untide, it fhall be in their power to bear with them, according to what is determined in the 2d. Decree of the 5th. Action, of the Sacrament of the Eucharift, having firft admonished those that live in the Heaths, or are at Sea, or engaged in Business in such places where there are no Churches to confefs in, that when they return home, they are bound to do it within a month.

:0

And that the whole of this may be executed, (with the more eafe, and be performed as is reafonable, the Vicars of the Churches fhall be obliged a month or more before Lent, if it be neceffary to go to all the Houses of their Parishes belonging to Christians, however remote in the Heaths, either in Perfon, or by fome other Clergyman, whom in Confcience they can trust with fuch a business, and taking the Names of all the Chriftians even to the very Slaves in every Family that are nine Years old and upward, and of those too that are abroad, obferving whether they do return home after the time of the Obligation, and having made a Roll of Parchment of all that are of Age to confefs themselves, they fhall afterwards make a mark at their Names as they come to Confeffion, that fo they may know certainly who have, and who have not complyed, that the Difobedient may be Excommunicated, which we declare to be the precife Obligation of their Office, the Paftor being bound to know his Sheep, that he may give them Food, and fo far as he is able, fupply all their necef

el

fities,

fities, Temporal as well as Spiritual, and to have their number, that he may know when any are loft; and for the perfecting of fuch a Roll the Vicars may take the advantage of the Monoibo, at which time all Chriftians do flock to the Churches, at which time likewise they may hear of many that live in the Heaths, And as to those that have confeffed themselves to fome other approved Confeffors, they shall bring a Note figned by them of their having been confeffed, which they fhall deliver to their Vicar, who fhall thereupon mark them in his Roll; but tho' it is lawful for them to confefs themselves to Confeffors that are Strangers, yet they cannot receive the most Holy Sacrament, nor the Communion upon Obligation in Lent any where, but in their own Parish Churches, and the Prelates in their Vifitations fhall call for those Rolls, in order to inform themselves how this Decree is obferved.

Decree II.

Hereas the Precept of Confession obligeth all that have the ufe of Reason, and confcience of mortal Sin, which happens fooner to fome than others, the Synod therefore taking the moft fafe and probable way, according to the knowledge it hath of the People of Malabar, doth ordain, That at eight Years old and upward, all People fhall Confefs themselves, and that without prohibiting fuch as are younger and

capable

capable to do it fooner; on the contrary, the Vicars, if they fhall understand that there are any under eight, of fo much Judgment and Difcretion, as to be capable of committing a mortal Sin, they shall immediately constrain them to come to Confeffion, as being oblig'd to it, which must be left to the difcretion of the Parish Priests.

Decree III.

He Synod doth admonish all Masters of Families, and all that have the charge of others, to be careful to make all the Perfons in their Families to confefs themselves at the time of Obligation, and particularly their Servants and Slaves, both Men and Women, who if they do never come to Confeffion, their Masters and none else must be certainly in the Fault, in having neglected to put them in mind of it, and to order them to do it, it being their Duty, and that upon penalty of Mortal Sin, to call upon them to do it, of which they must give a ftrict Account to God, the Apostle St. Paul affirming, That he who does not take care of his Servants, has denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel; which words are chiefly to be understood of the Spiritual Neceffities of thofe of his Family, and of Matters appertaining to their Salvation; about which matters the Vicars ought to be very careful, and must observe whether the Slaves, whose Names as well as others, they must have down in their Rolls, do come to Confeffion, declaring

fuch

fuch of them as have not complied with their obligation at the time appointed, Excommunicate,having first admonished their Masters to command them to come, and acquainted them with the Declaration that will be made if they do not: and the Vicars that shall be found negligent herein, fhall be punished at the discretion of the Prelate.

A

Decree IV.

LL faithful Chriftians are not only obliged to Confess themselves once a Year, under penalty of mortal Sin, but also as often as they are in any probable danger of Death, or are very Sick, they are under the fame obligation; wherefore the Sick Perfons or those that attend them, fo foon as ever they fhall apprehend any danger, where-ever they live, tho'in the Heaths, fhall fend to call a Confeffor, and fhall advise the Vicar of the Church thereof, who fhall either go himself, or fend another to hear their Confeffions. The Vicars are alfo to understand, that it is their indifpenfible duty to enquire after the Sick, and either to go to Confefs them themselves, or to fend another to do it, whenfoever they shall be sent for, that fo none may die without the Holy Sacrament of Confeffion, they being guilty of the Condemnation of fuch of their Sheep as go to Hell for not having confeffed their Sins before they died, if it was through their fault or negligence it was not done. And

the

the Vicar, through whofe fault or negligence any of the Parifh fhall die without Confeffion, shall be fufpended from his Office and Benefice for a whole Year without any dispensation, and another shall be appointed to fupply his Cure, and the Perfons that attend the Sick, that fhall neglect to fend for the Parish-Priest, shall be feverely punished at the discretion of the Prelate; and fuch as die in Hamlets or in Heaths without Confeffion, if they did not fend to call a Confeffor, if their death was not fo fudden as to prevent them, fhall not be buried in Holy Ground, neither shall the Clergy go to their Houses, or fay the Office of the Dead for them, nor fo much as the Chata.

No

Decree V.

Ot only fuch as are dangerously Sick, but all that are any ways in danger of Death, are obliged to Confefs themselves; wherefore fince all Women in Child-birth are in danger thereof, they fhall before they are in Labour, Confefs themselves, but efpecially before the birth of their firft Child, at which time the danger is known to be the greatest; and shall likewise, if capable, receive the most Holy Sacrament; and if any fuch, not being furprized by their Labour, fhall die without Confeffion, or being in visible danger, did not defire it, their negligence being proved, and especially if they lived in Towns, they fhall be proceeded against