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 The End of the First Synod May 28th 1559. Thus Subscribed in the Original By Francis Morell Moderator Elect for and in the Name of all the Deputies unto this Synod THE ACTS DECISIONS and DECREES OF THE II. National Synod OF THE Reformed Churches of Christ IN The KINGDOM of FRANCE HELD At POICTIERS in the Year of our LORD 1560. Contents of the Synod of Poictiers Chap. I. Synodical Officers chosen Chap. II. A Memorial for the States of France Chap. III. Observations upon and Emendations of the Church-Discipline in Nine Articles Chap. IV. Sixteen new Canons added to the Discipline Chap. V. General Matters Chap. VI. Particular Matters in which Two and Thirty Cases of Conscience are Resolved THE Synod of Poictiers 1560. Synod II. SYNOD II. General Matters Articles of the Second Synod held at Poictiers the tenth Day of March in the Year of our Lord One thousand five hundred and sixty The first Year of Charles the Ninth a little before Easter and in the first Year of the Reign of Charles the Ninth 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 MEMORANDUM 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 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
its authority And forasmuch as it is the Rule of all Truth containing all Matters necessarily required for the Worship of God and our Salvation it is in no wise lawful for Men nor Angels to add unto or to take from this Doctrine or to change it And hereupon it followeth That it is not lawful to oppose either Antiquity or Custom or Multitude or Humane Wisdom Judgments Edicts or any Decrees or Councils or Visions or Miracles unto this Holy Scripture but rather that all things ought to be examined and tried by the Rule and Square thereof Wherefore we do for this cause also allow of those three Creeds namely the Apostles the Nicene and Athanasius his Creed because they be agreeable to the Word of God ARTICLE VI. The Holy Scripture teacheth us That in that one and simple Divine Being there be three Persons subsisting the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The Father to wit the first Cause in order and the Beginning of all things The Son his Wisdom and Everlasting Word The Holy Ghost his Vertue Power and Efficacy The Son begotten of the Father from everlasting the Holy Ghost from everlasting proceeding from the Father and the Son these three Persons are not confounded but distinct and yet not divided but of one and the same Essence Eternity Power and Equality And to conclude in this Mystery we allow of that which those four ancient Councils have determined and we detest all Sects and Heresies condemned by those holy ancient Doctors St. Athanasius St. Hilary St. Cyril and St. Ambrose ARTICLE VII We believe that God in Three Persons working together by his Power Wisdom and incomprehensible Goodness hath made all things not only Heaven and Earth and all things in them contained but also the invisible Spirits of which some fell head-long into Destruction and some continued in Obedience That the fallen Angels being corrupted by their Malice are become Enemies of all good and consequently of the whole Church That the holy Angels having persevered by the Grace of God are Ministers to glorifie his Name and serve his Elect in order to Salvation ARTICLE VIII We believe that God hath not only made all things but also ruleth and governeth them as he who according to his will disposeth and ordaineth whatsoever cometh to pass in the World Yet we deny that he is the Author of Sin or that the blame of things done amiss can be laid upon him seeing his Will is the soveraign and infallible Rule of all Righteousness and Equity but this we confess That he hath those admirable Means as whereby he maketh the Devils and the Ungodly as his Instruments to serve him and to turn the Evil which they do and whereof they are guilty into good So that when we acknowledge that nothing can be done without the Providence of God we do most humbly adore his Secrets which he hath hidden from us nor do we enquire into those which are above our reach and Capacity Nay rather we apply unto our own use that which the Holy Scripture teacheth us for our Peace and Comfort to wit that God to whom all things are subject doth watch over us with a Fatherly Care so that not so much as an Hair of our Head falleth to the ground without his Will and that he hath the Devils and all our Adversaries fast bound in Chains that they cannot without leave first given them do us any harm ARTICLE IX We believe that Man being created pure and upright and conformable to the Image of God through his own fault fell from that Grace which he had received and thereby did so estrange himself from God the Fountain of all Righteousness and of all good things that his Nature is become altogether defiled and being blind in his Understanding and corrupt in his Heart he hath utterly lost that Integrity and although he can somewhat discern between Good and Evil yet we do affirm That whatsoever Light he hath it straightway becometh Darkness when the Question is of seeking after God so that by his Understanding and Reason he can never come to God And although he be indued with Will whereby he is moved to do this or that yet forasmuch as that also is in bondage to Sin that he hath no freedom to desire that which is good but if he have any 't is the