Sacrifice having been instituted for the health and remedy of the Living and of the Dead Wherefore the Synod doth exhort all the Faithful of this Bishoprick to accustom themselves to procure * Masses Private Masses are not only a flat contradiction to the Primitive Practice but to the very Office wherein they are celebrated all that Office being made in the name of a Congregation not only as present but as communicating A demonstration that the Offices of the Roman Church are older than her Errors it is plain likewise from the very Canon of the Mass that when that Office was composed Transubstantiation was not so much as dreamt of in the Roman Church but as to the thing in hand Cardinal Bona in the 3 Chap. of his 1 Book of Liturgies saith Ab initio Sacrificium principaliter institutum fuit ut publicè ac solemniter fi ret Clero populo astante ac communicante ipse tenor Misse veteris Ecclesiae praxis evincunt omnes enim Orationes atque ipsa Canonis verba in plurali numero tanquam plurium nomine proferuntur hinc sacerdos populum invitat ad Orationem dicens Oremus post Communionem ait quod ore sumpsimus c. Suntque ferè omnes ejusdem tenoris Orationes quae peractâ Communione recitantur And in the 18th Chap. of the same Book he saith Solenne hoc fuit in utrâque Ecclesia Graeca Latinâ ut unum idem Sacrificium a pluribus interdum Sacerdotibus celebraretur Episcopo enim sive Presbytero celebrante reliqui quotquot aderant Episcopi seu Presbyteri simul celebrabant ejusdemque Sacrificii participes erant c. And a little after he adds Cur autem desierit ille mos causa mihi videtur fuisse primo quidem quod fundatis ordinibus mendicantibus longè latéque propagatis multiplicata sunt ones a Missarum atque adeo necesse fuit singulos Sacerdotes ut iis satisfacerent singulis diebus privatim celebrare deinde quia charitas multorum refrixit cessarit etiam frequens accessus ad hoc Sacramentum adeo ut hodie nec ipsi quidem ministri in plerisque Ecclesiis Communicent licet Sacrificio cooperantur To which the Cardinal might have added the Introduction of the Doctrine of Purgatory and the consequent Doctrine of Masses being the most effectual means of delivering the Souls out of the Torments thereof So John the IV. of Portugal ordered ten thousand Masses to be said for his Soul as soon as he was dead Masses to be said for the Souls of their deceased Friends and to leave something by Will that they may have Masses said for their own Souls which will be much more profitable for them than the Feasts that they used to make for their Kindred and others invited to their Funerals which Custom shall be left off and instead thereof they shall give a Dole to the Poor which is also very profitable to the Souls of the departed And that the Decree relating to such Masses may have its due effect the Synod doth command That all that shall be found to have died worth 2000 Fanoins and have left nothing for a certain number of Masses to be said for their Souls shall have so much taken out of their Estates before they shall be divided among the Heirs as shall procure the saying of five Masses for their Souls which shall be deposited by the Executors in the hands of the Church-wardens by them to be distributed among five Priests that they may be the sooner said and where there are more than five Priests the Alms shall be given to the five Eldest there not being sufficient to divide among them all and where there is only the Vicar of the Church the whole shall be given to him which Custom of procuring Masses to be said for the Souls of the Faithful departed this Life as it is used in the Universal Church so it is what this Synod is extreamly desirous to introduce into this Bishoprick wherein it has been totally disused recommending this Matter earnestly to the Preachers and Confessors to persuade all Christians to it in their Sermons and Confessions and to the Vicars to do the same in their Admonitions ACTION VI. Of the Holy Sacrament of Penance and Extream Unction THe Fourth Sacrament is that of Penance in which the Acts of the Penitent are as it were the Matter and are distinguished into these three parts Contrition of Heart Confession of the Mouth and Satisfaction for Sins according to the direction of the Confessor It belongs to the Contrition of the heart that the Penitent be sorry at his Soul for the Sins that he has committed and detesting them is firmly resolved not to commit them any more which Contrition tho' it sometimes happen to be perfect through Charity so as to reconcile one to God even before he has actually received the Sacrament of Confession yet it can never be perfect nor a means of reconciliation with God if not attended with a readiness and purpose of mind to confess those very sins which it is conversant about such sins being no less subject than others to the Keys and the ingagements to Confession It belongs to the Confession of the mouth that the Penitent Confess himself entirely to his own Priest as to all the sins that he remembers using all due diligence according to the length of the time since he last Confessed himself and this Confession is not to be only of sins in general nor only of the Species of them but of every sin in particular and as far as the Penitent is able to remember of their number declaring withal all the aggravating Circumstances and all such as change the Species in a word all mortal sins how secret soever tho' only in thoughts and wicked desires as also all faults committed against the two last Commandments Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife Thou shalt not covet any thing that is anothers such sins being at some times more dangerous for the Soul than others that are open all which we are commanded to do by the Divine Law our Saviour when he ascended into Heaven leaving the Priests for his Vicars upon Earth and constituting them Judges before whom all mortal sins committed by Christians were to be brought that by the power of the Keys which he committed to them to forgive or retain sins they may pronounce Sentence which cannot be just and Righteous neither can the punishments they impose be equal or proportionated to the Nature of the Faults without their having a full knowledge of the same as of the matter that they pass Sentence upon which knowledge cannot be had but by the Penitents confessing all and every Mortal Sin whereon Judgment is to pass not only in general but in specie and number making mention of every such Sin in particular with all its necessary circumstances that so a just sentence o◠absolution or retention may be pronounced upon
them And as to Venial Sins which we frequently fall into and for which we are not excluded from the Grace of God tho' the confessing of and being absolved from them is very profitable to the Soul yet we are not under any such precise obligation of confessing them there being other ways by which they may be pardoned so that it is no sin not to discover them The third part of Penitence is Satisfaction for Sins according to the judgment of the Confessor which satisfaction is chiefly performed by Prayer Fasting and Alms the Penitent being obliged to comply with the Penance imposed upon him by the Priest who being as a Judge in the place of God ought to impose what he thinks to be necessary not only with respect to the amendment of Sin for the future but chiefly with respect to the Satisfaction and Penance of past Sins The Form of this Sacrament is I absolve thee to which necessary words the Church has thought fit to add the words following from all thy Sins in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost There are also some Prayers which the Priest saith immediately after over the Penitent which tho' they are not essential to the form yet are very profitable and healthful for the Penitent Now by pronouncing the form not only all the Sins that are confessed but all those likewise which after a due diligence and Examination of the Conscience do not occurr to the Memory so as to be discovered all such being included in the said Confession are all pardoned tho' with an obligation of confessing them if they should ever after come to be remembred sins being as it were chains to the Soul from which it is delivered by the absolution of the Priest which is applicable to such as by virtue of contrition joyned with a desire of confessing have obtained pardon of God for their Sins which they were under an obligation to have confessed as also to those Sins which were never confessed because not remembred after a due diligence and to those likewise which having been once lawfully confessed and truly pardoned are by the Penitent of his own accord and for the greater Penance confessed and submitted to the Keys several times The Minister of this Sacrament is a Priest who hath Authority to absolve and is either the Ordinary as the Prelates or such as are commissioned and approved of by them The effect of this Sacrament is The absolution and pardon of Sins and for that reason it is by the Doctors properly called the Table after Shipwrack because the Grace which was given to us in Baptism being lost by the commission of Mortal Sin by which we make Shipwrack thereof and of all the other Vertues and Gifts which together therewith were poured down upon us there remains no other remedy or means whereby we can be saved but only by the plank of Penance or the Sacrament of Confession for that without this either actually received or firmly purposed according to the command of Holy Mother Church with contrition wherein such a purpose is always included we cannot be saved nor enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for which reason this Sacrament ought to be much reverenced and frequented as the only remedy that sinners have for all their evils Decree I. WHereas an entire Sacramental Confession is of Divine right and necessary to all those who after Baptism fall into any Mortal Sin and Holy Mother Church doth command all faithful Christians who are come to the use of Reason upon pain of Mortal Sin to confess at least once a Year in the time of Lent or at Easter when all that are capable are bound likewise to receive the most holy Sacrament of the Altar declaring all that neglect to do it to be excommunicate and notwithstanding this Precept has not hitherto been in use in this Bishoprick in which no Christian has ever confessed upon Obligation and a great many not at all which was occasioned through their ignorance of this healthful precept and of the necessity of this Divine Sacrament this Church having been governed by Schismatical Chaldaeans and Nestorian Hereticks the particular Enemies of this Sacrament being the cause of their being totally unacquainted with the Virtue Efficacy and Necessity thereof Some not using it all others being perswaded by the Devil into a vain and superstitious Opinion That if they should confess themselves they should die immediately all which having been made known to the most Illustrious Metropolitan in his first Visitation of these Churches he at that time perswaded a great many that had never done it before to confess themselves having undeceived them as to the unreasonable and pernicious mistakes which they lay under therefore the Synod the more to further this doth declare that it is the Duty of every faithful Christian upon penalty of Mortal Sin to observe the precept of the Church concerning Confession at the time by her determined and founded on the Divine precept of Confession for all such as are fallen from Grace by the Commission of any Mortal Sin and doth command all faithful Christians Men and Women that are arrived at the Years of Discretion to confess themselves to their own Vicar or to such Priests as are licensed by the Prelate to hear Confessions at the time of Lent or against Easter and that whosoever shall not have complyed with this Precept or is not confessed sometime betwixt the beginning of Lent and the second Sunday after Easter shall be in the Church declared Excommunicate by the Vicar without waiting for any order from the Prelate to do it until he has effectually confessed himself and has undergone the punishment due to his Rebellion and if the Vicar shall for some just reason think fit to wait any longer for some that have been negligent and who being busie have desired to be dispensed with till Whitsuntide it shall be in their power to bear with them according to what is determined in the 2d Decree of the 5th Action of the Sacrament of the Eucharist having first admonished those that live in the Heaths or are at Sea or engaged in Business in such places where there are no Churches to confess in that when they return home they are bound to do it within a month And that the whole of this may be executed with the more ease and be performed as is reasonable the Vicars of the Churches shall be obliged a month or more before Lent if it be necessary to go to all the Houses of their Parishes belonging to Christians however remote in the Heaths either in Person or by some other Clergyman whom in Conscience they can trust with such a business and taking the Names of all the Christians even to the very Slaves in every Family that are nine Years old and upward and of those too that are abroad observing whether they do return home after the time of the Obligation and having made a Roll of Parchment of
Trent Council suffer'd to preach p. 173 Dec. XVIII All Priests that have delivered any Errors or fabulous Stories in their Sermons are ordered to recant them publickly upon pain of Excommunication p. 174 Dec. XIX Makes Void all Oaths against yielding Obedience to the Roman Church under pain of the greater Excommunication p. 175 Dec. XX. Contains the Profession of the Synod p. 177 Dec. XXI The Synod resolves to be governed in all things by the last Trent Council p. 178 Dec. XXII Submits to the Inquisition p. 179 Dec. XXIII All Persons who shall Act Speak or Write against the Holy Catholick Faith to be prosecuted and punish'd by the Prelate p. 181 ACTION IV. Of the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation p. 182 Of the Doctrine of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism 187. Dec. I. New form for Baptism and the old ones abrogated p. 189 Dec. II. All Baptized according to the old Forms to submit themselves to the Metropolitan at his Visitation for his Directions p. 189 Dec. III. Orders all Priests to make enquiry who have not been Baptized through any Default and to baptize all such privately without taking any Fees p. 190 Dec. IV. To the same Purpose p. 191 Dec. V. Children to be Christened on the 8th Day with some Limitations p. 192 Dec. VI. The Error Condemn'd of not Baptizing the Infants of Excommunicate Parents p. 194 Dec. VII Exhortation to all Parents and such as are present at Womens Labours not to suffer an Infant to die without Baptism Allowance to any Man Woman or Child that knows the Form to Baptize such in case of eminent Necessity How the Child is to be order'd if it recover p. 194 Dec. VIII Christian Daia's or Midwives recommended and Vicars exhorted to instruct them in the Form of Baptism p. 196 Dec. IX Infidel Slaves ordered to be Baptized p. 197 Dec. X. Christians not to be sold to Infidels for Slaves p. 197 Dec. XI Forbids Auguries p. 199 Dec. XII Foundlings how to be ordered p. 200 Dec. XIII Converts how to be order'd p. 200 Dec. XIV Holy Oils commanded with the manner of using them p. 201 Dec. XV. Commands the use of God-Fathers and God-Mothers in Baptism not used before p. 202 Dec. XVI Prohibits Old Testatament some few excepted and Heathenish Names to be given to Children ordering those of the New according to the Christian Oeconomy p. 204 Dec. XVII Orders Children to be called by no other Names than those they were Christened by p. 206 Dec. XVIII Commands that Children be Christened in order as they are brought to Church without