Decree XXVI.

Hereas Experience has demonftrated that many Churches have been Robbed by reafon of the Poors Box being kept in them and not opened in many Years, no not when the neceffities of the Churches did require it; therefore the Synod doth command, That in every Church upon the first of January there be chofe four fubftantial and confciencious Men to be Overseers of the Poor, and to take care of the Church, who at the end of the Year fhall open the Poors Box and take out all the Alms they find therein, which shall be put down in a Book by one of the four Overfeers, and the faid Alms fhall be afterwards put into a Cheft Locked with three different Keys, which shall stand in any one of their Houses as they shall agree, of which Keys the Vicar fhall have one, and the other two the two Overfeers, who are not the Scrivener, nor in whofe Houses the Cheft is not kept: He that's the Scrivener fhall also have a Book, in which he shall fet down the Expences of the faid Alms, how much has been laid out upon the Fabrick of the Church, and in the reparation of the Walls and Roof, how much in adorning it, and in neceffary Linen, and in Pictures, and in keeping it clean: And whenfoever there is any great extraordinary Expence, it fhall not be made without the confent of the four Overseers, according to cuftom; neither

fhall

shall the Chest be opened but when they are all five present, or fome one in the place of him that is lawfully hindred; and when new Overfeers are chofe, the old ones fhall deliver the faid Chest to them, for which the Elect fhall give a Receipt, that fo it may always appear how much has been received and how much, is remaining: And the Prelate in his Visitation shall look over the faid Books and inform himself of the Expences, and may order the Alms to be difpofed of as he fhall think fit and neceffary. And the Synod intreats the most Reverend Metropolitan to fee that this Decree be put in execution at the Vifitation he intends to make, it being a thing of great advantage to the Churches.

Decree XXVII.

Whereas most of the Churches of this Dio

cefs are kept very Nafty, being full of

Duft and Cobwebs, for want of an Officer to keep the Church clean, therefore the Synod doth command,that the Overfeers appoint a Capiar, who shall be paid out of the Alms, for Sweeping the Church and keeping clean the Lamps and Candlesticks; and the Capiar fhall take care that the Church be Swept at least three times a Week, and there be always one Lamp at least lighted before the High Altar, and the Vefels wherein the Lamp-Oil is kept, without they be fo fmall as not to be feen, fhall not be kept in the Church, nor the Bategas or Kettles, nor any Bb 3 thing

thing else that is undecent, but shall be kept in the Capiar's or Overfeers Houses, that fo the Church may be kept clean and decent.

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Decree XXVIII.

He Synod doth command, That in all Veftries of Churches there be Cupboards and Chests with Locks, to keep the Cups, Corporals, and Ornaments in; and where there is no Vestry until one fhall be built, they fhall be kept fome where in the Church; except in the Heaths, where the Churches are in danger of being robbed, where the Vicars fhall keep them in their Houfes, and fhall by no means leave any of them upon the Altars, as has been the custom, which was the occafion of the Ornaments being fo dirty, and of the Altars being fo much out of order: And whereas most of the chief Chapels are extreamly dark, they fhall take care to have Windows opened, and fortified with Iron to let in Air and Light, which muft nevertheless be fo contrived, that the Heathens when they come may not fee the Divine Myfteries thorow them.

W

Decree XXIX.

7Hereas almoft all the Churches of this Diacefs are without Pictures, which was the effect of their being governed by Neftorian Hereticks, who do not allow of the healthful ufe

of

of Sacred Images; therefore the Synod doth command, That in Churches that are finished, the first work that shall be done after that of the Baptismal Font out of the Alms of the Parifh, fhall be to fet up fome Images, according to the directions of the Prelate, who fhall always be confulted about every Picture; and after that of the High Altar is once fet up, if the Church has any Side-Altars, they fhall also have Images set up in them, and on every Altar befides an Image, there fhall be a Crofs or fome Matter or other fet up; and in all Churches that are large enough, and yet have no Pulpits, Pulpits shall be erected for the Preaching of the word of God; and they fhall alfo put Bells in their Steeples to be rung at meet times, and to call the People to Church, which fhall not be hung within the Church, where befides that they cannot be rung as they ought to be, they do take up too much room; and in places where there is danger of having their Bells ftole, they shall have their Steeples fortified and fhut up after the manner of Towers; and where the Kings and Bramens of the Pagods will not confent to their having a Building higher than the Church, which often happens through their imagining that the Pagods are made melancholly by the hearing of fuch Bells; they fhall hang them within the Church but at fuch a height, that they may ring them without touching them with their hands, and that they shall take up no room below in the Church; and in thofe Churches where they

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they have no Bells, the Synod grants Licence until fuch time as they can procure fome, to make ufe of Boards, as they have done formerly, to call the Faithful together, and to give the Signal at the Mafs.

are,

Decree XXX.

THe Synod doth teach and declare, That by ancient Right always obferved in the Church, Churches may be fo violated in certain Cafes, that it is not lawful to Celebrate in them,nor to bury the Dead until they are reconciled, which through ignorance of the Canons has not hitherto been obferved in this Bishoprick; the Cafes when humane Blood is injuriously fhed in the Church, or there is a Natural Cause given of fuch fhedding, or of Death; as if one has a Mortal Wound given him in the Church, or a Wound that fetches Blood, notwithstanding the Wounded Perfon fhall be got out of the Church before any Blood is fhed; but if the Wound was given without the Church, notwithstanding the Blood thereof fhould come to be fhed therein, the Church is not violated thereby; and by a Wound that is injuriously given in the Church, whereby Blood is fhed, tho' the Wound should not prove Mortal, the Church is violated. The fecond Cafe is, when humane Seed is voluntarily Spent in the Church, tho' in conjugal Copulation: The third is, when one that is Excommunicated is buried in the Church: The fourth,

when