gracious Gift of God ARTICLE X. We believe that all the Off-spring of Adam are infected with the Contagion of Original Sin which is a Vice hereditary to us by Propagation and not only by Imitation as the Pelagians asserted whose Errors are detested by us Nor do we think it necessary to inquire how this Sin cometh to be derived from one unto another For it is sufficient that those things which God gave to Adam were not given to him alone but also to all his Posterity and therefore we in his Person being deprived of all those good Gifts are fallen into this Poverty and Malediction ARTICLE XI We believe that this stain of Original Sin is Sin indeed for it hath that mischievous Power in it as to condemn all Mankind even Infants that are unborn as yet in their Mothers Womb and God himself doth account it such yea and that even after Baptism as to the Filth thereof it is always Sin Howbeit they who are the Children of God shall never be condemned for it because that God of his rich Grace and soveraign Mercy doth not impute it to them Moreover we say that it is such a Depravedness as doth continually produce the Fruits of Malice and Rebellion against God so that even the choicest of God's Saints although they do resist it yet are they defiled with very many Infirmities and Offences so long as they live in this World ARTICLE XII We believe That out of this general Corruption and Condemnation in which all Men are plunged God doth deliver them whom he hath in his eternal and unchangeable Counsel chosen of his meer Goodness and Mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ without any consideration of their Works leaving the rest in their Sins and damnable Estate that he may show forth in them his Justice as in the elect he doth most illustriously declare the Riches of his Mercy For One is not better than another until such time as God doth make the difference according to his unchangeable purpose which he hath determin'd in Jesus Christ before the Creation of the World Nor can any one by his own power procure unto himself so great a Blessing because we cannot by Nature nor of our selves excite in our selves any one good Motion Thought or Affection until such time as God does prevent and incline us to it by his Grace ARTICLE XIII We believe That whatsoever is requisite to our Salvation is offer'd and communicated to us now in the Lord Jesus Christ who is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption so that whosoever leaveth Christ doth renounce all interest in and
wronged Party shall produce before the Consistory and then the Consistory shall declare unto him that Liberty which God in his holy Word hath given him But in regard of our present difficulties the Ministers of this Kingdom are advised not to re-marry the said Parties to whom this Liberty of providing themselves elsewhere hath been granted And as for the Delinquent Party there shall be very great and mature Deliberation used before she have any Liberty at all allowed Her CAN. XXX If it should fall out that after Marriage-Promises have past and before its accomplishment a betrothed Woman be found to have played the Whore either before or after the said Promises and that it was unknown to him who had promised her Marriage a definitive Sentence being given by the Magistrate upon it the Consistory may proceed to bless a new Marriage And the betrothed Woman shall have the same Liberty if it be found that her betrothed Husband had committed Fornication after he had made her Promises of Marriage CAN. XXXI Women whose Husbands are gone away and have absented themselves a long time about Mercantile affairs or for other Causes if they demand Licence to be Married again they shall have recourse unto the Civil Magistrate CAN. XXXII As for the Wives of Priests and Monks who turn Apostates and return unto their old Idolatry chanting Masses or re-entring into their Cells from which they had formerly departed they shall be admonished not to cohabit with their said Husbands during their Apostasie that God's Ordinance of Marriage may not be loaden with reproach and infamy nor may they marry any other until such time as their first Marriage shall be dissolved by the Civil Magistrate CHAP. XIV Chap. XIV Of Particular Orders Of particular Orders and Advertisements CANON I. NO Person shall be received into Communion with the Church till such time as be have first publickly renounced all the Superstitions and Idolatries of the Romish Church and in particular the Mass CAN. II. No godly Man shall be allowed to intermeddle with any matters conjoined with Idolatry such as those they call the Baisemains or Le Dedans de Leglise nor to cause Masses and Vigils to be said nor to ordain Monks who be solely ordained to this purpose But to hold Priories Revenues Rents Chanteries and Tithes and to pay the profits of them unto the Popish Ecclesiasticks for as much as they be Temporal Lords it is a thing indifferent and they that will do it may take their Liberty Nevertheless the Faithful shall be advised not to intermeddle with these matters if they find any abuses in them or an appearance of evil Consequences of all which Consistories and Colloquies shall pass a prudent judgment CAN. III. Such as by unlawful means as by Papal Bulls or a sum of money shall buy or hold Benefices or such as in like manner shall directly or indirectly maintain Idolatry shall