in the Church the foresaid Oaths being what Christians ought to dread more than all the Torments of the World Decree XVII WHereas the distinction of the Faithful from Unbelievers even by outward signs and habits is a thing which has always been endeavoured that so the one may be known and divided from the other therefore the Synod having observed that there is no distinction neither in their Habits nor in their Hair nor in any thing else betwixt the Christians of this Diocess and the Heathen Naires doth command that henceforward no Christian do presume to bore their Ears or to do any thing to make them large except Women among whom it is an Universal Ornament and whosoever shall transgress herein shall be punished at the pleasure of the Prelate who shall not suffer them to wear an Ornament of Gold or of any thing else in their Ears and whosover shall presume to wear any such Ornament shall be thrown out of the Church neither shall the Casture be given them until such time as they are brought to yield effectual Obedience and to leave off all such Ornaments but as for those whose Ears are bored already if they are not Children they may wear what they please or what they have accustomed themselves to Decree XVIII THe Synod being desirous to rectifie whatever is amiss in this Diocess and so far as it is possible to reform all evil Customs and having observed the great Debauchery of many and especially of the poorer sort in drinking Orraca from whence do follow many Disasters Murders and Wounds wherefore in order to the preventing such Mischiefs so far as is possible the Synod doth prohibit the selling of Orraca in any Christian Inn neither shall Christians Trade in that Commodity upon pain of being punished at the pleasure of the Prelate by which means not only Disorders but the great Communication the Faithful hath with the Heathen in such Inns will also be prevented Decree XIX WHereas it is a manifest Injustice to have diverse Weights in the same Country the Synod being informed that in many Markets of this Bishoprick every one sells with what Weights they please doth command That there be but one Weight for the same Merchandize in a Market and all the Shops thereof and that it be the usual Weight of the place to which all that do not yield Obedience shall be admonished by the Vicars and if they do not reform thereupon shall chastised at the pleasure of the Prelate who shall constrain them to the same by Penalties and Censures if they shall be found necessary there being no other Government among the Christians of this Diocess but that of the Church nor no other coercive Power but that of Censures Decree XX. WHereas an unreasonable Custom has obtained in this Diocess viz. That Males only inherit their Fathers Goods the Females having no share at all thereof and that not only when there are Sons but when there are Daughters only and they unmarried and many times Infants by which means great numbers of them perish and others ruin themselves for want of necessaries the Fathers Goods falling to the Males that are next in Blood tho' never so remote or collateral there being no regard had to Daughters no more than if their Parents were under no obligation to provide for them all which being very unreasonable and contrary to the natural right that Sons and Daughters have to succeed to the good of their Parents the Kindred who have thus possessed themselves of such Goods are bound to restore them to the Daughters as the lawful Heiresses to them wherefore the Synod doth decree and declare this Custom to be Unjust and that the next a-kin can have no right when there are Daughters to inherit their Father's Estate and being possessed of such Estates are bound in conscience to restore them neither is it lawful for the Males to divide the Estate among them without giving any equal Portion to the Females or if they have not done it already they stand indebted for their Portions or if the Father has disposed of the third part of his Estate by Will the remaining two parts shall be equally divided betwixt the Sons and the Daughters the Portions that have been received by those that are married being discounted all which the Synod doth command to be observed intreating and commanding all the Christians of the Diocess to receive this Decree as a Law and observe it intirely it being laid as a duty upon their Consciences and if any shall act otherwise and being a Kinsman shall seize upon the Goods belonging to Daughters or being a Son shall deny to give Portions to his Sisters or being in possession of the said Goods shall refuse to make restitution the Prelate if it cannot be done otherwise shall compell them to it by Penalties and Censures declaring them Excommunicate without any hope of Absolution until such time as they shall pay an effectual Obedience and shall make restitution Decree XXI THe Adoption of Sons is not lawful but in defect of natural Children which not being understood by the Christians of this Bishoprick through their ignorance of the Law they do commonly Adopt the Children of their Slaves born in their Houses or of other People disinheriting their lawfully begotten Children sometimes upon the account of some differences they have had with them and sometimes only for the affection they have to Strangers all which is contrary to Law and Reason and is a manifest injustice and wrong done to their legitimate Children wherefore the Synod doth declare that the said Adoptions must not be practised where there are natural Children and being done are void so that the Persons thus Adopted are not capable of inheriting any thing except what may be left them by way of Legacy which must not exceed the third of the Estate no not tho' the Adoption was made before there were any Legitimate Children to inherit The Synod doth furthermore declare That the Adoptions which have been made before the celebration of this Synod where there are Children and the Adopted are not in actual possession of the Estate are void neither shall the Adopted have any share thereof or having had any shall be obliged to restore it to which if it be found necessary the Prelate shall compell them by Pennalties and Censures but as to those who by virtue of such Adoptions have for a long time been in quiet possession of Estates the Synod by this Decree does not intend to dispossess them thereof by reason of the great disturbance and confusion the doing so would make in this Diocess which is what this Synod pretends to hinder leaving every one however in such Cases at liberty to take their remedy at Law Decree XXII WHereas the way of Adopting by ancient Custom in this Diocess is to carry the Parties that are to be Adopted before the Bishop or Prelate with certain Testimonials before whom they declare that they take such a one
command that all that is above related be punctually observed according to the Decrees of the Holy Council of Trent which has been received by this Church in this Synod declaring all Marriages not celebrated in this Form or not by the Parish-Priest before two Witnesses to be null and the Parties not to be Married neither are they to be permitted to live together as Man and Wife And the Priests who shall presume to Marry without leave from the Parish-Priest or Ordinary shall be suspended from their Orders and Benefices for one Year without Indulgence and the Marriage shall be declared void and the Parties shall be obliged to Marry again in the foresaid Form The Synod doth furthermore declare That the Contracted may be Married by the Parish-Priest of either of the Parties tho' the ordinary Custom is to be Married by the Parish-Priest where the Woman lives Decree II. WHereas Matrimony ought to be celebrated with words signifying a present Consent and in many places of this Diocess it is commonly celebrated with words signifying only a Consent for the time to come Therefore the Synod doth command That when the Persons that are to be Married come to the Door of the Church the Parish-Priest or some other Priest having his or the Prelates Licence being in his Surplice with his Stole and at least two Witnesses present shall ask them if they are pleased to Marry and if they say they are or express their Consent by some other evident signs the Priest then shall take one end of his Stole and laying it on the Palm of his left Hand shall take the right Hand of the Bride and lay it on the Stole and lay the Palm of the right Hand of the Bridegroom on the Palm of the right Hand of the Bride in form of a Cross and covering both their Hands with the other end of the Stole and laying his own right Hand upon all so that the Hands of both Parties and both the ends of the Stole are betwixt the Priest's Hands after having blessed them with the sign of the Cross he shall say In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen and shall make the Bride say first I N. receive thee N. for my lawful Husband so as the Holy Mother Church of Rome doth command and shall afterwards make the Bridegroom say the same words I N. receive thee N. for my lawful Wife so as the Holy Mother Church of Rome doth command and after they have both said these words the Priest shall say I by the Authority I have do join you in Matrimony in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen after which he shall sprinkle them both with Holy Water saying By this sprinkling of Holy Water the Lord give you Health and Blessing Amen And if neither of the Parties was ever Married before they shall then be carried before the Higâ— Altar where being upon their Knees the Priesâ— shall give them the Blessings as they are in thâ— Roman Ceremonial of the administration of thâ— Sacraments which is to be translated into Syriaâ— and to be used in all Churches but if eitheâ— of the Parties have been Married before he shall not then give them the said Blessings but dismiss them after having said a Prayer in the Church Decree III. THat there may be no Frauds in Matrimony and that the Impediments which if they were known would hinder the same may be discovered and that in all things we may conform our selves to the Decrees of the Holy Council of Trent the Synod doth command That what is ordained by the said Holy Council be punctually observed to wit That the Parties to be Married shall have their Banns published by the Vicar or by one appointed by him on three Sundays or Holy-days in the Churches where the Bridegroom and Bride live when the People are assembled at Mass in this Form N. born in such a place does purpose to Marry N. the Daughter of N. and N. born in such a place wherefore if there be any that know any Impediment they must declare it upon pain of Excommunication And the Vicar in case he has any lawful Impediment declared unto him shall not Marry the Parties before he has made the Prelate acquainted therewith that so he may determine what is just to be done therein which Publications cannot be dispensed with by any but by the Prelate or one representing him And in case it is probable that if such Publications are made there are those that will maliciously endeavour to hinder the Marriage tho' in such a case the parties may be received without them yet for the better discovery of other Impediments that may happen to be therein they cannot be joined together nor receive the Blessings tho' capable thereof before the publications are made in the Churches without the Prelate should be pleased to dispense therewith to whose Prudence and Judgment the Holy Council of Trent has committed the whole of this Matter and the Priest who shall receive any couple without a License from the Prelate before such publications have been made shall be suspended from his Office and Benefice for six months Decree IV. THis Synod conforming it self in all things to the Holy Council of Trent doth command that in every Parish there be a Book as was ordered as to Baptism wherein the Vicar of the Church shall write the Names of the Married Persons and the Place day of the Month and Year and the Names of the two Witnesses commonly called the Padrinhos where they were Married registring them thus On such a Day of such a Month and Year I N. Vicar of the Church naming the Saint to whom it is dedicated in such a part naming where the said Church is did joyn N the Son of N and N. to N. the Daughter of N. and of N. born in such a place both at the gate of the Church according to the Holy Council of Trent the Witnesses were N. and N. to which the Vicar and the two Witnesses shall sign their Names and when any Priest shall by a License from the Vicar or Prelate marry any couple he shall write On such a day of such a Month and Year I N. a Priest by a License from the Vicar of such a place or from the Bishop if he granted the License did receive at the gate of the Church N. naming him the Son of N. and N. naming his Parents born in such a place naming the Town according to the Holy Council of Trent the Witnesses were N. and N. to which the said two Witnesses and Priest shall put their Names which Book shall be kept among the Registers of the Church and the Prelate at his Visitations shall see that there be no fault or neglect therein Decree V. AS Holy Matrimony is a Sacrament and as such conveys Grace it ought therefore to be received with great Purity and Holiness wherefore this Synod conforming
