Page 375

Defcriptio   VojCH   I 5(X. 
demonftrate the fame in their Learned Commentaries. And therefore by this
occafion the Gofpel of Cbrift being fpread throughout all Tartary and the
King, 
-i --- -r /, - - --- ,1'1,-'* 1-I *  -   -9 
dom of Cathay, which is Chna, was in every Place much augmented. But at 
we have often faid before, what through the defe& of the Culcivators
of the 
Vineyard of Chrift, or by the variousSucceffors of the Empire, very little
ad- 
di&ed unto the Chriftian Faith, or from fome other caufes, the Tartarian
Church 
reduc'd unto its Chaos, partly adher'd unto theSuperflition of the Gentiles,
part- 
ly unto the Law of Mahomet, or elfe to the Herefie of the Neftorians, who
in thd 
Year i3oo. undertaking an Expedition or Voyage from Chaldea. into Tartary
to 
fow their Tares, infe6ted the Minds of the Chriffians there yet rrmainining
with 
the Venome of their impious Opinions, and alfo taught them, who were igno,
rant of Writing before, the ufe of the Cbaldean Charaders, which the Tartars
ufe 
unto this Day. But how the Tartars became Mahametans, read in MatthiMcbeu,
in his firft Book ofthe .dfiatick Tartary. And this is that which in brief
I efleem'd 
requifite to acquaint the Reader with, concerning the Change of the Cbriflian
Rkeligion in China, Tartaria, and the other Regions of 4dia. 
C HAP. VII, 
Of the laf Introdsion 6f Chrfliamty into China. 
He Church of Chrift continuing thusfromrn Anno!636. in which the Syro. T
h ious 
Cbinefian Monument was ereaed in China, and making great Progrefi, chanes
o f 
hAn A h.L i' ...v ,^C lan.,I;nA hv rh& Alr.14on.A         ite Cbrqiinai
L'.1'Juu,  JE vmm  IAJ  VAaLIL102 jU7 ELIA11111aX5Ii&4LUr 4WAI.ACU LV.L
en SWInJ, 1M 
threw down at one (hock or fform, wharfoever the Church of God had per- 
feted in many years, the Preachers of the- 1Criftian Faith, out of the hatred
and 
envy of the J!onzii, being fome put to deathjand the reft banith'd; whence
the 
Faithful at that time perfevcr'd in the conflancy of the Faith receiv'd,
even unto 
the Death : but their Pofferity in procefs of time, being brought up in the
Rites of the Law of the Gentiles, even unto the Year 17,56. in which the
Great 
Cbam, Emperor of the Tartars, making an Incurfion into China or Cathay with
art 
irrefiflible Army, in a fliort fpace, as I have related before, fubje cd
the whole 
Country unto his Dominion, who as he was.inftruded in the Chriflan keliion,
fo alfo a great multitude of Chriflians (as  Paulus Jenetas and  faython
relate) en. 
tring withhim., Propagated themfelves in a great number, who at length, 
when again the Natives recover'd the whole Empire, and expell'd the Tartars,
the Chrifi~aafo, whether out of fear of Perfecution, or out of hope of living
better among the Tartars, left Chinaand follow'd them; and thofe that remain'd
behind, retain'd only fome external Ceremonies: And thefe are thofe Cbriftians
whom the Cbinefes, by the Name of The 4dorers of the Crofs, relate to have
liv'd 
. in i  an  ; concerning which fee what I have faid before. Therefore Cl'ina
being 
again accuftom'd untoits Country Worfhip of Idols, fo continu'd unto the
Year 154. in which a new Light of Truth fhone forth unto it; for after that
St. Franci*0Xavier, an Apofle elewled by God for the Salvation of the Indians-;
had fown the Seed of the Wordl.ofGod through all the unknown Parts of the
World, oWith a great and incredible gain. of -Souls, and had gain'd Japan,
an 
Ifland hardly noted to the World, unto the Faith of Chr  at length he ap.
ply'd his Mind, inflam'd with a thirfi of obtaining Souls unto Chrifl, to
the 
Converfion of the Chinefes, ufing his utmnfo endeavor, that he might become
Mafler