The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, Introduction 2 · Section 12 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of Miniſters.
CANON I. THAT ſuch Perſons may be choſen into the Miniſtery as are meet for ſo ſacred an Employment,Chap. I. Of Miniſters. let the ſtanding Canon of the Apoſtle be obſerved, That inquiry be made into their Doctrine, whether they be apt to teach; and alſo into their Converſation, with all poſſible Diligence.
CANON II. Novices lately received into the Church, eſpecially Prieſts and Monks, ſhall not be admitted unto the Sacred Miniſtry, without a long and diligent inquiry, and experience had both of their Life and Doctrine, approved, at leaſt, by the ſpace of two Years ſince their Converſion, and confirmed by good Teſtimonials from the places of their abode; nor ſhall they be ordained, no more than unknown Perſons, without the Advice of Provincial and National Synods.
CANON III. If any Biſhop or Curate ſhould deſire to be employed in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, he cannot be admitted till he be firſt a true Member of the Church, and renounce all his Benefices, and all other Dependencies on the See of Rome, and make acknowledgment of all his Offences formerly committed by him, according as he ſhall be adviſed by the Conſiſtory, and after long proof and experience had of his Repentance and godly▪ Converſation.
CAN. IV. A Miniſter of the Goſpel (unleſs in times of Difficulty, and Caſes of very great neceſſity, in which he may be choſen by three Paſtors, together with the Conſiſtory of the Place) ſhall not be admitted into this Holy Office, but by the Provincial Synod, or by the Colloquy, provided that it be at leaſt compoſed of ſeven Paſtors; which number being found in a Colloquy, ſome of the Neighbour Miniſters ſhall be called in to concur with it, and the Miniſter elect ſhall be preſented with good and valid Teſtimonials, not only from the Univerſities, and particular Churches, but alſo from the Colloquy of that Church, in which he had been moſt converſant.
CAN. V. The Miniſter preſented ſhall be examined in this manner, Firſt, by Propoſitions from the Word of God, upon ſuch Texts as ſhall be given him; the one neceſſarily in French, the other in the Latin Tongue, if the Colloquy or Synod ſhall judge it expedient. One whole day ſhall be granted him to prepare himſelf for each of theſe Exerciſes. If by them he give ſatisfaction unto the Aſſembly, there ſhall be tendered him a Chapter of the New Teſtament, by which his skill in the Greek Language ſhall be known; and as to the Hebrew, they ſhall be careful to ſee that at the leaſt he can ſerve himſelf of good Books for the underſtanding of the Scripture in that Original. Unto theſe there ſhall be added an Eſſay of his skill in the moſt needful parts of Philoſophy; let the whole Examen be managed with ſingular Charity, and without Affectation of any thorny or unprofitable Queſtions. Finally, he ſhall compoſe a brief Confeſſion of his Faith in Latin, on which he ſhall be oppoſed by way of Diſputation. And if, after this Examination, he be found capable, then the Aſſembly remonſtrating to him the Duty of that Office whereunto he is called, ſhall further declare that Power which is given him in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt,See Obſ. 1. upon the Diſcipline in the Synod of Tonneins. to miniſter both in the Word and Sacraments; and he ſhall be fully and ſolemnly ordained in that Church unto which he is ſent; and the ſaid Church ſhall be informed of his Election by the Act or Letters of that Synod or Colloquy, which ſhall be delivered and read unto them by a Paſtor or Elder.
CAN. VI. He whoſe Election ſhall be declared unto the Church, ſhall Preach publicity the Word of God on three ſeveral Sabbaths (but without power of adminiſtring the Holy Sacraments, or of ſolemnizing Marriages) in the audience of the whole Congregation, that ſo they may know his manner of Teaching, and the ſaid Auditory ſhall be expreſly charged. That if any one of them do know any impediment, for which his Ordination, who ſhall be then mentioned by his Name, may not be compleated, or why he may not be accepted, that they do then come and give notice of it unto the Conſiſtory, which ſhall patiently hear the Reaſons of both Parties, that ſo they may proceed to Judgment. The Peoples ſilence ſhall be taken for a full conſent. But in caſe contention ſhould ariſe, and the afore-named Elect be pleaſing to the Conſiſtory, but not unto the People, or to the major part of them, his reception ſhall be deferred, and the whole ſhall be remitted unto the Colloquy or Provincial Synod, which ſhall take cognizance both of the justification of the before-named elect Miniſter, and of his reception. And although the ſaid Elect ſhould be then and there juſtified, yet ſhall he not be given as Paſtor unto that People againſt their will, nor to the diſcontentment of the greateſt part of them; nor ſhall the Paſtor be impoſed againſt his will upon that Church; and the difference ſhall be terminated by order as above, at the Coſts and Charges of the Church that ſhall have demanded him.
