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PRINCETON, N. J.
X x> o IV -'VI- 1 o i«r OB-
SAMUEL AGNEW,
OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.
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C^ THIRTY FOUR.
CONFERENCES
.. '^ , Bet;weea the
Danijh Missionaries
AND THE
Mahharian BRAMANS CO R
HEATHEN PRIESTSJ I N ' T H E
EAST INDIES,
Concerning the Truth of the Chriftian Religion : Together with fome LETTERS written by the Heathens to the faid Miffionaries. .
Tranflated cmt of High Dutch
By Mr.THILIPPS.
L 0 N D 0 N, Printed for H. Clements m St. P^«i's Church- Yard,
I'K Fleetwood in IVcJiwinJler- HaS neat the Parliament' Stairs, and J,Seephem in Butchsr-£{pw. M DCC XIX.
TO THE
ING
STR,
THE following Confe-^ rences being an Efiay to recommend to the Heathens in the Eafl-hiJies that faith, of which Your
Majcfty
The Epiflle Dedicatory.
Majefty is the Glorious De^ fender ; I have humbly pre- liira'd to lay them at Your Royal Feet, as a Pledge of the indefatigable Labours o^ the Proteftaiit MiJJionaries fent thither by the King of Denmarh
One of thofe Miffionaries had the Honovir to be gra- cioufly received by Your Majefty here in London y on his Return to India.
They have already grate- fully acknowledg d the Cha- ritable Afliflances they have received froniYour Majefty's Subjeds both in Europe and
in
ThQ Epiftle Dedicatory^
in the Eaft - Indies ; and would, 1 am well aflur'd, were it in their power^ glad- ly embrace this Opportuni- ty of repeating thefe Ac- knowledgments, by dedica- ting this Fruit of their Labours to the Augufl Mo- narch of the Britipj Nation, from which they have re- ceiv'd fb many Encourage- ments.
'Tis with the higheft Sa- tisfaftion, that 1 aftume this Office, as it furniihes me with an Occafion of Pub- lickly acknowledging the many Inftances of Royal Bounty I had the Honour
to
The Epiftle Dedicatory*
to receive from Your Maje- fty and Your Royal Family both in Germany and in Evglaiid.
Mdy the Eternal Fountain of all Goodnefs long prejerve Tour Precious Life^. invalu^ ahle to Tour own &uhjeBsy and dear to all who wijlj well to the true Intereft of Man-- kind.
I am (May it pleafe Tjur Majefly) Tour Majeftfs moft Dutiful, and Mofl humbly Devoted Subj^6b and Servant^ '-
J, Thomas Philipps*
THE
PREFACE.
H E Country of Malalar begins at Canonor^ a Town in the Nor- thern Latitude of 1 1 Degrees and 20 Minutes ; and ends at Cape Comorin in the Northern Latitude of Seven Degrees and Two Thirds, over againft^the Ifland oi Ceylon. It contains divers King^ doms ; aSj Cochin^ Trdvancorj Gundaca^ PimU ertta^ Margate; and abounds with Ports, as, Calecut^ Cale^Couiamy &c. The natural Pro- duce of the Countrey is fo rich and profita- ble to the Merchants, that the Englijh^ Dutchy Frenchy FortuguezCy DatieSy and Peo- ple of other Trading Countries, have made large Settlements upon thefe Coafts fince the Year 1^2,4. when Fafco de Gama found the Paflage to the Eafi Indies by the Cape of Good Hope.
CO,
Mod
ii The PREFACE.
Moft of its Princes are Heathens, paying Tribute to the Great Mogul.
The Inhabitants are generally good- natur'd, ingenious and very induftrious; charitable to the Poor, but extreanvly Su- perftitious in the Worfliip of the Pagers.
Some of their Temples are very rich, a- domed with Galleries and Chapels, where- in are placed the Statues of leveral Men and Women y who, as they fay, have lead Holy Lives, v;hich are adorned with Gold and Silver Apparel, and attended with Lamps and Wax Candles burning Day and Night.
They have their Annual Solemnities, when they carry their Idols in Proceflion, with the Sound of Horns and Trumpets, accompanied with a great Number of Peo- ple ,• much after the fame manner as the Image of the Virgin Mary is carried about in many Countries of Europe ; only with this difference, that the Image of a Mala- harian Goddefs is fo hugely bulky, that fct veral hundred Men mud labour hard to move the Great Waggon upon which fhe is placed in great Pomp and State.
They make great xife of Holy Water in fiheir Ceremonious Wailiings and Purificati- ons.
Their
The PREFACE. Hi
Their Temple Worililp confifts in Sacrf. £ces, Burning of Incence, in Cringings and Boi^'ings ot the Priefts, Young Womens Singing and Dancing to the Sound of Mu- fical Initruments betore the Idols ; th6 In- fpedion whereof is committed to the Care of the Bramans^ who make a feparatc Tribe among the MalahariaMS^ as the Levites fof- merly amcng the Jei^s,
They marry only in their own Tribe, and are very burthen fome to the Publick : For the whole Tribe is maintain'd by the Gifts and Liberalities of the Layity ; who are fo ftupid, as to believe thefe Bramahs derive their Pedigree from the God Biruma; and that they are therefore very holy Men. And they are proud and cunning enough to cherifh this Ignorance of the People, by holding no Communication with the mean- er fort of People, for fear, fay they, of be- ing defiled : And fome of them feparate themfelves from the reft of their Neighbours (for there are Monks and Anchorets among them, who fpend their time in Wilderneiles and Caves of the Earth ; ) and yet there is not, perhaps, a more wicked Race of Men treading upon God's Earth; For they cer- tainly believe, that all things, how abomi- nable focver, are very lawful, when pratftis'd by themfelves. And the People are fo infa- tuated by them, that they believe they fiiall ( a z ) become
Iv The PRE F AC E.
become holy, by partaking in their Crimes, or by fuffering any Outrage at their Hands. Befides, they are the greateO: Impoftors in the World : Their Talent lies in inven- ting new Fables every Day, and making them pafs for incomprelienfible Myfteries aniong the Vulgar.
One of their Cheats is to perfuade the People, that their Idols Eat like Men : And to the end they may be plentifully provi- ded with good Cheer, they make them of a Gigantick Figure j and to be fiire, with a prodigious Paunch. If thefe Offerings, with which they maintain their Families, come to fall, they denounce againft the People the Anger of the Hungry Gods.
They believe, that a Cow has fomething in her Sacred and Divine ; and happy is the Man, who can be fprinkled with the Alhes of a Cow burnt by the Hand of a Braman ; he, who dying, lays hold of a Cow's Tail, and Expires with it betwixt his Hands, thinks himfelf as happy as he that is to be buried in the Robes of a Capuchin : For thus af- fifted, the Soul departs out of the Body, pu- rified, and fometimes returns into the Body of a Cow-, which is look'd upon as a great Blefiing, and never granted, but to Heroick Souls, who contemn Life, and die generouf- iy, either by cading themfelves headlong from a Precipice, or leaping into a kindled
Pile,
IheP RE F AC E. v
Pile, or throwing thernfelves under the holy Chariot, to be cruQied to Death by the Idols, while they are carried in Triumph about the Town : For the Souls of wicked Men in their next Nativity muft animate the Bo- dies of Swine, Dogs, or (bme more hideous Creatures.
And purfuant to this Doflrine of the Tranfoiigration of Souls from one Body into another, they religioufly abftain from eating the Flelh of any living Creature whatfoever, whether Fiih, Fowl, or Four-footed Beads ; left by chance they might feed upon a Body, animated with the Soul tl;jat lodg'd before in a Father or near Relation.
Thefe Bramayis boad of a Divine Law fent them down from Heaven, but couch'd in a Language that the Laity underfland not; nor are they allow'd the lludying of jt ,* but muft obey, and believe implicitly all that the Prieft fliall be pleas'd to prefcribs as Articles of Faith.
The Moral Part of this Law is compriz'd in * Eight Precepts, viz..
I. Thou flialt not kill any living Creature whatfoever it be, having Life in the fame : For thou art a Creature of mine, and fo is
r* Viii, Henry Lord's Djfcovtry of (he SeH of. tli^ti' eians, offid old Periians who adored the Fhe^ Pag,^t.
(33) '■'?
.%
vi Tk P RE F AC E.
h: Thou art endued with a Soul, and // is endued with the fame- Thou fhalt not therefore fpiil the Blood of any thing that is mine.
II. Thou {halt make a Covenant with all thy Five Senfes. Firfl, with thy Eyes, that they behold not, things that be Evil. Se- condly, With thy Ears, that they hear not things that be Evil. Thirdly, with thy Tongue, that it fpeak not things that be E- vil. Fourthly, with thy Palate, that it tade not things that be Evil ; as Wine or the Flefh of Living Creatures. Fifthly, with thy Hands, that they touch not things deiiled.
III. Thou fhalt duly obferve the Times of Devotion, thy Walhings, Worlhippings, and Prayers to the Lord thy God, with a pure and upright Heart.
IV. Thou ihalt not tell falfe Tales, or ut- ter things untrue, by which thou mighteft defraud thy Brother in Dealings, Bargains, or Contradis ; by this Cofenage to work thy own peculiar Advantage.
V. Thou flialc be charitable to the Poor, snd adminifter to his Need, Meat, Drink and Money, as his Neceflity requires, and ehine owa Ability enableth thee to give.
: VI. Thou
The PREFACE. vil
VI. Thou ilialt not oppref^, Injure or do Violence to the Poor, uiing thy Power un- juftly to the Ruin and Overthrow of thy Brother.
VIL Thou ilialt celebrate certain Fefti^ vals ; yet not pampering thy Body, with Excels of any thing ; but llialc obferv^e cer- tain Seafons for Faltiog, and break otiTome Hours by Watching, tl, at thou mayTt be fitter for Devotion and Hohnefs.
VIIT. Thou Ihalt not (leal from thy Bro^ ther any thing, however little it be, of things committed to thy Trufl in thy Pro- felTion or Calling ; but flialt content thy felf with that which he Pnall give thee as thine Hire ,• conftdering that thou haft not Right to that which another Man calleth his.
And as for their Burhls^ this is their Cuftom ; when any Man is defperately Sick, and paft any Hope of Recovery, they enjoy n him to utter Maramie^ which is one of the Names of God, importing Mercy to Sinners; of which Mercy at that time he flandeth mofi; in need of. His Spirits lan- guiHiing, at that time tliey ftretch out his Hands, pouring fair Water into them, as the Qx 4) Oiler..
Viii The P R E F A C E.
Offering of his Life, praying to KiflneruppoM^ the God of the Water, to prefent him pure to God, with this Offering oi his Hand. His Life being departed, they walli his Body, as a Teftimony of his Clcannefs and Purity.
This is the Ceremony obferv'd in the Vi- fitation of their Sick.
After this, for the Burial of their Dead ; *t}s after tiiis manner ; Firft^ tliey bear the dead Body to a River's Si6q, appropriate to fuch purpofe ; where fetiing the Corps down on the Ground, the Braman uttereth theie Words : Oh Earthy we commey/.'i unto thee this our Brother ; wh'tlft he livd thoit haclft an Interest in htm j of the Earth he was wade j by the Elejfing of the Earth he was fed; and HOW therefore he is kead^ we fur render him unto thee.
After this, putting combuflible Matter to tjie Body, and lighting it by the Help of Sweet Oyl, and Aromatical Odours llrow- ed thereon, x.\\t Braman faith, Oh Fire, whilft he lived, thou hadfi a Claim in himy ly whofe jMatural Heat he fulfified : We return there- fore this Body to thee^ that thou (houldfl purge it.
The Body then being incinerated, or burnt to Allies, they difperfe the Alhes abroad in- to the Air ,• and the Braman uttereth thefe Words'; Oh Air^ whilfl he livd, hy thee he Ireathed; and now having breath' d his laft, we -field him to thee. ^ The
The PREFACE. h
The Afiies falling on the Water, the Bra- rnan faith, Oh Water, whiljl be llvd, thy Moi- flure did fufiain him ; and his Body is difpersd; take thy part in him.
So they give every Element its own : For as they afRrm Man to have his Life continu- ed by the Four Elements ; fo, they fay, he ought to be dillributed amongd: them at his Death.
If you would know more of the Manners of the People, read a Volume of Letters written by thefe Heathens themfelves, giv- ing an Account of their Religion, Manners, and Learning to their Correfpondents, the Danijh MiUionaries at tranquehar^ fold by Mr. Mears near Temple- Bar,
St. Thomas the ApoOle preach'd the Gof- pel amongd the Malabar iatis ; and Chriftia- nity remain'd there for many Ages in its primitive Simplicity ^ till in time, for want of good Pallors, they were in danger of lo- fing the Remains of the Gofpel, had not Mar Toma, a Native of Syria, taken care of the decay'd State of Chriftianity in thefe Parts ; who being feconded by diverfe other Teachers o\xtoS. Syria ^ the Syriack Language was introduc'd into their Churches, and the former Purity redor'd amongft them,^ till the time that the Opinions of Ne/lorius got foot- ing
X TheP RE FACE.
ing in Syria , and thence were tranfplanted into h^ja.
They have always, or at leafl: for 1300 Years, been under the Patriarch of Bahylon. (himfelf being fubje(5l to the Patriarchal See of Antioch^ who, as their Meterene^ or Bifliop died, took care to fend them another, which refided ftill among them, and was had in great Reverence both by Chriftians and Infidels : And in this ftate they were found by the Portugueze j who extending their Conquers to the very Neighbourhood 01 Li/ife Ancient Chriftians, made ufe of all Arts and Stratagems imaginable, to pcrfuade them to own the Supremacy of the Biihop of Rome : But Mar Jofeph, their Bidiop, would neither be fiatter'd nor frighted from his ^acTdotal Obedience, due to the Patri- arch of ^rt/y/o» j telling them plainly, that n he had nothing to do with the Bifliop of R'j>n€ ,: and that the Bifliop of Ro}y!e had as little to do with him : Whereupon the Arch- bifliop of 60a thought it high time to adt a-la-mo^e de Rome, and to employ thofe Ar- guments oflafallibility that feldomor never fail in trampling upon opprefs'd Innocence ; I mean, Arguments of Steel, in the Hands of Horfe- Grenadiers us'd to Rapin and Vio- lences, and fluilied with Succefles : For fome of thofe Veterane Combatants were fent by the Archbilhop of Goa to find out
Mar
The PRE F AC E. xi
Mar Jofeph, with Orders to lay hands on him, and bring him bound to 6oa ; from whence he was tranfported to Lisbon in or- der to be fent to Rome to (lady the Decrees of the Council of Trent, which was but then newly hatch'd ; but Mar Jnfeph by his Ad- drefs, and extraordinary Appearances of Sanditv, did fo far infinuate himfelf into the Favour of Doma Catherina^ who was Qjeen Regent at that time, that he was fent back by the next Ships to 6oa, with the Queen Regent's Letter, ordering him to be permitted to live quietly in his Biihoprick. But at his Return to his Flock, he found it fupplied with another Biihop fent from Ba-^ hyion. according to their Defire : For they never hop'd to fee their Bifliop return again : This new Bifliop's Name was Mar Alraham'^ who finding himfelf regularly cal- led, and efteem'd by the Inhabitants, W'Ould not refjgn to Mar Jofeph. Some ravifh'd to - fee their old Bidiop fafely returned to them after fo many Perfecutions and Dangers fuf. ' fer'd for his Faith and Conftancy to his Me- tropolitan, thought they could not, without the bafeft Ingratitude, forfake this Venera- ble old Man ; but a flrong Party ftuck clofe to defend the new Biihop, till he was like- wife taken Prifoner by the Fortugueze Arch- ers, and fent to Rome^ where he was degra- ded of all his Sacerdotal Dignities.
The
Xii The PREFACE;
The Third BIfhop whom they laid violent Hands on, was Mar Simeon ; who was hkc- wife fent to Romei where, after having been examin'd by the Inquifiticn, he was declar'd by Pope Sixtus V. not to be in Holy Or- ders, and was confined in a Francifcan Con^ vent in Lishon^ where he died. This was the laft Bifliop fent from Bahylon to the Cbriflians of St. Thomas : For the Portugueze gave (^ rid: Orders that no Ecclefiadick fliould come from Bahylon to the Indies, guarding all the PafTages both by Sea and Land.
The Churcli being now without a Paftor, the Archbishop of Goa, Dom Frey Aleixo de Menezes laying hold of this Ecclefiaftical Interregnum^ refolved to thruft himfelF into this BiOioprick ; threatening the Heathen Princes, under whofe ProtecStion thefe Chri- ftians lived, with Fire and Sword, if they did not force their Chriftian SubjecSts to take him for their Archbilhop : And having corrupted the Heathen Governours, they made their Matters believe, that 'twas not their Intereft to provoke the Portugueze^ in refufing to gratifie them in a Bufinefs of fo fmall Importance ; tho' afterwards they found it to their Coft, that they weaken d their own Hands, and (Irengthen'd the Portugueze, by the AccefTion of many thou- fand brave vahant Men.
Dom
7he PREFACED xiii
Dom Frey Aleixo was empower'd by a Bull from Pope Clement VIII. to invade a a Diocefs he had no Right to, and to take Cognizance of all Errors and Abufes, byt formal Vifitation ,• in which Bull the For- tugueze Original hath thcfe Emphatical Expreflions ;
Sohre as quaes caufas^ folrecadahunadeltat vos conce demos ^ damos plena ^ largo poder^ (^ autor'tdade petto tenor deftas prefente^ lettrm naon olfiantes quaes quer Conftitachnes, Ordi- ft ac tones Apoflolicas^ geraes^ ou efpeciaes on feitas em ConfilioSy Vrovhciaes Synodaes ^ principalmente do decreto do confilio Tridenti' no que proh'they que fe nom pojfam formar procejjos ainda injormativos contra Bifpos fy naon per vigor de comijffion^ ajjinada de propria tnano de Pont'tfice Romano. Jornada de Ara- lifpo de Goa, FoL lo.
In all and every one of thefe CafeSy we conjlitutc you our Tlenipotent'taryy to aSt according to the tenor of this Letter ^ ntaugrt all Conjlitutions, and Apoflolical OrnanceSy whether made in General or Provincial Coun- cils; and more particularly^ notwithflandtng the exprefs Decree of the Council of Trent, which orders, that not fo much as an Informa- tion /hall he taken againfl a Bijhopy unlefs it he hy a Commijfion figned hy the Popes own Hand. This
xiv The PREFACE.
This thundering Bull for apprehending the Malaharian Bifhop, and invading his Biflioprick, is not tranflated by Dr. QpJdes in his Hiftory of the Church ot Malahar, prefixed to the Decrees of the Synod of Dlamper ,• which Book, if recommended to our EMgUJJj People, would put Mo- dern Popery in a clearer Light, than all the Books of Controverfics can do : And it may be, the tyrannick dragging of anci, ent Bifliops thus out of their own Countrey and Diocefies, and harralTing them about the World, would rouze up a generous In- dignation in the Hearts of Roman Catholkks themfclves, and recover them from their hi- therto invincible Bigotry.
Dom Frey Aleixo purfuant to, this Or- der, began his Vii'itations, going from one Parifli Church to another; but finding Tome Viilagfe guarded by armed Men, who re- folved to defend their ancient Religion, his Lordfliip betook himfelf to the Sea, tofave himfelf from the Fury of an injur'd People, whofe Biiiiops had been treated fo barbsi- roufly : Other Villages he found without Inhabitants (^for they had fled away at the News of rhe Romifh Bifliop's Approach.) And thus he had but little Refpcci fliew'd him in his new Diocefs • and lefs Hope of Succefs,till rhe Heathen Princes comftianded their Chriilian Subjects to acknowledge him
for
7be PREFACE: xv
their Head in Ecclefiaflical Affairs. Where- upon he call'd a Synod at Diamper, a Town in the Mountains of Malahar i where an hundred and fifty Churchmen of St. Thomas appearing, they were accus'd of thefe things following, as Herefics, viz. That they had married Wives .; That they own'd the Pa- triarch of Bahylon to be their Principal in Spirituals j That they own'd but Two Sa- craments, viz. Baptifm celebrated without Godfathers or Godmothers, without Cream and without Spittle -, and the Lord's Supper under both kinds (Bread and Wine^ to be adminiftred to all the Faithful ; denying the Bodily Prefence, commonly call'd Tranfuh- ftantiation ; That they had no Inftrumental Mufick, nor Images in their Churches, except the Sign of the Crofsj That they neither invok'd Saints, norbeiiev'd Purgato- ry ; That they had no Holy Water, and did not acknowledge Guardian Angels; That they did not believe the Pope to be the Head of the Univerfal Church j That they knew nothing of Confirmation, nor of God- fathers and Godmothers made ufe of in the Celebration of this Ceremony by the Church of Rome; That they had no Monks, nor Friers, nor any other Names of Dignity, but 3iihop and Deacon.
Thefc
xvi The PREFACE.
Thefe were fome of the Opinions whereof they were accus'd, and obligd to abjure forthwith ; and, to their g-reat Surprize, were forced to feparate themfelves from their lawful Wives, or be fufpended from all Church-Benefices.
