, and shall desire that he may be admitted into the Church of God by that Initial Sacrament, he shall not be baptized till he have made a publick Confession of his Faith, and evidence that he hath a competent measure of Understanding and Knowledge in the Articles of our Christian Religion.

CHAP. VII. Of MARRIAGES.

• ARTICLE. XX. MInisters neither may nor shall marry such as are professed Pa­pists, till they have first renounced their Popish Religion, Su­perstition, the Mass, and do make profession of our Faith, although the Hus­band himself should be a Believer.
• ARTICLE. XXI. The Churches shall be informed not to celebrate any Marriages of Strangers out of the places of their abode, without sufficient Attestation from that Church unto which they do belong.
• ARTICLE. XXII. The Banes shall be published on two Lord's Days in those places where there be Weekly Sermons, and if in other places, then at such times as there is Exhortation made, and common Prayers; yea, also they shall there be published thrice within the Fortnight. It may be lawful, but not necessary, to publish the Banes of Marriage in the Popish Temples.
• ARTICLE. XXIII. 'Tis the Judgment of this Synod, That a Man having left his Wife because of Leprosie, and married another, his first being yet alive, that this his Marriage is null before God; and that therefore he may not be admitted to the Lord's Table, till he have first separated from this second Wife, and re­paired the Scandal he hath given the Church by publick Penance.

CHAP. VIII. About Interests of Money.

• ARTICLE. XXIV. ALL Persons shall carefully observe the King's Edicts, and the Rules of Charity about Interest of Money.

CHAP. IX. About Vagrants, Hereticks, and Schismaticks.

• ARTICLE. XXV. VAgrants, Hereticks, and Schismaticks shall be notified unto all Churches, that they may be aware of them.

CHAP. X. Of the LORD's SƲPPER.

THe Churches shall be informed, that it belongs only unto Ministers to give the Cup in the Lord's Supper, if possible they can do it, and that all evil Consequences may be avoided.

CHAP. XI. General MATTERS.

I. MInisters shall exhort their Churches to demean themselves with all Reverence, during the Administration of Baptism.

II. Women only shall not be admitted to present Children unto Baptism.

III. This Synod explaining the Article of the foregoing Synod concerning Baptism, saith, That no Baptism shall be administred unless in publick Church-Meetings.

The Cup at the Lord's Supper must be given by the Ministers.IV. The Churches shall be informed, That it belongs only unto Ministers to give the Cup at the Lord's Table, and to obviate all evil Consequences, it be possible none else shall deliver it.

V. All Vagrants, Hereticks, and Schismaticks shall be denounced such by Name unto the Churches, that they may beware of them.

VI. Consistories shall be directed to call none before them, unless there be good and sufficient ground for it.

VII. Professors that are Ministers, may be Members of Consistories and Synods.

To remove and change Ministers, the Power is ve­sted in the Synods.VIII. Ministers, tho' already fixed in one Church, may yet be lent unto another for its Edification for some time. And when as our Candidates shall be called into the Ministry, they shall have a certain Flock assigned to them, among whom they shall have their constant abode. The Power of remo­ving Ministers for certain considerations remaining in the Synods, with the consent of their Churches, according to the Discipline.

Excommuni­cation [...] Synod [...] of [...] Appeal. Whole Consi­stories [...]y not be Arbi­trators. All Sentences of Excommunication ratified by Provincial Synods, shall for the future be confirmed, and no Appeal from them.

X. The Bodies of Consistories shall never be chosen Arbiters, but only some particular Members from among them instead of the whole.

XI. None other Articles of the Church-Discipline shall be divulged, but such as have been resolved on unanimously by all the Deputies in the National Synod.

CHAP. XII. A Case of CONSCIENCE.

XII. MAy a Man marry his Cousin-German, or she that is one degree removed? This Synod is of Opinion, That care be taken of gi­ving Scandal in such a case, and the Offence being removed, we know nothing to the contrary but that such Persons may marry, for they do not sin against any Prohibition of God.

[Page 36] XIII. At the openings of all Synods Provincial or National, all the Articles of the Discipline shall be read: And for time to come, Provincial Synods shall s [...]d unto the General Assemblies the Articles decreed by them, as well such a [...] concern the Government of their own Province,The Book of Discipline to be read at the beginning of all Synods. as those others which concern the generality of the Churches.

XIV. Consistories have full liberty to receive Father and Son, or two Bro­thers at the same time into Office among them, unless there be some just cause which may hinder it, whereof the Provincial Synod shall take Cognisance.

CHAP. XIII. A BOOK Censured.

XV. HAving seen and read a certain Book intituled, A Declaration of the Mystery and Secret of God, demonstrated by two Pictures; as al­so another Book in Manuscript, intituled, The Mirrour of Antichrist; This Assembly declares the said Books to be full of Blasphemies, Heresies, and of vain and scandalous Discourses, and therefore adviseth the Faithful to beware of them; and their Author is declared unworthy of the Ministry, and of a­ny other Office in the Church; and the Books shall be put into the hands of the Ministers of the Classis of Nismes, who shall tender them unto their su­spected Author, and if he avow them for his own, then to depose him from all Office, if he bear any in the Church, and to proceed farther against him, as they shall judge meet.

CHAP. XIV. Particular MATTERS.

James Pinus deposed from the Ministry for being a Vagrant, &c. JAmes Pinus is declared unworthy of the Ministry, and the Sentence of the Synod of Niort, condemning him for divers Crimes from which he hath never purged himself, is confirmed; in particular, 1. That he intruded him­self into the Ministry without a Call. 2. For that since he hath continued in it notwithstanding the Remonstrances made him, and his Promises to desist, which he made unto the National Synod of Poictiers: Moreover, he shall be bound to reconcile himself unto the Churches of Geneva and Lausanna.

And for what concerns our Brother De Ressé, he shall be exhorted by Let­ters to continue in his Ministry, and to renounce Pleading at the Bar, and other Businesses which take him off from his Calling: and in case of his Re­bellion he shall be forthwith deposed, and cut off from Communion with the Church. And the Church of Talmont is admonished to live in Concord with the other Churches.

CHAP. XV.

UPon those Remonstrances presented by the States of Languedoc unto this Synod, there was this Advice given: As to the first and second Ar­ticles concerning Ministers, Letters shall be written unto the Provincial Sy­nod [Page 37]of Languedoc, exhorting the Ministers of that Province to watch mutual­ly over one another: as also other Letters unto the States, acquainting them, That because we cannot learn neither by Letter nor word of Mouth from their Deputy, who those Ministers accused of Negligence be, we will write in general concerning it unto the Provincial Synod of Languedoc. And as to the third and fourth Articles, this shall be inserted in the Letters to our Brethren of Languedoc, That they do their endeavour to advance the Kingdom of God, as much as in them lieth, not only at home in their own Churches, but if it may be done without incommoding their own Flocks, abroad also. And in the Letters to the Estates, it shall be remonstrated, That it is the Minister's Office to regulate them and their Flocks according to the Word of God, and the Church's Discipline; and that it is the Duty of Magistrates to watch over all Orders and Degrees of Men, and in particular over Ministers, that they walk uprightly in their Calling, and in case Ministers be deficient and faulty, that they cause them to be admonished and censured according to the Disci­pline by Classes and Synods: Not hereby understanding such Crimes as are punishable by the Laws, the Cognisance whereof doth properly appertain un­to the Civil Magistrate.

As to the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth Articles, the Ministers of Langue­doc shall be informed by our Letters to them, that in case of lesser, slighter, private and domestick Injuries, it shall be sufficient if a Member of the Con­sistory do secretly admonish the Offender: But in case of publick and scan­dalous Offences, as circumstances may be, those who implead others at Law may be called into the Consistory, unless besides their Law-suit they had com­mitted some other and more scandalous Crime: nevertheless, they shall by Exhortations and other means endeavour to compromise and reconcile the litigant Parties. And in our Letter to the States, this Clause shall be insert­ted, That though in Law-sence a Crime is then called publick when it me­rits exemplary Punishment, yet we account that a publick Crime, which coming to the knowledge of the World, or of many does beget Scandal or evil Example; so, that all circumstances considered, nothing hindreth but that these publick Crimes may be censured and corrected.

As to the ninth, tenth and eleventh Articles, by which the Estates demand Obedience to be yeilded unto Magistrates, and in particular that they be cal­led into Consistories, Classes, and Synods, provided this be communicated un­to both the Parties Plaintiff and Defendant, this Council does freely grant it.

As to the twelfth and thirteenth Articles, we answer, That in the Civil Go­vernment the Magistrates Ordinances ought to be obeyed: And in Ecclesia­stical Affairs, Ministers shall have the ordering of them in conjunction with Synods. And when a Common concern doth offer itself to be discussed, as for instance, if this Question shall be propounded, How many Ministers ought to be established in a City? they shall consult together, and ordain about it by joynt Suffrages.

Lastly, as to the fourteenth Article, it's answered, That Ministers may be removed from one Church unto another; which shall be debated and resol­ved on by the Provincial Synods, according to the Tenour of the sixteenth Article of our Discipline.

CHAP. XVI. Cases of CONSCIENCE.

III. THe Brethren of Normandy requesting, that the eighteenth Article of the Synod of Paris might be altered, where it was ordained, That no beneficed Persons, or other such-like, should be received into the Ministry without long Experience had both of their Life and Doctrine; this present Assembly decreeth, That the Article shall remain intire and in its full power, without any Relaxation or Alteration, and therefore that it be more diligently observed.

Beneficed Per­sons employ­ing them to good and pi­ous Uses, and not partaking in Idolatry, shall not be kept off from the LORD's Table.IV. Such as hold Church-lands, provided they do not pollute themselves in any manner with Idolatry, and do their endeavour to root out all Super­stition, at least that there be none committed by their consent and authori­ty; and also protesting that they disclaim all Right that they might have from the Pope, if also those Lands and Goods be visibly imployed in holy and lawful Uses, forasmuch as the King grants Liberty of Conscience to enjoy them; these Persons shall not be refused Communion at the Lord's Table.

V. It having been proposed, Whether Maids above ten Years old, should answer the publick Catechism. This matter is left to the Prudence of the respective Consistories, who shall act herein as will make most for Edifica­tion.

No other Council in the Church but the Consisto­ry.VI. The Church of Issoudun demanding. Whether besides the Consisto­ry, it were not needful that the Church should have a Council to determi­nate all matters of difference arising in it. After diligent consideration, this Synod judgeth, That it is the Duty of Consistories to determine all Church-Affairs, and that it's needless on this account to have an other standing Coun­cil besides those who are Officers in it.

VII. The Brethren of Nismes having desired our Advice about Morning and Evening Prayers; this Assembly dismisseth it over unto the Provincial Synods.

Magistrates may b [...]r of­fice in the [...]onsistory.VIII. Our Brethren of Normandy having propounded this case, Whether a Magistrate might be called into Office by the Consistory? This Assembly re­solveth, it may be done, provided that the exercise of the one doth not hin­der the other.

In Usuries the Rule of Cha­rity, See the Synod of Or­ [...], Art. 6. [...]-Ger­m [...]ns r [...]m [...] ­ved, pr [...]ded there [...]e [...] Sea [...] may ma [...]ry. [...] m [...] ­ [...] the [...]e­ [...]d time, and [...] fi [...] Wif [...] [...]e­ [...]se o [...] her [...], this M [...]e is [...] the [...] of the M [...]nister [...] [...]v [...]al or not Crimes dis [...]ve [...]ed to him in Con­fess [...]n.IX. Concerning Interest of Money, it is advised, That the King's Edicts herein shall be universally observed, as also the Rule of Charity.

X. The Minister of Normandy demanding, Whether a Cousin-German re­moved, might be married? The Synod answers, That if there be no Scandal taken by such a Marriage, it may be done.

XI. 'Tis the joynt Opinion of all the Brethren, That a second Marri­age contracted by him who had forsook his Wife because of Leprosie, is null; and therefore till he be separated from his second Wife, and the Scan­dal given by him be repaired, he shall not be admitted unto the LORD's Table.

XII. It's lawful, though not necessary for Protestants to publish their Banes of Marriage in Popish Temples.

XIII. A Minister demanding our Advice, Whether a Person begging his advice and comfort under inward Perplexities, and confessing to him secretly great Crimes, he ought to discover them unto the Magistrate? We answer, That it is left wholly to the conscience of the Minister, who must prudently consider all circumstances.

XIV. Ministers contracting unfitting Marriages which beget Scandal, the Brethren in this Synod do judge, that Consistories shall proceed in such a [Page 39]manner against these Delinquents by Church-censures, that all occasion of Scandal for the future be prevented.

XV. To the case, Whether a Promise made by a Maid at the Age of ele­ven, with the consent of her Parents, to which before twelve she had renoun­ced,Ministers con­tracting unfit­ting Marriages to be severely censured. Promises of Marriage made by Mi­nors, though with the con­sent of Pa­rents, are null. A Papist may­not be marri­ed unless he or she do re­nounce the Mass. Renters of Be­nefices where Idolatry is shall within a limited time be excommu­cate. He that con­tinues and hardens him­self in his sins shall be ex­communicate. might be dissolved? This answer was given, That such a Promise was Null.

XVI. It being moved, Whether Ministers might marry them who were downright Papists? The Synod answers, That it may not be done, unless they do positively renounce the Mass.

XVII. Gentlemen or other renting Benefices from Priests, where Idolatry is not as yet purged, shall be seriously admonished to abstain from so doing within a certain fixed time; and in case of final Disobedience to this Admoni­tion, they shall be cut off from Communion at the Lord's Table.

XVIII. As to the difficulty propounded by our Brethren of Nismes, Whe­ther a Minister may with a good Conscience leave his Church, when his Wife, after that he hath done his Duty in order to her Conversion, will not live with him? It is answered, That all circumstances considered, he shall renew his Endeavours for the Conversion of his Wife, and in the mean while he shall have his liberty to resume again his Charge, as soon as he shall have reduced his Wife unto her Duty.

XIX. Our Brother of Xaintes having demanded what is to be done in this case, A Man having done publick Penance in the Church for divers Faults committed by him, yet again and again returns unto the same Sins, ought he to be excommunicated or not? Our Judgment is, because he hath not truely hearkned unto the Church, that he be excommunicate.

XX. As to that Question, Whether the Promises of Marriage may be gi­ven before a Priest, because the Mother will have her Daughter contracted by a Priest? It is answered, Forasmuch as the presence of the Priest is only re­quired that the Espousals should be performed by him, 'tis our Advice, that it ought not to be done.

XXI. A young Man promiseth Marriage unto a Maid, with this express Condition inserted in the Contract, That he promiseth Marriage, provided the Maid consents to be married in the Reformed Church; the Maid pro­miseth and consents for a time; afterward seeing the Troubles arising for Re­ligion, she will not yeild unto it, and saith farther, That she will never have this young Man. It's demanded, Whether he is hereby freed from his Pro­mise? We answer, The young Man shall endeavour by his diligent Sollicita­tions to perswade her; and 'tis left to the prudence of the Consistory to judge of the Diligences used by him, and accordingly to proceed to a Declaration of the Nullity of the Marriage, if need be.

XXII. Such as bearing Office in the Reformed Church having in times of Persecution fallen into Idolatry shall be deposed from their said Office, and be­fore they be again received unto the Lord's Table shall undergo publick Pe­nance. And if private Persons are guilty of the same Crime, they shall do the same Penance enjoyned them by the Consistory; all which shall be per­formed with Christian Charity and due Moderation, according to the Rules of our Ecclesiastical Discipline.

XXIII. The case being moved, Whether it be sufficient that the Fornica­tion of a Man be proved by his Harlot, and the Testimony of some worthy Person, who shall depose that he heard the Fornicator acknowledge his Crime, and that those belonging to the House do testifie of theit frequent­ing each others company? 'Tis our Counsel, That the Consistory of the Church would exhort the Accused to confess the Truth, confronting him, the Harlot, and Witnesses together, and to examine well all Circumstances: And if he persist in his Denial, yet to suspend him from the Lord's Supper, provi­ded the Witness be an honest Person, and without reproach.

[Page 40] XXIV. The Churches shall be advertised, not to celebrate the Marriage of strange Persons, who dwell not in the places where those Marriages are to be solemnized, unless they bring Certificates from those Churches whereun­to they do belong.A Pagan Maid must not be baptized till she have been well instruct­ed in the Christian Re­ligion.

XXV. A Maid brought from among Salvages, and not instructed in the Principles of Christian Religion, ought not to be baptized before she can give a rational account of her Faith, and that by a publick Confession.

XXVI. In the Province of Berry, whenas over and above the Synodical Assemblies and Propositions, (to exercise the Gifts of young unordained Preachers in order to their Approbation for the Ministry) there shall be o­ther Assemblies specially convened to consult about necessary and emergent Affairs, they shall be held by the common Agreement of the Churches Con­sistories, and not by any other Authority, that so that Article of our Discipline may not be thwarted, which expresly ordaineth, that no Church shall usurp any Authority over another.

XXVII. The Minister of Memiot desiring our Judgment in this case, A Gentleman caused his Child to be baptized by a Priest, who continues practi­sing his Idolatry: Shall this Child be rebaptized or not? It's answered in the Negative.

XXVIII. The Minister of Chasteneauef and Mazon desired Resolution unto this case, Whether he may with a good Conscience lend another his Name, that under the covert thereof he might enjoy the Profits of a certain Bene­fice? We answer, That he ought not to do it in any wise.

XXIX. Forasmuch as the Minister of New castel, in Normandy, hath of his own accord forsaken his Ministry, induced thereunto by the perswasions of his Wife, as he protested before the Colloquy at Diep, it is resolved, that the Brethren Ministers of that Colloquy shall censure him according to his De­servings, and put him in the Catalogue of Desertors.

A Man may not marry his Brother's Wi­dow.XXX. It being demanded, Whether it were only a Prohibition of Hu­mane Laws, That the Widow of the deceased Brother might not be married to his surviving Brother? The Council answered, That such Marriages were also forbidden by the Word of God: And though under the Law of Moses it was ordained, That when the elder Brother died childless, the younger Bro­ther should raise up Seed unto him; yet this was only a temporary Law to God's Ancient Israel, and intended only for the preservation and distinction of their Tribes.

XXXI. One having renounced his Benefices, demands advice, What he shall do with his Writings, Deeds, and other Evidences belonging unto the Lands and Revenues of those his said Benefices. We advise him to discharge himself by due course of Law, according to the Ordinance of the Magistrate: and he shall cancel his Letters of Presentation.

XXXII. A certain Lady craves our Advice, Whether she may claim her Right and Interests in a Gentleman, who had promised her Marriage by words de praesenti, all usual Solemnities halving been observed, who yet notwith­standing now refuseth to accomplish the said Marriage, pretending Inequali­ty of Fortune, and Difference of Religion, and that for these reasons he can­not comply with her. We advise that before she insist on those things which are consecutive to the interruption and separation of the Marriage, as the de­manding of her Rights, and other matters of that nature from him, that she procure the accomplishment of the Marriage according to his Promise.

XXXIII. In some Places and Temples where the Word of God is preach­ed, the Bells being rung to give notice of it, is it expedient, that Men and Women meeting together for that purpose in a certain Chamber of those Temples, should answer Questions propounded to them from the Books, Chapters, and Verses of the Holy Bible by the Minister, and give each of them their Scence and Interpretation of those Texts of Scripture? It was an­swered, [Page 41]That this course was evil and of dangerous consequence, and that the Minister of Croissil did very well to oppose himself against it. And the Churches are advised not to bring in any such Practice.

Candidates must not be sent up and down, to un­certain places there to preach.XXXIV. Those of Caen send their Candidates abroad to preach the Word, whence divers Scandals have ensued, because some of them have been Persons of ill Life, and it was contrary to what had been ordained at Rouen: Howe­ver, the Reasons urged by them are these, That by the Council of Poictiers, Deacons were permitted to Catechize; and they could not suddenly lay hands on any, being as yet Novices, and also because they sent them unto such pla­ces as had not ability to maintain a Minister: Is this Action of theirs worthy of Reprehension? We answer, That in the National Synod of Poictiers Dea­cons were indeed permitted Catechising, but it was when they were fully re­solved to serve in the Ministry of the Gospel; and also by reason of the dif­ference of Opinions hereabout this very matter had been remitted unto this present Council: But because there was not at that time any thing spoken about Propositions, and that they had been warned of this by the Provincial Synod of Rouen, not to indulge unto this practice any more, they shall there­fore be censured.

An enforced Promise of Marriage is null.XXXV. A Minister of Caën did so very much importune a Maid that she gave him promise of Marriage, and promiseth to espouse him on this Con­dition, When the Mass shall be no more used in the City of Caën; where­upon the Minister gives her certain Rings, and a while after demands the accomplishment of their Marriage. But the Maid will not consent, and saith, That her Father did by Threatnings constrain her to make those Promises; which is also acknowledged by the Father. The Provincial Synod of Caën declared the Nullity of that Promise, because it had been extorted by force, and had it been performed, there would have arisen great Scandal: For some­time he acquiesceth in the Sentence of that Synod, and receiveth again his Rings: But now, as he saith, being pressed to it by his conscience, he believes himself bound unto her, and therefore makes his Appeal unto this present Sy­nod, who having seen the causes of this Appeal, orders, That he submit him­self to the Direction of the Provincial Synod of Caën, which they judge to be most equitable. And the Provincial Synod of Caën also is enjoyned to in­quire into the Call and Life of this Minister, and in special to discover the means used by him for the obtaining this pretended Promise, and to take knowledge of it, that he may be suspended and deposed if so be necessity do require it.

XXXVI. A Gentleman troubles the Church, and wills that his Wife come up immediately after him unto the Lord's Table before any of the Men: And altho' it had been ordained by the Synod of Caën, That he should fol­low the general practice of the Churches; yet nevertheless he will not con­form thereunto. This Assembly orders, a Letter in their Name to be sent him, advising him to walk with more Humility.

XXXVII. It's demanded, Whether those words, You neither need me nor my Goods; uttered upon speech of Marriage, do imply a Promise? This Sy­nod answers negatively.