any distinction of Persons p. 206 Dec. XIX Commands the building of Fonts p. 207 Dec. XX. Register-Books to be used in all Churches and their Use p. 208 The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Confirmation p. 209 Dec. I. The Sacrament of Confirmation commanded to be used p. 213 Dec. II. Denounces Excommunication against all those that speak against it or vilify it p. 214 Dec. III. God-Fathers and God-Mothers of what 〈◊〉 to be used in Confirmation 〈◊〉 Chrism as well as Baptism p. 216 ACTION V. The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist p. 217 Dec. I. The Holy Eucharist when to be Celebrated p. 220 Dec. II. All Christians above the Age of 14 commanded to Receive this Sacrament once a Year at least p. 222. Dec. III. None to Receive before Confession to a Lawful Priest p. 223 Dec. IV. Commands to Receive Fasting with some Limitation p. 224 Dec. V. The Sacrament to be received as a Viaticum in danger of Death The Vicar that suffers any to die without it though his Fault to be suspended for six Months p. 225 Dec. VI. Women with Child to Confess and Receive a little before their time p. 226 Dec. VII Priests to Communicate once a Month at least in their Surplice and Stole p. 227 Dec. VIII Priests not to Receive the Sacrament before Confession nor say Mass having any scruple of Mortal Sin p. 227 Dec. IX Deacons and Subdeacons when to Receive the Sacrament p. 228 The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass p. 228 Dec. I. Directions for saying Mass and many things in the Chaldaean Missals to be rectified p. 231 Dec. II The Missals of Nestorius Theodorus and Diodoâ—â—s to be burnt p. 245 Dec. III. A grand Error of the Nestorians condemn'd p. 246 Dec. IV. The Roman Mass to be translated iâ—to Syrian and used on particular Occasions c. p. 247. Dec. V. Who to handle the Holy Vessels p 248 Dec. VI. Permits the Stole to none but Deacons p. 248 Dec. VII Orders Stamps to be made in all Churches for the Host p. 249 Dec. VIII Orders what Wine is to be used in celebrating the Eucharist p. 250. Dec. IX The King of Portugal to send a Pipe and an half or two Pipes of Muscatel Wine for the Use of the Sacrament and how to be used p. 250 Dec. X. Stones of the Altar to be consecrated by the Metropolitan p. 252 Dec. XI Holy Vestments to be provided by the Metropolitan out of the Alms of the Parish p. 253 Dec. XII All Persons not having lawful impediment commanded to hear a whole Mass every Sunday and Holyday if c. p. 253 Dec. XIII Directs how often to hear Mass to be capable of the Blessing and such as hear it not so often as directed to be Excommunicate p. 255 Dec. XIV Prohibits Heathen Musicians to remain in the Church after Creed or Sermon is ended p. 256 Dec. XV. Exhorts all to procure Masses to be said for the Souls of their deceased Friends p. 256 ACTION VI. Of the Holy Sacrament of Penance and Extream Unction p. 261 Dec. I. Non-Confession declared a Mortal Sin p. 265 Dec. II. All Persons to come to Confession from Eight Years old and upwards p. 268 Dec. III. All Masters of Families admonished to cause all in their Families to Confess p. 269 Dec. IV. Confession injoin'd upon probable Danger of Death or any great Sickness p. 270 Dec. V. Obliges Women with Child to Confess p. 271 Dec. VI. Orders how those are to be confessed that have the Small-Pox p. 272 Dec. VII Exhorts to frequent Confession p. 272 Dec. VIII Who to take Confessions p. 273 Dec. IX Absolution upon Confession how to be Administred and by whom p. 274 Dec. X. Directs in what Cases Confessors may absolve Penitents p. 275 Dec. XI Excommunication and Absolution when prope p. 277 Dec. XII Priests Confessors to have a written Licence from the Prelate p. 278 Dec. XIII Confessors that understand the Malabar Tongue to be made Use of and why p. 281 Dec. XIV None can absolve in the Sacramental Court but such as took the Confession p. 281 Dec. XV. The Sacramental Form of Absolution not to be used as a Prayer but in its proper Place p. 282 The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Extream Unction p. 282 Dec. I. The use of the Extream Vnction recommended with directions therein p. 285 Dec. II. Confessors
to Instruct Sick Persons in the Use of Extream Vnction p. 286 Dec. III. The Manner in which the Extream Vnction is to be administred p. 287 ACTION VII Of the Sacraments of Order and Matrimony p. 288 Of the Doctrine of the Sacrament of Order p. 288 Dec. I. Ordains who are fit for Orders p. 291 Dec. II. Such as have been Simonaically ordained dispensed with p. 293 Dec. III. None to celebrate that have the Leprosie p. 293 Dec. IV. Such as live in Malice not capable of the Casture or Blessing c. p. 294 Dec. V. Directions for saying the Divine Offices declared a Mortal Sin not to recite the whole p. 295 Dec. VI. Commands the Athanasian Creed to be translated into Syrian and the Clergy to get it by heart p. 297 Dec. VII Exhorts Clergymen not to be absent at Divine Service with directions for their Behaviour thereat c. p. 297 Dec. VIII Clergymen to be deducted in their part of the Dividend for every time of absence except in case of lawful Impediment p. 298 Dec. IX Commands that no Exorcisms be used save those of the Church of Rome p. 299 Dec. X. Forbids under pain of the Greater Excommunication all Superstitions Heathenish Customs of foretelling lucky and unlucky Days for Marriage c. p. 300 Dec. XI Priests not to Eat or Drink with Infidels or in a Tavern or Publick Eating House upon pain of Suspension and why p. 301 Dec. XII Commands the Clergy to wear a distinct Habit from the Laity with other directions for their Behaviour p. 302 Dec. XIII Clergy not to meddle in Secular Affairs p. 303 Dec. XIV Commands all the Clergy to wear the Habit Tonsure and Shaven Crown p. 304 Dec. XV. No Ecclesiastick to receive pay from any King as a Soldier p. 304 Dec. XVI No Clerk in Orders to Marry upon pain of Excommunication p. 305 Dec. XVII Suffers such as have been married and turn away their Wives to exercise their Function p. 308 Dec. XVIII Wives of Priests called Catatiara's to be degraded from their Honour in the Church and benefit in the Profits unless they leave their Husbands p. 309 Dec. XIX Declares how far this Synod is to be guided by the Trent Council p. 310 Dec. XX. Forbids Simony p. 311 Dec. XXI Provides Means for the preventing of Simony p. 314 Dec. XXII Provides further for the prevention of Simony p. 314 Dec. XXIII None to be put in Orders during the Vacancy of the See and why p. 316 The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Matrimony p. 317 Dec. I. Marriage to be celebrated according to the directions of the Council of Trent p. 320 Dec. II. None to be Married without present Consent together with the Marriage Form and the manner of Consenting p. 321 Dec. III. Banns to be published according to the Council of Trent how p. 323 Dec. IV. Orders a Register for Marriages as also a Method for registring them p. 324 Dec. V. Marriages to be celebrabrated in the Church and the Parties to be Married to Confess and receive the Eucharist before they can be Married p. 325 Dec. VI. Degrees of Kindred where Marriage is prohibited p. 326. Dec. VII Spiritual Kindred prohibited what p. 328 Dec. VIII The Metropolitan to dispence with such Marriages both past present and to come c. p. 329 Dec. IX Unlicensed times for Marrying which p. 331 Dec. X. Ordains what Age Parties to be Married shall be of p. 331 Dec. XI Separations in this Matter forbid p. 332 Dec. XII Declares all Marriages void that are not performed according to the Form of the Council of Trent p. 333 Dec. XIII Forbids Polygamy p. p. 334 Dec. XIV Consulting of Wizzards and using Heathenish Superstitious Ceremonies for success in Marriage prohibited p. p. 335 Dec. XV. Against Heathenish Ceremonies in Marriage Contracts p. 336 Dec. XVI Against a Judaical Ceremony used by Married People p. 337 ACTION VIII Of the Reformation of Church-Affairs p. 338 Dec. I. For dividing the Diocess into Parishes and appointing Ministers c. p. 338 Dec. II. Division and Vniting of Parishes belongs to the Prelate c. p. 340 Dec. III. Pluralities condemned p. 341 Dec. IV. No Parochial Church to be without a Curate p 342 Dec. V. The disuse of Christianity ordered to be enquired into p. 343 Dec. VI. Orders the Church of Travancor to be rebuilt and a Vicar Collated to the place p. 344 Dec. VII Orders Preachers to be sent to Tadamalla and why p. 344 Dec. VIII Three Vessels of Oil to be kept in the Church p. 345 Dec. IX Holy Days or Feasts of the Church on what days to be kept p. 347 Dec. X. Fasts upon what days to be kept p. 350 Dec. XI The Malavar Christians Custom of Keeping Lent approved of p. 353 Dec. XII How far Fasting obligatory p. 354 Dec. XIII Some Heathenish Washings condemned p. 355 Dec. XIV The Use of Consecrated Ashes p. 356. Dec. XV. No Flesh to be Eat upon Saturdays but in some cases permitted on Wednesdays p. 357 Dec. XVI The Obligation of not eating Flesh lasts from Midnight to Midnight c. p. 357 Dec. XVII Water to be blessed by throwing holy Salt into it how to be used p. 358 Dec. XVIII Boys and Girls to be instructed in the Doctrines of the Church of Rome p. 360 Dec. XIX Directions for saying the Ave mary p. 362 Dec. XX. Commands Bowing at at the Name of Jesus p. 362 Dec. XXI Mattins and Processions order'd on Christmas Eve p. 363 Dec. XXII Surplice and Stole ordered to be used in the Administration of Sacraments p. 365 Dec. XXIII Candles to be blessed when p. 366 Dec. XXIV Commanding an Universal Cessation from Work on the Sabbath Day p. 367 Dec. XXV Churches formerly dedicated to Marxobro and Marphrod to be dedicated to All Saints c. p. 368 Dec. XXVI The Poors Box to be kept in the Overseers House and why and how p. 372 Dec. XXVII Capiars appointed to keep the Churches clean p. 373 Dec. XXVIII Cupboards and Chests ordered to be kept in the Vestries and why p. 374 Dec. XXIX Images to be set up in Churches p. 374 Dec. XXX Churches to be re-consecrated for what p. 376 Dec. XXXI Sick Persons prohibited to lie in the Church p. 377 Dec. XXXII All dead Corps to to be buried in Holy Ground and by a Priest p. 378 Dec. XXXIII Orders for the Burying such as die of the Small-Pox p. 379 Dec. XXXIV No Church to change the Name by which it was consecrated p. 379 Dec. XXXV Gentle Methods recommended for the reducing of Infidels to the Church p. 381 Dec. XXXVI Orders all Poor People that desire to turn Christians to be received to Baptism 382 Dec. XXXVII Commands that all be taught to Cross themselves from the Left to the Right p. 383 Dec. XXXVIII Execution of Wills declared to belong to the Bishops p. 384 Dec. XXXIX The Office of Burial to be performed for all except such as die under Excommunication
Form of a Servant does not diminish the Form of God because he who is true God is also true Man God because in the beginning he was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word Man because the Word was made Flesh and died among us God because by his own Power he satisfied five Thousand Men with five Loaves and promised the Water of Eternal Life to the Samaritan Woman and raised Lazarus from the Grave when he had been dead four days and gave sight to the Blind cured the Sick and commanded the Winds and the Seas Man because he suffered Hunger and Thirst was weary in the Way was fastned with Nails to the Cross and died thereon Equal to the Eternal Father as to the Divinity and Inferior to the Father as to the Humanity and Mortal and Passible CHAP. III. FUrthermore That the same Son of God that was Incarnate was truly born of the Virgin Mary and had his Sacred Body formed of the pure Blood of the same most Blessed Virgin and is truly her Son for which reason we confess her to be truly the Mother of God and that she ought to be so called and invocated by the whole Catholick Church for that she really and truly brought forth according to the Flesh tho' without any Pain or Passion the true Son of God made Man and that the said Son of God Incarnate truly suffered for us and was truly dead and buried and in his Soul truly descended into Hell or Limbo to redeem the Souls of the Holy Fathers which were therein and did truly rise again from the dead the third day and afterwards for forty days taught his Disciples speaking with them of the Kingdom of Heaven and immediately by his own Power ascended into the Heavens where he sits at the right hand of the Majesty Glory and Power of the Father from whence he shall come to Judge the quick and the dead and to give to every one according to their Works CHAP. IV. FUrthermore That none that are descended from Adam ever were or can be saved by any other means than by Faith in the Mediator betwixt God and Man our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God who by his Blood and Death reconciled us to the Eternal Father by having satisfied him for our Debts the Faith before our Saviour appeared in the World being to believe in him who was to come as after his appearance to believe in him who is come and by his Blood and Death has saved us CHAP. V. FUrthermore That all we who are born of Adam by the way of Natural Generation are born Children of Wrath with the guilt of Original Sin incurred by the disobedience of Adam in whom we all sinned and which we all committed in him for which sin Adam lost for himself and us Holiness and Righteousness and so that guilt of sin is derived to all of us by Generation we having all sinned in him as the Apostle St. Paul tells us that by one Man Sin entred into the World and by Sin Death and so Death passed upon all Men all having sinned in him but notwithstanding this guilt is derived to us by Generation nevertheless our Souls are not derived by Generation as our Bodies are but are created by God of nothing and by the Divine Ordination infused into our Bodies at the time when they are perfectly formed and organized and in the instant in which they are infused into our Bodies they contract the guilt of Original Sin which we committed in Adam and for which we were all expelled the Kingdom of Heaven and deprived of God for ever but which is now pardoned by Holy Baptism by which our Souls are cleansed from the guilt of that sin and of Children of Wrath and Aliens from Glory we are made the blessed Sons of God and Heirs of Heaven wherein likewise all our other sins and actual transgressions where there are any together with all the punishments due to the same are forgiven CHAP. VI. FUrthermore That the Souls of all those that have committed no sin after Baptism and of those who having committed sins have done condign Penance and have made an entire and equal satisfaction for them are carried immediately into Heaven where they behold God Three and One as he is and do partake of the Divine Vision in proportion to the diversity of their Merits some more perfectly than others and in the same manner they who die in any Actual Mortal sin without having done condign punishment for it or only in Original sin do go straightway down into Hell there to be tormented with Eternal punishments though unequal according to the measure of their guilt CHAP. VII FUrthermore That all Christians departing this life in Charity and having truly repented of the sins they have committed before they have made full satisfaction to the Divine Justice for the same are at their death carried into Purgatory where their guilt is purged away by Fire and other punishments in such a space of time as by the Divine Ordination is suitable to their Quality or until they have entirely satisfied for them after which they are carried up into Glory there to enjoy God and that in Purgatory the Prayers Alms and other Works of Piety that are performed by the Faithful that are alive for the Faithful that are dead are profitable to them but above all the holy Sacrifice of the Mass for their being relaxed from the punishments that they suffer and for the shortning of their banishment from Heaven CHAP. VIII FUrthermore That at the day of Judgment our Bodies tho' crumbled into dust and ashes shall be raised up the same that they were in this Life and be reunited to their Souls those of the Righteous to be cloathed with Glory and to reign with Christ for ever in the Heavens and those of the Wicked to be together with their souls tormented for ever in the Company of Devils in the Eternal and real Fire of Hell CHAP. IX FUrthermore That in the beginning and in Time God created all things Visible and Invisible Corporeal and Spiritual and the Empyrean Heavens full of Angels of whom those that continued subject to God were confirmed in Grace enjoying God with all the perfections and Gifts wherewith they were created as those who disobeyed him fell into Hell which God so soon as they sinned made for them where they are tormented for ever with the rigour of Justice not only with punishments of loss in being Eternally deprived of the Divine Vision which they were created to have enjoyed but with real Fire and other Eternal Torments also and do tempt men endeavouring to do them all the mischief they are able out of envy for the Blessings that are reserved for the Just and which they have forfeited by their sins and out of hatred they have for God and his Works and that intrinsical Malice they are hardned in CHAP. X. FUrthermore That the Blessed Angels and Saints that
