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in the fame manner, as those are who through their own fault die without Confeffion as is above decreed.

Decree VI.

THe He Synod being informed that the greatest part of those that die of the Small-Pox, tho' they lived in Towns and defired Confeffion, do die without it, that Diftemper being fo very dangerous and infectious, that the Priests are afraid of coming near thofe that have it; doth command all Vicars to be careful, that none fuch do die without Confeffion, and either to go themfelves, in Perfon,or to fend one to Confefs them; a due regard being ftill to be had to their own health, either by confeffing them at some distance,or so that the Wind shall blow the fteams from them, and by having taken prefervatives against the Diftemper; that fo none may die without Confeffion, which is what the Synod doth very earnestly recommend to them in the Lord.

THe

Decree VII.

He Synod doth earnestly recommend to all the faithful Chriftians Inhabitants of this Bishoprick, not to fatisfie themselves with having confeffed their Sins once a Year at Eafter, when they are bound to it upon the penalty of mortal Sin; but that they do frequently make use of this Sacrament, in proportion to the Sins they fall

into daily, and not to fail to Confefs themselves on the Festivities of the Nativity of the Holy Ghost, and the Affumption of our Lady, and at the Wake of their Parish, and the Vicars must not fail to admonish their People thereof on the Sunday before thofe Festivities.

THE

Decree VIII.

He Synod doth declare, That notwithstanding the power of pardoning Sins is annexed to the Sacerdotal Order, nevertheless that all Priests cannot hear Confeffions, but only fuch as are Licensed by the Prelate; for the Act of Abfolution being an Act of Jurifdiction, and Judicature, cannot be without Subjects, which the Prelate only can give when he appoints Confeffors with fuch limitations as he thinks neceffary; fo that a Prieft having no Licence, or tranfgreffing the bounds that were fet to him by his Prelate, if he fhall prefume to hear Confeffions and Abfolve, his Confeflions and Abfolutions are void and of no force; neither are the Sins of the Penitents pardoned, who are therefore bound to Confefs themselves again to a Confeflor that has power to Abfolve, as if they had not Confeffed before; but when any one is in probable danger of Death, and cannot have a Prieft that is Licensed, any Prieft, tho' he is not Licensed, may Confefs and Abfolve him in that cafe.

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Decree IX.

Hereas it belongs to the good Government of the Church and the Faithful, that Crimes of a heinous nature should be judged not by every Priest, but by Prelates or Bishops, becaufe for that reafon Chriftians will be the more fearful to commit them; befides that, it has always been the Custom of the Church, to reserve to the Prelates, and even to the Pope as the Univerfal Head of the Church, fome Crimes from which they and none else can Abfolve, or not do it without their leave: therefore the Synod doth declare, That notwithstanding this Doctrine has not hitherto been understood or practifed in this Bishoprick, by reason of the great Ignorance of the Church and facred Canons that has reigned therein: Nevertheless, that the ordinary Confeffors have no power to Abfolve in cafes referved to the Prelate, and leaft of all in those that are referved to the Pope, namely, thofe contained in the Bulla Cana Domini; which all Confeffors ought to be acquainted with; neither can they Abfolve in the Crime of Herefy, or in any cafes wherein the Faith is concerned; all which do belong to the Court of the Holy Office of Inquifition, or to fuch as are Commiffioned by them, or to the Bishop who by himself may Abfolve in the Form of the Holy Council of Trent; and according to the Ordinations of the Holy Fathers: Nei

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ther can ordinary Confeffors dispense with or change the Vows of Penitents, because that belongs to the Prelate, or fuch as are deputed by him, or that have obtained Apoftolical Privileges to that effect. Only at the point of Death, not only approved Confeffors, but also all fimple Priefts, there being no other to be had, are obliged to hear Confeffions, and may also Abfolve in all Cafes and from all Cenfures to whomfoe'er referved. Tho' as to the Cenfures with this Obligation, that if the Sick Perfon shall recover, they shall return to the Perfons again to whom they were before reserved, from whom they fhall receive fuch healthful Penance as fhall be thought meet.

TH

Decree X.

Hat Confeffors may the better know in what Cafes they may, and in what Cafes they may not abfolve their Penitents, having no Authority to do it, the Synod doth command the Bulla Cane Domini,and all the Cafes referved in this Bishoprick to be pafted on a Board, and fet up in all Sacrifties, and where there are no Sacrifties, in the chief Chapel in every Church in the Malabar Tongue, for the direction of the Confeflors, and doth furthermore in its regulation of the referved Cafes in this Diocefs, declare, That willful Murther, publickly committed with violence on the Perfon of an Ecclefiaftick, the voluntary firing of Houses, or of any Goods belonging to T 2

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Christians, formal Simony both in the givers and receivers, marrying without the Vicar and two Witneffes, Schifm and Difobedience against the Prelate, in all that are guilty thereof, or that favour fuch as are, the having of any of the Books condemned by this Synod in their Houfes, or the reading of any of them, the performing of the publick Ceremonies called Taliconum Coliconu, the having of Pagods or Idols in their Houses, and the giving them any Veneration, have all the cenfure of Excommunication annexed to them, of which tho' fome are referved by Law, yet that they might be the better known, it was thought fit to have them expreffed here.

*

triamque redire ita liberos, ut non tantum beneficia, quibus ob fcelera privati fuerant, cum maximo dedecore & juftitia, contemptu, favore

*Reserved. This is what deftroys all Difcipline in the Church of Rome, and what the Bishops thereof complain of to much. Didacus Abulenfis in the importunis precibus obtinuerint 73d. page of his Book of Couu- iterum apud Romanam Curiam ; cils, gives the following account fed & aliis pinguioribus honorati in of it, Eft in urbe Romanâ pernicio- premium criminum, liberam iterum fus abufus qui diffimulatione quâdam millies peccandi licentiam ferè imjam diu toleratur, nam fceleratif petraverint; sunt enim in Curiâ, Refimi homines Epifcoporum & alio- manâ tot Officiales, quorum munus rum Judicum ordinariorum, juftif- potiffimum eft præ avaritiâ maximâ fimam punitionem effugientes tan- voracitate ab ipfis litigantibus quam ad tutiffimum asylum Roma- & aliis extorquere, ut tandem jam nam accedunt curiam, nihil aliud nihil obtineri apud eandem curiam cogitantes quam quod eo ipfo fint à poffit, aliter quam ingenti pecuniâ, graviffimis maximâ cum Juftitie veluti in pretium rei impetrata imjactura immunes: Hinc fanè paffim penfà. And in the 62d. Page be videmus Clericos Criminum atro gives the Pope himself the followciffimorum autores, ab ordinariis ing wholfome advice: Cavere deJudicibus fugientes in Romanam bet fummus ipfe Pontifex, ne dum Curiam, propriis beneficiis, quæ obti- agitur de morum cenfura, que ad nebant, aquiffimè privatos, brevi Clericos, Epifcopos &alios Chriftiane compendio temporis in Hifpaniam pa- profeffionis homines, omnino in ipfo

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