Reverend in Christ Father George Archdeacon of the Christians of St. Thomas in the Serra of the Kingdom of Malabar and to all other Priests Curates Deacons and Subdeacons and to all Towns Villages and Hamlets and to all Christian People of the said Bishoprick Health in our Lord Jesus Christ We give you all and every one of you in particular to understand that the most Holy Father Pope Clement VIII our Lord Bishop of Rome and Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ upon earth at this time presiding in the Church of God having sent two Briefs directed to Vs one of the 27th of Jan. in the Year 1595 and the other of the 21st of the same Month in the Year 1597 in which by virtue of his Pastoral Office and that Vniversal Power bequeathed to the Supream Holy and Apostolical Chair of St. Peter over all the Churches in the World by Jesus Christ the Son of God our Lord and Redeemer he commanded us upon the death of the Archbishop Mar-Abraham to take Possession of this Church and Bishoprick so as not to suffer any Bishop or Prelate coming from Babylon to enter therein as has been hitherto the Custom all that come from thence being Schismaticks Hereticks and Nestorians out of the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and Subject to the Patriarch of Babylon the Head of the said Heresy and to appoint a Governour or Apostolical Vicar to Rule the said Diocess both in Spirituals and Temporals until such time as the Holy Roman Church shall provide it of a proper Pastor which being read by us we were desirous to execute the Apostolical Mandates with due Reverence and Obedience besides that the same was incumbent on us of right the said Church having no Chapter to take care of it during the vacancy of the See as Metropolitan and Primate of this and all the other Churches of the Indies and the Oriental Parts But perceiving that our Mandate in that behalf had no effect what we had ordered not having been obeyed in the said Diocess so that what our most Holy Father the Bishop of Rome had designed was like to be frustrated after having laboured therein for the space of two Years Schism and Disobedience to the Apostolical See having been so rooted in that Diocess for a great many Years that the Inhabitants thereof instead of yielding Obedience to the Apostolical and Our Mandates on the contrary upon the intimation thereof did daily harden themselves more and more committing greater Offences against the Obedience due to the Holy Roman Church after having commended the Matter to God and ordered the same to be done through our whole Diocess and after mature Advice by which Methods the Apostolical Mandates might be best executed and being also moved by the Piety of the People and the Mercy God had shewn them in having preserved so many thousand Souls in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ from the time that the Holy Apostle St. Thomas had Preached to them until this day notwithstanding their having lived among so many Heathens and been scattered in divers places their Churches and all belonging to them having been always subject to Idolatrous Kings and Princes and incompassed with Idols and Pagods and that without holding any correspondence with any other Christians before the coming of the Portuguezes into these Parts we being likewise desirous that the Labours of the Holy Apostle St. Thomas which still remained among them should not be lost for want of sound Doctrine and that the Apostolical Mandates might not be frustrated did determine and having provided for the Government of our own Church during our absence did prepare to go in Person to take Possession of the said Bishoprick to see if by our Presence we might be able to reduce them to the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and purge out the Heresies and false Doctrines sown among them and introduced by the Schismatical Prelates and Nestorian Hereticks that had governed them under the Obedience of the Patriarch of Babylon as also to call in and purge the Books containing those Heresies and according to our Pastoral Duty so far as God should enable us to Preach to them in Person the Catholick Truth Accordingly going into the said Bishoprick we set about visiting the Churches thereof but at that time Satan the great Enemy of the good of Souls having stirred up great Commotions and much opposition against this our just intent great numbers departing from us and forming a Schism against the Holy Roman Church after having passed through many troubles and dangers out of all which God of his great mercy not remembring our sins and evil deeds was pleased to deliver us and to grant us an intire Peace for the Merits of the glorious Apostle St. Thomas the Patron of this Christianity but chiefly of his own great Clemency and Mercy which makes that he doth not delight in the death of a sinner but rather that he should return and live and by coming all to the light of the Truth may joyn with us in the Confession of the Catholick Faith approving our Doctrine and Intention and submitting themselves to the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church which being by us observed after having returned Thanks to God we thought fit in order to the compassing and securing of all those good Effects to assemble a Diocesan Synod in some commodious place near the middle of the said Diocess there to Treat of all such Matters as are convenient for the honour of God the exaltation of the Holy Catholick Faith and Divine Worship the good of the Church the extirpation of Vice the Reformation of the Christians of the said Diocess and the profit and peace of their Souls to which end having pitched upon the Town and Church of Diamper We do hereby let all the Inhabitants and Christians of the said Bishoprick as well Ecclesiasticks as Laicks of what State or Condition soever to understand that we do call and assemble a Diocesan Synod in the said Town of Diamper on the 20th of June of this present Year 1599 being the Third Sunday after Whitsuntide and do therefore by Virtue of holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication latae Sententiae Command the Reverend the Arch-Deacon of this Diocess and all the other Priests of the same that shall not be hindered by Age or some other just Impediment to be present in the said Town of Diamper there with us to celebrate a Diocesan Synod conformable to the Holy Canons And whereas by immemorial Custom and a Right introduced into this Diocess from its Beginning and consented to by all the Infidel Kings of Malabar the whole Government as it were and the Cognizance of all Matters wherein Christians are any ways concerned has belonged to the Church and the Prelate thereof and it having likewise been an ancient Custom in the same to give an Account to the People of whatsoever has been ordained in the Church in order to its being the
Trent Council suffer'd to preach p. 173 Dec. XVIII All Priests that have delivered any Errors or fabulous Stories in their Sermons are ordered to recant them publickly upon pain of Excommunication p. 174 Dec. XIX Makes Void all Oaths against yielding Obedience to the Roman Church under pain of the greater Excommunication p. 175 Dec. XX. Contains the Profession of the Synod p. 177 Dec. XXI The Synod resolves to be governed in all things by the last Trent Council p. 178 Dec. XXII Submits to the Inquisition p. 179 Dec. XXIII All Persons who shall Act Speak or Write against the Holy Catholick Faith to be prosecuted and punish'd by the Prelate p. 181 ACTION IV. Of the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation p. 182 Of the Doctrine of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism 187. Dec. I. New form for Baptism and the old ones abrogated p. 189 Dec. II. All Baptized according to the old Forms to submit themselves to the Metropolitan at his Visitation for his Directions p. 189 Dec. III. Orders all Priests to make enquiry who have not been Baptized through any Default and to baptize all such privately without taking any Fees p. 190 Dec. IV. To the same Purpose p. 191 Dec. V. Children to be Christened on the 8th Day with some Limitations p. 192 Dec. VI. The Error Condemn'd of not Baptizing the Infants of Excommunicate Parents p. 194 Dec. VII Exhortation to all Parents and such as are present at Womens Labours not to suffer an Infant to die without Baptism Allowance to any Man Woman or Child that knows the Form to Baptize such in case of eminent Necessity How the Child is to be order'd if it recover p. 194 Dec. VIII Christian Daia's or Midwives recommended and Vicars exhorted to instruct them in the Form of Baptism p. 196 Dec. IX Infidel Slaves ordered to be Baptized p. 197 Dec. X. Christians not to be sold to Infidels for Slaves p. 197 Dec. XI Forbids Auguries p. 199 Dec. XII Foundlings how to be ordered p. 200 Dec. XIII Converts how to be order'd p. 200 Dec. XIV Holy Oils commanded with the manner of using them p. 201 Dec. XV. Commands the use of God-Fathers and God-Mothers in Baptism not used before p. 202 Dec. XVI Prohibits Old Testatament some few excepted and Heathenish Names to be given to Children ordering those of the New according to the Christian Oeconomy p. 204 Dec. XVII Orders Children to be called by no other Names than those they were Christened by p. 206 Dec. XVIII Commands that Children be Christened in order as they are brought to Church without any distinction of Persons p. 206 Dec. XIX Commands the building of Fonts p. 207 Dec. XX. register-Register-Books to be used in all Churches and their Use p. 208 The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Confirmation p. 209 Dec. I. The Sacrament of Confirmation commanded to be used p. 213 Dec. II. Denounces Excommunication against all those that speak against it or vilify it p. 214 Dec. III. God-Fathers and God-Mothers of what 〈◊〉 to be used in Confirmation 〈◊〉 Chrism as well as Baptism p. 216 ACTION V. The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist p. 217 Dec. I. The Holy Eucharist when to be Celebrated p. 220 Dec. II. All Christians above the Age of 14 commanded to Receive this Sacrament once a Year at least p. 222. Dec. III. None to Receive before Confession to a Lawful Priest p. 223 Dec. IV. Commands to Receive Fasting with some Limitation p. 224 Dec. V. The Sacrament to be received as a Viaticum in danger of Death The Vicar that suffers any to die without it though his Fault to be suspended for six Months p. 225 Dec. VI. Women with Child to Confess and Receive a little before their time p. 226 Dec. VII Priests to Communicate once a Month at least in their Surplice and Stole p. 227 Dec. VIII Priests not to Receive the Sacrament before Confession nor say Mass having any scruple of Mortal Sin p. 227 Dec. IX Deacons and Subdeacons when to Receive the Sacrament p. 228 The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass p. 228 Dec. I. Directions for saying Mass and many things in the Chaldaean Missals to be rectified p. 231 Dec. II The Missals of Nestorius Theodorus and Diodoâ—â—s to be burnt p. 245 Dec. III. A grand Error of the Nestorians condemn'd p. 246 Dec. IV. The Roman Mass to be translated iâ—to Syrian and used on particular Occasions c. p. 247. Dec. V. Who to handle the Holy Vessels p 248 Dec. VI. Permits the Stole to none but Deacons p. 248 Dec. VII Orders Stamps to be made in all Churches for the Host p. 249 Dec. VIII Orders what Wine is to be used in celebrating the Eucharist p. 250. Dec. IX The King of Portugal to send a Pipe and an half or two Pipes of Muscatel Wine for the Use of the Sacrament and how to be used p. 250 Dec. X. Stones of the Altar to be consecrated by the Metropolitan p. 252 Dec. XI Holy Vestments to be provided by the Metropolitan out of the Alms of the Parish p. 253 Dec. XII All Persons not having lawful impediment commanded to hear a whole Mass every Sunday and Holyday if c. p. 253 Dec. XIII Directs how often to hear Mass to be capable of the Blessing and such as hear it not so often as directed to be Excommunicate p. 255 Dec. XIV Prohibits Heathen Musicians to remain in the Church after Creed or Sermon is ended p. 256 Dec. XV. Exhorts all to procure Masses to be said for the Souls of their deceased Friends p. 256 ACTION VI. Of the Holy Sacrament of Penance and Extream Unction p. 261 Dec. I. Non-Confession declared a Mortal Sin p. 265 Dec. II. All Persons to come to Confession from Eight Years old and upwards p. 268 Dec. III. All Masters of Families admonished to cause all in their Families to Confess p. 269 Dec. IV. Confession injoin'd upon probable Danger of Death or any great Sickness p. 270 Dec. V. Obliges Women with Child to Confess p. 271 Dec. VI. Orders how those are to be confessed that have the Small-Pox p. 272 Dec. VII Exhorts to frequent Confession p. 272 Dec. VIII Who to take Confessions p. 273 Dec. IX Absolution upon Confession how to be Administred and by whom p. 274 Dec. X. Directs in what Cases Confessors may absolve Penitents p. 275 Dec. XI Excommunication and Absolution when prope p. 277 Dec. XII Priests Confessors to have a written Licence from the Prelate p. 278 Dec. XIII Confessors that understand the Malabar Tongue to be made Use of and why p. 281 Dec. XIV None can absolve in the Sacramental Court but such as took the Confession p. 281 Dec. XV. The Sacramental Form of Absolution not to be used as a Prayer but in its proper Place p. 282 The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Extream Unction p. 282 Dec. I. The use of the Extream Vnction recommended with directions therein p. 285 Dec. II. Confessors