'Twas llkewife decreed, that Syria^t and Chaldean Books fliould be burnt, or correded by the Jefuits^ that by (^o doing, no ancient In(/ia» Apoftolicai Monuments might remain in thofc Parts, to refledt Reproach upon Romtjh Novels. But notwithfiandiog this Ecclefiaftical Tyranny, thefe Ancient Chri- flians do dill look upon all thofc Proceedings as wicked and unwarrantable ; and are far from owning the Bifliop of Homes Suprema- cy ; as appears from a Syriack Epiftle, dire- died to Jgnatim Patriarch of Antioch^ from Mahatoma an EcclefiaftickinW/^yreficiingin Chadenad 'm Malahar^ and fent to Europe by Mr. Vander Duin^ a Dutch Governour re- turning for Holland in order to be furthered to Afitjoch^ which he did accordingly, and kept a Duplicate thereof for himfelf ; and got it tranilated into Lath by the Learned Charles Schaof, Vrok^^or o\ Heir ew in Ley den, for the Satis fadion of the Curious World. The Subilance of the faid Letter is, to reprefent to the Patriarch of Antioch Cwhom he diles Head of the Catholkk Church) the great NecelTity the Indians have of a
Spiritual
7he PREFACE. xvii
5pirltual Guide, and defires they may be fupply'd with fuch Men as ore vers'd in in- terpreting the Holy Scriptures.
This Learn'd Hehrem Profellbr, was not contented only with tranOating Maha Tho- mas Epiiiie into Latin ; but writ- to him a Letter in the Syr lack Langiuige, dirediing it for him at Chaclenad In Malabar^ accompani- ed with a Pre.fent of fome Syr/ack Teflaments lately publiili'd by himiblf at Leyden ; de- firing him to compare them with rhcir own Syriack Copies, and to inform him more particularly of the State and Circumflances of their Church ; and whether they have any Writings of any other of the Apofiles ; and cfpecially, oi St. Thomas .- He defires further^ to lend him a Syr/ack Copy of the Chief Heads, of the Chriftian Religion, as cceiv'd among Proteftanrs.
Thefe two Syr/ack Epiflles are printed with their refpediivc Latin Verfioas , in Ley den y 17 \^.
But 'tis high time now, to give^fome Ac- count of the Danijh Mi/Iionaries ; and what iSuccefs their Endeavours have met with, a- mong the Indians.
In the Year 1705', the prefent King of Denmark rc(oWd to lend lome MilTionarics to tranquebar upon tlie Colli of Qoromandel. The Univerfitv of Hall being anply'd to tot
(bj) ^ fur-
furnidilng able Pcrfons to undertake fo . ha- zardous an Enterprize. Tuo Voang Divines, Mr. 2.iegenhalg and Mr. Fiutjcko ^.\xh]^&s to his Frufian Majefty, were Imgl'-d out tor this purpole ; who h?ving ernbarkd about the lattfT Fnd o\' Hovewler 1705, arriv'd at Tra}9quehar in J/v/y 1706 ; knovviPg neither the Fortuq^Me^e, comnnonH' (pokcn in the . Marit^m: lo\^ns or the hdks, nor the Ma- iaharian Language, without uh^ch there is nothing' done in the converting o{ rhofe HccithwH Nations to the Knov\!c\ ge o; ihe Gofpel; {\ox to attempt it by an Interpreter, has been found altogether truitjefs.^ There- tore they apply 'd themfe'vcb to the learning of thefe Languages ; which, they eiie(5i-ed in the Space ot Six Months, fo far as to be able to underftand the Inhabitants, and to be un- derflood by them again ; and maoe ibme Converts that very lirit Year. But \Nhen they had made themfelves Mafiers of thefe Languages, they convers'd every Day with the Heathens, and fet up Ch."«rity. .Schools to bring .up the Malaharian Children in the Dodrine of Chrift, and made many Profe- lytes among thofe that were of riper Years ; preaching the Word of God at tlieir own. Lodgings, till the Hearers became too nu- merous : This put them upon building a New Church, which was happily finiilied, t)y the liberal Contributions of pious Chri-
ftians :
The PRE F A C E. xix
fllans : But not contented with this, they undertook the Tranfiation oH the New Te- llament which was happily finiHi'd, printed, and d.rpers'd among the Heathens, which thev novv read very attentively in their own Ma! ah art an Language.
The King o. Denmark has edablifli'd a College, confilling oi MmiOers of State, Divines, and other worthy Men, to concert the belt Methods, to llrength'"n the Hands of the Miirionanes ; the Honouiibl^ Mem- bers oi the Society icrtled in Lot^chn tor pro- pagating Chriftian Knowledge , do lurnifh the Miiiionaries with Money (VoiTi time to tim;^, to carry on fo pious an Undertaking, anOi have made them a Prelenc or Paper, and a Printing Prefs to the end they may pu'-.ljfh uJcml Books, lor the CKc o^ the Gencile World ; whereo! many 'Catechetical Writings, and other Imall J3ooks, for the Inltrudion of Youth, have been publidi'd by the Millionaries.
And ior the eafier Propagating of Chrifti- an Knowledge, they have erected there a Paper- Mill, which may in time prove ad' vantageous to the Miflion ; Paper being a dear Commodity in the Indies.
They have in a {qw Years baptiz'd above two Hundred and fifty or the Heathens; vi'hic'n, it we conl'.derthe Fewneis of the La- bojirers, the OitliCLilty ol the Undertaking, the Pains, and Care they take ol their new C b X ) Dif^
XX The PREFACE.
Difciples ; add to this, the great Service they have done to PoRerity, in compofing a Grammar, arid Did-ionary in that Language ; i\.n6 finifh'd the Tranflation of the Old Te. llament ; one may boldly fay, that thefe two Honeft Gentlemen have done more Ser- vice to Chrift and his Gofpel, than the Spa- rj'tarels and Fortugueze have done for thefe lad two Hundred Years, in both the Indies : For 'tis manifeft they have been as careful to conceal from the Knowledge of the poor Indians^ the Rich Mines comprehended in tlie Sacred Volumes of the Old and New Tefiaraents, as they have been diligent to find out their Rich Mines of Gold and pre- cious Stones.
And as for their great Number of Profe- ly tes, 'tis done by Force and Violence ; where" O! the Heathens arc as much fenfiblCjand fcan- dnliz'd at their cruel Proceedings, as Prote- ftants can be at the bloody Tribunal of their Inquifition; as appears by the Speech of one Gemalio2in Indian, when the Fortugueze were driven out of the Ifiand Ito : Wherein he told them in a lull AiTembly, that if they preach to others, that there was a God in Heaven whoobferv'd all that was done on Earth, and would certainly re^Aard all Good, and punifh all Evil Deeds, without believing it them^ felvcs, or without praclifing what they be- lie v'd ,• they were guilty of lueh Crimes,
which
The P RE FA€ E. %xi
which fuch a God muft certainly deteft above all others.
Tou preach Chrift crucified unto us, faid he, aM^ at the fame time Crucifie thofe yon have perfuaded to believe in him. Tou mufi knoiv^ that we are not Ignorant of jvhat you have done to King Xael ; and how you rC' warbled his great Kindnefs and Civility t» you, with Violence and Outrages,
The. Portugueze Hiftorian who relates it, makes this Reflection : Thus we lofe Places hy our Injolencies^ which we gained hy our Valour. And their ProfeJytes are ignorant of Chriflianity ; knowing httle more than Ave Jklaria, Pater-nofter, and how to crofs themfelves on all Occafions. But our Pro- teftant Miflionaries know of no other Me- thod of Converting the Heathens, but that of the Apoftles themfelves, 1//2. Perfuafions and convincing Reafons, fetting forth the Corrup- tions of Human Nature, and the Neceflity of a Mediator ; as will appear by the fol- lowing Conferences ; and more particu- larly, if you read a Book call'd Propaga- tion of the Gofpel in the Ea^ ; being an Account of the Succefs of their Mifion ; Con- taining a Ifarrative of their Voyage to the Coaft of Coromandel ; their Settlement at
Iran-
xxii The PREFACE,
Tranquebar, the Divinity and Thilofophy of the Malabarians, their Language and Manners^ the Impediments ohftrutling the CoMverfion of the Heathens. Printed by the Diredions of the Society for Piopagadng of Chriftian Knowledge.
THE
TENTS.
Conference I. f'^F the Original of Good and E- \.J 'vil. page r
Conf. JI. Oftbe Prop'igation of Religion. p. 19 Conf. III. Of feeing the Face of Cod. p-29
Conf IV. Of the Mijery of the Malaharians p. 37 Conf. V. OF a Rich M.ins entring into Haaven.
P- 47 Conf. VT. ContatTii^g ftf-veml Particulars. P' S^ Conf. VII. Of RtgcniratioHy and no Salvation out ofChrif^. p. 65
Conf. VI II. OfthelVayofSdv:nlon^ZlC. p 75" Conf. IX Of thi". Malnbarian Gods. p. loi Conf X. Of the Education ofTouth, Sic. p. il? Conf XI. Of the Falfenefs of the H-.ithtn Gods, O'tijeHions ag'iinft the Trinity anfwerd. p. 1 21 Conf. XII. Chri{iij7i Religion and true Piety con- [tfl chiefly in PraBice. P- ^ ? f
Conf X III. Of PhlUjofby and Idolatry ^ and of Internal Spiritual IVorJhip, p. 147
Conf XIV, Upon 'uaricus SubjtSfs. t)* JfS'
Conf. XV. About Matters of lit ligi on. P- l6* Conf. XVI. of ffveral Particulars reLaing to Ido- latry, &c. p. 179 Conf. XVII. of the MalaT)ariansO/.w///fj p. 189 Conf. XVI 1 1. fVhat opinion the Heathens entertain of the Chrifians. P- I97
Conf.
The CONTENTS.
Conf. XIX. Of the Vlurality of Wives among the Mahometans. p 205
Conf XX. Of the Malabarian SacreJLaw- Books, Ajirology, and of many other ¥ articular s. p 209
Conf, XXI. Of thiir Washings and Vitrifications ; and of the DoBrine of Fate fo much cultivated among them. . p. 217
Conf. XXII. OftheLa-wjofMo^QS^ and of the CofpeL &C. P» 22J
Conf.XXIII. Of the Goodnefs of Cod. The Hea- thens ObjeBions againji the Chrifiian Religion p.2 % ^
Conf. XXIV. Of the Hcathen'i{\i Bookt, &C.p,24i
Conf. XXV. Of the Heathen FeaJl-Days^Szc. p. 247
Conf. XXVI. About ftverai Particulars relating to Religion. P' ^SS
Conf. XXVII. of the Heathens Excufes, &C. p.261
Conf. XXVI II. Containing Anf-wtrs to Thirteen ^iefiions, p. 26S
Conf. XXIX. Of the Affiiirs cf Europe, and of India. Their Averfmn to ail Europeans," be- cmufethey eat Flejh. p, 272
Conf. XXX. Of the Heathens Alms. State of de- farted Souls, P-279
Conf. XXXL Of Chrijl the Saviour of the World.
P 285-
Conf, XXXIL T-Phether ivs floould know God, and our own Minds fir Ji j or the Things obvious to our Senfes. p. 289
Conf. XXXIII. Of the Water of the River Gan- ges ^ of their Beads c^/ZV Ruddiratfchangel, and hoiv frepard. p. 297
Conf. XXXIV. Of the Chriftian and Mahometan Religions, P- 3^1
Con-
Conference I.
Of the Original of Good and Evily and the Means of Salvation through jefus Chrifty
Between a BRAMAN and one of the Danijfh Miflionaries.
UPON the Sixth of March, 1707, I Bartholomew 2.i€genbalgen wai» vifited by a Grave and Learned Braman : And asking him, what he propos'd to himfelf by his Friendly Vi- fit, he reply *d. That he defir'd to confer with me amicably about the great Things and Matters of Religion. Whereupon I ask'd him, whether he would propofe to B mc
2 The Firfl Conference]
me, or that I fhould lay before him fome Irti- portant Queftions ; he accepted of the latter, and promis'd to tell his Mind frankly, upon my feveral Interrogatories. Then I ask'd him, if he did ferioufly believe the the Exiftence of One Supreme Being ? He replied, Yes. Then, proceeded I, how can that be, while you Maiahdrians believe a Plurality of Gods ? We allow, rcpty'd the BramaHy but One Primary aind Sovereigrt Being, the Source and Fountain df all crea- ted Derivations, and the Principle of all o. ther inferiour diminutive Beings ; and con-" flantly profefs, that the Great Triad of De- ities, Ifurettj Wifchtnu and Birumay acknow- ledge him for their Sovereign Lord and Mailer, as the great Number of other Gods ad under the Diredtion of the Three fore- men tion'd NuwenSy Jfuren, Wifchtnu and Bi^ ruma : And this is the true Reafon why our Sacred Books make frequent mention of a Plurality of Gods ; tho* really, and in truth, all of them are but Vicegerents, and Lieu- tenants fuperintending the Works of Crea- tion, and the Actions of Men, in their re- fpec^ive different Capacities, under the high Command of the Prime Csiufe ; whom we, in and through them, revere and wor- ship: And our Adorations thus perform'd according to his own Prefcription, are as
accep-
hf the Means of Salvationl '^
(icceptable untb the Supreme Being, as if immediately direded to himfelf.
Then I refum'd ; God has liberally blefs'd you Malabarians with Strength of Thought and Readinefs of apprehending the various Afpeds and mutual Relations of all Sublu- nary Things : But I am all Amazement, when I fee your Blindnefs in not difcerning Spiritual Things ,• as if yoii had fworn E- ternal Allegiance to the Didates and Poe- tical Fidions of Lying Bards ,♦ who riding upon the Ridges of Metaphors and Allego- ries, have rhimed yoii into the Belief of lying incomprehenfible Perplexities. For is not this the Extremity of Madnefs, to believe, that the Supreme Being is divided and fubdivided into many Subordinations of Deities ? This refleds Difparagement Upon the GREAT ONE, and tarnifhes the Glory of his moft Incommunicable Attri- bute. And the Caufe of this grofs Igno- rance, ib rife amongfl: you, is your want oi being inftruded out of the Revealed Word of the Living God : For your Fathers, flop- ping their Ears to the kindly Invitations of Divine Wifdom, God in Anger gave them up to a Spirit of Delufion, and to the Belief of Lies : And you treading in the Steps of Lying Antiquity, and believ- ing your vain Traditions, are, even to this B 1. Day,
4 The Firft Conference^
Day, as ignorant of the Nature of God, as ever your Fathers were; and utter fuch grofs Inconfiftcncies upon this Point, as if you acknowlcdg'd no real Objed of Adoration : For tho* verbally you own the ExiftenCe of One Supreme Being ; yet you have no Knowledge of his Nature and Attributes, nor of his Will and Pleafure, with relation to the Mode or Manner of Worfliip due to him, and required by him from all the Ra- tional World : For wheri yoil talk of your many Gods and Goddedes, you are at a lofs to whom you had bed addrefs your Vows, or offer Bloody Sacrifices : Moreo- ver, you relate fuch Difagreement of your numerous Gods, that they fecm to live in a continu'd State of War among themfelves. For if you incenfe Jfuren^ Wifchtnu is dif- fatisfied ; and if this is honbur'd by his Votaries, the other refents it grievoufly; and yoti may be fure to meet with greater Effedls of fubflantial Mifchief from the one, than Divine Largeffes and Favours from the other ; and this eternal Mifunder- Handing and Jealoufie reigns among all the feveral Companies of Self-contradidting Gods;. Therefore quit your felves like Men, and break off the Cords of inveterate En rcirs, and fave your own Souls, feeking dili-. gently the Knowledge of the One only True God«
the
of the Means of SalvatiotL "5
The BramaHy aftonifli'd at my Difcoiirfe, anfwer'd me very briskly ,• Our Religion is VeneraMe for its Antiquity, and has been profefled by many pious Kings and holy Prophets, thro' an Uninterrupted Succejfion of many incircling Ages; which if falfe and erroneous, neither God nor Man had ap- prov'd of the fame, for fo many continued Durations and Progrefles of Time ; but cer- tainly, fome one or other had honeftly dif- cover'd the Impoflure, and cautioned his Companions againfl: pious Cheats, and fa- cred Forgeries. To whom I returned this for Anfwer ; Uninterrupted SucceHion, and great Throngs of Profelytes are no Chara- derifticks of the Truth of any Religion ; elfe it would follow, that the Devil is very Orthodox : For he is as famous for the Multitude of his Difciples, as h6 is for his hoary venerable Antiquity. But you mufl judge of the Goodnefs or Badnefs of Reli> gion, by the Fundamental Articles thereof, agreeing or difagreeing with the revealed Word of the true God ; but you Malahari- ans having no Knowledge of God's Word, can take no Cognizance of what is true Worfliip, believing with an implicit Faith, the Fables and Reveries of Tradition-mon- gers, your Poets and Dodlors : Pray, do but confult your own Underftanding, and take B ^ -an
6 The Firji Conference^
^n impartial Survey of your own Religion, in all its Parts and Intentions ; and if you are not refolv'd to affront your own Confci- ence, you'll eafily perceive, that the whole Syflem of your Divinity is nothing elfe but a perplexed Jargon of incomprehenfible No. tions, inconfiflent and deftrudive one of the other, as many wife Men among you have honelUy acknowledged ; who have courageoufly averted, that there is but one God blefled for evermore : And your Con- clufion, that your Religion is true, from God's permitting it to lubfifl: for fo many Ages, and to diffufe it felf over fo many fair Provinces, is altogether illogical, and an unjuft Way of arguing : But you are blame-worthy, in that while you might by contemplating the Work of Creation, and reflecting upon the Convidions of your own Confciences, attain to the Know- ledge of God : Inftead thereof you love the Creature, and never make any Efforts to know God and your felves ; therefore 'tis, that he gives you up to a reprobate Mind,in as mpch as you and your Fathers have re- fufed to be in(tru(3ed in the great things of God, who is no ways acceffary to your Per-- dition : For even now he calls you to the Knowledge pf the Truth ; but it you'll con- tinue in your Rebellion againfl: him, he will not make ufe of violent Means to bring you
to
■5S
(>f the Means of Salvation. 7
to the right Way, nor drag you into his Church by mere Force ; but he will deal with you as with Free Agents, periuading you with all the Evidences of Truth ; which if you obflinately rejed a- gainft your felyes, you'll certainly perifli ia your Sins.
The Braryian anfwer'd ; God has created both Good and Evil ; Vice and Vertue, Happinefs and Mifery, owe all the Being they have to the Supreme Caufe, without whofe Will nothing can exift or have a Be- ing in this World : For if fome Men are vertuous and holy, and others vicious and wicked, all this is but the Effed: of the Will of God : And if we Malaharians are miflaken in point of Religion, 'tis the WiH of God we fhould thus Err : For who arc we, to refifl: the Will of God, who has decreed every thing that is to happen to us in all the Courfe of our Lives ,• and with his own Finger has writ every Man's Deftiny upon his own Forehead ? [ they helieve the Sutures of the Scull to he fo many Lines written ly 'the Author of our Beings denoting every Mans future Defiiny.] I an- fwer'd ; I allow God to have created all things very good in their kind ; but he created nothing that was evif; but you reproach your Maker, by making him to be B ^ the
8 The Firfl Conference f
the Author of Sin : For if, as you fay, fom^ Men in the World are neceflarily vertuou$ and holy, and others, influenc'd by an Ab- solute Will of God, are as necefTarily wick- ed, you Bfamam, and your Employment can be of no ufe in the World : For thofe that are neceflarily vertuous and holy, do not want your Inllrudbions , nor Sacrifices ,• and thofe that are necefTarily wicked, will re. ceive no Benefit from all your ceremonious Burnt-oflerings, and daily Prayers. More- over, Kings, and Princes, who puniih Vice, and reward Vertuous Adions, wou d be as ufelefs, if Men can t chearfully and willing- ly walk in the fair Paths of Vertue, and refrain their Feet from the Ways of Sin and Vice : And one might reafonably fay, that God rewards Vice and Vertue equally , both being according to the Order of hi$ Decree and abfolute Will ; and that he him- felf is the greateft of Sinners,with many more Abfurdities which flow from your Opinion, and deftroy the very Notion of Repen- tance : All which Abfurdities you efpoufe for Truth ; becaufe you have no true Con- ception of the firft Creation of Man.
The Brarnan anfwer'd, Biruma ([the Su- preme Being) creating Men in the Begin- ning, many of them became Devils, and the reft remained Men and Women ; from
whoie
of the Means of Salvatwnl 9
whofe Intermarriages defcended all the Na- tions of the World.
I anfwer'd, This your Notion of Creation is egregioufly abfurd and falfe ; For 'tis not ^irutna ^but the One only true God, created Men ; and not many, as you fupppfe , but one Man only, out of whofe Rib he form'd Woman, and brought them together, and blefTed them, that they might be the Pa- rents of all future Generations ; and thefe our firft Parents God created after his own Jma^e^ confiding in Knowledge, Righteouf- nefs, and true Holinefs, without any Taint of, or Inclination to Sin ^ but after fome of the invifible Beings (Angels^ rebelled a- gainft God, one of thefe revolted Milcreants, or Devils, took upon him the Form of a Serpent, and with lying Delufions beguil'd our firft Mother Eve ; flie influencing her Husband, and our Father A^am^ they both, by abufing their free Will, broke God's Commandment, polluted his Image, and made themfelves obnoxious to his Difple^- liire, and to all the Shame and Miferies (the genuine Confequences of their Sin) that now xover the Face of the whole Creation : But from the Beginning it was not fo : For God made every thing in its kind very good ; but the Devil, in combination with the free Will of Man, in-
troduc'd
ip The Firft Confer enci^
troduc d Sin into the World - For when we fee a Stately Palace, built at the Infinite Ex- pences of a potent Prince, for his own Roy- al Habitation, burnt down with Fire, no Man will fay, that the King was the Incen- diary ; but fome of his Enemies, or his negligent Domeflicks. The Application of the Simile is eafie and to our purpofe ; ef- pecially when we find all this made out clearly unto us in the holy Word of God : And this is the true Hiftorkal Account of the Original of Evil, and of its firft Ap- pearance upon the Stage of the World ,• and if you pleafe to exercife the Vertue of Pa- tience a little longer, I'll lliew the true Way and Means of being deliver'd from this State of Corruption wherein we live ; that we may enjoy the true Liberty of the Children of God.