XXXVIII. A Minister of Limonsin, whose Conversation was otherwise blameless, by the Threats of Enemies, writ to the Queen-Mother, That he never consented to the taking up of Arms, although he had consented and contributed thereunto: Item, That he promised to preach no more until such time as the King should License him, and that he had promise made him to injoy his Conscience, living quietly in his own House. Since being convin­ced of his Sin, he did freely of his own accord, without having been solici­ted thereunto, make publick Confession of it before the whole Congregation, hath lived very holily, yea, with the rare Testimony of a Very great Re­pentance; and in particular he did acknowledge his Offence upon a solemn [Page 42]Sacrament-day in the presence of all the Ministers of the Country, insomuch that all the Faithful departed exceedingly edified by his Example: He hath also for a long time together forborn the exercise of his Office. 'Tis de­manded, Whether this be a sufficient Penance, and he may enter again upon his Charge, the People earnestly desiring it? We are of Opinion that this is sufficient: However, he shall once again write unto D'Escars, who was the cause of his Fall, to give him to understand his Repentance▪ if so be the Con­sistory and Neighbour-Ministers think it fitting; and he is intreated, if he can, to acquaint the Queen with it. And in case of Scandal taken against his Church for this Action, 'tis left to the Prudence of the Provincial Synod of Lymousin to remove him unto some other place.

The Lord's Supper m y nor be given to an Abbess who retains the Revenues of her Abby.XXXIX. The Church of Vivaretz demand, Whether they may without wronging their consciences give the Sacrament unto an Abbess, who having quitted all Idolatry, doth notwithstanding retain the Revenues of her Abbey, and not imploy them to their right uses? 'Tis answered, That they may not admit her to the Lord's Table.

XL. A Minister being sound insufficient, who was put into the Ministry without Examination, what is to be done with him, especially since a Multi­tude do desire to have him? It's advised, That he go and follow his Studies elsewhere for some time.

XLI. Unto the Question, Whether Marriage may be performed in his private House, who is sick of a Disease, which hinders him from going abroad? It is answered, That it is not lawful, because though he cannot go, yet he may be carried unto the Church.

XLII. A young Man promiseth Marriage unto a Maid, but oftentimes pro­tests before her Parents and divers others, That he will not take her in Mar­riage, if she be not a Virgin. They do all give him assurances of the Virgi­nity of their Daughter, and she also herself avows it: yet it comes to light, that eight Years before she had a Child. It's demanded, Whether he be freed from his Promises, because he says he is cheated by them. We an­swer, That in case the Whoredom is manifest, and he never had carnal Know­ledge of her, we are of Opinion that he is free, according to our former De­cision on the same Article.

XLIII. A certain Abbot in Lymousin professeth himself a Doctor and Preach­er: the People hear him gladly; nevertheless he maintains his Monks, goes in Person unto the Mass, and does not joyn himself unto a Reformed Church. 'Tis queried, Whether the People may be permitted to hear him; and whe­ther those Ministers who exhorted him to read his Lectures, have done well, and those also who have assisted at his French Sermons? It's answered, That those Ministers who have been present at his Sermons, or exhorted the Peo­ple to become his Hearers, or him to Teach, among whom there is one cal­led Provost, ought all of them to be grievously censured: And the People shall be admonished, according to the Rules of our Discipline, to content themselves with their own Pastors; and that my Lord Abbot be desired to forbear his Lectures, and to subject himself unto the Order of God's Church, and tarry till he be called unto such an Office.

XLIV. Monsieur Pelot craved advice in this weighty Case: A Marriage had been contracted between a Youth of sufficient Age, and a Maid of Thir­teen, with mutual content of the Parties and their Parents: The Banes were published in the Church; and just as the Minister would have married them, the Maid sate down, and would neither rise nor stand up. But after Ser­mon, having been admonished of her Duty, she yields unto it, and they were married in the Church, and lay together, yet without any carnal Co­habitation. She upon second thoughts says, the Marriage is null; and sepa­rating from her Husband, protests she is not bound to own him for hers in that relation, nor to cleave unto him; and requireth to be divorced from [Page 43]him; whereunto the Man would freely and willingly consent, provided it might be done with a good conscience. This Assembly declares, That it is a good Marriage, true and indissolvable; and the Parties must be exhorted in the Name of God, to carry themselves as true married Persons. And Monsieur du Verges, and the Consistory of Montlimart, where the Mother which hinders the Marriage dwells, are desired to do their endeavour, that it may be perfected.

XLV. Monsieur Vaissé propounds, That Promises of Marriage had been made by two Persons at Marnejoux, both of sufficient Age, and with consent of Parties; the Promises were ratified and confirmed the second time, and that by Contract passed through the hands of a Publick Notary: The young Woman refuseth to accomplish the Marriage, urging for herself, that she was compelled by her Parents to make such Promises; though the contrary is evident from the very words of her Parents: she further alledgeth, That her Party's Breath is very stinking. The Marriage is declared indissol­vable.

XLVI. A Man having contracted Marriage with a Maid by consent of Parents, maketh other Promises unto another Maid, and passeth Contract of this also, of which he is afterward very penitent, and persisteth in his first Promise. By consent of the Consistory and Magistrate of the Place, 'tis con­cluded the first Promise shall hold. Nevertheless when the Banes are pub­lished, the Father of the second Maid forbids them. May the Minister pro­ceed to celebrate and bless this Marriage notwithstanding the old Man's Pro­hibition? It is concluded, that forasmuch as the Father of the second Maid opposeth it only out of Interest, and for a sum of Money, which he claimeth due unto him, the Minister may do his Office in marrying them.

XLVII. Monsieur de Lestany proposeth, Whether a Minister who was for­merly a Popish Priest, and hath none other Estate nor Income but what be­longs unto his Cure, which may amount to about threescore and five Livres yearly, and yet he cannot recover that sorry Pittance, but by compelling his Debtors to pay him before the Magistrate; and the Magistrate also will not condemn them to Satisfaction, unless he plead in the Name of Priest and Cu­rate. Is it lawful for him so to do? No; by no means.

XLVIII. An Abbot come to the knowledge of the Gospel, who hath sup­pressed all Idolatry, burnt his Deeds and Evidences, provided for his Monks, and not suffered for six Years last past Mass to be sung in his Abby, nor done any other Exercise of the Popish Worship, but ever carried himself faithful­ly, and born Arms in Defence of the Gospel; ought such an one to be admit­ted to the Lord's Table? Yes, undoubtedly.

XLIX. A Man by the consent of her Father, and of his betrothed Wife, hath carnal Knowledge of her before Marriage: He is afterwards by false Witnesses accused of Fornication, and condemned for falsifying the King's Coyn, and executed in Effigie: He demands that his Marriage may be cele­brated in the Church. The Brethren are of Opinion, That provided he sub­mit to publick Penance for his Fornication and other Crimes, it may be law­ful to marry him, and to admit him to the Lord's Table.

L. The Deputies of Vivaretz propounded this Case: An Abbess, though she hath forsaken the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, doth yet notwithstand­ing retain her Nuns, and employeth not the Revenues to their right use; may she with a safe conscience be admitted to Communion at the Lord's Table? No; in no wise.

LI. The Brethren in the Church of Rochell are desired to leave off Prose­cuting their Minister Monsieur de L'Isle, and other of their Fellow-members, because they want sufficient Evidence against them; and they are to remit the whole matter unto our Brethren of Xaintonge, who will take an exact cog­nisance thereof, and judge in it according to truth.

[Page 44] And whereas the Church of Rochell have petitioned that they might have Monsieur Oded du Nort conferred upon them for their Minister; answer was given them, That he should serve them till such time as the Provincial Sy­nod of Gascony do sit, who properly can dispose of him; and the said Church of Rochell shall apply themselves to the said Synod to gain their consent; and in case they cannot obtain it, then may they redemand the Monies, if they please, which they paid down for his Ransom.

LII. The Brethren of Paris are intreated to give way that Monsieur de La Forest may be sent unto Bourges, instead of Monsieur de St. Germain: And this Article shall be communicated to our Brethren of Geneva, and to their Church, and they be intreated to write unto the Church of Paris a­bout it, that so Monsieur de St. Germain may be Minister unto the Family of the Lord de la Rochfoucaud.

LIII. Our Brother de St. Fariol doth of right belong to the Church of Montignac; yet that Church is intreated to accept of our Brother Bordier, who is now sent unto them, that so the Church of Chasteauneuf may not be left destitute. And in case this be granted, Monsieur de St. Fariol shall re­imburse their Expences in procuring of him to be their Minister.

LIV. Whereas the Church of Die in Dolphiny, have requested that Mon­sieur Figon might be sent unto them, in case he were at liberty: and for that our Brethren the Sieurs Tempeste and Moranges, have yeilded to it, the Assem­bly dismisseth this Affair unto the Consistory of Lions, which shall do in it as they see good.

LV. Monsieur Matthew D'Anche offering himself voluntarily to be Profes­sor of Divinity, was refused till such time as he produced his Attestations and Testimonials from those Churches in which he hath lived, and particularly from Geneva, where he saith he hath lived a very long time: and in case he refuse to do this, the Ministers are bound to hinder him.

LVI. Monsieur Vaisse reported how that he was sent to serve the Church of Ville Franche, which is now dissipated by the Enemies of the Gospel; and in the time of Perfection he withdrew himself unto the Lord of Pieure, wait­ing for the Restauration of his Church, which is not yet returned: what shall he do? Some were of opinion, that he should continue with the said Lord of Pieure, and that the Church of Ville Franche should be provided of ano­ther Minister. But the major part of the Deputies judged that he ought up­on the first Invitations given him by his Church to return unto them, in case he could live among them in safety, and that in the mean while he should continue the exercise of his Ministry in the House of the said Lord of Pieure, who shall by the Classis or Colloquy be supplied with another Pastor, whene­ver the said Vaissé shall be called back unto Ville Franche.

LVII. Master Damian Joubert, complaining that his Church of Domles neg­lected to maintain him: The Church of Issoyre upon examination of this mat­ter, and finding it true, is ordered to set and declare him free from their Ser­vice.

LVIII. The Church and Brethren of Aubusson yeilded that Monsieur Du Pont their Minister, should be Pastor in the Church of Creuen, but with this Condition, That whenas the said Church of Aubusson should be restored, that they help them to another. This their mutual Agreemant was approved.

LIX. The Province of Berry hath the priviledge granted it by this Assem­bly, to call the next National Synod within one Year, and to give notice thereof unto all the Provinces three Months before the time, and Place of meeting.

CHAP. XVII. Memorials drawn up in the present Synod, for the Service of the CHƲRCH.

• ARTICLE. I. THe Churches shall be admonished to make a faithful Collection of all notable and remarkable Passages of Divine Providence, which have happened in their Precincts, and to send those Narratives unto our Reverend Brethren the Pastors of Geneva, with all possible speed and diligence.
• ARTICLE. II. Monsieur Beza shall be intreated to draw up in Writing the Causes and Protestations of Nullity against the Council of Trent, both in the Latine and French Tongues; and he shall send them unto the Ministers at Court, that they may present them unto his Majesty.
• ARTICLE. III. A most Humble Petition shall be presented unto his Majesty, that we be not hindred nor debarred of our Synodical Assemblies; which yet shall not be delivered without the express Consent of the chiefest Lords, who are at Court, and professing the Reformed Religion.
• ARTICLE. IV. The Articles of the three former National Synods shall be compiled into a Body, unto which these of this present Synod shall be added; and the Church of Lions shall give forth Copies of them.
• ARTICLE. V. Our Brethren the Pastors of Geneva, shall be intreated to write us their Judgment about some principal Points of Church-Discipline, as about Electi­ons of Church-Officers, and the Sentence of Excommunication, and to send Copies of this their Judgment unto the Church of Lions, which is ordered to distribute them among the Provinces of this Kingdom, that so the Deputies may come prepared with well-digested Thoughts about those Articles unto the next National Synod; and in the mean while all the Churches are re­quired to conform themselves unanimously unto those Canons of Church-Discipline, which have been already composed for them by the Decrees of our three former National Synods.
• ARTICLE. VI. The Provinces shall be advised to send their respective Proctors unto Court, who may be charged to solicite the Affairs of their Provinces; and they shall not act any thing but according to the Instructions put into their hands by their Principals, nor shall they undertake any matter of great im­portance, without having first communicated it unto their Province, and they shall conclude on such courses as shall be joyntly concerted between them and the Ministers, who may be then about the Court.

CHAP. XVIII. The Provinces, if they themselves approve of it shall be thus divided.

• 1. THE Isle of France, Picardy, Brie, and Champagne.
• 2. Burgundy, Lyonnois, Forest, and Auvergne.
• 3. Dolphiny, Languedoc, and Provence.
• 4. Poictou and Xaintongs.
• 5. Gascony, Limousin, and Agenois.
• 6. Britain, Turenne, Anjou, and Le Maine.
• 7. Normandy.
• 8. Berry, Orleance, and the County of Chartres.

VIII. The Canons decreed in this Assembly shall be communicated unto our Brethren the Pastors of Geneva, who having perused them, shall return them back again unto the Church of Lions, and by them sent unto our three first Provincial Synods, and from them to be distributed among the other Provinces of this Kingdom.

CHAP. XIX. BOOKS Censured.

IX. THe Churches shall be advised of a Book lately published with this Title, Conseil a la Pauvre France; whereof Castalio is the reputed Author: 'Tis a wicked Piece, and therefore they must be aware of it.

X. And they shall also reject a little Pamphlet added unto a Catechise, stiled, Les Demandes, que font les Ministres de Geneve a ceux quil veulent re­cevoir la Cene.

CHAP. XX. The Vagrants and Deposed Ministers.

• 1. MArmande, who was in the Ministry near Chartres.
• 2. James de Vernueil, or Berneil, employed in Normandy.
• 3. Beaujean, Beraud, or Bergard, for he goeth by all these Names, he was an Augustinian Fryar, and Prior of their Convent at Poictiers.
• 4. Christopher de la Place.
• 5. Louis Tudett.
• 6. A great lubberly Franciscan Fryer, who quitted his Frock in the House of the Lord de la Martiniere; he is called La Motte.
• 7. William Tortereau de Foussay.
• 8. William Coistereau, or Bretereau du Bois.
• 9. Peter Vrede, or Boulay of Niort, an Apostate.
• 10. Ma [...]turin Pennin, or Pelling, or Pilin, for he goes by all these Names.
• [Page 47] 11. Simeon, Regent of the Colledge at Surgeres.
• 12. John de la Tourniere.
• 13. John Guerin.
• 14. James Pinus.
• 15. Lewes Matthew, or Maton.
• 16. Peter le Brun.
• 17. Calix Baptiste, formerly a Carrier of Rogations, he was a Monk at Thoulouse, and Secretary to the Cardinal of Armagnac.
• 18. Roberty, heretofore a Cordelier Fryar, living in the same House with the Bishop of St. Prins.
• 19. Hermes de la Faye, he was a Jacobin Fryar.
• 20. James Courtain de Calaux, a Fellow boasting himself to be a Prophet, and to be endowed with a Prophetical Spirit.
• 21. Francis Porcelin, an Italian.
• 22. Hierom Bolsec, a most Infamous Lyar and Apostate.
• 23. Matthew D' Ancbe.
• 24. Hierom Rolse.

All these Decrees were done and made in the National Synod of Lions, held in August, 1563; And thus Signed in the Original,

CHAP. XXI. Three ANSWERS of the Pastors and Professors of Geneva, and of some of the Ministers who were deputed unto the National Synod of Lions, 1563, and impowered by it▪ to make these fol­lowing Returns unto the Questions propounded to them.

CHAP. I.

NIcholas de Galars, Minister of the Church of Orleance, being chosen Pre­sident; and Lewis Capel, Minister of Meaux, and Peter Le Clere, El­der of the Church of Paris, Scribes; after the Invocation of the Name of GOD.

CHAP. II. An Explication of the Canons of the CHƲRCH-Discipline, and an Addition of several others. General MATTERS.

I. FOrasmuch as the Church of God ought to be governed by a good and holy Discipline, and that no other may be introduced but what is grounded upon the Word of God; the Ministers and Elders deputed from the Provinces of this Kingdom, to confer about Ecclesiastical Affairs, and met together in the Name of the Lord, after diligent Perusal of the Book, and o­ther Writings of M. J. Morelly, concerning the Polity and Discipline of the Church, and sufficient Conferences had with him from the Holy Scriptures about it, do by this present Act condem his said Books and Writings, as containing evil and dangerous Opinions, subverting that Discipline which is conformable unto the Word of God, and at this day received in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom: and whereas delivering up the Government of the Church unto the People, he would bring in a new tumultuary Conduct, and full of Confusions, upon it, from whence would follow many great and dangerous Inconveni­encies, which have been remonstrated unto him, and he once and again admo­nished to abandon these Matters, which yet he will not do, but persists in his Assertions, saying, That he is perswaded those his Opinions are built upon God's Holy Word. We having divers times exhorted him to approve and consent unto that Order which is received and conserved in these our Churches, [Page 57]as appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles, and proved to him from their Sacred Writings; because we hope that the Lord will be gracious to him, and also because he does not differ from the Church in any of the fundamental principal Articles of our Faith, the Brethren of this Assembly sup­porting him with Christian Charity, are of Opinion, that he be received to the Peace and Communion of the Church, provided that as he hath formerly promised by Writing, and now again protested to ratifie and sign with his own Hand this his Promise, so that for time to come he do carry himself peaceably, and subject himself to the Order and Discipline established in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, without ever any manner of ways pub­lishing those his said Opinions neither by Word of Mouth nor Writing, con­trary to the said Discipline, or to a Treatise in confirmation of it, which may shortly be printed; provided also that according to his former Pro­mises, and at the request of the Lords of the City and Church of Geneva, to whom he hath not yet given sufficient Satisfaction, though he is bound in Duty to reconcile himself unto them, which is evident from his own Letters, that he do once more by new Letters of his own Writing, confess and ac­knowledge to have offended them, and do beg their Pardon, because that be­ing an Inhabitant of their said City, he did contrary to the Orders of the Seignory print and publish his said Book, without having first demanded and obtained their License, and being called both by them and the Consistory of that Church to give an account of that his Contempt, he did not appear at the day assigned him. These conditions being performed by him, and the Consistory of that Church whereunto he shall joyn himself, must take know­ledge whether he hath fulfilled them or no, and they accordingly may receive him as a Member of the Church, and admit him into Communion with them, or else proceed against him by Ecclesiastical Censures.

CHAP. III.

The manner of Proceeding in Ecclesiasti­cal Censures.II. FOrasmuch as Sins committed in the Church ought to be corrected by the Word of God, and according to the Rule of Charity, and all Sins are not alike grievous and scandalous, some being more enormous, others of a lesser nature, some secret and others publick, we must therefore according to their quality and aggravations accommodate the Censure and Reprehensi­on: so then secret Sins, whereof the Sinner by means of Brotherly Admoni­tions shall be brought unto Repentance, and hath reformed them, shall not be brought into the Consistory; but those only which these first means cannot reform nor amend, or Sins publickly known, the cognisance of which belongs unto the said Consistory, who must proceed to the Reformation of them by proper and convenient Censures, considering these sins with all their circum­stances, that so according as the case requireth, they may apply either a se­vere and rigorous Reprehension, or a more moderate one in the Spirit of Meekness, as may be most expedient to bring the Sinner to Repentance; who to this end shall by the Authority of the Consistory be for some time deprived of the Lord's Supper, if it be needful, that so he may be humbled,Excommuni­cation must not be used but in ex­tream neces­sity. or finally excommunicated, and totally cut off from the Body of the Church, according to that Order hereafter declared, if so be he shew himself rebel­lious to the Holy Admonitions and Censures inflicted on him, and continue obstinate and impenitent. But inasmuch as this is the last and most rigorous of all Remedies, it shall never be used but in case of extremity, when all fair and gentle Means have proved ineffectual. And whereas even unto this day in divers places this distinction between this last Excommunication, and tem­porary [Page 58]Suspension, or simple Privation of the Lord's Supper, hath not been observed as it ought; that both the one and the other may be duely used, the Ministers and Elders interpreting these words of Excommunication and Suspension from the Lord's Table,The words Excommuni­cation and Suspension explained. No Minister of his private Authority can deprive a Man of the Lord s Sup­per. do give it as their Opinion, That no Person should be deprived or suspended the Lord's Table by the single Authority of the Pastors, or of any other, but only by the Consistory, which shall prudent­ly consider and judge, whether the Crime related to them, and whereof the Sinner hath been first of all admonished, deserve for its heinousness Suspen­sion or no: and if it do, then he who shall have committed such a sin shall for some time be deprived of the Lord's Supper, in order to his Humiliation, and the Tryal of his Repentance: But if the sin be known only to a few Per­sons, this Suspension, nor its cause may not be signified unto the People, least the Sinner be the more defamed,See the Sy­nod of Nis­mes, Art. 5. and his sin made more scandalous and noto­rious than it was; and it shall be sufficient if in this case, he do only acknow­ledge his sin unto the Consistory, that so he may be received unto the Table of our Lord Jesus. But as for those, who having been oftentimes admonish­ed of their sins, shall ever shew themselves Disobedient to the Consistory, and those also who being guilty of great and enormous Crimes, punishable by the Civil Magistrate, and which bring publick Scandal upon the Church, altho' there may be observed some beginnings of Repentance in them, shall never­theless be out of hand suspended the Lord's Table, and the said Suspension shall be published unto the People, that so the Church of God may be dis­charged of all Blame and Reproach, and that such Sinners may be the more deeply humbled in the exercise and proof of their Repentance, and an Holy Terrour struck into the hearts of others: and if after some good space of time, there appearing solid proofs and evidences of their Conversion and Repen­tance, attested to by sufficient Witnesses, the Judgment whereof belongs unto the Consistory; they shall be publickly reconciled unto the Church by Con­fession of their Offences, and Expressions of true Repentance, that so they may purge away and repair the Scandal they had given unto the whole Church, and then they shall be admitted unto the Lord's Table. But and if it should happen,Degrees of proceeding to the last Ex­communica­tion. that after along and patient waiting, and divers Admoniti­ons made by the Consistory, and the aforesaid Proceedings observed and pra­ctised, and all charitable Endeavours used for the regaining of the Sinner, he nevertheless abide obstinate and impenitent, then the Pastor in the Name of the whole Church shall proceed against him by publick Admonitions, declar­ing unto the whole Church his Offences, protesting also of their due and re­ligious Care for him, and Carriage towards him, tho' without any fruit or be­nefit, exhorting the whole Church to seek God earnestly on his behalf, and to use all means that may bring him to a sight and sence of his sin, that so that dreadful Sentence of Excommunication and Cutting off from the Church of God (whereunto she cannot proceed but with the greatest Regret and Grief,) may be prevented. And the said Pastor shall in his Sermon from the Word of God declare the true, right and lawful Use of this Censure, that every one may be instructed in his Duty both towards God and his Neigh­bour; and that all may understand that this last Remedy is used with this Sin­ner for the Glory of God, the Honour and Reputation of the Church, and the Salvation of his Soul in particular: And these publick Admonitions and Denunciations shall be prosecuted and continued three several times, on three several Lord's Days; on the first of which the Sinner shall not be mentioned by Name, that so in some sort he may be spared, though he be already too well known unto the People; but on the two succeeding Sundays he shall be particularly named. And if after all this he does not repent, nor become a Convert, but persisteth obstinately in his sinful Courses, then on the fourth Lord's Day, in the face and presence of the whole Congregation, such a one, mentioning him by Name, shall be declared and pronounced Excommunicate [Page 59]and cut off as a rotten Member, from the Body of the Church; the Pastor declaring it authoritatively from the Word of God, in the Name, and with the Consent of the whole Church.