notwithstanding he knew him to be an Infidel The King who could not help standing amazed at the Arch-Bishop condemning the Arch-Deacon so much for endeavouring to interest him in a thing which he himself at the same time was swaggering him into perceiving that the more they talked the Arch-Bishop grew the more furious and talked the louder put on a pleasant Countenance and told him with great sweetness That there was nothing he had ever studied so much as to please His Lordship With this the Arch-Bishop's Passion being something mitigated he replied It was what he had always expected from His Highness and that he hoped he would not wonder to see him put into so great a Passion in a case wherein Christianity was so much concerned for the least of whose Interest he was bound in duty to sacrifice his Head The King told him That if he knew of any that sought after his Head they should not keep their own long upon their Shoulders After they had made an end of this hot business they talked for some time of indifferent matters and when the King was for going the Arch-Bishop accompanied him to the Caiz where they are said to have parted very good Friends which if they did the King considering how he had been treated was certainly the best natured Prince that ever wore a Crown and in a very substantial point a much better Christian than the Arch-Bishop This rancounter was of no small advantage to the Arch-Bishop in the reduction of that Christianity for the King fearing to provoke one of the Arch-Bishop's Character and Temper so soon as he had left him writ away immediately to the Arch-Deacon to come and submit himself to the Arch-Bishop he writ also to the King of Mangate in case he found the Arch-Deacon not willing to do it to oblige him to it Upon the receipt of this Letter the Arch-Deacon sent away immediately to the Arch-Bishop to let him know That he was ready to throw himself at his Grace's Feet and to obey all his Commands and that within the time he had prefixed but withal desired to wait upon him some where else than in Cranganor which being a Fortress belonging to the Portuguezes he was afraid to trust himself in there being nothing that he dreaded so much as being some time or other kidnapped for Goa However the Arch-Bishop complyed so far with his Fears as to order him to meet him at the Jesuites-College in Vaipicotta They met first in the Church where the Arch-Deacon threw himself at the Arch-Bishop's Feet with the words of the Prodigal in his mouth Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son I do humbly beg Pardon for all my Errors which have been great The Arch-Bishop lifting him up and embracing him tenderly told him all that was past was forgot and that God's Mercy in reducing him to the Catholick Church was greater than the Malice of the Devil which had been the cause of his returning no sooner that he would certainly have that great Reward that is reserved in Heaven for those that bring so many Souls to the purity of the Faith as he was confident he would do by his Example that he would therefore have him subscribe the Profession of Faith and ten Articles immediately The Arch-Deacon beg'd to speak one word first with His Grace in private promising after that to do whatsoever His Grace should command him and being alone he told him That if His Grace would have it so he was ready to subscribe the Profession and Articles publickly tho' with submission he thought it would be better if he would allow him to do it in private for the sake of that Christianity who were not as yet so well instructed as they ought to be but that before the meeting of the Synod at which he promised to sign them publickly he hoped to be able to prepare them for the receiving of whatsoever should be therein determined which he believed he should be able to do the more effectually if they knew nothing of his having already submitted to the Roman Church The Arch-Bishop answered That notwithstanding a Profession of the Faith was by so much the better as it was the more publick nevertheless he so far approved of his Reason as to dispense with his making it openly Whereupon they and the Jesuite Francisco Roz repaired to the Arch-Bishop's Lodgings and having shut the doors the Arch-Deacon kneeled down before a Crucifix that stood on the Arch-Bishop's Table and laying his hands upon the Missal swore to the Ten Articles and to the Profession of Faith to which the Arch-Bishop obliged him to put his hand to prevent his denying it afterwards Next Morning all the Caçanares being called together the Arch-Bishop acquainted them with his intention of calling a Synod very speedily which they all agreed to It was then debated where it should meet some were for its being held at Angamale the Metropolis of the Diocess but the Arch-Bishop would not hear of its being held there for three Reasons the first was That the Christians of Angamale were the Christians of the whole Bishoprick that were most addicted to their old Religion Secondly It was not in the Dominions of the King of Cochim the Prince of Malabar that had the greatest dependence upon the Portuguezes And Lastly Because it was at too great a distance from the Portugueze Garrison of Cochim It was carried therefore that it should be held in the Town of Diamper which was but a little way from Cochim and should begin on the 20th of June being the 3d. Sunday after Whitsuntide In pursuance whereof the Arch-Bishop and Arch-Deacon did both issue forth their Ollas commanding all Priests and Procurators of the People who were four from every Town to assemble together at the Town of Diamper on the 20th of June next there to celebrate a Diocesan Synod The Ollas bore date the 11th of May so that there were six Weeks allowed for the preparing of business which the Arch-Bishop made good use of Before the Arch-Bishop left Vaipicotta the Caimal of Angamale who was called the black King of Malabar came to give him a visit The Arch-Bishop received him kindly and at parting presented him with some pieces of very rich Cloath which was what he went well furnished withal from Goa having laid out 18000 Pardaos in Goods to make Presents of in the Serra The Caimal who was a boisterous and bloody Prince was so well pleased with his Present that he promised the Arch-Bishop to see him obeyed in all things After which the Arch-Bishop returned to Cranganor where he composed the Decrees of the Synod which were all writ with his own Hand word for word as they are published As soon as he had finished them he had them translated out of Portugueze into Malavar He likewise Consecrated there a Stone Altar for every Church in the Serra which was what they all wanted What
better observed by all We do therefore under the same Precept and Censure command all Christians in all Towns and Villages of this Bishoprick and where there are no Villages all that use to assemble together at any Church as belonging to it immediately upon this our Pleasure being intimated to them to chuse Four of the most Honourable Conscientious and Experienced Persons among them to come in their Name at the said time to the said Synod with sufficient Powers to Approve Sign Confirm and Consult in their Name so as to oblige themselves thereby to comply with whatsoever shall be determined in the Synod And that these Commissioners may demand or propose whatsoever they shall judge to be of Importance to the Synod and for the Spiritual or Temporal Good of their People We do grant free Liberty to all in this Diocess as well Ecclesiasticks as Laicks that have any Complaints Grievances or Controversies about any such Matters as are decidable by the Prelate or other Christians to represent the same to the Synod where they shall be heard with Patience and have Justice done them according to the Sacred Canons Customs and lawful Vsages of the Country And whereas we are informed that there are several things in this Bishoprick which are the Causes of great Contentions we do therefore not only give leave but do also admonish and command all that are concerned in any such Matters that forbearing all other ways that are prejudicial to Christianity they do now make use of this just and holy way of putting an end to all their Debates And since to bring all these things to a good issue the favour and assistance of God is necessary from whom all good things do proceed and without whom we can do nothing wherefore to engage the Divine Clemency by Prayer to be favourable to us following the laudable Custom of the Holy Fathers and Ancient Councils we do Admonish and in the Name of God earnestly request all the faithful Christians of this Bishoprick from this time forward until the end of the Synod to exercise themselves with a pure and clean heart in Fasting Alms Prayer and other works of Piety instantly beseeching God to enlighten the Vnderstandings of all that shall meet together and so to enflame our Wills with Divine Love that we may determine nothing but what is right and may observe and comply with whatsoever shall be Decreed taking for our Intercessor our Lady the most Holy Virgin Mary of whose Praise and Honour we are to Treat particularly as also the Glorious Apostle St. Thomas the Master Patron and Protector of this Church and all the other Saints in Heaven that so this Synod may begin and proceed in Peace and universal Concord and may end to the Praise Honour and Glory of God our Lord for ever And that this our Publication of a Diocesan Synod may come to the knowledge of all that are concerned we Will and Command it to be Read in all the Churches of this Bishoprick to the People on the Sunday next after the intimation thereof to the Curates and after that to be fixed to the Gates of the Church Dated from Chanotta the 14th of May under our Seal and the Great Seal of our Chancery and Written by Andre Cerqueira Secretary to the most Illustrious Archbishop and Primate in the Year 1599. Frey Aleixo Arcebispo Primas THE ACTS and DECREES OF THE SYNOD of Diamper ACTION I. IN the Name of the most Holy and undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the Year of our Lord 1599 on the 20th of June being the third Sunday after Whitsuntide in the seventh Year of the Pontificate of our most holy Lord Clement VIII the Supreme Roman Bishop and in the first Year of the Reign of the Catholick King Philip the Second King of Portugal and Algarves and of Malucco the Illustrious Lord Dom Francisco da Gama Conde de Vidigeyra Admiral of the Indies being Vice-roy in the Town of Diamper subject to the King of Cochim an Infidel and Heathen in the Church of All-Saints in the Bishoprick of Angamale of the Christians of St. Thomas in the Serra of Malabar the See being vacant by the death of the Arch-Bishop Mar-Abraham there assembled in a Diocesan Synod according to the Holy Canons the most Illustrious and most Reverend Lord Dom Frey Aleixo de Menezes Arch-Bishop Metropolitan of Goa Primate of the Indies and the Oriental Parts together with all the Priests and Curates of the said Bishoprick and the Procurators of all the Towns and Corporations in the same with great Numbers of other Persons belonging to the said Church and called to the said Synod by the most Reverend Metropolitan Where after having given Thanks to God for his having extinguished and composed all the Alterations and Commotions by which Satan the Enemy to all that is Good had endeavoured to hinder the assembling of this Synod and being all filled with Joy to see themselves met together to Treat of things pertaining to the Service of God the Purity of the Faith and the Good of Christianity and their own Souls the most Illustrious Metropolitan did celebrate the Solemn Mass for the removing of Schism as it is in the Roman Missal and having preached to the People to the same purpose the Mass being ended he re-invested himself in his Pontifical Robes and read the Office for the beginning of a Synod as it is in the Roman Pontifical which being over and the Metropolitan seated in his Chair with all the Ecclesiasticks and Secular Procurators about him in their order he told them That he celebrated this Holy Synod by Virtue of two Briefs of the Holy Father our Lord Pope Clement VIII in which his Holiness had recommended to him the Government of that Church after the death of the Arch-Bishop Marabran until such time as it should be provided of a Pastor and Prelate besides that the same belonged to him as the Metropolitan thereof and Primate of the Indies and all the Oriental Parts by the Canons the See thereof being vacant and it having no Chapter to take care of it during the vacancy which Briefs being faithfully translated into the Malabar Tongue were immediately read and received with that Reverence and Obedience that was due to them After which the Lord Metropolitan told them That seeing he had but little knowledge of the Malabar Tongue it was necessary for him to have some faithful Person and that was well versed in Ecclesiastical Affairs to relate truly in the Congregations what he should say or what should be spoke to him Whereupon upon Jacob a Priest and Curate of the Church of Pallurte in the said Bishoprick a Person well skilled both in the Portugueze and Malabar Languages was presently pitched upon by common Consent who being called by the Lord Metropolitan was charged by him with the Office of Interpreter to himself and the Holy Synod giving him an Oath at the same time upon the Holy Gospels