not go over his Threshold to meet the King received him when he came with great Civility and after the Complements were over acquainted him first with his Intention of visiting all the Christian Churches in the Serra in order to reduce them to the true Christian Faith from which they had very much swerved telling him that since great numbers of those Churches were within his Territories he expected his assistance in so good a work of which being assured by the King the Arch-Bishop went on and told him that there was another thing that he must not deny him and that was to put off his War with the Caimal till Cunahle was taken the King gave many reasons why he could not deferr it but the Arch-Bishop prest him so hard upon the point that before they parted he made him promise to disband his Army The Arch-Bishop having put the Affairs of the Siege in a good posture begun to apply himself to the reduction of the Christians of St. Thomas and the first step he made towards it was to send to the Arch-Deacon to come and speak with him at Cochim But after having expected him some days and finding that he neither came himself nor returned him any answer he concluded as well he might that he was afraid to venture himself in that City whereupon he sent him a Letter of safe Conduct swearing he would not question him about any thing that was past The Arch-Deacon upon this occasion Assembled a great number of Caçanares and other considerable Christians to consult together what was best to be done It was agreed on all hands that the Arch-Deacon shou'd go and wait upon his Lordship who was a Person of that Authority as to be able to undo them all at once by depriving them of their Pepper-Trade if they should disoblige him and besides he was able to oblige their Kings who were all very much at his Devotion to Sacrifice all their Lives and Estates to his displeasure and what made them the willinger to comply with him therein was their being confident that they should be quickly rid of his Company since Winter was at hand which they thought would certainly call him to Goa Upon all which Considerations it was agreed That they should give way to his saying of Mass and his Preaching in their Churches which their Books told them was a common Civility that is every where paid to Bishops tho' out of their own Diocesses but as for any Acts of Jurisdiction such as Visiting Conferring Orders Excommunicating and the like if he should pretend to exercise any such Acts as it was to be feared he would that they shou'd then put him off as well as they cou'd with delays until he returned to Goa which they thought he would in two Months at farthest by which means they might without embroiling themselves with so powerful a Prelate wait till they had a Bishop sent them by the Patriarch of Babylon to whom they had writ for one of all which they made a publick Instrument and for their further Security brought together a Body of 3000 brave Men who were all well Armed the Christians of St. Thomas being by much both the stoutest and best Firemen in the Indies as the Portuguezes knew very well which made them be the more zealous to reduce them to the Roman Church in order to make them Subjects to the King of Portugal The Arch-Bishop sent also at the same time to some of their Paniquais some of which have 4000 some 6000 Men at their Command to come and speak with him at Cochim but they instead of going thither took an Oath solemnly to make themselves Amouços after the Custom of the Malavars against him in case he offer'd any violence to their Arch-Deacon or to any other of their Priests When the Malavars devote themselves to be Amouços for any cause they defend it to the last drop of their Blood without either fear or wit With two of these Paniquais and 3000 Men well Armed the Arch-Deacon came to wait upon the Arch-Bishop at Cochim Don Antonio de Noronha the Governour of the City met them without the Gates and conducted them to the Arch-Bishop's Palace The Arch-Deacon when he came before the Arch-Bishop kneeled down and kiss'd his Hand as did all the other Caçanares that were in his Company the two Paniquais were also presented to his Lordship by the Arch-Deacon who when the Arch-Bishop and the Governour and the Arch-Deacon came to sit down placed themselves at the Elbows of the Arch-Bishop's Chair where they stood all the while with their broad Swords naked over his Head The door of the Room where they were being shut to keep out the Crowd those that stood without imagining that it was done to make their Arch-Deacon a Prisoner said to one another this is the time to die for our Arch-Deacon and for the Church of St. Thomas but being assured that their Arch-Deacon was in no danger they were quieted After the hubbub was over and they had discoursed together for some time it was agreed that the Arch-Bishop should go next day to Vaipicotta which upon the account of its having a College of Jesuites in it should be the first Church he should Visit and that the Arch-Deacon with his Caçanares should repair thither immediately The Arch-Bishop having furnished himself with all Necessaries for his Voyage embarked with all his Retinue upon seven Tones or Gallies and Roque de Mello Pereyro who had been Governour of Malaca attended him with two Gallies more and Joan Pereyra de Miranda who was afterwards Governour of Cranganor with one Being arrived at Vaipicotta he was conductâ—d by the Jesuites and their Scholars and the whole Village to the Church where with his Mitre on his Head and his Crosier in his hand he gave them a long Sermon His Text was He that entereth not in by the door c. on which words he told them at length That none were true Pastors but what entered in by the door of the Roman Church and were sent by the Pope who was Christ's Vicar which none of their former Prelates having been who had been all sent to them by the Schismatical Bishops of Babylon they were all Thieves and Murderers of the Flock When he had done his Sermon he bid them come next day to the Church to be confirmed which some did to whom after he had confirmed them he told the news of Purgatory a place most of them had never heard of before All this while no Arch-Deacon appeared who came not to Vaipicotta till two days after the arrival of the Arch-Bishop He had delayed his coming on purpose that he might not by his presence seem to consent to any of those things which he knew the Arch-Bishop would offer to do at that place Tho' the Arch-Bishop knew well enough what it was that had made the Arch-Deacon loiter so behind yet he dissembled so far as to receive him very kindly treating with him about
only dwell in Christ as in a Temple The Arch-Deacon returned no answer to this but passing to another point said to the Arch-Bishop Your Grace would fain perswade us likewise that none can be saved out of the Obedience of the Roman Church which is what St. John no where saith that ever I could see besides we have in our Archives a Letter of St. Caius Bishop of Rome wherein he confesseth that he had nothing to do with the Church of Babylon no more than the Church of Babylon had to do with his Church We have also another Letter which is called in our Books the Letter of the Lord's-day because it is said upon that day to have fallen down from Heaven wherein the same Truth is affirmed Here the Arch-Bishop run into a long discourse of the Primacy of St. Peter and of the Pope's being his Successor and Christ's Vicar upon Earth after which they came at last to this Agreement That as to matters of Faith a Synod should be called to determine them and that in the mean while the Arch-Bishop might if he pleased give the Blessing and Preach in any of their Churches but should not be received in them as their Prelate but as a Bishop that was a Stranger neither should he pretend to Confirm or do any other Episcopal Act within that Diocess This Agreement was Signed by the Arch-Bishop and the Arch-Deacon and all the Caçanares who were present with a Declaration that the Synod should be Celebrated before Whitsuntide and that the Arch-Deacon should no longer stir up the People against him nor go attended with such Troops of Armed Men as he had done formerly This Agreement being Signed the Arch-Bishop set Sail for Canhur whither the Arch-Deacon went by Land not daring to trust himself by Water where he would have been in the Power of the Portuguezes At Canhur he was received very friendly by the Christians who had been told by the Arch-Deacon that he did not pretend to come among them as their Prelate but only as a Stranger but tho' he kept to his Agreement so far as not to offer to do any thing but give the Blessing and Preach yet in his Sermon which was a very long one he talked so much of the Roman Church and its Supremacy and of the obligation all Churches were under to submit to it that the whole Congregation were much offended with him the Arch-Deacon was likewise discontented with it and being Sick or at least pretending he was returned to Cheguree to be cured and the Arch-Bishop having other work on his hands was willing enough to dismiss him who in pursuance of the Instruction he brought with him from Goa was obliged to hasten to Coulaon a Fortress belonging to the Portuguezes to see in what condition it was and to take some course to have the Fort the King of Travancor was building in its Neighbourhood and would much incommode it demolished On the first of March he set Sail for a Castle that is within two Leagues of Cochim where the Governour and Bishop of the City met him to whom having communicated his Designs he Sailed directly for Porcoa where the King of the Country had been some days expecting him he went to a Church that was there in the Evening where he was kindly received by the Christians the King who professed a great Friendship for the Portuguezes having Commanded them upon pain of his displeasure to comply with the Arch-Bishop in all things After having Preached he went to Lodge at the House of the Caçanar whither the King came at Night to visit him the Arch-Bishop entertained him very friendly and thanked him for the kindness he had shewed to the Christians of St. Thomas and their Churches and for having cleared his Coast of Pyrates the King after some Complements desired to be admitted to the Honour of being a Brother in Arms to the King of Portugal as the King of Cochim had been The Arch-Bishop told him that was an Honour the King of Portugal never did to any King before he had merited it by some signal Service however he promised to do all that lay in his Power to help him to it Next Morning the Arch-Bishap went to Church where he said Mass and afterwards confirmed the whole Congregation notwithstanding his late solemn Promise to the contrary as indeed none but Fools will ever expect that Papists will observe any such Promises longer than the first opportunity they have to break them From Porcoa he sailed directly to Coulaon where under pretence of visiting a Church that stood near the Fort the King of Travancor was building he took a view of the Fort and finding it was near finished and would in a few days have a Garrison put in it he immediately dispatched away a Messenger to the Captain General of the Fleet and Troops that were before Cunahle to come forthwith with his whole Armada to demolish the said Fort which if he came quickly he might do with great ease for that he would find none in it but Workmen Now you must know that the Arch-Bishop when he was last at the Bar of Cunahle notwithstanding that the King of Travancor and the Portuguezes were at that time in Peace had left a private Order with the General that so soon as he was Master of Cunahle he should set Sail immediately with the whole Armada and demolish this Fort which by reason of Cunahle's not being yet taken had not been executed But while the Arch-Bishop was expecting the Captain-General he received the bad news of a great slaughter of Portuguezes in an Attack they had made upon Cunahle and that the Captain-General was retired to Cochim to have his wounded Men cured from whence he intended to come and wait upon him for further Orders The Arch-Bishop was extreamly troubled at this News as well upon the account of the great numbers of Persons of Quality that had been killed in the Action as because he feared it would very much hearten the Kings of Malabar who had till then still looked upon the Portuguezes as Invincible Wherefore to prevent the ill effects that the true News of this Defeat might have upon the Minds of the Princes of Malabar he dispatched Letters immediately to all of them to acquaint them with the great Victory the Portuguezes had obtained before Cunahle and tho' he acknowledged that it was purchased with the Blood of several brave Men among whom were some of his own Kindred who were very dear to him yet he did not doubt but that they would infallibly carry the Place at the next Attack they made These tricks of the Arch-Bishop coming so thick one upon the neck of another for here we have no fewer than three of them in less than a Fortnight puts me in mind of what Manuel de Faria saith of him in the 3d. Tome of his Asia Portuguesa which I shall give the Reader in his own words Este illustre Prelado estuviera yo por
