desired may be handled publickly and in the Congregation those Meetings only excepted which are kept by the People in order to their proposing of Matters to be consulted about according to ancient Custom and the Order of the said Metropolitan ACTION II. ON the second Day after the singing of the Antiphony Psalm Prayers and Hymn as they are in the Roman Pontifical the most Reverend Metropolitan being seated in his Chair said Venerable and Beloved Brethren the Priests and you my dearest Sons in Christ the Procurators and Representatives of the People We having done little more Yesterday than celebrate the Divine Offices and Preach to the People it is fit we should begin to Day to Treat of Matters appertaining to the Synod In the first place of those that belong to the Integrity and Truth of our Holy Catholick Faith and the Profession of the same which before we go about I do again admonish you in our Lord Jesus Christ that all such things as you shall judge to stand in need of Reformation in this Bishoprick or any part thereof may be signified to us or to the Congregation that so with the Divine favour and assistance all things by your Diligence and Charity may be brought into so good Estate as is desired for the praise of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Decree II. THat this Synod may in all things Govern it self according to the Directions of the Holy Canons and tread in the Footsteps of the Holy General Councils and particularly of the Holy Council of Trent upon the knowledge it has of the Necessities of this Church and of the diversity of Opinions that have been hitherto therein concerning Matters of our Holy Catholick Faith and of the Errors contrary thereunto which have been sowed in this Diocess by Hereticks and Schismaticks it doth command all Persons Ecclesiasticks and Seculars called hither either in their own Name or in the Name of others Ecclesiasticks or Laicks of this Bishoprick to make Profession and Oath of the following Faith in the hands of the most Illustrious Metropolitan President of this Synod And for the more effectual execution of this Decree and to provoke others by his own Example the most Illustrious Metropolitan having robed himself in his Pontificals but without his Mitre kneeling down before the Altar and having laid his hands upon a Cross that was upon a Book of the Gospels did in his own Name as the present Prelate and Metropolitan of the Diocess and in the Name of all the Christians belonging to the same and every Person thereof Secular and Ecclesiastick make Profession and Oath of the Faith following which was immediately declared to all that were present The Profession and Oath of the Faith IN the Name of the most Holy and undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost one only true God in the Year of our Lord 1599 in the Seventh Year of the Pontificate of our most Holy Lord Clement VIII Bishop of Rome in the Town of Diamper in the Kingdom of Malabar in the East-Indies in the Church of All Saints on the 21st of June in a Diocesan Synod of the Bishoprick of Serra Assembled by the most Illustrious and Reverend Lord Dom Frey Aleixo de Menezes Arch-Bishop Metropolitan of Goa and the Oriental Parts and the See being vacant of the said Bishoprick I N. do of my own free Will without any manner of force and constraint for the Salvation of my Soul believing it in my heart protest that with a firm Faith I do believe and confess all and every one of the Articles contained in the Symbol of Faith which is used in Holy Mother Roman Church I believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten of his Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down from Heaven and was Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made Man and was Crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of the Father and he shall come again with Glory to Judge both the Quick and the Dead whose Kingdom shall have no end And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of Life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of Sins and I look for the Resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to come I do firmly receive and embrace all Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and all the Observances and Constitutions of the said Church I admit the Holy Scriptures in that sence wherein it has ever been and is still held by Mother Church to whom it belongeth to judge of the true Sence and Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures neither will I either receive or interpret it but according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers I do confess likewise that there are Seven true and proper Sacraments of the New Testament instituted by Christ our Lord which are all necessary to the health of Mankind tho' not to every particular Person they are Baptism Confirmation the Eucharist Order Penance Matrimony and Extream Unction which do all conferr Grace on those that receive them worthily and of these seven Sacraments that Baptism Confirmation and Orders are to be received but once neither can they be repeated without great Sacrilege I admit and receive all the Customs Rites and Ceremonies received and approved of in the Roman Church in the solemn Administration of the said seven Sacraments and do also receive and embrace all in general and every thing in particular that has been defined and declared concerning Original Sin and Justification in the Holy Council of Trent I do likewise confess that in the Mass there is offer'd to God a true and proper Sacrifice of Pardon both for the Quick and the Dead and that in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is the true real and substantial Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and that the whole substance of the Bread is by Consecration turned into the Body of Christ and the whole substance of the Wine into his Blood which Conversion the Catholick Church calls Transubstantiation Moreover I do confess that under each Species Christ is entire and the true Sacrament is received I do constantly hold and confess that there is a * Purgatory John Fisher Bishop of Rochester in his 18th Article against Luther does acknowledge the Doctrine
Imprimatur Geo. Royse R. R. in Christo Patri ac Dom. Dom. Johanni Archiep. Cantuar. à Sacris Domesticis Feb. 12. 1693 4. THE HISTORY OF THE Church of Malabar FROM The time of its being first discover'd by the Portuguezes in the Year 1501. Giving an Account of The Persecutions and Violent Methods of the Roman Prelates to Reduce them to the Subjection of the Church of ROME Together with the SYNOD of DIAMPER Celebrated in the Year of our Lord 1599. With some Remarks upon the Faith and Doctrine of the Christians of St. Thomas in the Indies agreeing with the Church of England in opposition to that of Rome Done out of Portugueze into English By MICHAEL GEDDES Chancellor of the Cathedral Church of SARVM LONDON Printed for Sam. Smith and Benj. Walford at the Prince's-Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1694. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD GILBERT By Divine Providence Lord Bishop of SARVM and Chancellor of the most Noble Order of the GARTER May it please your Lordship WHatever your Thoughts may be of all that can be called mine in this Work I am certain you will approve of the design I had in making it publick which was to satisfie the World That there has always been a considerable visible Church upon Earth that never believed the Doctrines of the Pope's Supremacy Purgatory Transubstantiation Adoration of Images Auricular Confession c. To which good End if this Treatise should any ways contribute as I am persuaded it must I am then secure that for that Reason alone you will pardon any Mistakes I may have made in putting it together as also the Presumption of inviting you to read it by prefixing your great Name to it a thing I should never have ventured to have done had I not found by experience your Lordship's Candor and Goodness to be equal to the known exactness of your Judgment I beg your Lordship's Blessing and am My LORD Your Lordship 's most humble and most obliged Servant MICHAEL GEDDES A TABLE OF THE Principal Matters contained in the HISTORY OF THE Church of Malabar A. ABd-Jesu or Hebed who p. 13. Sent by the Chaldaan Bishops with the Submission of their whole Church to the Pope the Council of Trent then sitting ibid. Abehi a famous Amazon comes to Goa her Character and Business p. 43 Aleixo de Menezes Archbishop of Goa p. 39. desirous to reduce the Christians of St. Thomas to the Obedience of the Roman Church and to that end treats with Jacob Mar Simeon's Vicar General p. 41 42. Writes to Mar Abraham c. ibid. Makes the Arch-Deacon of the Serra Vicar Apostolical of the said Diocess in Conjunction with Francisco Roz and the Rector of the Jesuits College of Vaipicotta against the Pope's express order p. 44. Resolves to go in Person to the Serra and why p 46 52. Writes a Letter to the Arch-Deacon p. 47. Blam'd for imploying the Jesuits makes use of a Franciscan Friar to go to the Arch-Deacon and why p. 51. His Design upon Cunahle p. 52 53. Complimented by the Magistrates of Cochim p. 53. He recommends the Business of Cunahle to them p. 54. His behaviour to the King of Cochim p. 55. Applics himself to the reduction of the Christians of St. Thomas p. 56. Paniquais oppose him p. 58. His reception at Vaipicotta p. 59. His Sermon and Text p. 59 60. Tells them the News of Purgatory p. 60. Resolves to hinder the Malabar Christians to pray for the Patriarch of Babylon p. 61. Excommunicates all that do ibid. Causes the Arch-Deacon and Caçanares to Sign the Excommunication ibid His obstinacy herein p. 63. Confirms some Boys at Faru p. 66. Goes to Mangate but stayed not and why p. 67. Denyed Entrance at Cheguree ibid. Dehorted from his Enterprize ibid. He discourses to the Chegureans of the Pope's Supremacy p. 70. Received friendly at Canhur and why p. 71. Sails for Porcca and is kindly received and why ib. Complimented by the King of the Country who desires to be admitted a Brother in Arms to the King of Portugal p. 72. The Arch Bishop's Answer ib. Breaks his Promise ibid. Goes to Coulaon and why 71 72. Sends to the Captain General to come and demolish it p. 73. A touch of his Treachery and Cunning p. 73 74. His high Posts p 74. A Reflection upon him p. 75. He disappoints the Queen of Changanate ibid. Sails to Cochim and why ibid. Goes to Molandurte p. 76. The King of Cochim jealous of him ibid. The Arch-Bishop Excommunicates him ibid. Sails for Diamper p 78. Designs to confer Orders and when ibid. Writes to the Arch-Deacon to to assist at the Solemnity with the Arch-Deacon's Answer ib. Ordains 37 at Diamper p. 79. Goes to Carturte and what happened in the way p. 80. Gains