remonies, which they call the Ring of Solomon; all which being Devilish, Superftitious, and Heathenish Ceremonies, condemned by Holy Mother Church: Wherefore the Synod doth command and exhort all Faithful Chriftians, neither to practise any fuch Ceremonies themselves, nor to fuffer others to use them in their Houses; and that all who shall prefume to practise them themfelves, or permit others to do it in their Houses, fhall be denied the Sacrament for a whole Year, and be rigorously punished at the pleasure of the Prelate: and the fame fhall be done to those that go to Heathens, to learn what Days are Fortunate.

Decree XV.

T He Synod having been informed, that when Contracts de futuro are celebrated among the Chriftians of this Diocefs, or Marriages are concerted, that it is performed with fome Heathenish and Superftitious Ceremonies, and that many times when the Parties contracted are not of Age, or have not Judgment enough to give their confent, doth command, that no fuch Contracts be made, but when the Parties contracting are of fufficient Age to understand what they do, and are capable of giving their confent de futuro; and, if the Parents will make fuch Matches, they fhall do it by a fimple Writing, or by fhaking Hands, or by any other way that has nothing of Superftition in it; neither fhall they

ufe

"

ufe any Superftitious Ceremonies, upon pain of being feverely chastised at the pleasure of the Prelate; commanding the Priests, in virtue of Holy Obedience, not to be prefent at Contracts, where any fuch damnable Superftitions are performed, that fo they may not feem to Authorize them by their Person and Dignity.

Decrée XVI.

THe Synod doth condemn the Custom, or

abufe that has obtained in this Diocess of the new-married couple's not going to Church till after the fourth day after their Marriage, when they use to Wash themselves, which is according to the Judaical Ceremonies condemned by the Law of Chrift, but on the contrary, doth exhort all new-married People, without refpect of Days, to go to Church and fay their Prayers, knowing for certain, that if any of the Days. that they stay from Church, fhould happen either to be a Saint's-day or a Sunday, upon which all People are obliged to hear Mafs, that they fin mortally in not hearing it, if hindred by no other caufe: Neither are they to imagine, that fuch Washings do any way contribute to the Spiritual Health of their Souls, the Worship of God, or the Reverence of the Church.

ACTION VIII.

Of the Reformation of Church-Affairs.

WH

Decree I.

Hereas the Universal Catholick Church is Ruled, Inspired, and Taught by the Holy Spirit, by whofe direction, for the betterGovernment of Chriftians, and the more commodious administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful, it has divided the Provinces of the whole World into Diocefles, which are all subject to their feveral Bithops; and the Dioceffes into Parishes, which are all fubject to their Parish-Priests, fo that as the Dioceffes and all the faithful Inhabitants of the fame are fubject to their feveral Bifhops, and through them to the Bishop of Rome, the Univerfal Paftor and Head of the Church, and Christ's Vicar upon Earth; fo all the faithful Inhabitants in every Parish are fubject to their Rector or Vicar, that administer the Sacraments to them, and are the particular Pastors and Curates of their Souls, through whom they are fubject to their Bishop, and through the Bishop to the Pope, and through the Pope to Christ'; which Order has been at all times preferved in the Church all over the World, and for want whereof, this Church is fo Confufed and Diforderly as it is; every one doing what feems

good

good in his own eyes, without ever being called to an Account for what they do, having none that are under any obligation to take care of their Souls, nor no particular Paftor to affift them in their Neceffities, nor diftinct Parishes, unto which every one is bound to refort; therefore this Synod conforming it felf to the Government of the whole Catholick Church, doth ordain, that this Diocefs be alfo divided into Parishes, allotting fuch a number of People to each Parifh as fhall be found moft convenient, and furnishing them with particular Vicars and Curates, to watch over the Souls of the Faithful; and as for other Priests and Curates that shall be in any Church, they shall be therein as Beneficed Perfons, and Co-adjutors to the Vicars in the administration of the Sacraments to the People, as alfo in the Divine Service and Worfhip of the Church, as they have hitherto been, ha ving the fame Profits and Dividend they had formerly, fave that the Synod intends to deprive them of thofe Fees which formerly they Simonaically received for administration of the Sacraments,as to which they fhall obferve what is before decreed, as the Vicars and Parish-Priefts are to have what is allotted for their maintenance in the Twenty-firft and Twenty-fecond Decrees; and the faid Vicars fhall make a Roll of all the Inhabitants of their feveral Parishes, that fo they may be acquainted with their Cuftoms and way of living, and may adminifter the Sacraments unto them, and comfort them in their Troubles

and Neceffities; neither shall the Faithful receive the Sacrament from any but their own Vicar, without his Licence in Form.

TH

Decree II.

He Synod doth declare, That the Divifion of Parishes, and the laying of People to them, has at all times belonged to the Prelate; so that he may at any time Divide or Unite Parishes at his pleasure, and as he shall find to be most convenient for the administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful, to whom it also belongs to provide Vicars and Curates for Churches, whom he may Inftitute or Depose as often as he fhall judge it to be neceffary, to the better feeding of the Flock of Chrift, which he is charged with, and is to give an account of; and for the present the most Reverend Metropolitan fhall make fuch a reparition of Parishes and People in this his Vifitation, Uniting or Dividing them as fhall feem to him to be moft commodious for the administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful, who at the end of the Synod will name Vicars for every Parish: And the Synod, for the juft Refpects and the better. Government of the Church, will not have any Vicars fo Eftablished, as not to be removable at the pleasure of the Prelate.

Decree