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tained in this diocese 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 Christ; but on the contrary, doth exhort all new-married people, without respect of days, to go to church and say their prayers, knowing for certain, that if any of the days that they stay from church, should happen either to be a saint's-day or a Sunday, upon which all people are obliged to hear mass, that they sin mortally in not hearing it, if hindered by no other cause: neither are they to imagine, that such washings do any way contribute to the spiritual health of their souls, the worship of God, or the reverence of the church.

SESSION VIII.

Of the Reformation of Church affairs.

DECREE I.

FOR DIVIDING THE DIOCESE INTO PARISHES AND APPOINTING
MINISTERS.

Whereas the universal catholic church is ruled, inspired, and taught by the Holy Spirit, by whose direction, for the better government of Christians, and the more commodious administration of the sacraments to the faithful, it has divided the provinces of the whole world into dioceses, which are all subject to their several bishops; and the dioceses into parishes, which are all subject to their parish priests, so that as the dioceses and all the faithful inhabitants of the same are subject to their several bishops, and through them to the Bishop of Rome, the universal pastor and head of the church, and Christ's vicar upon earth; so all the faithful inhabitants in every parish are subject 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 subject to their bishop, and through the bishop to the pope, and through the pope to Christ; which order has been at all times preserved in the church all over the world, and for want whereof, this church is so confused and disorderly as it is; every one doing what seems good in his own eyes, without ever being called

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to an account for what they do, having none that are under SESSION any obligation to take care of their souls, nor any particular pastor to assist them in their necessities, nor distinct parishes, unto which every one is bound to resort; therefore this Synod conforming itself to the government of the whole catholic church, doth ordain, that this diocese be also divided into parishes, allotting such a number of people to each parish as shall be found most 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 persons, and coadjutors to the vicars in the administration of the sacraments to the people, as also in the divine service and worship of the Church, as they have hitherto been, having the same profits and dividend they had formerly, save that the Synod intends to deprive them of those fees which formerly they simonaically received for administration of the sacraments, as to which they shall observe what is before decreed, as the vicars and parish priests are to have what is allotted for their maintenance in the twenty-first and twenty-second Decrees; and the said vicars shall make a roll of all the inhabitants of their several parishes, that so they may be acquainted with their customs and way of living, and may administer the sacraments unto them, and comfort them in their troubles and necessities; neither shall the faithful receive the sacrament from any but their own vicar, without his license in form.

DECREE II.

THE DIVISION, &c. TO BE CONDUCTED BY THE BISHOP.

The Synod doth declare, that the division 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 institute or depose as often as he shall judge it to be necessary, to the better feeding of the flock of Christ, which he is charged with, and is to give an account of; and for the present the most reverend Metropolitan shall make such a reparation of parishes and people in this his visitation, uniting or dividing them as shall seem to him to be most 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 just respects and the better government of

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the church, will not have any vicars so established, as not to be removable at the pleasure of the prelate.

DECREE III.

PLURALITIES CONDEMNED.

The Synod doth furthermore declare, that no priest shall hold two churches with cure, or receive the fruits of them according to the holy canons: and whereas in this diocese there are many that have two or three churches, which they have had commended unto them in several parts, either because they were built by their relations, or for some other reason; all which being a great abuse, the Synod doth declare, that after the division of the parishes is made, none shall have any jurisdiction therein besides their proper vicars, to whom only it shall belong to order all the affairs of their churches, and to whom whosoever shall deny to yield obedience, shall be declared excommunicate, and shall be punished at the pleasure of the prelate as disturbers of the church; and all such priests as are in present possession of the churches, if qualified, and there be no just impediment, the Synod will have it be instituted vicars of one of their parishes, as the most reverend Metropolitan shall think fit; not that the Synod intends to prohibit the prelate, in case he is not provided of a sufficient number of able priests, or where there is not a sufficient maintenance, to recommend two churches to one vicar, provided they are at such a distance that he can look after both, without any wrong to the administration of the sacraments. However, this shall never be done, but when there is an urgent and necessary reason for it.