Learning having never been taught that the Devil tempted Christ before his Fast of forty days which is contrary to the Gospel that St. Joseph to be satisfied whether the Virgin had committed Adultery carried her before the Priests who according to the Law gave her the Water of Jealousie to drink that our Lady brought forth with pain and parting from her Company not being able to go farther she retired to a Stable at Bethlehem that neither our Lady nor any other Saint is in Heaven enjoying God but are all in a Terrestrial Paradise where they are to remain till the day of Judgment with other Errors too many to be related But it is the Synod's pleasure to instance in some of the chief Errors contained in the Books that it condemns that so all may be satisfied of the reason why they are prohibited to be read or kept upon pain of Excommunication and that all may avoid and burn them with the greater Horror and for other just and necessary respects Also the Book of John Barialdan wherein it is said in divers places That there were two Persons a Divine and Humane in Christ which is contrary to the Catholick Faith which confesses one only Divine Person It is also said That the Names of Christ and Emanuel are the Names of the Humane Person only and for that reason that the most sweet Name Jesus is not to be adored that the Union of the Incarnation is common to all the Three Divine Persons who were all Incarnated that our Lord Christ is the adopted and not the Natural Son of God that the Union of the Incarnation is accidental and is only that of Love betwixt the Divine and Humane Persons Also the Book intituled The Procession of the Holy Spirit wherein it is endeavoured to be proved at large that the Holy Spirit proceedeth only from the Father and not from the Son which is contrary to the Catholick Truth which teaches that he proceeds from the Father and the Son Also the Book entituled Margarita Fidei or The Jewel of Faith wherein it is pretended to be proved at large That our Lady the most Holy Virgin neither is nor ought to be stiled the Mother of God but the Mother of Christ that in Christ there are two Persons the one of the Word and the other of Jesus that the Union of the Incarnation is only an accidental Union of Love and Power and not a substantial Union that there are three distinct Faiths which is divided into three Professions the Nestorian Jacobite and Roman that the Nestorian is the true Faith that was taught by the Apostle and that the Roman is false and Heretical and was introduced by force of Arms and the Authority of Heretical Emperors into the greatest part of the World that to Excommunicate Nestorius is to Excommunicate the Apostles and Prophets and the whole Scripture that they that do not believe his Doctrine shall not inherit Eternal Life that they that follow Nestorius received their Faith from the Apostles which has been preserved to this day in the Church of Babylon of the Syrians That Matrimony neither is nor can be a Sacrament that the sign of the Cross is one of the Sacraments of the Church instituted by Christ that the Fire of Hell is Metaphorical not real that the Roman Church is fallen from the Faith condemning it likewise for not celebrating in leavened Bread according to what the Church has received from the Apostles for which it is said the Romans are Hereticks Also the Book of the Fathers wherein it is said That our Lady neither is nor ought to be called the Mother of God that the Patriarch of Babylon of the Nestorians is the Universal Head of the Church immediately under Christ that the Fire of Hell is not real but spiritual that it is Heresie to say that God was born or dyed that there are two Persons in Christ Also a Book of the Life of Abbot Isaias commented by a Nestorian wherein it is said That the Union is common to all the Three Persons that St. Cyril of Alexandria who condemned Nestorius was an impious Heretick and is now in Hell for having taught that there is but One Person in Christ whereas as often as Nestorius Theodorus and Diodorus are named they are stiled Saints and blessed by whose Authority it is there proved that the Saints shall not enjoy God before the day of Judgment and that till then they shall be in an obscure place which they call Eden near to the Terrestrial Paradise and that by so much the worse as any one has been he is tormented * The less for it in Hell This of fixing something that is justly abominable to all Mankind upon her Adversaries has been the constant practice of the Church of Rome So the Emperor Michael Balbus because he was an Enemy to Image-worship is said to have laughed at the Prophets not to have believed there were any Devils and to have placed Judas among the Saints the Templars upon the Pope and the French Kings conspiring together to destroy their Order are said to have obliged all their Novices to blaspheme God to renounce Christ the Virgin Mary and all the Saints in Heaven to spit and trample upon the Crucifix and to declare that Christ was a false Prophet the Albigenses are said to have held it lawful to deny their Faith when interrogated upon it by a Magistrate to have held that promiscuous Venery was lawful but that Matrimony was Hell and Damnation that the Souls of Men were as Mortal as their Bodies that the way of choosing their chief Priests was by tossing an Infant from one to another and that he in whose hands the Infant expired had that Office and that the Devil was unjustly thrown out of Heaven the less for it in Hell by reason of his greater conformity and friendship with the Devils that the Word was not made Man and that it is Blasphemy to affirm it that Christ conquer'd all the Passions of Sin by a Power derived from God and not by his own strength that St. Cyril was a Heretick in teaching that there was but One Person in Christ that the Divine and Humane Nature were united in Christ accidentally by Love that the whole Trinity was incarnated that God dwelt in Christ as in a Rational Temple giving him power to do all the good things he did that the Souls of the Just will be in a Terrestrial Paradise till the day of Judgment that the Wicked when they dye in Mortal Sin are carried to a place called Eden where they suffer only by the sense of the punishments they know they are to undergo after the day of Judgment Also the Book of Synods wherein there is a forged Letter of Pope Caius with false Subscriptions of a great many other Western Bishops directed to those of Babylon wherein it is acknowledged that the Church of Rome ought to be subject to that of Babylon which with
Matters may not be so in the dark as they have been formerly when there was no certain way of coming to the knowledge of Peoples Age which must needs create great scruples in the Minds of such as were to be Married or Ordained The Doctrine of the Sacrament of Confirmation THe Second Sacrament is Confirmation which our Lord Christ instituted in order to the confirming and establishing of Christians in the Faith so that nothing might be able to separate them from it through the Power of the Holy Ghost which is given therein particularly to that effect besides the sanctifying Grace which it gives in common with the other Divine Sacraments the Matter of this Sacrament is the Holy Oyl of Chrism made of the Oyl of the Olive-tree signifying the light and purity of the Conscience and of Balsam which signifies the sweet smell of a good Name both mixed together and blessed by the hand of the Bishop the Form are the words spoke by the Bishop when he dips his Thumb into the said Chrism making therewith the Sign of the Cross on the Forehead of the Person that is confirmed saying I sign thee with the sign of the Cross and do confirm thee with the Chrism of Health in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost to which the Bishop subjoyns three holy and wholsome Prayers wherein he beseeches God to fill those that are confirmed with his Divine Spirit The ordinary Minister of * The English Jesuits who could not endure that the Pope should put a Bishop over them here in England in their Books wherein they laboured to prove that there was no need of one spoke very slightingly of Confirmation affirming it to be a Sacrament that was not enjoyned but only where it might be had very easily that the effects thereof might be abundantly supplyed by the other Sacraments nay by ordinary Assistances that the Chrism in Baptism had not only the signification but all the effects of Confirmation so far at least as to make it not to be very necessary In a word that Confirmation was not simply necessary neither Necessitate Medii nor Necessitate Praecepti so that it was not likely that the want of it in Eâ—â—land was the cause of so many Peoples apostatizing from the Catholick Faith So little do either the Sacraments or the Hierarchy not excepting the Papacy it self signifie when they stand in the way of the Jesuits ambition I do not except the Papacy because when it was generally believed that Clement the VIIIth was resolved to condemn Molina's Book of Scientia Media the Spanish Jesuits endeavoured to ward off that blow by affirming in their publick Conclusions in their College at Complutum that it was not a matter of Faith to believe that Clement the VIIIth was true Pope for which Luisius Turrianus the President of the Disputation the Rector of the College and Vasquez who were present at the Act were all summoned to appear before the Inquisition of Toledo as Gaspar Hortadus Gregory de la Camara and Alvarez de Villegas were to appear at Rome before the Pope for having defended the same Conclusion publickly in the said University much about the same time so that had Clement the VIIIth condemned Molina's Book after the whole order of the Jesuits had espoused the merits thereof so publickly which the Dominicans say he would certainly have done had he but lived a few Months longer Ignatius Loyola appearing to some Jesuits in Spain and assuring them that Molina's Book would never be condemned by any Pope notwithstanding we should have had Simony or some other Nullity found in his Election by the Jesuits before this time By this we see that Jesuits have wherewith to intimidate Popes as well as Princes and Bishops Confirmation is the Bishop for tho' simple Priests may perform several other Unctions this can be done only by a Bishop the Bishops being the Successors of the Apostles by the imposition of whose hands the Holy Ghost was given in the place of which imposition of hands the Church gives Confirmation Christ having so ordained it wherein the Holy Ghost is given likewise Nevertheless by a dispensation from the Holy See and by no other way when there is any very urgent Occasion or when it happens to be necessary for the good of the Faithful simple Priests may confirm with Chrism that has been consecrated by a Bishop in the forementioned Form the effect of this Sacrament is that therein the Holy Ghost is given to the strengthening and fortifying of the Soul as it was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost that Christians may with boldness confess the Name of Christ and his Catholick Faith for which reason the Person confirmed is anointed on the forehead with the Sign of the Cross that being the most open place of the Body and the Seat of Shame and Confusion which is very different from what is done to People when they are baptized who are anointed on the Head People are confirmed on the forehead that they may not be ashamed to confess the Name of Jesus Christ and his Cross which as the Apostle saith is to the Jews an Offence and to the Heathens foolishness this Sacrament differs much from that of Baptism for as by Baptism we are born into the Faith so by this we are confirmed therein for as in the Natural Life to be born is different from growing so in the Spiritual Life it is one thing to be born to Grace and Faith which is done in Baptism and another to encrease and grow stronger therein which is done in Confirmation and so in Baptism we are born to a Spiritual Life and are afterwards prepared and confirmed for our Warfare and do receive so much strength that no dangers or terrors of Punishments or Losses or Torments or Deaths are able to separate us from the Confession of the Name of Christ and of the true Faith we profess Decree I. FOrasmuch as hitherto there has been no use nor so much as Knowledge of the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation among the Christians of this Bishoprick the Heretical Prelates that governed it having neglected to feed the People in a great many cases with wholsome Catholick Food therefore the Synod doth declare That all Persons who are come to the use of reason ought to receive this Holy Sacrament having the opportunity of receiving it at the hands of a Bishop and that all Masters of Families and others having the Charge of Children are in Duty bound to command their Children and Slaves to receive the said Sacrament and that all who out of contumacy or contempt shall refuse to receive it or to order such as belong to them to go to it are guilty of a Mortal Sin and if they neglect it out of a conceit of it 's not being a Sacrament they are Hereticks and Aliens from the true Catholick Faith wherefore the Synod doth command that in the Visitation that is