Then I proceeded. That Man was cre- ated without Sin, according to the Image of God, as is proved already ; and that we are now deprived of the fame , as by fad Experience every one feels iri himfelf ,• and 'tis as plain, that being great Sinners, and Enemies to God, we are not capable to atone offended Majefty : For di- vine Juftice requires Satisfadion at our hands, either Adively, in repairing the Breaches akeady made, by fmlefs Obedience
for
of the Means of Sahatioy^i, 1 1
fqr the future ; or Paflively, by undergoing for ever in Hell the Punifliments of ouf Sins. But neither Man nor Angel being a- ble to fatisfie the ftrid Demands of the Divine Juftice, God himfelf, out of his in^ finite Loving-kindnefs to Mankind, promi- fed to fend his Only begotten Son into the World, to be their Redeemer, by cloathing himfelf with our Nature, fuffering and dy- ing for the Sins of the World, to the end that the Juftice of God might be fully fa- tisfied, and that all Men believing in this promifed Redeemer, might be faved from the Guilt of Sin, and obtain eternal Hap- pinefs ; and that fuch as did not exercife Repentance towards God, and Faith to- wards the promis'd Redeemer, ihould perifh in their Sins. Now, all fuch as embraced the promis'd Redeemer, were in Deed and in Truth Chriflians (ao regard had to the Circumftances of Timeor Place,-) Fortho* they were not then call'd fo ; yet, inas- much as they believ'd the Redeemer, whq is the Chrift, they were really Chriflians. And thus you fee, that the Chriftian Re- ligion has been profefs'd from the Beginning of the World, and is certainly the mo(t Ancient of all Religions ; and your Religi- on is nothing elfe but the Corruption of ours. Yet we, that in all times profefs'd the beft of Religions, had but few Follow - y ers :
I ^ 7 he Firfi Conference]
ers : But your Falfe One, confifling of Fpolifli Inventions of Men, has been al- ways throng'd with Multitudes; As the Peo- ple of Ifrael, acknowledging the True Religion, were but a Little Flock, compa- red with all the Nations of the Earth that profefled the groflefl: Idolatry. This pro- mifed Redeemer, or Mejias, was to be born an Ifraelite, according to the fure Word of Prophecy, fpoken long before of his coming into the World , with the Time, the Place, and all the other jmoft diminutive Circumftances, of his birth and Education, Life, Sufferings, Death, Bu- rial and RefurrecSlion from the Dead on the Third Day : All which Scripture- Pro- phecies have been circumftantially fulfilled in our Redeemer. He was born a Man, and was named Jefus, converfed amongft Men the Space of Thirty three Years, did many Miracles, taught the Way of Salva- tion to his Brethren, liv'd a Life free from all Appearance of Sin, fatisfied the Juftice of God for our Sins, which otherwife we ihould have done in our own Perfons du- ring all the Ages of Eternity. And thus was all Mankind redeemed from the penal Confequences of Sin. And God, willing to aflure all Nations, that he was reconciled to them thro' the Merits of Chrift's Death and Sufferings, raifed him from the Dead ;
who
t}f the Means of Salvation* 1 3
who afcended vifibly into Heaven, promi- fing to fend the Holy Spirit, who fhould comfort them , and refide among them, lead them into all Truth , command- ing them at the fame tirtie to teach ail Na- tions the Way of Salvatiort ; thro' whofb Hands he work'd Miracles, fo that in a little time many Thoufands bdlieved in his Name, and embraced his Divine arid Hea- venly Precepts.for the Rules of Holy Con- verfation. *Twas.dbout this time that we Eu- ropeans were blcfTed with the joyful Tidings of the Gofpcl ; which, in progrcfs of time rooted out all the Errors of Paganifm, which the feveral Inhabitants unanimoufly profef- fed before. And 'tis recorded in Hiftory, that the Apoftle St. Thomas^ one of Chrift's Difciples, came about the fame time into this Country, and preached th6 Gofpel of Salvation to your Fathers ; but few of them did clofe with the gracious Offers ,* but conti- nued to be difobedient, a$ you do at this Timef : Yet, for all this, God is not wearied iix feeking your Eternal Happinefs. Therefore obey the Voice of Heaven, that invites you to Repentance, and to believe in his Sori Jefus Chrift, that you may receive the Re- miffion of your Sins here, and Eternal Hap-' pinefs hereafter.
to
14 'The Firfi Conferentel
To this the 5rjw^« anfwer'd, I believe all you fay of God s DeaUngs o^ith you White EuropeatiSy to be true j but his Ap- pearances and Revelations among us Black Malaharians^ have been quite otherwife i ^nd the Revelations he made of himfelf in this Land are as firmly believ'd here to be true, as you believe thofe made in your Country : For as Chrift in Europe was made Man ,* (b here our God Wifchtnu was born among us Malaharians ; And as you hope for Salvation through Chrifl ; fo we hope for Salvation through Wifchtnu ; and to fave you one way, and us another, is one of the Paflimes and Diverfions of Almighty God.
1 reply'd ; your God Wifchtnus chang- ing Forms and Shapes fo ridiculoufly often, of which your Writers make fo great a Stirr, is fo unworthy of a Wife, Holy God, that 'tis certainly the Defign of a deluding Devil, to impofe upon yotir credulous Difpofition, to believe the grofleft Abfurdities : For yoti own, he was once metamorphos'd or chan* ged into a Swine ; at another time, into a Fifh, into a Tortois, and into half Lion arid half Human fhape. Pray, how can you be- lieve that fiich a Monfter could be the Re^ deemer of Mankind ? For who could converfe
with
of the Means of Salvation* i j
With fuch a Monfter, to the End that they might beheve he came to redeem Men ra- ther than Swine, Fifli, Tortois, and other wild ravenous Creatures ? If he had come into the World with an Intention of faving Men, he wcyuld have taken upon him Human Shape, to the end that Man might learn his Heavenly Inftrudions, and emulate his Holy Converfation ,• but v/ithal you (eeiri to infinuate, that in order to fave Mankind, he appeared under the Name of Wamanen^ Hamefty and Pifchtnen ; but upon reading the whole Hiftory of this your Multifarioufly formed God, I find he was the Author of cruel Bloody Wars, tending to lender ths Children of Men more the Children of Per- dition and Slaves to Sin, than they were before: Therefore I am all Aflonifliment, when I fee you Bramans believing fuch ri- diculous Whirtifies, and laying them before your Brethren as Holy and Sandified My- fleries.
Hereupon, he only faid, every one may be faved by his own Religion, if he does what is Good, and Ihuns Evil.
But I anfwef*d, no Man can come to the Knowledge of what is good, and of what is evil, without the Word of God -, and ftiore efpecially, 'tis impoflible for you to
attain
1 6 The Firp Confer ence^
attain to the Knowledge of your own Na- tural Blindnefs and Corruption, or to exert any truly vertuous Adions by your own Sufficiency : For if you would in earned forfake Evil, and do good, you muft apply to Chrift, the Fountaif\ and Spring of all that is good ^ be baptized in his Name, and believe in him as your only Saviour and Re- deemer : 'Tis then you'll be enlighten'd and renewed in the inward Man, and enabled thro' affifting Grace, to (hun Evil, and to perform Vertuous A(9:ions, acceptable and well pleafing to the ever blefled God.
Then, he reply'd, as I am no Lover of Contention, fd I freely own, that I cannot blame any Part of all that you have faid ; but (till I am of the fame Opinion, that if we lead Lives morally inoffenfive, and ftridly vertuous, we have no need of the Chrillian Religion, to make our Per* fons or Anions more acceptable to God. I don't comprehend, how Baptifm and Faith can influence my Adions, or procure me the Forgivenefs of my Sins.
To conclude, I faid to him, the Neceflity of Faith in Chrift I have laid before you already ; but to give you this Faith, is not in my power. Go home, dear Friend, and proftrate your felf before the refulgent
Throne
cf the Means of Salvation. i j
Throne of the Almighty Creator of the tJniverfe, and beg him heartily to enlighten your Mind in the great Truths relating to your Eternal Happinefs ; and you'll find how neceffary 'tis to believe in Jefus Chrift. He thank'd me kindly for my Advice, and bid ttie Adieu.
ii^
C Con-
19
.■^, ....: :-■ , ... ■..;
Conference IL
Of the Propagation of the Mahometan and Chrifti- an Religion,
Between a Mahometan Priefl: and one of the Dani/h Miffionaries.
ON the Fifth of July, 1707, a fl^ah^- metan Pried (that was Infpedor over many fubordinate Eccle/ia- fticks) accompany'd by feme of his own Religion, honoured me with a Friendly Vi/it j and having heard, that we came into this Country to propagate fome new Rehgion among the Indians, he told me, he was very defirous to difcourfe me
C i uport
20 The Second Confer enc6^
upon feveral weighty Points, inafmuch a§ he never yet had had the opportunity to confer with an European upon Matters of Rehgion : And to uflier in Difcourfe hand- fomly, he told me, he wondred Very much how we Europeans had in fo fliprt a time at- tained to the Knowledge of their Language, while our own Language is fo harfh and difficult to be underftood ^ I anfwered, You may perceive Sir, that God has Defigns of Love and Mercy, both towards Mahometans and Heathens^ inhabiting thefe Countries, while he raifes Men,, who fpare neither Pains nor Charges, to vifit thefe Countries , and learn your Language, in Order to capa- citate them to confer with you all amicably about the great things of God.
Whereupon he with a cheerful Eagefnefs, defired me to favdut him with the fight of our Bible ; and complying with his honed Defires, I produced the Old Teftament in Hebrew, and the l^ew in Greek j and he ur- ging me to read and explain to him fome Portion of the Old Teftament, I read the whole third Chapter of Genefis^ and gave him the Interpretation thtx^o'i verbatim in Mala- har'tck or Damulian, being the Hiftory of the Creation, and Fall of Man, and of his being i'eftor'd to favour upon his believing that firft great Promife of a Redeemer* At
which
of the Propagation of Religion, a i
which he feem'd to be more than ordinarily fatisfied, telling me, his Religion agreed with mine in feveral Points, and defir'd me to proceed in reading a Portion out of the New Teftament. Then I read diftindly the Third Chapter of St. Johns Gofpel, adding thereto in Malaharkk^ the Interpretation, Verfe by Verfe, which he heard, with. all his Friends, very attentively ; afluring me that his Religion and mine was in fubftance the lame, with this difference only, that what we apply to C//T/y?,they attribute to Mahomet,
I allow'd the Conformity to be very vifi* ble, and that his Obfervation was very rea- fonable, and begg'd leave to give him the Reafons and Caufes of this Conformity ; and told him how Mahomet, in Hammering his new Religion, was aHifled by a Jew and a Chrijlian ; the one fupplying him with the Hiftory of the Old, the other with the Hiftory, and fome Precepts, of the New Te- ftament; but both very much maim'd and imperfed: : Hence 'tis, that what is good and wholfome in your Religion, is borrow'd out of the Sacred Volumes of the Old and New Teftament; and what is otherwife, has Mahomet for its Author.
C 3 He
2 1 The Second Conference,
He ^n{wer6, Pray, how can you judge fo difadvantageoufly of Mahomet, while you know nothing of his Hiftory ? Sir, faid T, we Chriftians have a fuller Account of Ma- homet, than you your felves have : For as Mahomet was propagating his Religion with Fire and Sword, the Chriftians, that efcap'd his Fury, gave a full Account of his Proceed- ings, of his Perfon, Manners and Religion j' which Relations have been faithfully com- rnitted to Writing, and handed down to PO' fterity : But all the Accounts you have of him, are writ by his own Creatures, indu- ftrioufly trumpeting his Warlike Achive* ments ; but pafFing by all his Vices and Im- perfedions in filence ; or by fuch, as fearing his Power, have not dar'd to write the Truth:. And befides all this, we read all the Hiftories relating to Mahomet writ by thofe of his own Perfuafion, with the Alcoran it felf printed, in Aralkk, which our Learned Men do urr- derftand, and have tranOated into all the celebrated Languages of j^wri?^^; and there- fore we can judge of all Maitters relating tof' Mahomet and his Religion ; Whereas, on the other hand, you Mahometans have no Noti- on of our Religion ,• which is the only rea-' fon why you addid your felves to the Do- {XxvciQ oiMahomet : For he that never faw ^ny other Bird but a Crow, will think it the
fineft
of the Propagation of Religion. 2j
ftnefl: oF Birds ; and his Croaking to be very mufical y but when he comes to hear the Melodious Notes of the Nightingal, he'll certainly change his Opinion. I leave the application to your lelves.
But you Chriftians, quoth he, believe in Three Gods, and we believe in Oue God on- ly ; pray, which of us then is the more miftaken in Matters of Faith ? I anfwer'd. Sir, far be it from us, to believe a Trinity of Gods , For I'll make it plain to you, by a familiar Comparifon, that we believe in but One God only. For as we fee but one Sun in the Firmament, which has Light and Heat, reprefented to our Mmds under Idea'^ quite difierent from that of the Solar Body, or Globe of the Sun it felf ,• and yet Heat, Light, and the Solar Body, are fo united to-
f ether, that they make but One Sun, and not 'hree Suns : So by way of accommodation, this may be apply'd to the Holy Trinity : Fot we fay, that in one Divine Eflence there are three Perfons, which are fo ftridly u- nited together, that he that denies the Holy Ghoft, does indeed deny both the Father and the Son : Therefore you Mahometans do not really and indeed believe in the one True God j becaufe you rejed the Holy Spirit, and Jefus Chrifb, God blefTed over all: For out of Chrift there is no Sal- C 4 vatlon
24 27;^ Second Conference^
vation neither here, nor hereafter ; and yotk can't believe in Chrift, till you are enligh- ten'd by the Holy Spirit of Grace, to difcern things that are Spiritual : For tho' Natural Comparifons carry with them fome Shadows of a Trinity ; yet I own, they are not fu^- cient Convid:ions : Wherefore, the Advice I have to give you, is this, Go home and refledi upon the miferable State that Man- kind is born in, and of the Rigour of God's Juftice exading Satisfadion for every the lead TranfgrelTion 5 and how infufficient v^e are of our felves to appeafe a diilurb'4 Confcience, or an offended God, with all our bed Performances ; and then you'll ac- knowledge the Neccflity of a Redeemer : Then proceed, and confider thofe Portions of holy Writ relating to the Perfon, Life, Doctrine, Death, Sufferings and Refurre<5ti- on of Jefus Chrift, confronting them with all the Particulars of Mahomet's Hiftory ; and pray the Almighty that he would DirecS^ you to the true Difcerning, which of the two Religions is more accommodated to the Exigencies of Human Nature, labouring un- der fo many Spiritual Infirmities ,• which if you do in Sincerity, you'll fee clearly, that ^is not Mahomet, but Jefus Chrift, came tp lave Sinners from their Sins : And when you are come thus far, God will affifi; you with his Grace, and give you his Holy Spi- rit
of the Propagation of Religion, i f
rit to difcover unto your Souls all the My- fterious Truths neceffary for Salvation : For until a Man's Heart be chang'd by unfeign- ed Repentance, he can t underftand Spiritu- al Things, nor apprehend the Truth as 'ti^ i^ Jefm.
Then he re-affum'd and faid, Sir, our Law makes frequent mention of Jefus Chrift, by the name of Ifanahi (Prophet Jefus) but I can't perfuade my felf that God has a Son, nor that Chrift is Superior to ouc Prophet Mahomet, .
To whom I made this anfwer ; This feems to you abfurd, becaufe you meafure things of a Spiritual and Infinite Nature, wJLth your Finite carnal Mind ; whereas you mould hear God fpeaking of his Son, who knows his own Nature, and that of Jefus Chrift, better than any Creature can pretend to know. Endeavour firft, to know your felfj and to be acquainted with the Stat^ and Condition of your own Mind ; and refled ferioufly upon the moft palpable Abfurdities fpoken of your own Prophet i^i3« hornet : For you fay, he was next in Power and Glory to God, and his moft intimate familiar Friend ; and withal you fay, he made War with all his Neighbours, carrying Devaftations and Rapine wherever he went,
and
%6 The Second Conference,
and, to encourage Licentioufnefs, allow'd Folygamy to his fenfual Profelytes. Pray, what can be abfurder, than to affirm, fuch a vile unclean Bead to be the Minion and Darling of Almighty God, who is an Aven- ger of all the Tranfgreflers of his holy Laws, and every where enjoyns Continency and Sobriety, as well as abftaining from Rapine and Violence ?
He anfwerd, we know that he allows of Polygamy^ or the ufe of many Wives ,* but this is no Crime ; For David , who was both King and Prophet, and his wife Son Solomon, had very many Wives ; and yet they are dill reckoned to be Holy Men, and numbred among the infpir'd Pen-Men of Holy Volumes. And as for Mahomei^s Wars and Violences he was Commiffioned by God fo to do, and to root out all the Nations that would not receive his Do(3;rine, and the Book that came down from Hea- ven.
We allow, faid I, that Ddv'tJ and Solomon had many Wives ; but this was not purfuant to the Commands of God, but to comply with their own finful unmortified Inclinations, and the Licentious Cuftoms then prevailing among the Jews : For as you allow the Gofpel of Chrill to be a true
and
of the 'Propagation of Religion. Z'f
and holy Dodriiie, pray hear what he fays upon this head, Matt. 19. verfe 4. Have you not read^ that he that created them, cYedted them Male and Female, and that they ate hut one Flejh ? And as to what you fay of Ma- homet's Spiritual Commiffion to deflroy all fuch that did not receive his Docflrine, this- is ^eftrudive of the Juftice and Loving- kind nefs of God ; For tho' he would that all- Ihould come to the Knowledge of the Truth, yet he never made ufe ot Violence and Cruelty to gain Men to the Ways of Hdi- nefs ,• but he ordain'd, that the Preaching of his Word ihould be the Means of Salva- tion, fetting Life and Death before the Eyes of Men, with all the powerful Inducement's' to embrace the One, and decline the Othef ; and then leaving every Man to his own Liberty of Chufing for himfelf : Therefore if Mahomet's proceeding with Cruelty and Vio- lence be the Reverfe of the mild methods of a loving God, it follows, that his Dodlrine muft be falfe, and that he was never fent' from God, nor- has in his Religion any of the Divine Charadlerifticks ftampt upon it.
Hereupon he only faid, I mud confefs, there are many things in our Law, whereof I my felf fcruple the Truth very much^ and, if you pleafe, more of this at another Oppor- tunity ; but thus far for this time.
Then
2? The Second Conference^ &c.
Then 1 concluded, and afliired him, if he continued in that good Difpofition of Mind, and weigh'd the matter ferioufly with himfelf, thirfling after the Salvation of his own Soul, hisDoubts and Inquiries wou'd redound at lafl: to his Eternal Happinefs ; adding, The Lord Jefiis Chrift give you Wifdom, and an Un- derftanding Heart, to know him, and be-, lieve in him, that you may be Partaker of^ his Death and Sufferings, and may receive Forgivenefs of Sins in this World, and in the the next, Everlafting Life.
Then I took my leave of him defiring* him to favour me fometimes with his Let- ters.
Con,'
29
Conference III.
Of feeing the Face of Gody
Between forne Mahometan Monks, (or, as t-hey call them, Holy Men) and a Dani/h Miffionary.
ON the Eleventh o^ July 1707, feve- veral Mahometans^ whereof fome were Merchants, and others, who pretended themfelves to be Sacred Perfons, lineally defcended from the Family of Mahomet ; wedring green Turbants, ask'd me what they Ihould do in order to fee the Face of God ? To whom I gave this Anfwer ; Suffer your Telves to be guided by the Will of God, and not by your own extravagant Fancies : For if you don't compofe your
Minds
^o the Third Conference]
Minds to a conformity to the Divine Plea- fure, you can never enjoy the Heavenly Viilon, neither in this World, aor iii that which is to come ;
They atif^ er d with an Air of Serioufnefs, faying. We live here among the Infidels, who all of them are very earneft in the Piwfuit of Happiaefs, jand .anxipuily defirous to fee the Face of God • They frequent their Fagods (Temples) they offer Sacrifices, they pifcipline themfelves with great Rigour, they perform tedious Ceremonies, go on Pil- jgrimage, do Penances, thpy retire to Defarts, -renouncing all the Pleatures of Life ; and ma- ny the like Aufterities are commonly excrcis'd among them ; and yet we can find none of them that can fay, he has feen the Face of God ; and we our felves being MahometanSy are flrid Obfervers of our Law, go every /v-i- day in the Afternoon to the Mofque, we hear the ^/co/"tf« read, and repeat very Religiouf- jy all the fet Formularies of Prayers, and aflift at all the ufual Ceremonies j and when this Round of Formalities is at.an End, we think o^r work is over, and feldom are follicitous about feeing the Face of God ,• without ;Which, we are very well alfur'd, that all religious Performances, are but fruitlefs Pa- geantries, neither acceptable to God, nor profitable to our felves j and, this duly con-
fider*d^
of feeing the Face of God. 3 1
fider'd, we make no difference between the fagan and Mahometan Worlhip : For in this only we exercife our felves, that if by any Means and Enquiries we may be rendered worthy to fee the Face of God : This is the Capital Point, in comparifon to which, all o- ther things are but mere Toys in themfelves, and very infignificant. Could we but find any Guides to mark out the Way leading to this State of Happinefs, we are fully refolv'd to ercd; a Church open always to ChrifiianSy Heatfjens and Mahometans^ infifting only up- on the Ways and Means of enjoying the glorious Prefence, and of feeing the Face of Qo4. And thus we would put an end to Religious WrangUngs, Preaching and Propa- gating the Dod:rine of Univerfal Charity.