Itimato Mapula and Itimane Mapula two Brothers to his side ibid. His Answer to the Queen of Pimenta p. 81. A pleasant Scuffle betwixt him and a Caçanar p. 82 83. Resolves to depose the Arch-Deacon but is perswaded to deferr it for Twenty Days p. 83. Names Thomas Curia a Kinsman of the Arch-Deacon's to his place ibid. Makes another Ordination p. 84. Intends a Solemn Procession wherein a Sorcerer undertakes to kill him but is prevented p. 84 85. Invited to the Nercha p. 85. But desires to be excused p. 86. They send him his Portion home and what it was ibid. Applauded for his Charity ib. Confirms a great many at Nagpili ibid. A Reflection p. 87. Goes to Molandurte and what happened there p. 87. The difference between him and the King of Cochim touching the Christians of Molandurte p. 87 88. Returns to Diamper p. 89. Is angry with the Chief Regidor ibid and 90. Preaches Confirms and acquaints them with his having excommunicated the Arch-Deacon p. 90. Carturte Molandurte Diamper and several other Villages brought under his Obedience c. p. 91 92. Writes a long Letter to the Arch Deacon p. 92. Sails to Narame and baulk'd in his design how p. 93 94. Receives the Arch-Deacon's Letter of Submission p. 94. Orders him to Subscribe ten Articles p. 94 95 96. Goes to Cochim and why p. 96 97. Receives advice of the King of Cochim's having begun a War with the Caimal p. 97. Disswades him from it by threats and what pass'd between them p. 99 100 101 102 103. Writes to the King of Mangate to force the Arch-Deacon to submit p. 103. He submits and is received but desires to Sign the Articles privately p. 104 105. Agreed to ibid. The Arch-Bishop returns to Cranganor p. 107. Composes the Decrees of the Synod and engages the Princes to assist him thereat ibid. His trick to secure the Major Vote in the Synod ibid. and 108. Father Simon 's Reflection upon him ibid. Comes to Diamper the 9th of June and what he did ibid. Antonio Galvam with the help of Francisco de Castro said to convert five Kings in the Island of Mazacar p. 28. He first discovered the King of
the course he was to take in the reduction of the Church who seemed to approve of every thing that was proposed to him The Arch-Bishop went daily to Matins and Vespers which were sung by those of the Seminary in Chaldee but coming to understand at last for he understood Chaldee no more than he did Malavar that they prayed therein for the Patriarch of Babylon stiling him the Vniversal Pastor of the Church a Title that all Patriarchs as well as the Pope have assumed to themselves for some Hundred of Years nay by what Gregory I. has said of that Title I do not know but the Pope might be one of the last that assumed it he resolved not to permit so wicked a thing to be done any longer notwithstanding all that the good Jesuites who out of Policy had all along complyed with it could say to disswade him and so having one Evening without communicating his design to any one called all the Jesuites Masters of the Seminary and the Arch-Deacon and his Caçanares together at his Lodgings having first made a Speech to them to prove That the Pope was the only Head of the Church on Earth and that the Bishop of Babylon was a Heretick and Schismatick he pulled out of his Pocket an Excommunication latae sententiae commanding his Secretary to read it with an audible Voice and his Interpreter to declare it to those that did not understand Latin in Malavar by which he Commanded That no Person Secular or Ecclesiastick do from henceforward presume to pray for the Patriarch of Babylon He Commanded the Arch-Deacon and Caçanares to sign it and finding the Arch-Deacon had a great mind to have shuffled it off he said to him Sign it Father for it is full time the Axe were laid to the Root of the Tree to which the Arch-Deacon returned no answer but Signed it without saying a word as did all the other Caçanares after which it was fixed to the Gates of the Church The Christians of the Village when they came to hear of what had been done run as if they had been Mad in a Body to the Arch-Deacon's Lodgings where with one voice they set up a most lamentable howl crying out That the Arch-Bishop of Goa with his Portuguezes was come to destroy their Religion and had affronted their Patriarch by whom they had been Governed for above 1200 Years and after having exclaimed against the Arch-Bishop at a most bitter rate and bewailed their great Misery in having Strangers come among them to destroy the Religion they had been born and bred in they told their Cassanares that if they would but give way to it they would either Sacrifice their Lives in defence of their Religion or be revenged on those that had affronted it But the Arch-Deacon having made a sign that he desired to be heard they all held their Peace he told them There was a time for all things and that that was not a time for Revenge but Dissimulation that it was true he had Signed the Excommunication but that he did it purely out of Fear for they were to consider that besides the Strength the Arch-Bishop had brought along with him he had engaged the King of Cochim in whose Country they were to protect him in all he did and who if they should offer any affront to the Arch-Bishop would certainly revenge it on their Lives and Estates As to himself he was resolved to die in defence of the Religion of his Country sooner than consent to the introduction of Popery adding The Portuguezes if they liked their own Religion might live in it in God's Name and he knew no Body that would trouble them for it but that he saw no reason why they should thus disturb and persecute People in their own Country because they will not turn Papists or change their old Religion for theirs and that as to the Arch-Bishop the thing that made him so furious to destroy the Authority of the Patriarch of Babylon was that he might make himself Primate of the Indies to which he hoped none of the Christians of Malabar would ever consent or would ever be perswaded to forsake their old Religion for that of Popery At this they all gave a great shout crying They would lose their Lives and all they had in the World before they would do it But none of the forementioned Amoucos being among them it 's like at that time they went no further The Portuguezes upon this uproar did not forbear to blame the Arch-Bishop for having published such an Excommunication contrary to the advice of all that were about him advising him to hasten aboard his Galleys if he would secure his Person he told them He was so far from repenting for what he had done that were it to do again he would do it and that instead of retreating to Cochim he would go next Morning to Paru Paru is the Metropolis of a Kingdom wherein the noblest Body of all the Christians of St. Thomas lives but withal the most violent against Popery as they had sufficiently manifested on several occasions for tho' Don Jorge du Cruz and Don Joan du Cruz both Natives of the Country had been sent by the Portuguezes to Rome in the time of Gregory XIII who had done them great Honours there and had granted them many Indulgences for their Churches and withal a Privileged Altar therein yet their Countrymen did not only slight all those Indulgences but would not so much as suffer them tho' of two of the noblest Families in the Country to officiate in any of their Churches and at last forc'd them to leave the Kingdom their own Brethren and Kinsfolk having the first hand in their expulsion The Christians of Paru tho' thus affected to the Roman Church had according to the forementioned Agreement prepared great Festivities for the reception of the Arch-Bishop hoping by such Complements to have kept him from doing any business but having the Night before he came heard of what he had done at Vaipicotta to their Patriarch they turned all their Festivities into Arms and were so much incensed against him that when he Landed he was met by eight or ten Persons only that waited on the Arch-Deacon The Arch-Bishop tho' he read trouble and dejection in all their Countenances seemed to take no notice of it but with his Cross carried before him went directly to the Church which contrary to Custom he found full of Armed Men without so much as one Woman or Child amongst them whereupon being apprehensive lest his Guards and Servants if they continued ashoar might come to Blows with the Malavars whom he saw so much disposed to Quarrel he Commanded them all aboard except two Priests who were to assist at the Offices The Arch-Bishop having put on his Pontificals and given his Blessing to the Congregation made a long discourse to them shewing them That there was but one true Religion which was the Roman and that all Christians were under an
a proper place which tho' he had faithfully promised to do yet he understood the Musquets were there still The Regedor told him The Regedor of the Place and not his Master was to blame for that who to his knowledge was ordered to have done it Upon this the Arch-Bishop and Regedor went to Church together where the Regedor in his hearing commanded all the Christians of the place in the King's Name to do whatsoever the Arch-Bishop should command them But tho' he is said at the same time to have whispered some in the Ear That the King would rather that they should adhere to their Arch-Deacon and their old Customs than submit to the Arch-Bishop yet that did not appear in the sudden change that was wrought in their Carriage by what the Regedor had told them publickly for they who but the day before would not so much as endure to see the Arch-Bishop were without any other Argument reconciled to the Church of Rome and him the next day From Molandurte the Arch-Bishop went a second time to Diamper where the chief Regedor according to his promise met him again The Arch-Bishop complained to him of the Regedor of the place who had not only hindred the Christians from coming at him but encouraged several Heathens to deride and threaten him as the chief Regedor was offering to excuse his Brother the Arch-Bishop interrupted him and striking the Cane he had in his hand three times against the Ground bid him in a great fury not to offer to speak to him for that he knew his Heart well enough and that he bore an ill will to all Christians but there 's another said he I blame more than you and that 's your Master who notwithstanding his being Brother in Arms to the King of Portugal suffers me to be abused in his Country but you may tell your Master from me that the King of Portugal shall know how I have been used by him and that it will not be long before he shall smart for it The Regedor desiring to appease him did assure his Grace That his Master knew nothing of what had been done to him at Diamper and that so soon as he was acquainted with it he would be sure to