be denounced Persons utterly unworthy of Communion with our Churches in the holy Supper of the Lord nor shall they be admitted to it And as for Benefices of which any one may have an Advowsonage whether by Presentation from the Lord of the Mannor a Lay-Patron or by the Bishops Gift the Faithful are advised not to accept of them though tender'd to them if there be a tacit or express condition of any service to be performed unto the Idol CAN. IV. Printers Booksellers Painters and other Artificers and in general all the Faithful and particularly such as bear Office in the Church shall be admonished that they do not in the least act any thing in their Calling that tends directly to countenance the Superstitions of the Church of Rome and as for secret Acts and the Censure incurred by them their judgment is left unto the Consistory CAN. V. Notaries Scrivenors and others who by the Duty of their Callings are obliged to sign and seal indifferently all matters which are brought unto them they shall not be censured for receiving Testaments passing Contracts and expediting Letters which concern Idolatry nor Judges for their judging Causes concerning Ecclesiastical Estates and the Execution of the Edict CAN. VI. Arbitrators shall not in any manner of way intermeddle with things which concern Idolatry either directly or indirectly CAN. VII Neither Counsellors nor Attorneys at Law shall plead in those Causes which tend to the suppression of the Ministry of the Gospel or to the setting up of Mass nor shall they in any manner of way whatsoever be allowed to give their advice or assistance unto the Romish Churchmen in those Causes which do either directly or indirectly tend unto the oppression of a Reformed Church CAN. VIII Neither Bishops nor Officials nor Arch-Deacons as they be now Constituted have of right any Civil or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction However because the Faithful are sometimes constrained to appear before them for obtaining their own just dues which otherwise would be detained from them in case they he turned over to them by the Civil Magistrate to whom they shall first make their applications they may warrantably enough have recourse unto them CAN. IX Godly Advocates ought not in any wise to plead in the Officials-Court unless in those Cases in which they be necessitated to prosecute the right of their Clients before them according to the last foregoing Canon CAN. X. It is not in it self unlawful to exercise civil Jurisdictions as to act as Attorneys for and under Ecclesiastical Persons unless in such Cases which they call spiritual CAN. XI The Faithful may not take out or cause to be Executed any Monitory or Writ of Excommunication from the Church of Rome CAN. XII Forasmuch as it is neither lawful not expedient to heat the Popish Preachers nor any others who have intruded themselves without a lawful Call the Flocks shall be hindred by their Pastors from going to them and such as shall go they shall be called into the Consistory and Censured according to the nature of their offence CAN. XIII Lords Gentlemen and others shall be admonished according to the Discipline of our Church not to entertain in their Houses any scandalous or incorrigible Persons and above all that they do not suffer any Priests to sing Mass or to dogmatize and debauch their Domesticks nor shall they admit of any such again into their service if they have once discarded them CAN. XIV Fathers and Mothers shall be exhorted to be very careful of their Childrens Education which are the Seed-Plot and promising hopes of God's Church And therefore such as send them to School to be taught by Priests Monks Jesuits and Nuns they shall be prosecuted with all Church-Censures Those also shall be Censured who dispose of their Children to be Pages or Servant unto Lords and Gentlemen of the contrary Religion CAN. XV. They whose Brethren Sisters or other Kindred have quitted their Monasteries to serve God in liberty of Conscience shall be exhorted to relieve them and to provide for them according to the duties
of those of the said pretended Reformed Religion within the Jurisdiction of our Parliament of Provence they not needing to take out Letters of Evocation or other Provisions but in our Chancery of Dolphiny As also those of the said Religion in Normandy and Brittaine shall not be obliged to take out Letters of Evocation nor other Provisions but from our Court of Chancery in Paris XXXIII Our Subjects of the Reformed Religion in the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Burgundy shall according to their will and choice plead in the Chamber ordained for that purpose either in the Parliament of Paris or in that of Dolphiny And they also shall not be bound to take out Letters of Evocation nor any other provisions unless from out of the said Chanceries of Paris or Dolphiny at their choice and pleasure XXXIV All these said Chambers composed as aforesaid shall take cognisance try and judge Soveraignly and without Appeal by Decree privatively of all others of all Suits and Differences moved or to be moved in which those of the said pretended Reformed Religion shall be the principal Parties or Defendants in demanding or defending in all matters as well Civil as Criminal whether the said Suits and Processes be by writing or by verbal Appeals and if it seem good unto the said Parties and one of them