Hereupon I reply 'd, If you wou'd fee the 'Face of God, and anticipate the Joys of the next World, you mufl endeavour to have clean Hearts and pure : For the Saviour of the World has faid, Blejfed are the pure in Hearty fdr^they (hall fee God. Let this be your chief ftudy ; all other Efforts and Endeavours^ ^11 your Aufterities and Mortifications, will ftand you in no ftead ; For you know, that God is tnofl holy, and no unholy or defil'd Aing can approach his Courts : Therefore you mud be holy, as he is holy ,• you muft be all Glorious within, purified in the in- ward
3 i The 7 bird Confer ente]
ward Man from all Self -love, Self-feekitig^ Fride and Hjpocrifte, which frequently in- habit the raoft retir'd Recefles of the Soul 5 while, in the Judgment of the World.the Men pafs for holy, harmlefs, and undefil'd Dar- lings of Heaven, and God s fandified ones : but God will not be mocked ,• For all your Alms and Sacrifices, and all your Auftereft Performances, will draw upon you the Dif- pleafure of Heaven, inftead of the hop'd for Ble/fings , and diftinguilhing Favours of God, except your Hearts be clean.
Then they re-afTum'd, and faid, Pray Sir^ if the Heart of Man is unfearchable, and paft finding out, but by God only, whofe Property it is to fearch the Reins and Hearts of the Children of Men ,• what makes you to trouble your felf with our Hearts which is not your Province, nor is within the Cir^ cle of your Adivity.
Gentlemen, faid I, you are altogether Strangers to me, (whom I never faw be-, fore ; ) I know neither your Vertues nor Vices ; yet in Charity I am bound to hope the beft of you : But as to the purifying of the itjward Man, I am fure, 'tis a Dodtrine that you Mahometans are little acquainted with J being neither written in your Alcorani, nor ever taught by any of your Pricfts : And
of feeing the Face of God. J i
as it is the effential Part of Religion, I thought it my Duty to bcg'ri with this great Point, whereof I take you to be moil: igno- rant ,• and now your UnwiUingnefs to have your Confciences examln'd, confirms me in my firfl Opinion of your Ignorance here-
in.
Then, faid they, what Mortal cart pre- tend to fuch high Degrees of Purification and Cleannefs ot Heart ?
This Queftion of yours, reply'd I, glve^ me fome grounds to hope better things of you, tho' I thus talk j For I find you have a mighty Defire to ioform your felves in thefe weighty Matters ; Give dihgent heed therefore to what I ihall offer to your ferious Confideration upon this Head ; When I fpeak of purifying the Heart, you mufl take me right, I don't mean any wafliing with Water,or any external PurificationSjfuch as are daily Pradis'd among Men of your Perfuafion, and are eafily perform d i But the purifying the Mind, which is the pecuhar Work of God himfelf; he only can renew us in //;f Spirit of our Minch^ by the fprinkling' of the Precious Blood of Chrift j and if you wou d have your Confciences piirtjyd from dead Works, you muft know Chrift, and the 0 ESIGN of his Death and SufTerings ;
D how
3 4 ^^^ Third Conference]
how that he came into the World to die for Sinners ; you muft believe in him for Life and Salvation, repent of your Sins, renounce the Errors of the Impoflor Mahomet, and own Jefus Chrift to be the only Saviour and Redeemer of Mankind.
You fpeak, Sir, faid they, of purifying the Mmd, and of renewing the Heart, upon the Principles of your Religion. Now, with your leave, we could (peak in the Language of oar Religion upon this fubjedt very many fine Things ; but we are not come here to reciprocate Queftions and An- fwers out of this or that Syllem of borrowed Principles ; for we are not addided to any feparate Sed of Religion whatfoever ; but we are come to hear of you the Words of Wifdom, which may guide us in ourfearch of feeing the Face of God.
I anfwer'd, God dwelleth in Light inac- cefTible, and no Man can fee him and live; as 'twas faid to Mofes when he wearied God with this very fame imprudent Requeft as you are now propofmg. Know therefore, that if God in Mercy had not been pleas'd to reveal his Will to his Servants, we had been dill walking in Darknefs, for ever ignorant of the Way that leads to the Manfions of the other World ; where only we can expe(5t
to
of feeing the Face of God, 3 j
to fee the Lord Face to Face. For all that we Chrifliaris pretend to know of enjoying God's Prefence in this World, or the next, is borro\^ed out oi the Saci^ed Volume^ of God's Word ; and if you wou'd be affur'd whether orno, I am faithful in my Jndi'U- (Stions to obtain the Enjoyment of Gods Face, go your Way for this Time, and re- duce to pradice what I have laid before you ; and then you'll find upon your own Experi- ence, that all thofe things which I have communicated to yoii, are the Intimations that God has given us to dired"our Steps in quell of his glorious Face : But if yoii arc refolv'd to negledt my Tnftrudions, I think it ufelefs to talk any more upon this F^ead. However, I yet love you heartily for giving me an Handle to difcourfe upon this excel- lent Subjed: ,• and when yoti'll favour me with another Vifit, you'll give rtie leave to ask you freely, whether or not you have be- gun to tread the Way that leads to the fight of the Face of God.
They thank'd me heartily for rhy Advice ; and feeing me much engagd in other Bufi- hefs, they bade me Adieu.
b % Cori.
37
Conference IV-
Of the Mifery the Malabari- ans labour under ^ hoth as to their Spiritual and Temporal Condition.
Between feveral Malabarians and one of the Danijlj Miffionaries.
ON the Sixth of OHoher \ 707, as I walk'd out into the Neighbour- hood, where a great Multitude of Heathens flock'd about nie, I fat me down on the Grafs, as they alfo did all round about me.
D 3 TheQ
3 ? Th^ Fourth Conference^
Then T began to addrefs my Difcourfe to them in Words to this Effect : I heartily Sympathize with you in the Miferies you labour under, relating both to vour Souls and Bodies. As to your Outip^rdCor\d\ucn, your Miferies dre too vihble ; tor you lead the Lives of Slaves, and therefore without doubt very uncomfortable ; for I fee, yon gre forc'd to undertake tedious Journeys to fetch your Rice, and undergo a 1 houfand other Hardfhips, which you are oblig'd to l^ear with Patience and Submiflion to the Will of your hard-hearted Task maders.
But alas, what is all this Drudgery of yours, if compar'd to the nobleft part of your felves, your Souls ? You wander about like Sheep that have no Shepherd ; lor your Bramans don't concern themlelves with your EverlaOing Welfare ; and tho' you have among you flately Magnificent Pagods^ yet_ you never hear a Word ot Comfort or Spi- rirual Inftrudion in thofe Maces ; but are permitted to walk in the Ways o*^ your own Bl nd Hearts and lollow your finiul Incli- nations Without Controul, from either Priell: or Prophet. And as for your felves, you mind only to fupport your B( dies with Food and Cloathing as if they were immortal Peingsj and }ou difregard your precious
Souls,
of the Condition of the Malabarlans, j 9
Souls, as if they were fubje(5t daily to Cor- ruption. Yea, you live in the profoundeft Ignorance of him that created you, and of liim that redeemed you j and tho' you mud confefs, that there is a God in whom you move, live, and have your Being, both as to Soul and Body ^ yet you do not Woriliip him as God ; but give that Adoration, due to him alone who created the World, and breathed into our Noftrils the Breath of Life, to infignificant Images of Wood or Stone, the Works of your own Hands ; and lead Lives of Contention, Hatred, and Strife, pradtifingthe Abominable Artof Witchcraft » confulting Wizards and Enchanters, who pre- tend to fee within the Veil of future Con- tingencies, and to foretel things to come. You your felves, convinc'd in Confcience, can bear Teftimony to the Truth of all that I have faid.
Whereupon, One from among the Multi- tude, anfwer'd me, and (ai«t, Sir, all that you fay in relation to us, is very true ; but 1 think, we are not to be blam'd upon this account; but rather God himfelF, who plac'd us in thefe miferable Circumdances, whence we can't extricate our felves without his Permiflion ; and it has not pleas'd his Wif- dom hitherto to make us more happy.
D 4 t
40 *Ihe Fourth Confer ence^
I anfwer'd, God certainly is no way ae- ceflary to criminal Proceedings ; For he cre- ated the firfl Man Holy, Juft and Good, from whom you borrow your Original ; But the Devil, in Combination with Man's Free Will, uflner'd in Sin and Difobedience into the World, which has entail'd Tempo- ral and Eternal Miferies upon all his Chil- dren : But God being gracious and merciful, was not willing that any fliould perifh, but that all fliould come to the Knowledge of the Truth ; and, to that end, has given us his Word, wherein we are taught, how God created Man at firft without Sin, according to his own Image ; and how that Man fal- ling from the btate wherein he was crea- ted, by finning againft God; render'd him- felt" obnoxious to Eternal Miferies, till his infinite Wifdom contriv'd Ways and Means to (ave Mankind, by fending his Son Jefus Chrifi in the World, cloathed with Humani- ty, to the -end lie might be a fit High Pried to offer up himfelf a Sacrifice acceptable to God for the Sins of all Mankind ; There, fore you can't fay, that God has any hand in making you miferable : Your Deftrudi- on and Mifery come of your (q\vqs ; there- fore, without any delay, repent, and turn to the Lord your God ; for why fliould you be Vaifals and Slaves to Sin and the Devil
any
of the Condition of the Malabarians, 4 1
any longer, and render your felves obnoxi- ous to the Difpleafure of ah injured God through all the Durations of Eternity ?
Another anfwer'd me, and faid, all of us Malabarians are not fuch as you take us for ; we have very holy Men among us, who lead very Exemplary Lives, difengag'd from'all Earthly Ties and Obligations what- foever.
To whom I made this anfwcr; I am now direcfling my Difcourfe to you that (land in great need of Inftrudion, to the end you may extricate your felves from the dange- rous Circumftances that your Sins have en- tangled you in ; 'tis of no ufe to you, that other Men are Saints, when you know your felves to be great and impenitent Sinners : Every one of you mud be holy and difengag'd from this World, if you tru- ly defire Happinqfs and the Favour of God,
A 77;//-^ fpoke ; We thank you. Sir, for your wholfome Inftrudions -, and defire you to continue your Difcourfe, giving us leave fometimes toobjed againft fuch Expreffions, as we can't without your farther Explicati- on, approve of.
Sirs,
4 1 Th Fourth Conference,
Sirs, faid I, you are very welcome to make any Objections againft what I fhall fay ; for Doubting and Scrupling is a Sign of an Inquifitive Lover of Truth, that will take nothing upon Hear fays; but will weigh the things himfelf in the Balance of his owa Reafon ; and this will be very ufeful to me in the Progrefe of my Difcoirtrfe : For you'll give a Handle to talk of things which otherwife I fliould imprudently pafs by.
Well then, faid he, what makes you walk abroad among us, and upbraid us with oar Imperfecftions, while your own Difciples at home are not any better them- felves > Pray Sir, wou'd not you do bet- ter to exert your Charity firft at home, and Convert the Chriftians from the Wickednefs of their Ways, and then to come and Convert us.
I heartily confefs, reply'd I, that many Chriftians are worfe than your felves, and want as much to be urg'd to repent, and turn to God even with Fading ; and I hum- bly conceive, you are Confcious of what we do with regard to thofe unhappy Men • we Preach to them in Seafon, and out of Seafon, to leave their wicked Ways, and
while
0f the Condition of the Malabarians, 4}
while 'tis called to day, to make their Cal- ling and Eledion fure , left to morrow there may be no place left for Repen- tance ,• and if they continue in their Dif- obcdience, the fault lies at their own doors: For we have no Orders from she Word of God to force any Man to be happy a* gainfl: his Will : And if we did delay Preaching the Gofpel to you Heathens, till fuch tirfie as all the Profedbrs of Chriftianity are become truly Good and Pious, there wou'd be no hopes of Con- verting the Gerjtiles to the Obedience of Chrift ; Thereore you mud not judge of the Dodrme of Chrift by feme ot his Norrtinal Difciples ; but accept joyfully the fame glad Tidings ot Salvation, and en- deavour not only to be better than the worft, but, to emulate, and to furpafs the bcft of Chriftians : For the Promife is to you and to your Children, as well as to o- ther Nations ; and 'tis upon your ac^ count chiefly that I came to thefe Coun- tries in hopes that you 11 embrace the glad Tidings of Salvation, which foma Pro eftbrs of the Gofpel defpiie, and caft the Holy Precepts thereof behind their Backs. And tho' 4hey are baptiz'd Chrj^ fiians ; yet in truth, they are worfe than Heathens, But let not their wicked Lives? difcouragc you from giving Obedience to
the
44 ^f^^ Fourth Conference] the Heavenly Voice, left you aggravate your Guilt, as thofe wicked Chr^ia,ns pf whom you fpeak, apparently do.
Then a Wormian anfwer'd ; Pray, why do you talk fo much againft our Divine Worlhip ; for moft of you Chriftians ap- prove of our Religion j and I have feen Men and Women of your Perfuarion fre- quenting our Pagods^ and beholding with great fatisfadJion all our Religious Perfor- mances ; which certainly, they had not done, if they did not approve of ourjle- ligion.
To whom I anfwer'd, what is tranfaded in your Pagods^ is more Comical than Fitr ligious ; and therefore our Debauchees and loofe Chriftians (of whom we have (aid already, that they are worfe than Infi- dels _) frequent your Pagods to ^ivtrtxhtm- felves with thofe Theatrical Ceremonies of your Worihip : But as for fober Chri- ftians, they never frequent you Temples, nor aftift at any of your extravagant Ce- remonies ,• but weep in fecret becaufe of the Blindnefs of your Minds, praymg Al- mighty God on your behalf, that you may be delivered from under the powei; of Darknefs and Ignorance , to enjoy the
G}o-
of the Condition Sfthe Malabarians; 45
Glorious Privileges of the Children of God.
Thus I concluded my Difcourfe recom- mending them to the Protedion of Al- mighty God.
MHi^
poni
i» ■
W • i H,M
4^
Coherence V.
About the Difficulty of d Rich Man's entrins: into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Between fome of the principal Inha« bitants, both Heathens^ and Maho* metans^ and one of the Dantfb Mif* fionaries.
ON the Seventeenth of Decemlet 1707, t wasvifited by two very Confiderable and Principal Men ; the one 2L //eatbeft, and the other ^Mahometan, accompany'd with many Men of both Perfuafions ; I receiv'd them kindly with fome Sweet-meats and Bethel-Areck
(Sweet
4^ ♦ T^he Fifth Confer ence^
CSweet Incenfe') and "then addrefs'd my felf to them in thefe Words :
You know, Sirs, that I am a Minifterof Jefus Cbrif fent here to Preach his Ever- lafting Gofpel, that yduj^ay know the Way of Salvation : Theref^ I could wifli that you your felves would put me upon fome edifying Difcourfe, and hear me pa- tiently, while I am handUng any Subjed which you think may be proper for the Solvation of your Souls.
They anfwer'd, we come here with no other View, but that we may hear fome ^difying Difcourfe.
then I faid. Hitherto the Gofpel has been preached only to the poorer fort a- mong you j for the Rich and Great Men a- mong you defpife the Gofpel of Ghrifl:, to their own utter Deftruc^tion ; as they did in the time when the Chrlft and his Apoftles lived orl the Earth ; few of the Rich, few of the Mighty, and of the Learn- ed Men of the Age believed in him ,♦ but to the Poor the Gofpel was Preached with Succefs : For they being difengag'd in a great meafure, from the Snares and Deceit- . fulnefs of Riches, were attentive to the gracious Words that proceeded out of
ChriftV
bfa Rich Man's ent ring into Heaven, 49'
thrift's Mouth, and became hiis truefl Dif- ciples j while himftlf told the Rich. to their Faces, that 'tis as difficult for a Camel to pafs through the Eye of a Needle, as for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven : For they coittmonly truft in their uncer- tain Riches J and not in the living God, whp giveth all things neceflary both to Life and Godlinefs.
; Then one of them reply'd, God created the Rich and the Poor, and Wills that alj Ranks and Degrees of Men Ihould Wor/liip him in Sincerity and Truth ; but pow we jive in the Dregs of Time, when all things run in a wrong Channel, as our Prophets have foretold us that it rtiould be, as in- deed we find it is ; For we find different Re- ligions, diflerent Laws, different Languages^ different Opinions, different Ceremonies, different Ways of doing Penance for Sin ; and, if I may fo fay, every thing is adled by fome oppofite jarring Principle, and is the Reverfe of what it Ihould be : And as long as God permits all this Confufion, what have we to fay to the contrary ?
I anfwer'd, If you wou'd deliver youf felves from this Univerfal Confuflon, re- pent of your Sins; for you confefs, that Men do not ad as they fhould do ,• is it
E nOE
50 the Fifth Conference^
net then your Duty to meditate upon Way§ and Means to fave your own Souls from the impending Ruin, that threatens a per- verfe and crooked Generation ? For you are certainly convinc'd in your Confcience, that you can't live and die happily in this confus'd and dangerous State , that the generality of Mankind is now in.
We believe, faid he, that the Wicked fliali be punilhed according to his Wick- ednefs, and that every one Ihall be re- warded according to his Works, whether they be Good, or whether they be Evil ; tho' we believe alfo that God will not punifh us for not being fo holy and vers'd in Books as you are ; for we are engag'd in the Affairs of this World, to the end we may gain daily Bread for our felves and Families ; but your chief and only Employment is to meditate on the Works of the Almighty, and read Books of De- votion, and confer together about the Pra- - c^ice of Piety : For ii we could live up to what is preach'd, there wou'd be no need of Preaching, no need of Bramans^ and of many other Orders of Priefls and Herm'itSy who are maintain'd with no fmall Charges to the Publick ; and, pray, why are they maintain'd ? But that they may recoi-icile
us
of a Rich Man's entriftg into Heaven. J I
us to God, when we have committed fomd heinous Offences ?
I reply'd, what you offer here agalnd: the Neceflity of Repentance, is groundlefs and frivolous, and afgues, that you are far from the Kingdom of God ; for tho' God has ordain'd feveral Employments and Cal- lings in the World ; yet this is the great Employment enjoyn'd on all, Men and Wo- men, Young and Old, Rich and Poor, viz, to repent, and turn to God with all their Hearts, leading exemplary Lives in all God- linefs and Honefty ; confiding, not in read- ing Books and going to Church, as a Pried ; but in emulating the bed of Prieds in the Exercife of a good Confcience both towards God and towards Men. The Fundamental neceflary Truths to Salvation are few, and may be learnt in a little time, from any ex- perienc'd Pried, or from any Other Child of God that has Experience of God's Deal- ings with the Souls of Men ; but if one has no Inclination to leave the World, and the fmful Luds of the Flelh, then he may fre- quent the Temple as often as he pleafes, and as frequently confult Priejis and An- chorets ^ but he will be dill as great a Stranger to God and Godlinefs, as if he never had feen a Pa^od, nor converfed with S Pried all his Life. I confefs, the Pried- E a hood
5 1 The Fifth Conference]
hood is a great BlefTing ; for the Priefls Lips ihould preferve Knowledge, and we ihould enquire for the Law at their Mouths ; for with them are intruded the Oracles of God : But your Bramans are no Priefls of the Living God, but Miniflers of dumb Idols, which can't help you in time of need.
But, above all things, pfay don't harbour fuch a mean and defpicable Opinidn of the Priefts, as if they were of no other ufe but to abfolve you from your former Sins, to the end you may the more ehearfully proceed in your old Trade of Sinning : If this were the great ufe of Priefts, we might live as happily without them.
To this they made no other Anfwer, but that I had great reafon to thank God, who had given me a found Underftanding ; and feeing it had not pleas'd God to endue them with the fame high Degrees of Knowledge, they thought they were not requir'd to re- turn me any Anfwer.
I faid, Repentance doth not fo much i-equire a learned Head, as a fincere, ho- neit Heart ; and if you would underftand the Things of God, pray earneftly unto the Fountain of all faving Wifdom, and he will enlighten your Minds with the Knowledgfe
of
of a Rich Man^s entring into Heaven, 52
of hlmfelf, and anoint your Eyes with Eye- falve that you may fee the Beauty of Holi- nefs.
They reply'd, Had you read our Mala- harian Books, you would have entertain'd another- guife Opinion of our Religion,
Very well, faid I, If uppn this Condition you promife Amendment of Life, and Obe- dience to the Word of God, favour me with the befl; of your Malahari^ti Writings, and I aflure you, I will perufe them with all due applicatioq.
They anfwer'd. Yes, that wie promife to do with all our Hearts.
Then I call'd for a Malahariayi Clerk, who wrote out a Catalogue of tlie befl Books extant in their Language, and laid it before them ; but they faid, they had but very ^^w of thofe Books in their own pofie/Iion ; tho' they did not qaeftion but the Bramans and other Prieds would find out thofe Books ; but they are fuch Writings, that are not to be underdood, unle{s the Authors themfelves wou'd rife from the dead, and be plcas'd to be their own Interpreters.
