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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85896	The generall and particular acts and articles of the late national synod of the reformed Churches of France, assembled by the permission of the King at Charenton neare Paris, beginning the 26th of December, 1644. Where by the present estate of those churches, as also their doctrine and discipline may be knowne. With divers other remarkable passages, and letters from the King and Q. Regent of France, to the said synod, and of the synod to their Majesties, and other great personages. Never before printed either in French or English, and now faithfully translated out of a written French copy. Whereunto is added a formulary of baptisme for those who from paganisme, Judaisme, and Mahumetisme, are converted to the Christian faith; as also of those Anabaptists who have not bin baptised before, composed in the nationall synod set forth at Charenton in the yeare 1645. and now faithfully Englished.	Eglises réformées de France. Synode national (1644-1645 : Charenton-le-Pont); Anne, Queen, consort of Louis XIII, King of France, 1601-1666.; France. Sovereign (1643-1715 : Louis XIV)	1646 (1646)	Wing G488; Thomason E361_5; ESTC R201205	74,805	110

assembled by permission of your Majesty in the Nationall Synod at Charenton and for all A Copie of the Letter written to the Queene Regent MAdam wee account this day on the which we prostrate ourselves at the feet of your Majesty in the person of our Deputies for one of the most happy dayes of our life So soone as God had committed to your trust the Reynes of this Estate your Majesty may be pleased to remember that our Churches were very diligent to be admitted to this honour which we now partake of to give place in the presence of your Majesty to the using of that Joy wherewith we are marvellously transported to see that God watcheth particularly for the good of France so that in the same time hee gave it occasion to shed teares even as then did he stay the course thereof in repayring the mournfull losse that wee had of the deceased King of most glorious memory by the happy substitution of the Regency of your Majesty which hath occasioned that wee scarsly perceive our losse the Sunne shining as clearly unto us as ever onely certaine thwartings God so providing it have deprived us of this honour This is that Madam which God will that before wee appeare in the presence of your Majesty our Associating together be prejudged of other men and our hopes faile of being as they have formerly been however the experience which we have of the Benedictions of your government which are such as wee cannot more fully expresse them nor in better termes then in joyning together in rendring the Action of Graces to our most humble submissions It is for this end Madam that we have deputed towards your Majesty Sieurs Chebrole and Vincent Pastors and Clesses and de Panieur Ancients that they may assure you in the behalfe of all the Churches the deep Resentments wee have of all your favours which your Majesty hath been pleased to impart unto us You have continued unto us the favours of the King and his Predecessors you have confirmed our Edict● by his Declaration and which is more Madam out of your gracious bounty wee now have the liberty of this Assembly which we beseech you in all humility to consider as an Vniforme meeting and concurrence of the hearts of all your Subjects of the Religion in the service of your Majesty whom we doe affect Madam eternally and without partage and doe transmit this disposition unto our posterity as an essentiall marke of that Religion which wee professe and doe beseech the great God by whom you Raigne and who till now hath made the Buds of your Crownes to sparkle with so much splendour that he would be pleased Madam to preserve you for the King our common Master and the King for your Majesty and both for France and for our Churches to the end that in the uniting and perpetuall conjunction of these two great Lights the Estate may receive the favourable influences thereof and that your government Madam may beget the envy and Emulation of other the most accomplished Kingdoms and be one day a Domestick Patron unto our King by which hee may confirme all his glorious Actions These are the most ardent vowes and wishings Madam of Your most humble most obedient and most faithfull Subjects and servants the Pastours and Ancients Assembled by the permission of your Majesty in the Nationall Synod of Charenton and For all A Copy of the Letter of the King unto the Synod BY THE KING DEare and welbeloved wee have received your Letters the twenty eighth of the last moneth and understand by them with great contentment and by your Deputies the good and sincere intentions of your Assembly held by our permission at Charenton to continue in the inviolable fidelity and obedience unto which you are obliged unto us and whereof you have given unto us and the Queene Regent our most honoured Lady and Mother full satisfaction This wee would have you to take notice of by this our Letter which exhorts you to persevere in in this Resolution rendring unto us upon all occasions the proofe which we expect of your good proceedings be it by observing the good orders which are prescribed unto you upon the holding of your Nationall Synod or be it in regard of other occurrences which may offer themselves to maintaine the publike Tranquillity in our Kingdome In performance of which duty if you acquit your selves as wee perswade our selves you will you may be assured to receive of our bounty and of that of our Lady and Mother the Queene Regent all protection and favourable entertainment and to be maintained and kept under the benefit of our Edicts of which we shall take great delight to make you partakers with all safety and liberty in such manner as they were justly and duly granted unto you during the Raigne of the deceased King our most honoured Lord and Father these your Deputies which returne unto you will assure you more particularly on our behalfe Given at Paris the 4th of January 1645. Signed in the originall LOUIS and below PHILIPPEAVX And in the superscription To our deare and welbeloved the Pastours and Deputies of the Reformed pretended Religion Assembled in a Nationall Synod held by our permission at Charenton CHAPTER I. The Ecclesiasticall Discipline of the Reformed Churches of France Article 1. TO proceed unto the Election of them whom they will employ in the holy ministry of the word of God they are to governe themselves according to the Rule of the Apostle that is that an Examination and Inquisition be made of their Doctrine and that they be apt to teach as likewise of their manners with as much diligence as they may Article the 2. When any new Ministers are to be brought into the Church but more especially Monks and Priests they may not be chosen into the Ministry without diligent and long Inquisition and tryall as well of their life as of their Doctrine and they may not impose hands on them no more then on persons unknowne onely by the advise of Synod Nationall or Provinciall to wit for the space of two yeares at the least since their profession and Conformity by good witnesses of the places where they lived and coversed Article 3. If it happen that any Bishop or Curate aspire to the Ministry of the Gospell he may not be chosen till he be first a true member of the Church and renounce all his Benefices and other Rights depending on the Roman Church with acknowledgement of his forepassed offences formerly committed as hee shall be advised by the Consistory after long experience and tryall of his Repentance and good Conversation A Question or Demand Whether the Beneficed Curates which have ranged themselves in the Church may receive the Revenue of their Benefices when they serve in the Ministry Answ No. A Curate having sold his Cures and not touched any of the money may not be received to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unlesse he protest not