CAN. VII. Who ſo conſenteth to be choſen unto the Sacred Miniſtry, ought to accept of the Office, with which he ſhall be inveſted; and in caſe of his refuſal, he ſhall be ſolicited thereunto by fitting Exhortations, but he ſhall in no wiſe be constrained.
CAN. VIII. The Election of Miniſters ſhall be confirmed by Prayers and Impoſition of Hands; always avoiding all Superſtition, and according to this enſuing form: The Form of Ordination uſually obſerved in the Churches of France at the Reception of their Miniſters. All things before-mentioned having been obſerved, two Paſtors deputed by the Synod or Colloquy to lay their Hands upon the Miniſter elect, being come into that Church, one of them, who preacheth the Sermon, ſhall diſcourſe briefly of the Institution and Excellency of the Miniſtry, alledging Teſtimonies pertinent to this occaſion from holy Writ; ſuch as Epheſ. 4.11, 12. Luke 10.16. John 20.21, 22. 1 Cor. 4.1, 2. 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20. 1 Tim. 3.8. or others of the like nature, admoniſhing every one to ſee to it, that both Miniſter and People do perform their reſpective Duties. The Miniſter to acquit himſelf of his Charge the more carefully, becauſe he knoweth it to be precious and excellent in the ſight of God; and the People with all humility and reverence to receive the Word of God, which ſhall be declared by him, who is now ſent unto them. Then ſhall be read in the hearing of the whole Congregation what is written in 1 Tim. 3. and 1 Tit. where the Apoſtle teacheth what kind of Man a Miniſter ſhould be. And that it may pleaſe God to vouchſafe Grace unto this elect perſon to acquit himſelf worthily and faithfully of his holy Calling, a ſhort Prayer ſhall be conceived to this purpoſe, in which the ſaid Paſtor ſhall inſert theſe or the like words: O Lord God, we beſeech thee to endow with the Gifts and Graces of thy holy Spirit this thy Servant lawfully choſen according to that Order eſtabliſhed in thy Church, and abundantly to enrich him with all Abilities needful for his acceptable performance of the Duties of his Office, to the Glory of thy holy Name, the Edification of thy Church, and his own Salvation, whom we now dedicate and conſecrate unto thee by this our Miniſtry. And then the Miniſter that prayeth, ſtanding upright below the Pulpit, ſhall lay his Hands upon his Head, for whom Prayer is now made, he being humbly on his knees. And the new Paſtor ariſing, the two Deputies ſent from the Colloquy or Synod ſhall give him before the People the right hand of fellowſhip. And this Form and the above-mentioned Canon ſhall be unanimouſly obſerved in all the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom.
CAN. IX. Our Confeſſion of Faith and Church-Diſcipline ſhall be ſubſcribed by ſuch as are choſen in the Miniſtry, both into the Churches in which they ſhall be ordained, and in thoſe unto which they ſhall be ſent.
CAN. X. No Miniſters ſhall be ordained without appointing them unto a particular Flock; and they ſhall be the peculiar Paſtors of thoſe Churches unto which they be aſſigned. And no Church ſhall pretend right unto any Miniſter, by vertue of a particular promiſe made by him, without the authority of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod.
CAN. XI. Such as ſhall be choſen unto the Miniſtry of the Goſpel muſt know, that they be in that Office for term of life, unleſs they be lawfully diſcharged upon good and certain conſiderations, and that by the Provincial Synod.
