The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Obſervations on Reading of the Diſcipline.
THE Deputies of the Province of Xaintonge, demanded that a longer time than Two Years of Probation might be allotted unto Prieſts and Monks (who have renounced their Superſtitions and Idolatries, and joyned themſelves unto our Communion) before they were admitted into the Holy Miniſtry, becauſe of the many Scandals ariſing from their ill Conduct. The Aſſembly was of Opinion, that there needed no longer time of Probation than thoſe Two years determined by the Second Canon, in the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline. But that all Churches and Colloquies ſhould be adviſed not to be precipitant nor over haſty in their ſeeking and receiving of ſuch Perſons; but yet to get as full and evident Proofs of their Sincerity as they ſhall judge neceſſary, till the time preſcribed by our Diſcipline be expired, which is the leaſt that in Reaſon or Prudence can be demanded.
2. The Provinces of Xaintonge and Poictou demanding that this Aſſembly would take ſome order to prevent thoſe Inconveniences which may fall out in the examination of Propoſans in Fortified Conſiſtories. A Decree was made, that the Canons in the Second Article of the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline, and the Acts of the National Synods held at Charenton, in the Year 1631, ſhall be exactly obſerved; and that our Propoſans as long as God giveth us means and opportunity, ſhall be examined in Colloquies and Synods, and no where elſe, unleſs it be upon very great and conſiderable Grounds and Reaſons, and in caſe of urgent and indiſpenſable Neceſſity, for which the Churches ſhall be accountable unto the Provincial Synods, and theſe unto the National; and what hath been done in this matter by the Conſiſtories of Paris and Saumur, is approved of, as being conformable unto thoſe aforementioned Canons.
3. The Deputies of Provinces of Sevennes and Lower Lauguedoc, propoſed op the Fifth Article of the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline, that the Age of Students in Divinity might be certainly fixed, before they be by Ordination received into the Holy Miniſtry; that ſo the many inconveniencies which have been obſerved in divers Places through the heats and inexperience of their Youth, may be prevented. This Aſſembly did not judge meet to make any change in the Canon of our Diſcipline: But doth ſeriouſly adviſe, all the Provinces to admit none unto examination, unleſs ſuch Perſons of whoſe Piety, Gravity and Prudence they have good and ſufficient Teſtimonials, which ſhall not be given them by Paſtors and Profeſſors, but with very great Circumſpection.
4. That Order in the Seventh Article of the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline, about the manner of Impoſing Hands in Ordination, ſhall be obſerved in all the Churches; and ſuch as do not yield an intire Conformity thereunto, ſhall be cenſured.
5. The Province of Sevennes complained of that of Languedoc, for tranſgreſſing the Ninth Article in the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline, they having admitted Perſons into the Miniſtry, without aſſigning them any particular Flock, or taking care before-hand to ſecure a Maintenance for thoſe Miniſters in thoſe Places whereunto they ſend them. This Aſſembly judgeth the ſaid Province of Lower Languedoc to be blame-worthy, and ordaineth that the ſaid Canon be moſt exactly obſerved by all the Provinces; and an account hereof ſhall be rendered unto the National Synod.
6. The Province of Berry petitioned this Aſſembly to exert its Authority, that all Preachers of the Goſpel might be obliged to contain themſelves within the bounds of that Simplicity recommended by the Apoſtle, and to baniſh from their Sermons, whatever may favour of the vanities and affectations of the Writers of this Age. The Aſſembly anſwered, that in their Judgment there could not be a more Holy nor Judicious Decree framed than that Twelfth Canon in the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline, nor than thoſe Canons of the Synods of Gap, Rochel, St. Maixant, Privas, Thonneins and Castres, the exact Obſervation of which is recommended unto all Paſtors; and all Conſiſtories, Colloquies and Synods are injoyned to have a ſtrict and watchful Eye over thoſe who do tranſgreſs them; and to employ againſt them thoſe Remonſtrances and Cenſures which they ſhall judge needful; that ſo the Sacred Depoſitum of Truth being Religiouſly preſerv'd in the midſt of us, the Goſpel may be Preached in ſuch a manner as well becometh it's moſt excellent Majeſty.