censured Articles 23. 24. Men may not be deprived of the Supper of the Lord for any ordinary and accustomed fashion of habits in this Kingdome but in this ranke they may not be comprehended which are branded with the notorious marke of impudicity dissolution and over curious novelty as painting naked breasts and the like things of which there is great abuse as well in Men as Women For these things the Consistory shall proceed with a simple suspension of the Sacraments to the end that they may range themselves to that which is most agreeable to Christian modesty Articles 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. Dancings shall be repressed and they which make a practise of dancing after they have been oftentimes admonished shall be excommunicated when they shall continue pertinacious and rebellious therein The Consistories are to be exhorted thoroughly to practise the Article and to cause it to be read in the name of God and authority of the Synods and the Colloques and Synods are to be exhorted to take care in their Consistories that they doe their duty in conserving of them Mummery Jugling Gaming Puppet playing shall not be tollerated neither yet a French game called Faire le Roybait nor Shrove Tuesday be observed of the faithfull they are all forbidden c. Article 30. They which call others to duells or being called thereunto do accept thereof which shall have ●ulled their parties Notwithstanding they shall have obtained their Princes favour or shall be otherwise justified they shal be censured even to the suspension of the Lords Supper which suspension shall be speedily pub●ished and in case that they desire to be received unto the peace of the Church they shall make publicke acknowledgement of their offence Article 31. The Articles here contained touching the Discipline are not so resolved on among us but that if the benefit of the Church require it they may be changed howbeit it shall not be in the power of the Ministers Consistories Colloques or Provinciall Synods to add thereunto nor to diminish from them nor to change them without the advise and consent of a Nationall Synod According to that which hath been agreed upon in the last Nationall Synod held at Gorgean the first day of May 1601. An Extract from the Acts of the Nationall Synod held at Rochell the 2. of Aprill 1571. THis present direction being read and dilligently examined according to the word of God by all the Ministers and Antients deputed by the Churches of France They have in the name of the said Churches promised and protested to keepe and observe them for the edification of the Church the conservation of the order and union of them to the honour and glory of God Another Extract touching the Confession BEcause there is found among men divers sorts of Confessions The Synod hath declared that to be the confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches in France which beginneth thus Wee beleeve that there is one only God c. The which was presented in the first Nationall Synod held at Paris the second of May 1559. As when were present Ja●e by the grace of God Queen of Navarre the high and puissant Princesse Henry Prince of Navarre and Henry Burbon Prince of Conde and the most Illustrious Prince Lewis Count of Nassaw and Messieur Gaspard Count of Caligne Admirall of France and many other Lords and Nobles of great quality Generall Acts of the Nationall Synod Assembled at Charenton c. THe Assemhly prohibits all Provinces to take an Oath of Schollers to the prejudice of the right of al● Nationall Synods and the common edification of the Churches that they shall never depart from the service of the Churches of those Provinces in the Which they were first received in the Ministery of the Gospell At the requisition of the Province of Ceuenes t●e Assembly for to explaine the first Article of the generall Acts of the Nationall Synod held at Saint Maixant have declared that no particular Church may make enquirie after any Pastour without the permission of a Colloque or Provinciall Synod nor establish him by Act in pursuite of such an enquiry without advise be it of the Synod in body or be it of the neighbouring Pastours attending the liking and agreement of the Synod The Province of lower Guyenne having desired that an injunction were made unto all the Churches to keep conformity with them which have received the custome that particular persons entering into the Church humble themselves before God and every man apart make his prayers for the imploration of his assistance in the hearing of the Word The Assembly hath not judged it fitting to make a Rule of such a thing which of it selfe is free but hath left the Churches in their Antient usages exhorting them all respectively to seeke that which tends to edification and to avoyd all ostentation affectation and superstition The Assembly enjoynes a Collection to bee made throughout all the Provinces for the reliefe of the Captives detained in Argier Tunis and other places Upon the Remonstrance of the Provinces of Anjon and the Isle of France all the Churches which have places for Printing houses are particularly charged not to suffer any alteration or change to be made in the Translation of the Scripture or in the Rithmes of the Psalmes or in the text of the Confession of faith Liturgy and Catechisme without expresse order of the Consistory authorised by the Provinciall Synod Upon that which hath been reported by certaine Deputies of Maritime Provinces that many comming from forraigne Countreys which call themselves Independants because they teach that every particular Church ought to govern it selfe by its own proper lawes without dependancy of any person in Ecclesiasticall matters and without obligation to acknowledge the Authority of Colloques and Synods for their government and conduct and establish their habitations in this Kingdome which may hereafter cause great inconvenience if it be not in good time carefully prevented The Assembly fearing that the contagion of this poyson gaining insensibly may bring confusion and disorder among us and judgeing the said sect of Independants not onely prejuditiall to the Church of God insomuch as that it endeavours to introduce confusion unto the place where it hath its being opening wide a gate unto all sorts of singularities and extravagances and taking away all meanes of bringing a Remedy thereunto but also it is very dangerous to the State so that if it have place it will forme as many Religions as there be particular Parishes or Assemblies It is therefore enjoyned all the Provinces and especially the Maritime to take care that this evill take not footing in the Churches of this Kingdome to the end that Peace and uniformity as well in Religion as in Discipline be inv●olably maintained among us and that nothing be here brought in which may alter in any manner the service which is due to God and the King A Report being made of certaine Writings printed and Manuscripts by

