PART I. CENT. these, whose diocese comprehends the Greater XVI. Armenia, beholds forty-two archbishops subjected SECT. III. to his jurisdiction, and resides in a monastery at a place called Echmiazin. The revenues of this spiritual ruler are such as would enable him to live in the most splendid and magnificent manner [s]; but there is no mark of pomp or opulence in his external appearance, nor in his domestic economy. His table is frugal, his habit plain; nor is he distinguished from the monks, with whom he lives, by any other circumstance than his superior power and authority. He is, for the most part, elected to his patriarchal dignity by the suffrages of the bishops assembled at Echmiazin, and his election is confirmed by the solemn approbation of the Persian monarch. The second patriarch of the Armenians, who is called The Catholic, resides at Cis, a city of Cilicia, rules over the churches established in Cappadocia, Cili cia, Cyprus, and Syria, and hath twelve archbi shops under his jurisdiction. He also at present acknowledges his subordination to the patriarch of Echmiazin. The third, and last, in rank of the patriarchs above mentioned, who has no more than eight or nine bishops under his dominion, resides in the island of Aghtamar, which is in the midst of the Great Lake of Varaspuracan, and is looked upon by the other Armenians as the enemy of their church Besides these prelates, who are patriarchs in the true sense of that term, the Armenians have other spiritual leaders, who are honoured with the [s] R. Simon has subjoined to his Histoire de Chretiens Orient. p. 217. an account of all the Armenian churches that are subject to the jurisdiction of this grand patriarch. But this account, though taken from Uscanus, an Armenian bishop, is nevertheless defective in many respects. For an ac count of the residence and manner of lite of the patriarch of Echmiazin, see Paul Lucas Voyage au Levant, tom. ii. P 247, and Gemelii Carreri Voyage du tour du monde, tom. 11, p. 4-10, SECT. III. the title of Patriarchs; but this, indeed, is no CENT. more than an empty title, unattended with the XVI. authority and prerogatives of the patriarchal dig- PART 1. nity. Thus the archbishop of the Armenians, who lives at Constantinople, and whose authority is respected by the churches established in those provinces that form the connexion between Europe and Asia, enjoys the title of Patriarch. The same denomination is given to the Armenian bishop who resides at Jerusalem; and to the prelate of the same nation, who has his episcopal seat at Caminec in Poland, and governs the Armenian churches that are established in Russia, Poland, and the adjacent countries. These bishops assume the title of Patriarchs, on account of some peculiar privileges conferred on them by the Great Patriarch of Echmiazin. For by an authority derived from this supreme head of the Armenian church, they are allowed to consecrate bishops, and to make, every third year, and distribute among their congregations, the holy chrism, or ointment; which, according to a constant custom among the eastern Christians, is the privilege of the patriarchs alone [t]. Chaldeans, XV. The Nestorians, who are also known by The Nestothe denomination of Chaldeans, have fixed their rians, or habitations chiefly in Mesopotamia and the adjacent countries. They have several doctrines, as well as some religious ceremonies and institutions, that are peculiar to themselves. But the main points that distinguish them from all other Christian societies, are, their persuasion that Nestorius [t] See the Nouveaux Memoires des Missions de la Campagnie de Jesus, tom. iii, p. 1–218. where there is an ample and circumstantial account, both of the civil and religious state of the Armenians. This account has been highly applauded by M. de la Croze, for the fidelity, accuracy, and industry, with which it is drawn up, and no man was more conversant in subjects of this nature than that learned author.-See La Croze, Histoire du Christianisme d'Ethiope, p. 345. PART I. CENT. was unjustly condemned by the council of Ephe XVI. sus, and their firm attachment to the doctrine of SECT. III. that prelate, who maintained that there were not only two natures, but also two distinct persons in the Son of God. In the earlier ages of the church, this error was looked upon as of the most momentous and pernicious kind; but in our times it is esteemed of less consequence, by persons of the greatest weight and authority in theological matters, even among the Roman Catholic doctors. They consider this whole controversy as a dispute about words, and the opinion of Nestorius as a nominal, rather than a real heresy; that is, as an error arising rather from the words he employed, than from his intention in the use of them. It is true indeed, that the Chaldeans attribute to Christ two natures, and even two persons; but they correct what may seem rash in this expression, by adding, that these natures and