well and faithfully to discharge the said Office and truly and exactly to relate all that should be said by his Lordship or any other Person in the Synod without any addition or diminution as also to read in the Congregations all the Decrees and Determinations of the Synod which were to be in the Malabar Tongue And whereas Truth it self has testified That in the mouth of two or three there is all Truth therefore for the greater security there were given to the said Interpreter by the most Reverend Metropolitan as Assistants the Reverend Fathers * He was afterwards made Bishop of the Christians of St. Thomas Francisco Roz and Antonio Toscano of the Society of Jesus in the College of Vaipicotta in this Diocess who being well skilled in the Malabar Tongue were to observe all that was related by the Interpreter and in case he was at any time faulty to correct him there were besides several others present Natives as well as Portuguezes that were well vers'd in both Languages Decree I. THe Congregation being met and all placed according to their Order the Metropolitan seated in his Chair said In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Three Persons and One only True God Amen My beloved Brethren you the Venerable Priests and my most dear Sons in Christ you the Representatives and Procurators of the People Does it please you that for the Praise and Glory of the Holy and undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost and for the Increase and Exaltation of the Catholick Faith and the Christian Religion of the Inhabitants of this Bishoprick and for the destruction of the Heresies and Errors which have been sown therein by several Hereticks and Schismaticks and for the purging of Books from the false Doctrines contained in them and for the perfect Union of this Church with the whole Church Catholick and Universal and for the yielding of Obedience to the Supreme Bishop of Rome the Universal Pastor of the Church and Successor in the Chair of St. Peter and Vicar of Christ upon Earth from whom you have for some time departed and for the extirpation of Simony which has been much practised in this Bishoprick and for the regulating of the Administration of the Holy Sacraments of the Church and the necessary Use of them and for the Reformation of the Affairs of the Church and the Clergy and the Customs of all the Christian People of this Diocess We should begin a Diocesan Synod of this Bishoprick of the Serra They answered It pleaseth us Then the most Reverend Metropolitan asked them again Venerable Brethren and most beloved Sons in Christ since you are pleased to begin a Synod after having offered Prayers to God from whom all Good proceedeth it will be convenient that the Matters to be treated of appertaining to our Holy Faith the Church the Divine Offices the Administration of the Holy Sacraments and the Customs of the whole People be entertained by you with Benignity and Charity and afterwards by God's Assistance complied with with much Reverence and that every one of you should faithfully procure the Reformation of such things in this Synod as you know to be amiss and if any that are present shou'd happen to be dissatisfied with any thing that shall be said or done therein let them without any scruple declare their Opinion publickly that so by God's Grace it may be examined and all things may be truly stated as is desired but let not Strife or Contention find any room among you to the perverting of Justice and Reason neither be ye afraid of searching after and embracing the Truth Decree II. THe Synod by Virtue of Holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be incurred ipso facto does command all Persons whatsoever Ecclesiastical and Secular that have been called to and are present at this Synod not to depart the Town of Diamper where the said Synod is celebrated without express leave from the most Illustrious Metropolitan before the Synod is ended and they have signed the Decrees thereof with their own Hand or till all the rest are dismiss'd The Synod does likewise Request and Command all that have any Matter that is fitting to be offered to it for the Advancement of God's Honour and the Good of the Christians of this Bishoprick to acquaint the Metropolitan therewith either by Word or Writing or some Third Person that so what is convenient may be determined therein Decree III. BE it known and declared to all present and absent That no prejudice shall be done or follow to any Town Corporation or Village as to any Preeminence they may pretend to by the celebration of this Synod in the Town of Diamper as also that no Church or Person shall suffer by reason of the Places they sit in in this Synod but shall have their Rights and Privileges in the same state and vigour that they were in before and if any Doubts should happen to arise about this or any such Matter let them be brought before the Illustrious Metropolitan where both Parties being heard they shall have Justice done them Decree IV. THis Synod knowing that all that is Good is from God and that every perfect Gift cometh down from the Father of Light who giveth perfect Wisdom to those that with an humble Heart pray for it and being withal sensible that the beginning of true Wisdom is the fear of the Lord we do admonish and command all Christians as well Ecclesiasticks as Seculars gathered together in this Place to confess their Sins with a true contrition for them and all Priests to say Mass and others to receive the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar beseeching our Lord with humble and devout Prayers for good Success to all that shall be Treated of in this Synod to which intent there shall be two solemn Masses said in the Church every day during the Session of the Synod one of the Latins to the Holy Spirit and the other of the Syrians to our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary whose Praise and Honour is to be particularly Treated of which Masses shall be said at such hours as to be no hindrance to the Congregations which henceforward shall meet every day in the Church at Seven in the Morning They shall likewise Latins as well as Syrians every day after Sun-set Sing the solemn Litanies of the Church with a Commemoration of our Lady for the good intention of the Synod Decree V. THE Synod for the preventing of some Inconveniences that may otherwise happen and to leave no room for unnecessary and hurtful Debates does command by virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred That while the Congregations last no Person whatsoever Ecclesiastick or Secular presume to meet together in any Junctoes with any Persons Ecclesiasticks or Seculars to Treat of any Matters appertaining to the Synod or this Church without express Licence from the most Illustrious Metropolitan that so all that is
desired may be handled publickly and in the Congregation those Meetings only excepted which are kept by the People in order to their proposing of Matters to be consulted about according to ancient Custom and the Order of the said Metropolitan ACTION II. ON the second Day after the singing of the Antiphony Psalm Prayers and Hymn as they are in the Roman Pontifical the most Reverend Metropolitan being seated in his Chair said Venerable and Beloved Brethren the Priests and you my dearest Sons in Christ the Procurators and Representatives of the People We having done little more Yesterday than celebrate the Divine Offices and Preach to the People it is fit we should begin to Day to Treat of Matters appertaining to the Synod In the first place of those that belong to the Integrity and Truth of our Holy Catholick Faith and the Profession of the same which before we go about I do again admonish you in our Lord Jesus Christ that all such things as you shall judge to stand in need of Reformation in this Bishoprick or any part thereof may be signified to us or to the Congregation that so with the Divine favour and assistance all things by your Diligence and Charity may be brought into so good Estate as is desired for the praise of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Decree II. THat this Synod may in all things Govern it self according to the Directions of the Holy Canons and tread in the Footsteps of the Holy General Councils and particularly of the Holy Council of Trent upon the knowledge it has of the Necessities of this Church and of the diversity of Opinions that have been hitherto therein concerning Matters of our Holy Catholick Faith and of the Errors contrary thereunto which have been sowed in this Diocess by Hereticks and Schismaticks it doth command all Persons Ecclesiasticks and Seculars called hither either in their own Name or in the Name of others Ecclesiasticks or Laicks of this Bishoprick to make Profession and Oath of the following Faith in the hands of the most Illustrious Metropolitan President of this Synod And for the more effectual execution of this Decree and to provoke others by his own Example the most Illustrious Metropolitan having robed himself in his Pontificals but without his Mitre kneeling down before the Altar and having laid his hands upon a Cross that was upon a Book of the Gospels did in his own Name as the present Prelate and Metropolitan of the Diocess and in the Name of all the Christians belonging to the same and every Person thereof Secular and Ecclesiastick make Profession and Oath of the Faith following which was immediately declared to all that were present The Profession and Oath of the Faith IN the Name of the most Holy and undivided Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost one only true God in the Year of our Lord 1599 in the Seventh Year of the Pontificate of our most Holy Lord Clement VIII Bishop of Rome in the Town of Diamper in the Kingdom of Malabar in the East-Indies in the Church of All Saints on the 21st of June in a Diocesan Synod of the Bishoprick of Serra Assembled by the most Illustrious and Reverend Lord Dom Frey Aleixo de Menezes Arch-Bishop Metropolitan of Goa and the Oriental Parts and the See being vacant of the said Bishoprick I N. do of my own free Will without any manner of force and constraint for the Salvation of my Soul believing it in my heart protest that with a firm Faith I do believe and confess all and every one of the Articles contained in the Symbol of Faith which is used in Holy Mother Roman Church I believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten of his Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down from Heaven and was Incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made Man and was Crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of the Father and he shall come again with Glory to Judge both the Quick and the Dead whose Kingdom shall have no end And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of Life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of Sins and I look for the Resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to come I do firmly receive and embrace all Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and all the Observances and Constitutions of the said Church I admit the Holy Scriptures in that sence wherein it has ever been and is still held by Mother Church to whom it belongeth to judge of the true Sence and Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures neither will I either receive or interpret it but according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers I do confess likewise that there are Seven true and proper Sacraments of the New Testament instituted by Christ our Lord which are all necessary to the health of Mankind tho' not to every particular Person they are Baptism Confirmation the Eucharist Order Penance Matrimony and Extream Unction which do all conferr Grace on those that receive them worthily and of these seven Sacraments that Baptism Confirmation and Orders are to be received but once neither can they be repeated without great Sacrilege I admit and receive all the Customs Rites and Ceremonies received and approved of in the Roman Church in the solemn Administration of the said seven Sacraments and do also receive and embrace all in general and every thing in particular that has been defined and declared concerning Original Sin and Justification in the Holy Council of Trent I do likewise confess that in the Mass there is offer'd to God a true and proper Sacrifice of Pardon both for the Quick and the Dead and that in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is the true real and substantial Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ and that the whole substance of the Bread is by Consecration turned into the Body of Christ and the whole substance of the Wine into his Blood which Conversion the Catholick Church calls Transubstantiation Moreover I do confess that under each Species Christ is entire and the true Sacrament is received I do constantly hold and confess that there is a * Purgatory John Fisher Bishop of Rochester in his 18th Article against Luther does acknowledge the Doctrine
of Religion the Greek and Alexandrian Christians have them in such detestation as to reckon an Altar defiled by a Roman Priest's having celebrated thereon And for the Muscovites Possevinus tells us their greatest imprecation is I hope to live to see thee so far abandoned as to turn Papist The Abbyssin Christians as Godinus tells us do not only condemn the Romanists as Hereticks but do affirm that they are worse than Mahometans and in the 28th Chap. of the first Book of Archbishop Menezes's Visitation it is said that the Chaldaean and Malabar Christians did so abhorr the Pope that they could not endure so much as to hear him named and Head of all the Churches in the World and confess that all that were not obedient to her were out of a state of Salvation and if they did promise and swear true Obedience and subjection to the most Holy Father the Pope and Bishop of Rome as Universal Pastor of the Church and Successor of St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Christ upon Earth without any manner of dependance upon the Schismatical Patriarch of Babylon to whom tho' contrary to Justice they had hitherto been subject and if they did promise never to receive any other Bishop into this Diocess but what shall be sent by the Holy Roman Church by the appointment of our Lord the Pope and that whomsoever he shall ordain they will acknowledge and obey for their Prelate as becomes true Catholicks and Sons of the Church anathematizing the Patriarch of Babylon as a Nestorian Heretick out of the Obedience of the Holy Roman Church and promising and swearing never to obey him more in any matter nor to have any further Commerce or Communion with him in things appertaining to the Church To all which and every particular they did all and every one of them for themselves with their hands upon the Cross and the Gospel swear and protest to God by the Holy Gospel and the Cross of Christ After the Ecclesiasticks had made this Profession and Oath the Procurators and Representatives of the People by virtue of the Powers they had made the same in their own Name and in the Name of the People of the Bishroprick as did also all the other Christians that were present Decree III. THe Synod doth command all Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons of this Bishoprick that were not present at this Solemnity to make the foresaid Oath and profession of Faith in the hands of the most Illustrious Metropolitan at the Visitation of their Churches which he intends to make speedily or in the hands of such as he shall depute for those that shall be absent at the time of the Visitation that so there may be none in Holy Orders in this Bishoprick but what has made this Profession in the manner aforesaid The Synod doth likewise declare That hereafter none shall be capable of undertaking any Vicaridge or Cure of a Church until they have made the said Profession in the hands of their Prelate or of some Commissionated by him for that purpose as also that all that take Holy Orders do first make the said Profession in the same manner and if any of the forementioned which God forbid shall refuse to do it that they shall thereupon be declared Excommunicate until they comply and withal be vehemently suspected of Heresy and be punished according to the Sacred Canons ACTION III. BEcause without Faith it is impossible to please God and the Holy Catholick Faith without which none can be saved is the beginning of true Life and the foundation of all our Good the Purity thereof being that that distinguishes Christians and Catholicks from all other People wherefore the Synod being sensible that by means of some Heretical Persons and Books scattered all over this Bishoprick many Errors and Falsities have been sown therein with which many are poisoned and more may be doth judge it necessary besides the profession of Faith that has been made further to declare to the People in some Chapters the chief Articles of our Holy Catholick Faith and to point at and observe the Errors contained in their Books and to have them Preached against in this Bishoprick that so knowing the mischief and falsehood of them they may avoid them CHAP. I. The Doctrine of Faith OUr Holy Faith that is believed with one unanimous consent by the Catholick Church spread all over the World is That we believe in One only True Almighty Immutable Incomprehensible and Ineffable God the Eternal Father Son and Holy Ghost One in Essence and Three in Persons the Father not begotten the Son begotten of the Father and of the same substance with him and equal to him and the Holy Ghost proceeding eternally from the Father and the Son not as from two Principals or two Inspirations but from both as from one only Principal and one only Inspiration the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit is not the Father nor the Son but the Father is only the Father the Son is only the Son and the Holy Spirit is only the Holy Spirit none of them being before another in Eternity nor superiour to another in Majesty nor inferiour to another in Power but were all without beginning or end the Father is he who begot the Son is he who was born and the Holy Ghost he who proceedeth Consubstantial Equal alike Almighty and alike Eternal These three Persons are one only God and not three Gods one only Essence and Substance one Nature one Immensity one Principal one Creator of all things Visible and Invisible Corporal and Spiritual who when he pleased created all things with his goodness and would that they should be all very good CHAP. II. FUrthermore That the only begotten Son of God who is always with the Father and the Holy Spirit Consubstantial to the Father at the time appointed by the profound Wisdom of the Divine Mercy for the redeeming of Men from the sin of Adam and from all other sins was truly Incarnate by the operation of the Holy Spirit in the pure Womb of our Lady the most Blessed Virgin Mary and in her took our true and intire Nature of Man that is a Body and rational Soul into the Unity of the Divine Person which Unity was such that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and Man and the Son of God and the Son of Man in as much as he was the Son of the Blessed Virgin so that the one Nature is not confounded with the other neither did the one pass into nor mix it self with the other neither did either of them vanish or cease to be but in one only Person or in one Divine Suppositum there are two perfect Natures a Divine and Humane but so that the properties of both Natures are still preserved there being two Wills the Divine and Humane and two Operations Christ still continuing one for as the Form of God does not destroy the Form of a Servant so the
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
Metropolitan upon the account of the manifold Heresies and Blasphemies contained therein and the many false Miracles said to be wrought by him in confirmation of the Nestorian Sect Therefore the Synod does in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred prohibit the Observation of the two Festivities that have been dedicated to his Memory the one upon the first of September the other sixteen days after Easter and the dedicating of any Church to him commanding the abovenamed Church to be dedicated to St. Hormisda the Martyr who was also a Persian and whose Festivity is celebrated upon the 8th of August upon which day the Feast of the said Church shall be observed and on the Retablo they are to make the Picture wherein the Martyrdom of the said Saint shall be drawn to the best advantage that so the People may learn to what Saint the said Church is dedicated and all the Prayers and Devotion that used to be performed upon the Festivities of the Heretick Hormisda may be directed to this Glorious Saint Decree XI SEeing in the Creed or Holy Symbol of Faith ordained by the Sacred Apostles and declared by the Holy Councils which is sung in the Mass all the principal Mysteries and Articles of our Faith are contained it is not fit that any thing should be added to it or taken from it but that it should be sung in this Bishoprick as it is all over the Universal Church wherefore the Synod doth Order that the words which are wanting in the Creed that is said in the Mass be added to it where speaking of Christ it it said that he was born of the Father before all Times there is wanting God of God Light of Light very God of very God that so it may in all things be conformable to what is sung in the Universal Church using also the word Consubstantial to the Father and not what is said instead thereof in the Surian Son of the Essence of the Father Decree XII NOtwithstanding it is contrary to the Sacred Canons That the Children of Christians should go to School to Heathen Masters Nevertheless seeing this Church is under so many Heathen Kings who many times will not suffer any but Infidels to be Schoolmasters wherefore the Synod doth command and declare That in all Schools whether for Reading or Writing wherein the Masters have Pagods to which they oblige their Children at their coming into the School to pay their Reverence as the Custom is that it shall not be lawful for Christian Parents or Guardians to send Christian Children to such Schools upon pain of being proceeded against as Idolaters but if there should be any such Schools wherein the Heathen Masters will consent that Christian Children shall pay no Reverence nor be obliged to any Heathen Ceremony in case there is no Christian Master near they may be sent to such Schools their Parents instructing them that they must pay no reverence but only to the Master and that they must use none of the Ceremonies of the Heathen Children that so they may not * Suck in Idolatry They would have done well to have considered whether the introducing of the Adoration of Images into a Christianity that was planted amidst Heathens and under Idolatrous Princes how Innocent soever it may be in other places was safe or not in Malabar before they did it and whether the reconciling them to Images