make Examples of all those that had any way affronted his Grace This put the Arch-Bishop in a greater Passion than he was in before he said This was all Trick and that he had treated too often with Kings and knew their Tempers too well to be made believe that they would not see themselves obeyed when they had a mind to it The Regedor assured him a second time that his Master always had and always would favour his designs in the Serra I shall quickly know that said the Arch-Bishop for if you be sincere you will presently call all the Christians together and Command them in the King's Name to acknowledge me as their Prelate and to unite themselves to the Church of Rome The Regedor promised to do it presently and having called all the Christians together commanded them before the Arch-Bishop on pain of the King 's high displeasure to obey the Arch-Bishop in all things assuring them withal that this was His Majesty's Will and therefore they should give no credit to any that should whisper the contrary to them and thus by Hectoring and Bribing of Kings and their Regedores the Arch-Bishop made both sudden and great Conversions Having dismissed the Regedor the Arch-Bishop gave them a Sermon and commanded them to come to Church next Morning to be confirmed by him Next day after the Confirmation he told them That he had Excommunicated and Deposed the Arch-Deacon as a Rebel to the Pope who is Christ's Vicar on Earth and that he told them of it on purpose that they might have no more Communication with such a Rebel but might acknowledge him for their Prelate The People seemed to be satisfied with what he had done and to blame the Arch-Deacon for his obstinacy In the Evening he visited the Sick and gave large Alms to the Widows and Orphans of the Town telling them withal that what he did was their Prelate's duty and not to take Money from them as their former Bishops had done but he forgot to tell them that whereas their former Prelates had lived altogether upon Alms having no settled Revenues to maintain them by reason of their living under Princes who were Infidels that he had above 20000 Crowns a Year in Rents that were certain Besides by having represented what he was doing in the Serra as a great Service to the Crown he had the Command of the Publick Treasure at Goa which was never so great as at this time the Viceroy Don Matthias de Albuquerque having in the Year 1597 left 80000 Ducats and an immense Summ in Jewels therein This Trick for it deserves no better Name together with his Hectoring of Kings and their Regedores as he did made a great many People wish themselves under Portugueze Prelates who they saw would not suffer their Princes to Tyrannize over them but would espouse all their Quarrels and defend them in their Rights which was what the Chaldean Prelates were not able to do The Arch-Bishop now having by the foresaid Methods brought three such considerable places as Carturte Molandurte and Diamper besides several small Villages under his Obedience and being also sure of all the Churches that are in the Kingdom of Porca Gundara Marca and Batimena whose Kings had already Commanded all their Subjects to obey him in every thing The Arch-Deacon hearing how things went began to be sensible that it would not be possible for him to contend with so powerful an Adversary much longer and that he must therefore either submit or be sent a Prisoner to Portugal the Arch-Bishop having so blocked the Serra up to prevent a Chaldean Bishop's coming thither that it was not possible for him to make his escape if he had a mind to run his Country rather than renounce his Religion The Arch-Bishop being informed by a Caçanar that the Arch-Deacon was in great perplexity what he had best to do writ him a long Letter wherein among other things he cited him to appear before the Judgment-seat of God to answer for the Souls that were now burning in Hell by his having kept them from being reconciled to the Roman Church out of which there is no Salvation To which Letter the Arch-Deacon returned an answer in a strain quite different from what he had writ in formerly Before this Letter came to his hand the Arch-Bishop having done his work at Diamper was sailed to Narame a considerable Village of Christians which he found all in Arms having all bound themselves with an Oath never to forsake their Religion and Arch-Deacon but to defend them with the last drop of their Blood and so when the Arch-Bishop was ready to Land to go to Church they called to him to stay where he was for besides that the Church doors were shut
well and faithfully to discharge the said Office and truly and exactly to relate all that should be said by his Lordship or any other Person in the Synod without any addition or diminution as also to read in the Congregations all the Decrees and Determinations of the Synod which were to be in the Malabar Tongue And whereas Truth it self has testified That in the mouth of two or three there is all Truth therefore for the greater security there were given to the said Interpreter by the most Reverend Metropolitan as Assistants the Reverend Fathers * He was afterwards made Bishop of the Christians of St. Thomas Francisco Roz and Antonio Toscano of the Society of Jesus in the College of Vaipicotta in this Diocess who being well skilled in the Malabar Tongue were to observe all that was related by the Interpreter and in case he was at any time faulty to correct him there were besides several others present Natives as well as Portuguezes that were well vers'd in both Languages Decree I. THe Congregation being met and all placed according to their Order the Metropolitan seated in his Chair said In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Three Persons and One only True God Amen My beloved Brethren you the Venerable Priests and my most dear Sons in Christ you the Representatives and Procurators of the People Does it please you that for the Praise and Glory of the Holy and undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost and for the Increase and Exaltation of the Catholick Faith and the Christian Religion of the Inhabitants of this Bishoprick and for the destruction of the Heresies and Errors which have been sown therein by several Hereticks and Schismaticks and for the purging of Books from the false Doctrines contained in them and for the perfect Union of this Church with the whole Church Catholick and Universal and for the yielding of Obedience to the Supreme Bishop of Rome the Universal Pastor of the Church and Successor in the Chair of St. Peter and Vicar of Christ upon Earth from whom you have for some time departed and for the extirpation of Simony which has been much practised in this Bishoprick and for the regulating of the Administration of the Holy Sacraments of the Church and the necessary Use of them and for the Reformation of the Affairs of the Church and the Clergy and the Customs of all the Christian People of this Diocess We should begin a Diocesan Synod of this Bishoprick of the Serra They answered It pleaseth us Then the most Reverend Metropolitan asked them again Venerable Brethren and most beloved Sons in Christ since you are pleased to begin a Synod after having offered Prayers to God from whom all Good proceedeth it will be convenient that the Matters to be treated of appertaining to our Holy Faith the Church the Divine Offices the Administration of the Holy Sacraments and the Customs of the whole People be entertained by you with Benignity and Charity and afterwards by God's Assistance complied with with much Reverence and that every one of you should faithfully procure the Reformation of such things in this Synod as you know to be amiss and if any that are present shou'd happen to be dissatisfied with any thing that shall be said or done therein let them without any scruple declare their Opinion publickly that so by God's Grace it may be examined and all things may be truly stated as is desired but let not Strife or Contention find any room among you to the perverting of Justice and Reason neither be ye afraid of searching after and embracing the Truth Decree II. THe Synod by Virtue of Holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be incurred ipso facto does command all Persons whatsoever Ecclesiastical and Secular that have been called to and are present at this Synod not to depart the Town of Diamper where the said Synod is celebrated without express leave from the most Illustrious Metropolitan before the Synod is ended and they have signed the Decrees thereof with their own Hand or till all the rest are dismiss'd The Synod does likewise Request and Command all that have any Matter that is fitting to be offered to it for the Advancement of God's Honour and the Good of the Christians of this Bishoprick to acquaint the Metropolitan therewith either by Word or Writing or some Third Person that so what is convenient may be determined therein Decree III. BE it known and declared to all present and absent That no prejudice shall be done or follow to any Town Corporation or Village as to any Preeminence they may pretend to by the celebration of this Synod in the Town of Diamper as also that no Church or Person shall suffer by reason of the Places they sit in in this Synod but shall have their Rights and Privileges in the same state and vigour that they were in before and if any Doubts should happen to arise about this or any such Matter let them be brought before the Illustrious Metropolitan where both Parties being heard they shall have Justice done them Decree IV. THis Synod knowing that all that is Good is from God and that every perfect Gift cometh down from the Father of Light who giveth perfect Wisdom to those that with an humble Heart pray for it and being withal sensible that the beginning of true Wisdom is the fear of the Lord we do admonish and command all Christians as well Ecclesiasticks as Seculars gathered together in this Place to confess their Sins with a true contrition for them and all Priests to say Mass and others to receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar beseeching our Lord with humble and devout Prayers for good Success to all that shall be Treated of in this Synod to which intent there shall be two solemn Masses said in the Church every day during the Session of the Synod one of the Latins to the Holy Spirit and the other of the Syrians to our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary whose Praise and Honour is to be particularly Treated of which Masses shall be said at such hours as to be no hindrance to the Congregations which henceforward shall meet every day in the Church at Seven in the Morning They shall likewise Latins as well as Syrians every day after Sun-set Sing the solemn Litanies of the Church with a Commemoration of our Lady for the good intention of the Synod Decree V. THE Synod for the preventing of some Inconveniences that may otherwise happen and to leave no room for unnecessary and hurtful Debates does command by virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred That while the Congregations last no Person whatsoever Ecclesiastick or Secular presume to meet together in any Junctoes with any Persons Ecclesiasticks or Seculars to Treat of any Matters appertaining to the Synod or this Church without express Licence from the most Illustrious Metropolitan that so all that is