Those who are thus excommunicate and cut off, shall be deprived of all Communion with the Church, and of all it's Priviledges; and the Faithful shall be admonished neither to converse familiarly with them, nor to fre­quent their Company, that so they may be ashamed, humbled, and brought unto Repentance; the truth whereof shall be demonstrated by good Fruits, and unexceptionable Evidences, known unto the Consistory, who shall judge whether they ought to be received again into the Church; and having called, seen, and heard them, and found them truely penitent, it shall be published by the Pastor unto the whole Congregation, that so they may be stirred up to praise God for touching their hearts with Remorse, and recovering them un­to Repentance. And then these Penitents shall come before the whole Church to give satisfaction for their past Scandal, confessing and detesting their former Sins and Rebellions, begging humbly Pardon of God and the Church for them; and thus shall they be received unto the Church's Peace and Fellowship with Joy and Publick Thanksgiving.

CHAP. IV.

III. FOrasmuch as the Holy Apostle hath ordained, That such as approach unto the Lord's Table, should examine themselves; and this being a principal Point of that Examination, that we search into ourselves diligent­ly to see and discover whether we have truely renounced all sins, and those sins especially which are most contrary to God's pure and holy Worship, as Idolatry, and its Appurtenances are; and because such as are beneficed by Pa­pal Provisions, tho' of different degrees, notwithstanding their Knowledge and Profession of the Gospel-Truth, and retaining the quality of Incumbents, or injoying the Fruits of their Benefices, no matter how it be, they do seem to us not to have discharged this their Duty: The Question having been put in general, Whether they should be received unto the Lord's Supper?Wheeher be­neficed Per­sons ought to be received to the Lord's Table, they professing the Truth of the Gospel. The Brethren are of Opinion, That we must here distinguish, there being some who having devested themselves of all Title to their Benefices, do yet reserve unto themselves Pensions out of them, which they injoy either by Provision from Rome, or by private Compact between themselves and those to whom they have resigned, or some other way, be it what it will; these shall be told, That they cannot use this Traffick without greatly offending GOD. Because one of these Parties grounding this Reservation upon the Pope's Grants, and maintaing himself in it by his Authority, doth as much as in him lieth, own and avow his Supremacy: And the other Party, because he re­ceiveth Wages from the Evil he hath done his Neighbour, and receiveth an yearly Tribute from him; who by this means is subjected unto Conditions full of Impiety and Idolatry; by which Fact they approve of that Evil they have already done, and continue in it; and therefore they shall from the Word of God be admonished not to approach the Table of the Lord Jesus, nor shall they be admitted to it, because they would wound their own con­sciences not only by their adherance to, but participation in Sin.

Such as hold Benefices un­der a feigned Name, may not be admit­ted to the Lord's Table.Much less can they do it, who using a false Name, or borrowing one from their Servants or familiar Friend, do in the mean while keep intirely to them­selves the Revenue of those Benefices either in whole or part, and vacate, change, sell and dispose of them at their pleasure: For 'tis such a Dissembling as is utterly inconsistent with Christian Truth and Simplicity; thus a Man [Page 60]under the Mask of another in his own Name and Person he durst not, without exposing himself to a just Reproof and Scorn. But as for them, who retaining the Name and Title of their Benefices together with their Fruits and Profits, if they can in their En­joyment of them, use them piously, abstaining from all Superstitions, nor participate in Idolatries adhearing to them, these be the more excuseable: However, it were better that they did totally devest themselves of them, e­specially Bishops and Curates, because of their Insufficiency for their Office, and by reason that in these evil Times they cannot be suffered to perform the true Duties of their Charge and Calling. But where this may not be obtain­ed, they shall be at least exhorted that by a well-ordered Life, utterly estrang­ed from all Idolatry and Scandal, and by a sincere and apparent Profession of the Gospel, they give every one fully to understand, That they do totally re­nounce the Pope and all his Superstitions, and that they have nothing to do with him, nor hold any thing by or from him; and in case of being troub­led in the Possession of their said Benefices, they will rather quit them all, than relieve themselves by his Bulls and Provisions, which also it were fitting they committed unto the Flames; thereby demonstrating that they would never make any advantage of them. In the mean while as much as in them lieth, and as the Times and Places will bear they shall do their utmost endea­vour by all lawful means to purge their Benefices, and; their Houses, and their Dependancies from all Idolatry and Superstition, and to establish the pure Worship of God by the Ministry of his Holy Gospel: And where they can­not wholly hinder those Exercises which are customarily done and practised contrary to the true Service of God; they shall neither, by their personal Presence, nor by their Consent, nor by their Name, nor in the least manner of ways intervene to approve or authorize them, nor shall another be by them substituted in their stead to do it for them.Beneficed Per­sons not ad­mitted to the Lord's Table unless they imploy the third part of their Profits to holy and pious Uses.And we do advise them to em­ploy the Revenues of their Benefices to holy Uses, whereunto at first they were designed, to wit, the relieving of the Poor, the Maintenance of God's Holy Worship, the Erecting of Colledges, the Education of Schollars in Learning for the Service of the Church and Ministry, and other such-like Uses, and that at least they expend the third part of the said Revenue to these Purposes according to the ancient Constitutions, and as they are bound in conscience so to do. And on these Conditions, and not otherwise may they be admit­ted to the Lord's Table.

CHAP. V.

Care taken that Vagrants by feigned Certificates may not rob the Churches Charity.IV. THat Abuses committed by divers Vagrants may be prevented, who wander up and down with Attestations from Ministers whereof they serve themselves at all times and places, shamelesly begging from the Churches, and thereby robbing God's true Poor of their necessary Relief: This Assembly adviseth Ministers for time to come, rarely to give such At­testations, and when they do, to none but those who upon their particular knowledge they are assured to be Persons of true Godliness, and of an upright Conscience, and groaning under pressing Necessities, specifying in their At­testations the Name, Quality and Abode of those to whom they give them, and what Relief has been administred to them, mentioning also the Day and Place from whence they parted, and whether they go, and upon what occa­sion: And such as bear them shall bring them forth, and get them renewed in every Church through which they pass by the Ministers, who shall always specifie what hath been given them, and the Day when, until such time as [Page 61]they be come unto their Journey's end. And before May next all the Chur­ches shall be advertised of this present Canon, that so all former Certificates given in any other Form than this abovementioned, may be accounted null and void, and torn in pieces.

V. Forasmuch as divers debauched Persons of very wicked Lives,Such as will not submit to Church-Dis­cipline are not to be reckoned Church-mem­bers. do mingle themselves with us in our publick Meetings, to the great Dishonour of God, and great Scandal of the Church; and because Discipline cannot be exercised against these, who will not subject themselves unto it, yet never­theless they shall be frequently and personally admonished of their sins, and solicited to submit unto the Churches Order: which if they refuse, and con­tinue in their Wickedness, that so the Crimes and Scandals committed by them may not be imputed to the Church, nor redound to its Dishonour, and that the Enemies of the Gospel may not take occasion thence to Calumniate it, the Minister shall from the Pulpit signifie unto the Faithful that such vicious Persons (without naming any) are not to be accounted true Mem­bers of the Church; which also shall be done by the Elders in their particu­lar Charges, and respective Quarters, informing every one particularly, that such and such, naming them by their Names, belong not unto the Church. And this Assembly doth farther judge it meet and expedient, that the Order observed in some Churches be observed in all;Such as would be received into the Church, must first acquaint the Eider of their Quarter with it. that the Novices who desire to be received into the Church, and listed among her Members, do intimate this their desire unto the Elder of their Division, who shall inform himself of their Life, and make report of it unto the Consistory; which being unex­ceptionable, he shall at the close of his Sermon or Catechising, present them unto the Pastor, who shall cause them make the Promises and Protestations that are usual, viz. To embrace the Doctrine of the Gospel, which shall be taught them, and to submit themselves to the Order and Discipline of the Church, and by this means they shall be counted Members of the Church: Further, they must be admonished to give their Attendance ordina­rily at Sermons and Catechisings, that being instructed in the Faith, they may be judged capable and fit to participate of the Lord's Supper. And if after having been instructed, they shall too long time defer their Communi­cating, and it be known that their refraining is from Contempt of that Holy Sacrament, they shall be proceeded against according to the Discipline: but if their forbearance spring from infirmity, they shall be born withal for some time, till they have gotten more Soul-strength. As for those who conform not to the Rules of our Church, and yet frequent Sermons, and be not of an ill Life, nor scandalous, they shall be admonished and enticed by all means to conform to them.

Whether a­nother Coun­ceil besides the Consistory may be esta­blished in the Church.VI. Whereas some certain Churches, and in particular that of Sens, earn­estly demand, that it may be permitted them to establish a Council in their City, composed of wise and experienced Persons, not being Officers of the Church; urging for it, the multitude of their Enemies necessitating them to stand upon their Guard, and that hourly divers Affairs of great importance do occur, calling for prompt and speedy Succours to the Conservation of the Church; that their Pastors and Elders dwell not in Town, who might pre­vent those Discontents brought upon them by Monsieur de la Croix, their Pastor, who would neither countenance nor authorize any such Council. This Assembly in pursuance of the Article of the Discipline relating to this matter, and expounding it, is of Opinion, That for time to come no such Council be established, excepting that composed of Ministers, Elders and Deacons, be­ing confident, that God will ever bless their Labours and Councils, whom he hath called to Office in the Church, and better serve himself by their Sim­plicity, than by the Prudence of Worldly Politicians: Besides, it shall be al­ways lawful for the Pastors and Elders on any great and difficult Affair, to call unto them, such Persons as by whose Counsel they may be any ways aided: [Page 62]Not hereby debarring particular Persons the benefit of mutual Counsel which they may one afford another upon emergent occasions, for their better Pre­servation. But we do not hereby intend to authorize any company of Men, besides the Consistory, to be stiled the Council of the Church.

CHAP. VI.

Imposition of Hands shall be practised in those places where it hath not as yet been obser­ved.VII. BEcause that in the ninth Article of the Discipline, it's said, That when Ministers are to be confirmed, there shall be Imposition of Hands upon them, yet not as of pure necessity: It is demanded, whether the Churches that have no such Custom should for time to come submit unto the Usage of it? The reply was, That there being neither Precept nor Promise touching this matter, therefore no necessary Obligation shall be established about it: However, this Ceremony being of ancient Usage in the Church, practised by the Apostles, and tending to Edification, the Churches shall do their endeavour to promote Conformity unto it, as far as possible they may.'Tis left to the Prudence of the Consisto­ry to call in their Propo­sans at their Debates.

VIII. The Churches Council consisting of Ministers, Elders and Deacons, it is demanded, Whether unordained Preachers, not having any particular Charge, may be called in to assist the Consistory, without ever granting them power of Suffrage, that so they may be moulded and prepared for the better managing of Church-affairs, when God shall call them thereunto? We an­swer, There being no Inconveniency in it, 'tis left to the prudence and dis­cretion of the Pastors, who may to try their Abilities, demand also their O­pinions.

Parents are exhorted to bring Sureties for their Chil­dren at Ba­ptism.IX. There being no Commandment from the Lord, that we should take Godfathers and Godmothers to present our Infants unto Baptism, we cannot therefore impose an express Necessity on any one to use them: nevertheless, this Custom being very ancient, and brought into the Church on a good Intent, viz. To testifie the Parents Faith, and Baptism of their Child, and to take upon them its Education in case of their death, and for that it maintains Chri­stian Society with a Bond of Love and Alliance. Such as will not follow this practise, but will in their own Persons present their Children unto Baptism, are earnestly desired not to be conceited, but to conform to this ancient and accustomed Order, which we find both good and very beneficial. Howe­ver, Women shall not be suffered to present Children. And this is the true sence of the second Article of the Synod of Lions. Counsellors and Advo­cares of the Reformed Re­ligion must not plead in beneficiary Matters.

X. Judges, Notaries, Scriveners, and others who by the Duty of their Cal­lings are bound to Judge, Sign, and Seal all matters indifferently brought to them, shall not be censured for giving Judgment, or receiving a last Will, or passing a Contract, or dispatching Writings about Idolatrous Concerns. But Advocates, Arbitrators, and all others, whose Offices are free, shall be admonished, that they ought wholly to forbear Pleading for, or any other ways to treat of beneficiary Causes, or such-like Matters.

CHAP. VII.

All the Chur­ches must be conformable in point of Common, Publick Pray­ers.XI. CHurches which besides their ordinary Sermons are accustomed to Morning and Evening Common-Prayers, on such Days whenas there is no Preaching, or once a day towards night, when there has been a Sermon, are intreated to conform themselves unto those Churches which have no such Custom, that so Superstition which is like to follow hereup­on may be prevented, and that visible Neglect and Contempt of Sermons may be avoid, and Family-Prayers, which every Housholder is bound to per­form, may be no more neglected: Moreover, Publick Extraordinary Com­mon-Prayers ought to be reserved for Times of Necessity and Afflictions, be­cause it is an extraordinary Remedy, as Publick Fasting whose usage ought not to be common. And Ministers shall inform their Churches, which have daily Common-Prayer, why they are laid down; that so all Scandal and Muttering at their Suppression may be removed, and they shall admonish the Heads of Families ordinarily to call upon God in their Hoses by Morning and Evening-Prayers.

No Person to be married without a suf­ficient Certi­ficate.XII. Such as come from one Church unto another to be married, shall not be suffered without a sufficient Attestation from that Church whence they departed; and the Banes shall be called in those very places where both the Parties have their residence, and are known.

XIII. Forasmuch as divers Churches having borrowed a Minister from a­nother, do trust unto it, and use no diligence elsewhere to gain one for them­selves, yea, and will not permit him when re-called by his own Church, to return again unto it, whereby they would seem to claim him for their own by Prescription, who was only a Loan unto them; so that hereby many and great Troubles may every day grow upon us: and though Consistories ought to be advised not to prefer their own particular Profit to the common Bene­fit and Edification of the Churches of Christ, nor to leave a Church unprovi­ded, when they can conveniently spare a Minister, or send another: Yet if this may not be done, that the aforementioned Inconveniencies may be obvi­ated, and that Churches living upon borrowed Ministers may be spurred up to a diligent discharge of their Duty in getting one for themselves; This As­sembly adviseth, That in case a Church which had borrowed a Minister hath been for six Months, warned and required to provide itself, the lent Mini­ster shall be obliged to return unto his own Church, in Obedience to the Summons of his Consistory, whatever Interposals there may be to the con­trary by Provincial Synods.

Synods and Colloquies shall be estab­lished according to the ex­tent of the Governments in the State.XIV. It's ordained for time to come, That Provincial Synods and Collo­quies shall be established according to the Provincial Gorvernments of the Kingdom, without any one's usurping Authority upon the other; excepting that if one Government be too great, and the number of Ministers in it too many, they may divide themselves into two Provinces, and as many Sy­nods.

CHAP. VIII.

XV. THis Synod having heard MonsieurAnother Co­py calls him du Gar, a third du Gast. John du Bard retracting and abjuring those Errours he had formerly vented and defended at Poictiers, concerning the Divinity and Humanity of Jesus Christ, and the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, which Retractation of his specified with all Plainness, and its Particulars he had given in Writing, and the Deputies of this Assembly to whom it was committed for their Perusal, making Report that it was solid, pertinent and satisfactory, as proceeding from a composed and well-resolved Mind; It is ordained, That this Retractation shall be sent unto Monsieur de L'estrang, and other Ministers of the Churches in Poistou, with Letters from this Assembly, that they may consider whether it will be a sufficient Reparation of the Scandal and Trouble caused by him in those Parts, and to know whether they have any other Matters to object a­gainst him, or whether they would have him in Person there upon the place to recognize his Offence: And in case they desire it, the said Mon­sieur John du Bard shall be exhorted to appear personally before them; in the mean while the Ministers of Picardy are advised not to proceed to a sud­den Election of him, till such time as he hath given full Satisfaction unto the Churches of Poictou.

CHAP. IX.

All secret Pro­mises of Mar­riage null.XVI. FOrasmuch as Controversies arise daily about Marriage-Promises, we do Decree, That for time to come, all clandestine Promises made even by Persons of full Age, and at their own disposal shall be null; and those be clandestine Promises which are not made in the presence of three or two Witnesses at the least; and it's fitting they be made after solemn seek­ing of God by Prayer, and in presence of Parents, provided they live in those places where the Promises are made.

XVII. Churches which are accustomed upon Sacrament-days, or other Sabbaths, after the Confession of Sins, to pronounce a general Absolution, may if they please continue in it; but where this Custom is not introduced, this Synod adviseth the Churches not in the least to admit it, because of the dangerous Consequences which may ensue.

What Course shall be taken with Mini­sters com­plaining of their Peoples Unkindness to them.XVIII. A Minister complaining of his Church's Ingratitude, the Provinci­al Synod shall take cognisance thereof, weighing diligently the Poverty of that Church, and the Temporal Estate of the Minister: and in case that Church be guilty of very great and notorious Ingratitude, the Synod shall have full power to remove him for his better Accommodation elsewhere. And all the Churches shall be desired to shun Ingratitude to their Ministers, (a Sin too rife among us) and to take special care that they be more respect­ed, and their Labours better rewarded; not to enrich or fatten them, but to give them a becoming and sufficient Maintenance.

Persons un­der Twelve not to be ad­mitted to the Lord's Table.XIX. 'Tis the Judgment of this Synod, that Children under twelve Years of Age ought not to be received to the Lord's Supper; and as for those which are above it, Ministers shall judge of their fitness for it. And having been once Communicants, they may be admitted also Sureties for Children at Baptism.

The Sister of a dead Spouse may be mar­ried.XXI. It being demanded, whether a Man might marry the Sister of her to whom he was betrothed, because some conceived, he might as well mar­ry his Wife's Sister, and that the Rights of the Spouse are as great as those [Page 65]of the married Woman. This Assembly answers, That there is between these two Facts a very wide difference; because Affinity is only contracted by mixture of Blood and Seed: Yet nevertheless care must be taken that neither the Magistrate nor the weak Christian be offended.

The Accounts of the Poor's Money shall be given up before the Ministers and all the People.XXI. Ministers shall be present, is possible, at the distributing of Monies unto the Elders for the Poor; but at the Inbringing of their Accounts they shall in no wise be absent: And their Custom is approved, who advise the People before-hand to be present at the Audit, that so the Elders who have managed those matters may be discharged with more Honour, and also that they themselves knowing the necessities of the Church and Poor, may be the more enlarged in their Contributions to them.

Consistories shall not ex­ecute Divor­ces.XXII. Whereas great Difficulties are raised about Divorces for Adultery verified before the Magistrates, we judge, that Consistories may lawfully de­clare unto the innocent Party, its liberty according to God's Word; but they shall not in the least intermeddle with the Execution of that Divorce and Dissolution of the Marriage, to enable the wronged Party to proceed unto a new Marriage; because it of right belongs unto the Civil Magistrate.

CHAP. X

XXIII. THis following Order shall be observed in the calling of our Na­tional Synods for the future:

The Method to be kept in convocating National Sy­nods.In the first place, as was usual, there shall be one certain Church chosen which shall have power of signifying unto the Provinces the Day and Place of Meeting. Whatever Matters are to be debated in this Assembly, shall be sent by the several Provinces unto that Church. The said Church shall call the National Synod within the Year, in convenient Time and Place, and give notice thereof three Months before to all the Provinces; and shall send a Duplicate of the difficult Matters which are to be debated, unto the said Pro­vinces, to be considered by them. And that such as are charged with the Power of calling the said Assembly, may know how to direct their Letters, it's fitting that one particular Church be nominated in every Province to receive those Letters, and according to their Tenor to Assemble the Provincial Synod within three Months, where the transmitted Difficulties shall be maturely ex­amined, and the Arguments on both sides urged being fair and carefully writ­ten down, shall be sent unto the National Synod. And forasmuch as our pre­sent Circumstances will not admit any great Number of Ministers and El­ders in this National Synod, we are of Opinion, that for this time only, and during these Difficulties, that the Brethren assembled in each Provincial Sy­nod should choose from among them one or two Ministers, and as many Elders, of the ablest and most expert in Church-Affairs, to be sent in the Name of the whole Province, who shall come furnished with good Memori­als and premeditated Thoughts upon those Difficulties which had been com­municated to them. The Provinces shall not prescribe any set time or term unto these their Deputies for returning, but shall let them tarry in the said Synod as long as there may be need of them; and the Charges of the said De­puties shall be defrayed by their respective Provinces. And that the National Synod may be no more imployed in Matters already decided by former Sy­nods, the Provinces shall be advised to read over carefully the Acts of the past Synods before they prepare their Memorials, and to send nothing but what is general [...]n [...] of common concern to all the Churches, or else that which merits the Resolution of the said National Synod. And the Churches of [Page 66] Poictiers which is charged with the calling of the next National Synod, shall be informed of all this, that they may intend their Duty.

CHAP. XI. General Advertisements unto the Churches.