might not dispose them to Heathenism such in Idolatry as Mothers Milk Furthermore the Synod doth earnestly recommend it to all Towns and Villages to do all that is in their Power to have their Children Educated by Christian Masters and as for Reading and Writing to have the Parish-Priests to teach them to do that in their Houses But as to those masters who do oblige Christian Children to do reverence to their Pagods the Synod in virtue of Holy Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be Ipso facto incurred doth command all Fathers of Families and others that have charge of Children not to consent to their going to such Schools and doing the contrary let them be declared Excommunicate and be rigorously punished by the Prelate neither shall such Children be suffered to enter the Church as to which matter the Vicars and Priests ought to be extreamly vigilant to prevent Childrens being Educated in Idolatry and where-e'er there is a Christian School-master in any Town or near it the Children of Christians are not to go to School to Infidels Decree XIII THe Synod being certainly informed that there are some Christian Schoolmasters who to conform themselves to others and to have the more Scholars do set up Pagods and Idols in their Schools to which the Heathen Children pay reverence doth command all the said School-masters so soon as it shall be intimated to them upon pain of Excommunication to remove the said Pagods Idols and Reverence out of their Schools and not to give way to Heathen Children paying any such adoration and whosoever shall be found guilty thereof shall be declared Excommunicate and denyed the Communion of the Church and of all Christians and dying shall not be buried in holy Ground nor have Christian Burial nor have any Prayers said for them and let this Decree be published by the Vicars of the Churches to which such do belong Decree XIV THe Purity of the Faith being preserved by nothing more than by Books of sound and holy Doctrine and on the contrary there being nothing whereby the Minds of People are more corrupted than by Books of suspicious and Heretical Doctrines Errors being by their means easily insinuated into the Hearts of the Ignorant that read or hear them Wherefore the Synod knowing that this Bishoprick is full of Books writ in the Surian Tongue by Nestorian Hereticks and Persons of other Devilish Sects which abound with Heresies Blasphemies and false Doctrines doth command in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred that no Person of what quality and condition soever shall from henceforward presume to keep translate read or hear read to others any of the following Books The Book intituled The Infancy of our Saviour Or The History of our Lady condemned formerly by the ancient Saints for being full of Blasphemies Heresies and fabulous Stories where among others it is said that the Annunciation of the Angel was made in the Temple of Jerusalem where our Lady was which contradicts the Gospel of St. Luke which saith it was made in Nazareth as also that Joseph had actually another Wife and Children when he was betrothed to the Holy Virgin and that he often reproved the Child Jesus for his naughty Tricks that the Child Jesus went to School to the Rabbins and learnt of them with a thousand other Fables and Blasphemies of the same Nature and things unworthy of our Lord Christ whereas the Gospel saith that the Jews were astonished at his Wisdom asking how he came by so much
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
the whole Offices of the Advent and Nativity are little else than pure Blasphemy In the Book of Prayers for the great Fast it is frequently said that there were two Persons a Divine and Humane in Christ It contains also several Commemorations of Nestorius and other Hereticks his Followers affirming Marndeay Theodorus and Diodorus and other Nestorian Hereticks to have been the Followers of St. Ephrem In the Greater Breviary which they call Hudre and Gaza or The Treasure of Prayers it is every where said that there are two Persons in Christ and one representation of the Son of God that he is the Image of the Word and the Temple of the same that the Divine Person did enlighten the Humane and that Christ advanced in Grace and Knowledge by degrees that our Lady never carried God in her Womb as Hereticks affirm Christ being a Man like to others and that she ought not to be called the Mother of God but only the Mother of the second Adam that the whole Trinity assumed Humanity and that St. Matthew taught the Hebrews so that God did not make himself Flesh which he only took as a Dwelling to cover his Glory that God accompanyed Christ on the Cross but had not taken the Humanity neither was it God that suffered that the Word of the Father changed it self into Humanity and by the Son of Mary redeemed Mankind that the Father Eternal took Flesh in the same manner as the Son that the Angel delivered his Message to the Virgin in the Temple and not at Nazareth that the pains of travail opened the Womb of the Virgin who brought forth with labour after the manner of other Women that * In the most holy Sacrament The Christians who live scattered about Mesopotamia and Assyria and whose Patriarch resides at the Monastery of St. Raban Hurnez the Persian in the Gordyaean Mountains 40 miles above Niniveh tho' Eutychians and for that reason Enemies to the Chaldean Christians do agree with them in denying Transubstantiation as appears from the following Prayer taken out of their Missal and communicated to me by my Learned Friend Dr. Hide Angeli homines laudabunt te O Christe Sacrificere pro nobis qui per Sacramenta quae sunt in Ecclesia tua docuisti nos secundum magnificentiam tuam quod sicut in Pane Vino Natura sunt à te distincta in Virtute potentia idem sunt tecum Sic etiam Corpus quod à nobis distinctum est à verbo in substantia cum illo tamen qui accipit illud adunitum est in magnificentia potentia Sic credimus non metuimus ab iniquitate quod in uno sc una Hypostasi sit filius fatemur non est duo sicut improbi id est sicut dicunt Nestoriani non enim in completionibus Sacrificii Corpus Corpus frangimus sed unum per fidem sicut docuisti nos in Evangelio tuo laus tibi qui per Sacramenta tua instruxisti nos ut lauâ—emus nomen tuum Now I take this Testimony against Transubstantiation to be much the stronger for it 's being given by the Eutychians to whose Heresie Transubstantiation had it been believed would have given great Countenance as indeed I cannot but reckon those Hereticks having no where made use of that Doctrine to support their Heresie to be a considerable Argument of its not having been believed either by themselves or by the Orthodox for had the latter believed it tho' they had not done it themselves they could not have failed to have used it as Argumentum ad hominem which is what they have no where done It is true this is only a Negative Argument but it is as true that it is so circumstantiated as to be of equal force with one that is positive So again I do not see how we could have had a clearer proof of Transubstantiation not having been believed either by the Manichees or the Orthodox than we have from the Manichees abstaining from the Cup in the Sacrament for no other reason but because they did not think it lawful to drink Wine and from the Orthodoxes proving against them from that very Institution that it was lawful and endeavouring to convince them by several Arguments that it was their Duty to receive the Cup in the Sacrament and all this without ever so much as once intimating that the Liquor in the Cup when it came to be received was Blood and not Wine in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is not the true Body of Christ with a thousand more Blasphemies about it that Nestorius was a Preacher of Truth and in several places God is praised for having declared the Truth to Theodorus and Diodorus who was Master to Nestorius and in several Prayers they beseech God to chastise those that believe otherwise than Nestorius and his Followers whose Faith they say is founded on St. Peter's and the rest of the Apostles Moreover it is said that the Holy Virgin and her Spouse Joseph appeared before the Priests who could not tell how she had conceived and that Images are Idols and ought not to be adored nor so much as kept in Churches or in Houses of Christians there are likewise Offices of Nestorius and his Followers and Commemorations of several Hereticks In the Office for Priests departed it is sung That in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar there is only the Virtue of Christ but not his true Body and Blood all which Books and Breviaries tho' they do well deserve to be burnt for these and other Errors that they contain yet there being no other at present in this Diocess for the keeping up of Divine Service and the celebration of Religious Offices until such time as they shall be furnished with new Breviaries which the Synod desires they may speedily and that some may be Printed for them at St. Peter's in Rome the Synod doth order them to be corrected and purged from all their Errors and Commemorations of Hereticks and the entire Offices for all such and the Offices of Advent and the Nativity to be entirely tore out of their Breviaries and burnt entreating the most Illustrious Metropolitan to see it done at his next Visitation in all the Churches of the Diocess commanding all Curates in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred to produce the said Books and all the other Books that they have as well of publick as of private Use and of Prayers as well as of the Mass before the said Lord Metropolitan at his Visitation in order to their being corrected by Persons appointed for that work in conformity to what is here ordained Decree XVI FOR the preservation of the Purity of the Faith the Synod does command all Priests Curates and all other Persons of whatsoever Condition or Quality within this Bishoprick in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication within two Months after the
Ecclesiam non Communicant What the Cardinal saith here of these two Practices makes almost the whole Roman Worship at this time to be a meer Novelty the whole of that Worship consisting almost now in Peoples going o Mass upon Sundays and Holy-days which the Church obliges them to not obliging them at the same time to communicate above once a Year and in adoring the Host when the Priest elevates it As to the Priest's putting the Sacrament into the mouth of the Communicants the same Cardinal in the 17th Chap. of his second Book saith Sacra Communio antiquo ritu non ore excipi solebat ut hodiè fit sed manu quam qui susceperat Ori reverenter admovebat As to the Priest's speaking the words of Consecration so low that no body can hear him in his 12th Chap. of the same Book he saith Graeci alii Orientales verba consecrationis elatâ voce pronunciant populus respondet Amen Eundem morem servabat olim Ecclesia Occidentalis omnes enim audiebant verba consecrationis postea statutum est ut Canon submissa voce recitaretur sic desiit ea consuetudo seculo decimo ut conjicio As to the usage of her denying the Cup to the People in the 18th Chap. of his second Book he saith Semper enim ubique ab Ecclesiae primordiis usque ad saeculum duodecimum sub specie panis Vini in Ecclesiis communicârunt fideles coepitque paulatim ejus saeculi initio usus calicis obsolescere plerisque Episcopis eum populo interdicentibus sic paulatim introducta est Communio sub solâ specie panis quod à nullo negari potest qui vel levissimâ rerum Ecclesiasticarum notitiâ imbutus est And as to her making use of Unleavened Bread in the 23d Chap. of his first Book he saith Quod si Veteres Patres percurrere omnem evolvere antiquitatem libeat inveniemus proculdubio sic à tempore Apostolorum de inceps de pane Eucharistico omnes loqui ut non nisi de communi fermentato commodè intelligi explicari queant As to her giving the Sacrament in Wafers in the 23d Chap. of the same Book he saith Vivente Humberto qui floruit Anno 1245. panis consecrandus in Eucharistiâ tantae magnitudinis erat ut ex eo consecratae tot particulae frangi possent quot erant necessariae ad populum communicandum panis qui tradebatur talis fuit ut deglutiri non posset nisi dentibus comminutus And as to her keeping the consecrated Bread or Hosts as she calls them after the Communion is over he saith in the same Book Ne reliquiae Sacramenti