and Praises bestowed upon them the Heads of the said Sect. Therefore the Synod in Virtue of Holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred doth prohibit all Priests and Curates and all other Persons as well Secular as Ecclesiasticks in this Diocess at any time either in common or in particular to commemorate any of the foresaid Hereticks or to keep a day to them or to celebrate their Festivities with any Solemnity or to make any mention of them in the Divine Offices or in the Mass or any where else or to direct any Prayers to them either in common or particular or to make any Vows Promises Offerings or any Nercha's to them or to have their Images either in the Churches or in their Houses and in no wise to give them that Worship and Veneration which is due to Saints and that they raze their Names out of their Books Calendars and Offices and that their Masses be cut out of their Breviaries and Missals and burnt and their Commemorations extinguished that so their Memory may perish among the faithful all of them having been cursed and excommunicate Hereticks and condemned by Holy Mother Church and are * At this time burning This rash Judgment brings to my mind what the Conde de Ereicera in his History printed about fourteen years ago at Lisbon said of King Charles having spent some time in Devotion upon the Scaffold that seeing he died a Heretick that Devotion was of no other benefit to him but as it prolonged his life a few minutes But tho' our Princes for I have reason to believe they heard of it did not think fit to resent this Sauciness as well as Impiety so far as to have the Author questioned for it yet it would seem that God would not suffer it to go long unpunished who a few years after suffered that great Minister to go out of the World after such a manner that they must have a great deal of Charity indeed that can think well of the future state of his Soul for the unhappy Man Murthered himself which is a thing that very seldom happens in Portugal at this time burning in the torments of Hell for their Crimes and Heresies and for their having been the †Followers of such The Church of Rome is not without Hereticks in her Martyrologies and Calendars for not to speak of Eusebius Caesariensis St. George Lucifer Calaritanus Barsanuphius and others the Learned Valesius in his Tract of the Roman Martyrology gives the following Account of Theodotus Bishop of Laodicea Jam vero illa quae in dicto Martyrologio Adonis sc Roswedi leguntur secundo die Novembris Laodiceae Theodoti Episcopi qui arte Medicus fuit descripta sunt ex Ruffini lib 7. cap. ult Sed Compilator iste non animadvertit Theodotum hunc Laodiâ—eae Episcopum cujus eo loco laudationem intexuit Eusebius Arianarum partium praecipuum fautorem fuisse quippe qui ab initio Arianum dogma tutatus est post Nicaenum Concilium conspiratione cum Arianis factâ Eustathium de Antiochenâ sede dejecerit ut scribit Theodoretus lib. 1. hist cap. 24. Hic est Theodotus cui Eusebius libros suos de Praeparatione Evangelicâ nuncupavit cujus meminit Suidas in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem quoque Error irrepsit in Martyrologium Romanum quod Patrum memoriâ jussu Sixti quinti editum Baronii notationibus illustratum est nec satis mirari possum quonam modo id Baronii diligentiam fugerit Furthermore The Church of Rome has several Saints in her present Calendars and Martyrologies that were never in being or were never of humane race and here not to mention St. Almanakius or St. Almanak upon the 1st of January nor St. Zinoris on the 24th of the same Month on the 24th of July in the present Reformed Roman Martyrology it is said Amiterni in vestinis Passio Sanctâ—rum Militum Octoginta trium among whom as Baronius learnedly observes Florentinus and Foelix were two of the most Eminent Now in the ancient Martyrology published by Maria Florentinus it is said upon the same day It Amiterninâ civitate Miliario 83º ab urbe Romanâ via Salutaria natalis Sancti Victorini and in another ancient one called Martinianâ—â— it is writ In Amiterninâ civitate Mil. 83 ab urbe Romana via Salutaria Sancti Victurini and in the Queen of Sweden's Martyrology is writ In Amiterna civitate Mil. 83 ab urbe Roma Sancti Victurini and in the Corbey Martyrology thus In Amiternina civitate Miliario Octogesimo tertio ab urbe Româ— via Salutaria natalis Sancti Victorini Martyris So that here we have Eighty-three Italian Miles Canonized and made Eighty-three Martyrs and Souldiers with their Captain and Lieutenants Names Again On the 16th of Feb. in the present Reformed Roman Martyrology it is said In Aegypto Sancti Juliani Martyris cum aliis quinque Millibus Now if this is the Julianus that was Pamphilius's Companion as doubtless it is they must then have encreased his Company mightily for they were but five that suffered with him in Aegypt who it is probable were Souldiers and so the contracted word Mill. came to be taken for Mille This makes me suspect that there may be some such mistake in St. Vrsula's Army of Eleven thousand Virgins For some of her Saints who were Heathens see the Remarks upon 25 Decree Act. 8. followers of such a cursed Sect the Synod doth furthermore command that instead of them on the Friday next after the Nativity St. Athanasius St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Basil St. John Chrysostom and St. Cyril of Alexandria shall be Commemorated and on the seventh Friday following St. Austin St. Ambrose St. Gregory and St. Ephrem who was mentioned by them among the Hereticks and on Wednesdays All-Saints and Confessors together and in the Commemorations of the Divine Offices and Mass they shall Commemorate all the forenamed Saints in the place of the above-mentioned Hereticks neither shall any one that shall presume to do the contrary be absolved from the Censures he has incurred until he hath undergone a condign Penance or such a one as his Prelate shall think fit to impose upon him and shall thereupon be obliged to curse all the said Hereticks and their damnable Sect and to make Oath of the Faith publickly and to submit to all other punishments that his Rebellion shall deserve and if he is an Ecclesiastick he shall moreover be suspended from his Orders and Benefices and punished according to the Holy Canons Decree X. WHereas the Church of Angamale called the Archbishop's was built by Mar-Abraham and dedicated to Hormisda the Abbot commonly called St. Hormusio who was a Nestorian Heretick and a great Ring-leader of that Sect and for that reason was abhorred by all Catholicks who are called Romans as is reported in his Life writ in the Surian Tongue and which was ordained to be burnt by the most Illustrious
all that are subject to her are immediately under Christ without owing any reverence to the Roman Bishop they say likewise That the Roman Church is fallen from the Faith having perverted the Canons of the Apostles by the force of Heretical Emperors Arms and that the Romans are Hereticks for not celebrating in leavened Bread which has been the inviolable Custom of the Church derived from our Saviour and his Holy Apostles that all the Bishops that followed Nestorius ought to be much esteemed and when named to be stiled Saints and to have their Reliques reverenced That Matrimony is not a Sacrament that it may be dissolved for the bad conditions of the Parties That Vsury is Lawful and there is no Sin in it Also the Book of Timothy the Patriarch where in three Chapters The most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is blasphemed it being impiously asserted in them That the true Body of our Lord Christ is not there but only the Figure thereof Also the Letter which they pretend came down from Heaven called the Letter of the Lord's day wherein the Roman Church is accused of having fallen from the Faith and having violated the Domingo or Lord's-day Letter Also the Book called Maclamatas wherein the distinction of two Persons in Christ and the accedental Union of the Incarnation are pretended to be proved at large and are confirmed with several false and Blasphemous Similitudes Also the Book intituled Vguarda or the Rose wherein it is said That there are two Persons in Christ that the Union of the Incarnation was Accidental that our Lady brought forth with Pain and the Sons of Joseph which he had by his other Wife being in company went for a Midwife to her with other Blasphemies Also the Book intituled Camiz wherein it is said That the Divine Word and the Son of the Virgin are not the same and that our Lady brought forth with Pain Also the Book intituled Menra wherein it is said That our Lord Christ is only the Image of the Word that the Substance of God dwelt in Christ as in a Temple that Christ is next to the Divinity that Christ was made the Companion of God Also the Book of Orders wherein it is said That the Form and not the Matter is necessary to Orders and the Forms therein are likewise Erroneous that there are only two Orders Diaconate and Priesthood that Altars of Wood and not of Stone are to be Consecrated there are also Prayers in it for those that are converted from any other Sect to Nestorianism in form of an Absolution from the Excommunication they had incurred for not having followed Nestorius and of a reconciliation to the Church Also the Book of Homilies wherein it is said That the Holy Eucharist is only the Image of Christ and is distinguished from him as an Image is from a true Man and that the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ is not there nor no where else but in Heaven That the whole Trinity was Incarnate that Christ is only the Temple of the Divinity and God only by Representation that the Soul of Christ descended not into Hell but was carried to the Paradise of Eden that whosoever affirms the contrary errs and that we therefore err in our Creed There are therein likewise some Letters of some Heretical Synods in which it is said That the Patriarch of Babylon is not subject to the Roman Bishop with an Oath to be taken to the said Patriarch as the Head of the Church wherein People Swear to obey him and him only and not the Bishop of Rome Also a Book intituled An Exposition of the Gospels wherein it is every where pretended to be proved That there are two Persons in Christ and that Christ as a pure Creature was obliged to adore God and stood in need of Prayer that he was the Temple of the most Holy Trinity that Christ's Soul when he died descended not into Hell but was carried to the Paradise of Eden which was the place he promised to the Thief on the Cross That our Lady the Virgin deserved to be reproved for having vainly imagined that she was Mother to one that was to be a great King looking upon Christ as no other than a pure Man and presuming that he was to have a Temporal Empire as well as the resâ— of the Jews That the Evangelists did not Record all Christ's Actions in Truth as they were they not having been present at several of them which was the reason why they differed from one another so much That the Wise Men that came from the East received no favour from God for the Journey they took neither did they believe in Christ that Christ was the adopted Son of God it being as impossible that he should be Gods Natural Son as it is that Just Men should be so that he received new Grace in Baptism which he had not before that he is only the Image of the Word and the pure Temple of the Holy Spirit that the Holy Eucharist is only the Image of the Body of Christ which is only in Heaven at the right hand of the Father and not here on Earth That Christ as pure Man did not know when the day of Judgment was to be That when St. Thomas put his Hand into Christ's Side and said My Lord and my God! he did not speak to Christ for that he that was raised was not God but it was only an Exclamation made to God upon his beholding such a Miracle That the Authority that Christ gave to St. Peter over the Church was the same that he gave to other Priests so that his Successors have no more Power or Jurisdiction than other Bishops That our Lady the Virgin is not the Mother of God That the first Epistle of St. John and that of St. James are not the Writings of thole Holy Apostles but of some other Persons of the same Name and therefore are not Canonical Also the Book of Hormisda Raban who is stiled a Saint wherein it is said That Nestorius was a Saint and Martyr and suffered for the Truth and that St. Cyril who persecuted him was the Priest and Minister of the Devil and is now in Hell That Images are filthy and abominable Idols and ought not to be adored and that St. Cyril as a Heretick invented and introduced them There are also many false Miracles Recorded in this Book which are said to have been wrought by Hormisda in confirmation of the Nestorian Doctrine with an Account of what he suffered from the Catholicks for being obstinate in his Heresy Also the Book of Lots into which they put that they call the Ring of Solomon with a great many more Superstitions for the choice of good Days to Marry upon and for several other uses wherein are contained many Blasphemies and Heathenish Observances as also all other Books of Lots and for chusing of Days the Synod prohibits under the same Censure Also the Book written after the manner of â€
publication thereof shall come to their knowledge to deliver all the Books they have written in the Syrian Tongue either with their own hands or by some other Person to the most Illustrious Metropolitan which they may do at the Visitation that he intends to hold speedily or to Father Francisco Roz of the Society of Jesus Professor of the Syrian Tongue in the College of Vaipicotta or to the said College in order to their being perused and corrected or destroyed as shall be thought most convenient the Books of Common Prayer being excepted which are to be emended in the form abovesaid and under the same Precept of Obedience and pain of Excommunication the Synod does command That no Person of what Condition or Quality soever within this Bishoprick shall presume to translate any Book into the Syrian Tongue without express License from the Prelate with a Declaration of the Book to which it is granted the Books of Holy Scripture and Psalms only excepted and until such time as this Church shall be provided with a Bishop the most Illustrious Metropolitan doth commit the Power of granting all such Licenses to the Reverend Father Francisco Roz of the Society of Jesus by reason of his great skill in those Books and in the Chaldee and Syrian Languages Decree XVII SEeing the Purity of Faith and good Manners doth very much depend on the Doctrine that is preached to the People wherefore the Synod being informed that there are several ignorant Curates who do take upon them to preach and make Discourses in publick wherein they teach several Errors and Heresies that they meet with in Books that they do not understand and several fabulous and Apocryphal things those especially which they take out of the Book of the Infancy of our Saviour and other Apocryphal and Heretical writings doth command that none presume to preach or make any set Discourse to the People but who are Licensed by the Prelate in Writing who shall first examine them diligently as to their sufficiency and Doctrine according to the Holy Council of Trent and when there shall happen to be no Prelate during the vacancy of the See the most Illustrious Metropolitan doth commit the care thereof to the Rector of the Jesuits College of Vaipaicotta in this Diocess that so he and such of the Fathers as he shall name may make the said Examinations of which they shall give a Certificate sealed by the Rector and at the next Visitation the Lord Metropolitan shall name such as shall