do require it before the Cause come to be contested with respect unto the Processes which may be moved excepting always all matters beneficiary and the Possessors of Tithes not impropriated Patronages of Churches and those Causes in which the rights and duties and Demean of the Church shall be debated all which shall be tryed and judged in the Courts of Parliament without granting any power unto the said Chambers of the Edict to take Cognisance of them As also we will that when as Criminal Processes shall fall out between the said Ecclesiasticks and those of the said pretended Reformed Religion if the Ecclesiastical Person be Defendant in this Case the Cognisance and Judgments of the Criminal Process shall belong unto our Soveraign Courts privatively of the said Chambers or if the said Ecclesiastical Person be Plaintiff and he of the said Religion Defendant the Cognisance and Judgment of the said Criminal Process shall belong by Appeal and finally without Appeal unto those Chambers beforesaid established Moreover those said Chambers shall take Cognisance in times of Vacations of matters attributed by the Edicts and Ordinances unto the Chambers established in time of Vacation every one of them in their Jurisdiction XXXV The said Chamber of Grenoble shall be from this instant united and incorporated with the Body of the said Court of Parliament and the Presidents and Counsellers of the said pretended Reformed Religion shall be accounted and called the Presidents and Counsellors of the said Court and shall be reckoned and taken in the rank quality and number of them And for these ends they shall be first distributed by the other Chambers and then extracted and drawn out from among them to be imployed and serve in that which we ordain anew but always on this condition that they shall assist and have Voice and Sessions in all Deliberations that shall be made when as the Chambers are Assembled and they shall enjoy the same Sallaries Authorities and Preheminencies which the other Presidents and Counsellors of the said Court do XXXVI We will and it is our mind and intention that the said Chambers of Castres and Bourdeaux shall be reunited and incorporated in those Parliaments in the same form as others when as there shall be need of it and that the Causes which have moved us to make the establishment shall cease and there shall be no place left for them among our Subjects And to this purpose the Presidents and Counsellors in them of the said Religion shall be accounted and held for Presidents and Counsellors of the said Courts XXXVII There shall be also a new Creation and Erection in the Chamber Ordained for the Parliament of Bourdeaux of two Substitutes of our Attorney and Advocate-Generals one of which said Proctors shall be a Catholick and another of the said Religion who shall be possessed of the said Offices with competent Sallaries XXXVIII And the said Substitutes shall not take unto themselves any other quality than that of Substitutes and when as the Chambers ordained for the Parliaments of Tholouse and Bourdeaux shall be united and incorporated with the said Parliaments the said Substitutes shall be provided of Offices of Counsellors in them XXXIX The Dispatches of the Chancery of Bourdeaux shall be made in presence of two Counsellors of that Chamber one of which shall be a Catholick and the other of the said pretended Reformed Religion in the absence of one of the Masters of Requests of our Houshold And one of the Notaries and Secretaries of the said Court of Parliament of Bourdeaux shall make his Residence in the place where the said Chamber shall be established or else one of the ordinary Secretaries of the Chancery to sign the Dispatches of the said Chancery XL. We Will and Ordain That in the said Chamber of Bourdeaux there shall be two of the Register of the said Parliament the one for Civil the other for Criminal Causes who shall discharge their Offices by our Commissions and shall be called the Deputies or Commissioners in the Civil and Criminal Office of the Register who notwithstanding may not be abandoned nor revoked by the said Registers in Parliament Yet nevertheless they shall be bound to bring in the Emoluments of the said Registers Office unto the said Registers and the said Deputies shall be paid their Sallaries by the said Registers as it shall be advised and arbitrated by the said Chamber Moreover it shall be ordained that the Catholick Ushers shall be taken out of the said Court or from elsewhere according to our pleasure over and besides which there shall be two new ones erected of the said Reformed Religion and who shall be put into those places without payment of Fine or Fees And all those said Ushers shall be regulated by the said Chamber as well for the exercise and division of their offices as for the Emoluments which they are to receive There shall be also set up by Commission a Payer of Wages and Receiver of Fines in the said Chamber which office shall be given by us to whom we please in case the said Chamber be established any where else than in the said City And that Commission formerly granted unto the Payer of Wages in the Chamber of Castres shall be in full power and effect and the Commission of the Receit of the Fines in the said Chamber shall be joined unto the said Office XLI There shall be good and sufficient Assignments made for the Officers Wages in the Chambers ordained by this Edict XLII The Presidents Counsellors and other Catholick Officers of the said Chambers shall be continued as long as may be and as we shall see meet for our