F 3 Thafti
54 The Fifth Conference^ Szcl
That's no matter, fald I, do you but pro- cure me the Books, and you ihall be paid for them, or Til get them written out.
This they promifed to do, and re^ ^ir'd.
Con-
55
Conference VL
Containing feveral Parti- ciilarsy &c.
Between a Malaharian Heathen, accom- pany'd with feveral others ; and a Danifh Miffionary.
ON the Firil of January 1708, I was vifited by a Venerable old Malaharian ^ accompanied with many others of his Friends to wifh me a happy new Year ; addrelTing himfelf to me in thefe Words :
I widi you all manner of Health and Prof-
perity this Inflant new Year ; I wifli you
may continue labouring, but lofe no Strength ;
E 4 and
^6 The Sixth Conference^
and that you may be an old Man, but that your Vigour may remain ; and that you may be great, and happy, and obtain all what you your feif can hope to Enjoy.
I returned the fame Compliment, and faid, I wifli you in like mariner, a happy new Year : May the gracious God that made you, and fent me to this Country, to offer you tHe Terms of Salvation, make this Year a Year" of Jnhilee unto you, by giving you Repentance unto Life^ accompany'd with a lively Faith in his Son Jefus Chrift ! May the great God deftroy, and root out Idola- try trom your Hearts and Temples ! May his Kingdom come into your Hearts with Power, and that of the Devil and Dark- nefs be weaken'd more and more ; that the Meffias may become, not only the King bf the Jews and Chrifitans^ but alfo th0 King of all the Nations of the World.
Having concluded our mutual good Wifties, we fat down ; and I asking theni if they had underftood the fubftance of what I had fpoken , they anfwer'd, yes ,* and that they were very much obliged to oie for >py friendly Willies.
containing fever al Particulars^. Yj
I reply 'd, 'tis then you'll have juft Rea- fons to be thankful, when, repenting of your Sins, you return to the Lord your God, and Worfliip him only, who has made the World and all that therein is.
Then, asking me. Wherein confifts true Repentance ? I anfwer'd, it does not confift in changing your Names^ or in changing your Pagot/s tor our Churches ; hut it confifts in the thorough Change and Renovation of your Minds, in ceafing to do Evil, and fol- io w^ing that which is Good ; fo that you be- come new Creatures, endued with new De- fires and Affedions, crucifying the old Man, with all the Lufts thereof. And when this glorious Change is wrought in your inward Man, you'll chearfully and willingly change your outward Behaviour ; you»ll leave Ido- latry and Heathenifh Delufions, you'll defire to be baptiz'd in the Name of the Lord Je- fus ; you'll frequent the Congregations of the Faithful, and covet to be made Parta- kers of all the Privileges of Chrift's true Difciples : And we can't till then allow you to be truly penitent, and rightly pro- felyted to our Religion.
All
j8^ Tb^ Sixth Conference]
All this, faid they, is divinely fpoken j but pray, tell us, if all Chriftians are really fuch holy Mea as you would have us be.
To this I anfwer'd, all Chriftians at their Baptifm enter into a very Solemn Covenant with the Glorious, Trinune God, to renounce the Flefh, and the Devil, and all the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World ; and on the contrary, they fwear to take God the Father for their Lord and King ; Jeftu Chrift his only begotten Son, for their Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit of God for t:heirSand:i- ficr, to fear, to love, and obey God all the Days of their Lives j and by vertue of this Baptifmal Covenant, they are acceptable to God in his beloved Son : But we muft con- fefs, with Grief and Shame, that very few of them ftudy to obferve what they have Solemnly vow'd to keep in their Baptifm ; but fufier themfelves to be drawn away, and deluded by their deadly Enemies the Fleih, the World and the Devil, to the^ fcandal of our holy Religion, and to the Hardening of Heathen Nations in their Infidelity.
All
containing feveral Particulars,,
AW what you fay is very right, faid they ; but, before we leave an old Objed, in onder CO embrace a new one, 'tis but reafonable that you Ihew the Old to be very bad, or the New one to be much better j this is eafily applicable to the Subjed: Matter of our Dif- courfe. r
'I willingly comply, faid I, to your De- mands ,• for they are highly reafonable and eafie to be demonflrated : For your prefent Circumftances are miferable and dangerous, having no Knowlege of Spiritual Things, plung'd in the Mire of fenfual Employments, without Hope, and without God in the World. This is the State and dangerous Condition that we urge you to leave forth- with, and to change it for one more Glo- rious and Excellent, accompanied with all the Advantages that the Rational Creature is capable ot ; I mean, a State of Grace and Reconciliation ; God pardoning all your Sins, for the Sake of Jeftu Chrifi^ and flrengthening you for the future to quench the Luds of the Flefli, and all the fiery Darts of the Devil ,• and to live in Heaven, and converfe with Angels, and with the Spirits of Juft Men made perfed:, while you have yourCommoration here on Earth. I think, there is no need of further Proof, to fl\ew
that
y^f^ The Sixth Conference^
^that this State and Condition is in it felf 2iS Eligible as the other is Miferable , and to be fhun'd by all that have not put out the Eye of Reafon, and are not defperate- (y driven on by Pafllons, fuffering the Brute to rule, and not the Man.
STo this they anfwer'd, As to what \s Morally Evil, 'tis agreed on all hands that *tis to be avoided ; but it does not yet ap- pear, why we Ihould leave cur Religion and the Temples of our Gods, till you make put the Matter more clearly : But enough "> of this at prefentj we muft go to Comple- ment fome other Friends upon this New-q Years-day.
I ask'd them, What will your wifliing a good new Year to your Friends fignifie, when you your felves continue in your old mife- rable Courfe of living > Change your Courfe, and lead a new Liie, and then this will be a blefled Year to you, and to as many of your Friends as will foiiQw you in thefe Ge- nerous Refolutions ; But if you flop your Ears to my Exhortations, it may be, you may die in your Sins, and never fee another new Year ; or if you do, you may not meet with this kind Invitation of Heaven to ;re* pent and believe the GofpeL
They
containing fever al Particulars. 6 i
They anfwer'd, All comes to pafs ac- cording to the Will of God.
Pray, faid I, confider agaiii and again, that 'tis the revealed Will of God that you ihould repent, and leave your Idolatry, left you be given up to Hardnefs of Heart, as a Punilhment of your Unbelief.
They thank'd me for my Friendly Ad-' pionitions, and bid me Farewel,
tjciai
^}
Conference VIL
Of Regeneration^ and no Sal- vation out of Chrifi.
Between a Mahometan Prieft and one of the Dantfl) Miffionaries.
TH E Twenty third of Jannary 1708, a Mahometan Prieft from Negapatffum, favour'd me with a Vifit, accompany 'd with fome others , both Heathens aqd Mahometans, whom I receiv'd very kindly, asking the Prieft, if among his Congregation in Nega- patnum he had many fober and ferious Men?
No
$4 The Seventh Conference]
No, faid he ; For 'tis a great 'Rarity * now a- days, to meet with an honed Mart among either ChriflianSy Pagans or Maho^ fnetans.
True, faid I, 'tis the common Com- plaints, that Vertue and Piety are in a very declining Condition in all Parts of the World ,• and that very feU^ do feek after God and Religion as to the Life and Pow- er thereof ^ and yet alas, the Number of thofe that concern themfelves in redref- fing this great Evil, and in reforming the World, is much fmaller. You are a. Priefl in your, and I am a Prieit in my Religion ; fhould not we, each one of us in his re- fpedtive DiftricSb, exert and quit our felves like Men, making all the Efforts poflible to' fupport the Ruins of Piety, and endeavour to reflore true Religion to its Primitive Beauteous Simplicity >
'Tis certainly our Duty fo to do, an- fweFd he ; but» what can a few do among whole Shoals, and a World <jf Unbe- lievers >
YesV
of Regeneration^ &c; 6$
Yes, faid t, a few Hands and Hearts, Cafiifted and influenced by Omnipotency) may do Wonders ; but thofe few, before they pretend to convert others, flibu'd firll adjuft their own Accompts with God, and be themfelves, Men truly fearing God, and hating Covetoufnefs ; well verfed and pow- erful in the Scriptures, that they may be fit to reach and exhort the Ignorant, com- fort the Faint- hearted ; and, when need re- quires, convince the Gainfayers : We muft begin, continue, and finifli our Work in the Strength of the Almighty ,• not efleeming our own Lives dear, if fo be we are call'd forth to lay them down on the Account of Truth and Religion : If a hw Men thus qualified, were refolv'd to ufe their bcft En- deavours with Intrepidity and Greatnefs of Mind, God would make their Way eafie, furniih the neceffary Means, and remove all the Teeming Difficulties, which render the Enterprize impoflible to thofe that are not provided with the whole Armour of God; which is abfolutely neceffary in this Spiritual Warfare.
He look'd me earneflly in the Face, and faid, I could not believe hitherto what I heard fpoken to your advantage ; but now, blefl with your Pre fence, and hearing you
F dif-
66 The Seventh Conference]
dilcourfe of the Magnificent Things of God, I freely confefs, I never heard a Chrijiian lalk as you do.
Sir, faid I, if you (ee or hear any thing that is to be approved of, you are to afcribe it to the free Grace of God which has di- rected me to thefe Parts, to make known unto you the Dodrine of the Gofpel, which can render you wife unto Salvation ; and wifer than your Teachers.
But Sir, faid he, do you mean, that the fame Graces and Gifts are not to be had in our Way of Worfhip ?
Not, faid I; For out of Chrift there is no Salvation : There may be found among turks and Heathens, Men of excellent Na- tural Parts ; but for all that, it may be, they are the worft of Mortals, as to their Morals; But however, as for the faving Gifts and Graces of the Spirit of God, thefe are the Peculium or Property of Chrift's Dif^ ciples J and are abfolutely beyond the Sphere, of Nature's Adivity.
What, faid he, do you then put no Diffe- rence between us Mahometans and the Hea* thens ?
I ac-
of Regeneration^ &c. 6f
I acknowledge, Sir, faid I, that the Ma* hometans worfliip one God only, and fomc tead the Old and New Teftament ,• and up- on this account we efteem you very highly,- and make a great, difference between the Two Seds ; but as to the wain Points re- lating to true Holinefs and Jujlification of i. Sinner before God, we Judge, that you run parallel in erroneous Abfurdities, and yout Opinions to be equally dangerous ; becauie all of you rely upon your own Merit and good Works, exclufive of the Grace of God ,• which Grace is the Beginner, Promoter, and Finiflier, of our Salvation, and without which we can't fo much as think a good Thought, or do any Work acceptable to God : Don't deceive your felves therefore ; and think you are the Darlings of Heaven, becaufe you are preferrable to the Hea. thens in feveral Points, while you want that One Thing neceflary, viz. the Knowledge of your Mifery^ and the Knowledge of a Saviour to dehver you trom the Wrath to come. 1 find by fad Experience, that the Ad van- tages you have over the Heathens, do but render you more untradtable : For their Errors are fo grofs, that they are eafily made manifeft to themfelves ; but vour F.r- fors are fomething more fubtile, and your felves Prouder and more Obilinate.
F ^ I
68 The Seventh Conference'^
I have nothing to fay againfl what you alTcrt, faid he; for 'tis really fo : And as for my Tel f, I labour under Doubts and Scruples about my own Religion ; and my Soul is griev'd at the unfanSify'd Lives of the Ma- hometans ; But, pray tell me your Opinion freely of our Mahomet.
When I well examine, reply 'd T, what your own Writers have left upon Record of the Religion and Manners of Mahomet, I cannot but conclude that he was a great E- nemy to God and Piety ; This I can make out to your Convidion, by alledgingfeveral PalTages of the Hiftory of Mahomet,* But left you fhould fay that we Chrijiians have no Authenticik Records relating to your Prophet, I'll hear you patiently relate his Hiftory, and make my Reflexions upon e- very Paragraph as you go on.
This, faid he, we lliall adjourn to another time i For to repeat all the Hiftory of our Prophet, wou'd require a great deal of time ; fo that there wou'd be no Moments left for your Reflections, nor for myAnfwers: And be fides, I don't approve of all the Paflages therein contain'd.
Sir,
of Regeneration, &c. 59
Sir, faid I, if you don't approve of this Scheme, I will propofe another ,• in the Pro- fecution of which Til make it evident, tha!t Mahomet was a falfe Prophet, and an Impo- flor, fent into the World, not to fave Man- kind, but to be a Scourge unto them for their negledling the Goipel of Chr'ifl, that had been Preach'd in all the Countries where now Mahomet's Dreams and Revertes arc im- pos'd upon the unthinking Croud ; But, go- home dear Sir, for this time, and pray ear- neftly to the great God to guide you to make a Right Choice ; and to the End you may do phis with Succefs, pray, make your own Eepie(5]:ipn upon the Life of Mqhomet^^ arid upon that of Jefm ChriJ} ; and then re- frefli your. Memory with what has pafs'd be- tween us at this time, and compare it with what is ufually taught by your Do6iors. Ifyou take this Courfe, you'll quickly come to, perceive the Falfenefs of i^ij/7(7wf/''s Do- (i^riae ,• and if you pleafe to favour me with^ another yifit, or with a Letter, acquainting' me with your Gircumftances, I'll ^ive you, fuch farther Inftrudtions, or ff nd you fuch, Books, that will put our Chriflian Religion in the clearefl: Light, and that you qiay fee it,,j^vit were. with one View; which will put' you in a Capacity of helping and adi- fling your Brethren.
F 3 He
^p The Seventh Conference.,
He fald, I am overjoy 'd to have made Acquaintance with you ; But now, in the prefence of fo many, I don't think it proper to talk more upon this Head ; But I'll take another Opportunity to difcufs thefe Mat- ?:ers more narrowly.
' Sir, faid I, be not afliam'd, becaufe thefe poor Men are prefent : For I don't queftion, but they would be as willing to hear thefe things enquir'd into, and examin'd, as vour
felf.'
1."
They anfwer'd all together, 'Tis true, we have heard ftrange Things to day ; yet for all this, we muft confefs, that we heard you with fome fatisfad^ion ; and you have the Freedom of fpeaking, and we of approving Vi^hat w'e pleafe.
"Ilanfwer'd, The Truth never makes ufe cR violent Meians to force its Way into the Bofoms of Men ; but carries Strength and Efficacy along with it, and fliines upon the. Underftanding with fuch powerful Light, and furprizes the Confcience with fuch flrange Convidions, that Men do neceffari- ly, and yet very willingly give their Aflent to all its Aflertiorts : And 1 hope, it will be fo with you ; For tho' you feem to make
light
of Regeneratioriy S^ci ^i
Jigbt of the great Truths that have been propos'd unto you ; yet in time of Afflidi- on, they may revive again, and exert thera- felves in your Souls.
Hereupon they all took their leaves of me, promifmg to vifit me another time.
I recommended them to the Grace of God, and told 'em, that I entertain'd great Hopes of their Converfion to the Faith of ChriH:.
The Priell anfwer^d me,' and faid, A" Chrillian well grounded in lus Religion-, wift live and die a Chnjiian ^ ahd fo willi a Mahometan continue the fame,
I told him, that neither Chrijiiam nor Mahometans^ C2iW repent of their Sins, and return to God, without the fpecial Grace of Chrifl y however well vers'd they may be in the Principles of their refpedive Religions. Therefore , faid I, pray that you may be made Partakers of this Grace; of God through Jefus Chrift, that you^ may inherit Eternal Life.
He thank'd me heartily, asking me^ if I had any Commands for Nagapatnam,
F 4 Nothing
7? The Seventh Conference ,
Nothing elfe, faid I, but that you grej^t all Malalarians and Moors at Nagapatfjam in my Name, telling 'cm, that they want all and every one of them, to repent and believe the Gofpel of Chrift, that they niay be faved ; and withal, 1 defire you to pro- cure me an Alcoran in the Malabar ian Language ; and in fo doing you'll oblige me highly.
He told me, that the Alcoran was not Tranflated into the Malaharian Language; but if I would give Encouragement for fuch an Undertaking, he would get it Tranflated for me ; but it cou'd not be done without Money.
Sir, faid I, if you believe your Alcoran to be the Word of the Living God, you Ihould rejoice that Chriftians enquire af- ter it ; and you Ihould get it tranflated, and fend me a Copy ; for which I will fend yqu E^fcellent Writings containing the Dodrineof Jefus.
This he promifed to do, and with^ drpw.
Ire-
of Regeneration, &g« 'j^
I receiv'd, fmce, a Letter from him touching this Matter ; to which I made 3 long Anfwer containing a lliort Account of the chief Principles of the Chrifiian Faitkp with a Confutation of Mahometanifm ; to to which hitherto he has made no Rc^ turn.
Con-
,l\\
75
Conference VIII.
Of the Way of Salvation ; of Repentance , and of many other Farticulars.
ou n^fi'
Between fome Malabarian School- Boys, and others, and one of the DanifJj Miffionaries.
ON the Thirty Firft oi January 1708, I walk'd out with my Malaharian Clerk ; and meeting many of the Heathens in my Way, I took the Opportunity to talk to 'em of the Way of Sal- vation ; addrelTing my felf to em in thefe or the like Terms ,* See how we walk all together
in
1^6 The Eighth Conference,
in the fame Way, and know not whether it ieads ; fliould not this Confideration awa- ken your Defires to enquire into what Way leads to Eternal Happinefs, and whether you are walking In that Way pr not ?
Yes, faid they, that would be a very ufeful Confideration for every one of us,
.:Do you know, faid I? if your Souls are in the Way that leads to Eternal Life, or not.
No, indeed we do not, faid they ; for how iliould we know, when we have no Teacher to dlred pur Courfe ? To whpm ihall we apply our felves for In(lru(5tions ? If we go to our Priefts and confult them upon this weighty Point, we can have no other Anfwer, than this ; Make large Pre- lents, and bring your Offerings to the FagoJs as often as you can, and live in Peace with all Men ; This is all we can learn of
I fear, faid I, you are not in earnefl in quefl of Salvation ; for otherwife you would not confult fuch intereded impudent Priefls, nor their Idols ; but you would apply your (dves to honefl Men that are able and wil- ling
of the Way cf Salvation^ Sccl 77
Jing to teach you the right Way, without Money and without Price.
Sir, faid they, who would not be happy upon fuch eafie Terms ?
I reply'd, Wiihings and Wouldings will not make you happy; you muft beftir your felvcs, and take pains to learn the Way : For who will undertake to go to any place, but does firft inform himfelf of the Road leading thither, and never will be at reft till he can get all the neceflary Dire<flions for the Journey ? Otherwife Men will judge, that he is not really bound for fuch a Place, nor ever defigns the Undertaking fuch « Journey.
If we live, faid they, as our Fathers did before us,and all our other Neighbours round about us, what Ihould hurt us ? Why, can't we be faved ?
No, faid I, you muft not follow the Mul- titude to do Evil ; for that hroadlVay leads to Ruin and Deftrudtion.
Tf we do Good and efchew Evil, can't we then be happy, faid they >
Ai
-^8 The Eighth Confer em f^
As long, fald I, as you remain in the State and Condition you are now in, *tis impoflible for you either to do Good, or to efchew Evil.
How can that be, faid they ?
. .y You muft, faid 1, have a found Know- ledge of the finful miferabie Condition that you are now in, which makes you obnoxi- ous to the Difpleafure of Heaven, and the Objeds of Almighty Vengeance ; When once you arrive at this Knowledge of thcf dangerous Confequences of Sin, you'll try all Ways and Means to deliver your Souls from the approaching Dangers ^ but you'll find no fafety in your {lately Pagoe/s ; and your Priefts and Bramans will be but Phy*' ficians of no Value, to heal a wounded Con- science : Then you'll conceive, that Chriji fefus is the only Phyfician of Souls, and that there is no other Mediator between offended God, and us offending Creatures, but thd Man Chrift Jefus : 'Tis he only hath rc- deem'd both you and us, paying the Price of our Redemption with his own precious Blood upon the curfed Tree of the Crofs, accord- ing to the Prophecies that foretold, many Hundred Years before, his Birth and all %\{z minute Circumftances of his Life, Death
and
of the Way of Salvation, 8ccl 79
and Refurredion. After the forefaid Know- lege of your Sin and Mifery, you mufl: know this Great Redeemer, whofe Mc- fits and Sufferings are accounted yours, if you believe in his Name and lead Lives becoming his holy Gofpel, which contains the Dodrine and Sufferings of our Saviour : And, if you wou'd be his Difciples, you mufl: take up your CrofSy and follow him ; muft fuffer Reproaches and Perfecution for his fake, and be counted Fools, in Order to be truly Wife : And therefore 'tis, that the Way to eternal Life is faid to be Streight and very narrow, and few there he that find it.
What do you fay, Friends, to thefe Things?
They faid, we never heard fuch things in all our Lives ; and what to fay to you, we can't tell.
But you'll know what to anfwer, faid I, after you have walk'd in this narrow Way ; and then you'll Experience the many Difficulties that holy Men mufl meet with in the Pro- grefs thro' this Wildernefs- World, towards a better and more lading Life.
Cjood
86 The Eighth Conference,
Good Sir, faidthey, we are ignorant Peo- ple, and can't difpute with you about fuch Speculative Niceties.
I anfwer*d, This Matter requires no fpe- culative Genitis, but Sincerity of Heart, to examine the State of your own Minds, to the End you may be afTur'd that the great Work of Repentance is begun and perfected in your Souls ; without which you muft E- verlaftingly perilh.
