Therefore, to prevent the Peoples being mif taught, the Synod doth command, That whenfoever it should be proved to the Prelate, that any fuch thing has been delivered in publick, or in any Congregation, that the Prelate having drawn up a Form of Recantation in Wri ting, fhall fend to the faid Curates, or the Perfons that have delivered fuch things, commanding them to retract and unfay the fame in publick, either by reading the faid Recantation, or by declaring the Contents of it to the People, and teaching them the Truth; which if any fhall refufe to do, which God forbid, they shall be declared Excommunicate, and fhall be punished according to the Holy Canons, and the quality of the Matter they delivered; which shall be executed with great rigour, if it shall appear to have been spoke with Knowledge and Malice; but where it fhall be found to have flow'd from Ignorance, and an innocent Mind, it fhall fuffice that a ready Obedience be paid to the faid Satisfaction and Recantation.

TH

Decree XIX.

He Synod having been informed of feveral Meetings that were in this Diocefs, upon the death of Bifhop Mar-Abraham, in which both publick and private Oaths were taken, against yielding Obedience to the Holy Roman Church, feveral Curates, and others, obliging themselves never to confent to any change either in the

Govern

Government of the Bishoprick, or in matters of Faith, nor to receive any Bishop that should be fent to them by the Holy Apoftolical See, or by any other way, than by the Order of the Schifmatical, Heretical, Neftorian Patriarch of Babylon, with several other particulars, contrary to the Sacred Canons, and the Obedience that is due to the most Holy Roman Pontificate; doth declare all fuch Oaths, or any other taken, or that shall be taken in the fame manner, to be void, and of no force; and that they do not only not oblige the Confciences of thofe that have taken them, but that as they were rafhly and maliciously taken, so it is an Impiety and Schifm to keep them; denouncing the Sentence of the greater Excommunication upon all those that made them, or took them; This Synod having above all other things promised and fworn to yield Obedience to the Commands of the Pope, and the Holy Apoftolical See, according to the Holy Canons, and never to receive any Bishop or Prelate, but what shall be sent by the Holy Roman Church, to which it of right belongs to provide Prelates and Bishops to all the Churches in the World, and to receive thofe that he shall fend, without any doubt or fcruple, acknowledging them for the true Prelates and Paftors of their Souls, without waiting for any other Order, befides that of the Bishop of Rome, notwithstan

* Such Daths.] We may fee by this what doughty Securities, Promises, or Oaths made to

defend a Church that is not Popib, are, in the opinion of Papists.

ding any impious Oaths that may have been made at any time to the contrary.

T

Decree XX.

His prefent Synod, together with all the Priests and faithful People of this Diocess, doth embrace all the Holy General Councils received by Holy Mother Church, believing and confeffing all that was determined in them, anathematizing, rejecting, and condemning all that they have rejected and condemned; but efpecially it doth with great Veneration receive and embrace the first Holy Council of Ephefus, confifting of 200 Fathers, firmly believing all that was therein determined, and rejecting and condemning whatsoever it condemned; but above all, the Diabolical Herefy of the Neftorians, which has been for many Years preached and believed in this Diocefs; which together with its Author Neftorius, and all his Followers, the faid Council did reject, and anathematize; who being taught by the Devil, held that there were Two Perfons in our Lord Chrift; affirming alfo, that the Divine Word did not take Flefh, into the Unity of its Perfon, but only for an Habitation, or Holy Dwelling, as a Temple; and that it ought not to be faid, that God was Incarnate, or that he Died, nor that our Lady, the Glorious Virgin, was the Mother of God, but only the Mother of Chrift, with other Diabolical Herefies, all which this Synod does condemu, N

reject,

reject, and anathematize, embracing the Holy Catholick Faith, in that purity and integrity, that it is believed, and profeffed in, by the Holy Mother Roman Church, the Mistress of all Churches, to which in all things it fubmits it felf according to the profeflion it has made. Furthermore, this Synod does acknowledge the Glorious Cyril Archbishop and Patriarch of Alexandria, who by Order of the Bishop of Rome, † prefided in the Holy Ephefan Council, to be a Bleffed Saint, at this time enjoying God in Heaven; and that his Doctrine in the faid Council against the Neftorians, is Holy, and universally received in the Catholick Church, profeffing all that reject it, to be Excommunicated Hereticks.

Decree XXI.

Urthermore, This prefent Synod, with all the Priests and faithful People of this Diocefs, doth embrace the last * Holy and Sacred Council of Trent, and does not only believe and

+ Prefided.] St. Cyril prefi ded in the Ephefan Council in his own right, being the only Patriarch that was prefent at it.

Holy Council of Trent.] Juftinianus, a Noble Venetian, in the 15th Book of his Hiftory of Venice,gives the following account of the Holiness of the Trent Council: Religionis caufa in Tridentino Concilio parum profperos fucceffus habebat, ob diffentientes animos, cæcamque Prælatorum ambitionem. Solus autem Cardinalis Lotharingius, Vir pietatis

Studio, & dicendi arte clarus, que ad Dei honorem, & veram Ecclefie reformationem effent, fuadebat; cui plerique ex Concilii Patribus, bumanarum potius rerum, quàm divinarum curam habentes, refragabantur: variifque opinionibus Sanela Synodo diffidente, nil quod rectum, san&tum, pixmque foret,decerni potuit,omniaque confufione, & cæcitate plena erant, tantaque Prælatos ambitio cœperat, ut nulla apud eos fidei, Religionifque pro verâ Ecclefiæ reformatione ratio haberetur.

confefs

confefs all that was determined and approved of therein, and reject, and anathematize all that that Council rejected and condemned; but doth moreover receive and embrace the faid Council as to all matters therein determined, relating to the reformation of the Church, and all Chriftian People, promifing and fwearing to Govern it felf according to the Rules thereof, and to obferve the fame Forms that are obferved in the Catholick Church, and as are obferved in this Province of the Indies, and in all the other Provinces, and Suffragans to the Metropolis of Goa; in order to the removing of all Abuses and Cuftoms that are contrary to the Decrees of the faid Council of Trent; by which only it is refolved to Govern it felt as to all matters relating to the Government of the Church, and the Reformation of the Manners of this faithful and Catholick People, any Customs, tho' immemorial, in this Bishoprick, to the contrary notwithstanding.

Τ

Decree XXII.

His prefent Synod, together with all the Priefts and faithful People of this Diocefs, doth with great fubmiffion, and reverence, fubmit it felf to the Holy, Upright, Juft and Neceffary Court of the Holy Office of the † Inquifition,

t3nquifition] This agrees with what Paul the IIId. faid of the Inquifition upon his Deathbed, that it was the Pillar of the Church of Rome; if he had been

in his Chair he could not have delivered a greater truth. A Heathen Roman Synod would never have been guilty of calling that an Upright and Juft Court," which