to do any thing for the advancement of Religion unless it were to diminish the numbers of the Churches belonging to those of the Pretended Reformed Religion by interdicting such as had been built contrary to the Orders of the said Edict and by suppression of the Mixt Chambers which were erected only provisionally God having at last granted to our People the injoyment of a perfect Peace and we also not being occupied with those cares to protect them against our Enemies and being able to improve this Truce which we effected for this very end that we might wholly apply our selves to seek out such means whereby we might accomplish successfully the design of the said Kings our Father and Grandfather upon which also we entred as soon as we came unto the Crown we now see and according to our Duty thank God for it that our Cares have at last obtained that end we had propounded to our selves inasmuch as the far greater and better part of our Subjects of the said Pretended Reformed Religion have embraced the Catholick And inasmuch as hereby the Execution of the Edict of Nantes and of whatsoever else hath been ordained in favour of the said Pretended Reformed Religion is become useless we have judged that we could do nothing better towards the total blotting out of the remembrance of those Troubles Confusions and Mischiefs which the progress of that false Religion had caused in our Kingdom and which occasioned that Edict and several other Edicts and Declarations which had preceded it or had been in consequence thereof Enacted than totally to revoke the said Edict of Nantes and the special Articles which in pursuance of it had been conceded and whatsoever else had been done in favour of that said Religion I. We therefore make known that for these Causes and others thereunto us moving and of our certain knowledge full power and Royal Authority we have by this present perpetual and irrevocable Edict suppressed and revoked we do suppress and revoke the Edict of the King our said Grandfather given at Nantes in the Month of April one thousand five hundred eighty and two in its whole extent together with those special Articles ordained the second day of May following and the Letters Patents expedited thereupon and the Edict given at Nismes in the Month of July one thousand six hundred and twenty nine we declare them void and as if they had never been together with all Grants made as well by them as by other Edicts Declarations and Decrees to those of the said Pretended Reformed Religion of what kind soever they may be which shall in like manner be reputed as if they had never been And in consequence hereof we will and 't is our pleasure that all the Temples of those of the said Religion situated within our Kingdom Countries Lands and Lordships of our subjection shall be immediately demolished II. We forbid our said Subjects of the said Pretended Reformed Religion any more to assemble themselves for exercise of their said Religion in any Place or Private House under any pretence whatsoever yea and all real Exercises or such as were in Lordships although the said Exercises had been maintained by the Decrees of our Council III. In like manner we forbid all Lords of every degree the Exercise of their Religion in their Houses and Mannors whatsoever may be the Quality of their said Mannors and that upon pain of Confiscation of Bodies and Goods for those of our said Subjects who shall so exercise their said Religion IV. We command all Ministers of the Pretended Reformed who will not turn from it and embrace the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Religion to depart our Kingdom and the Lands of our Dominion within a Fortnight after the publication of this our present Edict and not to tarry beyond that time or during that said Fortnight to Preach Exhort or perform any Function of their Ministry upon pain of being sent to the Gallies V. Our will is that such of the said Ministers who shall change their Religion shall during their whole life continually injoy and their Widows also after them as long as they remain unmarried the same Exemption from Taxes and Lodging of Souldiers which they injoyed during the time of their Ministry and farther we will pay also unto the said Ministers as long as they live a Stipend which shall exceed by one third the Wages they received for their Ministry and their Wives also as long as they abide Widows shall injoy the one half of their said Stipend VI. If any of the said Ministers desire to become Advocates or would proceed Doctors of the Laws 't is our will and we declare it That they shall be dispensed as to three Years studying prescribed by our Declarations and having undergone the usual Examination and thereby judged capable that they be promoted Doctors paying one half only of those Fees customarily paid to this purpose in every University VII We forbid all Private Schools for the Instruction of the Children of those of the said Pretended Reformed Religion and generally all other things whatsoever that may bear the sign of Priviledge or Favour to that said Religion VIII And touching the Children that shall be born of those of the said Pretended Reformed Religion Our Will is that