CAN. XII. The principal Duty of Miniſters is to Preach the Goſpel, and to declare the Will of God unto their People, and they ſhall be exhorted to forbear all ſtrange ways of teaching, which have no tendency to edification; and they ſhall conform themſelves to the ſimplicity and common ſtile of God's Spirit, taking heed that there be nothing in their Sermons prejudicial to the Authority of holy Scripture; and they ſhall never Preach without having for foundation of their diſcourſe a Text of holy Scripture, which they ſhall ordinarily follow, and they ſhall handle and expound as much of that Text as they can, forbearing all needleſs Enlargements, all tedious and unſeaſonable Digreſſions, all ſuperfluous heapings up of Scripture-Quotations, and vain recitals of various and different Expoſitions. They ſhall very rarely alledge the Writings of the Fathers, nor at any time prophane Hiſtories and Authors; that ſo they may reſerve unto the Scripture intirely its own Authority. Moreover, they ſhall not handle any Doctrine in a ſcholaſtick way of Diſputation, nor with a mixture of Languages. In one word, they ſhall avoid whatſoever may ſerve for oſtentation, or in any wiſe occaſion doubts or ſcruples. And that this Canon may be more carefully obſerved and practiſed, Conſiſtories, Colloquies, and Synods ſhall put to their helping hand.
CAN. XIII. Churches are admoniſhed to uſe more frequently the Ordinance of Catechiſing, and Miniſters are to treat and expound it by ſhort, plain, and familiar Queſtions and Anſwers, accommodating themſelves unto the capacity of the meaneſt People, without expatiating themſelves into common places. Yea, all Miniſters ſhall endeavour to catechize every one in their Flocks once or twice a Year, and ſhall exhort them to conform themſelves thereunto very carefully.
CAN. XIV. Miniſters and their Families ſhall actually reſide on their Churches, on pain of being depoſed from their Sacred Miniſterial Office.
CAN. XV. Thoſe Perſons to whom God hath given Talents and Abilities for Writing, are adviſed to uſe them in a modeſt manner, ſuitable to the Majeſty of God's Word; and therefore conſequently they ſhall not write after a ridiculous or injurious rate, and in their ordinary Sermons they ſhall expreſs this ſelf-ſame modeſty and gravity. And they who are endowed with gifts for writing, ſhall he choſen by the Provinces; and if it happen that any Books be publiſhed againſt the true Religion, they ſhall be ſent unto them, that they may be anſwered. And there ſhall be a Colloquy in each Province appointed unto this peculiar buſineſs carefully to peruſe all Manuſcripts before they be Printed, and what is publiſhed, and to diſperſe the Copies.
CAN. XVI. No Miniſter ſhall claim or exerciſe any Primacy or Juriſdiction over another.
CAN. XVII. Miniſters ſhall preſide by turns in their Conſiſtories, that ſo none may claim a Superiority over his Fellow, and none of them ſhall give any Teſtimony in matters of importance, without having firſt Communicated unto his Brethren and Collegues in the Miniſtry.
CAN. XVIII. That Cuſtom uſed in ſome places of deputing certain Miniſters from the Provincial Synods to viſit the Churches, ſhall be for time to come totally ſuppreſſed and aboliſhed. That order which hath been uſed until now being ſufficient enough for taking cogniſance of Scandals. And this manner of erecting new Offices and Employments is condemned becauſe of its dangerous conſequence, as alſo all names of ſuperiority are rejected, ſuch as Elders of Synods, Super-intendents, and the like. And all Advertiſements for aſſembling Colloquies, or Synods, or concerning any buſineſſes which depend upon them, ſhall be directed unto the Church, and not to any particular Miniſter in it. And if accidentally they have been ſo ſuperſcribed, and for ſome certain Conſiderations addreſſed unto any one of the Miniſters or Elders, they who have received them ſhall preſent them unto the Conſiſtory, that ſo advice and deliberation may be taken of them.
CAN. XIX. No Miniſter, together with the holy Miniſtry, ſhall be a Practitioner in Law or Phyſick; yet out of Charity he may give Counſel and aſſiſtance to the poor of his Flock, and of his Neighbourhood: provided always that he be not thereby diverted from his Calling, nor derive any gain from his practice, unleſs in times of trouble and perſecution, and when he cannot exerciſe his Calling in his Church, and cannot be maintained by it. And thoſe who ſhall thus employ themſelves in Law or Phyſick, or in any other Worldly diſtracting buſineſs, ſhall be exhorted wholly to forbear it, and totally to devote themſelves unto the duties of their Calling as Miniſters, and to the ſtudy of the Scriptures. And all Colloquies and Synods are admoniſhed to proceed according to the Canons of our Diſcipline againſt the refractory, and ſuch as be willfully diſobedient, as alſo againſt thoſe who ſpend ſo much of their time in teaching youth, that it is an hinderance to them in the principal duties of their Miniſterial Office. And all Conſiſtories, Colloquies, and Provincial Synods, ſhall have a moſt eſpecial care and regard that this Canon be punctually obſerved, and to ſuſpend ſuch as do tranſgreſs it from their exerciſe of the Miniſtry.