to wait 'till Whitsuntide and then to declare them provided that before they declare those that live on the Heaths they shall first take care to admonish them either by themselves or by others of known fidelity that so they may do their Duty herein letting them know if they fail that they must be declared Excommunicate The Curates must also be sure to observe who have complyed with this Obligation putting their Names in a Roll as is ordered in Confession But notwithstanding the Sacred Canons do oblige the Faithful only to confess and communicate once a Year at the time aforesaid nevertheless the Vicars shall advise their Parishioners to do it oftner namely at Christmass and Whitsuntide and the Assumption of our Lady giving warning thereof still the Sunday before Decree III. THe Synod doth declare and teach That no Christian how contrite soever for his Sins may lawfully come to receive the Divine Sacrament of the Altar being guilty of any Mortal Sin without having first confessed all his Sins entirely to some approved Priest that has Authority to receive his Confession that being the Tryal and Examination that the Apostle speaks of and saith a Man ought to make of himself and being so approved and confessed let him eat of the Divine Bread and drink of the Divine Cup For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily and with a Conscience of Sin eateth and drinketh Judgment and Condemnation to himself for which reason this Divine Sacrament must not be given to publick Sinners without they have left their Sins as publick Witches and common Women and such as keep Concubines publickly and such as are in open malice before they are reconciled and all other open Sinners whatsoever In which Matter the Vicars must be extreamly careful being sensible that as it is a grievous Sin in such to receive the Divine Sacrament before they have forsaken their Sins so it is likewise a grievous offence in them to give the Sacrament to such publick Sinners and who are known by all to live in such Sins and not to have forsaken them notwithstanding they should have been confessed by others and should bring a Note of their being absolved This matter ought to be laid home to the Consciences of the Vicars by reason of the great dissoluteness that there is in this Bishoprick in giving the Communion to publick Sinners and especially to those that keep Concubines and are Married but will not live with their Wives and to others who live in open Malice without any Body to hinder them of all which the Vicars must give a strict Account to God but at the point of death they may give the Divine Sacrament even to such as have been publick Sinners if they are not finally impenitent Decree IV. THe Synod teacheth That this Divine Sacrament ought to be received Fasting as Holy Mother Church commands and that upon the day on which people are to communicate they are neither to eat nor drink any thing from Midnight untill after they have received the Communion not to do so being * A most grievous Sacrilege Tho' the custom of receiving the Sacrament Fasting is very laudable yet considering that it was not so received by our Blessed Saviour himself nor his Apostles when he first instituted it nor by the Faithful for some Ages they must needs carry the matteâ— too far that call the receiving it otherwise than Fasting a grievous Sacrilege a most grievous Sacrilege such only excepted as are under any great infirmity or much spent with Sickness who may take Electuaries and other light things to strengthen them of which the Confessor must be judge Decree V. CHristians are not only bound to receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar once a Year at Easter but as often as they are in probable danger of Death and especially in any great Sickness for which reason this Divine Sacrament is called the Viaticum that is to say the Support in the way from a Mortal to an Eternal Life wherefore the Synod doth command all Sick People whose Distempers are any thing dangerous to receive it with much Devotion and as they that look after the Sick ought to give the Vicars timely Notice so the Vicars themselves must be diligent to enquire what Persons are sick in their Parishes that so before they come to be too weak at a time when it will do them no prejudice they may be brought in a Palanquin or in something else that covers them to the Church there to receive the Holy Sacrament for which use there shall be a Palanquin or Net made commodious with Carpets in every Church in which the Sick shall be carried with due care which shall be bought within a month after the publication hereof out of the Fabrick money of the Church all which the Synod doth recommend earnestly to the Vicars this being truly the chief Duty of their Office and if it shall any time happen that a Parishioner shall die without having received the Communion thro' the Vicars default the said Vicar shall be suspended for six months from his Office and Benefice and if it happen thorow the Vicars not having been advised thereof then those that attended the Sick Person shall be severely punished by the Prelate Decree VI. WHereas Women are many times in danger of Death in Child-bed a great many dying therein the Synod doth therefore declare That all Women with Child ought about the time when they reckon they are to be delivered to confess themselves and receive the Holy Sacrament but especially before the Birth of their first Child in which the danger is greatest recommending it to them to be careful to do it in time that they may not be prevented by their Labour from going to Church Such also as design to undertake any long and dangerous Voyage ought to do the same to whom the Synod recommends it much and requires it of them Decree VII FOrasmuch as there are several Priests and Cazanares of this Diocess that do never celebrate some by reason of their having been ordained when they were but Boys and so do wait till they come to be of a due Age and others through other Impediments therefore the Synod doth command all such to receive the Holy Sacrament upon all the solemn Festivities and at least once a month wishing they would do it every Sunday with a due preparation and reverence and as often as any Priest doth communicate he shall be in a Surplice and Stole with a Cross on his Breast to distinguish him from other People by reason of the Reverence and Respect that is due to the Sacerdotal Office which he bears Decree VIII SEeing as is aforesaid it is not lawful for any Person to come to the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar having the least scruple of any Mortal Sin about him without having been Sacramentally confess'd the Synod doth declare That even to Priests it is not lawful and that none finding in themselves the
least scruple of Mortal Sin and having an opportunity of a Confessor shall say Mass tho' under an Obligation to do it without having first confessed themselves But besides that such when under any scruple are obliged to confess for the greater purity of their Souls tho' under no scruple the Synod commands all Priests to confess at least once a Week Decree IX THe Synod doth furthermore command all Deacons and Sub-Deacons that Minister solemnly in the solemn Masses on Sundays and Saints-days to receive the most Holy Sacrament at those times and on the Festivity of our Lord Christ our Lady and the Holy Apostles all the Chamazes or Clergy that are in the Church of which the Vicars ought to take special care and the Prelate in his Visitations is to make diligent Inquiry how these things are observed The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass THe great Love of God to Mankind does not only appear in the Institution of the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and in the putting of his Divine Body and Blood under the Sacramental Species to be the heavenly Food of our Souls by which the Spiritual Life is maintained and preserved but in his having likewise so instituted it that the Catholick Church Militant might have a perpetual and visible Sacrifice for the purging away of our sins and for turning the Wrath of our Heavenly Father who is many times offended with our wickedness into Mercy and the rigour of his just punishment into Clemency So in the Mass there is offered unto God a true and proper Sacrifice for the pardon both of the Living and of the Dead by the offering of the which Sacrifice the Lord is so far appealed as to give Grace and the Gift of Repentance to Sinners and by means thereof does forgive Men their Sins and Offences tho' never so enormous the Host that is offered by the Ministry of the Priest on the Altar of the Church being one and the same that was offered for us on the Cross with no other difference besides that of the reason of their being offered And so it is not only offered for the Sins Punishments Satisfactions and other Necessities of the Faithful that are Living but also for the Dead departed in Christ and that are in the Torments of Purgatory being not as yet fully purged by reason of their not having made a compleat satisfaction for the punishments due to their sins it being but just and reasonable that all should be benefited by a Sacrifice which was instituted for the Remedy and Health of all Mankind which Oblation is of that purity that no indignity or wickedness in the Offerers is able to defile it so that as to the substance value and acceptation it is the same when offered by a wicked and unclean sinner as when by a pure and holy Priest because it does not derive its Dignity from the Offerer but from the Majesty and excellency of what is offered neither does the Eternal Father accept thereof for the Merits and Vertue of the Priest that offers it but for the value of the Sacrifice it self and the infinite Merits of Christ who is offered therein so that our Saviour being about to offer himself to God the Father on the Altar of the Cross could not possibly have given us a greater expression of his immense Love for us than by leaving us this visible Sacrifice in his Church in which the Blood which was presently to be once offered upon the Altar of the Cross was to be renewed every day upon the Altar of the Church and the Memory thereof to our great profit was to be adored every where in the Church until the end of the World which Divine Sacrifice is offered to God only notwithstanding it is sometimes celebrated in Memory and Honour of the Martyrs and other Saints in Bliss it not being offered to them but to God only who has been pleased to Crown them with Immortal Honour rendring him thereby our bounden thanks for the notable Victory of the Martyrs and the publick Mercies and Blessings he has vouchsafed to other Saints and for the Victories which by these means they obtained over the World the Flesh and the Devil beseeching the said Saints to be pleased to intercede for us in Heaven whose Memories we celebrate on Earth and tho' the Divine Eucharist does still continue to be a Sacrament yet it is never a Sacrifice but as it is offered in the Mass Decree I. FOrasmuch as it is of great moment that all things belonging to the Sacrifice of the Mass should be preserv'd pure and undefiled and whereas this Church has been for * 1200 Years It would puzzle them to prove that they had ever been at any time under her obedience however this shows what a Cheat that submission of the Patriarch of Babylon in his own name and in the name of all the Churches that were subject to him to the Pope at the Council of Trent was which Father Paul tells us made a mighty noise in the World the Court of Rome boasting thereupon that the Pope had got more new Subjects by that submission than he had lost by the Reformation 1200 years from under the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church the Mistress of all the other Churches and from whence all good Government and true Doctrines do come all the Bishops that came hither from Babylon having been Schismaticks and Nestorian Hereticks who have added to and taken from the Mass at their pleasure without any order from whence it has come to pass that several things are foisted into the Syrian Mass which is said in this Diocess without any consideration and such things too as may give occasion to many Impious and Heretical Errors For which if due Order were observed all the Missals of this Bishoprick ought to be burned as also for their having been of Nestorian use and compiled by Nestorian Hereticks but being there are no other at present they are tolerated until such time as our Lord the Pope shall take some Order therein and there shall be Missals sent by him printed in the Chaldee Tongue which is what this Synod humbly and earnestly desires may be done And in the mean time it doth command that the Missals now in use be purged and reformed as to all the following Matters and that till such time as they are so purged which the most Illustrious Metropolitan with the assistance of some Persons well versed in the Chaldee Tongue will see done the next Visitation no Priest shall presume to make use of them any more Whereas from the above declared Doctrine of this Sacrament it is evident that the Priest does not Consecrate with his own words but with those of our Lord Christ the Author and Institutor of the said Divine Sacrament it is not therefore lawful to add any Clause how good soever in it self to the Form of Consecration or to what our Lord Christ said therein in which we do not
turn to Vinegar with which they celebrate notwithstanding not considering the danger there is of there being no Consecration for remedy whereof the Synod in the strictest manner that it can doth command That in every Church there shall be in the Vicars keeping a sweet pipe or small Runlet of Wood or a Frask in which the Wine for the Masses shall be kept and that the Vicars be extreamly careful that the Wine do not decay or turn to Vinegar which if it should happen so as to have lost the essence of Wine in the Opinion of those that have good Palates they shall not then celebrate therewith it being a great Sacrilege to do it seeing there can be no Consecration Decree IX WHereas for want of Portugal Wine it many times falls out that there are no Masses celebrated in this Diocess to the great prejudice of the Faithful Christians who for that reason are several months without hearing Mass and without an opportunity of receiving the most Holy Sacrament and the Sick of receiving the Holy Viaticum wherefore the Synod for remedy hereof doth entreat his Majesty the King of Portugal out of his great Piety and as he is Protector of the Christians of these parts once a Year to send us as an Alms a Pipe and a half or two Pipes of Muscatel Wine of Portugal to be distributed among the Christian Churches of this Bishoprick and of the whole Indies and till such time as an Answer shall be returned to this Petition the most Illustrious Lord Archbishop of Goa Dom ffray Aleixo de Menezes Metropolitan of this Church Primate of India and President of this Synod is pleased to give the said quantity of Wine to be distributed among the Churches of this Bishoprick the distribution whereof shall be made by the Prelate according to the Informations he shall receive of the Necessities of every Parish and whereas all the successes of this Life are uncertain if this should happen to fail at any time the Prelate shall then at his Visitation take so much out of the stock of every Church as shall suffice to purchase what Wine is necessary and the Wine shall be committed to the Vicar who shall make use of it only in the Masses that are said in the Church and order shall be taken that the Mass of the day which belongs to the whole Parish and is the chief obligation of the Church shall be celebrated without fail Decree X. THis Synod being very doubtful whether the Stones of the Altar on which the Masses are said in the Churches of this Diocess be consecrated with Holy Oil or truly Blessed by reason of the small care and knowledge which the former Prelates coming from Babylon had of such Matters doth command That all such as are not well known to have been lawfully Consecrated shall be brought to the most Reverend Metropolitan that they may be Consecrated by him whom the Synod doth intreat to provide such Churches with Stones as want them Commanding likewise all Cups that are not of Gold Silver Copper or Tin to be broke and * No Cups In the Primitive Church they thought it no such Crime to make use of wooden Chalices in the celebration of the Sacrament So Honorius in the 89 Chap. of his 3. Book De gemma animae saith Apostoli eorum successâ—res in ligneis Calicibus Missas celebrârunt And Boniface Bishop of Mentz being asked in the Council of Triburis whether it were Lawful to celebrate in Wooden Chalices answered Quondam Sacerdotes aurei ligneis Calicibus utebantur nunc è contra lignei Sacerdotes aureis utuntur Calicibus no Cups to be used but what are made of one of these Metals and that Mass be never said in any of these after they are broken and