of Purgatory to be an Article of Faith of no long standing in the Church Multa inquit sunt de quibus in primitivâ Ecclesiâ nulla quaestio factura fuerat quae tamen posteriorum diligentiâ subortis dubitationibus jam evaserunt perspicua Nemo certè jam dubitat Orthodoxus an Purgatorium sit de quo tamen apud priscos illos nulla vel quà m rarissima fiebat mentio sed Graecis ad hunc usque diem non est creditum Purgatorium esse Legat qui velit Graecorum veterum Commentarios nullum quantum opinor aut quà m rarissimum de Purgatorio sermonem inveniet Quamdiu enim nulla fuerat de Purgatorio cura Nemo quaesivit Indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnis Indulgentiarum existimatio quum itaque Pugatorium tam serò cognitum ac receptum Ecclesiae fuerit universae quis jam de Indulgentiis mirari potest quòd in principio nascentis Ecclesiae nullus fuerat earum usus coeperunt igitur Indulgentiae post quam ad Purgatorii cruciatus aliquando trepidatum est Purgatory and that the Souls which are cleansing from their Sins do receive benefit from the Prayers and Devotions of the Faithful I do likewise affirm that †The Souls of the Iust This was the common Opinion of the Ancient Fathers namely Irenaeus at the end of his 5th Book Justin Quaest 76th Tertullian in his 4th Book against Marcion Origen in his 7th Homily upon Leviticus and a great many other places Lactantius in the 21st Chap. of his 7th Book Victorinus in his Commentary upon the words I saw under the Altar Ambrosius in his 2d Book of Cain and Abel Chrysostom in his 39th Homily upon those words If in this life only in the 1st to the Corinth The Author of the Imperfect Work in his 34th Homily upon St. Matthew Austin in his Enarration upon the 36th Psalm Theodoret in his Commentaries upon the 11th to the Heb. Oecumenius in his Commentaries upon the same place Theophylact in his Commentaries upon the 23d of St. Luke Aretho on those words How long O Lord c. Euthymius upon the 23d of St. Luke and Bernard in his Sermon upon All-Saints day And to Pope John the 22d being charged with having believed this Doctrine Bellarmin returns the following Answer Joannem hunc 22dum reverâ sensisse Animas non visuras Deum nisi post resurrectionem caeterum hoc sensisse quando adhuc sentire licebat sine periculo Haeresis nulla enim adhuc praecesserat Ecclesiae definitio Which Confession makes the Doctrines of praying to Saints and of Purgatory and of Indulgences to be very new Articles of Faith the Souls of the Just and Faithful which at their departure out of this Life have entirely satisfied for the Punishment due to the Sins that they have committed as also those in Purgatory which have made an end of satisfying for their sins according to the Divine Pleasure and Ordination as also those who after Baptism have committed no Sin do at the moment of their death go immediately into Heaven where they behold God as he is And I do condemn and anathematize the Heresy of those who think that the Souls of the Just are in a Terrestrial Paradise till the day of Judgment and that the Damned are not Tormented any otherwise than by the certainty they have of the Torments they are to enter into after the day of Judgment And I do confess and affirm that the Saints now reigning with Christ in Heaven are to be Reverenced and Invoked and that they offer Prayers to God for us whose Relicks are likewise to be reverenced on Earth And moreover that the * Images Gyraldus a Learned Papist in the 18th Page of the History of the Gods speaking of Images in the Church of Rome saith At de istiusmodi magis mutire possumus quam palam loqui idcircò satius ea fuerit Hippocrati Angeronae consignare illud certè non praetermittam Nos dico Christianos ut aliquando Romanos fuisse sine Imaginibus in primitivâ quae vocatur Ecclesiâ Images of our Lord Christ and of our Lady the Glorious Virgin Mary and of all the other Saints are to be kept used and reverenced with due Honour and Veneration I do also believe that our Lady the most Holy Virgin Mary is the proper and true Mother of God and ought to be called so by the Faithful for having brought forth according to the Flesh without any pain or passion the true Son of God and that she always continued a Virgin in and after her Deliverance having never been defiled by any actual Sin I do confess that the power of granting Indulgences was left to the Church by our Lord Jesus Christ the use whereof I do affirm to be healthful and profitable to all Christian People I do acknowledge the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Roman Church to be the Head Mother and Mistress of all other Churches in the World and do hold all that are not subject and obedient to her to be Heretical Schismatical and disobedient to our Lord Jesus Christ and his Commands and to the Order that he left in the Church and to be Aliens from Eternal Salvation I do promise and swear true Obedience to the Pope the Roman Bishop the Successor of the Blessed Prince of the Apostles St. Peter and Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth the Head of the whole Church on earth and Doctor and Master of the same and the Father Prelate and Pastor of all Christians and do confess that all who deny Obedience to the said Roman Bishop the Vicar of Christ are Transgressors of the Divine Commands and cannot attain to Eternal Life I do without any scruple receive approve and confess all other Matters defined and declared in the Sacred Canons and General Councils and chiefly in the Holy Council of Trent and do in the same manner condemn reject and anathematize every thing that is contrary to the same together with all Heresies condemned rejected and anathematized by the said Church Namely the Diabolical and perverse Heresie of Nestorius together with its perverse Author Nestorius and its false Teachers * Theodorus They should not have been so hard upon Theodorus for Pope Honorius's sake who by Name was condemned together with him by the 5th General Council and I am mistaken if Pighius and some other Popish Writers have not for that very reason laboured hard to vindicate Theodorus's Memory Theodorus and †Diodorus Du Pin in his 4th Century of Christianity p. 189. saith As to what concerns his Doctrine of the Incarnation we could better judge of it if we had his Books but there is no great probability that one who was praised esteemed and cherished by Meletius St. Basil St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Epiphanius and even by St. Athanasius and his Successors Peter and Timothy of Alexandria who was also considered in a General Council as one of the
of Religion the Greek and Alexandrian Christians have them in such detestation as to reckon an Altar defiled by a Roman Priest's having celebrated thereon And for the Muscovites Possevinus tells us their greatest imprecation is I hope to live to see thee so far abandoned as to turn Papist The Abbyssin Christians as Godinus tells us do not only condemn the Romanists as Hereticks but do affirm that they are worse than Mahometans and in the 28th Chap. of the first Book of Archbishop Menezes's Visitation it is said that the Chaldaean and Malabar Christians did so abhorr the Pope that they could not endure so much as to hear him named and Head of all the Churches in the World and confess that all that were not obedient to her were out of a state of Salvation and if they did promise and swear true Obedience and subjection to the most Holy Father the Pope and Bishop of Rome as Universal Pastor of the Church and Successor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Christ upon Earth without any manner of dependance upon the Schismatical Patriarch of Babylon to whom tho' contrary to Justice they had hitherto been subject and if they did promise never to receive any other Bishop into this Diocess but what shall be sent by the Holy Roman Church by the appointment of our Lord the Pope and that whomsoever he shall ordain they will acknowledge and obey for their Prelate as becomes true Catholicks and Sons of the Church anathematizing the Patriarch of Babylon as a Nestorian Heretick out of the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and promising and swearing never to obey him more in any matter nor to have any further Commerce or Communion with him in things appertaining to the Church To all which and every particular they did all and every one of them for themselves with their hands upon the Cross and the Gospel swear and protest to God by the Holy Gospel and the Cross of Christ After the Ecclesiasticks had made this Profession and Oath the Procurators and Representatives of the People by virtue of the Powers they had made the same in their own Name and in the Name of the People of the Bishroprick as did also all the other Christians that were present Decree III. THe Synod doth command all Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons of this Bishoprick that were not present at this Solemnity to make the foresaid Oath and profession of Faith in the hands of the most Illustrious Metropolitan at the Visitation of their Churches which he intends to make speedily or in the hands of such as he shall depute for those that shall be absent at the time of the Visitation that so there may be none in Holy Orders in this Bishoprick but what has made this Profession in the manner aforesaid The Synod doth likewise declare That hereafter none shall be capable of undertaking any Vicaridge or Cure of a Church until they have made the said Profession in the hands of their Prelate or of some Commissionated by him for that purpose as also that all that take Holy Orders do first make the said Profession in the same manner and if any of the forementioned which God forbid shall refuse to do it that they shall thereupon be declared Excommunicate until they comply and withal be vehemently suspected of Heresy and be punished according to the Sacred Canons ACTION III. BEcause without Faith it is impossible to please God and the Holy Catholick Faith without which none can be saved is the beginning of true Life and the foundation of all our Good the Purity thereof being that that distinguishes Christians and Catholicks from all other People wherefore the Synod