XXIV. THE Printers in every Province shall be advised, That whereas at the end of Psalm-Books and Catechisms, they do add the Confession of Faith of our French Churches, that they do especially this which begins with these words, We believe and confess, that there is but One GOD, &c. and which hath an Epistle pr [...]fixed to it, dedicated to the King; and not that other Confession which begins thus, Forasmuch as the Foundation of Faith, &c. not but that both are conformable in Doctrine. And hereof also Notice shall be given to the Printers of Geneva.

Elders not to be displac'd without great cause.XXV. Although the Elders Office as now used by us be not perpetual, as is exprest in the 35th Article of the Discipline, nevertheless the Churches shall be admonished, not to discharge their Elders but for great Causes, whereof the Consistories shall take Cognizance, that so the Church may be be conducted after the bed manner, by Persons well verst in her Govern­ment.

XXVI. Ministers in places appointed by the King, and in all others, are advised not to receive the Members of any other Churches unto the Lord's Supper, without a sufficient Attestation produced by them under the hand of their Pastors or Elders, if it may be had.

No Books must be writ­ten ridicu­lously; but Modesty is to be observed in them.XXVII. Ministers and others whom God hath endowed with Gifts and Abilities to write in Defence of the Truth, are requested not to publish their Thoughts in a ridiculous or injurious manner; but to keep to that Modesty and Gravity which becomes the Majesty of God's Word; and to observe that self-same Modesty and Majesty in their Sermons, and in their ordinary Stile to use the Language of God's Spirit in the Holy Scripture.

Schollars to be maintain­ed by the Churches in the Universi­ties.XXVIII. Because there is every-where a visible decay, and a great want of Ministers, and that some provision may be made for a Succession, the Churches shall be admonished by our Brethren the Provincial Deputies, that such as are rich would maintain some hopeful Schollars at the Universities, who being educated in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, and other good Learn­ing, may be fitted for, and employed in the Sacred Ministry.

XXIX. Altho' in our Churches, for the most part, the Lord's Supper is administred only sour times a Year; yet the more frequent Celebration of it is very desirable (due Reverence in approaching to it being always obser­ved) because it's most beneficial for God's Children to be exercised, and grow in Faith, which is done by the frequent usage of the Sacraments; as al­so because this was the Practice of the Primitive Church.

N [...]e m [...]n may not car­ry with them in their Jour­neys the Mini­sters of the Churches, leaving, them [...]upplied.XXX. Ministers being given to the Service of the Church, and not to the Persons and Palaces of Great Lords, altho' their Families may equallize in Numbers some Churches; yet their Lordships shall be desired not to carry away with them in their Removals, or Travels abroad, with their Families, the Churches Ministers, least thereby they be left unprovided.

XXXI. Lords and Gentlemen shall be censured according to the Discipline of our Churches, if after frequent Admonitions, they entertain in their Hou­ses scandalous and incorrigible Persons, especially if they suffer Priests to sing Mass, or by Dogmatizing to debauch their Domesticks, or if having cashiered them, they shall again receive them into their Service.

[Page 67] XXXII. The Churches shall be admonished to beware of a Book written by Mr. Charles Du Moulin, Entituled, Ʋnio quatuor Evangelistarum: because in it there be divers Errors, as about Limbus, Free-will, and the Sin against the Holy Ghost, and the Lord's Supper, and in particular about the Calling of Ministers, and Church-Discipline, which he treats with scorn, and would totally subvert. The Faithful also are warned not to assist at any of his Ser­mons or Sacraments, it being against the Discipline of our Church.

Modesty to be kept in At­tire. See the Synod of St. Foy, General Matters, Art. 2. The Faithful must use Cha­rity towards their Brethren or Sisters that have forsook their Mona­stries.XXXIII. Ministers shall exhort their People to be modest in their Habits, and that they themselves do in this and all other Matters, give them the best Example, forbearing all Gaudery in their own Persons, and in their Wives and Children.

XXXIV. They whose Brethren and Sisters have quitted their Monastery, that they might serve God in freedom of Conscience, shall be exhorted to admit them unto a part of their Estate, at least they shall be compelled by all Censures to afford them Maintenance, and a competent Pension accord­ing to their ability: For they would otherwise shew themselves void of Na­tural Affection.

Chap. I. Alterations, Additions, and Annotations upon the Church-Discipline. General MATTERS.

IT is Enacted by the Authority of this present National Synod, that none shall be put into the List of Vagrants, until such time as the Neighbour Churches have first proceeded against them according to the Canons of our Discipline and that they have clone their best endeavour to reclaim and re­form them, and there shall be kept a particular Roll of those Vagrants di­stinct from the Articles of the National Synod.

II. In Churches where there be several Ministers, none of them shall give a Certificate concerning any matter of Importance, without having first Communicated it with his other Brethren.

III. Elders may be present at Propositions of the Word of God, made by young Ministers, and at their Censures, and may freely, if it please them, pass their Judgment on them.

IV. Such who according to the custom of the Country do falsifie, disguise or corrupt their Merchandizes, as Stretchers, Drawers of Cloth in Poictou, shall be admonished by the Consistory to forbear those Cheats, and in case they should not desist, they shall be laid under Censures.

V. Pastors, who have obtained leave to follow their Studies for some time, shall apply themselves to their Colloquy or Synod for its confirmation, with­out which they may not depart their Churches, lest by their departure the Churches be left unprovided.

VI. The determination of time and age capacitating persons to contract Marriage, doth properly belong to the Civil Magistrate.

CHAP. II.

Excommuni­cates and Infi­dels shall not be permitted Marriage without pub­lick pennance.VII. WHere one Party is an Infidel or Excommunicate, the Marriage shall not be celebrated in our Churches, unless the Unbeliever do first make a Protestation to renounce all Idolatry, and to live in the Church of God as becomes a Christian, and the Excommunicate Person in like man­ner shall have given by publick Pennance, full satisfaction for his offence to the Church.

VIII. If there be a sufficient number of Ministers to make a Synod the Provincial Synods shall be modell'd according to the Governments. But and if a Church shall complain of its being thereby incommoded, and that there arise any strife about it between the Provinces, a third shall be chosen to re­concile them.

Nothing be­sides the Holy Scripture to be read in the Church.IX. None other Writings besides the Holy Scriptures, shall be read in the Publick Assemblies.

X. The Synod judgeth it not advisable, that they should receive the Bread at the Lords Table, who cannot the Cup.

The Bread shall not be given in the Lords Supper to them who refuse the Cup.XI. This Assembly understanding that some private persons had either spoken or written against the Discipline exercised in the Churches of this Kingdom, demanded of the Deputies severally and distinctly, whether their respective Churches had any scruple about the Discipline which hath been hitherto observed by us. Whereunto the Deputies did all unanimously an­swer, that their Churches did fully consent unto the Discipline, and required its inviolable observation, and that such who opposed this our Established Order might be censured. And the absent Provinces which were but few in number, have by Letters under their own hands, testified their consent unto it.

XII. If hereafter any difference should arise between two Provinces about their Redemanding of Ministers, they shall choose a third to accord and ar­bitrate the matter between them.

A Pastor ac­cused of lea­ving his Church shall purge himself before the Synod.XIII. Ministers accused for leaving their Churches without their consent first had, shall be bound to make their personal Appearance before the next Provincial Synod, unto which they did belong upon the first Summons, that so they may clear themselves publickly: And their innocency being vindica­ted, the Church which had impeached them of unjust desertion, shall be ob­liged to reimburse them all charges of their journey.

No Officer in the Church shall be said by till the Consistory have first de­termined it.XIV. Until the whole body of the Consistory have first maturely consi­dered the causes why they should be rejected, no Minister, Deacon, nor El­der, shall reckon themselves to be rejected.

CHAP. III.

XV. AS to the case propounded, whether a Dumb and Deaf man giving E­vidence by signs and gestures of his Faith and Godliness may be ad­mitted to Communion at the Lords Table, this Assembly judgeth that he may be received, especially if they have had long experience of his holy Life, and the Church do testifie of his Faith and Knowledge in the things of God.

A woman may not be compelled to live with her Lepours Hus­band.XVI. A Woman may if she please, and do consent unto it live sequestred with her Leprous Husband. But in case of her refusal, 'tis the judgment of this Assembly, that she ought not to be enforced, because the Commonwealth [Page 72]is concerned in this matter. Onely she must not be wanting in her duty o­therways.

XVII. Whenever Elders and Deacons are received into Office, they shall subscribe our Confession of Faith and Church Discipline, or else make a pub­lick protestation to observe it.

XVIII. It is ordained that those words (of the twenty ninth Article of our Discipline) Where the Ministry is established, and those also, As much as possi­ble, shall be razed out of the said Article.

XIX. Difficulties that cannot be determined by the Consistory, shall be remitted to the Colloquy or Classis, and from thence to the Provincial Sy­nod.

XX. When any differences arise between Gentlemen professing the true Religion, they shall be admonished to refer them unto their Friends and Kin­red, that so they may be amicably composed.

CHAP. IV.

The Church or Province shall take care of Ministers Widows and Orphans, see the Synod of St. Foy Gen. Mat. art. 5.XXI. SUch as being once inrolled by order of a National Synod among the Vagrants, they shall never be taken off the file but by another.

XXII. If a Minister die in the service of his Church, it shall take care a­bout the Maintenance of his Widow and Children, and in case of the Churches inability, the Province shall be obliged.

CHAP. V. Of Particular MATTERS.

I. IT is resolved, That Ministers Appealing unto this Synod shall withdraw, when their Matters are to be debated, unless their Matters be such as may bring them dammage; and they also who Appeal or be Appealed, upon the account of their sinful miscarriages, shall not at all be admitted into it, but when they are to be heard in their own defence.

II. This Assembly doth judge, that Monsieur de la Rogevay was justly in­rolled in the Catalogue of Vagrants, and yet no person shall be obliged to tell him who delated him. But because the Church of Bergerack hath since that time given an honourable Testimonial of his Godly conversation, it is ordained, that his name be now razed out of that Catalogue. Onely let him carefully mind the Protestation now made by him, of containing him­self within due bounds, and living holily according to Gods blessed word and the Discipline of our Church.

III. It's decreed, That John Clopet, alias Child, shall not be tollerated nor reputed for a Minister, until such time as he shall have purged himself from those Crimes and Heresies charged on him. And four Months time having been assigned him to justifie himself, both in Bearn and Montauban, if within that space appointed him he neglect to do it, he shall be totally deposed from the Ministry.

IV. The Brethren of Dolphiny make report, how that certain Priests and Monks professing the Christian Reformed Religion, after they had been Mar­ried in the Church, revolted from it, and entring again into their Monast [...]ies [Page 73]did sing Mass, and polluted themselves with Idolatry, and desired our thoughts about these Marriages, whether they were lawful and valid, or no. This Assembly defers the Decision of this Case, until the next General Conference, that after mature deliberation and debate about it, they may definitively de­termine thereof: Yet in the mean while,Whether the Marriage of a Monk when converted, and after revolted, and returning to his Vomit of Idolatry be valid. they advise these Women to refrain their Company; because considering the present Juncture of Affairs in this Kingdom, they cannot converse with them honourably, as married Wives with their Husbands.

V. When Fasts are to be celebrated, let all the Churches be uniform, if pos­sible, in the manner of its Observation, and keep themselves free and pure from all Superstition.

VI. If Women, whose Husbands upon the account of Trade are a long time absent from them, do desire to be married, they shall apply themselves unto the Magistrate.

Windows shall not be permie­ted Marriage, but according to the time prefixed by Law.VII. Let Ministers of the Gospel take heed, that they do not marry Wi­dows within the times forbidden by the Civil Laws.

VIII. Information being given us, That in certain Towns there be other Councels besides those of the Consistory, which assume unto themselves the management of Church-Affairs; we expresly order, That the Sixth Article about Consistories, unanimously approved in the Synod of Poictiers, Orleans, Lions, and Paris, be signified unto them, and that it be most exactly and pun­ctually observed; and in case of Disobedience they shall be accordingly cen­sured.

IX. Notice shall be given unto the Churches, that in Certificates given unto Travellers, that Article be strictly observed, and they shall be dated not in Cyphers, but in Words at length.

X. The Canon made to the National Synod of Orleans, concerning our De­puties at Court, shall be punctually observed by the Provincial Synods.

CHAP. VI.

XI. OUR BrotherHe is called in another Copy John de la Traissel Dea­con of the Church of Ro­chel. de la Chaise having complained to us, That he was branded by the Deacons of Geneva, because in his Impres­sion of Mr. Calvin's Sermons upon Deuteronomy, he had left out the Preface to them: This Assembly being well satisfied of his Innocence, and that he did not of his own head leave out the Preface, neither in that Book, nor in Cal­vin's Sermons upon Daniel, but by the Advice of our Brethren the Ministers of Rochel; nor that from the hopes of Gain he did thereby rob the Poor; we order that the Provincial Synods shall be informed of his Innocence, and that Letters be sent unto the Brethren of Geneva, not only to purge him, but that in their next Impression of Mr. Calvin's Sermons, they would be pleased to give him an honourable Testimony of his Innocence.

XII. The Churches shall be acquainted with the extream Affliction of our poor Brethren at Pamiers, that so their Christian Bowels of Charity may be enlarged to them.

XIII. As also, that one called Roberty, who was formerly on the List of Vagrants, is now took off the File.

XIV. And also that they would beware of a certain Fellow going by the Name of Fontaines du Baut of Vellay in Languedoc, a lean Man, who hath been often taxed for having no Call unto the Ministry, and being unordained yet preacheth.

CHAP. VIII. The Roll of Vagrants.

I. ONE Chartir, or Charles, who says of himself, that he was a Coun­sellor of Grenoble, and that he solicited at Court for the Profits of his Office, a Man of mean Stature, his Beard waxing grey, deposed from the Ministry at Ʋsanchez by the Brethren of Limoges, for Lying, Cheating, For­geries, Roguish Tricks, Drunkenness, unchast Kissings, and at Pamier for Dancing and Contumacy against the Church. This Fellow intrudes himself into all places where he can get admittance to Preach.

II. Simon du Plessis, going by the Names of Mr. Peter Grueill, La Mulle, Nevill, Grand-champ, La Jauniere, formerly a Franciscan Fryer, deposed at Orbec by the Classis of Eureux, because that without any Call or Ordination he had usurped the Ministry of the Gospel, quitting and retaking at pleasure his Fryer's Weeds; convicted of, and condemned for Adultery by the Provin­cial Synod of Normandy; accused also of being Confederate with Robbers, he came into Xaintonge, but is now at Auranches, a Fellow of great stature, yellow Beard, and hath lost two of his Fore-teeth.

III. It is ordered, that the Neighbour Brethren shall have their eyes upon Monsieur Sylvester's Conversation, whether it be conform to the Discipline of our Churches; and the Brethren of Normandy shall do their utmost to dis­cover the Crimes whereof he is accused, and send the whole Charge against him to the Brethren of the Province. However, in the mean while he may continue in the Exercise of his Function.

IV. The business of Mathou is referr'd to the Inhabitants of Jarnac, and to our Brethren Du Moulin, and San-Germain.

V. John Clopet, alias Child, a Wretch full of Heresies, a Champion for the Mass, asserting its goodness; in two Points only excepted, viz. Prayers unto the Saints, and for the Dead; maintaining that the good and bad have equal Priviledge to communicate in the Body of Christ, as also Celibacy, and Praying towards the East; and that Commentaries upon the Scriptures are needless; and that Calvin did very ill in writing of Predestination; and that Man may keep perfectly all the Commands of God. He is a Fellow of mean stature, a yellowish Beard, and speaks somewhat thick, plain in his looks, and tawny face, aged Five and twenty, a Savoyard, born in the Country of Bresse.

VI. One called Chevalier, now Vicar at Chassaux, near Janet, aged Fifty Years, having a great Red Nose; he is a mercenary and most abusive Fellow.

VII. One called Stephen Jenicot, otherwise du Brevil, saith, he was born at Talmond upon Jard in Poictou, and ordained Minister of the Word of God by the Classis of Neuf Chastel, and shews a Certificate under the hand of Mon­sieur Christopher's, which yet since he avows to have been made in Paris; a little dwarfish Fellow.

CHAP. VIII. General Advertisements given unto the Churches of France.

I. THere being different Copies of our Discipline, the Church of Paris, Orleans, and Meaux, are required diligently to revise and Examine whatever hath been ordained by us to this purpose, and to reduce those Ca­nons into an orderly and compleat System, and that within four Months they deliver a Copy hereof unto all the Provinces.

II. Explaining the Second Article of the Discipline under that Head of Par­ticular Orders, it is resolved, That all Carpenters, Masons, Glaziers, and other Artisans shall abstain from all manner of Work in their respective Trades, [Page 75]that may in the least favour Idolatry; and if after Admonition they conti­nue in such Practices, they shall be subjected unto Censures.

III. Altho' it be in itself a thing purely indifferent, to assist at the Feasts and Banquets celebrated by Papists at their Marriages, or Birth of their Children, yet the Faithful shall be advertis'd, to do herein what will make best for Edi­fication, and to weigh well with themselves, whether they be strong enough to resist those Dissolutions, and other Sins ordinarily committed at such Meetings, as also to reprove them.

IV. Such as being demanded for the Ministry of the Gospel, and the Ser­vice of any particular Church, shall be sent forth with a Testimonial of their Life and Doctrine unto the Colloquy or Provincial Synod of that place which requested them: which Colloquy, or Synod may, if they think it fitting, examine them, and shall Commissionate three or four Ministers to present them unto the Church that sued for them; which Church shall hear them two or three times, if need be, that so they may know, whether they can well profit by them. This being done, the Ministers, together with the Con­sistory of the Plaee, shall lay their hands upon them, and establish them in their Pastoral Office; and in case of difficulty arising about their Admission, those Commissioners and the Consistory shall take Cognisance of it, and the Churches which demanded these Ministers are ordered to defray the Charges of their whole Proceedings.

V. Divers Persons complaining of that Article, concerning publick Pray­ers, in those places where the Word of God is constantly Preached, and urging the Impossibility of it's being practiced, and that it cannot be obser­ved without a world of Inconvenience; This Assembly doth judge, that the Article is grounded upon very holy and sollid Reasons. Yet nevertheless, where it cannot be observed without apparent danger and damage unto the Churches, the Business may be tollerated. Yet all Ministers of the Gospel shall be obliged to do their best, that the Article may be observed.

VI. There shall be no Alteration in that Third Article of the Second Sy­nod of Paris, concerning Farmers of Church-Lands. And for the better Understanding of it, this present Assembly doth take in all kinds of Farming, by which in any manner whatsoever Idolatry may be maintained; and therefore, if any be perceived in taking the said Farms to use and help them­selves by Quiddities and Subtilties, that so they may escape the Censures of the Church, the Consistory shall prudently consider what Abuses may have been committed.

VII. Forasmuch as several of the Deputies do scruple the Tenth Article, relating to Judges and Publick Notaries, we will leave the Debate hereof un­to the next National Synod, that so it may be maturely deliberated, and their Opinions together with the Grounds and Reasons of them maybe then produced. Till which time that Article shall abide in it's full Power.

No Promises of Marriage to be made, but in the pre­sence of Pa­rents, &c.VIII. This Assembly judgeth, that the Sixteenth Article of the Second Synod of Paris, concerning Marriages, beginning with these Words, That all Promises, &c. shall be changed, and couched in these Words. The Faith­ful shall be Informed by the Ministers in Publick Church-Meetings; not to make any Promises of Marriage, but in the Presence of Parents, Friends, Neighbours, or other Persons of good Repute. And if any do otherwise, they shall be censured for their Levity and Contempt of this Godly Coun­sel. And it were very convenient, that the said Promises of Marriage were made with solemn Prayers unto God.

None but Mi­nisters, if pos­sible, shall give the Cup.IX. A doubt being moved by some of the Brethren, whether any other beside a Minister of the Gospel might deliver the Cup in the Sacrament un­to the People. This Synod having duely ponder'd the Arguments on both sides, doth determine, that the Fourteenth Article decreed in the Synod of Lyons shall stand firm, which was this, That none but Ministers, if possible, shall give the Cup.

[Page 76] X. To the Case propounded, Whether the wronged party may be per­mitted to marry again, after that the Adultery hath been verified by sentence of the Magistrate. This Assembly answers, that the Ninth Article of the Synod of Orleans under the Title of Marriages,See Articl. 29. of the 13. Ch. of the Disci­pline, concern­ing Marriages. shall be in force, unless there be apparent danger unto the Church. And whatever is couched in other terms, shall be razed out of that Article of the Discipline.

XI. Rich and Monied persons shall be exhorted by the most cogent Argu­ments to do their duty in contributing to the maintenance of the Ministry, and in case of neglect, the Consistory shall deal with them more effectually.

XII. The Churches shall be advised strictly to observe the Fourth Canon of our Fifth National Synod, held the second time at Paris, about Certifi­cates given unto poor Travellers, and that their names shall be written in them at length and not in Cyphers.

XIII. This Assembly being informed, that the Member for some Churches being disgusted at their Consistories, declare that they would not subject them­selves unto their Censures, and therefore to calm and pacifie them, they thought good to leave the Election of the new Consistory unto the body of the people. But this National Synod doth not approve in the least of this their action, as being a very evil matter, and of dangerous consequence: And judgeth that the said Church shall be advised to conform it self with the other Churches of this Kingdom unto that Canon of the Discipline, viz. That El­ders and Deacons shall be chosen by the Consistory, and then presented unto the People.

XIV. The Deputies in the last Synod of Paris acquainted this present Assembly, that they had given order to our Brethren in the Church of Lions, to Print the Book of Discipline.

XV. The Churches shall have notice given them, that they do not admit unto any Ministerial Duties. A certain Spaniard going by the Name of Anthony de la Rodit Bellariva, till such time as he have first cleared himself of those Crimes for which he stands Impeached by the Church of Loudun.

XVI. Whereas there is a very great difference in the Body of our Discipline which now passeth from hand to hand: The Churches of Paris, Orleans and Meaux, were appointed diligently, to revise and examine all those Canons that have been made in former Synods, and to send Attested Copies of them unto all the Provinces.

XVII. And the Churches of Paris, Lion, Orleans, and others shall not for the future dispose of any Scholars and Students, without their Consent, who had sent to the Universities.