DECREE IV.

NO CHURCH TO BE WITHOUT A MINISTER.

Whereas there are a great many churches in this diocese who have no priests, to the great detriment of the faithful, who by that means are for several years without mass, or any to administer the sacraments to them, as has appeared to the reverend Metropolitan in his visitation of the churches, in some of which he found there had been no masses said in five or six years, and that there are children of that or a greater age, that have never been baptized; therefore the Synod doth command, that there be no church that is made parochial,

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how poor and inconsiderable soever the people may be, for any SESSION long time without a curate or vicar to administer the sacraments to the faithful, of which the prelate is to take special care; and if it should so happen, as it does too often, that he cannot have a priest to supply such cures, in that case, the Synod declares, that the prelate may oblige whomsoever he pleaseth, by penalties and censures to serve such churches, that so the necessities of the faithful may be provided for, given them whereon to subsist in the said churches.

DECREE V.

THE DISUSE OF CHRISTIANITY TO BE INQUIRED INTO.

The Synod being informed that there are many villages in this diocese, which, by reason of their great distance from any church, have little of Christianity left in them besides the name of the Christians of St. Thomas, which has been occasioned through the great negligence of the former schismatical prelates of this bishopric; wherefore the Synod doth, in virtue of holy obedience, command all priests that are nominated vicars, so soon as they shall come to their churches, to make a strict inquiry into the Christians that live in the skirts of their parishes, and to report what they shall discover as to this matter to the most reverend Metropolitan, that so he may take such course therein as shall be most for the service of Christ, and the benefit of souls; and the same diligence shall be used in all parts, where there are such people found, and have never been baptized, and where it is thought necessary, there shall be new churches built, and vicars appointed for the reducing such to true Christianity, and the use of the holy sacraments of the church.

DECREE VI.

THE CHURCH OF TRAVANCORE TO BE REBUILT.

Whereas the church of Travancore is at this time totally demolished, the greater part of its parishioners having above forty years ago turned perfect heathens, all which has happened through the negligence of sending priests among them by reason of their great distance from any other church, there being nevertheless several good Christians there still, therefore the Synod doth command, that a vicar be forthwith collated to that place, who shall set immediately about rebuilding the

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church; there shall likewise be some preachers sent along with him to reduce the said people into the bosom of holy mother church, and to the holy catholic faith of Christ, according to the orders given therein by the most reverend Metropolitan, and the vicar shall continue there baptizing and receiving all, according to the necessity of the church, for which an olla, or license has been already obtained from the king of Travancore, and shall from henceforth continue in the church according to the necessity thereof.

DECREE VII.

MINISTERS TO BE SENT TO TADAMALLA.

The Synod being informed, that upon the borders of the territories belonging to the Zamorin king of Calicut, at the distance of four leagues from any church in this bishopric, there is a country called Tadamalla, in which there are certain villages of Christians, who were anciently of this church, but at present have nothing of Christianity but the bare name, doth command that priests and preachers be sent thither immediately from this church, to reduce them to the catholic faith, and baptize them; in which matter, through the diligences that have been used by the most reverend Metropolitan, they will meet with no difficulties on the part of those who have lost their Christianity only for want of instruction, and the Synod doth recommend this people, as a member of their church to the spiritual care of the most reverend Metropolitan.

DECREE VIII.

THREE VESSELS OF OIL TO BE KEPT IN EVERY CHURCH WITH
GREAT CARE.

Whereas the use of the holy oils was instituted by Christ in the church, who made the oil of Chrism, the matter of the sacrament of Confirmation and Extreme Unction; and did furthermore appoint other holy unctions for the Catechumeni, delivering the doctrine of the consecration of such oils in his last Supper to his Disciples, as we are taught by holy tradition from the apostles and the doctrine of the holy fathers of the church, and there having notwithstanding this been no such thing in use, or known in this church to this day : Therefore the Synod doth command, that in all parish churches there be a box that shall hold three vessels of plate, tin, or