being sensible that by means of some Heretical Persons and Books scattered all over this Bishoprick many Errors and Falsities have been sown therein with which many are poisoned and more may be doth judge it necessary besides the profession of Faith that has been made further to declare to the People in some Chapters the chief Articles of our Holy Catholick Faith and to point at and observe the Errors contained in their Books and to have them Preached against in this Bishoprick that so knowing the mischief and falsehood of them they may avoid them CHAP. I. The Doctrine of Faith OUr Holy Faith that is believed with one unanimous consent by the Catholick Church spread all over the World is That we believe in One only True Almighty Immutable Incomprehensible and Ineffable God the Eternal Father Son and Holy Ghost One in Essence and Three in Persons the Father not begotten the Son begotten of the Father and of the same substance with him and equal to him and the Holy Ghost proceeding eternally from the Father and the Son not as from two Principals or two Inspirations but from both as from one only Principal and one only Inspiration the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit is not the Father nor the Son but the Father is only the Father the Son is only the Son and the Holy Spirit is only the Holy Spirit none of them being before another in Eternity nor superiour to another in Majesty nor inferiour to another in Power but were all without beginning or end the Father is he who begot the Son is he who was born and the Holy Ghost he who proceedeth Consubstantial Equal alike Almighty and alike Eternal These three Persons are one only God and not three Gods one only Essence and Substance one Nature one Immensity one Principal one Creator of all things Visible and Invisible Corporal and Spiritual who when he pleased created all things with his goodness and would that they should be all very good CHAP. II. FUrthermore That the only begotten Son of God who is always with the Father and the Holy Spirit Consubstantial to the Father at the time appointed by the profound Wisdom of the Divine Mercy for the redeeming of Men from the sin of Adam and from all other sins was truly Incarnate by the operation of the Holy Spirit in the pure Womb of our Lady the most Blessed Virgin Mary and in her took our true and intire Nature of Man that is a Body and rational Soul into the Unity of the Divine Person which Unity was such that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and Man and the Son of God and the Son of Man in as much as he was the Son of the Blessed Virgin so that the one Nature is not confounded with the other neither did the one pass into nor mix it self with the other neither did either of them vanish or cease to be but in one only Person or in one Divine Suppositum there are two perfect Natures a Divine and Humane but so that the properties of both Natures are still preserved there being two Wills the Divine and Humane and two Operations Christ still continuing one for as the Form of God does not destroy the Form of a Servant so the
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
nor no need of any created assistance to help her to bring forth or afterwards there being nothing in her but what was pure the Eternal Word made Flesh springing out of her Womb the Claustrum of her pure Virginity being shut when the time determined in the Consistory of the Holy Trinity was come to the great Spiritual Joy and satisfaction of the said Blessed Virgin for which reason she ought truly to be stiled the Mother of God and not only the Mother of Christ and that when she departed this Life she was immediately carried up into Heaven where by a particular privilege due to her Merits she enjoys God both in Body and Soul without waiting for the general Resurrection there being no reason why that Body out of which there was most Holy Flesh formed for the Son of God made Man should as other Bodies be dissolved into Dust and Ashes but that it should be immediately exalted and glorified and placed high above all the Quires of Angels as Holy Mother Church sings and confesseth concerning the whole of which matter the Impious Nestorian Hereticks have spoke and writ even in the Breviaries used in this Bishoprick a great many Blasphemies and Heresies Decree VII THe Synod is with great sorrow sensible of that Heresy and perverse Error sown by the Schismaticks in this Diocess to the great prejudice of Souls which is That there was one Law of St. Thomas and another of St. Peter which made * Two different By all this which the Synod calls Two Laws the Christians of St. Thomas meant only That the Churches planted by the Apostles in divers Regions had nothing of Superiority or Jurisdiction over one another which is a most certain and ancient truth two different and distinct Churches and both immediately from Christ and that the one had nothing to do with the other neither did the Prelate of the one owe any obedience to the Prelate of the other and that they who had followed the Law of St. Peter had endeavoured to destroy the Law of St. Thomas for which they had been punished by him all which is a manifest Error Schism and Heresy there being but one Law to all Christians which is that which was given and declared by Jesus Christ the Son of God and preached by the Holy Apostles all over the World as one Faith one Baptism there being but one Lord of all and one Catholick and Apostolick Church of which our Lord Christ God and Man who Founded it is the only Spouse and one only Universal Pastor to whom all other Prelates owe obedience the Pope and Bishop of Rome Successor in the Chair of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles to whom our Lord Jesus Christ bequeathed that Supream Authority and by him to his Successors which Catholick Doctrine is necessary to Eternal Life Wherefore the Synod doth command all Parish Priests and Preachers to Treat often of this matter by reason of the great need there is of having this Bishoprick well instructed therein Decree VIII FOr that till the very time of the most Illustrious Metropolitan entring into this Diocess there was a certain Heresy twice repeated in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and twice more in the Divine Office in calling the Patriarch of Babylon the Universal Pastor and Head of the Catholick Church in all places and as often as they happen to name him a Title that is due only to the most Holy Father the Bishop of Rome Successor of the Prince of the Apostles St. Peter and Vicar of Christ on Earth the Synod doth therefore command in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred that no Person of this Bishoprick Secular or Ecclesiastical shall from henceforward presume by Word or Writing either in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or in the Divine Office or in any other occasion to bestow that Title on the said Patriarch of Babylon or on any other Prelate besides our Lord the Bishop of Rome and whosoever shall dare to contravene this Order shall be declared Excommunicate and held for a Schismatick and Heretick and shall be punished as such according to the Holy Canons And whereas the Patriarchs of Babylon to whom this Church was subject are Nestorians the Heads of that cursed Sect and Schismaticks out of the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and Aliens from our Holy Catholick Faith and are for that reason Excommunicate and accursed and it not being lawful to joyn with such in the Church in publick as stand Excommunicate Wherefore this Bishoprick upon its having now yielded a perfect Obedience to the most Holy Father the Pope Christ's Vicar upon Earth to which it was obliged by Divine Authority and upon pain of Damnation shall not from henceforward have any manner of dependance upon the said Patriarch of Babylon and the present Synod does under the said precept of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred prohibit all Priests and Curates from henceforward to name the said Patriarch of Babylon in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or in any other Divine Office in the Prayers of the Church even without the false Title of Universal Pastor but instead thereof shall name our Lord the Pope who is our true Pastor as also of the whole Church and after him the Lord Bishop of the Diocess for the time being and whosoever shall maliciously and knowingly act the contrary shall be declared Excommunicate and otherwise punish'd at the pleasure of his Prelate according to his contumacy Decree IX WHereas all the Breviaries used in this Church are Nestorian and by the commands of Prelates of the same Sect on a certain day the impious and false Heretick Nestorius is Commemorated in this Bishoprick and a Day is kept to his Honour and at other times Theodorus Diodorus Abbaratho Abraham Narsai Barchauma Johanan Hormisda and Michael who are also Nestorian Hereticks were likewise Commemorated Nestorius Theodorus and Diodorus being commemorated on the Friday after the Nativity and on the seventh Friday after that Abraham and Narsai and all the above-named and all of them on every Thursday in the Year in the said Nestorian Office and every day in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office and notwithstanding in some places they have not of late named Nestorius Theodorus and Diodorus but do still continue to name Abraham Narsai Abba Barchauma Johanan Hormisda and Michael in the Blessing that the Priest gives to the People at the end of the Mass wherein they desire Hormisda to deliver them from evil being his Disciples as also on all Fridays in the Year they commemorate as Saints the said Hormisda Joseph Michael Johanan Barchauma Barianda Rabba Hedsa Machai Hixoiau Caurixo Avahixo Lixo Xaulixo Barmun Lixo Metidor Cohada Israel Ezekiah Lixo David Lixo Barai Israel Julianus Haudixo c. who were all Nestorian Hereticks and as is evident from the said Masses and from their Lives Commemorations