XVIII. The Churches are advised to take heed of a certain Old, Grave and Bald-headed Fellow, going by the Names of Fontaires and Duzau, of Valleyse in Languedoc, who tho he was never Called or Ordained, doth yet notwithstanding take upon him to exercise the Office of a Minister.

CHAP. IX. A Resolution of several Cases of Conscience, and of other Weighty, Points of the Christian Reformed Religion, by the R. Mr. John Calvin, Pastor and Professor at Geneva.

THese Cases and their Solution were all annext unto the Canons of the National Synod of Vertueil in Augoumois, held there the Seven first days of September, 1567.

[Page 77] 1. Quest. Whether Children may lawfully detain and possess those Lands and Foundations, which were given by their Parents for Singing of Masses?

Answ. Altho those poor Founders (as they be called in the Papacy) were grosly cheated and abused; yet inasmuch as these very Persons to whom those Goods and Lands once belonged, did alienate them in a legal Man­ner; Their Heirs and Successors are deprived of them, and cannot pretend nor claim any Right unto them. So that they must sit down patiently with the Loss; unless that publick Authority should find out some Relief for them by a Reformation.

2. Quest. Whether a Man being forced to abandon his Native Country for Religion and Conscience, may also lawfully forsake his Wife?

Answ. The married Man would do much better to take his Wife with him, if it be possible for him so to do, rather than to live separate from her; that so he may give a good Example unto others, and avoid those Tempta­tions unto which he is obnoxious, as also that he may prevent very many Inconveniences, which are likely in such cases to befal him. And unless he be inforced to it by necessity, he ought not to leave her. By necessity, I mean this, when he cannot serve God with a safe Conscience. But if it should so fall out, that a Man cannot live as becometh a Christian, altho his Wife will live at a distance from him, yet is it lawful for him to go be­fore her, waiting for her to follow him, and he is to sollicite her to come unto him, even then when he is separated from her.

3. Quest. Whether a Father flying for Idolatry may leave his Children be­hind him?

Answ. If a Father should leave his Children with this Condition, That a Padagogue might if he would lead them unto Idolatry, he would than be guilty of Sin against God. For our Children are God's peculiar Treasure, an holy and separate Seed for him, and which must be kept with the greatest Care for God. And altho he cannot always have his eye upon them, yet 'tis neither meet nor profitable, that he should leave them in such a place, from which he cannot recover them without a World of difficulty. Yea, did he conscientiously endeavour to get his Children with him, it would be an effectual Means to draw his Unbelieving Wife after him.

4. Quest. Whether a Man may forsake his Country, when he is not per­secuted?

Answ. If a Man should live among Idolaters unpolluted with their Abo­minations, we would not condemn but praise him for his Constancy. And, in truth, we cannot warrantably impose a Law upon him, who would de­part his Country, as if it were unlawful for him so to do, whether it pro­ceed from his fear of what is likely to come to pass, or upon any other ac­count; as suppose, he distrusting his own weakness to stand out in a fiery Tryal, or ardently seeking after the means of Grace, and heavenly Know­ledge, should thereupon leave his Native Country, such a Zeal as this can­not but be approved, and applauded.

5. Quest. Whether it be our Duty to reprove those Sins, and sinful Dis­courses we hear in wicked Company?

Answ. There cannot be any stated Rule, or Canon in this Case, of re­proving Errors, or ungodly Talk, but this, that we should not dissemble, nor conceal our dissent from them, when as opportunity is offer'd us of re­proving them. For suppose, we should be in some Company, where they discourse wickedly, we are not bound necessarily to reply upon them. There is a time when the prudent Man may keep silence. But in case we meet them privately, and have no Witness, we may do as Righteous Lot, testify and express our Displeasure at their Sin, and that we are unwillingly, through Grief at Heart, put upon the Reprehending of them. But yet, the best Course we could take, would be this, to observe and take by the' [Page 78]Forelock, that Opportunity which God presents us of Opposing Sin, of edifying our Company, and hindring the Name of God from being blas­phemed, or that the weak and well-meaning Christian should be seduced through default of timely warning.

6. Quest. Whether we may correct, or expell out of our Service an Infidel, or Popish Servant?

Answ. Forasmuch as the Holy Apostles of our Lord did not constrain the Brethren of their Times, to drive away their Servants, tho no better than Slaves, when they would not imbrace the Christian Faith: Therefore, Masters should now adays observe these two Things. First, That Sith he is at liberty to give Covenant-Servants, that he taken one but such as fear God, and are of the Houshold of Faith, if possibly they may be Good; or that he take a most especial Care, if that they be ignorant, to instruct them, and rid his hands of them. Secondly, That he do not suffer nor permit the Name of God to be blasphemed within his House and Family, wherein God will be honoured. But above all, that he never prefer his own private Pro­fit and Advantage above the Glory of God.

7. Quest. Whether a Reformed Christian Gentleman is bound in Conscience, to hinder the Committing of Idolatry, in the Chappel of his Castle?

Answ. Forasmuch as we are permitted to suffer that which we cannot alter nor reform; provided, that he give not any Sign or Token of his Appro­bation, a Gentleman may not hinder People from entring into the Chappel of his Castle, when as Idolatry is Established by Publick Authority.

8. Quest. Whether we may feign to perform the abusive (Sinful) Will of a Testator, that so we may remove the Abuse?

Answ. Altho there would be no Sin in it to frustrate the abusive (Sinful) Intention of the Testator, by detaining the Revenues ordained by him, for chanting Masses; yet notwithstanding this feigning and dissembling will be always evil, and must be condemned, when a Man doth make Semblance of paying Service unto Devils.

9. Quest. Whether we may limit or keep back those Gifts and Alms be­queathed by a Testator?

Answ. We are not forbidden to bequeath any part of our Estate unto pious Uses after our decease, no more than to give it away during our Lives; provided we do it not out of Ambition to get a Name, and renown by so doing. For it cannot be said, that a Man is in quest of Glory, when as he shall oblige his Heir to do well according to that Estate he shall leave him, as he himself would have done, if he had lived longer. To alledge, that he never used to do thus in his life time; it is a Bar put upon a Man's Liberty, that he should have no Power freely to dispose of his own Goods. If the Heir be dissatisfied, woe unto him.

10. Quest. Whether we are bound to approve of that Minister, who hath been examined by Persons of Judgment and Experience?

Answ. As a Church is free to prove and try the Life and Doctrine of a Minister, before they accept and receive him: So neither is there any Tie, nor Obligation upon them to the contrary, but that they may confide and acquiesce in those who are qualified to examine him, and have had a long time knowledge of him, and so can best judge who and what he is. Other­wise the Faithful in Foreign parts would be destitute of all means, whereby to be supplied with able Pastors, if this Door were shut up.

11. Quest. Whether a Pastor may forsake his Church, and a Church their Pastor?

Answ. A Pastor may not of his own head forsake his Flock; but in case they will not make use of him, he is free, and may warrantably leave them, because ho cannot be a Pastor without a People, nor hold and exercise his Office among them against their Wills and Consent by meer force. Or in [Page 79]case the Church should not count his Labours among them profitable, or if he should have a Call unto another Church, which hath greater need of him, he may with the general Consent of his Flock freely go thither, and serve it. And look as every Pastor is bound to serve the Church of God, especially his own; so likewise is One Church bound to help another. And would to God this mutual Assistance were better practiced; for then we should be more enlargedly useful and beneficial one unto another.

12. Quest. Whether a private Christian may exercise the Office of a Mini­ster unto his own Family?

Answ. A Godly Man being the Head and Master of his Family, ought to serve, guide and instruct it, according to the Measure of his Gifts and Graces, and may so far supply the Pastor's Office, and perform his Duty in it, as to teach sound Doctrine, and inculcate wholsome Counsels to it. But forasmuch as also Persons indifferently are not allowed to Preach the Word, and Administer the Sacrament, it is but just and reasonable, that a Man should first try and examine himself, and be well assured, that he is called of God before he attempt or take upon him so great and weighty an Office. Yet nevertheless, every particular Family ought to be a Little Church of Christ.

13. Quest. Whether it be lawful to hold a Commander's Place (in any of the Popish Guilds and Fraternities?)

Answ. The immoderate Desire of Gain from all Quarters, hath caused a multitude of Cases to be started by Conscience; As this in particular, which now lieth before me. Whether it be lawful to hold a Commander's Place or Office (in any of the Popish Guilds and Fraternities?) To which I answer, That because there is a Foundation of Masses annexed unto such Offices and Commanderships, and for that such Places are not in the King's gift, but settled upon the Members of such and such a Guild and Fraternity, who are recommended to it, and for that they do all take an Oath repugnant to the true Reformed Religion, they cannot with a safe Conscience hold it. For were there no other Evil in it, yet there is this, that Sith they do not apply the Profits and Emoluments of the Commandership unto those very uses to which they were designed, they be but Thieves and Robbers.

14. Quest. Whether it be lawful to antedate a Contract?

Answ. Provided there be no falshood in it contrary to the Agreement in the Policy or Instrument, private Persons are no more forbidden to antidate a Deed of Sale, in which there is no Fraud, than to change their Names, or to date a Letter from Paris, which was written at Lions. In case it should be alledged, that this would be a cheating the King of his Gabel and Impost, I answer, this is nothing to the Purpose: because the Question is not moved about the Detention of Tribute, but only how to avoid without Fraud, a most violent Extortion, and tyrannical Pillage. But in case an Oath should be tendered unto the Parties, then I must tell them, that the Name and Honour of God should be more precious to them than all the Riches of the World.

15. Quest. Whether it be lawful, and when I may put out my Money unto Interest?

Answ. I would never advise any Man, to put out his Money to Interest, if he can employ it any ways else. Yet when as a Man's whole Estate doth lie in ready Money, he may very well contract with such and such Per­sons, that upon such and such terms it may be lawful for him to receive benefit and profit thereby. But he must be very careful, that he do not let loose the Reins to demand, and take excessive Gains, as is the Custom and Practice of too too many, nor should he grieve or grind the Face of that poor Man with whom he hath contracted, nor endammage the publick In­terest by his own private Benefit. Wherefore upon the whole, I dare not approve of any Interest, till I do first know how, and upon what [Page 80]Terms, Articles and Conditions, and with what Persons you do transact herein.

CHAP. X. Orders and Decrees concerning Marriages.

Made by the Authority of the National Synod of Vertueil, held in the Year, l567. But drawn up at the Desire of the Fathers in this Synod, by the R. Mr. Calvin, Minister of God's Holy Word, Pastor and Professor in the Church and Ʋniversity of Geneva.

These Orders were tacked together with Mr. Calvin's Answer to the fore­mentioned fifteen Cases of Conscience, and joyned to the Acts of the afore­said Synod.

CHAP. I.

Canons ordained in the National Synod held at Rochel, the second Day of April, One thousand five hundred seventy and one, in the Eleventh Year of the Reign of Charles the Ninth, Theo­dore de Beza, Minister of Geneva, was chosen Moderator, N. des Gallars, and de la Rougeraye Scribes.

CHAP. II. General MATTERS. Observations upon the Confession of Faith.

I. FOrasmuch as the kind Acceptance and Entertainment of Christian Doctrine is the true Foundation of Church Discipline, we have de­creed to open this Synod by Reading the Confession of Faith Received in the Churches of France.

II. Forasmuch as our Confession of Faith is Printed divers ways, The Synod declareth this to be the true Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches in France, which beginneth with these words, We believe that there is but one God; which Confession was drawn up in the first National Synod, held at Paris, May the 25th. 1559.

These Here­ticks were Davidis, Gen­tilis, Blandra­ta, Socinus, &c.III. The Confession being read, Monsieur de Beza acquainted the Assembly of those Heresies disperst abroad in Poland and Transylvania, by divers Per­sons, against the Unity, Divinity and humane Nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, receiving the Errors of ancient Hereticks, particularly of Samosate­nus, Arrius, Photinus, Nestorius, Eutyches, and many others, yea, and of Mahomet himself also: Whereupon the Synod unanimously voted their Detestation of all those abominable Errors and Heresies, and adviseth all Pastors, Elders and Deacons, and generally all the Faithful vigourosly to oppose their Admission into the Churches of France.

IV. Information was also given concerning the Errors of Cozain, by the Minister of Normandy, and Monsieur de Chandieu, and Monsieur de L'estang were ordered to examine the Table of the said Cozain, and to bring in a Re­port of it, and finally it was condemned, rejected and detested; And the English Bishops shall be desired to suppress the Books of the said Hereticks, which began to be in vogue among them.

[Page 92] V. The Nine and twenty Articles of the Confession of our Faith, and the others concerning Church-discipline, being read and propounded by the Minister of Bourdeaux, notice was given concerning a certain Phy­sitian, who maintained the Supremacy of the Magistrate as Head of the Church, and had published certain Writings under his own Hand and Name containing the Reasons of his Opinion. Whereupon the whole Assembly rati­fied the said Articles of it's Confession, and rejected the Error of the said Physitian, and of all others who would abolish Church-discipline, confound­ing it with the Civil Government of the Magistrate. It condemns also those Errors proceeding from the afore-mentioned Tenent.

VI. Moreover, the Synod ordered Monsieur de Beza to answer them, who impugned the aforesaid Articles of our Faith, and the Discipline of our Church, and in special the above-mentioned Physitian; and our Brother the Minister of Bourdeaux shall deliver unto Monsieur de Beza, the Points Collected by him, that must be answer'd; and the whole shall be communicated to the Brethren of Geneva.

Union must be placed in­stead of Uni­ty in the Art. concerning these two words, in the 26. Art. see Synod of Nis­mes, g. m. Art. 20. And the 3d. Synod of Ro­chel, Art. 8. concerning divers Obsen­ric in the Confession of Faith.VII. Instead of Ʋnity there shall be replaced the Word Ʋnion in the six and thirtieth Article of our Confession of Faith. And whereas the Deputies of the Isle of France and Brie do conceive it needful, that the said Article be explain'd in that Clause of it, which treats of the Participation of Christ's Substance in the Sacrament of his Supper; After a long Conference, it was at last resolved, That the Synod approving the said Article, rejecteth their Opinion, who will not receive the Word Substance: By which word the Sy­nod doth not understand any Confusion, Commixture or Conjunction after a carnal Manner, nor in any wise Natural, but a most true and intimate Conjunction after a spiritual Manner, by which Jesus Christ is so far made ours, and we his, that there is no Conjunction of Bodies, either Natural or Artificial, which can be so close and intimate: nor is this our fence and meaning, as if by the Conjunction of Christ's Person and Substance with ours there did result a kind of third Person and Substance: No, but this only, That by his Vertue, all that is in him needful for our Salvation is hereby most freely and intimately given and communicated to us: Nor do we consent with them, who say, that we communicate in his Merits, Gifts and Spirit, without his being at all made ours; But with the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians, admiring this Supernatural, and to our reason in­comprehensible Mystery, we do believe, that we are made Partakers of his Body delivered to the death for us, and of his Blood shed for us, so that we are Bone of his bones, and Flesh of his flesh, and that we receive him together with all his Gifts by faith wrought in us, through the incompre­hensible Vertue and Efficacy of his Holy Spirit; and thus do we in this Sence understand these Words of our Lord, speaking, Who so eateth the Flesh and drinketh the Blood of the Son of Man hath everlasting Life, Item, I am the Vine, you art the Branches; and we must abide in him, that we may bring forth much Fruit; and that we are Members of his Body, and of his Flesh, and of his Bones. And as we derive our death from the first Adam, because we participate of his Substance; so must we as truly partake of the second Adam Christ Jesus, that we may derive life from him. And there­fore all Pastors, and the Faithful in general are required not to yield unto the contrary Opinions, because what is now asseretd by us hath firm footing in the express Word of God.

Three Origi­nal Copies of the Confess [...] of Faith, the [...] at Rochel, [...] 2d. [...] and the [...]VIII. Finally, when as the Confession of Faith was read and ended, the whole Synod decreed, that without any Additions there should be three Copies fairly written in Parchmin, whereof one should be kept in this City of Rochel, another in Bearn, and the third at Geneva, and all three should be subscribed by the Ministers and Elders Deputies of the Provinces of this Kingdom, in the Name of all the Churches; Moreover her Majesty the [Page 93]Queen of Navarre, and my Lords the Princes of Navarre and Conde, and the other Lords here present in this Synod are also requested to subscribe it with their own hands.

CHAP. III. Observations upon the Church-discipline; Tuesday the Third of the same Month.

I. THE Discipline being read, it was judged needful, that under the Head of Ministers, there should be made this following Addition, viz. The most diligently that may be.

II. Under the fourth Head, to these words, It shall be granted because of our present Circumstances, shall be added the Ninth Article of the Synod of Vertueil.

III. Under the Eight shall be added, Although the Ʋsage of Imposition of Hands be good and holy, yet it shall not be reputed necessary as if it were of the Substance of Ordination.

The Form of Ordination. IV. The Form of Ordination was drawn up by Monsieur de Chandieu, in these following Words. The Minister who presenteth to the People the Per­son to be Ordained, shall briefly treat of the Institution and Excellency of the Mi­nistery, alledging for this purpose, these or the like Texts of Holy Scripture, viz. 4. Eph. 11. Luke 10.16. John 20.22. 2 Cor. 5.19, 120. 1 Cor. 4.1. Ex­horting every one to take special heed that both Minister and People discharge their proper Duties. The Minister shall acquit himself with the greater care and diligence in his Calling, because he knows of what high price and excellent ac­count it is with God: And the People shall with all Reverence receive the Mes­sage of God brought unto them by this his Embassador.The Form of Prayer at Or­dination was first framed in the Synod of Mai [...]ant 1609. 4th. Article of Observations upon the Dis­cipline. Then shall be read in the hearing of the whole Assembly, 1. Tim. 3. and 1. Titus. Where the A­postle delivers the Characters and Qualifications of a true Minister, and that the Elect Person may be enabled by divine Grace faithfully and conscientiously to perform the Duties of this holy and honourable Office, a pithy and fervent Prayer suitable to the occasion shall be powred out before the Lord for him, in the close of which he shall Impose his hands on the Head of the Elect Person, beseeching God that as he is consecrated unto his Service,So that from the year 1559. to the year 1609. there was no sta­ted Form of Prayer to whose words the Minister in Ordination was tied up necessarily and invari­ably. so he may be re­plenished with the Graces of his Holy Spirit, and that he would vouchsafe to bless his Ministery and pious Labours unto the Glory of his great Name, the Edification of his Church, and the Salvation of this elected Minister.

V. Under the Ninth shall be added, And the Church-discipline and Con­fession of Faith shall be signed and subscribed by the Minister Elect.

VI. The Tenth and Eleventh Articles shall be explained and conjoyn'd in one, and after these Words, They shall be Ministers during life, there shall he this Addition, If they be not lawfully discharged upon good and sufficient Grounds, and those approved by the Provincial Synod. Moreover, there shall be added, And deserters of the Ministery shall be excommunicate by the Provincial Synod in case they repent not. And after these Words, And as for those who be sent unto any Church, shall be added, for a time.

VII. The Twelfth which was the Thirteenth shall be thus corrected, Al­tho' a Minister do tell it publickly, that he was forsaken of his Church, or persecuted, yet shall he not be received by another Church, without eviden­cing unto the Colloquy or Synod his conduct in this Matter, and the said Colloquy or Synod shall act therein according to their best judgment and discretion.

[Page 94] VIII. Under the Fourteenth after these words, Such who intrude them­selves into the Ministery, in lieu of Places shall be inserted Provinces.

IX. Under the Seventeenth after these words, or expecting the Determina­tion instead of the Council, there shall be put in of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod, and before instead of Sent there shall be Lent.

X. To the Eighteenth shall be added, with the good Will and Consent of the said Minister.

XI. The Two and twentieth Article shall abide unchanged; only with this Addition, And all Advises and Letters shall be sent unto one particular Church, and not unto any one particular Person.

This Article i [...] the 37th. of the Chapter of Ministers in the Book of Discipline. XII. Under the Twenty Seventh, in lieu of those words, After he was summoned, there shall be put, Three Months being past the first Summons. Also after those words, It may be lawful for him to joyn himself unto some other Church, shall be added, by the Advice of the Colloquy or Provincial Sy­nod, which shall consider both the Poverty of the Church, and the Estate of the Minister; And in case of urgent necessity, the said Colloquy, or Synod may shorten the said Term of Three Months, and it shall be lawful for them to censure those ungrateful People even with Excommunication.

CHAP. IV. Acts passed on Wednesday, the Fourth day of the said Month.

This Article is the 19th. in the Chapter of Ministers, in the Book of Discipline.I. UNder the 11th. Article of Ministers, which had been lain by whilst the Princes sate among us there shall be these Alterations, for Ge­neral shall be put Provincial and National, and at the end there shall be ad­ded, As shall be Advised on in an amicable Conference of Ministers of both sides, that so what is most expedient may be followed. And this Article was approved by the Queen of Navar, and by the Princes of Navar and Conde, and by my Lords Count Lodwick and the Admiral.

II. Under the 31st. there shall be this Addition, The Provinces shall be informed by each other of the deposed Minister, that so the Deposed may not be received into other Churches.

III. Under the 32th. after those words, During the time of his Ignorance, shall be added, And this in case the said Minister abiding in his Ministry do bring greater scandal than Edification unto the Church, whereof the Synods shall take Cognizance.

IV. On Article the 38th. Monsieur Beza having propounded accord­ing to the Commission given him by our Brethren of Geneva, that there might be some certain Person chosen to answer those many Books published against our Doctrine, and that those Answers might be brought into the Provincial Synods, and there perused by them, and so to be Printed either with, or without the Author's Name, as the Synod should judge most con­venient. This Motion was well approved by the whole Assembly. And it was also ordered, That in whatsoever Churches there were sound Books Printed against our Doctrine, they should be sent unto the said Deputies.

CHAP. V.

V. THE Catalogue of Vagrants being read, the Names of these follow­ing Persons were rased out of it, Torteveau, P. Bouleu, La Torne­vie, Roberty, and there were inserted into it Le Breuil of Lazan, together with Merillo, Paul de Haye, Rouseau, John Bougayott, Bavillardy an Albi­gensis. And the Churches were warned by Monsieur Beza to beware of them, [Page 95]and of John Tevignon, a Burgundian, &c. Claudius Alexius, who bore about him a Certificate under the Hand of Mr. Melancthon deceased, and yet both de­posed by the Classis of Monbelliard.

