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though he chose to persevere in the religion of his CENT. XVII. ancestors, yet discovered a spirit of condescension and toleration, toward the conductors of this mission; and his favourite Constantine had secretly invited the French to Siam, to support him in his authority, which was beheld with an envious eye by several of the grandees. So that as long as this prince and his minister lived, the French still retained some hopes of accomplishing their purpose, and of converting the inhabitants of Siam to the faith. But these hopes entirely vanished in the year 1688, when in a popular sedition, excited and

followed in his dominions, without interruption, for 2229 years, could be a matter of small importance to him, or a demand with which it was easy to comply; that beside, he was much surprised to find the king of France concern himself so zealously and so warmly in a matter which related to God, and not to him; and in which, though it related to God, the Deity did not seem to meddle at all, but left it entirely to human discretion." The king asked, at the same time, "Whether the true God, that created heaven and earth, and had bestowed on mankind such different natures and inclinations, could not, when he gave to men the same bodies and souls, have also, if he had pleased, inspired them with the same religious sentiments, and have made all nations live and die in the same laws." He added, "that since order among men, and unity in religion, depend absolutely on Divine Providence, who could as easily introduce them into the world as that diversity of sects that prevails in it, it is natural to conclude from thence, that the true God takes as much pleasure to be honoured by different modes of religion and worship, as to be glorified by a prodigious number of different creatures, who praise him every one in his own way." He moreover asked, "Whether that beauty and variety, which we admire in the order of nature, be less admirable in the order of supernatural things, or less becoming in the wisdom of God. However that be," continued the king of Siam, "since we know that God is the absolute master of the world, and that we are persuaded nothing comes to pass contrary to his will, I resign my per son and dominions into the arms of his providence, and beseech his eternal wisdom to dispose thereof according to his good will and pleasure." See Tachard, Prem. Voyage de Siam, p. 218; as also the Journal of the Abbe Choisi, who was employed in that embassy.

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CENT. XVII. fomented by some prince of the blood, both king and minister were put to death; and then the missionaries returned home.

In China.

IX. China, the most extensive and opulent of all the Asiatic kingdoms, could not but appear to the missionaries and their constituents an object worthy of their pious zeal and ghostly ambition. And accordingly a numerous tribe of jesuits, dominicans, franciscans, and capuchins, set out, about the commencement of this century, with a view to enlighten that immense region with the knowledge of the gospel. All these, however they differ in other matters, agree in proclaiming the astonishing success of their ministerial labours. It is nevertheless certain, that the principal honour of these religious exploits belongs to the jesuits, who, with a peculiar degree of dexterity and address, removed the obstacles that were the most adapted to retard the progress of Christianity, among a people whose natural acuteness and pride were accompanied with a superstitious attachment to the religion and manners of their ancestors. These artful missionaries studied the temper, character, taste, inclinations, and prejudices of the Chinese with incredible attention; and, perceiving that their natural sagacity was attended with an ardent desire of improvement in knowledge, and that they took the highest pleasure in the study of the arts and sciences, and more especially in the mathematics, they lost no occasion of sending for such members of their order, as, beside their knowledge of mankind, and prudence in transacting business, were also masters of the different branches of learning and philosophy. Some of these learned jesuits acquired, in a very short

An account of this embassy, and of the transactions of both ambas. sadors and missionaries, is given by Tachard, Chaumont, and La Loubert. The relations however of the author last mentioned, who was a man of learning and candour, deserve undoubtedly the preference,

space of time, such a high degree of credit and in- CENT. XVII. fluence by their sagacity and eloquence, the insin- SECT. I. uating sweetness and facility of their manners, and their surprising dexterity and skill in all kinds of transactions and affairs, that they came at length to the knowledge of the emperor, were loaded by him with the most honourable marks of distinction, and were employed in the most secret and important deliberations and affairs of the cabinet. Under the auspicious protection of such powerful patrons, the other missionaries, though of a lower rank and of inferior talents, were delivered froin all apprehension of danger in the exercise of their ministry, and thus encouraged to exert themselves with spirit, vigour, and perseverance, in the propagation of the gospel, in all the provinces of that mighty empire.