seeing there are many Churches that for want of Cups have no Masses the Lord Metropolitan is desired to give order that all Churches be furnished with Cups Decree XI WHereas there are many poor Churches in this Bishoprick and especially in the Heaths that have no consecrated Vestments for the saying of Mass and for that reason have but few said in them to the great prejudice of the faithful Parishioners therefore the Synod doth command That out of the Alms of the Parish the most Reverend Metropolitan may provide all Churches with Holy Vestments so that none may be without them and for that reason be without having Masses every Sunday and in those Parishes where the Alms shall not be found to be sufficient to do it the said Lord Metropolitan is desired to take such order therein that they may be some way or other provided and have so great a want supplied Decree XII WHereas the Christians of this Diocess have not hitherto heard Mass as upon obligation having never imagined that the not hearing thereof upon some particular days was a mortal sin for which reason some have without any scruple neglected going to hear it and others have not stayed to hear it out therefore the Synod doth declare That it is the Precept of the Universal Church and that upon penalty of a mortal Sin that all Christians Men and Women having no lawful impediment do hear an entire Mass upon every Sunday and Holy-day that is commanded to be kept if they have the opportunity of a Priest to say it to them As also that all Masters of Families are obliged by the said Precept to make their Children and such of their Servants and Slaves as are Christians and all other Persons living in their Families to go every Sunday and Holy-day to hear Mass which every one shall endeavour to hear at his own Parish-Church or at the place where he then happens to be and as for those who with just reason are afraid to leave their Houses alone without any body in them and especially such as live in Heaths and are a great way from any Church they shall so order the matter that all in their Families shall take their turns of going to Mass and staying at home on Sundays and the Vicars of the Churches must be careful to mark all such as are negligent herein and reprove admonish and punish them so as they shall judge necessary and where there is any number of Clergy they shall sing the Mass on Sundays and Holy-days and when there is not a competent number there the Mass shall be said at a convenient hour the whole Parish being present and he shall at the same time Preach publish their Admonitions the Banes of Matrimony and whatsoever else is necessary in the Church Decree XIII THe Synod being informed that most of all the Christians that live out of Towns and Villages in the Heaths being a great way from Church do go to Church but once a Year on the three days before Lent which they call Monorbo and then rather to fill their Bellies with what is given by Christians at that time than to hear Mass and that there are others who content
all that are of Age to confess themselves they shall afterwards make a mark at their Names as they come to Confession that so they may know certainly who have and who have not complyed that the Disobedient may be Excommunicated which we declare to be the precise Obligation of their Office the Pastor being bound to know his Sheep that he may give them Food and so far as he is able supply all their necessities Temporal as well as Spiritual and to have their number that he may know when any are lost and for the perfecting of such a Roll the Vicars may take the advantage of the Monoibo at which time all Christians do flock to the Churches at which time likewise they may hear of many that live in the Heaths And as to those that have confessed themselves to some other approved Confessors they shall bring a Note signed by them of their having been confessed which they shall deliver to their Vicar who shall thereupon mark them in his Roll but tho' it is lawful for them to confess themselves to Confessors that are Strangers yet they cannot receive the most Holy Sacrament nor the Communion upon Obligation in Lent any where but in their own Parish Churches and the Prelates in their Visitations shall call for those Rolls in order to inform themselves how this Decree is observed Decree II. WHereas the Precept of Confession obligeth all that have the use of Reason and conscience of mortal Sin which happens sooner to some than others the Synod therefore taking the most safe and probable way according to the knowledge it hath of the People of Malabar doth ordain That at eight Years old and upward all People shall Confess themselves and that without prohibiting such as are younger and capable to do it sooner on the contrary the Vicars if they shall understand that there are any under eight of so much Judgment and Discretion as to be capable of committing a mortal Sin they shall immediately constrain them to come to Confession as being oblig'd to it which must be left to the discretion of the Parish Priests Decree III. THe Synod doth admonish all Masters of Families and all that have the charge of others to be careful to make all the Persons in their Families to confess themselves at the time of Obligation and particularly their Servants and Slaves both Men and Women who if they do never come to Confession their Masters and none else must be certainly in the Fault in having neglected to put them in mind of it and to order them to do it it being their Duty and that upon penalty of Mortal Sin to call upon them to do it of which they must give a strict Account to God the Apostle St. Paul affirming That he who does not take care of his Servants has denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel which words are chiefly to be understood of the Spiritual Necessities of those of his Family and of Matters appertaining to their Salvation about which matters the Vicars ought to be very careful and must observe whether the Slaves whose Names as well as others they must have down in their Rolls do come to Confession declaring such of them as have not complied with their obligation at the time appointed Excommunicate having first admonished their Masters to command them to come and acquainted them with the Declaration that will be made if they do not and the Vicars that shall be found negligent herein shall be punished at the discretion of the Prelate Decree IV. ALL faithful Christians are not only obliged to Confess themselves once a Year under penalty of mortal Sin but also as often as they are in any probable danger of Death or are very Sick they are under the same obligation wherefore the Sick Persons or those that attend them so soon as ever they shall apprehend any danger where-ever they live tho' in the Heaths shall send to call a Confessor and shall advise the Vicar of the Church thereof who shall either go himself or send another to hear their Confessions The Vicars are also to understand that it is their indispensible duty to enquire after the Sick and either to go to Confess them themselves or to send another to do it whensoever they shall be sent for that so none may die without the Holy Sacrament of Confession they being guilty of the Condemnation of such of their Sheep as go to Hell for not having confessed their Sins before they died if it was through their fault or negligence it was not done And the Vicar through whose fault or negligence any of the Parish shall die without Confession shall be suspended from his Office and Benefice for a whole Year without any dispensation and another shall be appointed to supply his Cure and the Persons that attend the Sick that shall neglect to send for the Parish-Priest shall be severely punished at the discretion of the Prelate and such as die in Hamlets or in Heaths without Confession if they did not send to call a Confessor if their death was not so sudden as to prevent them shall not be buried in Holy Ground neither shall the Clergy go to their Houses or say the Office of the Dead for them nor so much as the Chata Decree V. NOt only such as are dangerously Sick but all that are any ways in danger of Death are obliged to Confess themselves wherefore since all Women in Child-birth are in danger thereof they shall before they are in Labour Confess themselves but especially before the birth of their first Child at which time the danger is known to be the greatest and shall likewise if capable receive the most Holy Sacrament and if any such not being surprized by their Labour shall die without Confession or being in visible danger did not desire it their negligence being proved and especially if they lived in Towns they shall be proceeded against in the same manner as those are who through their own fault die without Confession as is above decreed Decree VI. THe Synod being informed that the greatest part of those that die of the Small-Pox tho' they lived in Towns and desired Confession do die without it that Distemper being so very dangerous and infectious that the Priests are afraid of coming near those that have it doth command all Vicars to be careful that none such do die without Confession and either to go themselves in Person or to send one to Confess them a due regard being still to be had to their own health either by confessing them at some distance or so that the Wind shall blow the steams from them and by having taken preservatives against the Distemper that so none may die without Confession which is what the Synod doth very earnestly recommend to them in the Lord. Decree VII THe Synod doth earnestly recommend to all the faithful Christians Inhabitants of this Bishoprick not to satisfie themselves with having confessed their Sins once a
Year at Easter when they are bound to it upon the penalty of mortal Sin but that they do frequently make use of this Sacrament in proportion to the Sins they fall into daily and not to fail to Confess themselves on the Festivities of the Nativity of the Holy Ghost and the Assumption of our Lady and at the Wake of their Parish and the Vicars must not fail to admonish their People thereof on the Sunday before those Festivities Decree VIII THe Synod doth declare That notwithstanding the power of pardoning Sins is annexed to the Sacerdotal Order nevertheless that all Priests cannot hear Confessions but only such as are Licensed by the Prelate for the Act of Absolution being an Act of Jurisdiction and Judicature cannot be without Subjects which the Prelate only can give when he appoints Confessors with such limitations as he thinks necessary so that a Priest having no Licence or transgressing the bounds that were set to him by his Prelate if he shall presume to hear Confessions and Absolve his Confessions and Absolutions are void and of no force neither are the Sins of the Penitents pardoned who are therefore bound to Confess themselves again to a Confessor that has power to Absolve as if they had not Confessed before but when any one is in probable danger of Death and cannot have a Priest that is Licensed any Priest tho' he is not Licensed may Confess and Absolve him in that case Decree IX WHereas it belongs to the good Government of the Church and the Faithful that Crimes of a heinous nature should be judged not by every Priest but by Prelates or Bishops because for that reason Christians will be the more fearful to commit them besides that it has always been the Custom of the Church to reserve to the Prelates and even to the Pope as the Universal Head of the Church some Crimes from which they and none else can Absolve or not do it without their leave therefore the Synod doth declare That notwithstanding this Doctrine has not hitherto been understood or practised in this Bishoprick by reason of the great Ignorance of the Church and sacred Canons that has reigned therein Nevertheless that the ordinary Confessors have no power to Absolve in cases reserved to the Prelate and least of all in those that are reserved to the Pope namely those contained in the Bulla Coenâ— Domini which all Confessors ought to be acquainted with neither can they Absolve in the Crime of Heresy or in any cases wherein the Faith is concerned all which do belong to the Court of the Holy Office of Inquisition or to such as are Commissioned by them or to the Bishop who by himself may Absolve in the Form of the Holy Council of Trent and according to the Ordinations of the Holy Fathers Neither can ordinary Confessors dispense with or change the Vows of Penitents because that belongs to the Prelate or such as are deputed by him or that have obtained Apostolical Privileges to that effect Only at the point of Death not only approved Confessors but also all simple Priests there being no other to be had are obliged to hear Confessions and may also Absolve in all Cases and from all Censures to whomsoe'er reserved Tho' as to the Censures with this Obligation that if the Sick Person shall recover they shall return to the Persons again to whom they were before reserved from whom they shall receive such healthful Penance as shall be thought meet Decree X. THat Confessors may the better know in what Cases they may and in what Cases they may not absolve their Penitents having no Authority to do it the Synod doth command the Bulla Coenae Domini and all the Cases reserved in this Bishoprick to be pasted on a Board and set up in all Sacristies and where there are no Sacristies in the chief Chapel in every Church in the Malabar Tongue for the direction of the Confessors and doth furthermore in its regulation of the reserved Cases in this Diocess declare That willful Murther publickly committed with violence on the Person of an Ecclesiastick the voluntary firing of Houses or of any Goods belonging to Christians formal Simony both in the givers and receivers marrying without the Vicar and two Witnesses Schism and Disobedience against the Prelate in all that are guilty thereof or that favour such as are the having of any of the Books condemned by this Synod in their Houses or the reading of any of them the performing of the publick Ceremonies called Taliconum Coliconu the having of Pagods or Idols in their Houses and the giving them any Veneration have all the censure of Excommunication annexed to them of which tho' some are * Reserved This is what destroys all Discipline in the Church of Rome and what the Bishops thereof complain of so much Didacus Abulensis in the 73d page of his Book of Councils gives the following account of it Est in to be Romanâ perniciosus abuâ—us qui dissimulatione quâdam jam diu toleratur nam sceleratissimi homines Episcoporum aliorum Judicum ordinariorum justissimam punitionem effugientes tanquam ad tutissimum asylum Romaâ—am accedunt curiam nihil aliud cogitantes quam quod eo ipso sint à gravissimis maximâ cum Justitiae jacturâ immunes Hinc sanè passim videmus Clericos Criminum atrocissimorum autores ab ordinariis Judicibus sugientes in Romanam Curiam propriis beneficiis quae obtinâ—bart aequissimè privatos brevi compendio temporis in Hispaniam patriamque redire ita liberos ut non tantum beneficia quibus ob scelera privati fuerant cum maximo dedecore justitiae contemptu favore importunis precibus obtinuerint iterum apud Romanam Curiam sed aliis pinguioribus honorati in praemium criminum liberam iterum millies peccandi licentiam ferè impefraverint sunt enim in Curiâ Remanâ tot Officiales quorum munus potissimum est prae avaritiâ maximâ voracitate ab ipsis litigantibus aliis extorquere ut tandem jam nihil obtineri apud eandem curiam possit aliter quam ingenti pecuniâ veluti in pretium rei impetratae impensâ And in the 62d Page he gives the Pope himself the following wholsome advice Cavere debet summus ipse Pontifex ne dum agitur de morum censura quae aâ— Clericos Episcopos alios Christianâ— professionis homines omnino in ipsâ— omnium capite requirantur ea morum correctio atque institutio quae à subditis exigenda est praesertim verò illud est ab eo postulandum ac denique summopere petendum ne in curia Romana oscitanter tot contractus Simoniaci tot manifestae fraudes tot adversus naturalia Divina jura scelera palam in totius orbis scandalum permittantur ad enim adeo jam in omnium aures devenit ut à nemine nisi is prorsus à sensu aliènus judicari cupiat taceri possit reserved by Law yet