VI.Ministers must use no o­ther Calling but their Mi­nistery.This Article was added unto the former, concerning Ministers. Mi­nisters shall be forbidden to practice Physick, or any other Calling Trade or Vocation whatsoever.

VII. Another Article was also subjoined, That Ministers who had Estates of their own might nevertheless receive Wages from their Churches, but in so doing, they ought to consider the Necessities of the Church, and the Rules of Charity.

CHAP. VI. A particular Matter about Elders and Deacons.

VIII. MOnsieurHe is called in two other Copies Vires, and in a fourth Virel. Vercelle Deputy of Brie declareth unto this Synod, that the Elders and People of Meaux are dissatisfied with the first Article of particular Matters; and complain, that they be deprived of their Freedom and Priviledge in Elections. Whereupon it was advised, that inasmuch as they had been divers times heard, and particularly that by the Synod of La Ferte under Joarre they had been largely instructed in the Will of God from his Holy Word in this Article, Letters should be dispatcht unto them from this Assembly, exhorting them to acquiesce in the Order of Disci­pline received in our Churches of France, and in case they will yet have the Business heard over once again, they shall apply themselves unto their own Provincial Synod about it.

IX. Under the Second, towards the End, this shall be added, And the said Elders shall be admonished not to declare unto the Consistory their faults without just Cause, and in much Charity, according to the Rule of God's Word. No Person at the first Re­port of his Miscarriage shall be men­tion'd by name in the Consistory. On this Article the Lord-Admiral propounded, That Persons upon the first Report should not be mention'd by Name unto the Consistory, until they had first resolved whether they should be called into it or no. And there was added, That no Person for the first Report ought to be named, unless the Consistory for good and vallid causes should think fitting so to do.

X. Under the Third, towards the End shall be this Addition, If they be fit and in case of want, and hindered by Ministers.

CHAP. VII. General Matters, Thursday the Fifth of the same Month.

I. THere shall be added to the Third Article of Elders and Deacons, That none others besides the said Deacons shall intermeddle with the Administration of the Poors Money.

II. This Article shall be added, The Elders and Deacons may be present at Propositions of the Word of God, made by Ministers, besides their ordinary Sermons, as also at Censures, and shall have their Priviledge of Voting in all Matters, Doctrine only excepted.

CHAP. VIII. Acts passed upon Friday the Sixth of the said Month.

I. IN the sixth Article, the word Alliance shall be removed, and it shall suf­fice to say thus much, That fellowship among the Faithful may be main­tained by Conjunction of Friendship, and instead of Conceited shall be put Contentious.

II. Instead of these words, in the Eighth, Although the Husband have an unbelieving Wife, yet he is not excusable, shall be put these words, Altho' the believing Husband have a Wife of contrary Religion, yet is he not excusable.

III. After these words, in the Ninth, The Ministers shall reject, shall be added, as much as is fitting.

IV. This Article shall be added, The Consistories shall have an eye over them, who detain their Children from Baptism too long a time.

CHAP. IX. Acts passed on Saturday the seventh Day of the same Month.

I. To the Head of Marriages the Canon decreed at Vertueil shall be added, This is the 21st. Article in the Chap­ter of Mar­riage and Book of Dis­cipline. The Banes of Widows shall not be published till four Months and an half after the decease of their first Husband, that the Evil and Scan­dal which otherwise would fall out may be avoided.

II. And this also, It's convenient for the keeping up of Discipline in the Church,These two Ar­ticles make up the 24th. in the Chapter of Marriages and Book of Discipline. that no Marriage be solemnized on Communion-days. And this Canon shall not be dispensed with but for very weighty Causes, and those also approved by the Consistory.

III. Item, Marriages shall not be solemnized on days of Fasting.

CHAP. X. Particular Orders about publishing of Books.

The Catalogue of their Names who must refute the Books of our Adversa­ries. IX. ACcording to the 12th. Article, The Colloquy of Beauvosin is order'd to receive Books from all parts of the Kingdom, and all other Mini­sters shall send Controversial Books, written by our Adversaries, unto them, that they may be answered. To this purpose are named Messieurs de Saulete, de Chandieu, de L'estre, des Bordes, Houlbeac, Despina, Daneau, Daniel Touslain, de Villfort, de St. Paul and Merlin: And these Books shall be sent from all the Provinces unto the said Monsieur d'Estre: And the said Colloquy of Beauvosin shall determine which of the Eleven Deputies is to undertake an Answer, and what may be needful or convenient for them.

X. At the close of the 4th. there shall be this Addition, And they shall be exhorted to be moderate and reasonable in selling their Books, and to rest contented with indifferent gain.

[Page 100] XI. The 13th. was thus contracted, No other Confession shall be printed but what begins thus, We believe, for this is properly our own, having been read in this Synod, after that it had been formed by that of Paris, the 19th. day of May, 1559.

XII. Under the if 15th. Advice was given, the Queen of Navar not to sell her vacant Offices, especially those of Judicature, nor to bestow them upon ano­ther's Recommendation, without her Personal knowledge of their Qualifications and Abilities who are to discharge them.

XIII. In lieu of those words, in the 17th. Article, the King's Ordinances shall be observed, let there be inserted these, They shall be exhorted to observe.

Scandalons Plays are pro­hibited. XIV. There shall be this Article added, All Plays forbiddaen by the King's Edicts, and those which notoriously waste time, or evidence Avarice, or give Offence, shall be reproved, and the Actors censured in the Consistory, according to the Circumstances.

CHAP. XI. Particular MATTERS.

I. TO the Deputies of Lionois, demanding what course we should take in censuring of Revolters in times of Persecution.What course is to be taken with Revolters by reason of perscution. It was answer­ed in he Words of St. Augustine, concerning a numerous Church of Drun­kards, That it were much better to have a vitious Church than none at all. And it seems necessary, that we should heed the Quality and Condition of the Persons than the Aggravations of their Faults. For there be somes who have greatly and grievously offended, and do repent most bitterly; others have failed more highly, or but in appearance, who yet are indifferent whe­ther they should return unto the Church, and settle in it or no. Wherefore all Circumstances should be well poized, and above all we ought to be most especially sollicitous how to reunite and cement together such as are stray'd and wander from the Church, that so the House of God may be replenished and re-established.

II. As for those who call themselves Papists, and have cut themselves off from our Churches, partly because of the King's Edicts, and partly because they could not meet with any Edification; whereunto all things done in the Church should have their Tendency, and because we are not to judge of them who are without: Some are of opinion, that we should quite aban­don such Persons; and acquiesce in that Judgment the Lord himself will exe­cute upon them. And therefore it were good in this Case, if after some time of patience and forbearance, and having done our Duty in reminding them of theirs, to inform the People, that such Persons are no longer Members of the Church, and that they would intreat God for them, that if they be­long to him, he would be pleased to convert them. Otherwise we have good cause to bless God he hath purged them out from among us, and further we should declare, that inasmuch as these do not any longer relate unto us, we leave them unto the Judgment of God.

Lord's-day, the Eighth of the same Month.
* Divers Deputies demanding what Course is to be used in censuring Apo­states from the Gospel-Doctrine and Worship: We answered, That such as are troubled in their Consciences, for this their heinous Crime shall be com­forted, and admonished in the Consistory, who shall judge of the Nature of their Offences, and after what manner these Delinquents are to be readmit­ted into the Church. But in case of Obstinacy and Impenitency, we de­clare in general, That such as have thus left us, are no longer Members of our Body, and the Crimes committed by them ought not in justice be im­puted to, nor charged on us, and there shall be no farther Proceedings a­gainst [Page 101]them, in those places where there is evident appearance of danger to the Church. In short, this was advised by the whose Assembly, to remit the whole Business unto the Consistories, who shall act herein, in such a manner as will best contribute to the Weal and Edifying of the Church.

CHAP. XII. Acts passed on Tuesday the Tenth day of the Month.

I. THE R. Mr. Beza craving our thoughts about M. Mercure, a Brother of ours in the Ministery, this Assembly is of opinion, that the next Synod of Lower Languedoc do take Cognizance of that Matter, and how he was re­stored unto the Ministery, and they shall also take notice of the Calumnies imposed by him, as is said, upon the Church of Geneva.

II. As to that Fact related by the Elder of Taillebourg, we advise, that the Minister of that Church ought to solemnize the Marriage, and to cen­sure him who got the Pope's Dispensation because of Consanguinity.

Acts passed on Wednesday the Eleventh of the same Month.

I. Our BrotherHe is called in another Copy Guille­min. The know­ledge of some Crimes must be first notifi­ed unto the Magistrate. Elders shall be chosen, Mi­nisters sent with­out any other formalities than what is provided for by the Dis­cipline. Guillemet, Deputy for Poictou demanding Counsel of us, what ought to be done in a particular Case mention'd by him; we an­swered, That the Knowledge of some Crimes must be first given in unto the Magistrate; and the Consistory shall wait till such time as the Facts have been verified before him, and then shall they proceed to inflict Censures upon the Delinquent according to his domerits: unless the Circumstances prove such as can not admit of any delays.

II. The Synod being informed that certain Churches in Languedoc do practise divers things contrary to our Discipline, as that in the Election of Elders, and in the Mission and Loan of Ministers they gather the Peoples Votes one after another: It doth disapprove and condemn all those Usages and Customs, and admonisheth the said Churches to conform themselves unto that Order established and observed by us, according to the Discipline, and in case of default those Churches shall be censured.

III. This Article shall be inserted into the Discipline, That Ministers or Elders deposed from their Office for Crimes deserving capital Punishment, or bearing Marks of Infamy, whatever their Repentance may be, they shall never be restored unto their Churches. But in case of lesser miscarriages after pub­lick Satisfaction given by them unto the Congregation, they may be restored by the Provincial Synod, but to serve in another Province, and not otherwise.

There were present at this Synod of Rochel, Joane by the Grace of God Queen of Navar, the high and mighty Prince Henry, Prince of Navar, the high and mighty Prince Henry de Bourbon. Prince of Conde, and the most illustrious Prince Lewis, Count of Nassau, and Sir Gaspar, Count de Colligny, Admiral of France, and divers other Lords and Gentlemen, be­sides the Deputies, who were Members of the Church of God.

CHAP. I. Canons Ordained in the National Synod held at Nismes the Sixth of May, One thousand five hundred seventy two, in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of Charles IX.

John de la Place President and Scribe.AFter Invocation of the Name of GOD, John de la Place was elected President and Scribe.

CHAP. II. Observations upon the Discipline, the Confession of Faith, and the last National Synod of Rochel.

I. IT's unanimously resolved, That the Seventh Article of the Discipline shall abide in its full Power.

II. Instead of those words extracted from the Acts of the National Synod of Rochel in the Year 1571. We reject their Opinion, who will not receive the word Substance, See Synod of Rochel, Gen. Mat. art. 6. shall be put, Without prejudicing those Forreign Churches, who for reasons best known to themselves, do not use the word Substance, we re­tain the word Substance in that sence expressed in the Article. And then to­wards the close, in lieu of those words, That we may derive Life from him, shall be inserted, That by Mystical and Spiritual Communication with him, we may derive that true eternal life: And the Lord's Supper is principally or­dained for the Communication of it; althô the same Lord Jesus be offered to us both in his Substance and Gifts in the Ministry of his Word and Ba­ptism, and received by Believers.

'Tis the Four­teenth Article in the Chapter of Baptism, and Book of Discipline.III. It was resolved, that the Ninth Article concerning Baptism shall a­bide in its full power. And the Ministers of Province shall be admonished to carry themselves with more condescension, and not to raise so many Difficul­ties about Names.

IV. It's also resolved, That the Fourth Article concerning the Lord's Sup­per, shall remain unchanged.

CHAP. III.

See the First Synod of Ro­chel, Particu­lar Matters, Art. 1.V. THE Churches of Poictou upon reading the Canon concerning De­linquents, demanded, What course should be taken with those who in times of Persecution having revolted, had been censured by the Church, but could never be regained; yea, and were become Enemies and Persecu­tors; so that if they should be mentioned by Name in the Publick Congre­gation in order to Excommunication,How we are to use Excom­munication. See the Se­cond Synod of Paris, Art. 2. of Particular Matters. they would certainly grow worse, and would rage more bitterly against the Church, and do her more and greater mischief, as was manifest by woful experience. The Synod upon Advice answered, That Excommunication was ordained for them who are Members of the Church, and not for those who are not, and that its natural design and tendency is for her edification, and not for her destruction, that so the Flock of Christ may not be infested by scabbed Sheep, and that the Person thus cut off, being humbled and confounded for his sin, may be finally recover­ed and received, and that others terrified by his example may be preserved. And that when Apostates are mentioned by Name in the Church, 'tis not properly an Excommunication of them, for they have already abandoned her Communion, but 'tis to declare their Rebellion and Apostasie, that so the whole Church may beware of them as of incorrigible Offenders; yet nevertheless the best endeavours shall be used for their reduction and refor­mation, and God shall be intreated, whilst there is any hope, to give them Repentance unto Life. And if any such are found, who instead of humbling and repenting, do harden themselves in their sins, and growing worse and more furious, do plot and conspire the destruction of the Church, or of its Pastors, especially understanding that they are to be mentioned by their Names in the Publick Congregation, it were far better to forbear all Na­ming of them, it being but a meer formality, and our End may as well be obtained by some other means, which is by Notifying unto the People those desperate Apostates, that every one may shun and avoid their Conversation. And this may be done with ease and safety by the Elders and Deacons, who shall inform their several Quarters of it, that so none may pretend ignorance. And whoso converse familiarly with these contumacious Rebels shall be cen­sured, according to the Canons of our Discipline. Moreover, this may be confirmed by the General Doctrine of the Ministers, who without naming any Person may give sufficient Notice of them; and those prudent Intimati­ons may be advantagiously improved. And Ministers and Consistories are warned in Proceedurs of this nature to use all moderation and prudence; because that Church-Censures and Canons of Discipline are only used for edification, and not for destruction, remembring often that saying of St. Au­gustin, That Medicines which are more hurtful than profitable should be wholly forborn. And sith in particular Facts many Circumstances occur, concerning which a Special Law cannot be enacted, we ought therefore to be the more discreet, wary, and considerate. And the whole is left to the Wisdom of the Consistory.

VI. There shall be added to the Twenty Eighth Article, concerning Mi­nisters, these words, Nevertheless it were expedient that Ministers took Wages, because of its consequence, and that others may not be prejudiced.

VII. The Sixteenth Article concerning Ministers shall begin thus: The Minister who shall have intruded himself, &c.

VIII. After these words in the Thirty fourth Article, concerning Mini­sters. That have preached Heretical Doctrine: there shall be added, And does obstinately maintain it.

[Page 106] IX. In the first Article of Provincial Synods, instead of those words, At least: there shell be put in, As much as possible.

X. In the first Article of National Synods, after those words, Within a Year; shall be added, If it be possible.

XI. Before the Title of Provincial Synods shall be put, Titles with Articles of Classes. Colloquies. And the first Article shall be this: The Neighbour-Churches shall assemble themselves in Colloquies four times a Year, if possibly they can, and each Minister shall come accompanied with one Elder, not only for this end, that Ministers in their respective turns may handle a common place in Divinity from the Scriptures; but that by mutual common Counsel they may compose those emergent Difficulties which trouble their Churches: For it is thus ordained by the Discipline, and generally to provide whatever they conceive expedient and necessary for the Conservation of the Churches.

XII. The second Article concerning Elders shall be thus enlarged; to wit, after these words, The Elders Office is to convene the People unto Publick As­semblies; there shall be this addition, And in general to watch, but most espe­cially over the Church. And after these words, To make Reports of Scandals; there shall be added, And in conjunction with the Ministers to judge and decide. And after those words, And other such-like Matters; shall be added, Which concern the Order, Preservation, and Government of the Church.

XIII. At the end of the Title of National Synods this following Article shall be added: That the Acts and Articles of Synods may be preserved, and that they may be of use in time to come for the deciding Controversies, resolving Cases that may be propounded in the Synods; the said Articles of things past or to come, and others concerning Synods, as also the Articles of our Discipline, together with the Confession of Faith of our Reformed Churches, shall be all de­posited with the Deputies of that Province, which is impowered to call the next National Synod, and is charged to bring them forth at their first meeting.

XIV. At the end of the Twenty second Article of Marriages there shall be this added: And the betrothed Woman shall have the same liberty with the be­trothed Man, in case the said Man shall have fornicated after the aforesaid Promises

XV. The Article concerning Professors of Divinity shall be thus enlarged, Doctor and Professors of Divinity shall be chosen by a Synod or Coll [...]ay. Classis, after good proof, and sufficient tryal had of their Life and Doctrine. And they shall be acquainted, that they be wholly dedicated for their Lives unto the Service of God and his Church, and to be imployed according to the appointment of the Classis or Synods, to whose Authority they shall yield Obedience. Moreover, they shall subscribe the Confession of our Faith, and Church-Discipline. And whenever any difficulty in Doctrinal Points does occur they shall be called forth, if they be upon the place, to assist at its decision. The Regents also shall make the same Subscription.

XVI. Towards the close of the Fifth Article concerning Elders, there shall be this addition: And Professors of Divinity lawfully and duly called unto their Offices.

XVII. The Fourth Article concerning Consistories shall be couched in these words:Deacons may and ought to be Mem [...]s of Consistories The Ministers of God's Word, together with the Eldership, do constitute the Churches Consistory, in which the Ministers ought to preside; and Deacons may and should be present in the Consistory, that so by their Advice the Church may be served, as hitherto in these difficult times we have happily employed them in the Government of the Churches, and called them forth into the Eldership. And for time to come all Deacons thus chosen or continued, shall joyntly together with the Pastors and Elders have the Rule and Conduct of the Churches.

CHAP. IV.

This Article is the [...]ast in the Chapter of Consistories XVIII. THis following Article shall be plac'd next in order to the 10th of Consistories: If one or more of the People stir up strife, and thereby break the Churches Ʋnion in any Point of Doctrine, Discipline, or the Form of Catechising, Administration of Sacraments,How such are to be dealt with who raise Conten­tions in the Church about our Doctrine, Discipline or Worship, Ca­techising and Marriage. or of Publick Prayers and Celebration of Marriage, and that private Admonitions prove ineffectual to suppress them, then the Consistory of that Church shall presently endeavour to compose and ap­pease the whole without any noise, and with all sweetness by the Word of God. And in case the Dissenters should not acquiesce in their determination, that Consistory shall intreat the Colloquy to meet at such time and place as may be most convenient, having first of all oblig'd the Dissenters in express terms, and those on Record not in any manner of way to spread abroad their Opinions until the meeting of the said Colloquy, on pain of being dealt with as Schismaticks; ex­cepting always freedom of Conference with Pastors and Elders, in case they have not been sufficiently instructed. But and if the said Dissenters refuse to give those fore-mentioned Promises, then shall they be censured as Rebellious Persons, according to the Discipline. And the Colloquy being met shall proceed as was above directed. And in case the said Dissenters after a patient Hearing and Refutation rest fully satisfied, the whole business shall be Registred: But if not, and extraordinary necessity so require, the Provincial Synod shall be in­treated to meet at such a time and place as the said Colloquy shall judge most convenient, the former Promises having been once again repeated by the Dissen­ters. And the Synod being assembled, they shall with very great and mature deliberation advise and consider of the Matter, Places, Times, and Persons, whether it be expedient that another Conference be held with these Dissenters, and publickly with open doors before the People, and whether liberty of speak­ing may be granted unto any of the Assistants; which if it be, yet the deter­mination of the Point in Controversie shall not be left unto them, but to the Provincial Deputies, according to the known Rules of our Discipline. And then if the said Dissenters refuse conformity, they shall, promising as before, be dis­missed over to the ordinary National Synod; or if there be one at that time ex­traordinarily assembled, they shall be heard in it with all holy freedom. And here shall be the final and absolute Decision made of this Controversie from the Word of God; whereunto if they refuse a full and entire Obedience, and in plain and express terms do not renounce their recorded Errors, they shall be cut off by the Sword of Excommunication from the Body of their Churches. A Pastor or Elder breaking the Churches Ʋnion, or stirring up contention about any Point of Doctrine or Discipline which he had subscribed, or about the Form of Cate­chising, Administration of Sacraments, Publick Prayers, or Celebration of Mar­riage, and not conforming to the determination of the Colloquy, shall be then suspended from his Office, and either the Provincial or National Synod shall fi­nally proceed against him.

CHAP. V.

The manner of Electing Ministers. XIX. THE Fourth Article concerning Ministers shall be couched in these terms: A Minister shall not be chosen by one only Minister with his Consistory, but by two or three Ministers called into the said Consistory, and if there be one in being by the Colloquy, or if it may be by the Provincial Synod. Afterward he shall be recommended to the People, who shall hear him two or [Page 108]three weeks following, or for some longer time, if it be conceived fitting, that he may be known to them, and his Method in Teaching; the Congregation also shall be expresly informed, that if any one of them know a just cause or reason why the called Minister should not be chosen, or if they be dissatisfied with them, that they would declare it unto the Consistory, who will readily receive, and patiently and freely hear their Exceptions against him: And in case there arise contention on one side or other, the Election shall be suspended, and the whole Affair shall be brought before the Provincial Synod, who shall take know­ledge both of the Justification and Reception of the said Ministers, who though justified, shall not however be imposed upon that People against their will, or to the discontentment of the major part of them. And on the contrary, the Peo­ples Silence shall be taken for their full consent. Finally, the said Pastor shall be presented unto the People, and be ordained by laying on of hands. And if any Ministers be desired by particular Churches to be employed in their Service, they shall be sent with good Testimonials of their Life and Doctrine, unto the Colloquy or Synod of the Province whereunto the Churches that demanded them do belong; and that Colloquyor Synod shall first hear them; and in case the Mi­nisters thus sent have never before exercised the Pastoral Office, they may exa­mine them, and afterwards depute three or four Ministers to nominate and pre­sent them unto the Churches which desired them, who having heard them preach, shall finally receive them; or if the People do oppose it, the whole Affair shall be determined according to the Order before appointed, and all at the Costs and Charges of the Churches which demanded them.