x. This promising aspect of things was clouded, for some time, when Xunchi, the first Chinese emperor of the Mogul race, died, and left a son under age, as his only heir. The grandees of the empire, to whose tuition and care this young prince was committed, had long entertained an aversion to Christianity, and only sought for a convenient occasion of venting their rage against it. This occasion was now offered, and greedily embraced. The guardians of the young prince abused his power to execute their vindictive purposes, and, after using their utmost efforts to extirpate Christianity wherever it was professed, they persecuted its patrons, more especially the jesuits, with great bitterness, deprived them of all the honours and advantages they had enjoyed, and treated them with the utmost barbarity and injustice. John Adam Schaal, their chief, whose advanced age and extensive knowledge, together with the honourable place he held at court, seemed to demand some marks of exemption from the calamities that pursued his brethren, was thrown into prison, and condemned to death, while the other missionaries were sent into

The progress

of Christianity

in China.

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CENT. XVII. exile. These dismal scenes of persecution were exhibited in the year 1664; but, about five years after this gloomy period, when Kanghi assumed the reigns of government, a new face of things appeared. The christian cause, and the labours of its ministers, not only resumed their former credit and vigour, but, in process of time, gained ground, and received such distinguished marks of protection from the throne, that the jesuits usually date from this period the commencement of the golden age of Christianity in China. The new emperor, whose noble and generous spirit was equal to the uncommon extent of his genius, and to his ardent curiosity in the investigation of truth, began his reign by recalling the jesuits to his court, and restoring them to the credit and influence which they had formerly enjoyed. But his generosity and munificence did not stop here; for he sent to Europe for a still greater number of the members of that order, such of them particularly as were eminent for their skill in the arts and sciences. Some of these he placed in the highest offices of the state, and employed in civil negotiations and transactions of the greatest importance. Others he chose for his private friends and counsellors, who were to assist him with their advice in various matters, and to direct his philosophical and mathematical studies. These private friends and counsellors were principally chosen from among the French jesuits. Thus the order was raised, in a little time, to the very summit of favour, and clothed with a degree of

$ See Joach. Bouveti Icon Regia Monarcha Sinarum, translated into Latin by the famous Leibnitz, and published in the year 1699, in the second part of his Novissima Sinica. See also Du Halde's Description de la Chine, and the Lettres edifiantes, &c. in which the jesuits give an account of the success of their missions. In these productions, the virtues and talents of this emperor, which seem indeed to be universally acknowledged, are described and celebrated with peculiar encomiumą,

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authority and lustre to which it had not hitherto CENT. XVII. attained. In such a state of things, it is but natural to conclude, that the christian religion would not want powerful patrons, nor its preachers be left destitute and unsupported. And accordingly, a multitude of spiritual labourers from all parts of Europe repaired to China, allured by the prospect of a rich, abundant, and glorious harvest. And indeed the success of their ministry seemed to answer fully the extent of their expectations; since it is well known, that, with very little pains, and still less opposition, they made a prodigious number of converts to the profession of the gospel. The triumph of Christianity seemed to be complete, when, in the year 1692, the emperor, from an excessive attachment to the jesuits, issued out that remarkable edict, by which he declared, that the christian religion was in no wise detrimental to the safety or interests of the monarchy, as its enemies pretended, and by which also he granted to all his subjects an entire freedom of conscience, and a full permission to embrace the gospel. This triumph was still further confirmed, when the same prince, in the year 1700, ordered a magnificent church to be built for the jesuits within the precincts of the imperial palace.

There is a concise but interesting account of these revolutions, giv. en by Du Halde, in his Description de la Chine, tom. iii. p. 128, and by the jesuit Fontaney, in the Lettres edifiantes et curieuses, tom. viii. p. 176. They are related in a more diffuse and ample manner by other writers. See Suarez, De Libertate Religionem Christianum apud Sinas propagandi Narratio, published in the year 1698, by Leibnitz, in the first part of his Novissima Sinica. The other authors who have treated this branch of history, are mentioned by Fabricius, in his Lux Evangelii toti Orbi exoriens, cap. xxxix. p. 663. See also an Ecclesiastical History of China, which I published in German in the year 1748. This History was translated into English, and published in the year 1750, with this title; Authentic Memoirs of the Christian Church in