superessent saepe decretum est ut tot particulae consecrarentur quot erant parati ad communionem si quid residuum foret à sacerdete seu Ministris commederetur quod si contigerit ut Ministrorum incuria putrescerent statuit Concilium Arelatense apud Joan. X. 2. Cap. 56. ut igne comburatur cinis juxta Altare sepeliatur idque in usu fuisse docet Algerus Lib. 2. Cap. 1. Now I take this acknowledged change of Rites in the Administration of the Eucharist to be a very great Evidence that there has been a Change of belief about it and indeed to have been the Natural Consequence of such a Change and so I believe will any body else that shall consider it impartially changed for others without a great Sin notwithstanding they do not appertain to the Integrity or Essence of the Sacraments there are three that imprint a Spiritual sign on the Soul that can never be blotted out it is called a Character which is the reason why those Sacraments are never to be repeated they are Baptism Confirmation and Orders the other four that is Penitence the Eucharist Extream Vnction and Matrimony imprint no Spiritual Sign in the Soul and so may be repeated with due Order but tho' these seven Sacraments are all Divine and do contain Grace and dispense it to their worthy Receivers deserving our most profound Reverence and Adoration on the account of the Majesty of their Institutor who was our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God as also for the assistance of the Holy Spirit who operates in conjunction with them and for the virtue that is in them for the curing of Souls the Treasure of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ being deposited in them and dispensed to us by their means Nevertheless this does not hinder but that in some respects some of them may be more worthy than others and may deserve a greater reverence and veneration These Sacraments were all instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ before his Ascention into Heaven that so by their means he might communicate Grace and other Spiritual Benefits he had merited for us by his Death on the Cross confirming them to the faithful by his Word and Promises that so by using them lawfully and with due dispositions we might be ascertained of his communicating himself and all the fruits of his Passion to us in every one of them in such a manner as he represents himself in them The Doctrine of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism THe first of all the Sacraments is that of Baptism which is the Gate of the Spiritual Life and that whereby we are made capable of the other Sacraments of which without it we are no ways capable for as a Man must first be born before he can enjoy the good things of the Natural Life so Men before they are born again in Baptism are not capable of enjoying the heavenly advantages of a Spiritual Life it being by Baptism that we are made Members of Christ and are incorporated into the Christian Common-wealth and the Mystical Body of the Church for as by the first man Death came upon all for the Sin of Disobedience committed by him and us for which Sin we were excluded the Kingdom of Heaven and were born Children of Wrath and separated from God so that without being born again of Water and the Spirit we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as Christ himself has taught us so that as we were born Children of Wrath by Baptism we return to be Children of Grace and as we were born in sin the Sons of Men in Baptism we are born the Sons of God all that are baptized in Christ as St. Paul hath it having put on Christ The Matter of this Sacrament is true natural and common Water as of the Sea Rivers Fountains Lakes or Rain and no other tho' never so pure and clean all others being Liquors and not natural Water The Form is I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost The Minister of this Sacrament is a Priest to whom it belongs by virtue of his Office but in case of necessity not only a Priest or Deacon but a Lay-man or Woman nay an Infidel a Mahometan a Heretick or Jew
In a word any Person that can Baptize using the Form of the Church and intending to do what she does may administer this Sacrament For seeing none can be saved without being Baptized therefore as our Lord ordained Water than which nothing is more ready at hand to be the matter of this Sacrament so he would exclude no Man from being the Minister thereof the effects and virtue of this Sacrament is the pardon and remission of all sins Original and Actual and of all punishments due to them for which reason there is no Penance to be enjoyned those that are Baptized for any sin they committed before Baptism all that die after Baptism before they have committed any sin going directly to Heaven where they enjoy the Divine Vision for ever Decree I. WHereas in the Examination of the Forms of the administration of the Sacraments of the Church in this Diocess made by the most Reverend Metropolitan in his last Visitation he found that in divers Churches there were different Forms used and written in the Baptisteries some Curates using the Form following * The Ancient Form of Baptizing was by Prayer N. is Baptized and perfected in the name of the Father Amen in the name of the Son Amen in the name of the Holy Ghost Amen Others using the Greek Form saying Baptizetur servus Christi in nomine Patris Amen in nomine Filii Amen in nomine Spiritûs Sancti Amen The Synod in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred doth command that no Person shall presume hereafter to use either these or any other Forms but that which is used in the Holy Roman Church I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that all other Forms be blotted out of their Baptisteries and Books and this be put in their place Decree II. THis Synod being informed That at divers times they have used different Forms of Baptism in this Diocess which were introduced by Schismatical and Ignorant Prelates some of which were not Legitimate neither was the Sacrament administred by them as was declared by the most Illustrious Metropolitan and others after a strict Examination and others were very doubtful doth therefore in the name of the Holy Ghost desire and command all the faithful Christians of this Diocess to declare to the said Metropolitan at the Visitation he intends to make of the Churches of this Diocess or to Persons deputed by him the time when they were Baptized that so according to the Form that was then used a saving remedy may be provided in conformity to what shall be ordained therein and that all submit themselves to whatsoever he shall be pleased to order Decree III. FOrasmuch as the Synod is informed that there are many Persons in this Diocess and especially among those that live in the Heaths and are far from any Church who tho' they are not Baptized yet being of a Christian race do profess themselves Christians and when they come where there is a Church do go to it and receive the Holy Sacraments with others and out of meer shame of letting it be known that they are not Christened do die without Baptism and others because they will not pay the Fees which are Simoniacally demanded of them It doth therefore command all Vicars of Churches to make diligent inquiry through their whole Parishes and the Heaths to see if there are any that are not Christened besides the search that the most Illustrious Metropolitan does intend at his next Visitation as he did at his former and that the said Vicars on the high Festivals upon which those that live in the Heaths do usually come to Church shall admonish them all in general that in case there are any among them that have never been baptized or that have some reason to doubt whether they have or not that they go to them and acquaint them therewith in private that so they may be secretly Christened and without paying any Fee letting them know that they are not Christians nor capable of inheriting Eternal Life nor of receiving the Holy Sacraments without being baptized and all Preachers shall frequently give the same admonition and all Confessors must be careful to ask all rude Christians that live in the Heaths whether they have been baptized and in case it appear doubtful they shall then baptize them privately The Synod grants the same License to all Priests within or without this Diocess to baptize all such secretly in what place soever they shall think fit Decree IV. THE Synod being informed that there are some small Villages in this Diocess which by reason of the great distance they are at from any Church and through the negligence of their Prelates and Priests tho' they call themselves Christians of St. Thomas because descended of such yet are not Baptized having nothing of Christians but the bare name doth command a diligent enquiry to be made into this matter recommending the same to the most Reverend Metropolitan and commanding all Vicars of Churches to search all places bordering upon their Parishes and to oblige all such to be Baptized The Synod doth likewise command Chappels to be built in or near to all such Villages and to be provided with such Curates as may instruct them in all matters of Faith that so there may be none in all these parts that call themselves Christians of St. Thomas but what are Baptized and of some Parish where they may receive the Sacraments Decree V. BY reason of the great negligence that is so visible in the Christians of this Bishoprick in bringing their Children to be baptized within eight days after they are born according to the Custom of the Church but chiefly among those that live at a considerable distance from any Church whose Children are many times some Months or Years old before they are Christen'd the Synod doth strictly command That all Children be baptized on the 8th day after they are born according to the custom of the Universal Church without there should be some danger of their dying before in which case they ought to be Christened immediately or that it should so happen that if they are not baptized sooner they cannot be in a long time in which case also they ought to be presently Christened and for those that live in Heaths and far from any Church if they should not be able to bring their Children to be baptized on the eighth day they must not fail to bring them betwixt the fifteenth and the twentieth and all that are found to be negligent herein let them be punish'd severely and whosoever shall neglect to bring their own Children or others that they have the charge of tho' their Slaves to Baptism for above a Month let them be thrown out of the Church neither shall it be lawful for any Priest to go to their Houses or to give them the Casturi or a Visit no not in order to