the which the whole nature of originall sinne is placed in the onely hereditary corruption incident originally in all men and the imputation of the first sin of Adam is denyed The Assembly condemnes the said Doctrine insomuch a● that it restraines the nature of sinne in the only hereditary corruption of the posterity of Adam excluding the imputation of the first sinne by which he is fallen And forbids upon paine of all Censures unto all Pastours Professours and others which shall handle the said question not to depart from the common received sense of the Protestant Churches which besides the corruption have all acknowledged the said imputation unto a●l the posterity of Adam and ordaine that all Synods and Colloques which shall hereafter proceed to the receiving of Schollers to serve in the holy Ministery to oblige them to the signing of this Act. Because that the Adoration which is rendred by the Roman Church unto the Host which shee pretends to consecrate hath as well in their publick service as when it is carryed in Procession and to the sick this false presupposition for a maine foundation that by the Consecration it is made properly the very same body which was taken out of the wombe of the blessed Virgin by the eternall Sonne of God unto whose divine Person it appertaines as well before as after his Incarnation And because the Roman Church renders and requires no other Adoration then that of Latria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Consecrated Host and they of the Religion in regard of the same follow another beliefe touching the substance of the Host which they hold to be after the Consecration of the same insensible and inanimat matter which it was before cannot according to the sense of their consciences and the fundamentall principle of Christianity attribute soveraigne Adoration unto a thing which by nature is not God nor transfer the glory of the eternall God to any of the creatures of lower degree The Synod adjureth all by the profession which they make to serve the Lord purely and by this irreparable prejudice which they cause on the one part to come by their inconsideratenesse and on the other in regard of their owne consciences which they shamefully betray and for them of their fellow Citizens which are of the Roman Religion whom they confirme in their superstition as well as for the weake among themselves whom they lead into errour by the example of a prevarication most unworthy of the name which they beare to returne unto themselves and to bewaile their estate before the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ whose Glory they have prophaned so farre as in them lies It ordaines therefore that then when the Host shall be carried by them of the Roman Church that every one of them retire himselfe so soone as possibly hee may not to give any scandall to his neighbour and as for them which will not retire feeding themselves with this frivolous imagination that they set n t their thoughts as the Members of t●e Roman Church doe which adore it with the same worship as they doe the Divinity perswading themselves that they may conforme unto that custome by a servile complaysance in putting off the ha● then when the Host passeth if not for the cause of it as their complaysancie requires at least in honour of the Curate or Vicar which beareth it or of them which accompany it seeing they answer no● the intention of them which they thinke to gratifie because they undertake to substitute a civill salutation not a Religious worship which the Church of Rome ordaines and that they attribute it unto another object then she propoundeth resting themselves against the Maxims of civility received among all men to honour not as the Roman Church pretends the Lord of Glory but in his presence and as it were in contempt of him the Minister which sayes he is cal●ed to serve him and that in the proper act of service which he pretends to render unto him nor yet to the duty of Christian sincerity which requires that our deeds be veritable expressions of our desires and not deceitfull shewes of that which is not only with our intention but formally contrary to blind malignantly the eyes of them which see and observe us and lastly not answering the example of the Ancient Christians which could never suffer such disguisements but holding them impious and sacrilegious loved rather to expose themselves to death then to depart never so little from the fidelity which they had sworne unto God in their Baptisme The Synod ordaines that it be carefully declared unto them that they may not continue in this hypocrisie with what pretext soever they colour it without irreligion and open mockery of God and of men without scandall of their brethren and mortall wounding of their owne consciences and in case they continue in this ungodly resolution Enjoyne all the Consistory to pursue them with all Ecclesiasticall censures as unworthy of the Communion of the faithfull after they have caused in all places where there is need a publick reading of this present Act to the end that no man may pretend cause of ignorance Seeing that for a long time the patience and long-suffering of the Lord which invites men to repentance hath made way to his just anger against impiety so that the fire of his indignation which passeth from Region to Region hath covered the face of Christendome with an universall conflagration so that for the present his Almighty hand is armed and lifted up to smite the warres the cause of the obduration of the people continuing and menacing offenders with a totall ruine The Nationall Synod Assembled by the permission of the King at Charenton considering that the onely remedy of so many miseries consists in the conversion of men and in the humiliation of their hearts before the glorious Tribunall of that great God whom they have provoked to jealousie and that the perpetuall exercise of Christians ought to be the renuing of themselves and the cutting off of dead workes to serve Gods holy name in Righteousnesse and that true piety exhorts the faithfull as well in generall as in particular to offer unto the Lord of glory justly provoked the reasonable sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart unto the very feet of his most holy and divine Majesty and the Provinciall Synods have summoned in their Divisions Fasts according as the particular necessity requires And now to implore the grace and mercy of the Almighty and infinite good God to obtaine his favour for the establishment of a generall Peace the settlement of the Estate the conservation of the Sacred person of the King the benediction of his youth the glory of his Crowne and happy successe of his Armes under the lawfull government of the Queen Regent and the prosperity of all the Royall Stemme Enacts that a Fast of all the Churches of this Kingdome shall be Celebrated the fourth day of May next and that all the

have deserved blame in having recourse to his Majestie against the prohibition made by Monsieur the Intendant in the name of his Majestie directly against his intention which he hath vouchsafed to publish by his Declaration 8. Eighthly that the town of Vsez is not culpable of any Contravention be it to the Edict or to any particular Capitulation neither needed any permission to use that which was never taken from it by any former Prohibition The Bell of which there is complaint made to his Majestie having bin placed in the steeple of the Temple ever since the foundation and continued there till that a little before the Capitulation the steeple menaced ruine and was likely to fall whereupon the be●l was carried into one of the corners of the building whence after the Capitulation and the steeple repaired it hath been put again into his former place 9. Ninthly that in all the Provinces there neither is nor hath been any Preaching but in places permitted by the Edicts which confirme the Churches in their possession and entire enjoying of them for fourescore yeares and more from which they hold it hard●r for them to depart then to suffer death 10. Tenthly that in none of the Churches of the same Provinces the fathers and mothers which send their children unto the Colledges of Jesuits have bin suspended from the Sacraments but according to the Discipline permitted by the Edicts in which they of the Religion may observe in this particular which regards the peace of their consciences and the education of their children being bound to take an especiall care of their Instruction in the obedience of God and of their King and to detest all evill impressions which have