vous Sin in fuch to receive the Divine Sacrament, before they have forfaken their Sins'; so it is likewife a grievous offence in them to give the Sacrament to fuch publick Sinners, and who are known by all to live in fuch Sins, and not to have forfaken them, notwithstanding they should have been confeffed by others, and should bring a Note of their being abfolved. This matter ought to be laid home to the Confciences of the Vicars by reafon of the great diffoluteness that there is in this Bishoprick in giving the Communion to publick Sinners, and especially to thofe that keep Concubines, and are Married, but will not live with their Wives, and to others who live in open Malice, without any Body to hinder them, of all which the Vicars must give a strict Account to God; but at the point of death they may give the Divine Sacrament even to fuch as have been publick Sinners, if they are not finally impenitent.

THe

Decree IV.

He Synod teacheth, That this Divine Sacrament ought to be received Fafting, as Holy Mother Church commands, and that upon the day on which people are to communicate, they are neither to eat nor drink any thing from Midnight untill after they have received the

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Communion, not to do fo being * a most grievous Sacrilege, fuch only excepted as are undér any great infirmity, or much spent with Sicknefs, who may take Electuaries, and other light things to ftrengthen them, of which the Confeffor must be judge.

a molt grievous Sacrilege.] Tho' the cuftom of receiving the Sacrament Fafting is very laudable, yet confidering that it was not fo received by our Bleffed Saviour himself, nor his

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Apoftles when he firft inftituted it, nor by the Faithful for fome Ages, they muft needs carry the matte too far, that call the receiving it otherwife than Fafting, a grievous Sacrilege.

Decree V.

Hriftians are not only bound to receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar once a Year, at Easter, but as often as they are in probable danger of Death, and especially in any great Sickness, for which reafon this Divine Sacrament is called the Viaticum, that is to fay, the Support in the way from a Mortal to an Eternal Life, wherefore the Synod doth command all Sick People, whofe Distempers are any thing dangerous, to receive it with much Devotion; and as they that look after the Sick ought to give the Vicars timely Notice, fo the Vicars themselves must be diligent to enquire what Persons are fick in their Parishes, that fo before they come to be too weak, at a time when it will do them no prejudice, they may be brought in a Palanquin, or in fomething else that

covers them, to the Church, there to receive the Holy Sacrament; for which use there shall be a Palanquin, or Net, made commodious with Carpets, in every Church, in which the Sick fhall be carried with due care, which fhall be bought within a month after the publication hereof out of the Fabrick money of the Church, all which the Synod doth recommend earnestly to the Vicars, this being truly the chief Duty of their Office; and if it shall any time happen that a Parifhioner fhall die without having received the Communion, thro' the Vicars default, the faid Vicar fhall be fufpended for fix months, from his Office and Benefice, and if it happen thorow the Vicars not having been advised thereof, then thofe that attended the Sick Perfon, fhall be feverely punished by the Prelate.

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Decree VI.

Hereas Women are many times in danger of Death in Child-bed, a great many dying therein, the Synod doth therefore declare, That all Women with Child ought about the time when they reckon they are to be delivered, to confefs themselves, and receive the Ho ly Sacrament, but especially before the Birth of their first Child, in which the danger is greatest, recommending it to them to be careful to do it in time, that they may not be prevented by their Labour from going to Church. Such alfo as defign to undertake any long and dangerous Voy

age,

age, ought to do the fame, to whom the Synod recommends it much, and requires it of them.

Decree VII.

'Orafmuch as there are feveral Priests and Ca

zanares of this Diocess that do never celebrate, fome by reason of their having been ordained when they were but Boys, and fo do wait till they come to be of a due Age, and òthers through other Impediments, therefore the Synod doth command all fuch to receive the Holy Sacrament upon all the folemn Festivities, and at least once a month, wishing they would do it every Sunday with a due preparation and reverence; and as often as any Prieft doth communicate, he shall be in a Surplice and Stole, with a Cross on his Breast to distinguish him from other People, by reafon of the Reverence and Refpect that is due to the Sacerdotal Office which he bears.

Decree VIII.

is aforesaid,

Perfon to come to the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, having the least scruple of any Mortal Sin about him, without having been Sacramentally confefs'd, the Synod doth declare, That even to Priests it is not lawful, and that none finding in themselves the least scruple of Mortal Sin, and having an opportunity of a Confeffor, fhall

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fhall fay Mass, tho' under an Obligation to do it, without having first confeffed themselves: But befides, that fuch when under any fcruple are obliged to confess, for the greater purity of their Souls, tho' under no fcruple the Synod commands all Priests to confefs at least once a Week.

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Decree IX.

He Synod doth furthermore command all Deacons and Sub-Deacons, that Minister folemnly in the folemn Maffes on Sundays and Saints-days, to receive the moft Holy Sacrament at those times, and on the Feftivity of our Lord Chrift, our Lady, and the Holy Apostles, all the Chamazes, or Clergy that are in the Church; of which the Vicars ought to take special care, and the Prelate in his Vifitations is to make diligent Inquiry, how these things are observed.

The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mafs.

The great Love of God to Mankind, does not only appear in the Inftitution of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharift, and in the putting of his Divine Body and Blood under the Sacramental Species, to be the heavenly Food of our Souls, by which the Spiritual Life is maintained and preferved, but in his having likewife fo inftituted it, that the Catholick Church Mili

tant