XX. At the close of that Article concerning Excommunication, under the Head of Delinquents, these words shall be added: And during the Publica­tion, as well of the said Excommunication, as of the Reconciliation, it shall be lawful for those of the People who never consented, to give Notice of it unto the Consistory, and they have all holy liberty for so doing; and the Consistory shall consider of it; whereas the silence of others shall be taken for consent. And in case of opposition or discontent, they shall not proceed unto Excommuni­cation without advising with the Colloquy, yet nevertheless the said Suspension shall stand and remain in its full vigour and effect.

XXI. To the first Article of Particular Orders there shall be made this short addition, And to nourish Monks.

XXII. In the 27th Article concerning Ministers after these words, To shor­ten the Term of Three Months; there shall be added, And the said Colloquy shall consider how those ungrateful Persons shall be dealt with, weighing maturely and considering seriously all Circumstances, and above all, having in their eyes the Glory of God, the Edification of his Church, and the Honour of the Ministry. And what remains of that Article shall be razed out.

XXIII. After the 18th Article, concerning Consistories, this present shall be subjoyned: In those places where the Exercise of the Reformed Religion is not established, the Faithful shall be exhorted by the Neighbour Colloquies to choose unto themselves Elders and Deacons, and to observe the Discipline of the Church, and the Colloquy shall advise unto what Church most commodiously both for Minister and People, they may be annexed; and this shall be done by consent of all, or the major part of them; and they shall not depart from that Church, without having first consulted the said Colloquy.

Provincial Sy­nods have Power of changing Mi­nisters. XXIV. The 16th Article, concerning Ministers, shall be couched in these following words: Authority is granted unto Provincial Synods for certain Cau­ses to remove Ministers, their Churches being first heard, and their Reasons duly pondered; but in case of difference the Cause shall be finally decided by the National Synod, and till that Sentence be obtained, Ministers shall abide where they were.

[Page 109] XXV. There shall be this addition made unto the Article of Provincial Synods: And the said Deputies shall come at the common Charges and Expen­ces of their Churches.

XXVI. To the sixth Article of Baptism, this Clause shall be added, And after they have made Profession of Religion.

XXVII. To the third Article of Elders, after these words, As also the Sen­tences of Suspension shall be done; there shall be this addition, Without any mentioning of Name.

XXVIII. Unto the end of the 7th Article of Elders shall be this added, And they shall be diligently exhorted to continue in their Offices as long as may be, because frequent changes brings damage unto the Church.

The Faithful may not be present at any Stage-plays. XXIX. There shall be this addition at the end of the 18th Article con­cerning particular Orders: It shall not be lawful for the Faithful to be pre­sent at Stage-Plays, Comedies, Tragedies, or Farces, whether they be acted publickly or privately; because they have been ever condemned by God's ancient Churches for corrupting of good Manners, especially when as the Holy Scripture shall be profaned by them. But if a Colledge judge it meet for their Youth to represent any History, not comprised in the Sacred Scriptures (which was ne­ver given us for our sport and pastime, but to be preached for our conversion and comfort) and provided this be done but very seldom, and by the Advice of the Colloquy, which shall first peruse the Composition, it may be tolerated.

XXX. The fifteenth Province shall be divided into two, Forest, Auvergna and La Marche shall make one, Burgundy, Lyonnois, and Benujolois another, and Orange shall be joyned to the Province of Dolphiny.

XXXI. This Clause shall be added to the end of the 8th Article of Marri­ages: After which time the Marriage shall be publickly blessed in the Church according to the Word of God.

CHAP. VI. General MATTERS.

I. THis Case was moved about the Elders, viz. Whether they ought to be presented to the whole Church, and in the face of the Assembly to receive their Charge, and the Church itself to be reminded of its Duty to them, or that they should be presented to the Consistory only. The Synod judging it a matter meerly indifferent, leaveth the Churches to their liberty herein.

II. Hath not a Colloquy the same Right to redemand a Minister as his Church? It was answered in the Negative: for the Colloquy hath not the Churches Right in its Power, as was determined by the last National Synod.

III. A Query was made about Marriages, Whether Doctors and Professors of Divinity, were not bound by the 18th Canon of our Discipline, to put away their Wives, if guilty of Adultery, or else to be deprived of their Pro­fessorship in our Schools and Churches? Unto which there was this Answer returned: That that Canon did purely relate unto Pastors, not unto Profes­sors; nor is there a parity of reason for the one as for the other. Ministers being Publick Officers in the whole Church, are to be exemplary in their Persons and Families for holiness, and therefore must not receive again an Adulterous Wife into their Bosoms, which would be a Scandal to the Church. Moreover, Professors of Divinity are not to correct and reprove as Pastors are; so that they may, if they please, pass by the wickedness of their Wives, and notwithstanding their Adultery, enjoy their Professor's place among us, and not be deposed from it.

[Page 110] IV. This Advice was given to the Deputy of Poictou, That such as revolt­ed in the times of War from the Profession of the Gospel, in case they bore no Office in the Church, shall not make any publick reparation, nor shall the Civil Magistrates, but only in the Consistory, and that too without mention­ing them by Name, nor shall they stand up. But as for others who were publick Church-Officers, they shall give publick satisfaction, and repair the Scandal given by their Fall in a publick manner before the whole Church, and then without any farther severity, and with all possible sweetness shall be re-admitted to the Peace and Fellowship of the Church.

V. Is it necessary, that the Confession of Faith should be read before Ser­mon, and upon Sacrament-days before we go up unto the Lord's Table? We answer, The thing is meerly indifferent, and therefore no Canon shall be made about it, but the Church shall be left unto its liberty.

VI. The word Senate of the Church, shall be changed into that of Con­sistory.

VII. In case the Children of Believers will contract Marriage with Unbelievers against their Parents will, their Parents shall not at all consent unto such Mar­riages, nor by publick Instrument assign them any Dowry, nor any other way or manner approve of such a Marriage.

VIII. This Case was propounded: After Promises of Marriage had passed reciprocally by words de proesenti, one of the betrothed Persons falleth sick of the Leprosie, and contracts a most loathsome stinking savour, and a Disease utterly incurable, may these Espousals be broken and dissolved? Unto which there was this Answer returned: That in case one of these betrothed Persons had not been informed of the said Sickness when the Promises were made, she may not be compelled to accomplish them; for there being Errour and Deceit in the Case, there can be no Consent, so that she may be set at liberty. And in this business we must have a double respect, 1. To the Publick; and then, 2. To the Interest of that private Person. As to the Publick, Special Care must be taken, that incurable Vices and Diseases be not multiplied, and that their Contagiousness be not propagated, nor run in the Blood. And if there were no particular, private Interest in the Case, yet before that this Marriage be consummated, its against all Prudence and Godliness, to suffer Persons, who have begun ill, to be conjoyned together, and that they should all their Life after live in a perpetual hatred and abhorrency of each other, because of the said loathsome Stench and Distemper.

IX. A Man hath abused his deceased Wife's Sister, and got her with Child, may he now marry her? No: for this commixture is incestuous, nor may she become his Wife, and both of them are to be censured most severely. Yet he may marry another.

X. If a Man hath married a Wife out of his own Church, and there be no Evidence of the Marriage, he shall be called into the Consistory, and prove his Marriage; and in case he cannot do it, because it was done during the Civil Wars, the Consistory shall advise prudently how to censure him, whe­ther publickly, or only privately within the Consistory for the Churches edi­fication.

XI. May Doctors of Divinity be created and admitted unto their Dignity and Office by Doctors of Law, assisted with a Minister of God's Word in the University of Orange, or elsewhere? It's answered, That Lawyers and Phy­sitians may be thus admitted, but not Divines; for our Discipline hath ex­presly provided against such an abuse as this is.

XII. How may Consistories demean themselves about Banes of Marriage, whenas those of the Romish Religion do make opposition, and will not appear before the Consistory, but before the Civil Magistrate? We answer, That if the Civil Magistrate will take Cognisance of the Fact, the Consistory shall not proceed any farther, least the Magistrate should thence take occasion of [Page 111]Offence, and complain of the Consistory for intermedling with his business, and intrenching upon his Authority. And this will be direction enough as to that particular Case of Monsieur Cyprian.

XIII. If any of our Brethren in the Ministry have lying by them any Re­lations of memorable Events, relating to the History and State of God's Church in these times, they be desired to send them to the Pastors of the Church of Lions, who will model them into good order, and publish them to the World.

XIV. A Father having his Son murdered, compounds with the Murderer for a Sum of Money, what course is to be taken with this Father? We an­swer, That the Father is bound to prosecute the Murderer in a Court of Justice, and to file a Bill of Indictment against him. But in case he cannot do it, and it so fall out, that he and the Murderer do agree the Matter be­tween themselves to his own private advantage, he shall only be admonished by the Consistory, and that prudently too, according as they find Circum­stances.

XV. May those Commanders Places, and Dignities of Knighthood in the Orders of St. John of Jerusalem, be counted among Benefices; and whether these Knights may be kept off from the Lord's Supper? We answer, That if they hold their Benefices and Commanderships from the King, and without any mixture of Superstition or Idolatry, they may do it lawfully enough. But and if they hold them with Idolatry or Superstition, be it either from the King's Gift or the Pope, they cannot do it, there is sin and guilt in the case; nor shall they be admitted to Communion with us at the Lord's Table: For this would be a professed owning of the Pope's Tyranny, who hath no rightful Dominion nor Authority in these matters, but Kings and Princes on­ly, who are robbed by the Pope's Usurpation of their just Rights, Power, Priviledges, and Authority.

CHAP. VII. Particular MATTERS.

• Art. I. IT is now concluded, that the Province of Normandy may be divided into two Provinces, in case they cannot conveniently meet in one, and all the Ministers shall come unto them accompanied with their Elders, according to the Canon of our Discipline, and not by deputies from the Col­loquies.
• Art. II. As for Cozain, upon reading those Letters sent us from our Brethren the English Ministers, it was ordered, That the two Books written by the said Cozain, and dedicated to some particular Members in the Church of Bour­deaux, and brought unto this present Synod by Monsieur de la Sauls, should be put into Monsieur Beza's hands for his perusal, and who should make report of their Contents unto us, and an Answer shall be returned to our Brethren of England.
• Art. III. The Deputies of the Isle of France craved our Advice, about those Points of Church-Discipline now controverted by Monsieur Ramus, du Rosier, Bergeron, and some others. Whereupon an Order was made, That Monsieur de Chambrun should read in this Assembly, that Abridgement made by our Brethren of the Isle of France, and extracted out of Morellius's Answer to that Book, De la Confirmation de la Discipline; and sent by them unto this Sy­nod, together with the Book of the said Morellius in answer to it, and for decision of those Points and Arguments therein contained, as also Ramus, and [Page 112] De Rosier's Books, which shall be delivered unto Monsieur Cappel to be exa­mined by him. And in case there be any other Arguments found in them, besides those formerly urged by Morellius, these shall be also answered. And Messieurs de Beza, De Roche Chandieu, and De Beaulieu, are chosen to reply unto them. And as for the Decisions and Decrees they shall be made only by the Provinces. Yet liberty is given unto the By standers, in case they think good to make opposition, and to this purpose the Doors of the Synod shall be le [...]t wide open, and silence shall not be imposed upon any Man in this matter for this time. Only it shall not be made a Precedent.
• Art. IV. But this Affair having been since considered, examined, disputed, de­bated, and put to the Vote, as it was ordered in the last mentioned Canon, a Decree passed, That our Church-Discipline, as it hath been all along to this very day observed end practised among us, so also shall it be for the fu­ture, without any change or innovation in it, as being grounded upon God's Word. And as for those Positions asserted by Monsieur Ramus, Morellius, Bergeron, and others, 1. About the Decision of Points of Doctrine. 2. A­bout the Election and Deposal of Ministers. 3. About Excommunication out of the Church, and Reconciliation with, and Re-admission into it. 4. And lastly about Prophesying, None of these shall be received among us, because they have no Foundation in the Word of God, and are of very dangerous consequence unto the Church, as the whole hath been verified and made ap­pear in the presence of this Synod, in which all the Arguments of those Books of Ramus, Morellius, and Du Rozier were most narrowly sifted and discussed, and this was unanimously assented to by the Declaration of all the Provincial Deputies, who affirmed, That they had maturely and duly considered of those Points of Discipline controverted by those Gentlemen before-mentioned. And Monsieur De la Roche Chandieu was ordered to reduce and set down in writing all the Answers and Resolutions made by this Assembly unto the said Treatises and Arguments, and to communicate them with the Colloquy of Lionnois, that they may be printed and published. Only the Relation of these Synod [...]cal Answers and Resolutions shall be writ with the greatest modera­tion, and without mentioning the Names of any Person.
• Art. V. The Colloquy of Limmigny shall be advised to get the Memoirs of their Synod to be razed, nor may they make any particular Canons of their own, but shall be governed by those of our Discipline.
• Art. VI. Monsieur Berauld, and his Colleagues in the Church of Montauban, are charged to recover from Monsieur Comerard of Tholouse, the History of the Albigenses, written in their Langùage, and Monsieur D' Acier shall translate it into French, and having done it, shall communicate it unto their Colloquy, according to the Canons of our Church-Discipline, and then cause it to be printed. And Letters shall be written to this purpose unto the said Sieurs de Comerard and D' Acier, from this Assembly.
• Art. VII. The County of Messin, and City of Metz shall be joyned to the Pro­vince of Champagne, according to the particular Canon of our Discipline, and Letters concerning it shall be sent unto them from this Synod.
• Art. VIII. The Lord Admiral de Chastillon having writ a Letter unto this Sy­nod, the Churches were all admonished of their Duty to his Majesty; and an Answer should be returned to this effect unto his Lordship.
• Art. IX. A Vote passed, but without any prejudice to the liberty of Monsieur de Saules, and without debating the Merits of his Cause, that a Letter should be written unto the Magistrates of Geneva, thanking them for their Love and Good-will, and they shall be desired to continue it unto all the Churches of France in general, and particularly to those of Bearn; and we do grant Monsieur de Saules tor one Year more unto the Queen of Navarre, and Letters also shall be written unto her Majesty, and to his Highness the Prince her Son.
• [Page 113] Art. X. The Churches shall be excited to assist with their Charity the poor Members of the County and Church of Orange, who are in extream poverty, there being no less than Twelve hundred Families of these Refugees in the single Province of Dolphiny.
• Art. XI. Before that Mr. John le Gagneur shall be admitted Pastor into any one of our Churches, he shall give good Evidence of his Repentance, and of his Reconciliation with the Church of Geneva, and we will have some conside­rable space of time for proving the truth of his Repentance.
• Art. XII. Upon the Censure of Ramus, Morellius and their Companions, it was voted, That Letters should be writ in the Name and Authority of this As­sembly unto the said Ramus, Morelly, Du Rozier, and Bergeron, and to give them all severally to understand what was concluded by this Assembly against their Books, and to re-mind them of their Duty according to God's Holy Word; and a Letter shall be written unto die Provincial Synod of the Isle of France, that they summon these aforesaid Gentlemen before the Colloquy of Beauvoisin, and remonstrate to them their Offences, but to deal gently and sweetly with them: And in case upon their appearance they should reject their Admonitions, they shall be proceeded against as Rebels and Schismaticks, according to the Canons of our Discipline.
• Art. XIII. As to the business of Cozin's before-mentioned, Monsieur de Saule shall be intreated by the Assembly to answer our English Brethren, and to send them Cozin's Book, and the Remarks which have been made upon it.
• Art. XIV. Monsieu de Beze is ordered to answer in the Name of this Synod the Letters of our Brethren of Zurich, and to acquaint them with our Syno­dical Decrees.
• Art. XV. The Province of Berry is charged to call the next National Synod two Years hence, or before in case of necessity.

CHAP. VIII. The Vagrants, styling themselves Ministers, but deposed.

1. BEauguyot. 2. Arbaud. 3. John Garambois, alias Baremboin. 4. Denis Lam­bert. 5. Simon Savin, or Savineau, calling himself, Monsieur. De la March [...]. 6. Monsieur Peter Granade, going also by other Names, as Saca­lay, Mercure, Salcadry, or Secudry.

CHAP. I.

• Art. I. AFter Prayers made by the Pastor of that Church, Master Peter Merlin, Minister of the Word of God, and Pastor of the Church gathered in the House of the Right Honourable Guy Earl of Laval, was by general Suffrages chosen Moderator, and Mr. Francois Oyseau, Mi­nister of the Church of Nantes, and Mr. William de la Jaille, Minister of the Church of Saujon were chosen Scribes of the Synod.
• Art. II. There was present and voted in it the most Noble and Illustrious Lord Henry de la Tour (afterward Duke of Bouillon and Mareschal of France) Viscount of Turenne, Earl of Montfort, Baron, of Mountague, &c. represent­ing as Lieutenant-General, His Majesty the King of Navarre, in the Pro­vince of Guyenne.
• Art. III. There fate also in this Synod the Judges, Magistrates and Consuls of the said City of St. Foy.

CHAP. II. General MATTERS.

I. NO Province shall claim any Primacy or Preheminence over another.

II. The Deputies of every Province are charged to ad [...]ise and press their respective Provinces, to look carefully to the Education of their Youth, and to see to it, that Schools of Learning be erected, and Scholastick Exer­cises, as Propositions and Declamations be performed, that so their Youth may be trained up and prepared for the Service of God and of his Church in the holy Ministery.

III. Synods and Colloquies shall proceed against ungrateful Persons, to their Ministers by all consures, according to the 27th. Article of our Disci­pline, under the Title of Ministers.

[Page 117] IV. Colloquies and Synods shall use their best and utmost diligence that the Tenth Article in the Chapter of Ministers be most punctually observed, concerning Forsakers of their Ministery, who upon slight and trivial Grounds do abandon it, and their Churches.

For the Wi­dows and Or­phans of Mi­nisters, see the Synod of Vertueil, Ge­neral Matters, 22.V. The Provincial Synods shall keep a Memorial of the Widows and Children of deceased Ministers, especially of those who died in their Churches Service, that so they may be relieved, and maintenance may be given them out of the common Stock of the Churches in their respective Provinces, according as their necessities shall require.

VI. The Synod of Upper Languedoc shall ordain two or three of their Assembly, and such as they esteem best fitting for that Service, to answer the publick Writings of our Adversaries, and in their Replies and Refutations they shall deport themselves according to the Canons of our Discipline in that case, provided with all Gravity, Piety, Civility and Moderation.

Concerning publick and private Ca­techisings.VII. Churches shall be admonished more frequently to practice Catechi­sings, and Ministers shall Catechise by short, plain and familiar Questions and Answers, accommodating themselves to the Weakness and Capacity of their People, without Enlargements, or handling of common Places. And such Churches as have not used this Ordinance of Catechising, are hereby exhorted to take it up. Yea, and all Ministers shall be obliged to Catechise their several Flocks at least once or twice a Year, and shall exhort their Youth to submit themselves unto it conscientiously. And as for their Me­thod in preaching and handling the Scriptures, the said Ministers shall be ex­horted not to dwell long upon a Text, but to expound and treat of as many in their Ministery as they can, fleeing all Ostentation and long Digressions, and heaping up of parallel Places and Quotations; nor ought they to pro­pound divers Sences and Expositions, nor to alledge, unless very rarely and prudently, any passages of the Fathers, nor shall they cite prophane Authors and Stories; that so the Scriptures may be left in their full and sovereign Authority.

In publick Pe­nance the Cause and Sin must he confessed.VIII. There shall be no publick Penance done in the Church without ex­press Confession of the Cause, and Crime committed by this publick Penitent.

They shall not be chosen El­ders nor Dea­cons who have Popish Wives.IX. For the future none shall be chosen, if possible, into the Eldership or Deaconry, whose Wives are of a contrary Religion, according as the Apo­stle Paul hath ordained. Nevertheless, that the Church may not be depri­ved of the Service of divers godly and well-deserving Persons, who by rea­son of past ignorance have Wives of another Religion, they may for this pre­sent necessity be tolerated, provided they do their endeavour by Instructions and Counsels to convert their Wives, and to bring them into Communion with the Church.

X. Neither Ministers nor Elders may give Attestations without an express and punctual Declaration of the Places and Persons Names, and the way which they intend to travel, who obtained these Certificates at their hands. And if any Attestations are presented to them without these Circumstances, they are required to vacate and tear them in pieces, and those who granted them shall be censured in the next ensuing Colloquy or Synod.

CHAP. III. An Act for a National FAST.

IX. FOrasmuch as the Times are very Calamitous, and that our poor Churches as are daily menaced with many and sore Tribulations, and for that Sins and Vices of all sorts are risen up, and growing in upon us in a very fearful manner, a general Day of Prayer and Fasting shall be pub­lished, that our People may humble themselves before the Lord, and all the Churches of this Kingdom shall observe it on one and the self-same Day, which shall be Tuesday the 25th. of March next following, and if it may be done, the Lord's Supper shall also be administred in all the Churches on the ensuing Sabbath.

XII. According to the 2d. Article in the Chapter of Consistories and Book of Discipline, about Common-Prayers, The Churches shall be exhorted, where Morning and Evening Common-Prayers are publickly used, to conform themselves unto those others which have none, and where this Custom was never introduced; And Ministers shall advise all Governors of Families to Worship God by Morning and Evening Prayers, in and together with their respective Housholds and Families.

XIII. Churches refusing to defray the Expences of their Ministers in go­ing to Classes and Synods,Churches shall defray their Ministers ex­pences at Col­l [...]quies and Synods. shall be admonished of their Duty, and in case of non-performance, and that their Ministers be inforced to travel to those Sessions at their own Costs and Charges, they shall be deprived of their Ministers, unless they remind themselves of their Duty, and reimburse them those Sums they had so expended. Moreover, Colloquies shall reassume their disused Exercise of Propositions on the Word of God, as they were formerly handled to their very great Profit and Edification. That so Mini­sters may better know their Duty, and grow in the Study and Understand­ing of the Holy Scripture, and be more Methodical in their Sermons and Divinity Discourses.

XIV. God-mothers shall be equally bound to the Religious Education of those Children, for whom they be Sureties as their God-fathers. And Ministers shall charge them to see that they conscientiously fulfil their Promises.