CAN. XX. Miniſters ſhall exhort their People to be modeſt in their Apparel, they themſelves alſo giving in this particular a good example unto the World, by their own, their Wives, and their Children's forbearing all bravery in their Habits.
CAN. XXI. Princes, and great Lords following the Court, that would have a Church erected in their Houſes, ſhall be deſired to chuſe their Miniſters out of thoſe Churches which be duly reformed, and can ſpare them a Paſtor, and of whoſe lawful Call unto the ſacred Miniſtry they may be well aſſured, and this with the good will and conſent of the Colloquies or Synods. Theſe ſhall in the firſt place ſubſcribe the Confeſſion of Faith of the Churches in this Kingdom, and our Eccleſiaſtical Diſcipline. And that the Preaching of the Goſpel may be the more ſucceſsful, they ſhall be every one of them deſired to conſtitute in their Families a Conſiſtory, compoſed of the Miniſter, and of the beſt approved perſons for Godlineſs in their ſaid Family, who ſhall be choſen Elders and Deacons: by which Conſiſtory all Vices and Scandals in that Family ſhall be ſuppreſſed, and the common Diſcipline of our Churches ſhall be maintained. Moreover if it be poſſible for them, they ſhall perſonally appear at Provincial Synods. To which purpoſe Powers ſhall be given unto the Church, that convocates the Synod of that Province, to call them to it. And the ſaid Miniſters by name, or ſome one or other of them, according as they ſhall be deputed by the reſt, ſhall make their perſonal Appearance at the National Synods, in company with their Elders, who may inform the Synod of their Lives and Converſations; And if ſeveral of them meet together, none ſhall claim any preheminency or juriſdiction over his Brethren, according to that Canon of our Diſcipline made on this behalf. And when as the ſaid Princes and Lords ſhall ſojourn in their Houſes, or other places in which a Church is already conſtituted, that all diviſions may be avoided, they ſhall be deſired to conjoin the Church of their Families, together with the Church of that place, to make but one Church, as ſhall be adviſed in an amicable Conference with the Miniſters of both Churches, that ſo what may be moſt expedient may be followed.
CAN. XXII. It ſhall not be lawful for the Paſtor to deſert his Flock without leave firſt had and obtained from the Colloquy, and Provincial Synod of that Church to which he was firſt given.
CAN. XXIII. Deſerters of the Sacred Miniſtry ſhall be finally Excommunicated by the Provincial Synod, unleſs they do repent, and return again unto their Charge which God had committed to them.
CAN. XXIV. Miniſters ſhall not be Vagrants, nor have liberty to intrude themſelves of their own Authority into any place which beſt pleaſeth them.
CAN. XXV. The Miniſter of one Church ſhall not preach in another without the conſent of its Miniſter, unleſs he were abſent: in which caſe the Conſiſtory ſhall authorize him; and if through perſecution, or any troubles, the Flock ſhould be diſſipated, the ſtrange Miniſter ſhall endeavour to aſſemble the Elders and Deacons: which if it cannot be done, yet nevertheleſs he may warrantably preach, that ſo the diſperſed Flock may be reunited.
CAN. XXVI. That Miniſter who intrudeth himſelf into a Church, although he get the People's Approbation, yet ſhall he not be approved of by the Neighbour Miniſters, or any others; but the cogniſance of his Caſe ſhall be devolved upon the Colloquy, or Provincial Synod.
CAN. XXVII. Miniſters ſhall not be ſent unto other Churches without authentick Letters, or ſome other ſufficient Teſtimonials from thoſe places from whence they laſt came, which ſhall be put into the Conſiſtories hands of that Church whereunto they be ſent, and there carefully to be preſerved.
CAN. XXVIII. No Miniſter, who reports himſelf forſaken of his Church of perſecuted, ſhall thereupon be received by another Church, until he have firſt produced valid Certificates of his holy and unblameable Converſation unto the Colloquy or Synod, and the whole Affair ſhall be remitted to the prudence and diſcretion of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod.