Sir. faid they, you are very defirous to trofelyte us to your Religion ; but we arc taught from our Youth, and appriz'd from good Hands, that the Chriftian Religion is the worft of all Religions ; tho' upon our owrt Experience, we know but little, either of the Vertues or the Vices of Chriftians. If what is reported of their wicked Lives, and of the Stri^^nefs and N^afrownefs of the Way to Heaven, (of which you have been juft now Difcourfing) be true, we have Reafons to fear that few Chriftians will ever come to Heaven : For they commit fuch Abominati- ons, that our polluted Eyes cannot behold them without Horror, nor willingly Con- verfe with them : And how much more will the Holy Eyes of God abhor their Im- pieties, and barr them his Everlafting Pre^
(cnce
of the Way of Saltation^ &c; 8 i
fence ? We ad: freely with you, and tell our prefent ."sentiments and Opinion of the Chrim fiian Scheme ,• but we hope this our Freedom will neither ofTend you, nor difcourage you from refuming the Thread of your Difcourfe, and perfuing your firft Intenti- on.
I reply'd, I am no way offended at what you offer againft our Religion ; for you judge of the Chriftian Dodrine , by the wicked Lives of fome of its Profeflbrs ,• where- as you Ihould examine the Nature and prime Intention of the Dodrine it felf ; which is to prefcribe moH: Holy and Juft Laws to Mankind, marking out to them the Way and Means of Reconciliation with God, and of attaining Everlafting Happinefs : For why lliould a Pious King, and excellent Ruler and Legidator be blam'd, becaufc of fome few Rebels and Felons who trafgrefs his juft Laws by Difobedience and Obftinacy ? But if you would know the true Genius and Ex- cellency of Chrifliamty, come to me, who am a Minifter of the Gofpel, and I will teach you out of the Word of God, the Sum and Subftance of what we Christians are taught to believe and pradtife ; and thea blame it if you pleafe : But if you do obfti- nately refufe to be Inftruded, and rejecSt the offers of Grace and Mercy that God makes
G to
8i 7 be Eighth Confer enccy
to you this Day through my Minidry, youMl certainly be condemned at the great Airize, for your wilful and obitinate Refufal of the Tenders of Salvation. An4^s for the pre- tended Oilence given you by the Lives of fome Chriftians, they, without doubt, are the Enemies of the Crofs of Chrifi j and the Extremity of Pains and Torments is referv'd for them among God's Enemies.
There are fome among us, faid they, that keep themfelves difengag'd from any parti- cular Sect whatfoever, and from fymboliz- ing with any Set of Religious Ceremonies, and Temple- Woriliip, contenting themfelves to adore, revere and love, with humble Minds and ardent Afted:ions, the Great Cre- ator of the Univerfe.
I know this to be a current Opinion a- mong fome of your Dodors, faid I, Efpeci- ally, in the VYritings of Dirwalluwer and Tfchiwawakkium j both which Authors have written incomparably well of the Abibrdities of the Pagodworfhip^ of your grofs Idolatry, and of the Vanity or all tranfitory Enjoy- ments ,' laying down fine Rules for walking in the fair Paths of Vertue ; and of making further Progrefs in the practical Knowledge ot found Wifdom ; But in all their learned Writings, they give you not the leall Hint,
or
of the Way of Salvation^ &c, 8 }
or Account of the Original of Sin and Mife^ ry ; without which Knowledge, all the Arts and Sciences are but in/ignifieant, empty vSpeculations, and vain Wifdom of great founding Words, that will .never enable us to do any onevertuous Ac5i:ion, truly accep. table to God : For this is the firii Truth necelTary to be learnt by every one ttiat would be happy in the Enjoyment of God, Diz. that he is an Enemy to Gcdhy Nature, and born a Child of Wrath and Hell, as well as others ; and muft know CHRISTthGRe- deemer of Men ; whereof thefe Authors were altogether ignorant, being not Inftru- ded in the Inlpir'd Writings ot the Old and Kew TeOament, which lay before us the , Way to everlafting Life and Immortality, hid before ; from the Wife Men of the World, who made fruitlefs Attempts to purchafe Heaven with their own Money, and the Fa- vour of God with their pretended meritori- ous Performances of Self-will Woriliip, to the feeming Mortification of the Heili ; but no Way contributing to the Renewal ol the in- ward Part, and changing of the Heart. Your Eramans indeed, do boaft, that they have a Law writ by God himfelf; in which* his Will andPleafure, in Relation to Mens Sal- vation, is clearly manifefled ; but in this they are great Impoftors, abufing the credulous ignorance of the People j for they never G 2, cao
84 The Eighth Confer eHce]
can produce any fucli LavV, and fubmit If to the impartial Perufal of learned Men.
Upon this, they faid,they would talk of thefe rriatters another time ; but that they were now bound to take ano:her Route.
Then I bid them adieu, charging them not to forget what had pafs'd between us, in relation to the Do^rine of Salvati- on,
Thence I came to a Houfe where Tra- vellers and Strangers did reft and repofe themfelves, and wherem a School was kept for thelndruftion-of Youth; where, after having refted a while, I applyd my felf to fome of the Children, and ask'd them, who created them ? Some anfwer'd, they did not know ; and others faid 'twas Tfchiwen made them, who is the Almighty God, Creator of all Things.
I ask'd them, how come they to know that Tjchiwen was God ?
Our Parents, faid they, and School Ma- ilers taught us.
I ask'd them, if they belie v'd Tfchiwen had a Body as Men and Women have ?
They
of the Way of Salvation^ &c, 8 J
They faid, Yes ; and Eats, and Drinks, Sleeps, and Walks, and has a Wife as other Men have.
I anfwer'd. My dear Children, You are grofsly mifinform'd about the Nature of the God that made you : For he has no Bodily Shape, no Fiefli and Blood ; but is a pure immaterial Being that can't beliken'dto any thing that is either in FJeaven or Earth,- and his Name is not Tfchhven, but Saruwefuren (God ;'^ be never had a Wife ,- yet he had a Son before the World u^as made, God, blef- fed for ev( r, equal to the Father, begotten by a Generation, to all Mortals very incom- prehenfible. This vSon of God was fent in- to the World to afliime the Fluman Nature, to the end he might* fuffer and die for the Sins of all the World, and fatisfie the De- mands of infinite Juftice, violated by rebel- lious Men ^ his Name is "^efm Chrtfl or the anointed Saviour; becaufe he faves his Peo- ple from their Sins, by deftroying the De- vil's Sovereignty over them, and bringing them to the Knowledge of the God thai: made them, and enabling them by his Spi- rit to live holy Lives, worthy of his glorious Gofpel in all Godlinefs and Honefiy ; and therefore, my dear Children, this is the pod that you mult know j and to that end, G 3 you
^6 Ihe Eighth Conference ,
you muft fuffer your felvcs to be guided and inftrudted by his holy Laws, comprehend- ing all the great Truths necellary to be learnt, in order to attain everlafting Happi- nefs.
They reply'd, Our Bufinels is to learn to read and write ; and our School- mailer never taught us any fuch abflrufe Noti- ons.
Then directing my Difcourfe to the Ma- iler, I wonder. Sir, faid I, that you don't inftrud: thefe Children in the Knowledge of God and Godlinefs.
My chief Bufmefs, faid he, is to teach them to read, write, cail Accompts, and to give them fome fmall Tafle of the Arc of Poejje ; but as for thefe things you mention, they fliall (ludy them herearter, when they come to riper Ycars^
This, faid I, is the fitted time to feafon the Minds of Children with the faving Knowledge of God and Religion : For they are not yet prejudiced in favour of Vice ; and therefore they are prone, and as it were, inclin d to tall in Love with Vertue, if you do but expofe her before their Eyes in all ^he.Perei colons of her excellent Beauties ^ and
the
of the Way of Salvation^ Src. 8 f
the chief reafon why we find Co many Ig- norant old Men every where, is, becaule they are not intruded in their Youth : And whence comes all this unpardonable .Supine- nefs and Negligence, but from the grofs ig- norance of you School-mafters, who know nothing to inflrud: Children in, but the fa- bulous Stories of your falfe lying Gods ? But, as for the true God, you are as ignorant of his Nature, as you are difobedient to all the Rules of moral Vertue : For you make your Difciples feven times the Children of Perdition more than they were before, by your loofe Lives and corrupt Manners; for which you fliould be afliamed: Repent there- fore, and turn to the God that made you, to the end you may be capable of Inftrucfting thefe Children in the Nurture and Admoni- tion of the Lord.
He held his Peace, and anfwefd not a Word ; Whereupon there came in a Dawa- tafchi, or a Woman that ferves in their Tem- ple, and faid to me. Pray, Sir, why do you propofe fuch hard Queftions to this poor ig- norant Man ? If you will confult about Ah- flrufities and puzzling QueftioiiS, go to our Bramans, whofe Employment 'tis to talk a-f boMt thefe abHraded Notions.
G 4 I
88 The Eighth Confer mce^
I arifwer'd, Thofe that are in a found State, have no need of a Phyrician ; and thofe that are wife, need no teaching ; I come to in- (lru(St the Ignorant, and more efpecially (uch as confefs their Ignorance of the Ways of God and Salvation : For this is the firll flep to the Attainment of Knowledge (xj/z.) an Ingenuom Confejfion of our Ignorance ; whereas your Bramans, whom 3'ou call l^'ife and Knowings are the fartheft of all, from the Kingdom ot God ; becaufe they think they are profoundly Wife in Matters of Religion, when they know nothing as they ought to know ; but are proud and vain, impatient, and incapable of Inftrudion : Wherefore I chufe to confer with the Ignorant and Un- learned, in order to teach them true Wif- dom, which is capable to make them wife un- to Salvation.
You talk a great deal of God, reply'd they, pray tell us lerioufly, have you ever feen him, or can you order matters fo, that ^e may fee him once ?
I reply'd, If my God was an Idol made of Wood or Stone, like thofe you worfliip ia your Pagocfs, then I could eafily fhew him you, and comply with your extravagant Pemand ^ but the Creator of Heaven and
Earth
of the Way of Salvation^ &c- 89
Earth is not to be liken'd to any Creafure whatfoever > nor is he to be feen with bodi- ly Eyes ; nor is he the Objed oi our Exter- nal ^enfes ; but he is the Objed of all piowi Mindsy to whom he difcovers himfeif more and more by the Revelations he makes of himfeif thro' the kindly Suggeftions of his Holy Spirit ; but hides his Face from all fuch who run after Graven Images, and gives them up to a reprobate Mmd, to believe a Lye and vain Dreams.
Then flood up another Woman, and faid. Sir, You are very much in the right ; and what you fay of our PagodWox^ii^, and of its Miniilers, is but too true i For this very Woman that talks with you, is devoted to the Service of the Pagod, and lives all the while a fcandalous Life ^ and 'tis notorious, ^at fhe has had Three Ballard - Chil- dren.
t
I reply'd, The Reafons why all your Re- ligious Women who ailiil: at the Performan- ces of F^(^<7^Ceremonies,are unexceptionabiy great Whores^ is, their reading the Amorous Intrigues of your Whoring Gods and Goddell fcs ; which rationally induces them to believe, that 'tis their Duty to imitate all the Actions of their Gods: And, one fliould think, tiiat this one Refledtion, fo obvious and true,
iliould
go The Eighth Conference^
ihould make you abhor the Thoughts of frequenting a Pago^t tor the future, where you know thofe lalie Gods have their Ha- bitation, that are the Promoters of all Un- deannefs and filthy Luds.
And going thence to another Village, in Ijiy Way, I met feveral Bramavs, and ask'd them , How long will you go on. Sirs, to delude the Ignorant People.
They reply'd, We have veneralle Anti- quity on our fide ,• our Fathers profefled this Religion, and fo do we.
I reply'd, If your Fathers and Great Grandfathers were poor and neceflitous, does it follow, that you muft reflect Difparage- ment on their Memories, if you, with ho^ neft Tndudry, endeavour to enrich your felves, and provide better for your Children than they did for you ? And why fhould you think it any Refledion on your Ance- ilors, to furpafs them in the Knowledge of God, feeing 'tis as evident that all of them were grofsly Ignorant of Things relating to eternal Happinefs, as fome of them were poor and mean as to their outward Cir- cumftances.
AW
of the Way of Salvation, 8zc. 9 1
All this could not engage them to flay and difcourfe the Matter with me ; but all the Anfwer they made, was, that whea they come to die, they defire to go to no better Place than where their Fathers are.
Thereupon I came back to the Inn, and found there many Pilgrims^ who had, as they themfelves told me, left Houfe and Home, Wives and Children, and all they had in their own Country, in Obedience to the High Commands of their Angry Gods, who had enjoyn'd them a very long Pilgrimage ; who teach them, tiiat all they polTefs, is none of their own ; that they are oblig'd to leave all, to pleafe their angry Gods, and atone for pad Offences.
But, anfwer'd I, How came you to know all this; and that 'tis the Will of God that you (liould undergo uicli long Journeys, and do fuch fevere tedious Penances.
We read, faid they, how the Gods appear to fuch as abandon all they have for the love of them ; and ho^v they blefs their faithful Votaries with higher Degrees of Wifdom , and other dillingaifliingj Marks
of
gi The Eighth Conference^
of their Favour and gracious Acceptance of their toilfome Pilgriniages.
J ask'd them, How long they had lead that Pilgrimage flate of Life ?
They reply'd, For this lad Fourteen Years.
And did the God never appear to you in all this time, faid I ?
They anfwer'd, No, not once.
I ask'd them farther, Are you entertain'd wherever you come, with the Neceflaries of Life ? And are Men kind to you ?
Not very kind, faid they ; for the World is not now fo Charitable as it was wont to be towards poor Pilgrims.
Then I faid to them, I wonder that you are able to undergo fo many, and fo great Aufterities: For certainly, you enjoy but little of the Comforts of this Life ; and I pi- ty your miferable Condition fo much the more, inafmuch as I am affur'd, you'll be ss miferable in the Life to come, if yoi; continue in this rambling Pilgnmage-ilate of Sin and Ignorance : For you have no
Know-
of the Way of Salvation, &c. 9 J'
Knowledge of the true God ; but give that Honour and Worfliip, due to him only, to dumb Idols, and Images that are no Gods, but Inftruments of Delufion employ 'd by the Devil, the Enemy of Mankind, to make you deviate from the Ways of Truth ; and therefore you'll reap no Benefit from all thefe Bodily Exercifes and Aufterities of a long tedious Penance ,• becaufe they are not enjoyn'd upon you by the true God ; but are a Free- Will offering which you make to the Idols and Images of your own Inventi- ons and Making ,• which is an Abominationi to the true God, who will alone be wor- lliipp'd in Spirit and in Truth ; and requires Repentance from dead Works, and from your former vain Converfation, by a tho- rough Change of the Heart, accompanied with an outward Carriage anfwerable to fuch a great Change wrought in your Souls by the Almighty Power of God. This is the Repentance requir'd of you ; but not foolifhly to leave your native Country , youi? Wives and Children, and all that was dear and valuable unto you, without any Rea» fon ; and to create your felves a great deal of unneceflary Troubles and Fatigues, and at the fame time moled Strangers with your burthenfome unwelcome Company : And, befides that this idle, wandring fort of Life, is finful in it felf, and gives occafionto com- mit
^4 '^f^^ Eighth Conference^
mit all kind of Villanies, I know of no Ad- vantage that you can reap from this long Pilgrimage, unlefs that it hath afforded, you a fit Opportunity to be intruded by me at this time in the true Dodrine of Salvation, that you may renounce your Idolatrous Er- ror:> and Su perditions.
They ask'd me, Pray, Sir, who, and what are you ?
I am, faid I, a Minifi:er or Servant of the Living God, who created Heaven and Earth, fent to you to warn you to leave the Idols of your own making, and to turn to the Worfliip oi: the true God.
They anfwer'd, our Religion has never been called in queftion as to its Divine Original, and our Gods are true Gods,
I feply'd^ 'Tis very true, that your Fa- thers have worfiiipped thefe dumb Idols for fome thoulaads of Years ; but God, out of his Grace and Mercy, offers you theleea- fie Terms of Salvation now, in the End of the World, whereof your Fathers where Ignorant,
Tii
of the Way of Salvation , &c, 9 5
'Tis true, anfwer'd one of them, we have a Prophecy firmly believ'd among us, that two great Prophets are to appear among us before the End of this World, in order to work a mighty Reformation among the Peo- ple ol* Malabar.
T anfwer'd, Without confulting the writ- ten Prophecies of your own Laws, you may be eafily convinc'd, that this is the time of your Vifitation : God makes gracious Ten- ders unto you this Day, of the Pardon and Reminion of all your Sins, if you do but ac- cept of the fame with a full Refolution to repent, and turn to the living God, leading new Lives becoming the Gofpel of his Son Jefus Chrifl.
One of them, who was an Ecclcfiaftick^ faid. Sir, I freely own the Errors of our Religion ; more efpecially, thofe relating to a Plurality of Gods ^ (tho' many ftrong Argu- ments are urg'd in favour of this Opinion ;) for I believe, that there is but OneGo6. and that the IdolWorjhip celebrated in the Pa^ goJsj is but ulekis Vanity.
'&''.'
§6 The Eighth Conference^
I am glad that you are come fo far, laid I, as to believe in one God ; but you muft not flop here : For you muft hkewife en- deavour to know who this One God is. that you may pay him the Tribute of Adoration and Praifes due to his moft excellent Maje- fty i and according to his own Will revealed to us in his holy Laws, in which I am very willing to inftrucSb you, if you will but come to me, with a longing Defire of being in- ftruded in the Things relating to the Salva^ tion of your Souls.
Then a Woman interrupting me, cry'd out, Pray, Sir, who is your God >
I anfwer'd, Your God and mine is but one and the fame God ; and befides him there is none other , we are the Works of his Hands ; he is not vifible (as your wooded Gods or Images) to be lliewn with the Fin- ger, or to be feen with bodily Eyes, unlefs in the Works of the Creation ; wherein we may clearly fee the Effedts of his infinite Wifdom and Almighty Power, in creating this Vifible World, and in .difpofing all the Parts thereot with lb great Proportion and Regularity,- whence anfes the excellent dn- fpeakable Beauty of the whole. 'Tis from this Great God we borrow Life and the Con- tinuation
of the Way of Salvation^ &a 9*7 tinuation of the fame ; ia him we Uve^ wwcy and have our Beings ; and do you ask me where is your God >
That is right, faid another Woman, for God is every where prefent ; and he is adiually prefent in this Tree , tho* we have no Eyes to fee him.
But, faid I, if you'll repient, arid leave your Idolatry and Superflition, and luffer your felves to be inftruded in his holy Laws, the Eyes of your Mind will be open'd, that you may fee God in hi$ Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs , in all and every one of his Creatures ,• but more efpecially, in your felves : For holy Men and Women are the Temples of the living God^ and the Places of his mod Gracious Refidence : Seek him there, ac- cording to the Diredions I ihall give you out of his own Word^ and you ftiall cer- tainly find him, and enjoy him for ever.
Thereupon they left me, arid I returned home ; and as I was near the City, a Mer- chant call*d after me, asking if he might propofe to me fome Qjieftions.
H 1
98 The Eighth Conference^
I anfwer'd , Yes , Sir , with all itiy Heart.
He ask'd me, What do you fay to the Durations of the Pains and Torments of Hell i Are they to have an End, or are they endlefs and Everlafting.
I reply 'd, They are certainly endlefs, and will endure for ever.
Is there no Redemption thence, added he?
No, faid I ?
But, Sir, how can this rationally be, faid he, feeing that we live in this World but for few Years, and our finful Adions are, as to their Duration,tranfitory ; why then ftiould the Punifliment be Eternal ? The neceflary proportion attending diftributive Jliftice> is not obferv'd here. . j
But Friend, faid I, The Sinner oflending the infinite Juflice of God, and refufmg to accept of Grace and Mercy upon the ea/ie Conditions of Faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift^ and Repentance towards God, while the Days of Grace, and the Time of Salvation
is
t)f the Way of Salvation^ &:c, g0
is riot yet at an End, dies in his Sins, and continues to Sin on in Hell for ever; which: calls for Punijhments anfwerably ete rnal : Therefore, if you would avoid the Eternity of Hell. Torments, repent now in time, up- on which depends your Fate of being Ever- laftingly happy, or unhappy for ever, both as to the Soul and Body ; which if Mortals did but ferioufly confider they would difen- gage themfelves from all Earthly Ties and lead Lives worthy of the Divine Nature, to which they are fo ftrid:ly related ; and would have their Meditations in Heaven, whilft they have Commoration and Abode in this finful World.
Upon this we came both into the City^ and parted;
H z Con-
101
Conference IX.
Of the Nature and Propers- ties of the Malabarian Gods ; and of the tnciim'- J?ent Duty every one is nn^ der to reclaim his Ere-- threnfrom fdojatry^ &c.
Between many Bramans and one of the Dani/Jj Millionaries.
ON the Fifth of March, 1708, I un- dertook a Journey to Diruht/^eur^ a very large City belong ng to the King of Taf^jour, adorned with beautiful Buildings ,* efpecially with H 3 ^ three
I o 2 The ^inth Conference,
three {lately Temples, or Fagods^ very near one to the other, all in a Line, with fine Approaches and Entrys to them on both Sides. Near thefe Pajods^ the King of Tan- jour has built a (lately Palace, for his Recep- tion when he comes a-pilgrimaging here. After I had feen the Town, I fat down in a Garden near the Bramans Inn, whither very many Priells and Bramans flock'd about me ; whom I entertained with a Difcourfe about the Being and Attributes of God ; to which they gave very great Attention : Then I dillributed Twenty Five Sermons among them, which had been preach'd in our Jerufalem-CAwxrch, at Tranquehar : Where- upon a greater Confluence of Heathens came to me, v/hom I heartily exhorted to feek after the True God that created all Things, and to fludy to know his Will, to the End they might be made happy in this, and in the next World J telling them, that if they did con- tinue to woriliip Graven Images, that neither hear, fee, nor underftand, their Punifhments would be certainly unavoidable and ever- lafling : But if you, faid I, do this Day hear and obey his Voice, and own him, and his Son Chriji Jefus^ for your Lord and Saviour, he will prevent you with his Mercies, and pardon all your pall Sins, enabling you to do what is acceptable and well'pleafing in
his Sight.