that in imitation of the Heathens do go to some of them and others to some of their own Superstitious Priests to learn which are the best Days and Hours to be Married on after the manner of the Infidels and do furthermore on their Wedding-day make certain Circles into which they put Rice and certain Persons using several Superstitious Ceremonies which are plainly Heathen and do moreover make certain Figures behind their Doors to make their Marriage Fortunate and use several Prayers with Ceremonies which they call the Ring of Solomon all which being Devilish Superstitious and Heathenish Ceremonies condemned by Holy Mother Church Wherefore the Synod doth command and exhort all Faithful Christians neither to practise any such Ceremonies themselves nor to suffer others to use them in their Houses and that all who shall presume to practise them themselves or permit others to do it in their Houses shall be denied the Sacrament for a whole Year and be rigorously punished at the pleasure of the Prelate and the same shall be done to those that go to Heathens to learn what Days are Fortunate Decree XV. THe Synod having been informed that when Contracts de futuro are celebrated among the Christians of this Diocess or Marriages are concerted that it is performed with some Heathenish and Superstitious Ceremonies and that many times when the Parties contracted are not of Age or have not Judgment enough to give their consent doth command that no such Contracts be made but when the Parties contracting are of sufficient Age to understand what they do and are capable of giving their consent de futuro and if the Parents will make such Matches they shall do it by a simple Writing or by shaking Hands or by any other way that has nothing of Superstition in it neither shall they use any Superstitious Ceremonies upon pain of being severely chastised at the pleasure of the Prelate commanding the Priests in virtue of Holy Obedience not to be present at Contracts where any such damnable Superstitions are performed that so they may not seem to Authorize them by their Person and Dignity Decree XVI THe Synod doth condemn the Custom or abuse that has obtained in this Diocess of the new-married couple's not going to Church till after the fourth day after their Marriage when they use to Wash themselves which is according to the Judaical Ceremonies condemned by the Law of Christ but on the contrary doth exhort all new-married People without respect of Days to go to Church and say their Prayers knowing for certain that if any of the Days that they stay from Church should happen either to be a Saint's-day or a Sunday upon which all People are obliged to hear Mass that they sin mortally in not hearing it if hindred by no other cause Neither are they to imagine that such Washings do any way contribute to the Spiritual Health of their Souls the Worship of God or the Reverence of the Church ACTION VIII Of the Reformation of Church-Affairs Decree I. WHereas the Universal Catholick Church is Ruled Inspired and Taught by the Holy Spirit by whose direction for the better Government of Christians and the more commodious administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful it has divided the Provinces of the whole World into Diocesses which are all subject to their several Bishops and the Diocesses into Parishes which are all subject to their Parish-Priests so that as the Diocesses and all the faithful Inhabitants of the same are subject to their several Bishops and through them to the Bishop of Rome the Vniversal Pastor and Head of the Church and Christ's Vicar upon Earth so all the faithful Inhabitants in every Parish are subject to their Rector or Vicar that administer the Sacraments to them and are the particular Pastors and Curates of their Souls through whom they are subject to their Bishop and through the Bishop to the Pope and through the Pope to Christ which Order has been at all times preserved in the Church all over the World and for want whereof this Church is so Confused and Disorderly as it is every one doing what seems good in his own eyes without ever being called to an Account for what they do having none that are under any obligation to take care of their Souls nor no particular Pastor to assist them in their Necessities nor distinct Parishes unto which every one is bound to resort therefore this Synod conforming it self to the Government of the whole Catholick Church doth ordain that this Diocess be also divided into Parishes allotting such a number of People to each Parish as shall be found most convenient and furnishing them with particular Vicars and Curates to watch over the Souls of the Faithful and as for other Priests and Curates that shall be in any Church they shall be therein as Beneficed Persons and Co-adjutors to the Vicars in the administration of the Sacraments to the People as also in the Divine Service and Worship of the Church as they have hitherto been having the same Profits and Dividend they had formerly save that the Synod intends to deprive them of those Fees which formerly they Simonaically received for administration of the Sacraments as to which they shall observe what is before decreed as the Vicars and Parish-Priests are to have what is allotted for their maintenance in the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Decrees and the said Vicars shall make a Roll of all the Inhabitants of their several Parishes that so they may be acquainted with their Customs and way of living and may administer the Sacraments unto them and comfort them in their Troubles and Necessities neither shall the Faithful receive the Sacrament from any but their own Vicar without his Licence in Form Decree II. THe Synod doth declare That the Division of Parishes and the laying of People to them has at all times belonged to the Prelate so that he may at any time Divide or Unite Parishes at his pleasure and as he shall find to be most convenient for the administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful to whom it also belongs to provide Vicars and Curates for Churches whom he may Institute or Depose as often as he shall judge it to be necessary to the better feeding of the Flock of Christ which he is charged with and is to give an account of and for the present the most Reverend Metropolitan shall make such a reparition of Parishes and People in this his Visitation Uniting or Dividing them as shall seem to him to be most commodious for the administration of the Sacraments to the Faithful who at the end of the Synod will name Vicars for every Parish And the Synod for the just Respects and the better Government of the Church will not have any Vicars so Established as not to be removable at the pleasure of the Prelate Decree III. THe Synod doth furthermore declare That no Priest shall hold Two Churches with Cure or receive the Fruits of them according
to restore Heathenism again under a Scheme of Christianity Heathenish Vanities condemned by Holy Mother Church earnestly desiring that all such things may be totally rooted out of the hearts of the very Infidels in this Diocess Decree XIV NOtwithstanding the Synod doth approve of the laudable Custom that has obtained in this Diocess of beginning the Holy Fast of Lent upon the Monday following Quinquagessima Sunday Nevertheless in conformity to the usage of the Universal Church it doth ordain and command that on the Wednesday following they consecrate Ashes in the Church which shall be sprinkled on the Heads of the People by the Priest that celebrates Mass using these words Remember Man that thou art dust and that to dust thou shalt return as he is directed by the Roman Ceremonial translated into Syrian by the order of the most Reverend Metropolitan leading by this Holy Ceremony the Faithful to a deeper Repentance for their Sins and a sense of their own vileness in that Holy time which Ashes so far as it can be done shall be made of the branches that were blessed the former Year upon Palm Sunday which is called Osana in this Diocess aâ— it is likewise ordered in the said Ceremonial buâ— at the same time the People shall be told thaâ— this is only a Holy Ceremony of the Church and not a Sacrament Decree XV. THat this Bishoprick may in all things be conformable to the Customs of the Catholick Church the Synod doth command all the Members thereof upon pain of Mortal Sin not to eat Flesh upon Saturdays in memory of our Lord's Burial but Eggs Milk Butter or Cheese they may lawfully eat upon Saturdays as also upon all Fish days that are not Fasts and since the custom of not eating Flesh on Wednesdays is not observed over the whole Diocess but only in some parts thereof and that but by a few the Synod doth declare that albeit that custom is Holy and Laudable and it were to be wished that it were universally observed by all Christians it doth not think fit to oblige People thereunto upon pain of Sin so that all that list may eat Flesh upon Wednesdays Decree XVI THe Synod doth declare That the Obligati of not eating Flesh on prohibited days lasts from midnight to midnight beginning at the midnight of the prohibited day and ending at the midnight of the day following so that the Obligation of not eating Flesh upon Frydays and Saturdays begins at the midnight of Fryday and ends on the midnight of Sunday and the Obligation of ceasing from labour begins at the midnight of the said day and ends at the midnight of Monday being to understand that in beginning the Fasts and Festivities on the Evening of the former and continuing them to the Evening of the latter day they do conform themselves to the Customs and Rites of the Jews condemned by Holy Mother Church in which days and their observances are not reckoned from Evening to Evening but from midnight to midnight Decree XVII WHereas it is the Custom of the Universal Church to have * Holy This Ceremony of sprinkling the people with Holy Water is no less of Heathen Extraction than the washings condemned in the former Decree as is acknowledged by the Learned Valesius in his Annotations on the 6 Ch. of the 6 Book of Sozomen Holy Water at the entrance of the Churches that so the Faithful by sprinkling themselves therewith may have their Venial Sins pardoned and the Holy Water that has been hitherto made use of in this Diocess has not been blessed by the Priest nor by any Prayer of the Church the Sextons only throwing a little of the Clay into it that is brought by Pilgrims from the Sepulchre of St. Thomas or from some other Holy Place relating to him and where such Clay has been wanting the said Sextons have thrown some Grains of Incense into it Whereupon without any further Consecration it has been esteemed Holy Therefore the Synod doth declare that such Water is not Holy and that the Faithful ought not to make use of it and albeit that all the Earth of Holy places and of the Sepulchres of Saints approved of by the Church ought to be kept with much Veneration yet that the Earth of the Holy places belonging to St. Thomas has not the virtue of such a Consecration in it for which reason it commands all Priests to bless the said Water by throwing Holy Salt into it according to the custom of the Universal Church as is directed by the Roman Ceremonial translated into Syrian by the order of the most Reverend Metropolitan according to the Form whereof the true Vicars shall take care to consecrate Water and every Saturday Evening or Sunday Morning to furnish the Water-pots therewith and upon Sundays the People being assembled the Priest being in his Surplice and Stole but without his Planet shall before