proved fallacious, and the institution failed to realize the hopes of its founders. The Syrian youth, when educated and ordained by the Jesuits, could not be induced, either by commands or promises, to preach against their ancient prelates; and their teachers had frequently the mortification of hearing them, in their own college, maintain their former opinions, and even make mention of the patriarch of Babylon in their Liturgy with the respect they were accustomed to pay him.

The Jesuits were not an order of men to retire upon this disappointment, or to be content to go on with the slow progress they had hitherto made. We have seen that this society was founded for the purpose of checking the progress of the Reformation, and extending the papal authority in the world by every means that could be devised. Ignatius, it will be remembered, "bound his order by a solemn vow of implicit, blind, and unlimited submission and obedience to the Roman pontiff;" and they have not scrupled to use the most inhuman and diabolical expedients in the performance of their obligations. The infamous dogma they maintain, that the end justifies the means, has led to the perpetration of crimes, under the cowl of religion, which have outraged every principle of justice and every feeling of humanity. They have been truly characterized as "the Pope's most zealous advocates and soldiers." 7

In

7 Histoire des Religieux de la compagnie de Jesus, printed at Utrecht in 1741. Mosheim, cent. 16, chap. iv. sec. 2. Jortin's Remarks, vol. v. p. 503,—“ We confess and believe that the Pope of Rome is the head of the Church, and that he cannot err. We confess and believe that the pope of Rome is the representative of Christ, and has full power to forgive, and retain sin arbitrarily, and to cast into hell, and to excommunicate whomsoever he pleases. We confess that

V.

CHAP. craft, they have equalled the most unprincipled practitioner of the law; and in cruelty, the most unfeeling executioner. This character was soon exhibited in their treatment of the Syrian Christians, whose only offence was, that they had hitherto been, and showed that they meant to continue, independent of Rome.

Mar Joseph the Syrian

cumvented

and sent to Europe.

5. Seeing the inutility of all attempts hitherBishop, cir- to made to turn them from their faith, and from their allegiance to their own patriarch; and attributing their failure to the presence of the Syrian Bishop, they determined to remove him. This, however, was a hazardous enterprise, and they were convinced that they should never succeed without resorting to stratagem or force. Their intention was to send him to Portugal, with a view to his being transmitted thence to Rome, where they expected that the pope would either convert him, or, at least, detain him as long as he lived.

The prelate against whom they laid this plot, was Mar Joseph, who was consecrated for the diocese of Malabar by Mar Abdichio, patriarch of Babylon. Even Gouvea speaks highly of this Bishop, both as to his personal character, and also to his zeal in reforming abuses that had crept into the church over which he was appointed to preside. The patriarch whom this

every new thing instituted by the pope, whether it be contained in the Scripture or not, whatsoever he has commanded, is true, divine, and saving, which the common man has to value more than the commandments of the living God. We confess that the most holy pope is to be honoured by every one with DIVINE HONOUR, and with the profoundest reverence, just as it is due to the Lord Christ himself, &c."-Part of a confession of faith drawn up by the Jesuits, to which they compelled the Protestants of Germany to subscribe when they professed to return to the communion of Rome. These are the pretensions which Jesuits are sworn to defend.

8

Portuguese historian calls Abdichio, is the same person as Aba, or Hebed Jesus, who went to Italy in the year 1562, where he assisted at the council of Trent, and gave in a confession of faith, conforming nearly to the dogmas of Rome. It is probable that Mar Joseph, whom he sent to India, professed the same creed, and that the alterations which he introduced were importations from Rome. If this conjecture be correct, it will account for the terms of commendation in which Gouvea describes, what he calls, this prelate's improvement of the ecclesiastical rites of the Syrians.

This writer, however, qualifies his favourable testimony, by adding that Mar Joseph was a Nestorian, of which he gives the following proof. He wished to be thought a Romanist, and, in order to preserve the appearance, was frequent in his visits to the Portuguese at Cochin. But they suspected his sincerity, and laid a snare for his detection. Having allowed him to take some Portuguese youths into his employment, he was very careful to instruct them in their Christian duties. On one occasion, after exhorting them to be very devout in their supplications to the Virgin Mary, as the advocate of sinners, he cautioned them against calling her the mother of God, adding, that she was only the mother of Christ. This he desired them particularly to remember, whenever they repeated the Ave Maria. The young men were startled at this doctrine, and repeated it to the Bishop of Cochin, who was expecting such an opportunity to accuse Mar Joseph of heresy.

Asseman says, that 8 Asseman, Tom. i. pp. 536, 542. Abraham Ecchellensis mentions this patriarch in his catalogue of Syrian writers, printed at Rome in 1653.

СНАР.

V.

Returns to
India under

of the

Queen,

prince, and princess of Portugal.

It appears that he only permitted these young persons to enter the Syrian prelate's service, that they might watch his words and actions; and he lost no time in reporting to the viceroy and the Archbishop of Goa, the information he had received. They ordered him immediately to have the Syrian Bishop arrested at Cochin, and sent to Goa, to give an account of his doctrines. On his arrival there, it was soon determined to send him to Rome, and they despatched him in a ship bound for Portugal. Gouvea does not hesitate to avow the whole of this disgraceful transaction to have been a trap set for this unwary prelate, in order that they might, with some colour of justice, remove him to a distance, hoping to make an easy prey of the flock in the absence of their shepherd.9

6. When Mar Joseph arrived in Portugal, he the auspices had the address to ingratiate himself with the Queen Regent, Donna Catarina, and also with the infanta, Donna Maria, from whom he obtained permission to return to India, with marks of their royal favour. The Portuguese writers accuse him of feigning the semblance of virtue and sanctity for this purpose, and his subsequent conduct gives too much colour to the allegation. Such conduct no consideration can justify. With a righteous judge, hypocrisy never can be necessary; and with one of an opposite character, it is a Christian's duty to suffer rather than dissemble. But Mar Joseph appears to have wanted that faith in God, and that integrity of principle, which would have taught him to rest in a simple statement of his wrongs for the redress he sought. He might

9 Gouvca, cap. iii. fol. 7. La Croze, Histoire, &c. Liv. i.

not have succeeded in this way; but he would have preserved a quiet conscience, and found this his firmest support and sweetest consolation, in all the sufferings that afterwards came upon him for his Master's Name. But his was not the spirit of a martyr; and there is too much reason to suspect that he had recourse to dissimulation, or some other means equally culpable, to accomplish his end. He obtained an interview with the Infant, and also with Don Henry, a cardinal, and legate, à Latere1, to the kingdom of Portugal, to whom he pledged himself to cleanse his church from all its ancient errors, and to do every thing in his power to bring it into subjection to the Roman Church. Upon this engagement, the Cardinal dispensed with his proceeding to Rome; and he was sent back with the Queen Regent's letters patent, and with orders to the Viceroy of India and the Archbishop of Goa, to restore him to his diocese.

7. While this prelate was on the voyage back to India, another arrived before him. The Jesuits soon found that they could not make so easy a prey of the Malabar Christians as they expected. Though deprived of their spiritual head, they were too conscientiously attached to their own communion and creed, to be forced or deluded into a compliance with the dogmas and discipline of Rome. When their prelate was taken from them, and sent across the wide ocean, they knew not whither, it was not un

1 A term used to designate the highest order of the pope's legates, who are sent to represent him at foreign courts. This dignity he conferred on his greatest favourites, who were most in his confidence, being, when at Rome, always, à Latere, i. e. at his side. When abroad, they had authority to exercise all the papal functions.