Then
of the Malabarian Gods. 103
Then flood up a Venerable Old Man, and faid, What you have faid of God's Be- nefits towards us, and of our unthank- fulnefs towards him, is all very true ; but that we have no True, but falfe Gods in our Country, this you are ftill to demon. Urate : For tho' the Chriflians call us Hea- thenSy we are not fo in Reality ; but we are a very Ancient Nation^ whofe Religion is as OU as the World it felf ; and many of our Gods have done great Miracles among us ; and more particularly, our God IVinsjagoMy who built us our great Temple, and dwelt in this Place among us.
I anfwer'd, about 1700 Years ago, the the Europeans were all Heathens, profe/Iing Idolatry, as you Malaharians do at this time ; but God was pleafed to call them to the Profeflion of the Gofpel of his Son Jefus Qhrifi ; whereupon their Eyes were enlight- ned to fee the Falfnefs of their own Religion, the Pious Cheats of their Cunning Pnefts, and the Vanity of all Idol-worihip ; and they did forthwith renounce the Superltitions received from credulous Antiquity, and re- turned to the Living God, from whom their Fathers had departed, in the Purfuit of Fidions and Fables, the mere Inventions oF wicked and defigning Men : Therefore I H 4 don'i
tq4 The Ninth Conference^
upbraid you with your Ignorance, nor re- fled Difparagement upon your Country, becaufe of the Natural Errors prevaiUng among yoq this Day : For my Countrymen have been for fome Thoufands of Years in the fame miferable Condition : Nor do I at all wonder, that you are fo tenacious of the erroneous Traditions of your Fathers : But if you will with Patience hear me declare unto you the Dodrine of the Holy Bible, you il caft from you thefe Vain Idols, and worfliip the True God in fincerity of Mind ; Nay, if you do but confult your own Rea- ibns, you'll fee they are but mere Vanity and Lies : For how can an underflanding^ rea- foning Man, take a Piece of Wood or any Other grofs Matter, hewn into the Shape of a Swine, Fifli, Tortoife, Horfe, or into any other Four-FIeaded, Eight handed, Thee-ey'd monftrous Form, for his God ? Or be per- fuaded into a Belief, that the God whom he honours for the Objed of his Adoration, is married, has many Children, committeth Adultery, Murder, Theft, and all the moft execrable Villanies ; and has wag'd War for many hundred years with a neighbouring God , about mere Pun^ilios of Honour and Precedence, commanding Men to exer- cife fuch Abominations as are not to be nam'd without Sin j and at laft fome ravenous B.eall ? As for exa^nple, your God Wifcktntt
has
of the Malabarian GodSn lOJ
has been feveral times Metamorphosed in vc. ry many different monftrous Shapes ; Biru- wa had three Heads and eight Hands ; and Ifruen had an Elephant's Snout.
Moreover, iVifchtnu had many Concubines, and metamorphors'd himfeit into a young Woman, to quahfie himfelf to commit Un- cleannefs with IJunn ; and many more fuch Atchievments are recorded of him, whereby he deluded many hundred of Wpmen, who fell paflionately in Love with his Beautiful Deporture and fine Mein.
Ruddirea, another of your Gods, is no lefs infamous for fuch wicked and violent Practices j for once he forc'd a young She- Slave, that refus'd to comply with his luflful De fires ; and IVifchtnu deceiv'd Mauei, to the end he might dirpofTefs him of the Go- vernment of the Univerfe : Ruddireu^ Wifcht- nu, and Biruwa^ quarrelled together about Precedence ; whereupon Ruddireu Stabb'd Wifzhtm^ and (Iruck of Birumas Head.
The God Rafchanidizen ran raving Mad far a confiderable time. Ramen and Lethf- chemen wag'd fuch bloody Wars with Rawa- fi€H as ended in the utter Deftrudion of all the Three Fighting Deities. Your God Ifcbok. kaitadeu adted Sixty four Comedies in this
Coun.
106 The Ninth Conference^
Countrey ; Wijchtnu is fleeping upon Ser- pents in a Sea ot Milk ,• and Pulleiar is con- tinually eating and drinking on a Milky Sea fweetned with the fineft Sugar ,• Jfurea is everlatlingly Dancing .
Thefe are the Atchivments of your Gods thro* whom you exped Eternal Happinefs.
I wonder that you are not afliam'd of thefe vile Pradices of your Gods, which would render any Man ( if guilty of the lame ViHanies) the Objed: of all honefl: Mens Scorn aqd juft Hatred, who would cut him offwith the Sword of Juftice as un- worthy to enjoy the Benefit of Human So- ciety, or of walking upon God's Ground. Therefore repent without delay, left you pe-^ rifh in your Sins.
Then the Manikaren^ or the Gover- nor of the Place, askd, whence have you this Account of our Gods ? And how came you to know their feveral Names and Dig- nities.
Sir, anfwer'd I, by reading and perufing your Books ; and therefore I offer nothing; upon Hear- fay.
Ano-
of the Malabarian Gods. 107
Another (lood up, and faid, Sir, You would have us believe you to be a very fandified and holy Man ,• but give me leave to tell you, that it does not become an holy Man to hhfpheme our Gods ; for true Piety defpifes no Man upon Account of Religion ; and 'tis therefore we Malaharians do neither condemn nor defpife the Chriftians upon the Account of their Religion.
I anfwer'd, I neither cenfure nor defpife any of you as to your Perfons, or anything that is commendable in your Religion ; but I reafonably condemn your grofs Ignorance, and your falfe Woriliip pay'd by you to Noun, entities and Vanities honoured with the Title of Gods ; and therefore both out of Duty to the true God, and out of loving-kindnefs to- wards you, I can't but fpeak the things that belong to your eternal Happinefs, tho' you condemn me of Raflinefs and ill Manners for fo doing : For this is the Will of God, that you may be found a holy People pre- pared for every good Work : And therefore I exhort you in his Name ; and authoriz'd by his high Command , I charge you no% to negled the great Salvation that is tendred to you this Day by ray Minir ilry.
Then
ic8 The Ninth Conference,
Then flood up a Braman, and raid, I never have feen hitherto any of all you Chri- flians taking any care for the faying his own Soul, by doing Penance for his 5ins: Whereas we Malaharians undergo many tei dious and long Penances, 4sKying our felves all the Pleafures pf^isLife ; fonie fpending their whole Life in Pilgrimage from one Country to another, and there are as many that (land mod part of the time upon their Heads, living purely upon the Charity of others ; fome pray the Gods with Hands lifted up fo long, that they can't take them down again, nor move them from that ere- <aed Pofture ; and more fuch Aufterities arc exercis'd among us Malahariam for the Hq. nour of our Gods and Religion ; But I fee no fuch thing Pradis'd among you Chri- ilians.
Sir, faid I, your Severities exercis'd yp- on your own Bodies, are indeed amazing, and to me a ftrong Argument of your being fully convinc'd ot the certain Exiftence of future Rewards and Punijhments after Death; but can be no Proof of a fmcere Repentance : For all this may proceed from a fooHjh De- fire and Ambition of being thought holier, than other Men, and more difengag d from all Worldly Enjoyments, in Order to be
more
of the Malabarian God%l $ 6$
more efteem'd and honour'd than other Men ; 'tis certain that Man will fooner Change his way of Living, and undergo all the Aufte- teft Penances, than change his Hearty and re* ilounce his o)ion Righteoufnefs ^ accounting himfelf after he has done all he can do, a ve- ry unprofitable Servant that has done no- thing but his Duty.
You muft come to this, elfc all your Wiff- Worfhip is of no ufe or advantage to you; I mean, you muft take Jefus Chrift to be your Lord and Saviour, made to you Right eouf- nefsy San^ification and Redemption.
Then faid one of them, this is (Irange Do- iStrine indeed ; fliall not Man do Penance for his Sins, left forfooth, he may be takert notice of by the Croud of the ungodly World \
If true Repentance, faid I, is wrought in your Soul, it will neceflarily be accompanied by a holy Converfation and vertuous Adli- ons.
Then another Braman flood up, and drove away all the Populace, left they might be polluted in their Company ; neither would they approach me too near, for fear of be- ing rtiade unclean by my touching of them.
Then
[l lo The Ninth Confer ence^
Then I faid, Pray, Friends, what make^ you to be fo unreafonably Proud and Arro4 gdnt, and afraid of being touch'd by other Men ? Whereas you Ihould be Examples of Humility to all your Hearers and Difciples that are round about you ?
This is iib Effedt of Arrogance, faid they J but our Family is feparated from other Families of the Earth, and are forbidden by our Laws to keep any familiar Intercourfe with any other fort of People, upon Pain of being efteemed polluted by our own Bre- thren.
Then, faid 1, Pray, Sirs, of what Family do you derive your Pedigree ?
We are defcended lineally, Jinfwer'd they^ from the God Biruma.
Why, faid I, does not €vety Creatui-ci beget his like > And how comes it that you are born Mortal Priefls 5 and not Immortal Gods, if defcended from this Family of the Great God Biruma > He had four Heads ^ and you have but one only ; and are in nothing unlike the reft of the Malaharidns^ unlefsthat you furpafs all the Inhabitants iri all Super- fluity
of the Malabarian Qods: *i 1 1
fluity of Noughtinefs, and fingular, uncom- thon Impieties.
Theri another Bramau addrefs'd me in thefe Words; Sir, All what you have faid in relation to the Family of the Bramans^ is very true: For as to our bodily Appearance, what are we better than the vileft of the Populace > And when we die, our Bodies are reduced to Dufl: and Aflies, as the Car- kafles of the Bareyers, ^ i. e, common Sca- vengers J
At which Difcourfe, the others feem'd to be much offended ; but he went on, and faid, what Madnefs and Folly does poflefs your Minds ? I will Eat and Drink with this Man, and am fure to receive no Damage by fo do- ing; and thereupon came near me, and took me by the Hand, intimating that he aflented to all that I faid on that Head. An old Man that had been formerly the Governor of the Place, did me the fame Complement, and endeavour'd to confirm all that I faid , to the reft of the Bramans, and others there prefent*
Thereupon more Bramans came to me, and ask'd me, if 1 had more Sermons to diftribute ?
I
J I z Th^ Ninth ConfereHcey 8zcl
1 anAver'd, I had no more Sermons with me at that time • but in cafe that they did diligently perufe thofe few I had diftributed among them, I would take care to furnifh them with many more with all convenient fpeed i and for that time I took my leave of them, recommending them all to the Graci- ous Protedlion of the Almighty.
Cdti*
^^f
Conference X.
Of the Education of Touthl and of the Duty of Pa^ rents and SehooUMafters.
Between fome Malab avian School- Boys, and others, and one of the Danijb MifEonaries.
ON the Eleventh of April 1708, I went into a Malaharian School, and ask'd the Children what they learnt. I found they had learnt feveral Books by heart ; but when 1 ask'd them the Meaning of the fame Expreffions they had committed to Memory, and re- peated fo readily,
I They
I J4 T^he Tenth -Conference,
They excus'd themfelves, faying, that their Mafters did not explain to them any of the occurring Difficuhies that are obvious enough to all that read thofe Books.
Mean while, many Mahometans and Mala- hanans aflembled together i and addrefling my fell to the Children, I fpake to this Ef- fed ; My dear Children, the Great God has made you perfedtly beautiful, and en- dued you, not only with ftrong Limbs and healthy Bodies ^ but has blefled you with Immortal 'ouls : It you afpire after true Learning and Knowledge, you mud princi- pally, and in the firft place, ftudy to know God, your Maker ; and from your tender Years, labour to avoid all that has any Ap- pearance of Evil ; and exercife your felves in fill that is honeft and praife worthy ; For otherwife the Devil will draw you afide to the Prad-ice of Vice and Wickednefs : from sh hofe Snares you can't afterwards ea- fily extricate your felves, when you arrive to Riper Years.
I truly lament your unhappy Circum- {lances, to have neither Barents at home, nor Mafters in thefe Publick Schools who are capable and willing to fe?fon your Minds betimes with the favmg Knowledge
of
of the Education of Toiith, &c. ! 1 5
of God ; for both your Parents and Maflers are as ignorant as your felves ; and walk themfelves in the Ways that lead to Hell and Deftrudtion : And as for the Booksyou read, 'tis to your Advantage that you areig* norant of the Contents thereof : For they are of no other ufe, but to corrupt your Un- derftanding, and make you more indifpos'd to learn the Truth in the lieu thereof, and to de/ire the Knowledge of the one only true God, who is Gracious and Merciful, willing that Babes and Sucklings, and all young Children fhou*d be fed with the fin- cere Milk of his Word, and be brought up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord.
Then I ask'd them, Do you underdandl,' my fweet Children, all that I have faid unto you ?
They anfwerd, Sir, we have underftood you very well.
And are you refolv'd, added I, to pra* €t'i^Q what I have commanded you.
They all anfwer'd. Yes, if we know how to begin and fet about it.
1% Then
1 1 6 The Tenth Conference]
Then faid I, when you go from School, and come to any retir'd Place, fall down on your Knees, and fay, 0 thou that has crea- ted the Heavens an A Earth, inflru^ us in the Knovoled^e of thy Gracious Nature^ and holy Will : deliver us from the Power an A Dominion of Idolatry and Superfiition ; And grant ^ 0 Lord we may acknowledge and worfhip no o- the*" God lejides thee^ the only true God* Con- vert us, 0 Lord, and enlighten our Under- fiandings more and more, that we may know our Duty towards thee, our God, and towards all others^ our Fellow-Ci^eatures,
If you thus exercife your felves daily with fincere and pure Hearts, the Lord will have Mercy upon you, and will incline your Hearts to keep his Law, and do all his Will, and will furnifli you with all the fufficient Means neceflary for attaining the Know- ledge neceffary to make you truly happy.
Then one of the Heathens flood up, and faid, how then comes it to pafs, that fome Children are naturally inclin'd to what is Good, and others as naturally bent and in- clin'd from their moO tender Years, to com- mit all forts ofmifchievous Ad:ions, maugre all the good Inftrudions of Parents or School- mailers ? Who is the Caufe oi this
l^rone-
of the Education of Tenths &:c. 1 1 7
Pronenefs to Evil, and Inclination to Ver- tue ; the Parents, God, or the Children themfelves ?
I anfwer'd, God is noway the Caufe, nor the Occafionot the wicked Inclinations, dif- covering themfelves very early in Children: For God made Man righteous without .Spot or Bleniifli, or any fuch thing ; and Maa might have continued in this righteous, fin- lefs State, and propagated Children as righ- teous and innocent as himfelf ,• but our Firfi: Parents being deluded by a wicked fubtle Devil, rebelled againft God by Difobedience, and thereby loft his Image, connfling iq Righteoufnefs and Hol'tnefs^ and became di- fturb'd m all the Faculties of the Soul ; his Underftanding was darkned, and all the Af- fe<5tions dilbrder'd with refped: to their proper Objeds, efchewing Good, and pur- luing after Evil \ and the Children, partak- ing ot all the diforder'd Paffions ot their Parents, are commonly inclin'd to do Evil, before they know what it is to do well ; And this Original Sin is the Source of all adual Tranfgreffions, divided into infinite Rivulets and leifer Streams of Deviations and Errors, in the whole Cpurfe and Stages of Human Life.
I 3 Ths
1 1 8 The Tenth Conference,
Then one of the Company anfwer'd, and faid, What you fay, Sir, carries with it all the Semblance and Colour of Truth ; and I really am of your Opinion, that Children are born with fome wicked Inclination and Pronenefs to Vice ; but as God is the Au- thor of Nature, why does not he prevent, or heal this Original Difeafe of Human Na- ture ; fince no Child is born into the World without the Concurrence of his Divine Will >
Sir, faid I, that none is born without the Concurrence of the Divine Will, is unque- llionably true ; and 'tis as true, that all Children are born and conceived in Sin : 'Tis likewife a great Truth that God is no way accelTary to this Original Evil ; For, as we hinted before, he created our Firft: Pa- rents holy, harmlels, and undefil'd, after his own Image ; but thty found out many Inventi- ons^ and became difobedient to their Creator ; and ever fince, their Pofterity are fmfully inclin'd from their Youth, and therefore need all the pofTible Care, both of Parents and Mailers, to bring them up in the Fear of the Almighty, by making them early, fen- fible of their Incapacity of performing what is requir'd of them, and of avoiding Evil, without the Aflidance of Divine Grace, and
a
of the Education of Touth, S^c. i r 9
9 continual Watch upon their own Hearts ; and that Parents and Teachers may be help- ful and ufeful in bringing up Youth for the Service of God, they mufl themfelves be pious and fobcr, experiencing the Work of true Converfion wrought in their own Souls: and when they are thus difpos'd, God will blefs their honed Endeavours, in teaching little Children his Ways.
Then one of them flood up, and faid. Sir, a Thorn will remain a Thorn ; the Skill and Care of the Husbandman can't convert it into, a Fig Tree.
I anfwerd, We are all by Nature finfully inclin'd, and of a Thorny Conftitution i and by the Care of Parents, Mafters, and the Concurrence of the good Husbandman, (God himfelf,) we are to be really chang'd and renew'd in the Spirit of our Minds, and become new Creatures, bearing much Fruit to the Honour of the Great Husbandman. And as for your Comparifon taken from Thorns, it does not hold at all in this Mat- ter : For Man has Ears and Underftanding ; and therefore capable of hearing and receiv- ing Inftrudion for the better Condud of his Life, which can't be apply'd to vegeta- tive and irrational Beings j becaufe they are not free Agents endu'd with Will and Under-
I 4 (landing
12 6 The Tenth Confer ence^ &c,
(landing, as we fee, Man is, who upon folid Reafons and Perfuafions, can leave his wicked Courfes, and lead a fober and regu- lar Life j and therefore we never defpair of the Converfion of any Man living, however irregular and diforder'd he may be in Life and Converfation : And we experience the Truth of this every Day ; For the belt of Saints have been the word and greateft of Siq- ners.
Con-
jn
Conference XL
Of the Falfenefs of the Hea- then Gods. OhJeBions a- gainfi the Trinity an- fwefd.
Between a Learned Malabarian Phy^ Ccian, and one of the D<^«(/7;Miffia» naries.
ON the Fird of May 1708, there came to me a Learned Malabari- an Phyficiaii from Nagapatttam^ who laid, Sir, I am told, that you have learnt our Language, with a befign to teach us a new Religion.
12 2 *The Eleventh Confer enci^
I anfvver'd, 'Tis the greatefl: Pleafurc of Life to me, to difcourfe with the Maiabari- ans in their own Language, upon any edi- fying Subjed ', and this is the Reafon, that I did alway importune my God m my Pray- ers, that I might attam to a fpeedy and per- fedt Knowledge of the Malahartart Tongue.
He anfwer'd, We have had Chrijlians amongfl: us for many Years who always fcolded at us, calling us Heathens, Heathens ; tho* they never made it out that we were fo indeed ; nor that our Religion isFaife and Heathenifli. I would willingly know your Opinion on this Head.
Sir, faidi, when I confideryourCondud and Addrefsin the AfTairs of this World, I look upon you as a Wife, Ingenious People, of very eafie and agreeable Converfation : But when I refled upon your grofs Igno- rance in the things relating to the Salvation of your own Souls, and upon the Abomi- nations of your Idol-worlliip, I am oblig'd to call you Heathens^ and your Religio^ is Falfe and Impious.
He
of the Heathen Gihif. 125
He reply 'd, Pray, Sir, don't you fee that we own and worfliip a Divine Supreme Be- ing ; believe another World wherein Vertue is rewarded, and Vice feverely puniOied ; and purfuant to this Belief, we do great Pe- nances, and mortifie our Bodies, to the End we may attone the Difpleafure of God, and receive the Pardon of our Sins ; We encou- rage likewife all forts of Vertuous Adions, as earneftly as your felves ,• how can we then be efteemed Heathens ?
I anfwer'd, Pray tell me, Sir, is it better to have no God at all, or to worfliip many Gods who are really Devils.
'Tis better, faid he, to have no God at all, than to worfliip a Devil >
The Cafe is your own faid I j for you have indeed many Idols ,♦ but 'tis the Devil who is worfliipp'd in, and by thefe Images : Therefore according to your own ConteflTi- on, you are much worfe than thofe that wor- fliip no God at all ; for you adually reproach your Maker, by giving the Devil that Ho- nour due to him that made you, and continues your Lives in Being.
But
124 ^^^ Eleventh Conference]
But how can you dcmonflrate, reply 'd he, that we adore falfe Gods > This you are to prove clearly, elfe you fay nothing at all that affed:s our Religion.
I proved, that there was but One God that made Heaven and Earth, by many evi- dent Demonftrations, borrow'd from the Works of the Creation, to his great Satisfa- ction ', then I concluded, if there is but One only true God, all your Idols are no Gods, but Lying Vanities ; as may be lliewn, and pfov'd out of your own Authors ,• For fome gf them have writ very well againd Idolatry and Superftitton^ aflerting boldly, that therp is but One Supreme Being.