he begins Mass sprinkle the whole Congregation repeating the Antiphona and the Prayer contained in the said Ceremonial and at Masses at which the Deacon and Sub-Deacon officiate the Deacon may repeat the Antiphona but the Prayer shall always be said by the Priest The Vicars must also instruct the People at their entring into the Church to take Holy Water and bless themselves therewith in the form of a Cross and to give over the saying the Prayer to the impious Heretick Nestorius which they used to do when they took Holy Water as they entred into the Church the Synod condemning the same as Heretical and Blasphemous Decree XVIII WHereas the greatest part of the People of this Bishoprick are not instructed in the Doctrine and they that are know only the Pater Noster and Ave Mary in the Syrian Tongue which they do not understand and most of the Children know not how to bless themselves nay the Clergy themselves are ignorant thereof not being able to say the Commandments therefore the Synod doth command that in all Parish Churches in the Morning and Evening as the Vicar shall think most convenient one of the Boys or the Bell-man shall ring the little Bell to call the Boys and Girls together in the Church where being assembled the Vicar or some other Clergyman that he shall appoint shall instruct them in the Doctrine that is to say the Sign of the Cross the Pater Noster Ave Mary the Creed and the Commandments of God and the Church the Articles of Faith and other Christian Doctrines in the Malabar Tongue that so all may understand them and not in the Syrian which the People do not understand it being the custom of the Church to teach the Doctrine to Children and to the People in theiâ— Mother Tongue and furthermore upon all Sundays and Holydays either before or after Mass the Vicar shall teach the said Doctrine in the Congregation that so all may be instructed there in and shall also after having called the peoplâ— together with a Bell teach it on the Evenings of Sundays and as
doth command that the Overseers appoint a Capiar who shall be paid out of the Alms for Sweeping the Church and keeping clean the Lamps and Candlesticks and the Capiar shall take care that the Church be Swept at least three times a Week and there be always one Lamp at least lighted before the High Altar and the Vessels wherein the Lamp-Oil is kept without they be so small as not to be seen shall not be kept in the Church nor the Bategas or Kettles nor any thing else that is undecent but shall be kept in the Capiar's or Overseers Houses that so the Church may be kept clean and decent Decree XXVIII THe Synod doth command That in all Vestries of Churches there be Cupboards and Chests with Locks to keep the Cups Corporals and Ornaments in and where there is no Vestry until one shall be built they shall be kept some where in the Church except in the Heaths where the Churches are in danger of being robbed where the Vicars shall keep them in their Houses and shall by no means leave any of them upon the Altars as has been the custom which was the occasion of the Ornaments being so dirty and of the Altars being so much out of order And whereas most of the chief Chapels are extreamly dark they shall take care to have Windows opened and fortified with Iron to let in Air and Light which must nevertheless be so contrived that the Heathens when they come may not see the Divine Mysteries thorow them Decree XXIX WHereas almost all the Churches of this Diocess are without Pictures which was the effect of their being governed by Nestorian Hereticks who do not allow of the healthful use of Sacred Images therefore the Synod doth command That in Churches that are finished the first work that shall be done after that of the Baptismal Font out of the Alms of the Parish shall be to set up some Images according to the directions of the Prelate who shall always be consulted about every Picture and after that of the High Altar is once set up if the Church has any Side-Altars they shall also have Images set up in them and on every Altar besides an Image there shall be a Cross or some Matter or other set up and in all Churches that are large enough and yet have no Pulpits Pulpits shall be erected for the Preaching of the word of God and they shall also put Bells in their Steeples to be rung at meet times and to call the People to Church which shall not be hung within the Church where besides that they cannot be rung as they ought to be they do take up too much room and in places where there is danger of having their Bells stole they shall have their Steeples fortified and shut up after the manner of Towers and where the Kings and Bramens of the Pagods will not consent to their having a Building higher than the Church which often happens through their imagining that the Pagods are made melancholly by the hearing of such Bells they shall hang them within the Church but at such a height that they may ring them without touching them with their hands and that they shall take up no room below in the Church and in those Churches where they have no Bells the Synod grants Licence until such time as they can procure some to make use of Boards as they have done formerly to call the Faithful together and to give the Signal at the Mass Decree XXX THe Synod doth teach and declare That by ancient Right always observed in the Church Churches may be so violated in certain Cases that it is not lawful to Celebrate in them nor to bury the Dead until they are reconciled which through ignorance of the Canons has not hitherto been observed in this Bishoprick the Cases are when humane Blood is injuriously shed in the Church or there is a Natural Cause given of such shedding or of Death as if one has a Mortal Wound given him in the Church or a Wound that fetches Blood notwithstanding the Wounded Person shall be got out of the Church before any Blood is shed but if the Wound was given without the Church notwithstanding the Blood thereof should come to be shed therein the Church is not violated thereby and by a Wound that is injuriously given in the Church whereby Blood is shed tho' the Wound should not prove Mortal the Church is violated The second Case is when humane Seed is voluntarily spent in the Church tho' in conjugal Copulation The third is when one that is Excommunicated is buried in the Church The fourth when an Infidel is buried in it in which Case the Church is not only to be reconciled but the Walls are also to be scraped The fifth is when the Church has been Consecrated or Blessed by a Bishop that was publickly Excommunicate in all which Cases the Church is to be reconciled which reconciliation being to be done to a Church that was Consecrated by a Bishop none but a Bishop can perform it But having been only Blessed by one or by a Priest the Vicar may perform the Reconciliation according to the Form and with the Prayers and Ceremonies contained in the Roman Ceremonial Translated into Syrian and it is to be observed that when a Church is violated the Church-yard that belongs to it is violated also if they are not at some distance the one from the other but when the Church-yard is violated in any of the forementioned Cases the Church it belongs and is joined to is not violated thereby Decree XXXI IT being of mighty moment that Consecrated Churches be had in great Reverence and whereas in this Diocess it is a common thing for Sick People out of Devotion to lie in Churches with their Wives and Families for several days hoping thereby to be cured of their Distempers which cannot be done without many Services wherefore the Synod doth command That no Person whatsoever tho' never so Sick do lie in the Church with his Family the time of War only excepted but the Sick having performed their Devotion shall lie at home at their own Houses or if they shall desire it may Lodge in some Houses that are near to the Church or in the Porches thereof but by no means within the Church Decree XXXII WHereas there is a great neglect in carrying the Corps of those that die in the Heaths to the Church which are sometimes buried without a Priest and in unconsecrated Earth wherefore the Synod doth command That the Kindred or those in whose Houses Christians do die do carry their Corps how far soever they may live off near to the Church where the Vicars shall go to fetch them with the Cross of the Church and in their Surplice and Stole praying all the way they go with the rest of the Clergy and Interr them which all tho' never so poor shall be oblig'd to do And if at the time when they bring the Corps they
Bishoprick and Condemned by the forementioned and other following Councils and Banished by the Sentence of the Emperour Theodosius the II. who then Reigned in the Desarts of Aegypt and his having his Books â—â—rned by the command of the said Emperour before his death his Tongue with which he hâ—d uttered such great Blasphemies rotted in his Mouth as did also his whole Body and being eat up with Lice he expired surrendring his Soul to the Devil as Evagrius a Noble Writer who lived at the same time relates and the same is reported of him by Nicephorus Cedrenus and other Greek Writers The Disciples of this cursed Heretick being brought into this Church by the Devil sowed their Errours in it without being observed by you who were a simple sincere People insomuch that St. Thomas when he was on Earth might have said the same that St. Paul did to those of Ephesus where Nestorius was afterwards Condemned I know that after my departure greedy Wolves shall come among you not sparing the Flock And well might the Pastors you have had among you be called devouring Wolves who being a base and inconsiderable People had no other intent but to rob you of all they could taking Money for Orders * Dispensations What could the poor Malavars conclude from hence but that either no such thing as the taking of Money for Dispensations c. was ever heard of in the Roman Church or that the Declamer was one of a strange assurance to condemn the doing of it at such a Tragical rare as he does Dispensations for Absolutions and for all Sacraments and Sacred things as you very well know a thing so abominable in the sight of God that St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles for this Sin only threw Simon Magus out of the Church and Excommunicated him as you may see in the Acts of the Apostles insomuch Brethren that we see that fulfill'd in you and in your Prelates who came from Babylon which was foretold by God so many Years before by the Prophet Isaiah The Shepherds themselves had no understanding they have all gone out of the Way and from the first to the last are all turned to Covetousness For God's sake Brethren tell me what sort of Prelates and Bishops could they be who sought nothing but their own Interest