for time to come they be baptized by the Curates of their Parishes Commanding their Fathers and Mothers for that purpose to send them to their Churches on penalty of being fined five hundred Livers or a greater summ and those Children shall henceforth be brought up in the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Religion And we most strictly Command all the Judges of those respective places to see that this be Executed IX And that we may express our Clemency towards those our Subjects of the said Pretended Reformed Religion who are withdrawn from out of our Kingdom Countries and Lands of our Dominion before Publication of this our present Edict we will and give them to understand that in case they return within the space of four Months from the day of its Publication they may and it shall be lawful for them to enter into the possession of their Estates and to injoy them even as they might have done if they had been always at home whereas contrarily such as within that time of four Months shall not return into our Kingdom or Countries or Lands of our Dominion their Estates abandon'd by them shall be and remain Confiscated according to our Declarations of the twentieth day of August last past X. And we do most straitly again repeat our Prohibitions unto all our Subjects of the said Pretended Reformed Religion that neither they nor their Wives nor Children do depart our said Kingdom Countries or Lands of our Dominion nor transport their Goods and Effects on pain for Men so offending of their being sent to the Gallies and of Confiscation of Bodies and Goods for the Women XI We will and give them to know that all Declarations published against 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 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 Anger 's 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 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
Consistories of the Reformed Churches at such times at least when as the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administred 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
be expressed conceived and offered up to God for them XXIII In the first Article concerning Delinquents after these words Cutting him off in the Name and by the Authority of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be added And of his Church Protestants possessing Tythes must wholly employ them in pious Uses on pain of being censured XXIV Whereas divers Persons professing the Reformed Religion do by their own Authority and Right possess Tythes which formerly were appropriated unto Church-men in Holy Orders they shall be advised to employ them wholly to pious Uses such as the Maintenance of the Ministry Relief of the Poor Education of Schollars who be the Seminary of the Church and in no wise unto their private Profits on pain of being suspended the Lord's Supper in case of non-observing this holy just and reasonable Counsel XXV That Article concerning Burials without Exhortations and Prayers at the Graves shall be punctually observed and such as act contrary to it shall be severely censured XXVI Against Dances See the Second Synod of Rochel Art 33. Ministers and Consistories are hereby admonished to see that Canon concerning Dances to be most strictly observed which is the 20th under the Title of Particular Orders forbidding expresly all Dances and also they shall prudently distinguish between such as be contumacious Rebels against this holy Advice and those who by their discontinuance of Dancing do manifest their having profited by it XXVII ‖ ‖ ‖ No suspended Person from the Lord's Supper may be Sureties for a Child at Baptism Suspended Persons from the Lord's Table shall not be admitted to present Children unto Baptism in quality of Sureties during the time of their Suspension XXVIII There shall be no change made in the present Division of the Provinces with reference to their particular Synods Yet are they advised all of them so to assign the Places of their Synodical Assemblies as will be most commodious for them XXIX Churches that in singing Psalms do first cause each Verse to be read shall be advised to forbear that childish Custom and such as have used themselves unto it shall be censured XXX Whereas divers Persons during Publick and Family Prayers do neither uncover their Heads Humility must be testified in Prayer nor bow their Knees expressing thereby the great pride of their Hearts and scandalizing such as fear the Lord that this their Irreverence may be amended and reformed all Pastors Elders and Governors of Families are advised and required to see carefully unto it that during the time of Prayer every one in their Churches and Families without exception be they high or low noble or base do testifie the humbleness of their Heart by those fore-mentioned outward marks of humility unless they be hindred by unavoidable necessity or malady in which cases we leave them to the direction of their particular and respective Consciences No Legal Formalities to be used in the Exercise of Church-Discipline XXXI In the Exercise of of Church-Discipline all Formalities and Terms of Law commonly used by the Civilians shall be forborn And forasmuch as divers Persons that they may avoid the Censure of their Crimes do ordinarily appeal from one Ecclesiastical Assembly unto another and then at last to the National Synod which is thereby