The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 18 (3rd Rochelle) · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Obſervations on the National Synod of Gap.
1. THAT Exhortation given by the Synod of Gap for reading the Confeſſion of Faith, and Book of Diſcipline in the Provincial Synods, is only to be underſtood thus, if it may conveniently be done.
2. This Aſſembly judgeth that it's no proper time at preſent to make an Apology for the Confeſſion of our Churches.
3. In that Article of the ſame Synod treating of the 31th Article of the Confeſſion of Faith, where it ſpeaks of the Call of the firſt Paſtors in our Reformed Churches, theſe words, And to teach, which are found in ſome certain Copies, ſhall be razed, and inſtead of ſimply, ſhall be inſerted principally, and that laſt clauſe, And not unto the ſmall remainders of their corrupted Call, ſhall be thus read, Rather than unto the ſmall remains of their ordinary Call.
4. Our Brethren of Normandy ſhall out of hand conform to the other Churches in their reception of Elders and Deacons.
5. The Churches of the Baylywick of Gex, ſhall be incorporated with the Provincial Synod of Burgundy.
See obſerv. 8. of the Synod of Gap upon that of Gergeau, Scholars not ordained may not adminiſter the Sacraments.6. In the Letter which ſhall be written to our Brethren of the Church of Geneva, they ſhall again be intreated not to ſend our Propoſans to preach in their Villages, and to adminiſter the Sacraments before they have been lawfully Ordained. They ſhall alſo be further intreated to take ſpecial care of our Students in Divinity; and when as they demand a Teſtimonial, to give them none but upon good and ſufficient knowledge of their Lives, and as their diligence hath deſerved, and moſt eſpecially in caſe of Monks who have quitted their Monaſteries, to whom this Aſſembly hath limited the term of two years before their reception into the Sacred Miniſtry, and our ſaid brethren of Geneva ſhall be adviſed to detain thoſe who are too forward. And farther 'tis thought good to pray them that they would endeavour with their Magiſtrates and People to conform themſelves unto the other Churches of Chriſt in the uſe of Leavened Bread at the Lords Supper, according to the example and received practice of their Neighbour Churches of Berne.
7. The word Damnation as 'tis qualified and explained in the tenth Sunday of our Catechiſm ſhall remain unchanged.
8. The Church of Sedan ſhall be joined, according to the Article of Gap, unto the Synod of the Iſle of France, and to the Colloquy of Champagne, and ſhall be preſent by its Deputies at the ſaid Colloquies and Synods: On which condition they ſhall receive the four portions, which had been aſſigned them by the Synod of Gergeau.
9. The Miniſtry of Monſieur Baily, who was granted by the Synod of Gap unto the Church of Lions, having been exceeding fruitful unto this very day, and mightily edifying unto that Church; This Aſſembly ratifieth that Grant, and beſtoweth him upon them for their ordinary Paſtor; ſo that the Province of Lower Languedoc for the future ſhall not have any the leaſt pretenſions or right unto him.
10. This Synod judgeth the Univerſities of Montauban, Niſmes, Montpellier and Sedan, worthy of ſevere cenſures, for not bringing or ſending hither the Accounts of Moneys received for the maintenance or their Profeſſors and Regents, according to the Decrees of Gap and Gergeau. And that for the future they may be more carefull of the Moneys belonging to the Univerſity of Montauban, there ſhall be detained in the hands of the Receiver General five hundred Livers, and for the Univerſities of Niſmes, Montpellier and Sedan, two hundred and fifty Livers for each of them, and with this farther penalty, that in caſe hereafter they ſhall be guilty of the like neglect, there ſhall be defaulked from their portions five hundred Crowns; But if upon auditing their accounts they be found juſt and faithful, then the detained ſumms ſhall be reſtored to them. Finally, the Provincial Synods are ordered to give in unto the National Synods a true report, as in Conſcience they be bound to do, how the Profeſſors and Regents in the ſeveral Univerſities of their reſpective Provinces do diſcharge the duties of their places, and to be very careful in the form of their Acquittances, and other evidences of their Integrity, and to ſend them all by the Deputies of their Province unto the National Synods.
11. Reading that Article of the Synod of Gap concerning cenſures to be inflicted on the breakers of Marriage-promiſes without juſt cauſe, divers difficulties in divers places having riſen hereupon: This Aſſembly judgeth that neither private perſons, nor Conſiſtories have authority to diſſolve ſuch Promiſes, and therefore they ſhall be turned over to the Judgment and Lawful Decree of the Civil Magiſtrates, and thoſe refractory perſons who will not diſcharge their injoined duty ſhall be purſued with all Church-cenſures.