appear to him to be most for the benefit of the People of this Bishoprick in order to their being rightly instructed and whosoever shall without having undergone such an Examination and without having obtained a License thereupon in writing under the hand of the Bishop or Prelate presume to preach or make any Discourses to the People shall be suspended from their Office and Benefice for a Year nevertheless all Vicars may in their own Churches make such Discourses to their People as they shall judge necessary out of the Holy Scriptures and other approved Books to which end the Synod doth earnestly desire that there may be a Catechism made in the Malabar Tongue out of which there may be every Sunday something read to the People And whereas the Synod is informed that the most Illustrious Metropolitan is already about such a Work and has reason to hope that it may be done by the end of the Visitation it doth command so soon as it is finished and published That all Vicars do every Sunday at the time of Offering or before or after Mass read a Chapter of the same to the People in conformity to the Orders they shall receive Decree XVIII WHereas through the Ignorance and bad Doctrines of the Priests of this Diocess occasioned by their having been accustomed to read Heretical and Apocryphal Books they do many times deliver Errors and fabulous Stories in their Sermons and Admonitions to the People without knowing what they say themselves Therefore to prevent the Peoples being mis-taught the Synod doth command That whensoever it should be proved to the Prelate that any such thing has been delivered in publick or in any Congregation that the Prelate having drawn up a Form of Recantation in Writing shall send to the said Curates or the Persons that have delivered such things commanding them to retract and unsay the same in publick either by reading the said Recantation or by declaring the Contents of it to the People and teaching them the Truth which if any shall refuse to do which God forbid they shall be declared Excommunicate and shall be punished according to the Holy Canons and the quality of the Matter they delivered which shall be executed with great rigour if it shall appear to have been spoke with Knowledge and Malice but where it shall be found to have flow'd from Ignorance and an innocent Mind it shall suffice that a ready Obedience be paid to the said Satisfaction and Recantation Decree XIX THe Synod having been informed of several Meetings that were in this Diocess upon the death of Bishop Mar-Abraham in which both publick and private Oaths were taken against yielding Obedience to the Holy Roman Church several Curates and others obliging themselves never to consent to any change either in the Government of the Bishoprick or in matters of Faith nor to receive any Bishop that should be sent to them by the Holy Apostolical See or by any other way than by the Order of the Schismatical Heretical Nestorian Patriarch of Babylon with several other particulars contrary to the Sacred Canons and the Obedience that is due to the most Holy Roman Pontificate doth declare all * Such Oaths We may see by this what doughty Securities Promises or Oaths made to defend a Church that is not Popish are in the opinion of Papists such Oaths or any other taken or that shall be taken in the same manner to be void and of no force and that they do not only not oblige the Consciences of those that have taken them but that as they were rashly and maliciously taken so it is an Impiety and Schism to keep them denouncing the Sentence of the greater Excommunication upon all those that made them or took them This Synod having above all other things promised and sworn to yield Obedience to the Commands of the Pope and the Holy Apostolical See according to the Holy Canons and never to receive any Bishop or Prelate but what shall be sent by the Holy Roman Church to which it of right belongs to provide Prelates and Bishops to all the Churches in the World and to receive those that he shall send without any doubt or scruple acknowledging them for the true Prelates and Pastors of their Souls without waiting for any other Order besides that of the Bishop of Rome notwithstanding any impious Oaths that may have been made at any time to the contrary Decree XX. THis present Synod together with all the
married a Widow nor be Boys that are not come to perfect Age all which is ordered for just Reasons and Considerations and out of respect to the high Mystery wherein they are exercised Decree I. WHereas it has been hitherto the Custom of this Diocess to ordain Boys even Priests and that without examining their Lives and Manners having for Money and not for any extraordinary sufficiency all the Orders Inferiour as well as Holy conferred upon them in one day contrary to the Holy Canons and the Laws of the Church Therefore the Synod doth command That from henceforward none be ordained but what have first been examined as to their Sufficiency Lives and Manners which shall be done by the Prelate or by some appointed by him fearing God and who are observers of the Holy Canons and the Forms of the Holy Council of Trent And whereas in the said Council it is commanded That none be ordained Sub-Deacon under Two and Twenty nor Deacon under Three and Twenty nor Priest till they are Five and Twenty this Synod doth command the same to be inviolably observed declaring that no Prelate can dispense therewith without being particularly impowered and authorized thereunto by the Apostolical See And forasmuch as there are great numbers in this Diocess that have been ordained before they were at that Age the Synod suspends all such whether Priests Deacons or Sub-Deacons from the exercise of their several Functions until such time as they have perfectly attained to it they shall nevertheless hold their Places and reap the benefits thereof in the same manner as if they were in the exercise of their Functions And as to their Sufficiency the Synod doth declare That as the Council of Trent requires that all that are ordained do understand Latin so in this Diocess it is required that all that are ordained if they do not understand Latin should understand Syrian Neither shall any Syrian that does not understand it so well as to be able to read and sing it so as to understand what they say in the Offices be admitted into Orders or at least not into those that are Holy Decree II. ALL that are in Orders in this Diocess having been Simonaically ordained in having pay'd a certain price upon a formal Bargain for their Orders have thereby incurr'd the grievous punishments of the Law Nevertheless in consideration of their Ignorance and the false Doctrine wherein they have been educated by theiâ— former Prelates the Most Reverend Metropolitan both by his ordinary Authority this See being vacant and the Apostolical Authority committed to him over this Church doth Absolve all that have been so ordained from all Penalties and Censures which by the Law they have incurr'd by having been Simonaically ordained commanding them to have no further scruples about that matter and dispensing with them all as to the exercise of their Orders so that they may lawfully officiate as in right they may and ought to do Decree III. THe Synod being informed that there are several Priests who tho' infected with the Leprosie and miserably deformed thereby do presume to Celebrate to the great loathing of the People and to handle the Holy Vessels and Vestments to the endangering of the health of others doth command That none that are notoriously Leprous do presume to Celebrate â—ll such being irregular according to the Law of Corporal defects on the account of the disgust they give to People when they see them Celebrate in such a condition and receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar at their â—ands Decree IV. WHereas it is the custom to receive the Casture or Blessing from the hands of the oldest Clergy-man that officiates in the Quire and for all that are present to return it to him which according to the usage of this Diocess contains in it a Symbol of Charity Communion and Brotherly Love the Synod being informed that there are those who not being in Charity with their Neighbours do not speak to them nor take them by the hand and do neither give nor take the Casture from them thereby discovering that they live in malice with their Neighbours denying them the ordinary Ecclesiastical Salutation used in the Church of this Diocess doth command that all that shall refuse to give or receive the same be punished by the Prelate as Persons living in hatred or out of charity with their Neighbours and that until such time as they shall give the said Casture they shall not be suffered to come to the Altar according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ Neither shall they be permitted to officiate or Minister in the Church neither shall the Blessing be given them until they have effectually reconciled themselves to their Brother Decree V. WHereas it is the Precept of the Universal Church that all that are in Holy Orders do recite the whole Divine Office and the usage of this Diocess is to recite it only when they go to Church and there tho' it happen to be near ended before they come having heard a little to go away immediately reckoning they have complied with their Obligation tho' they do not say over what they were not present at there being very few that recite the Divine Office in their Houses some imagining that they are not bound to do it any where but in the Church and others excusing themselves for want of Books there being but very few and those that are are in Manuscript in this Bishoprick therefore the Synod doth declare That all that are in Holy Orders are obliged upon pain of Mortal Sin to recite the whole Divine Office as it is recited in the Church and that all such as shall come late shall be obliged to recite what they have missed and if they do not recite it in the Church they shall do it at home in their Houses having the conveniency of a Book which being what a great many do want the Synod obligeth all such to recite the said Divine Office by Beads that so there may be none but what perform this duty either by Book or Beads And tho' the Divine Office consists of seven distinct Canonical hours yet in this Church in conformity to the Breviary thereof they shall only recite one part at two times in the Morning and the other part in the Evening without making any other difference in the Divine Office besides that of repeating one part thereof in the Morning and the other in the Evening and whereas they who have no Books are to recite with Beads such beginning in the Morning as the Divine Office is begun in the Church shall say Thirty-three Pater Nosters and as many Ave Maries with the Gloria Patri c. in the Morning and when they are ended they shall moreover say twelve Pater Nosters and twelve Ave Maries for the Souls of the Faithful departed and one Pater Noster and one Ave Mary for the Pope and the same for the Bishop instead of the Prayers that are said
he has vouchsafed to me and you and all the faithful People of this Bishoprick in permitting us to celebrate this Synod maugre all the impediments which Satan the enemy of Souls had created to obstruct it by stirring up Contentions and Debates on purpose to separate this Christianity from the Vnion of the Catholick Church and to keep them in their old Errors as you all very well know I do also give many thanks to God for his having been pleased to order Matters so that this whole Affair should end with so much Joy Peace and Concord as you all see it does and so much to the sorrow of Infidel and Idolatrous Kings and of all the other Enemies of our Holy Catholick Faith I do also thank you my most dear Brethren and fellow Priests and Coadjutors and you my beloved Sons the Procurators of the People and all the other principal Persons who have been present at this Synod that not regarding the troubles of the Ways and Times nor the displeasure of the Kings to whom you are subject you have as true Christians desirous of Salvation over-looked all those Inconveniencies and obeyed our Precept in assembling your selves together to treat about the good of your Souls for which God will reward you with Eternal Life if you persevere in the purity of the Faith you have here profest and which you have been taught by this Synod and shall conform your Lives and Manners to its Decrees I trust in the Lord that he will carry you back safe to your Houses and bless you and your Families and Posterity for ever which God of his infinite Grace and Mercy grant Amen This Discourse being ended the most Reverend Metropolitan rose up and with abundance of tears gave his solemn Blessing to the People and after that the Arch-Deacon with a loud voice said Let us depart in peace to which the whole Synod answered in the name of Christ Amen And thus the Diocesan Synod ended the 26th of June in the Year 1599 to the Honour and Praise of our Lord Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth for ever Amen The Synod being ended in conformity to what had been ordained therein there was given to every one of the Vicars that was nominated to any Church by the most Reverend Metropolitan a Stone Altar Consecrated by his Lordship for that purpose their former Altars not having been duly Consecrated as also a Box with the Vessels of Holy Oils together with Directions how to use them There was moreover a Book of the Administration of the Sacraments according to the Roman use translated into Chaldee and Syrian given to every Vicar and another which contained the whole Christian Doctrine in the Malabar Tongue for the instruction of Children and others as also a Surplice to be used in the administration of Sacraments which was what had never been in use among them the Churches were also furnished with Corporals Vestments Frontals Cups and what-ever else was necessary to the Ministry of the Altar all which were wanting in most Churches and all the Controversies whether betwixt Corporations or particular Persons that were brought before the Synod were decided by the most Reverend Metropolitan