more encumbred in the deciding their businesses than of any other Differences arising in any Province are to be definitively determined in that particular Province This Synod doth ordain That for time to come whatever Differences arise in any Province shall be definitively determined by that very Provincial Synod and no Appeal from it to be admitted excepting what concerns the Suspensions and Deposings of Ministers Elders and Deacons and the removal of a Minister from one Province unto another and Points of Doctrine in which cases they may be brought by degrees at last to the National Synod where they shall be finally judged and determined XXXII The Holy Word of God condemning that Custom introduced into certain Reformed Churches of enquiring into and generally censuring of Faults in the Publick Congregation both of Men and Women before the Lord's Supper those Churches that have used it are exhorted to forbear it for the future and in Point of Censures to acquiesce in the observation of that Order established in our Discipline and practised by all other the Reformed Churches of France And such Churches as shall refuse so to do shall be censured That the Complaints of Ministers and the dissipation of Churches may be avoided the Churches must advance a Quarter's Pay before-hand unto their Ministers XXXIII That the Ingratitude of divers Churches towards their Ministers who therefore deserve justly to be deprived of them may be hereafter prevented This Assembly doth ordain That every Church shall advance a Quarter's Stipend before-hand unto their Pastors of that Annual Maintenance they had ingaged to pay them And in case three Months be laps'd and his Quarteridge unpaid after Complaints made unto the Consistory or the more eminent Members of that Church the said Pastor may withdraw himself from the Service of his said Church appealing from its Consistory unto the two nearest Ministers before whom he shall declare the causes of his departure that so he may be discharged from all Calumny and the Pastor thus ungratefully dealt withal shall not be obliged to tarry for the Judgment of any Colloquy or Synod unless one of those Assemblies do meet in the same Month of his departure And that ungrateful Church shall not be provided of any other Pastor till it shall have first given plenary satisfaction unto its former Minister And he must in the mean while remember not to engage himself to any Church out of his Province unless he have first obtained License from his own Provincial Synod XXXIV The Censure incurred and merited by the ungrateful Members of particular Churches shall be inflicted on them by their own Consistories according to our Discipline XXXV The 11th Canon in the Chapter of Marriages shall be thus explained That whenas one of the Parties is of a contrary Religion the Marriage shall not be admitted in a Reformed Church until such time as that Party of the contrary Religion be sufficiently instructed and is enabled with a good Conscience to make a publick Protestation of his Renouncing all Idolatry and Superstition and that by the Grace of God helping him he will continue the rest of his Days in the purity of his Worship And the Consistory of that Church in which he is to make this Protestation shall take Cognisance or the sufficiency of his knowledge XXXVI All the Provinces are desired to take Notice that a certain Minister called German hath been deposed from his Ministry and declared a Vagrant for good and just Cause by the Provincial Synod of Orleans and Berry whose Sentence shall abide valid Saving always to the said German power to justifie himself before the National Synod if he think fitting The Confession of the Low
another where their Crime is not known they shall only testify their Repentance privately before the Consistory but with this Condition that in case they return to that former Church whereunto they belonged they shall then and there also make a publick Acknowledgment of their Offence XXIV Publick Penances shall be undergone personally and by those only who have publickly offended the Sinner openly and sincerely with his Mouth from his Heart testifying his Repentance XXV Whoredoms when committed and come to publick â—â—owledge shall by their Actors be publickly acknowledged with evident Tokens of Repentance XXVI This Clause by the greater part shall be razed out from the end of the 17th Article of Figeac and there shall be this only inserted known by the greater part XXVII Both those Canons of the Tenth National Synod and of our ancient Discipline concerning the time of meeting for Colloquies and Provincial Synods shall remain in full force so that they be wholly left unto their Liberty to do therein as they may most conveniently XXVIII Forasmuch as Provincial Synods depend upon the National Colloquies also shall for the same Reasons be subject unto the Provincial Synods and Consistories unto Colloquies XXIX The National Synod of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom assembled in this City of Rochel under the Authority of the King's Edicts having seen a certain Book Intituled The History of France printed in this City upon divers complaints made unto us from all parts of the Kingdom against it and having took Cognisance of the proceedings of the Consistory of this Church against the find Book hath found that in many places the Author speaks exceeding