CAN. XXIX. When as a Miniſter, who hath orderly obtained his Licence of departure from that Church in which he laſt ſerved, ſhall be deſtitute of employment, the Colloquy or Provincial Synod are of duty bound to provide him of another Church within one Month. And if within that term the Colloquy or Synod have not provided for him, he ſhall be then at liberty to get himſelf a Church out of that Province in any place where God ſhall open a door unto him according to the Canons of our Diſcipline.
CAN. XXX. Authority is granted unto Provincial Synods for divers conſiderations to remove Miniſters from their Churches, their Churches having been firſt heard, and their Reaſons well and ſufficiently weighed. But in caſe of diſcord, the whole ſhall be determined by a National Synod; and till the ſitting of which nothing ſhall be innovated.
CAN. XXXI. When as a Miniſter is perſecuted, or for ſome other reaſon cannot exerciſe his Miniſtry in that Church unto which he was appointed, he may by the ſaid Church be ſent elſewhere, or they may exchange him with another for a certain time, by the good will and conſent of both the Churches. But and if the Miniſter ſhall not ſubmit unto the judgment of thoſe two Churches, he ſhall give the Reaſons of his refuſal unto the Conſiſtory, and in it their equity ſhall be debated and determined: and in caſe they be not eſteemed valid, and the Miniſter ſhall notwithſtanding perſiſt in his reſolution of not accepting the ſaid Employment, the difference ſhall be referred unto the next Provincial Synod, or elſe unto the Colloquy, if both thoſe Churches do belong unto the ſame Colloquy.
CAN. XXXII. Miniſters may with their own conſent be lent by the Conſiſtory, according as the Edification of the Church ſhall require: but the loan ſhall not be done without the advice of two or three Miniſters, or of the ſame Colloquy, if it be for any longer term than ſix Months.
CAN. XXXIII. Miniſters, that have been lent, when as the time of their loan is expired, ſhall be reſtored again unto their Churches, from which they had departed.
CAN. XXXIV. If a Church do not redemand its Paſtor within one Year after the time for which he was lent is expired, he ſhall then appertain unto that Church unto which he was lent, provided always, that the ſaid Paſtor do yield his conſent unto it; but and if he do not give his conſent, he ſhall diſpoſe of himſelf according to the advice of the Colloquy or Synod of that Church to which he had been lent. And this Canon ſhall be of force with reference to thoſe Miniſters, who becauſe of perſecution have betook themſelves unto the ſervice of other Churches, and the perſecution ceaſing they be not redemanded by their former Churches within one Year, which ſhall begin from that time in which thoſe Miniſters gave notice of it unto thoſe aforeſaid Churches.
CAN. XXXV. A Miniſter deſtitute of a Church and unimployed in his Province, and lent by the Colloquy to a Church out of the bounds of the Province till the next Seſſion of his Provincial Synod, if he be not employed by that Synod within their Province, he ſhall remain appropriate unto that Church to which he was lent, provided that he and the Church do mutually conſent thereunto.
CAN. XXXVI. That Churches may perform their Duties to their Paſtors, according to thoſe Obligations on them by the Word of God, and that Paſtors may have no juſt ground of offence given them, nor to abandon their ſaid Flocks, they ſhall be admoniſhed to miniſter unto their Paſtors all things neceſſary for their comfortable ſubſiſtence.
CAN. XXXVII. And to prevent their ingratitude, who by experience are known to have dealt unworthily with their painful Miniſters, this order ſhall be obſerved; one quarter of the yearly Penſion which was promiſed them ſhall be paid in unto them by way of advance beforehand.
CAN. XXXVIII. And for the future, leſt through any ill management of this matter, the Churches ſhould happen to be diſſipated, thoſe who are choſen Moderators in Colloquies, ſhall enquire of the Elders in every Church about the Maintenance afforded by them unto their Miniſters, and of their Care in ſupplying their Wants, according to the Canon before ordained; that ſo by the Authority of Colloquies proviſion may be made for them.