married a Widow nor be Boys that are not come to perfect Age all which is ordered for just Reasons and Considerations and out of respect to the high Mystery wherein they are exercised Decree I. WHereas it has been hitherto the Custom of this Diocess to ordain Boys even Priests and that without examining their Lives and Manners having for Money and not for any extraordinary sufficiency all the Orders Inferiour as well as Holy conferred upon them in one day contrary to the Holy Canons and the Laws of the Church Therefore the Synod doth command That from henceforward none be ordained but what have first been examined as to their Sufficiency Lives and Manners which shall be done by the Prelate or by some appointed by him fearing God and who are observers of the Holy Canons and the Forms of the Holy Council of Trent And whereas in the said Council it is commanded That none be ordained Sub-Deacon under Two and Twenty nor Deacon under Three and Twenty nor Priest till they are Five and Twenty this Synod doth command the same to be inviolably observed declaring that no Prelate can dispense therewith without being particularly impowered and authorized thereunto by the Apostolical See And forasmuch as there are great numbers in this Diocess that have been ordained before they were at that Age the Synod suspends all such whether Priests Deacons or Sub-Deacons from the exercise of their several Functions until such time as they have perfectly attained to it they shall nevertheless hold their Places and reap the benefits thereof in the same manner as if they were in the exercise of their Functions And as to their Sufficiency the Synod doth declare That as the Council of Trent requires that all that are ordained do understand Latin so in this Diocess it is required that all that are ordained if they do not understand Latin should understand Syrian Neither shall any Syrian that does not understand it so well as to be able to read and sing it so as to understand what they say in the Offices be admitted into Orders or at least not into those that are Holy Decree II. ALL that are in Orders in this Diocess having been Simonaically ordained in having pay'd a certain price upon a formal Bargain for their Orders have thereby incurr'd the grievous punishments of the Law Nevertheless in consideration of their Ignorance and the false Doctrine wherein they have been educated by theiâ— former Prelates the Most Reverend Metropolitan both by his ordinary Authority this See being vacant and the Apostolical Authority committed to him over this Church doth Absolve all that have been so ordained from all Penalties and Censures which by the Law they have incurr'd by having been Simonaically ordained commanding them to have no further scruples about that matter and dispensing with them all as to the exercise of their Orders so that they may lawfully officiate as in right they may and ought to do Decree III. THe Synod being informed that there are several Priests who tho' infected with the Leprosie and miserably deformed thereby do presume to Celebrate to the great loathing of the People and to handle the Holy Vessels and Vestments to the endangering of the health of others doth command That none that are notoriously Leprous do presume to Celebrate â—ll such being irregular according to the Law of Corporal defects on the account of the disgust they give to People when they see them Celebrate in such a condition and receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar at their â—ands Decree IV. WHereas it is the custom to receive the Casture or Blessing from the hands of the oldest Clergy-man that officiates in the Quire and for all that are present to return it to him which according to the usage of this Diocess contains in it a Symbol of Charity Communion and Brotherly Love the Synod being informed that there are those who not being in Charity with their Neighbours do not speak to them nor take them by the hand and do neither give nor take the Casture from them thereby discovering that they live in malice with their Neighbours denying them the ordinary Ecclesiastical Salutation used in the Church of this Diocess doth command that all that shall refuse to give or receive the same be punished by the Prelate as Persons living in hatred or out of charity with their Neighbours and that until such time as they shall give the said Casture they shall not be suffered to come to the Altar according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ Neither shall they be permitted to officiate or Minister in the Church neither shall the Blessing be given them until they have effectually reconciled themselves to their Brother Decree V. WHereas it is the Precept of the Universal Church that all that are in Holy Orders do recite the whole Divine Office and the usage of this Diocess is to recite it only when they go to Church and there tho' it happen to be near ended before they come having heard a little to go away immediately reckoning they have complied with their Obligation tho' they do not say over what they were not present at there being very few that recite the Divine Office in their Houses some imagining that they are not bound to do it any where but in the Church and others excusing themselves for want of Books there being but very few and those that are are in Manuscript in this Bishoprick therefore the Synod doth declare That all that are in Holy Orders are obliged upon pain of Mortal Sin to recite the whole Divine Office as it is recited in the Church and that all such as shall come late shall be obliged to recite what they have missed and if they do not recite it in the Church they shall do it at home in their Houses having the conveniency of a Book which being what a great many do want the Synod obligeth all such to recite the said Divine Office by Beads that so there may be none but what perform this duty either by Book or Beads And tho' the Divine Office consists of seven distinct Canonical hours yet in this Church in conformity to the Breviary thereof they shall only recite one part at two times in the Morning and the other part in the Evening without making any other difference in the Divine Office besides that of repeating one part thereof in the Morning and the other in the Evening and whereas they who have no Books are to recite with Beads such beginning in the Morning as the Divine Office is begun in the Church shall say Thirty-three Pater Nosters and as many Ave Maries with the Gloria Patri c. in the Morning and when they are ended they shall moreover say twelve Pater Nosters and twelve Ave Maries for the Souls of the Faithful departed and one Pater Noster and one Ave Mary for the Pope and the same for the Bishop instead of the Prayers that are said
over celebrating and performing all other Exercises and Ministeries of Priests all which they thought they might do lawfully by virtue of a Licence granted by their Prelates who notwithstanding they prohibited them to Marry upon pain of Excommunication and had declared them Excommunicate did nevertheless Absolve them for a sum of Money or upon some Simonaical contract so that notwithstanding that Excommunication they did all Marry and continued in Wedlock reckoning themselves safe in Conscience upon their having obtained a Licence after such a manner All which being detested by the Synod as the inventions of the Devil and devised by the covetousness of Schismaticks and desiring to restore this Church to its due purity and the usage of the Roman Church doth command in virtue of obedience and upon pain of Excommunication latae Sententiae that henceforward no Clerk in Holy Orders presume to Marry nor shall any Cassanar Marry any such nor shall any presume to be present at any such Marriage nor give Council Favour or Assistance thereunto And whoever shall offend in any of these particulars must know that they are Excommunicate and Cursed and are to be declared as such by the Church and as to those who are already Married the Synod suspends them all whether Married once or oftner from the Ministery of their Orders and all Sacerdotal Acts until such time as they have put away their Wives effectually which is what the Synod intreats them in the Lord to do And to those who have been twice Married or have Married Widows or Women that were publickly dishonest the Synod doth command all such as being Bigamists and having Married contrary to their consciences as it appears several of them have done by their giving over thereupon to Celebrate notwithstanding their having obtained a Licence from their Bishop in virtue of obedience and upon pain of being declared Excommunicate so soon as this Decree shall come to their knowledge to turn off the said Women not only as to Bed and Board but so as not to dwell in the same House with them declaring that until they have done it they are in Mortal Sin and do live in Concubinate such Marriages having never been true or valid but on the contrary void and of no force neither can any Prelate or Bishop grant Licences in such cases having no Authority to do it by reason of its being contrary to the Rules of the Church that have been always punctually observed and contrary to the Holy general Councils received all over the World and as to those who have been but once Married the Synod will consult the most Holy Pope and Bishop of Rome that he as Prelate and Head of the whole Church of God and Master and Doctor of the same may teach and command what ought to be done therein and whatsoever his Holiness shall ordain shall be punctually observed Decree XVII THe Synod doth declare That those Priests who as obedient Sons shall follow the advice of the Synod in turning away their Wives may after they have so done continue in the exercise of their Functions and if not otherwise hindered may Celebrate notwithstanding they have been twice Married or may have Married Widows since by such Weddings not being true Marriages they did not incurr the irregularity of Bigamy All which the Synod grants out of pure Grace being extreamly desirous to have them turn away such Women and out of respect to their Ignorance and the Cheat that was put upon them by their Prelates who instead of instructing them better granted them Licences And whereas all Priests that Marry are Irregular according to the Holy Canons the most Illustrious Metropolitan by the Ordinary as well as the Apostolical Authority that he has in this Church by reason of the See 's being vacant doth dispense with the Priests and all the other Clergy-men in Holy Orders that shall yield obedience to the Synod in turning away their Wives and shall desire to continue to officiate as to the said irregularity which they have incurred granting them Licence as to this freely and without scruple to exercise their Orders Decree XVIII WHereas the Wives of Priests who are called Catatiaras or Cassaneiras have not only the most Honourable place in the Church for their being such and are the more reverenced but do moreover partake of the profits of the Churches wherein their Husbands ministred equally with the surviving Priests and have sometimes a greater share of them than any of the Priests by reason of the Seniority and Preheminence that their Husbands had in the Church therefore the Synod doth ordain That such of them as do not from henceforward depart from their Husbands shall receive no such benefit but if obeying the admonition of the Synod they shall leave their Husbands they shall then immediately receive their proportion as an Alms to help to sustain them and their Families and shall injoy the same place and Honour in the Church and every where else which they did before Decree XIX THe Synod doth declare That notwithstanding it has received the Holy Council of Trent with all its Decrees relating both to the good Government of the Church and Manners nevertheless that what was declared therein relating to Priests Bastards not being permitted to Minister in the same Church wherein the Fathers have Ministered before is not to be extended to the Sons of the Married Priests in this Diocess that are now born by reason of the great numbers there are of such at present in all Churches and of other great inconveniencies that would follow thereupon it is therefore permitted to such to Minister nay to be Vicars of the Churches wherein their Fathers have officiated but this is to be understood of such only as were born of Marriages that were reputed true the provision of the forementioned Holy Council being to take place as to all that shall be born hereafter Decree XX. WHereas the sin of * Simony This noise of Simony was raised for no other reason but to throw Dirt on the Memory of their former Bishops whose Fees at their Ordination were not in all probability so great as they are at Goa and had as little in them of a formal Bargain But the truth is Simony as well as Heresy is a Stone the Church of Rome throws blind-fold at all that displease her tho' at the same time she 's the Church in the World that 's most guilty of it so when she was crying shame of the Emperors as Simoniacks Petrus Clemangis tells us she her self was totius negotiationis latrocinii rapinae officina in quo venalia exponuntur Sacramenta venales ordines And Didacus Abulensis a learned Spanish Bishop and who was no stranger at Rome at the same time she was thus reproaching the poor Church of Malabar tells us in his Book of Councils that vitium Simoniae frequens est veluti res honestissima in usum deducitur in Curiâ Romanâ nulla unquam punitione