perswade them to bring their Children to Baptism But if it should be probable that the length of the Way might endanger the Child's Life then let the Father or Guardian signifie so much to the Vicar of the Church to which they belong that a fit remedy may be taken therein that the Baptism of the Infant be no longer deferred and in such Cases the Synod doth command all Vicars either in Person or by some other Priest to hasten to go the doing thereof with diligence being one of the highest Duties of their Function Decree VI. THe present Synod doth condemn the Custom or Abuse which has hitherto obtained in this Diocess of not Baptizing the Infants of Parents that are Excommunicated for fear of having some Communion with them by which means it often happens that Children continue unbaptized for many Years thereby running a great hazard of dying without Baptism and ordaining the contrary commands the Children of Excommunicated Parents to be Christen'd as well as others and to that intent declares That they that go into such Families to fetch such Children or shall carry or accompany them to Church shall incurr no censure or punishment whatsoever for so doing nevertheless the Persons that are Excommunicated shall not be suffer'd to go along with them nor shall others go to any Feast or Banquet at their Houses which they may have made on that occasion Decree VII THe Synod doth exhort and admonish all Fathers and Mothers and all other Persons that are present at Womens Labour to be careful not to suffer any Infant to die without Baptism Wherefore if they shall perceive the Child when it is born to be weak or in danger of dying presently they shall then if it can be done call the Vicar or in his absence any other Priest to come immediately to Baptize the Infant but if the danger shall be such as not to admit of any delay in that case any Person that is present shall Baptize it in the Church throwing Water upon its Face and saying I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen which shall be done by Ecclesiasticks if any are present rather than Laicks and by Men rather than Women if they know the Form but if they do not then any one that knows it may perform it and when Infants are in danger of dying in the birth in case the Head or any other principal Member doth appear tho' the whole Body should not they shall sprinkle the Member that appears with Water using the Form And as for those that have been Baptized in this manner if they shall happen to live and it shall be proved that they were Baptized on the Head or the greater part of the Body they shall not then be Christen'd again but shall only be carried to the Church to be anointed with the Holy Oils but if the Baptism was performed on any other part they shall then be Baptized again but with a Condition saying If thou art not Baptized I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen And after the same manner Priests and others shall behave themselves as to such Persons of whose Baptism they have any reason to doubt provided if there are any other present it shall not be lawful for the Parents of such Infants to Baptize them that they may not contract the Spiritual Relation of Godfather or Godmother but in case there should be no body else present and the Child should be in apparent danger of Death in such a case of necessity the Father or Mother must Baptize it Decree VIII THe Synod doth earnestly recommend to all People to procure Christian Daia's or Midwives in all their Towns and such as know the Form of Baptism and are able to succour the necessities of Infants when born in danger And whereas Infidel Daia's do use a great many Ceremonies and Superstitions with Infants which are foreign to the purity and integrity of the Gospel and especially such of them as are Mahometans the Vicars shall therefore take care frequently to instruct all their People but especially the Daia's in the Form of Baptism that so every body may know how to succour the necessities of Infants when they are born and the Confessors of the Daia's must be sure to examine them as to the said Form and having instructed them therein shall acquaint them how much it is their duty to be perfect in it Decree IX THe Synod doth command That no Person presume to keep an Infidel Slave without Baptizing him whom if they are Infants they shall Baptize presently and if come to years of discretion they shall take care to instruct in the Faith in order to make them Christians but without any manner of Compulsion besides that of continual Persuasion and whosoever should be found to have an Infidel Child that is not Baptized or one that is of Age and does desire to be shall be severely punished by the Prelate and the Parties shall be Christened In this the Vicars ought to be extreamly vigilant and especially when they make the Roll of Confessions and inquire what Persons are in every Family and who are not Christians and why they are not Decree X. THere being some Christians so unmindful of their Christian Obligations as to sell Christians to Infidels contrary to the Holy Canons who by that means are certainly constrained to Apostatize from the Faith wherefore the Synod in virtue of Obedience and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipso facto incurred doth command That no Christian presume to Sell any of the Faithful to Infidels and that whosoever shall be found to have done it shall be forthwith declared Excommunicate and shall not be Absolved until he hath redeemed the said Christian tho' he should cost him more than what he sold him for or until it shall be manifest to the Vicar of the Church and to other Curates and the whole People that it cannot be done in which case he shall not be Absolved until by way of Penance he has refunded the Money that he received with which the Vicar and Church-wardens shall buy an Infidel whom they shall Christen great numbers of such being sold daily in Malabar and the Person so bought shall have his liberty and shall be cemmitted to the care of some devout substantial Christian that will Educate him for God's sake Moreover the Synod in virtue of Obedience doth prohibit all Christians to Sell any Boys or Girls tho' they are not Baptized to any Mahometan Jew or Heathen it being certain that such when sold to Infidels will never come to the knowledge of the Faith tho' when it is necessary and they are their lawful Slaves they may sell them to other Christians Whosoever shall transgress herein shall be severely punished except the Person that was sold was Twenty Years of Age and it is manifest to the Vicar to whom he shall be carried
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
Patriarchae totius Ecclesiae Catholicae pastoris naming the Patriarch of Babylon by Name instead thereof he shall say Praecipuè oportet nos orare pro incolumitate patrum nostrorum Domini Papae naming him also Episcopi hujus Metropolis naming him also Furthermore when the Deacon a little before saith Commemoramus autem beatissimam Mariam virginem Matrem Christi salvatoris it shall be said Sanctam Matrem Dei vivi salvatoris Redemptoris nostri c. because the perverse Nestorians do impiously deny the Blessed Virgin to be the Mother of God as has been observed Furthermore when the Deacon a little lower saith Commemoramus quoque Patres nostros sanctos veritatis Doctores Dominum Sanctum Nestorium c. all which is Heretical it being an impious thing sacrilegiously to pray to God to preserve the Doctrine of Nestorius and of other Hereticks his followers in the Church all the forementioned having been such except St. Ephraim wherefore instead of them he shall say Commemoramus quoque Patres nostros sanctos veritatis Doctores S. Cyrillum c. And tho' in some Missals the Names of Nestorius Theodorus and Diodorus are already left out yet they do still remain in some and the Names of Abraham and Narcissus two of the Ringleaders of that cursed Sect are in all of them Wherefore there must be care taken to have them also left out Furthermore in the beginning of the Prayer wherein the Deacon saith Oportet nos orare exaltare unum Deum Patrem Dominum omnium adoratione dignissimum qui per Christum fecit nobis bonam spem it shall be said Qui per Jesum Christum filium suum Dominum nostrum fecit nobis bonam spem Furthermore where the Priest pouring the Wine into the Cup saith Misceatur pretiosus Sanguis in Calice Domini nostri Jesu Christi it shall be said Misceatur Vinum in Calice Domini nostri that no occasion may be given to the Error of calling the Wine before it is consecrated The Precious Blood of Christ alluding to the condemned Custom of the Greeks who as they offer the Bread and Wine before they are consecrated so they adore them too saying they do it for what they are to be and presently after where the Priest saith Expectans expectavi Dominum Corpus Christi sanguinem ejus pretiosum super sanctum altare offeramus it shall be said for the same reason Panem Sanctum Calicem pretiosum offeramus and immediately after where the Deacon saith Edent pauperes saturabuntur Corpus Christi Sanguinem ejus pretiosum super sanctum altare offeramus He shall say for the same reason Ede◠pauperes saturabuntur Panem sanctum Calicem pretiosum c. Furthermore where the Priest with a low Voice in the Prayer which begins Offeratur gloriae immoletur saith Christus qui oblatus est pro salute nostrâ he shall say Jesus Christus Dominus noster Dei filius qui oblatus est c. And where the Priest raising his Voice saith Gloria Patri c. Fiat Commemoratio Virginis Mariae Matris Christi he shall say Fiat commemoratio Virginis Marie Matris ipsius Dei Domini nostri Jesu Christi And a little lower where the Deacon saith In saecula usque in saecula Amen Amen Apostoli ipsius filii amici unigenti he shall say Apostoli ipsius filii Dei amici And where the Priest begins Pusilli cum majoribus and saith Resurrectione tuâ supergloriosâ resuscitabis eos ad gloriam tuam he shall say Per Resurrectionem tuam supergloriosam suscitabis eos Furthermore where the Deacon saith Effundite coram illo corda vestra jejunio oratione poenitentia placaverunt Christum Patrem quoque Spiritum ejus sanctum where in saying Spiritum sanctum ejus they seem to allude to the Error of the Greeks that the Holy Spirit proceedeth only from the Father and not from the Father and the Son as from one principal as the Catholick Faith confesseth and because the Nestorians by reason of the great Communication they have had with the Greeks have imbibed some of their Errors that there may be therefore no countenance given to such an Error it shall be reformed thus Placaverunt Patrem Filium Spiritum Sanctum Furthermore In the Prayer where the Priest saith Dominus Deus fortis tua est Ecclesia sancta Catholica quae admirabili Christi tui passione empta est it shall be said Quae admirabili Christi filii tui c. Furthermore near the end of the Gospel taken out of that Chapter of St. John which as has been observed is corrupted in the Syrian Translation where it is read quoniam venit hora in quâ omnes qui in monumentis sunt audient vocem ipsius it shall be read audient vocem filii Dei as it is in the Gospel Furthermore in the Creed that is sung in the Mass there are wanting several substantial words where speaking of our Lord Christ and saying that he was born of the Father before all Worlds there is wanting God of God light of light very God of very God all which shall be added to it as also the word consubstantial to the Father leaving out the words that are in its place in the Syrian filius essentiae Patris and the whole shall be reformed and translated into the same words as it is sung in the Catholick Church in the Roman Missal Furthermore presently after the Creed where the Deacon praying for and making a Commemoration of the Holy Apostles Martyrs and Confessors desires of God that he would raise them up that they may be Crowned with Glory at the Resurrection of the Dead saying Oremus in quam ut resurrectione quae est ex mortuis à Deo coronâ donentur which besides that it is not the Custom of the Church to pray for the Holy Apostles Martyrs and Confessors nor to desire any good thing for them whom we believe to be in possession of Bliss but much rather to * Pray to them The Malabar Custom in this is much the ancienter as appears from all the ancient Liturgies in all which Petitions Christians prayed for the Dead no otherwise than as we pray for them in the Lord's Prayer in the Petition Thy Kingdom come and in the Office for the Burial of the Dead where we beseech God of his gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of his Elect and to hasten his Kingdom Pray to them to intercede for us and to obtain for us of God whose familiar Friends they are all that we stand in need of and is of importance both as to all our Spiritual and just Temporal Concerns it seems to allude to the Nestorian Opinion That the Souls of the Saints are not to see God until after their Bodies are raised at the day of Judgment and that till then they are in a Terrestrial Paradise which is Impious
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
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
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
