The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 21 (Tonneins) · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Obſervations on Reading of our Church-Diſcipline.
Article 1. St. Maixant Obſervat. 2.THE Deputies of the Province of Orleans and Berry having noted it, it was ordered that after theſe words in the cloſe of the fourth Article in the firſt Chapter (His ordination being compleatly finiſhed in that Church whereunto he is ſent) the following words ſhall be razed (then there ſhall be Deputed three Miniſters to Preſent him unto the People) in lieu of which theſe ſhall be ſubſtituted: Which ſhall be informed. of his Election by Act and Letters from that Synod or Colloquy, carried and read unto them by a Paſtor or Elder.
Art. 2. The 5th. Article ſhall begin with theſe words, He whoſe Election is declared and publiſhed to the Church ſhall make a Propoſition &c.
Art. 3. See Syn. of Rechel obſ. 4.The 7th. Article ſhall not begin with theſe words (when Miniſters are to be ordained) but with theſe following, All which as before having been obſerved, two Paſtors, Deputed expreſly by the Synod or Colloquy to ordain by impoſition of hands, the Miniſter Elect, being come unto the Church, He of them who is to Preach, ſhall treat of the nature and manner of ordination &c.
Art. 4. St. Maixant Obſer. 4.Whereas the Deputies of Burgundy moved about the ſence of the 7th. Article, as to the hand of fellowſhip, and of the newly Elected Paſtors preſence at the Acts of Colloquies and Synods after his Election▪ This Aſſembly judgeth that the hand of fellowſhip ought not to be given him but immediately after his ordination, and that this is the ſence of that Article, and tho he may be permitted entrance into the Colloquy or Synod, yet ſhall he not be admitted to give his deciſive ſuffrage the firſt Seſſions after his Ordination.
Art. 5. In expounding the 19th. Article of the ſame Chapter, this Canon was made,Orltans Art. 3. That none of the Paſtors Miniſtring in the Houſes of Princes and great Lords ſhould be choſen Deputies unto our National Synods, unleſs it were for that particular Province unto which their Church and Conſiſtory is joyned at the very inſtant time of their Deputation.
Art. 6. The Deputies of the Iſle of France inſiſting for a change of ſome words,1 Par. 22 which their Provincial Synod judged needful to be altered in the 47th. Article of the ſame Chapter: This Aſſembly thought it inconvenient to make any alteration.
Art. 7. The Deputies of Vivaretz demanding that in the ſecond Article of the 7th. Chapter the number of Elders which are to be ſent unto Synods or Colloquies might be reduced to the ſame with that of Paſtors; and that one Elder only might be Commiſſionated with the Paſtor: The Aſſembly ordained that there ſhould be nothing changed in it.
Art. 8. As to what hath been obſerved by the Province of the Iſle of France on the 5th. Article of the 8th. Chapter, this Aſſembly ordains that the Article ſhall not be changed, but theſe words following ſhall be added to it, Saving always their power to proſecute that ungratefull Church, according to the Judgment of the Provincial Synod.
Art. 9. On the 5th. Article of the 3d. Chapter after theſe words, They ſhall herein follow the Common form, there ſhall be theſe added: And they ſhall ſuffer none other books to be read but the Canonical books of the old and new Teſtament.
Art. 10. In the 2d. of Article the 11th. Chapter, inſtead of theſe words that he were choſen Doctor, it were beſt, ſo that all Ambiguities may be removed, to read both Doctor and Miniſter.
Art. 11. The Province of Berry remonſtrating by their Deputies that the 5th. Article of the 13th. Chapter had been changed at Privas without the Conſent of the Provinces, and demanding that it might ſtand as it had been couched by the Synod of Gergeau; which alſo was demanded by the Province of Lower Languedoc and Sevennes. This Aſſembly ordained, that the Article ſhould remain in that very form as it was framed by the National Synod of Privas.
Art. 12. Vert…eil 26.At the requeſt of the Deputies of the Iſle of France, this Aſſembly conſidering the 32d. Article of the 13th. Chapter, treating of Monks and Prieſts revolting from the truth of the Goſpel, which they had once embraced, and returning like Swine to Wallow in the Mire of Idolatry, doth Judge meet and fit for the removing of all Ambiguities, that theſe following words ſhould be added to it, viz. Chaunting Maſſes, and entring again into their Cloyſters.
Art. 13. 1 Paris. P. M. 17. Do not evil that good may come, leſt the end ſhould be deſtruction.The Deputies of Higher Languedoc moved, that becauſe of the great advantage would accrew unto us by Monitories gotten out of their Eccleſiaſtical Courts againſt thoſe of the Church of Rome, eſpecially in compelling them to confeſs the truth, it would be very convenient for us to allow the demanding of them, and that the 11th. Article of the 14th. Chapter might be razed out. But this Aſſembly ordained that the article ſhould abide in its full force, and nothing at all to be changed in it.
Art. 14. Montpellier, p. m. 16.Altho the Deputies of Sevennes demanded it, yet this Aſſembly did not conceive that the 32th. Article in the ſame Chapter concerning Duels needed any further explication, wherefore it ſhall continue as it is, the words being very clear and plain, and their ſence obvious to any common Underſtanding, and their exact and careful obſervation of this Canon is recommended unto all the Conſiſtories. Our Church Diſcipline being read, the Aſſembly approved of it in all its Articles, and all the Deputies Promiſed, and Sware for themſelves, and their Churches and Provinces, that they would obſerve it in their own perſons, and uſe their beſt endeavours that it ſhould be moſt carefully obſerved in their reſpective Churches and Provinces.