so often obliged France to griefe sorrow and teares so that they cannot be culpable of the Infraction of the Edict seeing the Sorbone the most ancient University of Europe and the first of this Kingdome have at this day by publike accusations and in the face of the Parliaments complained by processe in publike Judicature of the society of the Jesuits as corrupters of the manners of youth committed to their trust by their doctrine as contrary to good pollicy as true Theology As for the Prohibition to send their Schollers hereafter destinated to the study of Theology to Geneva Switzerland Holland c. Seeing that Geneva hath these fifty yeares and more been in speciall protection of the Crowne of France and that it hath alwayes followed her Interests And that those other Estates are in a●lyance with the same Crowne and maintaine t emselves in it as much or more inviolably then any other Estates of Christendome that by sending their youth into France to fashion their manners and to instruct them in good learning they thereby give good testimony that they are no enemies to the Estate nor of the forme or order by which it is governed that some of them which at this present serve in the Churches of this Kingdome and have studied in all or in part with strangers in forraigne Countries have withdrawne themselves from the obedience due unto his Majesty neither have shewed any dislike or aversion against Monarchy unto which the French Nation have subjected themselves these 2200 yeares from the Father to the Son and seeing his Majesty thinkes it no● fitting to prohibit them which are students in Philosophie Law or Physick to travell into other strange Countreys yea Common-wealths as that of Venice where many on all parts of France render themselves by a great confluence to study in all Faculties His Majesty is most humbly intreated to leave the Churches in their liberty Accorded by the Kings his Predecessors to all his Subjects without distinction of Religion The Assembly have named Sieurs Vincent and Chebrole Pastours and the Sieurs de Pamieur and of Clesse Ancients to present without delay at the feet of their Majesties their most humble submissions and thankes and have charged them with Letters to the King the Queen Regent the Duke of Orleans the Prince Cardinall Mazarin the Chancellour the surintendents the Comptrollers generall and Monsieur de le Villiers Secretary of Estate A Copie of the Letter written to the King SIR NO sooner was our Assembly convened and that wee turned our selves towards God to obtain his benediction on the same our first thoughts have been to acquit our selves of our duty towards your Majestie who is his lively Image having sent for this purpose Sieur Vincent and Chebrole c. to lay downe at your feet our submissions and homages as likewise to render unto you most humble thankes for the singular favour we have received from your Majestie in that you were pleased to give unto us the liberty to Assemble our selves in this place where we labour with zeale to confirme our selves in the service of God and in the obedience we owe to your Majestie and in this glorious proximity of your sacred Person and of so many Jntelligences which inviron it The knowledge wee have that your Majesty observes us and that wee are as well under your inspection as under your power is unto us a strong encouragement to doe well and to persevere in the fidelity which is hereditary unto us and which we are most willing to transmit to our Posterity But since the principall ayme of this deputation is for this end that they w●tnesse unto your Majesty the triumphant joy of all the Church s and the unspeakable satisfaction we have in our soules to see him justly raised upon the Throne whom we have demanded of God with so much instance and importunity with the multiplication of so many prayers in our Ecclesiasticall Assemblies Wee doubt not Sir but God hath drawne you out of his treasures and that out of his abundant Grace hath given you to France to bring about the golden Age and to be the most glorious Instrument of his most exquisite favour such as wee never had before for that it hath pleased him to accompany your first entrance into the Kingdome with marvellous successe and unexpected Victories which have rendered your Majesty formidable to your enemies but made your owne people to consider you as a pretious bud of infinite prosperity which the providence of God hath reserved unto France under your Government Wee promise Sir that as with other of your people wee have reaped the fruit which God hath dispensed unto us by your hands in like manner as well as they wee will endeavour to make our selves worthy by the most signall examples of our fidelity and that we have neither lives goods nor honours which wee will not Consecrate with chearfulnesse to the seruice of your Majesty so often as the honour of your Commandements shall call us thereunto this is the Posture Sir in the which wee desire to live and dye being not onely by birth and obligation but by sincere and Ardent affections of your Majesty Sir the most humble most obedient most faithfull subjects and servants the Pastours and ●ncients

in their ordinary Sermons They shall be chosen by the Provinces which shall have received the Graces and Gifts of writing and if it happen that any bookes be published against the true Religion they shall be sent unto them to the end that they may answer them a Colloque being deputed in every Province which may have the care to take heed of spreading Copies of that which shall be written and published Article 16. Ministers may not pretend primacy or domination one over the other Article 17. The Ministers and their Consistories are to preside and govern by order to the end that none may pretend superiority over his companion and none of them may give testimony in any matters of importance without having first communicated it to the Ministers their brethren and companions Article 18. They shall take heed of the custome which is found among them in many places which is the Deputing certaine Ministers by their Provincial Synods to visit the Church the order which they have formerly used untill now being sufficient to have knowledge of Scandalls And this new manner of Charges and Estate is condemned to be of dangerous consequence all names likewise of superiority are to be rejected as Ancient of the Synod or superintendent and the like If it be requisite to Assemble the Colloques or Synods of any matters that may depend thereon then Advertisements shall be Addressed unto the Church and not unto one Minister or any particular person of the same If by chance or accident Letters be addressed to one of the Ministers or Ancients upon any consideration they which shall have received them shall bring them to the Consistories to take advise and deliberation of them Article 19. A Minister may not practise Physick or Law with his holy Ministery howbeit he may in charity give counsell and assistance unto the sick of his flock and the p●aces neere unto him provided he be not diverted from his charge and that hee make no gaine or profit by so doing except onely the time of persecution and of trouble when he cannot exercise his charge in his Church and that he shall not be entertained by it They which apply themselves to Physick or are otherwise withdrawne shall be exhorted so to behave themselves as that above all they intend their charge and study of holy Letters The Colloques are advertised to proceed by the order of the discipline against them that will not obey Having regard to the small meanes M. received of his Church and the long time he served there The Assembly permits him to instruct youth As also condemneth them which so imploy themselves in the Instruction of youth as that it hinder them in intending their principall charge which the Colloques shall take