CAN. XXXIX. When as neceſſary Maintenance ſhall have been detained from a Paſtor, and three Months be laps'd ſince his Complaints and Remonſtrances, it ſhall be then lawful for the ſaid Paſtor to joyn himſelf unto any other Church by conſent of his Colloquy or Provincial Synod: And the Colloquy or Synod may ſhorten the term of three Months if there be urgent neceſſity for it; yea, if that the neceſſity be preſſing, and three Months are expired, and the Paſtor is not ſupplied, though he had entered in his Petition to be diſcharged, it ſhall ſuffice if he call into his Conſiſtory two neighbour Miniſters, and he ſhall not be bound to wait for the ſitting of the Colloquy or Synod to obtain their advice and conſent, unleſs that one of the ſaid Aſſemblies were convocated and to meet in that very ſelf-ſame Month in which he was to have departed.
CAN. XL. In that tryal and judgment which ſhall be paſſed upon a Peoples ingratitude at the complaint of a Miniſter, all circumſtances ſhall be prudently conſidered, and ſpecial regard ſhall be had unto the poverty of the Church, and of the Plaintiff's eſtate, that ſo they may uſe thoſe means which will be moſt likely to promote the Glory of God, the Edification of his Church, and the Honour of the Miniſtry.
CAN. XLI. A Church being found ungrateful ſhall not be provided of a Paſtor till ſuch time as they have given intire ſatisfaction according to their ability unto him of whom they be deprived. And this Paſtor ſhall in the mean while remember always to keep himſelf diſingaged from the Church of any other Province but his own, unleſs by a Decree of the ſaid Province it may have been otherwiſe determined. N.B. The last Clauſe of this Canon is not in four Copies of different Editions, as that of the Year 1653. that of Geneva, 1666. that of Quevilly, 1678. and an Engliſh Tranſlation of the Diſcipline, printed for Bourn in the Year 1642. But yet I find it in the Paris Edition by Vandôme in the Year 1663. and in another Impreſſion of it at Quevilly, I think in the ſame Year 1663 for I have not the Original now by me, (which I returned twenty Years ago to my Friend) but the Tranſlation I made of it.
CAN. XLII. Miniſters, though they have Eſtates and Lands of their own, may yet nevertheleſs take Wages from their Flocks, yea and it is expedient that they ſhould ſo do, in regard of its conſequence, leſt other Miniſters and Churches be prejudiced by this their example. Yet ſhall they be adviſed ſo to manage this liberty as the Churches neceſſity, and their quality ſhall require it.
CAN. XLIII. No Paſtor, under the title of a Paſtor, ſhall be permitted to poſſeſs an Inheritance: but in caſe his Stipend or any part thereof were aſſigned upon ſome particular Tenement, Rent, or Revenue, the whole ſhall be adminiſtred by the Deacons, or other perſons commiſſionated and ordained thereunto by the Churches; through whoſe hands the Miniſter ſhall receive his Penſion, that ſo all ſuſpicion of covetouſneſs may be removed, and leſt by ſuch worldly cares he ſhould be diverted from the weightier Duties of his Calling.
CAN. XLIV. That Church, in whoſe Service a Miniſter dieth, ſhall take care of his Widow and Orphans, and if the Church cannot do it through want of ability, the Province ſhall maintain them.
CAN. XLV. Miniſters ſhall be ſubject unto Cenſures.
CAN. XLVI. The Duty of Miniſters is to govern both themſelves and their Flocks, and all their Members ſmall and great, of whatſoever quality and degree, according to the Word of God and the Church-Diſcipline. But it belongeth properly unto the Magiſtrate to overſee all Orders and Degrees of Men, yea and Miniſters alſo, and to take heed that they walk uprightly in their calling: wherefore if they offend, the Magiſtrate ſhall admoniſh them of their Duty (and that power is aſcribed to him by our Church-Diſcipline) in Conſiſtories, Colloquies, and Synods, unleſs their Offences be puniſhable by Law, the knowledge of which appertaineth unto the Civil Magiſtrate.
CAN. XLVII. If Miniſters ſhould teach evil Doctrine, and after ſufficient admonition given them do not deſiſt, they ſhall be depoſed. Item, Such as reject thoſe holy Counſels made them out of God's Word, by their Conſiſtories. Item, Such alſo as are of Scandalous Lives, and thoſe who ſhall be convicted of Hereſy, Schiſm, Rebellion againſt the Diſcipline of the Church, and open Blaſphemies, deſerving puniſhment by the Civil Magiſtrate, Simony, all Bribery by gifts, briguings, and underhand dealings to get into another Mans place, deſertion of their Flocks without lawful leave, and juſt occaſion, falſhood, perjury, whoredom, theft, drunkenneſs, battery, meriting puniſhment by the Laws, Uſuries, ſcandalous Plays, and others forbidden by the Laws, Dances and ſuch like diſſolutions, Crimes branded with Infamy, and which in any other Perſon would merit Excluſion from the Church, and all perſons uncapable of diſcharging the duties of their Calling.