irreverently and irreligiously of divine Things and that it is a heap of idle vain and prophane Matters full of Falshoods Lies and Calumnies to the great prejudice of God's glorious Power to the disadvantage and dishonour of our Holy Doctrine and Reformed Religion to the Dissamation of divers godly Persons dead and living And therefore hath thought good to advertise all the Churches that they beware of the said Book and inasmuch as in them lieth to disapprove it And this Synod doth judicially declare the Author of the said Book if he own himself a Protestant unworthy of our Holy Communion and not to be admitted to the participation of the Sacraments until such time as he shall have acknowledged his offence and by convenient means such as the Suppression of his History shall have repaired the Scandal that he hath given unto the Churches XXX The Synod also having seen and examined another Book written in Latin upon Genesis by a certain Fellow called James Brocan of Piedmont printed in this City hath declared and doth declare it to be fraught with Impieties and horrible Profanations of the Sacred Scriptures and pernicious Errors especially in Matters of Revelation of Revelation Prophecy and therefore exhorts all the Faithful to keep themselves carefully from being seduced by it XXXI The first Article of Provincial Synods being read it was decreed That all Ministers should attend in Person at their Provincial Synods or should excuse themselves by Letters in case of absence the causes whereof should be judged valid or otherwise by those Assemblies XXXII The third Article concerning National Synods shall abide in its full power But for the benefit of all our Churches there shall be this clause added That for time to come if possible it may be done there shall be two Ministers and two Elders deputed from every Province unto them XXXIII Forasmuch as Dancings and other Dissolutions do sprout up and increase every where yea and in these our Reformed Churches it was thought good to exhort the Consistories that for God's sake they would conscientiously observe the Six and twentieth Article of particular Orders decreed in the Synod of Figeac and in the Name of God and by the Authority of this present Assembly that it be read publickly in the Churches and all Colloquies and Synods are hereby expresly charged to censure those Consistories that neglect their Duty in this particular XXXIV All those who by unlawful means as by Papal Bulls or ready Money shall purchase or hold Benefices and such as cause Idolatry to be upheld and maintained either directly or indirectly shall be excluded Communion at the Lord's Table XXXV As to what concerns Impropriators and Farmers of Benefices the ancient Canons of our Discipline shall hold good and be in full force power and vertue against them Yet nevertheless the Deputies shall bring with them from their respective Provinces whatever Difficulties have occurr'd about those matters that so they may be debated in the next National Synod And whereas our Brethren of Languedoc Gascony and Perigord have desired have for the welfare of their Churches to censure such Farmers the business is left unto the prudence of their Provincial Synods XXXVI That Churches may not hereafter upon the death or removal of their Pastors be dissolved the Ministers who preside in the Colloquy for a new Election shall first of all enquire of every Elder in other Churches of the Colloquy what and how much Maintenance they exhibit unto their Pastors and what care they take for paying in unto them their promised Stipends that so provision may be made for them by the Authority of the Colloquies XXXVII These words The most eminent shall be blotted out from the 33d Article of Figeac XXXVIII Synods and Colloquies shall consult how to six the Limits and Extent of that Church wherein a Minister shall exercise his ordinary Calling XXXIX Ministers belonging to the Churches of France and now living abroad without the Kingdom shall be recalled by their respective Provinces XL. Forasmuch as there is a notorious contempt of Religion visible in all places yea also in our Religious Meetings we advise that Notice be given unto all Persons to bring with them their Psalm-Books into the Churches and that such as contemptuously neglect the doing of it shall be severely censur'd and all Protestant Printers are advised not to sunder in their Impressions the Prayers and Catechism from the Psalm-Books XLI The 17th Article of particular Orders concerning Habits was thus explained This Synod declareth That such Habits are not to be allowed in common wearing which carry with them evident marks of lasciviousness dissolution and excessive new-fangled Fashions such as painting slashing cutting in pieces trimming with Locks and Tassels or any other that may discover our Nakedness or naked Breasts or Fardingales or the like sort of Garments with which both Men and Women do wickedly cloath and adorn themselves And Consistories shall do their utmost endeavour to suppress such Dissolutions by their Censures and in case the Delinquents are contumacious and rebellious they shall proceed against them even to Excommunication XLII As to the 14th Canon concerning Marriages this Synod doth not judge it contrary to the 24th Article enacted by the Assembly of Estates at Blois for in that Orders only were given unto Notaries and Scriveners how