notice of even to the suspension of such Ministers Article 20. The Ministers shall exhort their Flock to keepe modesty in their Apparell and they themselves in this kind shall shew themselves as good examples in abstaining from all kind of bravery in their habits and in the habits of their wives and children The Synod and Colloques sha●l observe this Article and rule as before and practise suspension on them which conforme not themselves unto it Vpon the reading of the 20 Artic●e which enjoynes Pastours to exhort their flocks to observe modesty in their Apparell and to shew therein themselves the first examples both in their persons and families Many complaints have been brought of the breach of this Article by Pastours themselves their wives and children in secular habits too farre from the modesty required in them The Assembly desiring to remedy so notable a scandall have given expresse charge to all moderatours of Colloques and Provinciall Synods to correct such excesse by censures and reprehensions and the Refra●●ory shall be by the Authority of this Assembly suspended of their charges untill they have taken away the said Scandall And to the end that this may be the nearer looked unto it is permitted unto every particular man following the forme of the Discipline to advertise the Consistory of the foresaid excesse and to bring them to punishment for it the which being denyed they may addresse themselves unto the Colloques to draw a Censure from them against the Pastours and against them which shall bee found faulty in that kind Article 21. The Princes and great Lords which follow the Court which have or will set up a Churc● in their houses shall bee entreated to take their ministers of the Churches duly reformed and where they have more then one with sufficient assurance of their lawfull calling and with the leave of the Colloques and Synods they shall first signe the Confession of Faith of the Churches of this Kingdome and the Ecclesiasticall Discipline and to the end that the preaching of the Gospell may have the more fruit it is desired they would be pleased every one in his owne family to set up a Consistory composed of Ministers and the people of their family most approved for their Integrity which shall be chosen Ancients and Deacons till they have a sufficient number by which Consistory the Scandalls and Vices of the same family shall bee repressed according to the order of the Discipline And the same Ministers shall make their appearance at the Provinciall Synods as often as they can possibly Article 22. That it shall not be lawfull unto the Pastour to leave his flocke without the leave of the Colloque or Provinciall Synod of the Church unto which he shall be given Article 23. They which forsake the Calling of the Ministry shall be finally excommunicated by the Provinciall Synod if they repent not and reassume the charge which God had committed to their trust Article 24. The Ministers shall not be wanderers and they shall not have liberty to intrude themselves into any Charge of their owne authority as they shall thinke fit Article 25. 26. The Minister of one Church may not Preach in another without the consent of the Minister of the same unlesse hee be absent in which case the Consistory shall have Authority to grant it And if the Flock be scattered by persecution or other trouble the forraigne Minister shall endeavour to assembles the Deacons and Ancients and this if they cannot doe he shall bee permitted notwithstanding to preach for the reuniting of the Flock Article 27. Ministers shall not be sent unto other Churches without authenticall Letters or their sufficient testimonies c. Article 28. The Minister which shall say he is forsaken of his Church or persecuted may not upon that be received by another Church unlesse by good testimony he make it appeare unto the Colloque or Synod how he hath behaved and governed himselfe and shall be remitted to the wisdome and discretion of a Colloque or Provinciall Synod Article 29. When a Minister shall be destitute of a Church having fa●●●y ●●tained leave and discharge of that which he served It shall belong to the Colloque or Synod of the

Province to provide for him within a moneth and if within the same time he be not provided by the Colloque or Synod of the Province in the which he served he shall have his liberty to provid for himselfe with another Church out of the same Province even there where God shall give him meanes according to the order of the Discipline Article 30. Provinciall Synods have authority to change the Ministers for ●ertaine considerations their Churches being heard and their reasons being well and duly examined but in case of difference nothing shall be innouated unlesse by a Nationall Synod Article 31. When the Minister shall be persecuted or for other cause cannot exercise his charge in the Church unto which hee was assigned hee may bee sent elsewhere by the said Church c. Article 32. Ministers may be lent for Salarie with their owne good liking by the Consistory Article 33. Ministers lent for a time when the time of their being lent shall be expired they shall returne into the power of the Churches whence they departed Article 34. If within a yeare after the time be expired the Church redemand not their Pastour being lent he shall appertaine to that Church which borrowed him c. Article 35. Hee which being destitute of a Church cannot be imployed by the Province he may be hired out of the Province Article 36. To the end that the Flocks may acquit themselves of their duties toward their Pastours as the word of God obligeth them and that occasion be not given unto the Pastours to complaine and to depart from their Flocks they are admonished to administer unto them necessary things Article 37. Yea to meet with the ingratitude of many which have beene found to deale unworthily with their Pastours the order following shall be observed one quarter of their Pension is to bee advanced which hath been promised them by every man Upon the Article 36. and the other following it is remitted to the wisdome of the Consistory to proceed against the particular persons which are unthankfull to their Churches either by compelling them permitted by his Majesty or by particular Obligations or by Eccleas it is siastica●l Censures yea by Suspensions from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper after great and solemne remonstrances and warnings and other meanes as the Consistory shall advise And in the Synod of St. Foy Article 4. The Colloques and Synods shall proceed by all Censures against them which are unthankfull to their Pastours seeing the unthankfulnesse of particular men hath sh●wne it selfe greater then ever towards their Pastours touching their entertainment which menaceth the Churches with an entire dissipation It hath been advised that the unthankfull men which shew themselves refractory to the many advertisements made unto them by the Consistory the foresaid Consistory shall proceed against them to the depriving them of the Sacraments The Synod of Alez Considering that many Churches seeing themselves every day in danger to faile through default of meanes to entertaine amongst them the holy Ministerie All the Churches are exhorted so farre forth as they desire the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ to gather a stocke be it by devotion amongst the living be it by Testamentary Legacies of particular men or by any other convenient meanes so that the holy Ministery of the word of God may be ever preserved and that posterity may be instructed and confirmed from age to age in the true Religion The Synod of Charenton Observ 9. upon the Synod of Alez the Article which concernes the meanes to entertaine the holy Ministery shall be read in the Consistories which shall be exhorted to procure the execution thereof so farre forth as