7. Upon the Twentieth Article of the Firſt Chapter of our Diſcipline, This Synod Ordained, That the Canon of the National Synod of Privas, which injoyneth Paſtors to exhort their People to obſerve Modeſty in their Habits, and to go before them in their own Perſons and Families as the beſt Patterns and Examples, ſhall be moſt ſtrictly obſerved: And there being made great Complaints of ſeveral Paſtors, whoſe Wives and Children have tranſgreſſed this Canon by their vain Conformity to the World in the new fangled Faſhions of their Habits, contrary to Chriſtian Modeſty: All Moderators of Colloquies and Synods are expreſly charged and commanded to reform theſe Exceſſes by Cenſures and the ſevereſt Reprehenſions. And it is farther Decreed, that theſe Refractory Miniſters ſhall be ſuſpended their Office, till ſuch time as they have removed the Scandal; and that a ſtricter Watch than ever may be kept over theſe Exceſſes, all private Perſons are permitted according to the method preſcribed in our Diſcipline, to inform their Conſiſtories of them, and to demand a Reformation of them, which being refuſed, they ſhall apply themſelves unto their Colloquies, that Cenſures may be iſſued out againſt them, and againſt all Supporters and Abetters of them: And this Canon ſhall be Religiouſly obſerved and read in all Conſiſtories.
8. The Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny, complained upon the Firſt Article in the Third Chapter of our Diſcipline, That ſome certain Perſons when they were to be received into the Elder's Office, refuſed to ſtand up in the Face of the Church, although this be required by the ſaid Article, and demanded whether this part of the Order obſerved in the Reception of our Elders ſhould be diſpenſed with in favour of any Perſons, and theſe in particular ſhould injoy their Liberty. This Aſſembly injoyneth, that the Contents of this Canon be fully obſerved by all ſorts of Perſons whatſoever without diſtinction; and the Province of Dolphiny is cenſured, for that it ſuffered it to be violated.
9. At the requeſt of the Deputies of Lower Languedoc, upon the ſame firſt Article of the Third Chapter of our Diſcipline, it was decreed, That thoſe Perſons ſhould be choſen into the Elders Office, who reſided within the Bounds of that particular Church which did Elect them, and who were numbered among their actual Members, if it were poſſible to be done; but in caſe any Difficulties ſhould occur on this occaſion, they were to be decided by the Colloquy or Synod upon which that ſaid Church hath dependance.
10. The Aſſembly being informed how little care is taken for putting in Execution the Thirty Third Article of the Fifth Chapter of our Diſcipline, doth injoyn all Provinces and particular Churches to do it more carefully for the future, and to keep an exact Record of thoſe Memorable Events concerning our Religion, and to ſend them unto the Colloquies and Synods by ſome careful Hand, that they may be delivered unto that Perſon who is appointed to Collect and Compile them into a juſt Volume. And that Order made in the National Synod of Vitre, 1617, is now again revived, and all the Provinces are injoyned in their reſpective Synods, to nominate one particular Paſtor, to whom the account of thoſe remarkable Providences may be directed.
11. The Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc, moved upon Reading the Second Article of the Eighth Chapter of our Diſcipline, that a Rule might be made for the future, that no Church in any Province, at leaſt in theirs, ſhould ſend any more than One Elder with a Paſtor, unto the Provincial Synod: But this Aſſembly did not think meet to make any Alteration in the ſaid Article, neither with reſpect to that particular Province, nor any other of the Provinces: As alſo that one and the ſame Church, however it be compoſed of divers Quarters, and annexed Congregations, may not depute unto thoſe Synods more than One or Two Elders.
12. The Deputies of the Province of Xaintonge demanding what courſe they might take with thoſe who had Eſpouſed the Neice, or the Great Grand Neice of their Deceaſed Wiſe, and yet demanded to be received into Communion at the Lord's Table. This Aſſembly adviſeth, that they direct and govern themſelves in this Affair by the Eleventh Canon of the Thirteenth Chapter of our Diſcipline, and the Decrees of the National Synods of Vitre, and of the Second and Third of Charenton, who have declared ſuch Marriage to be Inceſtuous; and all Paſtors are forbidden to bleſs and ſolemnize the Marriages in thoſe prohibited degrees upon any pretext whatſoever; and all Conſiſtories are injoyned (without medling with the validity of thoſe Marriages, or their effects, the cognizance whereof doth properly belong unto the Magiſtrate) to declare unto ſuch as be in that Eſtate, that they cannot be admitted to partake of the pledges and tokens of the Remiſſion of their Sins as long as they cohabit together; moreover all Colloquies and Synods are to exert their Authority, that this preſent Canon be duly obſerved.
13. In the next Edition of our Church Diſcipline care ſhall be taken that Printers do inſert the Province of Bearn in the number of thoſe, which do make up the National Synod.
The Church Diſcipline being read, all the Deputies of the Provinces did promiſe for themſelves, and on behalf of their reſpective Synods whom they repreſented, that they would obſerve it themſelves, and ſee that it ſhould be exactly obſerved in their Provinces.