CAN. XLVIII. Theſe ſhall not be depoſed, who by reaſon of Sickneſs, old Age, or any other ſuch infirmities, are rendred uncapable of diſcharging the Duties of their Miniſtry, in which caſe their honour ſhall be conſerved them, and they ſhall be recommended unto their Churches for maintenance, and other Miniſters ſhall be provided to perform the duties of their Calling.
CAN. XLIX. Scandalous Crimes puniſhable by the Civil Magiſtrate, ſuch as Murder, High-Treaſon, and other Vices redounding to the great diſhonour and ſcandal of the Church, do deſerve that the Miniſter, guilty of them, ſhould be depoſed, although he had committed them not only before his Ordination, but alſo before his Converſion. And this ſhall be the rather done, leſt the Continuance of ſuch a Wretch in the Miniſtry ſhould draw greater ſcandal upon, than edifying unto the Church. Of which all Synods ſhall take Cogniſance.
CAN. L. In Caſe a Miniſter be convicted of enormous and notorious Crimes, he ſhall be depoſed out of hand by the Conſiſtory, they inviting unto that action their Colloquy, or through default thereof two or three diſintereſſed Miniſters. And if the Delinquent Miniſter ſhould complain of the Accuſation and Calumny, the buſineſs ſhall be reported unto the Provincial Synod. If he hath Preached Heretical Doctrine (contrary to the Scriptures) he ſhall be ſuſpended by the Conſiſtory, Colloquy, or two or three Miniſters, invited thereunto as before, till the final deciſion of his Caſe by the Provincial Synod; and all Sentences of Suſpenſion, for what cauſe or account ſoever, ſhall ſtand good, and be of force, notwithſtanding his Appeal, until the definitive Judgment of the next Synod. N.B. That Parentheſis in this Canon is not to be found in the four laſt Editions of the Diſcipline, but yet it is in two others that I have both Printed ſince the laſt National Synod.
CAN. LI. Unleſs neceſſity ſo require it, the Cauſes of a Miniſters Depoſal ſhall not be publiſhed unto the People; of which thoſe who were his Judges, and decreed his Depoſal, ſhall take cogniſance.
CAN. LII. The National Synods ſhall be informed by the Provinces of all Depoſed Miniſters, that they may not be by them admitted into the Miniſtry any more.
CAN. LIII. Miniſters. Depoſed for Crimes deſerving Capital puniſhment, or bearing mark of Infamy, ſhall never be reſtored unto their Office, whatever ſatiſfactions may be given by them. But as for ſlighter faults, upon Confeſſion of them, they may be reſtored by the Provincial Synod, but with this condition, to ſerve in another Province, and not in their own.
CAN. LIV. Vagrants, that is to ſay, ſuch as having no Call, do thruſt themſelves into the Miniſtry, ſhall be reſtrained. And whatever Ordinance ſhall be Decreed and Executed about the Interdiction of any Perſons from the Miniſtry, ſhall be of equal vertue, with the Acts of the National Synod, and as if it had been done by it.
CAN. LV. They who have been once denounced Vagrants, Apoſtates, Hereticks, and Schiſmaticks, ſhall be denounced ſuch in all the Churches, that ſo they may be aware of them. And a Liſt of theſe Wretches names ſhall be brought from the ſeveral Provincial Synods to be hung up in the National.
CAN. LVI. Such as by the judgment of a National Synod have been once inrolled among the Vagrants, ſhall never be razed out of that black Catalogue but by the authority of another.
CAN. LVII. Such as intrude into the Miniſtry in thoſe places and Provinces where the pure worſhip of God is already eſtabliſhed, ſhall be ſeverely admoniſhed to deſiſt; and in caſe of their obſtinate perſiſting in this their intruſion, they ſhall be declared Schiſmaticks, and their Followers alſo, if after the like admonitions given, they do not leave them.