possibly they may In pursuit whereof the Article following hath been agreed on in the Provinciall Synod of Handen Seeing the Churches which have formerly resented notable effects of the Kings liberality have within these few yeares been so destitute of that succour that the Flocks which are founded on the hopes to partake of the moneys granted by his Majesty are for the want of these moneys threatned with an evident and approaching ruine and that through default of zeale and affection rather then for want of meanes to particular men the necessities as well of the Churches as of the Pastours encrease every day insomuch as if it be not speedily prevented it is impossible to hinder their dissipation The Synod of this Province touched with a just apprehension of so great a Calamitie to prevent it have ordained that all Churches be advertised that they ought to search out among themselves the meanes for their proper subsistance to raise the Contribution of particular men to represse the Ingratitude of them which testifie and shew a notable defect of zeale and charity and to take order for time to come that though the money granted by his Majesty entirely faile yet the Ministers of the Gospell may bee conserved in those places where it hath pleased God to establish them and the Kingdome of Christ advanced In pursuit of this Article and to come unto the execution thereof It hath been decreed that the chiefe of every Family shall assemble and meet together in every Church presently before the dissolving of this Assembly to the end that upon the place they advise to make new stocks and to provide for the subsistance of the Flocke of which they are members and that they dispose themselves unto the observation of the Article of the Generall Acts of the Nationall Synod of Alez and of the Nationall Synod of Charenton which shall bee read unto them Article 38. To preuent for time to come the dissipation of the Churches They which shall be elected to conduct the Action of the Colloques shall make enquirie in every Church of the enter tainment which they owe unto their Ministers c. Article 39. When necessary assistance shall be denyed unto the Pastour and that he shall remonstrate and make his complaint thereof when three moneths are passed it shall be lawfull unto the said Pastour to goe unto another Church with the advise of a Provinciall Synod Vpon the complaint of a Minister of the ingratitude of his flock all circumstances shall be prudently considered and upon the information which shall be made they shall principally have regard unto the poverty of the Churches and to the substance and meanes of him which makes the complaint putting a difference betwixt ingratitude and inability to the end they may follow that which may most concerne the glory of God the edification of his Church the honour of the Pastour and of the Ministery Article 40. The Church which shall be found to be ingratefull shall not bee provided of a Pastour till it hath fully satisfied that which was due unto him of whom it hath been deprived Article 41. The Ministers which have any state or fortunes may notwithstanding take Salary of their Flocks yea it is expedient that they take it in regard of the consequence and for the

faithfull shall bee Advertised to prepare themselves by the reading of this present Act. Particular Acts. REport being made by the Deputies of Normandy of a Processe commenced by the chiefe of a Family of the Church of Rouen as well against her which hath been without permission espoused by his Sonne as against her Parents The Assembly ordereth that the Sonne who hath beene deprived of the Communion inconsequence of this difference seeke the grace of his Father by all duties of submission and respect according to the word of God and that the Father be intreated and earnestly sought unto by the Consistory to limit time in which he will be pleased to voyd the suite which time being passed the Sonne may be admitted to the participation of the Lords Supper The Church and Academy of Sedan having represented by Letters the favourable and gracious entertainment which they doe receive and have received from their Majesties since they have thought good to incorporate the Principali●ies of Sedan and Rancourt unto France and that they need that by order of this Assembly Schollers be sent unto them as unto other Academies of this Kingdome It hath been Decreed that Answer shall be made unto them to testifie the joy that all the Churches take in their prosperity and to assure them that their Academy shall be alwayes upon an equall consideration with others in this Kingdome The Academies for them of the Religion of the Kingdome of France 1. MOntauban 2 Nisme● 3 Die 4 Saumu● 5 and last Sedan lately added A Colledge erected at Chatillon for Schollers founded by Marshall Chatillon and others with Contribution of the Churches Contributions unto those Academies by particular Churches in all the Provinces The whole summe which is levied amounts to fifteen thousand eight hundred Livers A Division of the summe of fifteen thousand eight hundred livers every liver being two shillings of English money remaining of the summe of sixteene thousand livers accorded by his Majesty payd to defray the charges of the Assembly There being 54 Deputies every one of them received 292 livers 11 sous by the hands of Monsieur de la Veilliere Anjou for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous The Isle of France for 3 Deputies to wit Sieur Blundell Drelincourt and Le Cog 877 livers 15 sous Normandy for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous 4 deniers Dauphancy for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Ceuenes 1170 livers 7 sous Bearne for two Deputies 585 livers 3 sous Lower Guienne for two Deputies 585 livers 3 sous 6 Deniers Xantaigne for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Vivarets for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Berry for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Poicton for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Britany for two Deputies 585 livers 3 sous High Guyenne for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Lower Languedock for foure Deputies 1170 livers 7 sous Burgundy for three Deputies 877 livers 15 sous Province for two Deputies 585 livers 3 sous The two hundred livers remaining are to bee employed to defray the charges of the two Deputies if they have need as hath been observed before By reason of the dearnesse of Provision the journeys of the Deputies have been taxed according to the requisition of sundry Provinces at 6 livers the day The Province of Anjou have required that the right of the Convocation of the next Nationall Synod be continued unto them of the said Province The Synod hath accorded unto them their Demands and Agrees that after the expedition of the breuet of his Majesty the said Province shall have the said Convocation and the Synod shall Assemble at Loudun It is agreed that unto the Acts Signed by the Secretaries of this Assembly shall be given the like faith as if they had been signed by the Moderators and the whole body of the Synod Six Ministers were deposed this Synod for changing their Religion One of them named Esay Laurent aged fourscore yeares was deposed for Simony and Rebellion to the Discipline Particular Acte SIeur Blundell who was employed in the service of the Church of Houden when he was deputed by the Province of the I le of France and hath since been drawne thence by the last Provinciall Synod which hath permitted him his Residence at Paris for to intend his studies as it may appeare by reading of the Act of the sayd Synod The Assembly being entreated first to judge of the quality which ought to be given him by the Acts of this Nationall Synod and to take into consideration if it may approve his Residence in Paris Secondly