persons are so closely and intimately united, that they have only one aspect. Now the word barsopa, by which they express this aspect is precisely of the same signification with the Greek word powo, which signifies a person [u]; and from hence it is evident, that they attached to the word aspect the same idea that we attach to the word person, and that they understood by the word person, precisely what we understand by the term nature. However that be, we must observe here, to the lasting honour of the Nestorians, that, of all the Christian societies established in the East, they have been the most careful and successful in avoiding a multitude of superstitious opinions [] It is in this manner that the sentiments of the Nestorians are explained in the inscriptions which adorn the tombs of their patriarchs in the city of Mousul.-See Assemanni Bibli oth. Oriental. Vatican. tom. iii. par. II. P. 210.-R. Simon, Histoire de la Creance des Chretiens Orientaux, ch. vii. p. 95, Petrus Strozza, De dogmatibus Chaldeorum, published in 8vo, at Rome, in the year 1617, opinions and practices that have infected the Greek CENT. and Latin churches [r]. XVI. SECT. III. PART I. XVI. In the earlier ages of Nestorianism the various branches of that numerous and powerful sect were under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Their pasame pontiff, or catholic, who resided first at triarchs. Bagdat, and afterwards at Mousul. But in this century the Nestorians were divided into two sects. They had chosen, in the year 1552, as has been already observed, two bishops at the same time, Simeon Barmana and John Sulaka, otherwise named Siud. The latter, to strengthen his interest, and to triumph over his competitor, went directly to Rome, and acknowledged the jurisdiction, that he might be supported by the credit of the Roman pontiff. In the year 1555, Simeon Denha, archbishop of Gelu, adopted the party of the fugitive patriarch, who had embraced the communion of the Latin church; and, being afterwards chosen patriarch himself, fixed his residence in the city of Ormia, in the mountainous parts of Persia, where his successors still continue, and are all distinguished by the name of Simeon, so far down as the last century, these patriarchs persevered in their communion with the church of Rome, but seem at present to have withdrawn themselves from it [y]. The great Nestorian pontiffs, who form the opposite party, and look with an hostile eye on this little patriarch, have since the year 1559, been distinguished by the general denomination of Elias, and reside con stantly [x] See the learned dissertation of Assemanni de Syris Nestorianis, which occupies entirely the fourth volume of his Biblioth. Oriental. Vatican, and which seems to have been much consulted, and partly copied, by Mich. Le Quien, in the eleventh volume of his Oriens Christianus, p. 1078. [y] See Jos. Sim. Assemanni Biblioth. Orient. Vatican. tom, i, p, 538, and tom. ii. p, 456. CENT. stantly in the city of Mousul []. Their spiritual XVI. dominion is very extensive, takes in a great part SECT. III. of Asia, and comprehends also within its circuit PART I. The re mains of ancient sects. the Arabian Nestorians; as also the Christians of St. Thomas, who dwell along the coast of Malabar [a]. XVII. Beside the Christian societies now men. tioned, who still retained some faint shadow at least of that system of religion delivered by Christ and his apostles, there were other sects dispersed through a great part of Asia, whose principles and doctrines were highly pernicious. These sects derived their origin from the Ebionites, Valentinians, Manicheans, Basilidians, and other se paratists, who, in the early ages of Christianity, excited schisms and factions in the church. Equally abhorred by Turks and Christians, and thus suffering oppression from all quarters, they declined from day to day, and fell at length into such barbarous superstition and ignorance, as extinguished among them every spark of true reli gion. Thus were they reduced to the wretched and ignominious figure they at present make, having fallen from the privileges, and almost forfeited the very name of Christians. The sect, who pass in the East under the denomination of Sabians, who call themselves Mendai, Ijahi, or the disciples of John, and whom the Europeans entitle the Christians of St. John, because they yet retain some knowledge of the gospel, is probably of Jewish origin, and seems to have been derived from the ancient Hemerobaptists, of whom the writers [*] A list of the Nestorian pontiffs is given by Assemanni, in his Biblioth. Orient. Vatic, tom. iii, par. I. p. 711. which is corrected, however, in the same volume, par. II. p. cмL.-See also Le Quien, Oriens Christianus, tom. iii. p. 1078. [a] The reader will find an ample account of the Christians of St. Thomas in La Croze, Histoire du Christianisme des Indes. See also Assemanni loc, citat, tom. iii. par. II. сар. P. ccccxiii. ix, |