and who gave Orders and Dispensations and did every thing that belongs to a Bishop without being Bishops themselves or so much as Priests or Clerks but were pure Laicks as they themselves afterwards confessed What Dispensation what Sacrament what Grace could he who was dispensed with and ordained receive from those who were no Bishops nor so much as Clerks but pure Laicks nay Lascares in whose Habit they came out of their own Country Brethren this is the Fruit which they send you from Babylon Hereticks and pure Laicks and Barbarians for Bishops Tell me what has Malabar to do with Babylon and what correspondence is there betwixt the most pure Doctrine of Christ which was preached to you by the great Apostle St. Thomas and the barbarous Errours which were brought hither by Arabians and Chaldeans from Babylon and from their Master the Apostate Nestorius Believe me Brethren these are they of whom St. Paul spoke in his Epistle to his Scholar Titus That there should come Men teaching what they ought not to teach for filthy lucre And so it fell out for these Men that they might not lose the Profits and Honours they were unjustly possessed of did all they could to put into your heads that the Doctrine of St. Peter was different from that which had been taught you by St. Thomas It is true that the Doctrine of the Apostle St. Peter is contrary to the Heresies that have been brought hither from Babylon but not what was preached here by St. Thomas For what St. Thomas that also St. Peter taught and Christ himself and all his other Disciples taught for as St. Paul saith there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism and one Church of which Christ is the Head and that on Earth St. Peter and his Successors the Bishops of Rome For that St. Peter and his Successors are the Head of the whole Church * On earth Bishop Andre did not so fair in quoting And on Earth St. Peter and his Successors the Bishops of Rome c. as St. Paul's words on Earth is plain from what Christ before his Passion promised St. Peter as it is recorded in the 16. Chap. of St. Matthew where Christ after having examined his Faith said to him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Words which he spoke to ‖ None This is a mistake for he gave the same Commission to all his Apostles after his Resurrection none of the rest of the Apostles but to St. Peter only And St. John in the last Chapter of his Gospel tells us That Christ after his Resurrection having asked St. Peter if he loved him more than all other things and St. Peter had answered that he knew very well that he did said to him three several times Feed my Lambs feed my Lambs feed my Sheep By which words he made him the universal Pastor of his Sheep and after him all the Bishops of Rome who were to succeed him in that Office for Christ hâ—s but one Fold for all his Sheep and one only Church and so in the Creed that is sung in the Mass we say I believe in one Holy and Apostolical Church and so Christ her Spouse said of his Church in the Canticles My Dove my perfect is but one that is to say my Dove my perfect which is the Church is but one And St. John in his 10th Chapter tells us that the Son of God speaking to his Disciples concerning his intent of calling the Gentiles to his Faith said I have other Sheep which are not of this Fold whom I must bring in that there may be one Fold and one Shepherd Now that Fold wherein the Jews and Gentiles were to concurr in one only Faith is the Catholick Church and that Shepherd was St. Peter and all his Successors the Bishops of Rome every one of which as he is Bishop of Rome is the universal Pastor of the * Whole If this had been the Faith of the whole Christian Church at the time when the Creeds were made the compilers of them would and ought to have added Roman to Catholick in the Creed whole Church of God insomuch as that all who will not be subject to him are not of the number of the Sheep of Christ but are without the Fold of the Church being Schismaticks and Hereticks for such are all who are disobedient to the Roman Church in which Roman Church there never was nor will be any error in Faith by reason of Christ's promise who as St. Luke reports speaking to St. Peter said to him I have prayed for
thee Peter that the †Faith Here the Bishop makes very bold with the Scripture again in quoting the Faith of thy Church as St. Luke's words Faith of thy Church may never fail The Faith of other particular Churches as we have seen may fail but the Faith of the Roman Church has never failed nor never will Wherefore Brethren fasten your selves close to this firm Pillar of the Roman Church against which according to our Saviour's promises the Gates of Hell shall never prevail which Gates are the Heresies that are and have been in the World You ought therefore to render many thanks to God for his having relieved you at this time by sending you the Lord Arch-Bishop for a Spiritual Pastor and Master who having left his Dwelling and quiet is at all this Trouble only for the sake of your Salvation and to rescue you from the errors you have hitherto lived in For I know and am certain that he is one of those Pastors which God spoke of by Jeremiah And I will give you Pastors according to my heart and they shall feed you with Knowledge and Doctrine Hitherto you have been fed with Errors and Ignorances and your Pastors have sought gain and not the Salvation of your Souls This Pastor as you see does not come to take any of your Goods from you but to spend his own for your profit and to put you in the right way to Heaven and Salvation From ‖ Whence I do not believe that the Arch-Bishops of Malabar made half so much of their Bishoprick as Bishop Andre did of his of Cochim or as Father Rez the Jesuit made of Malabar after he was preferr'd to it by the Pope whence you may clearly perceive the great difference there is betwixt him and those other Pastors or to speak more properly those Wolves which you have had hitherto among you as our Lord saith in Sheeps cloathing Hitherto your Errors have had some excuse because you could know no more but what your Masters taught you whereas from henceforward you shall have no manner of excuse neither before God nor Man if you do not become such as all that love you desire you to be The Faith and Doctrine that has been preached to you by the Arch-Bishop is the Faith of all the Christians in the Indies and of all Clerks and Religious in these Parts and which all Portugal Spain and in a word all * Christendom The Reformed the Greek the Muscovite the Georgian the Armenian the Antiochian Alexandrian and Abyssin Church are it seems no part of Christendom with this Declamer Christendom holds This is the Faith that was taught by the Son of God the Faith that St. Thomas preached and was preached also by St. Peter and the rest of the Apostles and if any shall teach the contrary let him be as St. Paul saith Anathema and Excommunicated and expelled the Society of the Faithful as he is from Christ his Faith and Grace The Lord give you a perfect knowledge of himself as it is desired by your Brother in the Lord. Writ at Cochim the 28th of June 1599. Your Brother in the Lord Bishop FREY ANDRE The SYNOD'S Answer The Lord Assist Us. To the most Illustrious and Reverend Lord Dom Andre the most worthy Bishop of Cochim The Diocesan Synod of the Christians of St. Thomas of the Bishoprick of the Serra assembled in the Town of Diamper wisheth eternal Health and Prosperity in our Lord. OVr most Reverend Metropolitan ordered your most Illustrious Lordship's Letter to this Synod to be read in a full Assembly of the Priests and People and having heard and understood it we rejoiced exceedingly in the Lord to perceive that the Holy Doctrine taught us by your Lordship is the same with that our Metropolitan has preached in all our Churches and has declared in this Synod as also the same that is preached by the Fathers all over this Diocess by which means we are the more confirmed in the Catholick Faith and the Obedience we owe to the Holy Roman Church our true Mother and to our Lord the Pope the Successor of St. Peter and Christ's Vicar upon Earth as is manifest from the Acts of the said Synod Signed by Vs as your Lordship may see and if we have hitherto been wanting to our Duty in these Matters it did not proceed from any Obstinacy of Mind or from any Inclination we had to be Hereticks or Schismaticks but purely for want of the Light of true Doctrine and healthful and Catholick Food which was not given us by our Prelates but who did instead thereof poyson us with the false Doctrines of Nestorius and several other Errors from which we are now by the Divine Mercy rescued and by the goodness of God and the Ministry of our Metropolitan enlightened from whence also rose the Rebellion which was made by us when the Truth began to be first preached to us as also all the Troubles and Vexations that we gave to our Metropolitan and the manifest Dangers we exposed him to for all which we are now heartily sorry and do dayly more and more lament it But whereas God has been pleased to enlighten us with his Doctrine the Metropolitan being discouraged by none of those things to go on preaching in our Churches the light of the Truth coming to us by that means we have cordially embraced and have with an unanimous consent and great alacrity made profession thereof in this Synod having also put the Affairs of our Church in the best Order we were able and submitting our selves to the Judgment of our Metropolitan Mar Aleixo who as our Master has instructed us in all things But whereas his Lordship after his Visitation of this Diocess is over is to go to reside in his * Own Diocess The Arch-Bishop cured them of these fears for some time at least at the end of his Visitation when he made a solemn renunciation of the Arch-Bishoprick of God and as solemn an acceptation of that of the Serra and that judicially and in Form desiring the Christians of St. Thomas to whom he delivered both those Instruments to sollicite the Pope and King of Spain to give way to the Translation and promising withal to employ all his own interest in both to perswade them to it but it seems all would not do for the next News we hear of him is That instead of being gratified with the Arch-Bishoprick of the Serra he was condemned to be Governour-General of the Indies for three Years and after that translated to the Primacy of Portugal own Diocess which we take notice of to our great Sorrow by which means we shall want a Special Protection we do therefore beg that until such time as God shall be pleased to send the Pastor among us which we expect from the Holy Apostolical See your Lordship as being the Prelate that lives nearest to us and from whom and your Predecessors this Church has received so many