they are to advise in case they are to prepare themselves to answer unto his said Treatise of Primacy if it bee fitting that hee keepe himselfe neare to defend it or if they thinke it fitting that that charge ought to be given unto some other hee leaves it to their consideration as also all which concernes the disposition of the Churches as likewise the ordaining that all they which can make any observations upon the said Treatise may communicate their Instructions to the end that profit may be reaped thereby Thirdly if the Treatises of which he hath produced a List by him composed on divers matters concerning Theology and History may be of any profit Fourthly if that in case that the Aydes which hee had hitherunto at Paris faile him or that hee find himselfe too much diverted if it may be permitted him to retire himselfe elsewhere or without any charge of the Churches he had the meanes to intend the defence of the truth according to the Arrests of the Nationall Synods of Castres Charenton and Alenson and to end the rest of his dayes in serving God and his Church The Synod acknowledging the profit that the Publick receives of his learned labours and that to finish them he cannot bee in a more proper place then Paris as well because of the communication which he may have there with divers learned men as for the reason of the use of many rich Libraries of France he continue there his Residence As for that which concernes the quality which is justly due unto him of the Minister of the Gospell it is enjoyned him to keep himselfe neare for to answer to his booke of Primacy as being a person which may acquit himselfe therein very worthily he is exhorted also to put in light so soone as hee may the Treatises of Theology and History the List of which have been read in this Assembly and of which we hope that the Church of God shall receive very much edification It is enjoyned him particularly to hasten the Edition of his Treatise of Bishops and Priests by the which he shewes that there is small appearance that Saint Peter was ever at Rome And because that the Assembly knowes his excellent gifts amongst other things the great knowledge that he hath in the Antiquity of the Christian Church which causeth all the Churches to esteeme of him greatly They cann●t in any sort

Religion which mourne in many places of this Kingdome seeing themselves deprived of the meanes to serve God according to the sense of their consciences in the Liberty which hath been granted them by the Edicts of the Kings your Predecessours of most glorious memory and confirmed by your Majesty upon your comming to the Crowne and deploring that by the rigour of some of your Officers they be excluded of their Charge and government of all sort of Trades and Occupations a dealing which hath taken from them contrary to the intention of your Edicts the meanes by which they may be able to gaine their livelihood as well as other of your subjects These things Sir shall be more particularly represented to your Majesty by the writing of Complaints which we have taken the hardines to present unto you and unto which we hope to receive favourable Answers to the end that the throne of your Majesty being grounded upon piety Justice during your happy Raigne that Equity and Clemency meet together and all sort of vertue flourish and the heaven poure downe his most pretious Benedictions as well upon your Sacred person as upon your people in such sort as that after they have seene the glorious Victories and magnificall triumphs of David they may behold to succeed the peace happinesse and abundance of Solomon We may end our dayes praising God blessing your Majesty and leaving to them which shall come after us the condition in the which we principally take glory in To be for ever of your Majesty Sir The most humble most faithfull and most obedient subjects and servants the Pastours and Ancients Assembled in the Nationall Synod and for all At Charenton 27th January 1645. A Copy of the Letter written to the Queen Regent MADAM AS we have opened this Assembly with the most sincere protestation of our fidelity so now we finish it with most humble thankes which are due to the bounty and clemency of your Majesty wee shall Madam be altogether ingrate of wee all find not in our selves a most deepe resentment of yours and the Kings favours Because that it is by the favourable permission if your Majesty that we have obtained the liberty to have our meeting in this place where the incomparable wisdome which holds the helme of your Regency governs the French Empire with so much good successe as that it possesseth an happy tranquility so that whilst other neighbouring Kingdomes mourne being beaten with fearfull tempests wee have had the good hap to busie our selves in our affaires under the shaddow of your royall protection with all safety And seeing that your Majesty hath dained not only to accord unto us a generall Deputy by whose mouth our humble supplications may enter into your most Sacred thoughts but also to poure out of the source of your liberality upon all this Assembly so many singular testimonies of the bounty and grace of your Majesty which touch most sensibly our spirits Wee dare as yet send prostrate to your feet Sieurs Langley and Cattiby Pastours with Sieurs de Maraude and Pelena Ancients newly to present unto you our most humble thankes and to implore the protection of the Kings Soveraigne Iustice in the name of all them which living with us under the benefit of the Edicts confirmed by the King at his comming to the Crowne suffer contrary to the intention of your royall Clemency divers troubles in all the Provinces of the Kingdome If the assurance wee have of hearts enflamed with zeale for the service of our lawfull Prince and grounded upon the inviolable fidelity of generous thoughts not to yeeld to any of your people in most entire obedience but to live and die therein with constant Resolution be capable to excite our just hopes wee shall live Madam in this to obtaine of your grace the generall remedy of our evills And after naturall obligations of faithfull subjects and religious among Christian people to enter into that of servants filled with good deeds which desire not to possesse their lives no longer then employing them in most ardent vowes for the preservation of the person of the King the deare Son of your Majesty obtained of heaven by the common supplications of all France for the benediction of his youth for the establishment of his Scepter sustained now by your Royall hands and for the perpetuall glory of your Majesty continuing ever Madam Of your Majesty the most humble most faithfull and most obedient subjects and servants The Pastours Ancients c. At Charenton Ianuary 27. 1645. The Confession being read it was Signed by all the Deputies which have unanimously in the name of all the Provinces made solemne Protestation of their continuance in the Inviolable profession thereof even to the last gaspe of their lives An Act that is to be published against Sieur Militier Sunday January 29. 