it self to the Holy Council of Trent doth exhort and admonish and command all that are to be Married that at least three days before the celebration of this Sacrament they do confess themselves and being caâ—able do receive the Holy Sacrament of the Euâ—harist neither shall the Vicars receive them before they have complyed with this Obligation concerning which they shall make diligent Enquiry The Synod doth furthermore command That all Marriages be celebrated in the Church and that the Parish-Priest do not accommodate himself to the negligence of those who do not care to be seen to marry in the Church but declaring withall that wheresoever Matrimony is celebrated if it be done by a Parish-Priest and in the presence of two Witnesses it is true and valid tho' the Parish-Priest ought not to Marry any out of the Church but upon very urgent Reasons Decree VI. THere have been always in the Church even under the Old Law prohibited degrees of Kindred within which Matrimony was not to be celebrated and being celebrated was null and that not only as to such as were prohibited by a Divine Natural Law as betwixt Persons in the first degree and betwixt Brothers and Sisters but as to others also who are prohibited by a Divine positive Law wherefore the Synod doth declare that the degrees at this time prohibited in the Church without which Matrimony cannot be celebrated without a Dispensation and being celebrated is void are only to the fourth degree inclusive of Consanguinity and of Affinity only to the second degree as first Cousins second Cousins third Cousins fourth Cousins by Father and Mother and the same degrees are prohibited in the Kindred of Affinity betwixt the Kinsfolk of the Husband and Wife with whom either of the Parties have been Married and besides that the Kindred in the first and second degree only with such or of those with whom either of the Parties have at any time had unlawful Carnal Knowledge beyond which degrees there are no other of Carnal Kindred that can hinder Matrimony but in all these that have been mentioned all Marriages that are made are null and of no force and all those that have Married so do live in the Mortal Sin of foul Fornication but if any upon just and reasonable accounts shall desire to Marry within any of these degrees that are prohibited only by a positive Law they must have * Recourse The Church of Rome seems to have multiplied prohibitions in Matrimonial matters for no other end but to get the more Money by Dispensatiâ—ns In Romana Curia saith Didâ—acus Abulensis adeo frequentes dispensationes ad Matrimonia contrahenda inter Consanguineos ut juris Canonici prohibitiones hac in pâ—rte nullis sint impedimento nisi â—iâ— qui pauperes sunt nec patrimoâ—iâ—m habent unde possint aliquam â—â—mam pro obtinenda dispensatione â—â—igare I have a rate by me of Matrimonial Dispensations which is too long to be here inserted I had it from a Protestant Merchant who upon receiving the rated summ in Portugal had the Dispensation dispatched at Rome and sent to him by the Jews that live there who by reason of their general Correspondence have in a manner ingrossed the whole trade of Dispensations so little is the honour of Christianity regarded by some People where it clasheth with conveniencies Emanuel King of Portugal with a dispensation Married two Sisters notwithstanding his having had a Son by the first and I knew a Nobleman in a certain Popish Country that was both Uncle and first Cousin to his Wife recourse to the Holy Apostolick See for a Dispensation or to their Prelate having power from the said See to do it declaring the degree of Kindred wherein they desire to be dispensed together with the Causes why they do desire it in which the Prelate shall do what he shall judge convenient in the Lord and so the Prelate being impowered by the Holy See to do it shall do it gratis without taking any thing for the dispensation tho' the Parties of their own accord should offer to pay him for it Decree VII BEsides the Carnal Kindred of Consanguinity and Affinity which hinders Matrimony in certain degrees there is also another sort of Kindred that does the same which is called Spiritual Kindred and is contracted in Baptism betwixt the Godfather and Godmother and the Child that is Baptized and the Parents of the said Child and in Confirmation or Chrism betwixt those who offer and present the Person that is confirmed as was ordered in the Decrees of Baptism and Confirmation which Spiritual Kindred of Godfathers and Godmothers and Gossips does so hinder the celebration of Matrimony that without a Dispensation from the Apostolick See or from some authorized by the Pope to that purpose the Matrimony is null and of no force all that live therein living in Fornication and a state of Damnation and if any that are thus a kin have a mind to marry together they shall preferr a Petition as they shall be directed hereafter but are to know that the Church does very seldom or never but for weighty Causes dispense in Cases of Spiritual Affinity Decree VIII WHereas hitherto the prohibited degrees and the reservation of dispensing with the same to the Apostolical See has not been understood in this Diocess the Prelates thereof having dispensed in all degrees prohibited only by a positive Law without having had Authority for what they did so that great numbers by virtue of such Dispensations have lived many Years in a Married Estate without any scruple concerning what was granted by their Prelates for which reason the Synod for the greater security of the Consciences of such People has thought fit that the most Reverend Metropolitan should dispense with them in all the said degrees by virtue of the Apostolick Authority granted to him in these parts to that effect and particularly by the brief of Gregory the XIII of glorious Memory obtained at the instance of the Jesuits and confirmed by our Holy Father Clement the VIII at this time presiding in the Church of God wherefore for the quieting of the Consciences of such as have been Married with the forementioned Dispensations the said Lord with the approbation of the Fathers of the Society doth by the Authority of the said Brief effectually dispense in all and every one of the said degrees of Spiritual as well as Carnal Kindred and Affinity which are prohibited only by a positive Law and with all Persons who have Married within the same with such dispensations so far as of right can or ought to be done as much as if they were here particularly named commanding them for the further security of their Consciences to be * Married By this Decree all the Children born before such Marriages were born Bastards now how many thousand Bastards would such a Decree make in any Country where such Prohibitions concerning Natural and Spiritual Affinity are not regarded Married again
when they shall be called to administer the Sacrament of Vnction and whensoever they are carried to Church for Baptism or are carried to the Sick they shall be always carried by a Priest if it is possible but at least by one in Holy Orders and upon Holy Thursday they shall either burn all the Oils that remain of that Year in the Lamps of the Church or pour them into the Font so as after that day not to make use of any Oils but such as are new which after Easter they shall either go or send to the Prelate for or to the place where he has ordered them to be distributed and in case the See be vacant they shall then by order from the Governour of the Diocess have recourse to the Bishop of Cochim and the Vicars that shall neglect to go or send for the said Holy Oils for the use of their Churches so as not to have them within a month after Easter shall be suspended by the Prelate who is desired to be very watchful in this matter from his Office and Benefice for six months and be obliged to fetch them and the Children that shall be baptized during that time shall be anointed with the Holy Oils of Baptism when they come neither shall the Vicars depart from hence until they are fully instructed in the use of the Oils by Persons appointed by the Synod to teach them that so they may not be mistaken in the administration of the Holy Sacraments Decree IX THere being a great Confusion in this Bishoprick as to the Holy days that are to be kept under the Obligation of a Mortal Sin as well as to the hearing of Mass as to the doing of Work wherefore the Synod doth declare that they are these following to wit all the Sundays in the Year In January the first day being the Circumcision of our Lord and the sixth being the Feast of the Epiphany In February the second day being the Purification of our Lady and the twenty fourth being the Feast of the Apostle St. Matthew which in the Bissextile is to be celebrated on the twenty fifth In March the twenty fifth day being the Anunciation of our Lady In April the twenty third being the Feast of St. George the Martyr according to the custom of this Bishoprick In May the first being the Feast of the Apostles St. Philip and St. James In June the twenty fourth being the Feast of St. John the Baptist and the twenty ninth being the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul In July the second being the Visitation of our Lady and the third being the Feast of the glorious Apostle St. Thomas which by some is said to be the day of his Translation by others of his arrival in these parts and which has by ancient custom been still kept in this Bishoprick and the twenty fifth being the Feast of the Apostle St. James In August the sixth being the Tranfiguration of our Lord according to the custom of this Bishoprick the fifteenth the Assumption of our Lady and the twenty fourth the Feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle In September the eighth being the Nativity of our Lady the fourteenth the Feast of the Holy Cross according to the custom of this Bishoprick The twenty first the Feast of St. Matthew the Apostle the twenty ninth the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel In October the twenty seventh being the Feast of the Apostles St. Simon and St. Jude In November the first being the Feast of All Saints the thirtieth of St. Andrew the Apostle In December the eighth being the Conception of our Lady the eighteenth being the day whereon the * Holy Cross The stone Cross that was found under ground at Maliapor with the Blood of St. Thomas and Sword wherewith he was Marry'd by Gabriel de Ataide a Portugueze Priest as he was digging a Foundation for a Church about the Year 1547. is reported to have sweat at a most prodigious rate upon the day of our Ladies Expectation being the 18th of December in the Year 1557. and to have continued always to sweat upon the same Festivity until the Year 1566. to which pious Fraud for that is the best that can be said of it the Archbishop and Synod it seems gave so much credit as to dedicate the 18th of December to the Memory thereof Holy Cross of the Apostle St. Thomas did sweat the twenty first being the Feast of the same Holy Apostle St. Thomas the twenty fifth the Feast of the Nativity the twenty sixth the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr the twenty seventh of St. John the Evangelist the twenty eighth of the Innocents The Thursday of our Lord's Supper from the time the Offices are begun in the Church until midnight according to the custom of the Church Easter and the three days following notwithstanding they may have hitherto observed only two days The day of our Lord's Ascension the most Holy Feast of Pentecost with the two following days The most Holy Feast of the Body of God or of the most Holy Sacrament which according to the custom of these parts they celebrate on the Thursday after Easter Also the days of the Consecration of their Churches and the Feasts of the Saints to whom they were Dedicated in their own Parishes only The Synod doth furthermore declare That the Fridays from Christmas to Lent which use to be observed in some Parts shall not be kept hereafter the Saints that were Celebrated on some of them having their particular Feasts and others of them being Dedicated to Hereticks as is above observed whose Memories ought not to be Celebrated and the Vicars shall not fail on Sundays at Mass to warn the People of all the Holy-days of the Week that so they may be advertised to keep them Decree X. NOt only what Holy-days were to be kept were uncertain and not uniformly observed in this Bishoprick but the same also happened to the Fasting-days which Christians are under an obligation to keep wherefore the Synod doth declare that the Fasting-days as well the Ancient ones as those that are now commanded are these following The Holy and Solemn Fast of Lent which according to the Custom of this Bishoprick begins upon the Monday after Quinquagesima The Holy Fast of Advent which is kept in this Bishoprick with great rigor from the Sunday that is next to the first of December until Christmas The first day of February being the Vigil of the Purification of our Lady the 23d being the Vigil of St. Matthias the Apostle The 23d of June being the Vigil of St. John the Baptist and the 28th of St. Peter and St. Paul The 24th of July being the Vigil of St. James the Apostle The 12th of August being the Vigil of the Assumption of our Lady and the 23d of St. Bartholomew the Apostle The 7th of September being the Vigil of our Lady's Nativity the 13th of the Holy Cross The 27th of October being the Vigil of St. Simon and Jude
and the last of All-Saints The 29th of November being the Vigil of St. Andrew The 2d of December being the Vigil of the Glorious Apostle St. Thomas on the 24th of our Saviour's Nativity notwithstanding these two do both fall in Advent And that this Diocess may be in all things conformable to the Customs of the Universal Church the Synod doth command the Fast of the four Times to be published and observed therein they are the first Wednesday Friday and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent and the the first Wednesday and Friday and Saturday after Whitsuntide and the first Wednesday Friday and Saturday after the Feast of the Holy Cross in September and the Wednesday Friday and Saturdaâ— after the Feast of the Holy Cross on the 13th of December which falls in with the Advent Fast And the Synod doth furthermore declare That the Fast of our Lady's Assumption which begins on the first of August and lasts to the day of the Festivity and the Fast that is called the Apostles which begins on the first day after Whitsuntide and lasts fifty days notwithstanding they are Holy and Laudable it wisheth they were not kept as they are by the Christians of this Diocess after the same manner as the ancient Fasts are nevertheless since they are observed by some and not by others that there may be no Scruples nor Disorder the Synod doth declare that the keeping of them is not commanded under the Precept of a Mortal Sin though they may be kept out of Devotion by those that have a mind to 't neither are People under any obligation to a Lent Fare on these Days and as to the three Fasting Days of the Prophet Jonas called Mononebo which begins eighteen days before the first day in Lent the Synod out of respect to its Antiquity and Holiness doth permit it to be observed with great strictness But whereas People do assemble together in the Churches on those days there to eat the Nercha's that are distributed the Synod tho' it is not willing to oblige People to Fast on those three days under the obligation of a Mortal Sin doth nevertheless oblige them to a Lent Diet at least upon them and the Vicars shall be obliged to give notice to the People of all the Fasts of the Week upon Sundays that so all may be warned to observe them Decree XI THe Synod doth approve of the Holy and Laudable Custom observed by the Christians of this Diocess of eating neither Eggs nor Cheese nor any thing made of Milk nor of Fish and of abstaining totally from Wine and from their Wives during the whole time of Lent all which it desires them to continue to observe inviolably as also to begin the Fast upon the day after Quinquagesima Sunday and some Abuses being reformed it doth declare That Fasting doth not only consist in Peoples abstaining from some sorts of Meat but also in their not eating so often as they may desire the Integrity of the Precept of Fasting obliging People not to eat above one Meal a day and that at * The Fasts of the Church of Rome as they are now observed are little else than a Mockery of the Duty of which Card. Bona in the 21st Chapter of his first Book of Liturgies complains as loud as he durst Ita factum est saith the Cardinal ut non prorsus veneranda vetustas interterit dum ordo à sanctis patribus praesciptus saltem in publica officiorum recitatione retinetur quamvis legitimus horarum punctus nullo modo attendatur neque enim horae nonae officium tertia vel quarta post meridiem in Vigiliis psallimus neque vesperas in Quadragesima circa solis occasum sed una vel duabus horis ante meridiem quae anticipatio ut doctissimus Francelinus scribit Cap. 34. quaedam est nostri temporis calamitas ne dicam abusus Caepit hac horaâ—um pra ventio post saeculum duodecimum introduci cum pristina severitas paulatim relaxata mollim disciplina successit de quâ satius est tacere quam loqui And so that they may observe the ancient Rule of not eating upon a Fasting day till after Vespers they have turned the Morning into Evening and say the Vespers â—Ten a Clock that they may go to Dinner at Eleven an hour appointed and at Night they that shall stand in need of it and have an appetite to drink for their Healths-sake may eat a light Collation according to the permission of the Church but if they shall exceed either in the quality or quantity of the said Collation or eat oftner than twice after this manner they do violate the Fast and Sin Mortally and if through infirmity or weakness they should break the Fast upon any day they shall not as some imagine be released by their having broke Lent once from continuing the Fast but on the contrary they shall be guilty of so many Mortal Sins as there are days of Obligation on which they neglect to Fast They are also bound to Fast on all the Saints days tho' never so Solemn that shall fall in Lent Sunday only excepted upon which it is not lawful for any Christian to Fast as to which matter there are great Abuses introduced in to this Diocess Decree XII THe Synod doth declare That notwithstanding Fasting is of great benefit that it doth not intend to oblige any that are under one and Twenty nor such as are very ancient or weak or sickly nor Women with Child nor those that give Suck nor those that cannot Fast conveniently by reason of some hard Labour they are obliged to to Fast any otherwise than by eating a Lent Diet on Fasting-days as to which too the weak and sick are excepted who may at all times eat what is necessary to their health and it shall also be lawful for Women with Child to eat whatsoever they long for to prevent Abortion Decree XIII THe Synod doth very much condemn what some ignorant observers of Heathenish Superstition imagine viz. That if they do not wash their Bodies betimes in the Morning on a Fast-day their Fast will be of no worth and that if they happen to touch any of a base Race or a Naires they must wash themselves to make their Fast to be of any Merit and declares that all such Washings and Superstitious touches are commanded neither by God nor the Church and are no ways proper for Christians and doth furthermore command the observers of all such Superstitions to be punished severely by the Prelate as followers of * Heathenish Superstitions The Church of Rome has little reason to condemn any practise purely for being Heathen her Creature Worship with all the Ceremonies thereof being visibly of such extraction for it was a true judgment that the Fathers of the Council of Constantinople under Leo Isaurus passed upon the endeavours of those who were for introducing Images into the Christian Church That to do it would be