and his Assessors after which they all departed in peace The most Reverend Metropolitan as soon as the Synod was ended begun his Visitation of all the Churches in the Diocess in order to put the Decrees of the Synod in execution reciting the principal and most necessary of them in every Church and delivering the Books Breviaries and Missals as well of th◠Churches as of particular Persons every where and burning the Books condemned by the Synod and correcting others puting the Vicars in possession of their Churches who were every where received as such by the People who settled Revenues upon them of which together with what was given them by the most Reverend Metropolitan they made Ollas or Instruments in the Churches creating four Church-wardens and opening the Church Boxes and in a word ordering whatever was necessary to be done The Clergy who had not been present at the Synod made a profession of the Faith the Confessors were examined and had Licences given them in writing according to their abilities and the necessity of the Church prohibiting all others to hear Confessions Where there was a Font they also Baptized all the Children that they found unchristened and had those brought in that were in the Heaths where there were many that were Eight and Ten Years old unchristened They Confirmed the whole People and Absolved all that were Excommunicate many of which according to their custom had continued so for twenty or thirty Years and especially for Murther for which they never grant Absolution no not at the hour of death the Metropolitan preached every day to Christians in the Church and to Infidels who flocked to see him in the Church Porch treating with them about Baptism when he came to say Ingredimini in Sanctam Dei Ecclesiam several of which he persuaded to turn Christians who after having learned their Catechism were Baptized by him at other places He Catechized the Children in the Malabar Tongue and finding there was none of them that understood their Catechism he ordered them to be taught it every day out of Books that were kept in the Church Finally where he met with any that were disposed to Marry he Married them and gave Orders about every thing else relating to the Synod which he did in the Form following After the most Reverend Metropolitan had been received by the whole People with great Joy and Festivity according to their fashion and carried in Procession to the Church the way as he went being covered with Cloth or Mats or Boughs of Trees after the common Ceremony of Blessing and Absolution the whole People both Men and Women came with a most profound Humility and Reverence to kiss his Hands and to yield Obedience to him he went to Church betimes in the Morning with the whole Clergy and People where after having Confessed himself before the High Altar which he did for the great need there was of having those Christians instructed in the Sacrament of Confession which was in use among them but in few places he said Mass When Mass was ended Father Francisco Roz Master of the Chaldean and Syrian Languages in the Jesuites College at Vaipicotta with the rest of the Fathers deputed to that Work and some of the most learned Caçanares assembled together in the Sacristy or in some other place appointed where in obedience to the Excommunication of the Synod all the Syrian Books were brought before them as well those that belonged to the Churches as those belonging to private Persons all which were emended delivering those which were condemned by the Synod to the Metropolitan who burnt them all The Metropolitan having in the mean time put on his Pontificals sat down and Preached at length to the People all the necessary
who himself complained That for want of it he was forc'd to prattle more like a Child than preach like an Apostle among the Infidels shou'd commence so powerful a Preacher among the Malabars the very first Year of his being in the Indies a Year being a very short time for a Man to make himself so far Master of a strange Language as to be able to Preach therein to any purpose But tho' the Christians of St. Thomas did not deny to send their Sons to this College several of whom after their having been taught Latin were Ordained Priests according to the Roman Rites Yet this had little or no effect as to the reducing of that Church to the Papal Obedience to which they still continued so averse that they treated those Natives with the same disregard that they did the other Latin Priests Thus matters continued with the Church of Malabar till the Year 1587. when the Jesuits imagining the reason why this Christianity was so little benefitted by having several of their Sons bred in the College at Cranganor was their not being taught Chaldee or Syriack which is the Language all their Offices are in did thereupon erect a new College which was built at the sole charge of Antonio Guedes Morales at a place called Chanota or Vaipicotta a Village inhabited by those Christians and which is about a League from Cranganor But notwithstanding the Jesuits by educating several of the Malabars in the Chaldee Tongue and instructing them thorowly in the Latin Faith did qualify them to serve the Roman Church in her Pretensions Yet all this signified very little none that had been educated by them daring so much as to mutter the least Word against any of their ancient Doctrines or in favour of the Roman or to alter any thing in their Offices or forbear praying for the Bishop of Babylon as their Patriarch in the Mass Wherefore the Portuguezes finding that these Christians were not by any thing that Friars could say or do to them to be perswaded out of their ancient Faith or to forsake their present Bishop to submit themselves to the Pope against whom they were so possessed that they cou'd not endure so much as to hear him named resolved at last to try other methods with them that is to try what Violence would do the Method to which Popery where-ever it is owes both its Propagation and Establishment And that they did not betake themselves to this course sooner we are not to imagine was in the least owing to their temper or to any disposition that was in them to try first what fair and gentle means would do for they must know nothing of the Spirit of Popery that can imagine it to be capable of any such thing but it was owing purely to the circumstances of their Affairs for that before their Government had spread it self and taken a good root in those Parts it would not have been safe for them to have made use of those rude and boisterous Methods for the reduction of these Christians which we shall see they did afterwards when they had in a manner gotten that whole Countrey into their own Power In pursuance of the forementioned Resolution the Portuguezes determined to have their Bishop to whose presence among them they attributed their constancy in their ancient Faith seized in order to send him to Rome which was executed accordingly Their Bishop at that time for they had but one of that Order among them was one Mar Joseph who according to ancient Custom had been sent â—â—â—â—er by Mar Audixa Patriarch of Babylon He is acknowledged by the Portuguezes to have reformed divers Abuses in that Church and to have put things in a much better order than he found them in Mar Joseph being brought Prisoner from Cochim to Goa was Embarked upon the first Ships that went to Portugal with an intent of sending him to Rome but being arrived at Lisbon he by his Address and appearances of an extraordinary Sanctity did so far insinuate himself into the favour and good opinion of Dona Caterina who was Queen Regent at that time and of the Infanta Dona Maria that he was sent back by the next Ships to Goa with the Queen Regents Letters ordering him to be permitted to live quietly in his Bishoprick he having promised the Cardinal Infante Don Anrique who was at that time Inquisitor-General and the Pope's Legate à latere to the Crown of Portugal to do all that was in his power towards the reducing of his Diocess to the Roman obedience In the Year 1552 one Tum Siud or Simon Salacan a Monk of the Order of St. Pachomius who pretended to have been chose Patriarch of Mosul or Seleucia Parthorum or Babylon for they are all the same by the whole Clergy of Persia and Assyria came to Rome and submitted himself to the Pope by whom according to some he was consecrated a Bishop tho' others will have it that he had only his Eastern Consecration confirmed and afterwards received the Patriarchal Pallium He presented Letters and a Confession of Faith to the Pope which he pretended were sent by all the Eastern Bishops In the Letters the Pope's Supremacy was exalted as higâ— as if they had been writ by a Parasite Canonist which Letters together with the Confession of Faith were done into Latin and Printed by Masius He gave out also that he was attended by Seventy Persons of note as far as Jerusalem and from thence only by Three whereof one died by the way and another remained sick in the Journey and the third whose name was Calafi came with him to Rome Tum Siud after he was dismissed at Rome instead of returning to Babylon went and lived in an obscure place called Charamet or Amed where in a short time he was put to death by the Mahometans and as it is said at the instigation of the Christians of those Parts who to the great discredit of the pretensions he had made at Rome would never own him nor his Authority But this ill Success did not hinder another Monk of the same Order whose name was Abd Jesu or Hebed who had writ several Books in defence of Nestorianism from coming to Rome with the same pretensions in the Year 1562 and he could never have come in a better time by reason of the Council of Trent being then sitting to which he was sent with great Solemnity to represent nothing less than all the Chaldaean Bishops having before at Rome in their Name made the submission of that whole Church to the Pope This method of making a noise with Mock-Prelates had been made great use of by some former Popes So Eugenius the IV. maintained his tottering reputation against the Council of Basil by an appearance of Graecians and Armenians in the Council of Florence And Paul the III. graced his Translation of the Council from Trent to Bolongia which was so stoutly opposed by the Emperor and Spanish Bishops by sending one Stephen to
reign with Christ in the Heavens are to be venerated and invok'd by the Faithful desiring of God a Remedy for our wants through their Intercession and of them that they would intercede for us which they do daily by offering up our Prayers and Petitions to God That the Bodies and Reliques of Saints ought to be had in veneration in being carefully kept kissed and adored by the Faithful and placed under the Holy Altars and other consecrated places upon the account of their having been lively Members of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit and because they are to be raised again at the day of Judgment and and clothed with Eternal Glory in Heaven and God vouchsafes many Blessings upon Earth by them CHAP. XI FUrthermore That the Images of our Lord Christ and of our Lady the Glorious Virgin Mary and of the Holy Angels that are painted after our manner and of other Saints which the Church believes to be in Heaven ought to be kept and used in all decent places not only in the houses of the Faithful but chiefly in Churches and Altars and to be reverenced and adored with due veneration and with the same that is due to the Persons they represent not that we believe that there is any thing of Divinity or * Virtue If there is nothing of Virtue in one Image more than another why do People go so many hundred miles to pray to some particular Images of the Virgin Mary when there is scarce a Church or Chappel in their way wherein there is not an Image of her Virtue in them for which they ought to be honoured or that we put our Hope and Confidence in them as the * Heathens The Learned Heathens made the very same declaration concerning their worshipping of Images Heathens did in their Idols but because the Honour which we pay to them referrs to what they represent so that in prostrating our selves before their Images we adore Christ and reverence the Saints whose Images they are In like manner we adore the sign of the Cross with the Worship of †Latria The saying that this Latria or Supream worship is only Relative cannot excuse it from being Idolatrous without excusing the grossest Worship among the Heathen it being impossible in Nature to give any other Worship than what is relative to an Image when worshipped as such Martinus Peresius Aila Bishop of Guidez in Spain in the third part of his Book of Traditions p. 223. passeth a severe but just censure upon the Worship here established Cujus doctrinae nullum quod ego viderim afferunt validum fundamentum quod possit fideles ad id quod docent obligari Nam neque Scripturam neque Tracitionem Ecclesiae neque communem sensum sanctorum neque Concilii Generalis determinationem aliquam nec etiam rationem quâ hoc efficaciter suaderi possit adducunt Et p. 226. Certe haud dissimile imò fortè majâ—s scandalum infirmis paratur qui has distinctiones prorsus ignorant nec possunt nisi errando intelligere ut ego ipse in multis simplicibus experimento deprehendi cum ab eis sciscitarer quid de hac re sentirent in eo quod dicitur eâdem adoratione adorandum esse Imaginem quâ rem cujus est Nam cum videant simulachrum operosè sculptum affabrè expolitum in eminenti loco templi positum ipsumque à multitudine veneratum super haec audiant quòd eodem honore debeat honorari quo res cujus est colitur certè in multis simplicibus periculosissimus erroris affectus facilè potest adgenerari quo putent aliquid Numinis latere in imagine sic quoque rei repraesentatae tum nomen tum gloriam ad imaginem facilè possunt transferre quod maximè periculosum esse judico Latria which is due only to God because it is a sign representing the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Cross and which he himself hath told us will be the sign of the Son of Man in the Day of Judgment and with the same Worship of Latria we adore the Images of our Lord Jesus