1645. Most deare Brethren IT is a long time that you have beheld with griefe the Sieur Theophilus Brocheur Sieur de Militier employed to withstand by writings published the beliefe of our Churches and that you have been wounded with just griefe caused by the scandall of his proceeding totally differing from the duty of a Person raised from his infancy in the profession of the true Religion the which he hath in such sort contemned as that he loves rather to abound in his own sense and to leave himselfe seduced by his owne proper prejudgings then to hearken never so little to the Remonstrances which have been made unto him in all charity First by the Consistory of this Church and in the pursuance thereof by the Nationall Synod assembled at Alenson in the yeare 1637. by expresse order whereof the Consistory denounced against him that for default of returning unto himselfe within six moneths and giving glory unto God he shall not be acknowledged for a member of this Reformed Church This just and necessary advertisement having no way touched him and not having hitherto produced any other effect then to render him the more inexcusably obstinate The Nationall Synod of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdome desirous to remedy a scandall so long continued among them and to procure so much as in them lyeth your edification came to this Conclusion in this place confirming the proceeding Arrest assembled at Alenson declare unto you by our mouth that the said Sieur de Militier long since more then ten yeares being deprived of the Communion of the Lords Table and cut off from the Church in the yeare 1638. and from the number of the faithfull of our Confession may no more be accounted by you among the members of the Reformed Churches Pray the Lord that touching his heart with all the puissant vertue of his Spirit he may returne himselfe from the gall of bitternesse and that he would be pleased to give him the grace to turne himselfe from darknesse unto light and from error unto truth to the end that as the fall of this personage hath for many yeares afflicted

your spirits with just sorrow and griefe so you may be edified and comforted by his Repentance Amen A Formulary of Baptisme OR The manner of Baptizing those who from Paganisme Iudaisme and Mahumetisme are converted to the Christian faith as also of those Anabaptists who have not been Baptised before Drawne and Composed in the Nationall Synod of the Reformed Churches of France Assembled at Charenton in the yeare of our Lord 1644. Being the 26 of December Printed first in French by Samuel Petit c. in the yeare of our Lord 1645. and now faithfully Translated into English AFter that the Catechumen or party that is to bee Baptised hath been sufficiently Instructed and Catechised so that hee is able to give an account of his faith and that the Church by irreproveable witnesses is satisfied concerning both the integrity of his life and his Instruction he shall by the said Witnesses be presented to the whole Congregation to be Baptised in their presence And the Minister shall say unto him 1 Quest Doe you not ack●owledge that by nature you are a child of wrath worthy of death and eternall malediction Answ I doe 2 Quest Are you not sorry and grieved for all the sinnes you have committed since you were borne and doe you not promise that you will forbeare henceforth for ever Answ Yes 3 Quest Doe you not from your heart renounce to the seducements and wiles of the Divell and his Angells to all the Pomps and vanities of this world and to all the Affections and concupisence of the flesh Answ I doe If hee be a Pagan or Heathen the Minister shall say 4 Quest Doe you not perceive that there is but one God who hath created Heaven and Earth who upholdeth all things by his powerfull Word and in whom wee have our being live and move Answ I doe 5 Quest. Doe you not believe that this great God who hath created heaven and earth is one Essence distinct in three Persons of the same power and eternity the Father the Sonne begot of the Father from all eternity and the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Answ I doe 6 Quest Doe you not beleeve that this great God who never left him selfe without witnesse did manifest himselfe unto men not onely by his Workes which from their first Creation doe incessantly declare his praise and glory but also by Revelation of his Counsell for the salvation of mankind contained in the holy Scripture commonly called the Old and New Testament Answer I doe 7 Quest Doe you not beleeve that all these holy Scriptures are by Inspiration of God and containe in them a perfect rule both of our beliefe and of our lives Answ I doe 8 Quest Doe you not ptotest that to the last breath of your life you will resist the Devill whom hitherto you have adored serving either Idolls made with hands or the Host of heaven or briefly those which by nature are not Gods Answ I doe 9 Quest Rehearse the summary of your faith Answ I beleeve in God the Father Almighty c. 10 Quest Doe you not beleeve that this good God who by the preaching of his Word doth call us all to life and salvation hath Instituted some Signes and Sacraments in his Church which seale and confirme the truth of the Covenant of grace which is proposed to us by the preaching of the Gospell Answ J doe 11 Quest How many Sacraments doe you beleeve there be in the Christian Church Answ Two to wit Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. 12 Quest Doe you desire to be instructed concerning the nature and use of Baptisme for which you are a suiter unto the Church Answ I doe 13 Quest Our Saviour sa●ing to us that wee must bee borne againe shewe unto us what wretchednesse and misery wee are all borne in for if our nature must be renewed to have entrance into the Kingdome of heaven it is a signe that it is altogether perverse and cursed In that therefore hee doth admonish us to humble our selves and to be displeased in our selves and by that meanes he doth prepare us to desire and crave his grace by which all the perversnesse and cursednesse of our first nature may bee abolished for wee are not capable to receive it except wee be first emptied of all confidence of our owne vertue wisdome and justice unto a perfect condemnation of all that is in us Now when hee doth put us in mind of our misery hee doth likewise comfort us by his mercy promising to regenerate us by his holy Spirit unto newnesse of life which may be to us an entrance into his Kingdome This regeneration doth consist in two parts first we must renounce to our selves not following our owne reason pleasure and will but captivating our understanding and heart to the wisdome and justice of God mortifying all that is ours and of our flesh Then we must follow the light of God to obey submit to his good pleasure which he doth shew unto us in his Word and to which hee doth lead us by his Spirit The accomplishment both of the one and of the other is in our Saviour JESUS whose death and passion hath such vertue that partaking of it we are as it were buried to sinne to the end that our carnall concupiscence may be mortified in us In like manner by the vertue of his Resurrection wee rise unto newnesse of life which is from God in that his Spirit doth lead and governe us to produce in us such workes as may bee acceptable unto him Neverthelesse the first and principall point of our salvation is that by his mercy he doth forgive us all our sinnes not imputing them to us but blotting the memory of them that they may not bee reckoned unto us when we shall appeare before him to be judged All these graces are conferred upon us when he is pleased to incorporate us into his Church by Baptisme for by this Sacrament hee doth testifie unto us the remission of our sinnes and for this cause he hath instituted the Signe of Water to figure unto us that as by this Element all corporall filthinesse is cleansed so he will wash and purifie our soules that no further spot or staine may appeare Besides it doth represent unto us our renewing which as wee said before doth consist in the mortification of our flesh and that spirituall life which he doth produce in us So wee receive a double grace and benefit from G●d in Baptisme provided that wee doe not voyd the vertue of this Sacrament by our ingratitude first we have a certaine assurance that God will bee a propitious Father unto us not imputing to us our sinnes and offences Secondly that he will assist us by his holy Spirit that wee may be able to fight against the diuell sinne and the concupiscence of our flesh unto victory that we may live in the liberty of his kingdome which is a kingdome of Justice Since then these