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
the Kings and Lords of Malabar Decree XXXVII THe Synod being desirous that the Church of the Serra should in all things be conformable to the Latin customs or Holy Mother Church of Rome unto which See she has now â—ielded a perfect Obedience and whereas in the Roman Church the custom is to make the Sign of the Cross and Blessings from the left to the â—ight so that in saying In the Name of the Faâ—her and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost they â—ut their hand on their Forehead and after that descended to their Breast where after having â—rossed themselves they go next to the left Shoulâ—er and from thence to the right thereby sigâ—ifying among other Mysteries that by virtue of the Cross of Christ the Son of God we are translated from the left hand the place of Reprobates to the right the place of the Elect and the custom of this Diocess is to make the said sign from the right to the left wherefore the Synod doth command that all Children and all other People be taught to cross and bless themselves from the left to the right according to the Latin custom which shall also be observed by the Priests in the blessings they give to the People and in the Crosses they make in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Administration of the other Sacraments Decree XXXVIII THe Synod doth declare That the Execution of Last Wills lawfully made by deceased Christians does by the Canon Law belong to Prelates and Bishops who are to take care that they be observed and that whatsoever Christian has made a Will that is valid according to the custom of the place if it is not complyed with in a Year after the Death of the Testator the Bishop shall by censures and other Penalties if found necessary constrain the Heirs or others whose Duty it is to fulfill the same Decree XXXIX WHereas it often happens that Persons dying who were under the scandal of haâ—â—â—g committed some grievous Sin tho' never â—â—oved upon them are upon that account deâ—â—ed the Prayers and other Offices of the Dead â—â—ecially if they desired Confession and were â—â—â—fessed at their Death which is contrary to the â—â—der and custom of the Church which deprives â—one of her publick Prayers but such as die Excommunicate or in the Act of some Mortal Sin without having given any sign of Contrition Therefore the Synod doth command that whatsoever Sins one may have committed if the cenâ—â—â—e of Excommunication was not annexed to â—â—m or unless the Person died in the very Act 〈◊〉 some Mortal Sin without giving any sign of â—â—ntrition or slowly in his Bed without desiâ—â—â—g to be confessed or to have a Priest called to 〈◊〉 to that effect as is appointed by the Decrees 〈◊〉 the Sacrament of Penance they shall pray and â—â—â—form the Office of the Dead for him and buâ—y him in Holy Ground with the same Prayers they do other People Decree XL. THe Synod having thanked the Jesuits of the College of Vaipicotta in this Diocess â—nd of the other Residencies for the pains they have been at in instructing the Christians of these parts does for the greater benefit of the Souls of the said Christians grant Licence to the said Religious as well of the College as of their other greater Residencies to preach and hear Confessions and administer the Sacraments in all Chuâ—ches where-ever they come without standing 〈◊〉 need of any further Licence the Sacrament of Matrimony only excepted which it shall not be lawful for them to administer without leave froâ— or at the request of the Parish Priests commanding all Vicars and Curates of Churches and 〈◊〉 the People to receive the said Fathers chearfully and to entertain them with great Kindneâ—â— and Thanks for the great trouble they are 〈◊〉 in travelling continually over the Mountains onâ— for the Salvation of their Souls and rejoyce 〈◊〉 learn from them how to administer the Sacraments and to have their Flocks instructed 〈◊〉 them in all such Doctrines as are necessary 〈◊〉 their Souls and their Vicars shall oblige theâ— People to come to Church to hear them when ever they preach the Synod being very conâ—â—dent that the said Fathers will exercise all thâ— said Functions in great Love and Charity with the Parish and all the other Priests of the Church Decree XLI WHereas the Constitutions of the Bishoprick of Goa have been received in the Proâ—â—ncial Councils thereof and have been ordered 〈◊〉 be observed thorow the whole Province of â—hich this Church being a Suffragan is obliged by â—e said Councils and to which this Synod yieldâ—g a due Obedience doth command That in 〈◊〉 things that can be observed in this Bishoprick 〈◊〉 concerning which there is no provision made 〈◊〉 this Synod the said Constitutions be kept â—d obeyed and doth likewise command That â—peals whensoever made from Sentences given 〈◊〉 this Bishoprick to the Metropolitan such Apâ—ls being made in such Cases wherein the Caâ—â—s allow them shall be granted nevertheâ— not intending hereby to alter any thing in â—t mild method of the Prelate and four or â—ore Persons composing Matters amicably to the â—evention of many Discords but if the Parties â—â—ll not submit to such determinations but will â—peal to the Metropolitan it shall not be denyed â—m being done in due form ACTION IX Of the Reformation of Manners Decree I. WHereas of all the evil Customs that are to be rooted from among the Faithful thoâ— are the most dangerous which have something 〈◊〉 the Heathen Superstition in them of which thâ— Bishoprick is full therefore the Synod desiriâ— that all such customs were totally extirpated thâ— so Christians may enjoy Christianity in its purity doth in order thereunto command that all Superstâ—tious washings which are by some most superstitously practised as Holy Ceremonies be utterly abolished such as the washing of Dead Corps the Daâ— after they have given a Dole reckoning it a Sâ— to neglect such washings the making of Circlâ—â— with Rice into which they put the Parties that aâ—â— to be Married having given Rice before to Children as also the taking a thred out with great Superstition when they cut a Web of Cloath and the taking two grains of Nele back again after they have sold and measured it all which Heathenish Vanities the Synod totally prohibits commanding all that shall use them hereafter to be severely punished Decree II. THo' it would much rejoice the Synod to see the Superstitious and absurd Customs of the Heathen Malavars of the better sort not mixing with the lower and of having no communication or correspondence with those that â—ave but touched any of them totally abolished â—mong the Christians of this Bishoprick yet forâ—much as the Christians thereof by reason of â—â—eir being subject to Infidel Princes whom they â—e forced to obey in all things wherein the â—â—ith is no ways concerned and that Christians 〈◊〉 they should but touch those of the baser rank â—â—uld not after that according
as the Ceremonies they performed and consented to shall deserve Decree VII THe Synod being informed that some wicked Christians are not content only to go to Witches to consult them but do furthermore send for them to their Houses where they joyn with them in the Invocation of their Pagods and 〈◊〉 making offerings and Sacrifices to them in killing Dogs and performing other Ceremonies that are contrary to the Faith namely one which â—â—ey call Tollicanum Ollicanum Bellicorum Coâ—â—â— which they do often publickly to the great â—â—â—ndal of Christianity as if they were not Chriâ—â—ans and at other times permit the Heathens to â—â—rform them in their Houses doth command in â—â—rtue of Holy Obedience and upon pain of â—communication to be Ipso facto incurred that 〈◊〉 Christian shall presume to perform any of 〈◊〉 said Ceremonies or consent to the perforâ—â—ng of them in their Houses and that all that do â—â—nsgress therein shall be declared Excommuniâ—â—te in the Church until they shall beg for mercy and have undergone condign and publick Punishment in the Church and tho' upon their â—epentance appearing to be true and sincere â—hey may be absolved yet they shall not have the Casture given them neither shall any Priest go to their Houses in two Years save in case of peril of Death and they who shall go to offer â—ay thing to a Pagod or shall make any Vow to one shall be punished after the same manner and with the same Penance and shall incurr Excommunication Ipso facto in all which Matters the Vicar must be very watchful for the prevention of all such Idolatries Decree VIII A Great many ignorant Christians of this Bishoprick being unmindful of the Purity of their Christian Obligations do carry Notes about them which have been given them by Witches for the Cure of their Distempers hoping for relief from their vertue hanging them likewise about the Necks of their Cattle to keep them well and putting them in their Orchardâ— to encrease the Fruit and communicating them to several other things for various effects all which the Synod detesting as Diabolical dotâ— command all that are guilty thereof to be severely punished by the Prelate and all Vicars not to permit any such Offenders to enter into the Church nor to give them the Casture and no Priests to go to their Houses and they shall be compell'd to deliver all such Notes to their Vicars to be torn and all that have used any of them tho' they should never do it more shall be punished for the space of six months with the said Penalties Decree IX THe Onzena or practice of Usury is a grievous Sin in the sight of God and is very much condemned in the Scriptures Christ commanding us to lend to others hoping for nothing again and the Synod being very much troubled to find the greatest part of the Christians of this Diocess entangled therein through their ignorance of what gains are lawful and â—hat are not and of what may be kept and what â—â—ght to be restored doth therefore admonish 〈◊〉 the Lord all Faithful Christians to consult â—he Learned about these Matters giving them 〈◊〉 account of all their Contracts in order to â—â—eir being rightly instructed as to what they â—ay lawfully take for Money they have lent out â—nd the Synod doth furthermore declare that â—ccording to the best Information it has receivâ—d the Interest of Money in Malabar is Ten per â—ent and whatever is taken more if the Principal runs no * Risk Most Convents in â—â—ding Cities lend out Money at â— or 7 per Cent. and take as much care to secure their Principal as â—y Usurer whatsoever so that the distinction of Lucrum Cessans and Damnum emergens will either justifie a legal Interest in general or it will not justifie what â—â—e lending Convents do But tho' this Decree falls in exactly with the common practice of the Church of Rome the Monks and Friars not excepted yet it plainly contradicts the Doctrine of that Church which is that all sort of Usury is a Mortal Sin for if the taking of 10 per Cent. for Money and that where the principal runs no risk is not Usury it will be hard to tell what is risk is Onzena or Usury and as to the Ten they shall likewise consult the Learned to whom they shall declare how Money may be improved in the place where it is lent that so they may be able to tell them whether it be lawful for them to take so much for it may happen that in some places there will not be so much to be got by the Negotiating of Money which must make such an high interest to 〈◊〉 there unlawful and whosoever shall take more than Ten per Cent. if his Principal runs no risk after having been three times admonished by the Prelate or Vicar without Amendment shall be declared Excommunicate and shall not be absolved until he has dissolved the said Contract Decree X. THe Synod doth condemn the taking of One per Cent. by the month where the Principal runs no risk being secured by a pledge and of Two per Cent. by the Month if the one is not payed punctually such Contracts being very unjust and manifest Onzena or Usury so that neither the want of a pledge nor any thing else can justifie the taking of Two per Cent. by the month if the Principal is not in danger all which Contracts the Synod doth prohibit and the Vicars to give their consent to any such and where they are made to dissolve them compelling all that are faulty therein by Penalties and Censures if it shall be found necessary The Synod doth furthermore condemn their calling all Gain arising from Money Onzena because it gives occasion for some to imagine that all such Gain is unlawful and notwithstanding such Gain is lawâ—â—l and may be justly taken in several Cases to â—â—ruple the taking any Decree XI WHereas there are great numbers of Christians who for want of having the Fear of God and the Church before their Eyes do coâ—bit publickly with Concubines to the great â—â—ndal of Christianity the Vicars shall thereâ—â—re with great Charity admonish all such Ofâ—â—nders three times declaring to them That if â—â—ey do not reform they must declare them Excommunicate and if after so many Admonitions they do not turn away their Concubines they must be Excommunicated until they are effectualâ—â— parted and be punished with other Penalties 〈◊〉 the pleasure of the Prelate according to the â—â—me that they have lived in that Sin and â—hen it shall so happen that their Concubines are their Slaves they shall constrain them not only to turn them out of their Houses but to send them out of the Country where they live that there may be no more danger of their relapsing which shall be likewise observed as to all other Women where there is the same danger Decree XII THe Synod doth very earnestly recommend it to all Masters and Fathers of