Christ because they represent him CHAP. XII FUrthermore the Church professeth that every Person as soon as he is born hath a Guardian Angel given him whose business it is to excite People to what is good and to deliver them from many evils which they would otherwise have fallen into which Angel protects and accompanies People through their whole lives doing all it can to keep them from Sin and all other Evils that so it may bring them to Eternal Life and is always suggesting good things to their Free Will from which we receive many Blessings as well Spiritual as Temporal notwithstanding we neither see them nor understand how they do it and these we call our Guardian Angels CHAP. XIII FUrthermore That the Catholick Church is one and the same all over the World having for its Pastor the chief Bishop of Rome Successor in the Chair of the Blessed Prince of the Apostles St. Peter to whom and by him to his Successors our Lord Jesus Christ delivered the full power of ruling and governing his whole Church from whence it is that the Roman Church is the Head of the whole Church and the Father Master and Doctor of all Christians and the Prelate of all in common and of all Priests Bishops Archbishops Primates and Patriarchs of whatsoever Church they are as also the Pastor of all Emperors Kings Princes and Lords In a word of all that are Christians and of all the Faithful People Hence it is that all that are not under the Obedience of the said Roman Bishop the Vicar of Christ upon Earth are out of a state of Salvation and shall be condemned to Hell as Hereticks and Schismaticks for their Disobedience to the Commands of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Order that he left in his Church CHAP. XIV FUrthermore that One and the same God is the Author of the New and Old Testament of the Prophets and the Gospels the Saints of both those Testaments being inspired in the Writing of them with the same Holy Spirit and so the Catholick Church receives all the Canonical Books of both Testaments which contain in them nothing but what is infallibly true and was dictated by the Holy Spirit To wit of the Old Testament the five Books of Moses Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy as also Joshua the two Books of Judges Ruth the four Books of Kings the two Books of Chronicles the first Book of Esdras the second which is called Nehemias Tobit Judith Esther Job the Psalms of David being 150 the Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs the Book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus the four greater Prophets viz. Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel the twelve lesser viz. Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi and the first and second of Maccabees and of the New Testament St. Matthew
Learning having never been taught that the Devil tempted Christ before his Fast of forty days which is contrary to the Gospel that St. Joseph to be satisfied whether the Virgin had committed Adultery carried her before the Priests who according to the Law gave her the Water of Jealousie to drink that our Lady brought forth with pain and parting from her Company not being able to go farther she retired to a Stable at Bethlehem that neither our Lady nor any other Saint is in Heaven enjoying God but are all in a Terrestrial Paradise where they are to remain till the day of Judgment with other Errors too many to be related But it is the Synod's pleasure to instance in some of the chief Errors contained in the Books that it condemns that so all may be satisfied of the reason why they are prohibited to be read or kept upon pain of Excommunication and that all may avoid and burn them with the greater Horror and for other just and necessary respects Also the Book of John Barialdan wherein it is said in divers places That there were two Persons a Divine and Humane in Christ which is contrary to the Catholick Faith which confesses one only Divine Person It is also said That the Names of Christ and Emanuel are the Names of the Humane Person only and for that reason that the most sweet Name Jesus is not to be adored that the Union of the Incarnation is common to all the Three Divine Persons who were all Incarnated that our Lord Christ is the adopted and not the Natural Son of God that the Union of the Incarnation is accidental and is only that of Love betwixt the Divine and Humane Persons Also the Book intituled The Procession of the Holy Spirit wherein it is endeavoured to be proved at large that the Holy Spirit proceedeth only from the Father and not from the Son which is contrary to the Catholick Truth which teaches that he proceeds from the Father and the Son Also the Book entituled Margarita Fidei or The Jewel of Faith wherein it is pretended to be proved at large That our Lady the most Holy Virgin neither is nor ought to be stiled the Mother of God but the Mother of Christ that in Christ there are two Persons the one of the Word and the other of Jesus that the Union of the Incarnation is only an accidental Union of Love and Power and not a substantial Union that there are three distinct Faiths which is divided into three Professions the Nestorian Jacobite and Roman that the Nestorian is the true Faith that was taught by the Apostle and that the Roman is false and Heretical and was introduced by force of Arms and the Authority of Heretical Emperors into the greatest part of the World that to Excommunicate Nestorius is to Excommunicate the Apostles and Prophets and the whole Scripture that they that do not believe his Doctrine shall not inherit Eternal Life that they that follow Nestorius received their Faith from the Apostles which has been preserved to this day in the Church of Babylon of the Syrians That Matrimony neither is nor can be a Sacrament that the sign of the Cross is one of the Sacraments of the Church instituted by Christ that the Fire of Hell is Metaphorical not real that the Roman Church is fallen from the Faith condemning it likewise for not celebrating in leavened Bread according to what the Church has received from the Apostles for which it is said the Romans are Hereticks Also the Book of the Fathers wherein it is said That our Lady neither is nor ought to be called the Mother of God that the Patriarch of Babylon of the Nestorians is the Universal Head of the Church immediately under Christ that the Fire of Hell is not real but spiritual that it is Heresie to say that God was born or dyed that there are two Persons in Christ Also a Book of the Life of Abbot Isaias commented by a Nestorian wherein it is said That the Union is common to all the Three Persons that St. Cyril of Alexandria who condemned Nestorius was an impious Heretick and is now in Hell for having taught that there is but One Person in Christ whereas as often as Nestorius Theodorus and Diodorus are named they are stiled Saints and blessed by whose Authority it is there proved that the Saints shall not enjoy God before the day of Judgment and that till then they shall be in an obscure place which they call Eden near to the Terrestrial Paradise and that by so much the worse as any one has been he is tormented * The less for it in Hell This of fixing something that is justly abominable to all Mankind upon her Adversaries has been the constant practice of the Church of Rome So the Emperor Michael Balbus because he was an Enemy to Image-worship is said to have laughed at the Prophets not to have believed there were any Devils and to have placed Judas among the Saints the Templars upon the Pope and the French Kings conspiring together to destroy their Order are said to have obliged all their Novices to blaspheme God to renounce Christ the Virgin Mary and all the Saints in Heaven to spit and trample upon the Crucifix and to declare that Christ was a false Prophet the Albigenses are said to have held it lawful to deny their Faith when interrogated upon it by a Magistrate to have held that promiscuous Venery was lawful but that Matrimony was Hell and Damnation that the Souls of Men were as Mortal as their Bodies that the way of choosing their chief Priests was by tossing an Infant from one to another and that he in whose hands the Infant expired had that Office and that the Devil was unjustly thrown out of Heaven the less for it in Hell by reason of his greater conformity and friendship with the Devils that the Word was not made Man and that it is Blasphemy to affirm it that Christ conquer'd all the Passions of Sin by a Power derived from God and not by his own strength that St. Cyril was a Heretick in teaching that there was but One Person in Christ that the Divine and Humane Nature were united in Christ accidentally by Love that the whole Trinity was incarnated that God dwelt in Christ as in a Rational Temple giving him power to do all the good things he did that the Souls of the Just will be in a Terrestrial Paradise till the day of Judgment that the Wicked when they dye in Mortal Sin are carried to a place called Eden where they suffer only by the sense of the punishments they know they are to undergo after the day of Judgment Also the Book of Synods wherein there is a forged Letter of Pope Caius with false Subscriptions of a great many other Western Bishops directed to those of Babylon wherein it is acknowledged that the Church of Rome ought to be subject to that of Babylon which with
Flos Sanctorum Let their Legends â—e as fabulous as they will I am sure they cannot be worse than those of the Church of Rome namely her Flos Sanctorum which is certainly the dullest Romance that ever saw the Sun Melchior Canus the Bishop of Canaâ—ies in his 11th Book de Locis Theologicis gives this just Character of them Dolenter hoc dico potiùs quà m contumeliosè multo à Laertio severius vitas Philosophorum scriptas quà m à Christianis vitas Sanctorum longéque incorruptiùs integriús Suetonium res Caesarum exposuisse quà m exposuerint Catholici non res dico Imperatorum sed Martyrum Virginum Confessorum Illi enim in prâ—bis aut Philosophis aut Principibus nec vitia nec suspiciones vitiorum tacent in improbis etiam colores virtutum produnt Nostri autem plerique vel affectibus inserviunt vel de industriâ quoque ità multa consingunt ut eorum me nimirum non solùm pâ—deat sed etiam taedeat In illo enim Miraculorum monstra saepiùs quà m vera miracula legas hanc auream sc legendac homo scripsit serrei oris plumbei cordis animi certè parùm severi prudentis Flos Sanctorum wherein are contained the Lives of a great many Nestorian Hereticks who are there called Saints and not only that entire Book but also any of the Lives contained therein which may be current separately namely those of Abraham stiled the Great of George Abbot Cardeg whom they call a Martyr Jacob Abban Saurixo Johanan Gauri Raban Sabacat Ocama Daniel Barcaula Raban Nuna Jacob Rabai the Great Dadixo Jomarusia Schalita Ihab Abimelech the Expositor Abraham another Abraham Natpraya Jobcarder John Ircasca Nestorius Jaunam Barcurra Raban Gabarona Schabibi Barcima Titus Raban Sapor Gregory the Metropolitan George Monach Xahucalmaran Joseph Nathanael Simon Abbot Chabita Zinai Abbot Audixo John Crascaya Barcahade Italaah John Sahadui Aha Xalita Joanacoreta Xari another John Elias Joadarmah Ananixo another John Barhetta Rabai Simeon Narsai Naban Raban Theodorus Rabai Doctor Abda Abolaminer Rabantarsaha of Cadarvi Xuuelmaran Sergiududa Xuuealmaran Dadixo another Abraham Ezekieldasa Rabai Perca David Barnutar Hormisda Pition Salomon Abbot Raban Machixo another George Muchiqua another Abraham Apuimacan Xaurixo Ixosauran Josedec Raban Camixo Bardirta Abbot Abraham Barmaharail George Raban Zliva Abbot Guiriaco Rabanbaut Joseph Abbot Zaca Nasbian Jesus Abbot Aaron Bucatixo Ascan another Abraham Xonxa Abbot Amanixo Gasraya Sahedona Bishop Joseph Azaya Isahaha Bishop Jacob whom they call a Prophet Ixaiahu Eunuco Ramain Jobar Malchi Who were all Nestorian Hereticks and the chief followers of that cursed Sect as is evident from their Lives which are full of Heresies Blasphemies and false and * Fabulous Miracles For people not only to condemn that in others which they themselves are visibly and infinitely more guilty of but to do it with the Air and assurance of an unquestionable Innocency cannot be denied to be no common privilege for were all the false Miracles that have been pretended to be wrought by all the other Sects of Religion put together they would fall infinitely short of what may be met with in any single Saint's Life or in confirmation of any single Doctrine of the Church of Rome most of which too are what Canus said of them rather Monstra Miraculorum than vera Miracula or any thing else fabulous Miracles with which they pretend to Authorize their Sect. Also the Book called Parisman or the Persian Medicine which is full of Sorceries teaching certain Methods whereby one may do mischief to their enemies and may gain Women and for a great many other lewd and prohibited purposes there are likewise in it strange Names of Devils of whom they affirm that whosoever shall carry the Names of seven of them about him writ in a Paper shall be in no danger of any Evil It contains also many * Superstitious Exorcisms I do not think they had an Exorcism in any of their Books that was more absurd than that we meet with in the Sacerdotale Romanum printed at Venice no longer ago than the Year 1576. where the Priest when he meets wiâ—h a sullen Devil that will not tell his Name nor give any account of himself is order'd to fall upon him with Praecipio tibi sub poenâ Excommunicationis majoris minoris ut respondeas dicas mihi Nomen Diem Horam exicûs tui I shall not make that reflection upon this Exorcism which is very obvious at the first hearing of it It was with some such Exorcism as this doubtless that they got out of the Devil that raised the terrible Persecution in Japan that he was sent thither from England where he had been employed a great many Years in persecuting of Roman Catholicks upon which the Jesuit Luys Pineyro the Writer of the Persecution makes this grave Remark That doubtless it is with Devils as it is with Men that some of them have particular Talents for some particular works and that this Devil's Talent must doubtless have lain chiefly towards the raising of bloody Persecutions against Catholicks and the Christian Faith Superstitious Exorcisms for the casting out of Devils mixing some Godly words with others that are not Intelligible and with the Invocation of the most Holy Trinity oftentimes desiring the doing of lewd things and enormous sins joyning the Merits of Nestorius and his followers many times in the same Prayer with those of the blessed Virgin and those of their Devils with those of the Holy Angels all which is very common in this Diocess most Curates having this Book and making use of it to this very day all which sort of Books the Synod prohibits in this Diocess under the forementioned censures and whosoever from henceforwards shall be found to have any of them besides the censure they have incurred thereby shall be severely punished by their Prelate Decree XV. BUt the forementioned Heresies are not only to be met with in these Books but are likewise in the Common Prayer and Breviaries that they use in their Churches which having been composed by Nestorian Hereticks are full of Blasphemies Heresies Fables and Apocryphal stories whereby instead of praising God they are continually blaspheming him in their Divine Offices In the Book called the Great Breviary it is said That the Divine Word did not assume Flesh ignorantly pretending to prove it thus because if the Word had assumed Flesh to what purpose was the Holy Spirit 's overshadowing the Virgin In the same Breviary the whole Office of Advent is Heretical it being every where affirmed therein that Christ had two Persons and calling him continually only the Temple of God and in the Feast of the Nativity there is a proposition in one of the solemn Antiphona's that directly contradicts St. John in which it is said that the Word was not made Flesh and that all that believe the contrary are disobedient to the Church and are obstinate Rebels against the Faith so that
