V. prayer, which begins, Offeratur et gloriæ immoletur,' saith, SESSION et 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 Mariæ Matris Christi,' he shall say, Fiat commemoratio Virginis Mariæ Matris ipsius Dei et Domini nostri Jesu Christi;' and a little lower, where the deacon saith, 'In sæcula usque in sæcula, Amen, Amen, Apostoli ipsius filii et amici unigenti;' he shall say, 'Apostoli ipsius filii dei et 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, et pænitentia, placaverunt Christum, patrem quoque et 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 catholic 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, et spiritum sanctum.' Furthermore, in the prayer where the priest saith, Dominus Deus fortis, tua est ecclesia sancta catholica, quæ admirabili Christi tui passione empta est;' it shall be said, Quæ 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 Syriac, filius essentiæ Patris,' and the whole shall be reformed and translated into the same words, as it is sung in the catholic 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 SESSION V. would raise them up that they may be crowned with glory at the resurrection of the dead, saying, Oremus, in quam, ut resurrectione quæ 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, 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 and heretical; wherefore the Synod doth command, That since there are no such prayers used in the church, nor any such petitions made to God in behalf of the saints, notwithstanding they are said in the Revelation to make them for themselves, that those words be blotted out, and what follows be joined with what went before, saying, 'et Confessores hujus loci et omnium Regionum, oremus, inquam, ut det nobis ut efficiamur socii eorum,' &c. leaving out the fore-mentioned words; and at the end of the prayer where it is said, 'per gratiam Christi,' it shall be said 'Per gratiam Dei, et Domini nostri Jesu Christi.' Confitemur et laudasaith below, 'Dignos Furthermore where the priest begins, mus, Domine Deus noster,' where he nos fecisti dispensatione sacramentorum sanctorum corporis et sanguinis Christi tui,' it shall be said, Christi filii tui;' as also before where the priest speaketh to those on the right side of the altar, and they answer with the deacon, Christus exaudiat orationes tuas, hoc sacrificium quod tu offers pro te, pro nobis, et pro toto orbe à minimo usque ad maximum,' the last words, et pro toto orbe à minimo usque ad maximum,' must be left out, for the mass being a public prayer of the church, infidels, schismatics and heretics are not to be prayed for therein, but only catholics, and such as are united to the church; wherefore instead thereof it shall be said, 'quod tu offers pro te, pro nobis, et pro universâ Ecclesiâ Catholicâ, et omnibus orthodoxis, atque Apostolicæ et Catholicæ fidei cultoribus.' Furthermore, where the priest begins, Etiam Domine Deus Exercituum,' where he saith, et pro Sacerdotibus, Regibus, et Principibus,' it shall be said, et pro Regibus et Principibus Catholicis,' the Christians of this church being subject to infidel princes; and a little lower, where the priest begins Tu Domine cui propter,' &c. where he saith, recordatione corporis et sanguinis,' it shall be said, 'Christi filii 6 tui;' and a little lower in the same prayer, near the end, it SESSION shall be said, sanguine Christi filii tui redempta.' Furthermore, where the deacon and clergy praying, do say, Et pro omnibus Patriarchis, Episcopis, et Presbyteris,' &c. it shall be said, et pro beatissimo Papà nostro,' naming him, 'et pro omnibus Patriarchis et Episcopis.' Furthermore, in the hymn said by the clergy and the deacon alternatim after the elevation of the most holy sacrament, in the verse where the priest saith, 'Quando ad sanctum altare ingreditur, manus suas purè protendit in cœlum, et invitat spiritum qui de superis descendit et consecrat corpus et sanguinem Christi,' in which words the priest seems to call upon the Holy Ghost, to come down from heaven to consecrate the body of Christ, as if it were not the priest that consecrated it; whereas in truth it is the priest that does it, though not in his own words, but the words of Christ; wherefore that no colour may be given to such an error, it shall be said, manus suas purè protendit in cœlum et consecrat corpus et sanguinem Christi,' leaving out the words of et invitat spiritum qui de superis descendit,' &c. and the following words à sæculo usque in sæculum.' Furthermore, in the prayer said by the deacon, which begins Omnes timore pariter et amore accedamus,' where it is said, unigenitus Dei mortale corpus et spiritualem, rationalem, immortalemque animam ex filiis hominum suscepit,' that there may be no countenance given to an error held by some, and followed by several Nestorians, that the soul as well as the body, is ex traduce, or derived from the parents; whereas in truth it is created by God out of nothing, and infused into the body when it is perfectly formed; it shall therefore be said, unigenitus Dei mortale corpus ex filiis hominum, et spiritualem, rationalem, immortalemque animam suscepit.' As also where the deacon after the communion of the priest, inviting the people to communicate, saith, fratres mei suscipite corpus ipsius