for their Son whereupon the Bishop passeth an Olla or Certificate and so the Adoption is perfected the Synod doth command That from henceforward the Prelate do not accept of an Adoption from any that have Children of their own or in case they have none yet it shall be declared in the Olla That if they shall afterwards happen to have any that the said Olla shall be void to all intents and purposes by which means the great Injustices that are now so common in this Diocess will be prevented Decree XXIII THe Synod being desirous to have all the Christians of this Diocess to live together in Villages by reason of the great inconveniencies they are under that live in the Heaths as well by reason of the great communication they must have with Infidels as for wanting opportunities of going to Church and Sacraments whereby they are kept in ignorance of Christianity doth in order thereunto very earnestly recommend it to all Christians that live in Heaths to do all they are able either to come and live in some Village or to build new Villages with Churches that so they may live more civilly and be separated from the communication of Infidels and be the better instructed in the Customs of our Holy Catholick Faith recommending it earnestly to the Vicars to persuade their Sheep thereunto for the Spiritual profit they will receive thereby which the Prelate shall also endeavour with all his power Decree XXIV THe Synod having taken into consideration the manifold Injustices Oppressions and Grievances wherewith Infidel Kings and Governours do often treat the Christians of this Bishoprick and that out of enmity to our Holy Catholick Faith and observing the necessity they are in of Defence and Protection doth with great instance desire That his Majesty the King of Portugal would be graciously pleased to take all the Christians of this Bishoprick under his Favour and * Protection By this we see the King of Cochim was not jealous without reason that the Arch-Bishop had a State design in the great pains and charge he was at in the reduction of his Christian Subjects and tho' nothing was talked of but the Pope and the Roman Obedience that the King of Spain and the augmentation of his strength in the Indies by the accession of so many new Subjects was the main Spring in the Enterprize I will not say tho' it is probable enough that the Arch-Bishop by magnifying this Service at the Court of Spain got first to be Governour of the Indies and afterwards to be Governour of all the Dominions of Portugal and President of the Council of State at Madrid but this we are sure of that that Service to the Crown of Spain was much boasted of here in Europe by others For the Jesuit Ilayus in his Book De Rebus Japonicis speaking of this very thing â—â—ith Cuae res quanto Regie Majestati emolumento sit latura nôrunt qui non ignorant quanti sit momenti gentem in tota India lectissimam à temporibus B. Thomae Christiano cultui deditum támque numerosum potentem ut armatos ad Triginta Millia in promptu habeat cum Lusitanis unire ad Ecclesiae Romanae obedientiam revocare in Fidem ditionemque Regis Catholici accipere But as it is visible that the increasing of the Portugueze strength in the Indies by the accession of so many new Subjects was what both the Arch-Bishop and Spanish Government aimed at chiefly in the troublesome and chargeable reduction of this Church So it is certain that from this very Year 1599 the Portugueze Historians do begin to reckon the declination of their strength in those parts who give the following Account of the three Ages of their Indian Government that it was in its Infancy till the Year 1561 and from that time till the Year 1600 in its Manhood or full strength and ever since has been in its Old declining Age and is now in truth become so decrepid as to be only the Ghost of a great Name Neither is this to be wondred at considering how common a thing it is for God to blast the most promising Securities when obtained by such violent and unlawful Methods Protection he being the only Christian King or Lord in all these Oriental Parts and the Christians of this Diocess shall on their parts be ready at all times to sacrifice their Lives to their Holy Catholick Faith the preservation of Christianity and the defence of Christians which they shall be always prepared to do with their Lives and Fortunes beseeching the most Reverend Metropolitan President of this Synod to present this their Petition to his Majesty and to let him know how ready all the Christians of this Bishoprick are to serve him Decree XXV WHereas in this Synod Matters pertaining to our Holy Catholick Faith the Holy Sacraments of the Church the Reformation of Affairs thereof and the Customs of Christian People have been handled the Synod doth command all Vicars of Churches not to fail to have all its Decrees Transcribed from the Original Malabar and to have a Copy thereof in all their Churches Signed by the Reverend the Arch-Deacon of this Diocess and the Rector of the College of Vaipicotta and upon every Sunday and Holy-day when there is no Sermon nor no Lecture upon the Catechism set forth by the most Reverend Metropolitan that a portion of this Synod be read to the People but on the Seasons when the said Catechism is ordered to be read it shall be read on Sundays and the Synod upon Holy-days that so all that is decreed therein may come to the knowledge of the People and may be remembred and observed by them the Original of the said Synod being Signed by the most Reverend Metropolitan and all the other Members thereof shall be put in the Archives of the Jesuites College of Vaipicotta in this Diocess from whence so many Copies as shall be thought necessary shall be transmitted to the Churches there shall also be another Original Signed by the most Reverend Metropolitan the Arch-Deacon and other Members kept in the Archives of the Church of Angamale called the Arch-Bishop's See that all Copies may at all times be Corrected according to either of those Originals and the Synod doth furthermore recommend it to all Vicars Priests and Curates and to all and every Christian of this Diocess and commands them all in the Lord to conform themselves to the Decrees of this Diocesan Synod and so far as is in their power to observe and cause them to be observed inviolably and to govern themselves by them in all things which the Synod is confident they will do with the help of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who liveth and reigneth for ever Amen After the Decrees were read the Bishoprick was divided into Seventy-five Parishes whose Bounds were greater or lesser as was judged to be most convenient for the administration of the Holy Sacraments and the Spiritual Food
God and of Holy Mother Church the Fasts of the â—our Seasons and the Vigils And before â—ent ye shall call upon your People to Confess and shall hear their Confessions with â—â—eat charity and zeal for their Spiritual profit Upon the Feasts of the Nativity Easter and â—hitsuntide ye shall exhort all the Faithful to reâ—eive the most Holy Sacrament of Christ's Body â—nd at Easter at least ye shall take heed that all â—hat are capable do receive it All quarrels diffeâ—â—nces and enmities that shall arise among your â—â—bjects ye shall endeavour to compose and â—blige them all to live as Friends in Christian Charity and if there be any that give offence by refusing to speak to their Neighbours being so malice with them ye shall admonish them thereof and so long as they continue to behave themselves so ye shall not suffer them to receive the Holy Sacrament of the Altar At certain times but chiefly upon solemn Festivities and Fasts ye shall admonish Married Men according to a Holy Council to abstain from their Wives None of you shall wear coloured Cloaths oâ— any Habit but what is grave and decent for Priests to wear Ye shall instruct your People to forbear Working on Sundays and Holy-days neither shall ye suffer Women to Sing or Danâ—â— in the Church Ye shall not communicate wiâ—â— any that are Excommunicate nor presume 〈◊〉 much as to Celebrate where any such are prâ—sent Ye shall admonish your People not 〈◊〉 Marry with any that are contracted to otheâ— nor with their near Kinswomen nor with aâ—â— they have stole out of their Fathers Houses neither shall ye suffer the solemnities of Marriage and of carrying home a Bride to be 〈◊〉 a time prohibited by the Church Ye shall constrain Shepherds and other Servants to heâ—â— Mass at least every Lord's-day and shall aâ—monish God-fathers and God mothers to teaâ—â— their God-children the Creed and Pater Nosteâ— or to appoint others to instruct them The Chrism or Holy Oil of the Catechumeni and Sick shall be kept in the Church under Lock and Key and in a decent and secure place of which ye shall give none away no not by way of Alms it being a most grievous Sacrilege to do it Every one of you must have a Catechism an Exposition of the Creed and of the Prayers of the Church conformable to the Exposition of the Holy Catholick Doctors by which ye may both edifie your selves and others Ye must also have this Synod that so you may govern both your selves and your People by its Rules Ye shall declare the Catholick Faith â—o all that will learn it The Introitus to the Mass the Prayers Epistles Gospels and Creed 〈◊〉 the Mass shall be read with a loud and â—â—telligible Voice but the Secret Prayers of the â—anon and Consecration shall be spoke slowly â—nd distinctly but with a low Voice When â—â—e recite in the Quire ye must let one Verse 〈◊〉 ended before ye begin another and not â—onfound the Service by chopping it up and â—umbling it together Ye must study to have 〈◊〉 Athanasius's Creed which contains the Caâ—holick Faith by heart and repeat it dayly â—he Exorcisms Prayers the order of Baptism â—â—nction of the Sick the recommendation of â—he Soul and the burial of the Dead ye must â—nderstand and practise according to the Holy â—anons and the use of the Holy Roman Church â—â—e Mother and Mistress of all the other Churches 〈◊〉 the World as also the Exorcisms and the â—â—secration of Salt and Water Ye shall study 〈◊〉 understand Singing and the things that are â—hanted in the Church as also the Rubricks of the Breviary and Missal that ye may be able to find what you look for as also the Account of the Moveable Feasts and of Easter in which that you may not be mistaken ye must be sure to have the Martyrology of the Saints in all your Churches which we will take care to have translated into Syrian All which ye shall observe that so by these and your other good Works ye may by the help of God bring both your selves and your People to that Glory which shall endure for ever and be bestowed on you through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth for ever and ever Amen The Speech and Admonition to the Vicars and Priests being ended the most Reverend Metropolitan commanded them all to Sign the Original Decrees of the Synod translated into Malabar desiring them if they had the least scruple concerning any thing commanded or declared in the Synod those excepted that have been decreed and decided already that they would signifie them openly before they Subscribed that there might be no doubt or controversie about any thing hereafter So after several Doubâ— had been considered and satisfied they did all unanimously Subscribe to the Synod Then the Books of the Synod were delivered to the most Reverend Metropolitan who being in his Pontificals and seated on his Throne with a Mitre on his Head Subscribed the said Decrees which being done a Table was set in the middle of the chief Chappel and the Decrees being laid upon it all that were called to the Synod as well Ecclesiasticks as Secular Procurators Signed and Subscribed them with their own hands before the whole Synod and People The Synod consisted of 813 viz. 133 Priests besides Deacons and Sub-Deacons and others of the Clergy and 660 Procurators of the People and other principal Men of the Laity besides the Inhabitants of the Town of Diamper where the Synod was held and of several other neighbouring Villages there were likewise present a great number of Portugnezes who came along with Don Antonio De Neronha Governour of Cochim who together with all the other Magistrates of the City assisted at the Synod The Decrees being Signed the most Reverend Metropolitan rose up and having taken off his Mitre kneeled down before the High Altar and begun the Te Deum with which to the great joy of all that were present a solemn Procession â—ound the Church was begun the Quire singing that and some other Psalms the Latines in Latin and the Native Priests in Chaldee and the People their Festivity in Malabar proceeding to praise God with abundance of tears and joy in three Tongues in the Unity of the Faith and Good-will among them all for having at last obtained that which they had so long desired of Almighty God Three Persons and One Nature the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who liveth and reigneâ—â— for ever Amen After the Procession was over the most Reverend Metropolitan going to the High Altar read the Prayer Exaudi quaesumus Domine as it is in the Pontifical which being ended he seated himself upon his Throne with the Mitre on his Head and his Pastoral Staff in his Hand and directing his Discourse to the People said I give many thanks to Almighty God the Author of all good things for this great favour