the whole Offices of the Advent and Nativity are little else than pure Blasphemy In the Book of Prayers for the great Fast it is frequently said that there were two Persons a Divine and Humane in Christ It contains also several Commemorations of Nestorius and other Hereticks his Followers affirming Marndeay Theodorus and Diodorus and other Nestorian Hereticks to have been the Followers of St. Ephrem In the Greater Breviary which they call Hudre and Gaza or The Treasure of Prayers it is every where said that there are two Persons in Christ and one representation of the Son of God that he is the Image of the Word and the Temple of the same that the Divine Person did enlighten the Humane and that Christ advanced in Grace and Knowledge by degrees that our Lady never carried God in her Womb as Hereticks affirm Christ being a Man like to others and that she ought not to be called the Mother of God but only the Mother of the second Adam that the whole Trinity assumed Humanity and that St. Matthew taught the Hebrews so that God did not make himself Flesh which he only took as a Dwelling to cover his Glory that God accompanyed Christ on the Cross but had not taken the Humanity neither was it God that suffered that the Word of the Father changed it self into Humanity and by the Son of Mary redeemed Mankind that the Father Eternal took Flesh in the same manner as the Son that the Angel delivered his Message to the Virgin in the Temple and not at Nazareth that the pains of travail opened the Womb of the Virgin who brought forth with labour after the manner of other Women that * In the most holy Sacrament The Christians who live scattered about Mesopotamia and Assyria and whose Patriarch resides at the Monastery of St. Raban Hurnez the Persian in the Gordyaean Mountains 40 miles above Niniveh tho' Eutychians and for that reason Enemies to the Chaldean Christians do agree with them in denying Transubstantiation as appears from the following Prayer taken out of their Missal and communicated to me by my Learned Friend Dr. Hide Angeli homines laudabunt te O Christe Sacrificere pro nobis qui per Sacramenta quae sunt in Ecclesia tua docuisti nos secundum magnificentiam tuam quod sicut in Pane Vino Natura sunt à te distincta in Virtute potentia idem sunt tecum Sic etiam Corpus quod à nobis distinctum est à verbo in substantia cum illo tamen qui accipit illud adunitum est in magnificentia potentia Sic credimus non metuimus ab iniquitate quod in uno sc una Hypostasi sit filius fatemur non est duo sicut improbi id est sicut dicunt Nestoriani non enim in completionibus Sacrificii Corpus Corpus frangimus sed unum per fidem sicut docuisti nos in Evangelio tuo laus tibi qui per Sacramenta tua instruxisti nos ut lauâ—emus nomen tuum Now I take this Testimony against Transubstantiation to be much the stronger for it 's being given by the Eutychians to whose Heresie Transubstantiation had it been believed would have given great Countenance as indeed I cannot but reckon those Hereticks having no where made use of that Doctrine to support their Heresie to be a considerable Argument of its not having been believed either by themselves or by the Orthodox for had the latter believed it tho' they had not done it themselves they could not have failed to have used it as Argumentum ad hominem which is what they have no where done It is true this is only a Negative Argument but it is as true that it is so circumstantiated as to be of equal force with one that is positive So again I do not see how we could have had a clearer proof of Transubstantiation not having been believed either by the Manichees or the Orthodox than we have from the Manichees abstaining from the Cup in the Sacrament for no other reason but because they did not think it lawful to drink Wine and from the Orthodoxes proving against them from that very Institution that it was lawful and endeavouring to convince them by several Arguments that it was their Duty to receive the Cup in the Sacrament and all this without ever so much as once intimating that the Liquor in the Cup when it came to be received was Blood and not Wine in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is not the true Body of Christ with a thousand more Blasphemies about it that Nestorius was a Preacher of Truth and in several places God is praised for having declared the Truth to Theodorus and Diodorus who was Master to Nestorius and in several Prayers they beseech God to chastise those that believe otherwise than Nestorius and his Followers whose Faith they say is founded on St. Peter's and the rest of the Apostles Moreover it is said that the Holy Virgin and her Spouse Joseph appeared before the Priests who could not tell how she had conceived and that Images are Idols and ought not to be adored nor so much as kept in Churches or in Houses of Christians there are likewise Offices of Nestorius and his Followers and Commemorations of several Hereticks In the Office for Priests departed it is sung That in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar there is only the Virtue of Christ but not his true Body and Blood all which Books and Breviaries tho' they do well deserve to be burnt for these and other Errors that they contain yet there being no other at present in this Diocess for the keeping up of Divine Service and the celebration of Religious Offices until such time as they shall be furnished with new Breviaries which the Synod desires they may speedily and that some may be Printed for them at St. Peter's in Rome the Synod doth order them to be corrected and purged from all their Errors and Commemorations of Hereticks and the entire Offices for all such and the Offices of Advent and the Nativity to be entirely tore out of their Breviaries and burnt entreating the most Illustrious Metropolitan to see it done at his next Visitation in all the Churches of the Diocess commanding all Curates in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred to produce the said Books and all the other Books that they have as well of publick as of private Use and of Prayers as well as of the Mass before the said Lord Metropolitan at his Visitation in order to their being corrected by Persons appointed for that work in conformity to what is here ordained Decree XVI FOR the preservation of the Purity of the Faith the Synod does command all Priests Curates and all other Persons of whatsoever Condition or Quality within this Bishoprick in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication within two Months after the
Ecclesiam non Communicant What the Cardinal saith here of these two Practices makes almost the whole Roman Worship at this time to be a meer Novelty the whole of that Worship consisting almost now in Peoples going o Mass upon Sundays and Holy-days which the Church obliges them to not obliging them at the same time to communicate above once a Year and in adoring the Host when the Priest elevates it As to the Priest's putting the Sacrament into the mouth of the Communicants the same Cardinal in the 17th Chap. of his second Book saith Sacra Communio antiquo ritu non ore excipi solebat ut hodiè fit sed manu quam qui susceperat Ori reverenter admovebat As to the Priest's speaking the words of Consecration so low that no body can hear him in his 12th Chap. of the same Book he saith Graeci alii Orientales verba consecrationis elatâ voce pronunciant populus respondet Amen Eundem morem servabat olim Ecclesia Occidentalis omnes enim audiebant verba consecrationis postea statutum est ut Canon submissa voce recitaretur sic desiit ea consuetudo seculo decimo ut conjicio As to the usage of her denying the Cup to the People in the 18th Chap. of his second Book he saith Semper enim ubique ab Ecclesiae primordiis usque ad saeculum duodecimum sub specie panis Vini in Ecclesiis communicârunt fideles coepitque paulatim ejus saeculi initio usus calicis obsolescere plerisque Episcopis eum populo interdicentibus sic paulatim introducta est Communio sub solâ specie panis quod à nullo negari potest qui vel levissimâ rerum Ecclesiasticarum notitiâ imbutus est And as to her making use of Unleavened Bread in the 23d Chap. of his first Book he saith Quod si Veteres Patres percurrere omnem evolvere antiquitatem libeat inveniemus proculdubio sic à tempore Apostolorum de inceps de pane Eucharistico omnes loqui ut non nisi de communi fermentato commodè intelligi explicari queant As to her giving the Sacrament in Wafers in the 23d Chap. of the same Book he saith Vivente Humberto qui floruit Anno 1245. panis consecrandus in Eucharistiâ tantae magnitudinis erat ut ex eo consecratae tot particulae frangi possent quot erant necessariae ad populum communicandum panis qui tradebatur talis fuit ut deglutiri non posset nisi dentibus comminutus And as to her keeping the consecrated Bread or Hosts as she calls them after the Communion is over he saith in the same Book Ne reliquiae Sacramenti superessent saepe decretum est ut tot particulae consecrarentur quot erant parati ad communionem si quid residuum foret à sacerdete seu Ministris commederetur quod si contigerit ut Ministrorum incuria putrescerent statuit Concilium Arelatense apud Joan. X. 2. Cap. 56. ut igne comburatur cinis juxta Altare sepeliatur idque in usu fuisse docet Algerus Lib. 2. Cap. 1. Now I take this acknowledged change of Rites in the Administration of the Eucharist to be a very great Evidence that there has been a Change of belief about it and indeed to have been the Natural Consequence of such a Change and so I believe will any body else that shall consider it impartially changed for others without a great Sin notwithstanding they do not appertain to the Integrity or Essence of the Sacraments there are three that imprint a Spiritual sign on the Soul that can never be blotted out it is called a Character which is the reason why those Sacraments are never to be repeated they are Baptism Confirmation and Orders the other four that is Penitence the Eucharist Extream Vnction and Matrimony imprint no Spiritual Sign in the Soul and so may be repeated with due Order but tho' these seven Sacraments are all Divine and do contain Grace and dispense it to their worthy Receivers deserving our most profound Reverence and Adoration on the account of the Majesty of their Institutor who was our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God as also for the assistance of the Holy Spirit who operates in conjunction with them and for the virtue that is in them for the curing of Souls the Treasure of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ being deposited in them and dispensed to us by their means Nevertheless this does not hinder but that in some respects some of them may be more worthy than others and may deserve a greater reverence and veneration These Sacraments were all instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ before his Ascention into Heaven that so by their means he might communicate Grace and other Spiritual Benefits he had merited for us by his Death on the Cross confirming them to the faithful by his Word and Promises that so by using them lawfully and with due dispositions we might be ascertained of his communicating himself and all the fruits of his Passion to us in every one of them in such a manner as he represents himself in them The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism THe first of all the Sacraments is that of Baptism which is the Gate of the Spiritual Life and that whereby we are made capable of the other Sacraments of which without it we are no ways capable for as a Man must first be born before he can enjoy the good things of the Natural Life so Men before they are born again in Baptism are not capable of enjoying the heavenly advantages of a Spiritual Life it being by Baptism that we are made Members of Christ and are incorporated into the Christian Common-wealth and the Mystical Body of the Church for as by the first man Death came upon all for the Sin of Disobedience committed by him and us for which Sin we were excluded the Kingdom of Heaven and were born Children of Wrath and separated from God so that without being born again of Water and the Spirit we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as Christ himself has taught us so that as we were born Children of Wrath by Baptism we return to be Children of Grace and as we were born in sin the Sons of Men in Baptism we are born the Sons of God all that are baptized in Christ as St. Paul hath it having put on Christ The Matter of this Sacrament is true natural and common Water as of the Sea Rivers Fountains Lakes or Rain and no other tho' never so pure and clean all others being Liquors and not natural Water The Form is I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost The Minister of this Sacrament is a Priest to whom it belongs by virtue of his Office but in case of necessity not only a Priest or Deacon but a Lay-man or Woman nay an Infidel a Mahometan a Heretick or Jew