XV. The Synod having been acquainted, that in divers Places during the Celebration of the Lord's Supper, Ministers do vary in their Expressions, it judgeth that nothing shall be innovated in particular Churches, but that herein they be left unto their Liberty for the present, only the Provinces shall be advertised to come prepared about this Matter unto the next Na­tional Synod.

XVI. His Majesty shall be Petition'd to approve of those Marriages which have been celebrated among us during the last Civil Wars, according to the Tenor of the former Edict against the Laws of the Romish Church, in that particular Article of Consanguinities and Affinities.

CHAP. IV. Cases of CONSCIENCE.

A Man may n [...]t marry his dead Wife's Aunt.XVII. IT being Queried, Whether any one might Marry the Aunt of his deceased Wife. Answer was given, That such a Marriage was altogether Incestuous, and in case any Church had permitted it, the said Church deserved Censure. See the Synod of Bergera [...], Art. 2.

XVIII. This Case being propounded, A Maid was betrothed unto a Man by words de presentl, and with the usual requisite Solemnities;The Resoluti­on of this Case was to be given by the Magistrate. but after­wards this Man happens to be condemned unto the Gallies during Life, yet by some how or other he escapeth out of them, and returning home doth demand and summon his betrothed Spouse to marry him according to her Promise. What shall be done herein? The Synod doth advise, That because Marriage is a mixt Alliance, the Parties concerned shall apply themselves un­to the Magistrate, according to whose Decree the Church shall be governed?

XIX. Although the holding Temporalities of Benefices in France be an in­different Matter, yet the Faithful are admonished to intermeddle as little as may be with such Purchases, because of their evil and dangerous Conse­quences, and Consistories and Colloquies shall use a great deal of Prudence in their Opinions and Actings in and about them.

Scripture-sto­ries must be handled with modesty by Poets.XX. Such as shall put into Verse or Poems Scripture-stories, are admo­nished not to blend nor mingle Poetical Fables with them, nor to ascribe un­to God the Names of false Gods, nor to add or diminish from the Sacred Scriptures, but to confine themselves strictly to the Scripture-Terms.

Modesty in Apparel. See the Synod of Paris, Gen. Mat. Art. 33.XXI. That Article concerning the immodest Habits and Fashions of Men and Women, shall be observed with the greatest Care imaginable. And both Sexes are required to keep Modesty in their Hair, and every thing else, that no Scandal may be given to our Neighbour.

See the Synod of Bergerac, Art. 9. upon reading the Discipline.XXII. A Minister may not together with his Ministery practice Physick: But yet out of Charity he may give his Advice and Assistance unto the sick Members of his Church, and to the Neighbourhood, without diverting him­self from his Function, nor shall he draw Advantage from it, unless in time only of Trouble and Persecution, when as he cannot exercise his Ministery in his own Church.

XXIII. Fathers and Mothers are exhorted to be exceeding careful in In­structing their Children, which are the Seed and Nursery of the Church, and they shall be most bitterly censured, who send them to the Schools of Priests, Jesuits and Nuns: As also the Gentry shall be reproved, who place them Pages or Domesticks in the Houses of Lords and Noble-men of the contrary Religion.

XXIV. Such as commit enormous Crimes, as Incests, Murders, or the like, shall be without any more ado cut off from Communion at the Lord's Table, and their Suspension shall be published in the Church.

XXV. If there arise any difference between a Church and its Minister, and that Church having been twice informed (which is suffered) of the Day and Place when the Colloquy and Synod shall meet, refuseth to appear, The said Colloquy or Synod may proceed farther, and determine finally a­bout that difference, notwithstanding the Absence of one of the Parties.

The Union of the Church must not be quitted for any Persecu­tion.XXVI. The Churches and particular Persons shall be admonished never to depart from the Sacred Union of the Church, whatever Persecutions may befal them, nor shall they procure for themselves a separate Peace and Li­berty distinct from the whole Body of our Churches. And in case of failure [Page 120] [...]in, they shall be censured as the Colloquy or Synod shall judge ex­pedient.

XXVII. Appellants from Provincial Synods unto the National shall be bound personally to appear at those very National Synods, [...]as App [...]al un [...] Sy­nods must [...] ­ther appear in Person or send their most [...]le Me­ [...]rs. or to send thither their most ample Memoirs; and in case of default, the Sentence of the Na­tional Synod shall he ratified. And this Rule shall hold good in all Ap­peals from Consistories unto Colloquies, and from Colloquies unto the Provincial Synods.

XXVIII. Ministers shall be bound to Assist personally at Colloquies and Provincial Synods,If P [...]stors do not attend on Colloquies and Provincial Sy­nods, they may be depo­sed by them. or to send their Memoirs and lawful Excuses; and in case of disobedience to this Order, the said Colloquy or Synod may judge difi­nitively of their neglect, and dispose of their Persons.

CHAP. V.

XXIX. THE Province of higher Languedoc is ordered to call the next National Synod, in the beginning of May, 1579. However the said Province is intreated, if the Lord be pleased to grant the Churches any further liberty, to have respect unto the Conveniences of the far distant Provinces. Which also their Deputies have promised shall be done.

XXX. The fourth Canon in the Chapter of the Lord's Supper shall be couched in these words, Beneficed Persons who bear the Name and title of their Benefices, and do either directly or indirectly communicate with Idolatry, and receive the Revenues of their Benefices either immediately with their own hands, or mediately by the hands of others, shall not be admitted to communion with us at the Lord's fable. But such as enjoy those Benefices by his Ma­jesty's Gift or Toleration, and are downright Professors of the true Religion, and do visibly own and maintain it, they shall have the same priviledge with all other Members of our Churches, to sit down with us at the Lord's Table: Only they shall be exhorted to apply the Revenue of their aforesaid Benefices unto pious Ʋses. And the Management of this Exhortation is left wholly to the Prudence of the Colloquies and Consistories.

CHAP. VI.

XXXI. UPon perusal of the Memoirs and Instructions produced in a late Assembly of many Deputies from sundry famous Reformed Churches, Kingdoms and Provinces who met at Francfort, and were invited thither by the most Serene and Illustrious Prince Elector John Casimir, Prince Palatine and Duke of Bavaria) in which were laid down several Means, Expedients, and most proper and effectual Remedies for uniting all the Re­formed Churches of Christendom in one common bond of Union, as also for suppressing and terminating the Differences which are risen up and fo­mented by their common Adversaries, among them, and for hindring some hot-headed and bigotted Divines from condemning, and as they had menaced and protested they would condemn and pronounce an Anathema against the greatest, and soundest part by far of the Christian Reformed Churches. Now that such imprudent and wicked Designs might be obviated and pre­vented, they did after mature Advice and Consultation had among the­mselves, unanimously resolve and agree to draw up a Petition unto their most Illustrious Highnesses, the Princes of the Empire, who adhering to the Con­fession [Page 121]of Ausbourg; Moreover, they had given an express charge, that one uniform Confession of Faith should be framed, which was to be taken and accounted as the general and common Confession of all Protestants, and to send several Copies of it unto all those Kingdoms and Provinces, in which those Churches were gathered, to be examined and approved by them, and to be crowned with their joynt, common and unanimous Consent, and Ap­probation. And they had also agreed upon the time when, and place where the Deputies of those Kingdoms and Provinces might be convocated, and particularly they had invited the Churches of this Kingdom to send thither some prudent Persons of great Experience, well approved for their Piety and and Integrity, and impowered by all the Churches with ample Authority to treat, agree, and decide all Points of Doctrine, and other Matters concern­ing the Union, Peace, and Conservation of the Churches, and of the pure Worship of God.

This present National Synod of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, blessing God for so good a Motion, for such an excellent Proposal, and ap­plauding the Care, Diligence, and good Counsel of those worthy Deputies in the fore-mentioned Assemblies and approving the Remedies and Expedients propounded and prescribed by them, doth now ordain, that if the Copy. of the said Confession be sent timely enough unto us, it shall be examined in each of our Provincial Synods, or in some other place and manner as will best consist with the Conveniences of our respective Provinces, and in the mean while four Ministers most verst in all Ecclesiastical Affairs are constitu­ted a Committee to intend this business, to-wit, Mr. Anthony de Chandieu, Mr. John de Estre, Ministers of the Word of God in the Church of Paris, and Mr. Peter Merlin, Minister of the Church of Vitre in Britain, and Monsieur Gabert, late Minister of the French Church at Francfort, and they be expresly charged and commanded to meet at the day and place appointed with their Letters of Deputation, and with a most full and ample Commis­sion from all the Ministers and Elders deputed by the Provinces of this Kingdom, and there will accompany them the most illustrious Lord Vis­count of Turenne, that so they may do all Matters as were above designed.

But in case the Provinces should neither have opportunity, nor conveni­ency to examine the said Confession in their respective Synods, 'tis lest unto their Prudence and soundest Judgment to agree and come to a conclusion a­bout all those Matters which shall be debated by them, whether they be Points of Doctrine, or any other Articles relating to the Peace, Union, Weal and Happiness of all the Churches.

XXXII. These same Commissioners deputed (as in the immediately fore­going Article) unto the Conference in Germany, are ordered to peruse that Treatise of Monsieur de Chandieu, Intituled, La Confirmation de la Discipline des Eglises Francoises, and to prefix their manual Approbation of it, and to dedicate it with a Preface unto the Church of Christ, and to hasten, with as much Expedition as they can, its Publication.

XXXIII. Monsieur Esnard having according to the Commission given him in the Month of June, the last Year, 1577. by divers Churches of this Kingdom, rendered an account of his said Commission unto this Assembly, produced and read the Acts, and made an ample Relation of what was done and transacted in that general Synodical Meeting at Frankford, in Germany, the last September, 1577. in which were gathered the Deputies of the Re­formed Churches of Christendom, and in which he assisted also as a Deputy from our Churches: This Assembly was very well pleased with his whole Ne­gotiation, accepted and approved of it, and doth now discharge him of his said Commission, and all Instructions, and Blanks signed and given him by our Churches, relating to his said Commission, were vacated and disannul­led, as being altogether needless for the future, and all Duplicates of the [Page 122]said Commissions and Instructions, which he was bound under his own Hand and Seal to observe and follow, were in like manner cancelled and disannul­led; that so he might be intirely acquitted, freedand discharged, and we do also now discharge him, without ever demanding any Matter, or farther ac­count from him for the future.

Given at St. Foy, this 13th. Day of February, 1578.

CHAP. VII. Appeals and Particular Matters.

II. His Grace the Duke of Rohan requesting by Letters, that this Assem­bly would grant Monsieur de Claville, Minister of the Church of Loudun, to be Pastor of the Church in his House and Family, or at least to serve it in course four Months every Year, and that the Sieur de la Tousche, Minister of St. Fulgent may take up his Residence at Monchamp. The Ministers of those Churches being now absent, it was thought good to dismiss this Affair unto the Provincial Synods, to which those Churches do appertain, that they may judge of it, that his said Grace the Duke of Rohan may be grati­fied in his demands by those Synods.

III. Monsieur De Spina, Minister of the Gospel shall be sent Pastor unto the Church of Angers, only the Churches of Paris and Saumur have still their Right in him reserved to them. And in case that through the difficulties of the Times he should not be able to subsist at Angers, the Neighbour Classis, or Colloquy to that City shall take care of his maintainance, and provide it for him, and they may also lend him, as they shall see good for the Glory of God.

IV. Monsieur du Lygne shall be lent six Months longer unto the Church of Agen, in which time the Province of Anjou shall do their Duty to rede­mand him, and there shall be a Church given him, wherein to exercise his Ministery, and to make provision for his Subsistence. And in case the said Provincial Synod should not recal him within the term prefixed, he shall be fully settled in the said Church of Agen.

CHAP.VIII.

V. JOhn Bonniot, or Bouquier, styling himself Gaultier, exercising the Mini­stery at present at San Bouchard, near unto Great St. Foy, because that he hath temerariously intruded himself into the Ministery, without any Call, for that he hath forged divers Letters, clipped his Majesty's Coin, melted down his Clippings into base Silver Lingots, and vended them to several Goldsmiths in the City of Sedan, for which the Civil Magistrate inflicted corporal Punishment upon him in the said City, all which he could not but acknowledge and confess to be true before this Assembly; For these Causes the said Bonniot, or Bouquier is deposed from the Sacred Ministery, as a Per­son uncapable, and utterly unworthy of it, and shall be continued on the Roll of Vagrants, and shall do publick Penance in the said Church of San Bouchard. However because of his deep Poverty, and great and numerous [Page 124]Family of Children, we do License him to keep School, and to instruct Youth, but with this Proviso, that the Ministers of the Places, where he shall live, do watch over him and his Deportments with a very strict and care­ful Eye.

VI. An Appeal was brought by Monsieur De la Jaille, and the Church of Saujon, who complained of the Wrongs done them by the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge held at Saujon, which had adjudged him Pastor unto the said Church of Saujon, without obliging it to defray his Expences in coming to it. This Assembly ordereth, that the Colloquy or Synod of that Province shall censure the said Church, and Monsieur Royan the Minister, for their pragmatical intermeddling in a Business not appertaining to them.

VII. Monsieur Boucquet shall write unto the Colloquy of Aunix, that Monsieur Baron may be returned unto the Church of La Guerche, in the Province of Anjon, there to exercise his Ministery, in Obedience to the Call given him.

VIII. The Synod of the Isle of France shall make an exact Enquiry into the Life, Writings, and Conversation of Monsieur Gibbon, sometime Mini­ster of Deippe, that Judgment may pass upon him accordingly.

IX. Forasmuch as Mr. Bernard Giraud hath been divers times recalled by his Church of Marceoill, in Poictou, and by the Synod of Poictou, he shall be censured for his disobedience to this Summons, and also for that he quitted his Church at first, and this according to the Canons of our Disci­pline: And the Colloquy of Annix shall in like manner be censured for ad­mitting him among them without any testimonial Letters of Dismission. For which cause this Assembly will remove the said Giraud elsewhere.

X. This Assembly will take special care of Monsieur Christian for his Subsistance. But in the mean while, the Church of Poictiers shall be se­verely censured for their default of Duty, baseness and ingratitude to this Reverend Man of God, who was one of their first and most ancient Pa­stors, and who laid the very Foundations of their flourshing Church. And the said Church shall be summon'd to the next Synod, and injoyned to give him full Contentment and Satisfaction, and to pay him all Arrerages owing to him for time past, and to relieve him now in his old Age.

XI. The Province of Anjou shall be obliged to provide for the Safety of Monsieur Daniel, a Minister of the Gospel, who was formerly sent unto them, and is now remanded back unto them by this present Assembly, and that Church which shall call him unto their Service, shall re­imburse him those Expences he was at, during the last Persecution.

XII. Monsieur Daniel shall exercise his Ministery in the House and Court of his Excellency the Prince of Conde, but only for some Months in the Year; which being expired, he may be redemanded by his own Church and Province. And the Church of Bergerac shall likewise lend Monsieur de Borda their Minister unto the said Prince for four Months more of the same Year; And this shall hold till such time as some other course be taken. And Monsieur Martin shall be the ordinary Minister of his Excellency's House and Family.

XIII. Monsieur de Malescot, who was the first Minister of the Church of Montagu, in the County of Perche, shall be summoned by the Province of Poictou, unto which he doth belong, to return unto the said Province ac­cording to the Canons of our Discipline, however without any prejudice unto the said Church of Montagu; and the said Province of Poictou is or­dered to receive those Informations of the Province of the Isle of France, concerning the Deportments of the said Malescot, his Writing, and his Way, and Manner of Preaching.

XIV. The Brethren of the French Church of London, in the Kingdom of England, sent Letters unto this Assembly, petitioning that Messieurs de Vil­liers, [Page 125]Minister of the Church of Rouan, and de la Fontayne, Ministers of the Church of Orleans might be given to them for their Pastors. Their Request was granted, and these worthy Ministers of the Gospel were lent unto the said Church, till such time as their own dissipated Flocks might be recollected; and then they should return, and be restored unto their former Churches respectively.

XV. On sight and perusal of the Writings of Mr. Anthony Fregeville, of the Town Realmont, this Assembly judgeth them utterly unworthy of any Answer, because they are stufft with Errors, Lyes and Calumnies; and farther, the Sentence past upon him by the Provincial Synod was rati­fied, and whereas he was only suspended from the Lord's Table, it is now ordered, that his said Suspension shall be publickly notified unto the whole Church: And in case he continue to sow and spread abroad his Errors and Follies either by Word or Writing, he shall be cut off from the Body of the Church by the Sword of Excommunication, as a notorious Disturber of the Repose and Union of the Church.

XVI. Monsieur Giraud is sent unto the Town of Mas, in Agenois, to ex­ercise his Ministery in the Church of Calonges, which is now annexed to that of Mas according to the Letters and Request of my Lady of Calonges, and of the said Church of Mas, in Agenois.

CHAP. IX. The Roll of MINISTERS provided for, and disposed by this present SYNOD.

Mr. Merlin the Moderator of this Synod, was Minister in the Family of that famous Nobleman the Lord De Coligni, High Admiral of France, who miraculously escaped with his Life in that horrible Massacre at Paris, on St. Bartholomew's Day, 1572. He leapt out of a Window, and hid him­self in an Haylofft, where an Hen came and lay an Egg by him three days successively, with which he was sustained, till the Lord opened a Door for him to get out of this bloody City. He was afterward Mini­ster of the Church of Vitre. He was dim-sighted, a very pious and pru­dent Man. He hath commented upon Job and Esther in Latine. He was a very dear Friend of Mr. Snape and Mr. Cartwright, two Eminent English N. C. Ministers, and who read his Exposition on Job, and made some Animadversions on it, in the Isle of Jersey. He presided also in the Na­tional Synod of Vitre, 1583.

CHAP. I. The Names of the Deputies unto this Synod.

THere appeared as Deputies from the Provinces unto this Synod, the Pastors and Elders, whose Names arc hereunder written.

1. For the Province of the Isle of France, Monsieur de la Maison Neuv Minister in the Church of Paris, and his Commission bore date the 28th of June, 1579.

2. For the Province of Burgundy Mr. James Covet, Minister in the Church of Villarmont, and Monsieur du Chasteuverd, Elder of the Church of Dijon, Their Commission was dated May the 15th, 1579.

3. For Champagne Monsieur Teuans, Minister of the Gospel in the Church of Recours, without an Elder. His Letters of Deputation bore date the 28th of May, of this self-same Year.

4. For Xaintonge Monsieur John Cochois, Minister at Jonzac, and Guy Fil­leul Esq Lord or La Cousture, Elder of St. Fort. His Commission was signed the 22d day of July, 1579.

5. For Britain Monsieur du Gricq, Minister of Morlais. His Commission was dated the 2d day of April of the same Year.

6. For Gascegny and Perigord Monsieur Trumpols, Minister of La Motte, and Monsieur Francois de la Novoeille, Elder in the Church of Jersac. Their Commission was dated the 29th of July.

7. For Anjou, the Maine, Loudunois, and Touraine, Monsieur de Clairville, Minister of Loudun. And his Letters of Deputation were dated the 26th day of June.

8. For Normandy Monsieur Echeron, Minister of God's Holy Word and Sa­craments in the Church of Ponteau de Mer, and his Commission was dated the 23d of March.

9. For the Upper Languedoc and Guienne Monsieur de Raisse, Minister of Figeac, and Monsieur Rousset Minister of the Church in Mazamet. Their Com­missions were dated the 24th of April, and the 19th of June.

[Page 129] 10. For the Lower Languedoc, Monsieur Perron Minister of Merues, and his Commission bore date the 22d day of April.

11. For Augoumois Monsieur de la Billitierre, Minister of Aubeterne, and his Commission was dated the 23d of July.

12. For the Province of Poictou Monsieur Cayer. Minister of Poitiers, and Monsieur de St. Eustache, Elder in the Church of Niort. Their Commission was dated July the 6th.

13. For Provence Monsieur de Poussilles, Elder in the Church of Forceilinis. His Letters of Deputation were dated the 22d day of July.

14. For the Principality of Bearn Monsieur de la Pierre, Minister in the Church of Navarrins. And his Commission bore Date the 21st day of July; which was also ratified and authorised by the Letters of the King of Navarre, dated the thirtieth of the same Month.

15. The Province of Picardy excused its absence by Letters of the 8th of June.

16. For the Churches of Berry, Beauce, and the adjacent Countries, Mon­sieur John Miner, born at Orleans, and Elder — his Commission was da­ted the 25th of July.

17. The Province of Dolphiny excused its absence by Letters of the 23d of July.

18. The Province of Vivaretz was absent, but sent no Letters of Excuse.

19. The Province of Lower Anvergne and Forest absent.

20. There sate also in this Synod the Noble Anthony de Paramelle, Lord of St. Colombe, Viguier, and Governour of the said Town of Figeac.

21. After Prayers were ended, the Assembly chose Monsieur de la Faye, Pastor of the Church of Paris, Moderator, and Monsieur Couit Assessor, and Monsieur Francois de la Nouaille, Scribe.

CHAP. II. General MATTERS.

• Eunuches may not be marri­ed.
  I. 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.
• The Aunt of a dead Wife may not be married. See St. Foy. G. M. art. 5.
  II. No Man shall marry the Aunt of his deceased Wife: For such Com­mixtures 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 Pa­stors are warned carefully to observe this Canon.
• See the Synod of Rochel, art. 22.
  III. Such as Apostatize from the Reformed Religion unto Popery, and em­brace 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.
• [Page 130] V. Colloquies and Provincial Synods shall most humbly intreat and ex­hort Kings, Princes, Great Lords, and all Impropriators of Church-Lands, and all our opulent and wealthy Churches,, to lay by and dedicate some con­siderable 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 in­tend to abridge the Provinces (who can better do it) of their Priviledge in observing the first established Order.
• Pastors must come accom­panied with one Elder unto Synods or Classes.
  VII. Pastors shall ever come unto these Ecclesiastical Assemblies accompa­nied 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.
• Sureties must ponder seri­ously their Engagements at Baptism.
  VIII. 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 Re­ligion, 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.
• Some Crimes shall not be blotted out the Books of Consistory.
  IX. 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.
• None of the Consistory may declare the Sins of ingenuous Pe­nitents.
  X. 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 confes­sed 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.