filii,' he shall say, ' ipsius filii Dei.' Furthermore, in the first word of the benediction of the people, where he saith, Ille qui benedicit nos in cœlis, per filium Humanitatis,' he shall say, Per filium suum;' and in the first blessing which the priest gives to the people, at the end of the mass, where he saith, Cathedra gloriosa Catholicorum orientalium,' meaning schismatical Babylon, he shall say, 'benedicatur Cathedra gloriosa Romana,' and in the following verse of the same blessing, where speaking of the Bishop of the diocese, he saith, Dominus totius gregis episcopus plenus sobrietate custodiatur à malo,' &c. he shall name our lord the Pope, saying, Dominus totius gregis catholici Papa N. plenus sobrietate custodiatur à malo, una cum bono V. V. SESSION Doctore, et Episcopo nostro N.' naming him by his name: and a little after in the same blessing, where he saith, Illustris in congregatione Sanctorum religiosus Hormisda, sanctitas sanctitatum,' &c. the name of Hormisda, who, as has been observed, was a Nestorian heretic, shall be left out, and instead thereof he shall say, Illustris in congregatione Sanctorum S. Apostolus Thomas,' &c. all that follows agreeing very well with that glorious Apostle, who first taught the faith in these parts, and not to that false heretic. Furthermore, in the first verse of the blessing of the solemn days, where it is said of the Divine Word, Qui factus est homo, et operuit speciem suam in filio hominis,' for fear of the Nestorian doctrine it shall be said, Qui factus est homo, et operuit Divinitatem suam humilitate nostrâ;' and a little lower where it is said, 'Benedic Ecclesiam tuam quæ patitur, et in ovili pessimi Dæmonis ecce comprehenditur,' it shall be said, Quæ patitur infestationes a pessimo Dæmone, libera illam,' &c. for the catholic church though it be infested and persecuted by the Devil, is not held nor overcome by him, our Saviour having promised, that all the powers of hell shall never prevail against her.' And afterwards where it is said, Bendic dextrâ tuâ, Christe, congregationem hanc,' it shall be said, 'Benedic dextrâ tuâ, Jesu Christe,' &c. and in the same blessing, where it is said, 'Salva Reges nostros et Duces nostros,' it shall be said, 'Salva Reges nostros et Duces nostros Catholicos,' all the kings and princes of this church being Infidels, and so ought not to be prayed for in the public prayers of the mass; and a little after, where it is said, 'Sicut decet coram ipso Jesu Salvatore,' it shall be said, Coram ipso Jesu Deo Salvatore,' because of the Nestorian error; and in the last verse but one of that blessing, where it is said, 'Qui comedit corpus meum et bibit ex sanguine meo sanctificante liberabitur ab inferno per me,' the words of Christ, 'Habet vitam æternam,' shall be used instead of Liberabitur ab inferno;' and in the end of the third blessing, where it is said, Gloria illi ex omni ore Jesu Domino,' it shall be said, 'Jesu Domino Deo,' because the Nestorians do impiously affirm, That the name of Jesus is the name of a human person, and does not agree to God. All the above-mentioned particular the Synod doth command to be corrected, as is here ordered, with such caution as is necessary in these matters, wherein the cursed Nestorian heretics have sown so many errors. DECREE II. THE MISSALS OF NESTORIUS, THEODORUS AND DIODORUS TO Whereas in the Missals of this diocese there are some masses that were made by Nestorius, others by Theodorus, and others by Diodorus, their master, which are appointed to be said on some certain days, and which, carrying those names in their titles, are full of errors and heresies; the Synod doth command all such masses, entire as they are, to be taken out, and burnt, and in virtue of obedience, and upon pain of excommunication Late Sententiæ, doth prohibit all priests from henceforward to presume to use them, ordering them to be forthwith cut out of their books, and at the next visitation to be delivered by them to the most illustrious Metropolitan, or to such as he shall appoint to correct their books, that so these masses may be burnt. DECREE III. A NESTORIAN CEREMONY IN THE MASS CONDEMNED. Whereas in the masses of this bishopric, there is an impious sacrilegious ceremony, which is the priest, after having dipped that part of the host, after his having divided it, which he holds in his right hand, and has made the sign of the cross upon the other part that is upon the patin, opening this latter part that was upon the patin with the nail of his right thumb, to the end, according to their opinion, that the blood may penetrate the body, that so the blood and body may be joined together, which is ignorantly done in allusion to the heresy of Nestorius, or of his followers, who do impiously affirm, That under the element of bread is only the body of Christ without blood, and under the element of wine the blood without the body wherefore the Synod doth command in virtue of holy obedience, and upon pain of excommunication to be ipso facto incurred, that no priest presume to use any such ceremony, and that they throw it out of their masses, for that besides it alludes to the forementioned heresy, it contains a great ignorance in supposing that the species can penetrate the body and blood of Christ. : SESSION |