In a word any Person that can Baptize using the Form of the Church and intending to do what she does may administer this Sacrament For seeing none can be saved without being Baptized therefore as our Lord ordained Water than which nothing is more ready at hand to be the matter of this Sacrament so he would exclude no Man from being the Minister thereof the effects and virtue of this Sacrament is the pardon and remission of all sins Original and Actual and of all punishments due to them for which reason there is no Penance to be enjoyned those that are Baptized for any sin they committed before Baptism all that die after Baptism before they have committed any sin going directly to Heaven where they enjoy the Divine Vision for ever Decree I. WHereas in the Examination of the Forms of the administration of the Sacraments of the Church in this Diocess made by the most Reverend Metropolitan in his last Visitation he found that in divers Churches there were different Forms used and written in the Baptisteries some Curates using the Form following * The Ancient Form of Baptizing was by Prayer N. is Baptized and perfected in the name of the Father Amen in the name of the Son Amen in the name of the Holy Ghost Amen Others using the Greek Form saying Baptizetur servus Christi in nomine Patris Amen in nomine Filii Amen in nomine Spiritûs Sancti Amen The Synod in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred doth command that no Person shall presume hereafter to use either these or any other Forms but that which is used in the Holy Roman Church I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that all other Forms be blotted out of their Baptisteries and Books and this be put in their place Decree II. THis Synod being informed That at divers times they have used different Forms of Baptism in this Diocess which were introduced by Schismatical and Ignorant Prelates some of which were not Legitimate neither was the Sacrament administred by them as was declared by the most Illustrious Metropolitan and others after a strict Examination and others were very doubtful doth therefore in the name of the Holy Ghost desire and command all the faithful Christians of this Diocess to declare to the said Metropolitan at the Visitation he intends to make of the Churches of this Diocess or to Persons deputed by him the time when they were Baptized that so according to the Form that was then used a saving remedy may be provided in conformity to what shall be ordained therein and that all submit themselves to whatsoever he shall be pleased to order Decree III. FOrasmuch as the Synod is informed that there are many Persons in this Diocess and especially among those that live in the Heaths and are far from any Church who tho' they are not Baptized yet being of a Christian race do profess themselves Christians and when they come where there is a Church do go to it and receive the Holy Sacraments with others and out of meer shame of letting it be known that they are not Christened do die without Baptism and others because they will not pay the Fees which are Simoniacally demanded of them It doth therefore command all Vicars of Churches to make diligent inquiry through their whole Parishes and the Heaths to see if there are any that are not Christened besides the search that the most Illustrious Metropolitan does intend at his next Visitation as he did at his former and that the said Vicars on the high Festivals upon which those that live in the Heaths do usually come to Church shall admonish them all in general that in case there are any among them that have never been baptized or that have some reason to doubt whether they have or not that they go to them and acquaint them therewith in private that so they may be secretly Christened and without paying any Fee letting them know that they are not Christians nor capable of inheriting Eternal Life nor of receiving the Holy Sacraments without being baptized and all Preachers shall frequently give the same admonition and all Confessors must be careful to ask all rude Christians that live in the Heaths whether they have been baptized and in case it appear doubtful they shall then baptize them privately The Synod grants the same License to all Priests within or without this Diocess to baptize all such secretly in what place soever they shall think fit Decree IV. THE Synod being informed that there are some small Villages in this Diocess which by reason of the great distance they are at from any Church and through the negligence of their Prelates and Priests tho' they call themselves Christians of St. Thomas because descended of such yet are not Baptized having nothing of Christians but the bare name doth command a diligent enquiry to be made into this matter recommending the same to the most Reverend Metropolitan and commanding all Vicars of Churches to search all places bordering upon their Parishes and to oblige all such to be Baptized The Synod doth likewise command Chappels to be built in or near to all such Villages and to be provided with such Curates as may instruct them in all matters of Faith that so there may be none in all these parts that call themselves Christians of St. Thomas but what are Baptized and of some Parish where they may receive the Sacraments Decree V. BY reason of the great negligence that is so visible in the Christians of this Bishoprick in bringing their Children to be baptized within eight days after they are born according to the Custom of the Church but chiefly among those that live at a considerable distance from any Church whose Children are many times some Months or Years old before they are Christen'd the Synod doth strictly command That all Children be baptized on the 8th day after they are born according to the custom of the Universal Church without there should be some danger of their dying before in which case they ought to be Christened immediately or that it should so happen that if they are not baptized sooner they cannot be in a long time in which case also they ought to be presently Christened and for those that live in Heaths and far from any Church if they should not be able to bring their Children to be baptized on the eighth day they must not fail to bring them betwixt the fifteenth and the twentieth and all that are found to be negligent herein let them be punish'd severely and whosoever shall neglect to bring their own Children or others that they have the charge of tho' their Slaves to Baptism for above a Month let them be thrown out of the Church neither shall it be lawful for any Priest to go to their Houses or to give them the Casturi or a Visit no not in order to
Matters may not be so in the dark as they have been formerly when there was no certain way of coming to the knowledge of Peoples Age which must needs create great scruples in the Minds of such as were to be Married or Ordained The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Confirmation THe Second Sacrament is Confirmation which our Lord Christ instituted in order to the confirming and establishing of Christians in the Faith so that nothing might be able to separate them from it through the Power of the Holy Ghost which is given therein particularly to that effect besides the sanctifying Grace which it gives in common with the other Divine Sacraments the Matter of this Sacrament is the Holy Oyl of Chrism made of the Oyl of the Olive-tree signifying the light and purity of the Conscience and of Balsam which signifies the sweet smell of a good Name both mixed together and blessed by the hand of the Bishop the Form are the words spoke by the Bishop when he dips his Thumb into the said Chrism making therewith the Sign of the Cross on the Forehead of the Person that is confirmed saying I sign thee with the sign of the Cross and do confirm thee with the Chrism of Health in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost to which the Bishop subjoyns three holy and wholsome Prayers wherein he beseeches God to fill those that are confirmed with his Divine Spirit The ordinary Minister of * The English Jesuits who could not endure that the Pope should put a Bishop over them here in England in their Books wherein they laboured to prove that there was no need of one spoke very slightingly of Confirmation affirming it to be a Sacrament that was not enjoyned but only where it might be had very easily that the effects thereof might be abundantly supplyed by the other Sacraments nay by ordinary Assistances that the Chrism in Baptism had not only the signification but all the effects of Confirmation so far at least as to make it not to be very necessary In a word that Confirmation was not simply necessary neither Necessitate Medii nor Necessitate Praecepti so that it was not likely that the want of it in Eâ—â—land was the cause of so many Peoples apostatizing from the Catholick Faith So little do either the Sacraments or the Hierarchy not excepting the Papacy it self signifie when they stand in the way of the Jesuits ambition I do not except the Papacy because when it was generally believed that Clement the VIIIth was resolved to condemn Molina's Book of Scientia Media the Spanish Jesuits endeavoured to ward off that blow by affirming in their publick Conclusions in their College at Complutum that it was not a matter of Faith to believe that Clement the VIIIth was true Pope for which Luisius Turrianus the President of the Disputation the Rector of the College and Vasquez who were present at the Act were all summoned to appear before the Inquisition of Toledo as Gaspar Hortadus Gregory de la Camara and Alvarez de Villegas were to appear at Rome before the Pope for having defended the same Conclusion publickly in the said University much about the same time so that had Clement the VIIIth condemned Molina's Book after the whole order of the Jesuits had espoused the merits thereof so publickly which the Dominicans say he would certainly have done had he but lived a few Months longer Ignatius Loyola appearing to some Jesuits in Spain and assuring them that Molina's Book would never be condemned by any Pope notwithstanding we should have had Simony or some other Nullity found in his Election by the Jesuits before this time By this we see that Jesuits have wherewith to intimidate Popes as well as Princes and Bishops Confirmation is the Bishop for tho' simple Priests may perform several other Unctions this can be done only by a Bishop the Bishops being the Successors of the Apostles by the imposition of whose hands the Holy Ghost was given in the place of which imposition of hands the Church gives Confirmation Christ having so ordained it wherein the Holy Ghost is given likewise Nevertheless by a dispensation from the Holy See and by no other way when there is any very urgent Occasion or when it happens to be necessary for the good of the Faithful simple Priests may confirm with Chrism that has been consecrated by a Bishop in the forementioned Form the effect of this Sacrament is that therein the Holy Ghost is given to the strengthening and fortifying of the Soul as it was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost that Christians may with boldness confess the Name of Christ and his Catholick Faith for which reason the Person confirmed is anointed on the forehead with the Sign of the Cross that being the most open place of the Body and the Seat of Shame and Confusion which is very different from what is done to People when they are baptized who are anointed on the Head People are confirmed on the forehead that they may not be ashamed to confess the Name of Jesus Christ and his Cross which as the Apostle saith is to the Jews an Offence and to the Heathens foolishness this Sacrament differs much from that of Baptism for as by Baptism we are born into the Faith so by this we are confirmed therein for as in the Natural Life to be born is different from growing so in the Spiritual Life it is one thing to be born to Grace and Faith which is done in Baptism and another to encrease and grow stronger therein which is done in Confirmation and so in Baptism we are born to a Spiritual Life and are afterwards prepared and confirmed for our Warfare and do receive so much strength that no dangers or terrors of Punishments or Losses or Torments or Deaths are able to separate us from the Confession of the Name of Christ and of the true Faith we profess Decree I. FOrasmuch as hitherto there has been no use nor so much as Knowledge of the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation among the Christians of this Bishoprick the Heretical Prelates that governed it having neglected to feed the People in a great many cases with wholsome Catholick Food therefore the Synod doth declare That all Persons who are come to the use of reason ought to receive this Holy Sacrament having the opportunity of receiving it at the hands of a Bishop and that all Masters of Families and others having the Charge of Children are in Duty bound to command their Children and Slaves to receive the said Sacrament and that all who out of contumacy or contempt shall refuse to receive it or to order such as belong to them to go to it are guilty of a Mortal Sin and if they neglect it out of a conceit of it 's not being a Sacrament they are Hereticks and Aliens from the true Catholick Faith wherefore the Synod doth command that in the Visitation that is