He faid, lama Phyfician, and know no^ well what to fay ; but our Priefts will give you fatisfad^ory Anfwers to all your Obje- ctions made againft our Religion, out of a Book intituled Dukkafaflirum, being writ exprelly as an Apology or Defence ot oiir Country- Gpds and Pagod-worfhip.
Sir, faid I, if you can help me to this Book, III (ludy to do you Tome other fer- vice; and if you pleafe, I'll requite you, with a Book that demonftrates the Truth of the Chriltian Faith.
He
of the Heathen Gods. T 2 5
Me anfwer'd., that he was credibly inform'd, there was fuch a Book extant ; but that himfelF had neither feen, nor read it ,• and that the Bramans feldom fuffer Laymen to read fuch Books as thofe ; and much lefs would they be willing that Chriftians fliould perufe fuch Myflerious Writings.
I reply'd, If it is a Book that contains fuch convincing Truths, in favour of your falfe Gods, why don't the Bramatts vouch- fafe lis the fight thereof ? Which would redound to their Honour and Edification : For if your Religion be of a heavenly Ori- ginal, we would willingly embrace it, and pay all due Veneration and Worlhip to the Malaharian Gods : And therefore I am in- clin'd to believe, that there is no fuch Book extant, or that it is in the fame Stile with your other Writings • I mean, weak, infipid and contradiilory.
I (hall adjourn the farther DifcufTion, faid he of this Debate, till fach time that I can bring a Riflil Prophet) along with me, well vers'd in Books of Controverfies and able to anfwer all your Objed^ions relating to Reli- gious Matters.
Do
12 6 The Eleventh Conference^
Do (b, faid I, and bring with you in wri- ting the Demonftrations of the Truth and Reality of your Gods, and HI take care to commit to Writing a Chain of Arguments demonflrating the Falfenefs and NulHty of your Religion ; and both our Writings Ihall be read publickly before an Aflembiy of Malaharians.
He anfwer'd, Tho* I ant now an Old Man, yet I dare affirm, that I neveraddrefs'd my Prayers to thefe Idols, nor ever honour'd them with Sacrifices in the Pagods ^ And on the other hand, I never blafphem'd them, or did any thing that might refled: Reproach upon their Divinity. ^
Then, faid I, you liv'd without God in the World.
I invok'd, faid he, the Caiife of Cau fes ; and in all Humility of Mind ador'd and honour'd the Supreme Being.
T find many of your Mind, faid I, who never rrequent the Vagpds^ nor offer Burnt- facrifices to Idols ; but are (till altogether ignorant of the true God, m relation to his Nature, Attributes, and the Didates of his Divine Will ; and of this you'll be alway
ignoranl
of the Heathen Gods, iz'j
ignorant till you are inftrud-ed out of his Revealed Will. 'Tis to this holy Word of God you muft give diligent heed : For 'tis thro' the Means of this infpir'd Book you are to exped: Everlafting Life.
I confefs, reply 'd he, that we talk a great deal about the Supreme Being; but, pray, tell me, do you know the Man that ever faw God, to the end he may fpeak upoa his own Experience, in more lively Chara- d:ers, and Delineations than have been hi- therto made ufe of in the Definition of God?
God does not appear in bodily fliape, faid I : For he is a Spirit ; but he has ap- peared, and revealed himfelf by his Son Je^ Jm Chrifl, who clothed himfelf with the Garments of Mortality, to the end he might fuf!er tor our Sins, reconcile iis to God, and bring us to him, and to do his Will ; which is our Salvation. If you beheve in Chrifl: the Redeemer of Mankind, your Mind will be more and more enhghtned in the Knowledge of the Supreme Being,
Who is his Son, faid he ? And is hs alfo God.
I
12? The Eleventh Confer en<:e]
I anfwer'd, He is Godlleifed jor ever.
But, pray Sir, recoiled: your felf, faid he, have not you been juft now inveighing a- gainfi: PluraUty oF Gods ? And now I find, you have your felves more than One ; the Fa- ther is God, and the Son is God ^ then you have tix>o Gods.
I anfwer'd. We do not believe Two Gods, but One only God ; tho' at the fame time, We firmly believe, that there are Three Perfons in One Divine Effence; and yet thefe Three Perfons are not Three, but One God : And this we believe as a great Myfte- ry, tranfcending our weak finite Faculties: We are fatisfied, that *tis a revealed Truth in Scripture ; and God, who knows himfelf, has enjoyn'd us to believe a Trinity of Perfons in one Divine Effence ; which we call Father^ Son J and Holy Ghofi.
If God has a Son, faid he, then your God as well as fome of ours, muft have a Wife, and is by Confequence, a material'
Being.
God
of the Heathen Gods* 129
God is a Spirit, fald 7, and tlicrefore has no bodily Siiapc and confcqucntly could nor have a vSon in the ordinary Way of Genera- tion ; but without any Knowlerfge of a Confort, he begat his Son from Eternity, by Generation not to be parallcJI'd in Tinne ; and from Father and Son proceeds the Holy Spirit, the Thirri Perfon in the Ble(Ted Tri- nity ; vvhibh tho' to us Mortals incompre- henfible j yet the Po/Iibilit}^ thereof may be fliadow'd forth by an eafie Familiar Compa- rifon : Out of the Immaterial Soul of Maa proceeds, and is born the Undcr(landhT^ ; and from the EfTence of the Soul, and the Underflanding, emanes or proceeds the Will '^ and yec the Soul, fas to its EfTence) the tJnderflanding, and the Will, are really but One and the fame thing. The Applica- tion thereof is eafie to the Dod:rine of the Trinity as far as Divine Things may be com- pared to Things created, that are within pur Ken.
I find, faid he, that you with fubtil Ways of arguing, can make a Trinity confiftenc with t/«//y ; and if your Explication is Ab- folutely necefTary to malie others underftand what you mean, pray, allow us the fame advantage of explaining the Dodtrine of our Religion, and putting it in the favourabled
K Light
1 3 o The Eleventh Confer encey
Light we can, for the excluding of the Ah- furdities imputed to us ? And this once granted us, 'twill follow, that Our Plurality does not deQroy the Unity o\ God, no more than yotdr trinity does. We worihip the Gods upon no other Account, than becaufe they are the Vicegerents of the Almighty, whole Adminiflration h^ employs in govern- ing the World, as he did employ them at the Beginning in Creating and Forming the fame And our God appearing among Men at fundry times under different Shapes, had at every Apparition a different Name given Him, which contributed very much to the Multiplying the Number of our Images ; whereas in truth, they are but different Re- prefentations of the fame God, under diffe- rent Afpeds and Appearances.
. Sir, faid T, what you fay, is very plaufible, and might weigh with thofe that are not well vers'd in the Articles of your Religion; but all thefe fine explicatory Comments are lighter than Vanity, and have no Weight with me; becaufe I have both read your Books, and {^tn with my own Eyes your Idolatrous jperiormances. For let us fuppofe with you', that the Supreme Being, or God, in the Beginning created thefe Gods, and employ d them to create the World; yet *tis clearj that the holy God would make ufe
of
of the Heathen Gods, j j i
of Lieutenants like himfelf, in Piety and Ju- flice ; and would not employ Publick Rob- bers and Adulterers, plung'd in all the Dregs of Senfuality, and ftudied Mifchiefs, fuch as all your Gods are notorioufly known to be, living in an Eternal State of War and Con- tention among tlicmfelves ,• and more like. ly to bury the World in its own Ruins, or reduce it to its Primitive Chaos 2LX\d Confufion, than to dire(3: this great Machine with any tolerable R^egularity ; efpecially, the moral Adions of free, rational Agents, the chief Care of God's governing Power and Wifdom. As to the Apparitions of your God under various Shapes, 'tis nothing but a mere Fidion of your Poets, Allegorka/Iy fetting forth various Adventures, confident with the Genius of wild undifciplin d Tyrants ; but no ways agreeable to the Nature of the meaneft Servant of the holy God.
Well, faid he, I am refolv'd to confuk our Bramans upon thefe Matters, and urge them to be plain in telling their Meaning freely upon this Head.
K i your
I J 2 The Eleventh Conference,
Your Bramans are much blinder thari your felf in thefe Matters , reply *d 1 ; For tho' they are convinc'd of the Falfe- nefs of their Gods ,• yet they'll hardly own it to you ; for that would turn the .Stream from their Mill ; and their pious Frauds would be expofed to the View of all Mankind. Go home rather, and confult the only true God, praying him earneftly to lead you into all Truth, both of Faith and Pradice ; and then youll clearly fee, that all your Malabar ian Gods are but lying Vanities*
Thefe. Queflions, faid he, have taken all the time that I defign'd for Queftions of another nature.
I ask'd, what Queftions he meant ?
He anfwerd, Queflions relating to the Art of curing Difeafes in Human Bodies; for I would know how they prepare Medicaments among the Europeans ; and whether they have skilful Men in the Art ot Medicine.
of the Heathen Gods^ 1 3 j
I anfwer'd, this fhall be the Subjed- Mat- ter of the next Conference. And if you v/ill procure me fon>e good Manufcripts in Medicine, you'll highly oblige me; for I defire to fee you lliortly at Negapatnam and to fave you the Trouble pt coming hi* ther.
Kj
Con-
M5
Conference XII.
Chnftian Religion and true Piety con fifls chiefiy in Pra- Bice. The Laws and Poejie of the Malabarians,
Between Two Malabarian Poets, and a Bramany and one of the Danifl) Miflionaries;
ON the Twelfth of May 1708, Two Malabarian Poets favour'd me with a Vific, accompanied with a Braman. I ask'd them, with what View they did me this Honour ^
K 4 They
1 3 6 The Tn'>eljtb Conference^
They faid, 'twas their Curiofity led them to talk with an European, having heard that I underfiood the Language of the Countrey, and converfed freely with all forts of People ; which they never heard before of any of my Countreymen.
I anfvver'd, 'Tis true, that 1 converfe dai- ly with fome of the Inhabitants about the Things relating to their Salvation ,• but I mult confefs, that but few of them do endeavour to put in Fradice my Inflru- dions ; tho' they allow them to be all very true , and neceflary to be obferved.
Sir, faid they, It does not import what ufe they make of your Infl:rud:ions ; your Bufmefs is to make wife Anfwers to Queflions that are propos'd unto you.
Hence I may conclude, anfwered I, that your Defiga in this Vifit is not right : For I am afraid you come to fatisfie your vain Curiofity, more than to be inftrudted in the great Things of God, and the other World, which grieves me very much; not that you Endamage me ; but that you run the Rifque of deflroying your own Souls ; adding to the Weight of your Sins and Guilt, by Jeit- ing with holy Things.
Hereupon
Lawf,Szc, o^r/j^ Malabarians. 137
Hereupon the Poet anfwer'd, Sir, 'tis a great deal eafter to Hear, than to Ad" ,• and tis highly probable, that many among Chri. flians can hear a good Difcourfe very wil- lingly, who feldom are follicitous about the putting it inPradice.
I faid, 'tis very true, that by Nature \vc are all averfe from doing that which is good ; and, till converted by the Power of God's Spirit, it can't be expeded that Men carnally* minded, fhould be Spiritually and Pioully inclin'd. Whether they be Uliite or Black Men, Heathens or ChriJIiaMS, they mud be- lieve in Chrilt, and repent heartily of all their Sins, elfe they can't put in Pradice the Precepts of the Gofpel ; tho' it mud be confefs'd, that unregenerate Chriflianshaye better Opportunities for the inducing them to the Pradice of Piety, than you Malalari- ans have ; for they Enjoy all the Means of Convcrfion.
The Braman ask'd , \\ hat are thofe
Means tliat can induce Men to live good Lives ?
The
1 J 8 The Twelfth Conferencey
The Words of the Gofpel, anfAcred I, are the only i'aving Means, ordered by God to induce finful Men and Women to repent of their Sins, and to live holy, fober Lives, worthy of God, and of the high Dignity of the Human Nature ,• all clearly defcribed in this Glorious Gofpel of JefHS, Qhrijl : Therefore 'tis otherwife called, The good Tidings of Salvation proclaiming Peace on Earth, and good Will towards Men.
The Braman anfwer'd, We have all thcfe among our lelves ; for our Law is the Word of God, and I am one of the Priefts of God, teaching the People the Way that leads tQ Eternal Happineis.
You are always fpeaking of your Law, which you call God's Word ; but I am in- clined to believe, faid I, you have no fuch Law among you : For if you have any fuch Law, why don't you produce it ; I never found hitherto any Braman, that could upon his own Experience affirm, that he ever faw this Law; but fays, that fuch another Great Braman has it in his Poffeffion \ and if you addrefs this great Braman^ he refers you to fome other Braman greater than himCtlf ; and fo none of you can ever produce this Imagi- nary Law.
That
LatPSf Src. of the Malabarlans. j j 9
That there is fuch a Law, you mufl: not in the lead doubt : For my fell have leen it, faid he, and read it.
Why don*t you then read your Law to the People, and explain it in your Pagods^ reply'd I ?
He anfwer'd, 'Tis Writ in the Bramijh Tongue, which can't be well tranflated into the Malaharian. Befides that, it contains fuch deep Myfteries, that furpafs the Capacities of the Popylace ; for did you attempt to ex- plain to them the myflerious Contents of the Divine Law, they would certainly lofe their Senfes, and become diflracSted.
I proceeded to ask him, who gave you this Law ? God or Man ? ,
The Braman anfwer'd, the God Biruma gave us this Law ; but the Poet contradided him and affirmed, that 'twas the God Tfchi- wen ; and the other Poet was fully alfur'd that the God Ruddireu was the Author of it : Thus they difagreed in their Sentiments.
"v
1 40 Ihe Twelfih Confer erne,
I further ask'd them, with what View was this Law given to the Malaharians ?
That by the Means thereof they may at- tain everlafting Happinefs, both Bramans, and other Orders and Ranks of Men, an- fwer'd he.
But if fo, faid I, all Men are obliged to liear and (ludy it, as wxll as you Bramans. And why don't you explain this Law to the People, that they may regulate their Con- verlations accordingly ?
He reply'd, tho' they don't read the Law, yet they read feveral good Books that are taken out of the Law, containing all the necefTary Rules for the leading of a fober, honeft Life.
I defired him to name me fome of thofc Bool^s,
He anfwer'd, Dirumteafchagum, Dirumwei' adel^ Dirumwa/Iuery Paraduniy and other the like Books.
Lan^Sf &c. of the M-alabarians. 1 4 1
i ask'd him, if all contain'd in thefe, agree with all that is written in your Sacred Law-Book ?
He anfwered, Yes.
Then, faid I, all thefe Books I have perufcd j and if your (acred Law contains no better Things, it mud have the Devil for its Author ,• and mud lead all its blind Followers into the Pit of Hell ; and I won- der, you can name fuch Books, as con- taining the neceflary Rules to a holy Life, whilfl: the Books Dirumweiadel and ParaJum^ are fo full-fraught with infipid Stories and Nonfence, that a wife Man would be very forry to have given him- felf the trouble to perufe fuch uncooth Extravagancies ; fo far are thefe Books from marking out the Way that leads to Eternal Hadpine^s, that they are deilru. d:ive of good Morals, and the Practice of common Honelly.
They wondred to find me fo well vers'd in the myderious Books of their Religion ; and asked me, what other i^^j/^^^r/^w Books I had read ? Whereupon I {hew*d them my Colle(5tion of Malaharian Books, giving my Opinion upon everv Book leparateiy*
The
14 2 *Ihe Twelfth Confer encey
The two Poets asked me, if I would em- ploy them in my Service ?
To whom I anfwered, Repent and leave your Idols ,• then III take care to fee you employed.
But they urged me to employ them therii by giving fome Subjed:-matter for Verfe. Whereupon I gave them the following Ar- gument.
There is one GoJy ift whom we lelieve ^ akd thoje that know him not ; hut adore th'e Malabarian/j//^ G£?/^j, are Heathens^ and are in danger to he damned for ever.
This Matter in a very little time, they fpun out into a fine Poem of a confiderable Length, againfl the Plurality of Gods ,• and having read this almoft extempore Poem, I told them, what pity is it, that Men of fuch bright Geniuses and ready rich Invention, fnould at3: againft your Confciertces, by worOiipping Graven images, inflead 6\' the True God, whom you have fo excellently well dreicrib'd in this Speciynenoi )om great Abilities in the Art of Poefie !
They
tarvs, &c. of the Malabarians. 1 4 j
They anfwer'd, We are born in this Coun- trey, and can't get our Living any where elfe ; and did we begin to talk againft th6 Religion by Law eflahli[hed^ we are quite ruined ; tor no body would receive us into their Houfes.
At this rate, faid I, you would rather go to Hell in Malahrian Company, than to Heaven in the Company of Strangers , and fuiler fome Inconveniencies in this World upon the Account of Truth, and the Honour of the God that made you.
.They reply'd, When we fee our Kings and Princes coming over to your Religi- gion, we iliall follow their good Exam- ple.
But if in your way you found a great Treafure, faid I, I don't believe , you would let it lie there till your King would be pleas'd to take it up firft. You have now a Jewel- of great Price ofler'd to you, even the Dodrine of Salvation j^'tis your Intereft to accept of it, cho' Kings and Princes may negled (o great a Salvation.
He
144 27;^ Twsifch Conference^
He anfwerd, I wifli you would be pleas'd to come once into our Country, where Learned Bramans and Prophets would be glad to fee you, and confer with you very willingly.
How willingly, would I travel all your Countrey over, and converfe amicably with all forts of Men about the Ways and Means of Salvation ,- but I know, no European cati Travel in your Country, much lefs is it per- mitted for me, a Chriftian Minifter, to Preach among you the glad Tidings of the Gofpel : And what is dill more an Argument of your Untowardnefs towards Men that would teach you the Way to everlafting Happinefs, that all Communication by Letters are flridfly forbidden between this and the City where your king rfcfides : An Example of Severity and Stubbornnefs not to beparallell'd in any Parts of the World.
Many of the common People, faid he, would be glad to fee you ; but the King's CiEcers, and efpecially Excifem.en, would be apt to flop you, to the end they may fqueeze -Money '^ut of you, and then deliver you bound to the King of t^njour^ who is a mor- tal Enemy to the Chriflians, and has caufed many of the Romijh Religion to be cruelly Murtiiered* I
Larvs^ Scc, of the Malabarians, 14 5
I anfwer'd, had I a full Call to come to your Parts to Preach the Gofpel, I would gladly come ; but my hands are now full, and I have many neighbouring Heathens to be inftruded in the Dodtrine of Salvation. When the Harveft here is at an End, and no more Work for us in thefe Parts, I hope, God Almighty will open a Way for the glad Ti- dings of the Gofpel to be preached^ irt your Country alfo.
Con-
147
...4-
Conference XIIL
OfPhilofophy and Idolatry ; and of Internal Spiritual tVorpip.
Between a Malabarian Philofopher, and one of die Dani/lj Miffionaries. .
N the Twenty fecond of Iklay, 1708, I received a Vifit from a Malabarian Philofopher , who asked me, if the Study of Philo- fophy was in any eileem in Europe^ and what Sed was mod in vogue at this time >
L z Sir,
148 The Thirteenth Confer ence^
Sir, faid I, you know that my Bufinersis to Preach Repentance towards God, and Faith in the Lord Jefus Chrifl ; Therefore you ihould ask me Queftions relating to your Eternal Welfare, father than Niceties ofPhi- lofophy
V >
Pray Sir, faid he, what can be more ne- celTary for the attaining Eternal Happihefs, than the uieful Knowledge of Philofophy ?
Indeed, faid I, your Philofophy is nole(s corrupted, and full - fraught with Impious AbfurditieSjthan your La wand Hiftories are ; but among us Europeans, Philofophy is little efteemed if compared with the excellent Heavenly Inilitutions of Jefus Chrift.
What, faid he, have you no Philofophers then in Europe ?
Yes, we have, anfwer'd I, and more pro- foundly* and exficty learned in all Parts of Philofophy, than you can boaft: of in thefe Countries,- but we cultivate the Sciences^ ^s fuhfervient Handmaids to Theology ; but not as immediate Means of Salvation.
How
of Philofophyy Idolatry, &c. 149
How is It pofTibie, reply'd he, that Ifliould know God, and Spiriutal Things, if I don't firft know my felf, and the Works of Creation, the immediate Objeds of my Senfes ?
All this, reply'd I, is very True ; but this is what I would fay ; that all the na- tural Knowledge ac<^uir'd by Reflection up- on the Operations of oar Mind, and upon the vifible World, in all its beauteous Va^ rieties, and Proportion, is not fufficient to make us wife unto Salvation : For my own Underflanding, without the Help o\ reveal- ed Light, can t difcover the Original Caufe o^ Man's Mifery, nor ever attain to the Know- ledge of a Reefeewer; nor (liew how we are to (erve God, in a manner acceptable and well-pleafing unto him. Ther&tore Phi- lofophers deceive themfelves by a vain Perfuafion that they know all, when indeed, they know but very little, or nothing at all as they ought to know.
He reply'd, I and others of my Profedion, do not believe a Plurality of Gods, worfliip- ped in out PagoJs ; neither do we frequent thefe Places to offer Sacrifices, or to periorm tedious Ceremonies enjoyn'd upon the vul- gar People ; but we reverently adore t\\i^ Su- preme Being. v;ho created all Things.
)jO The\Tbineenth Conference,
If you are convinced, faid I, of the Fal- fity of your Idolatrous Worlliip,why don't you endeavour to inftrud; the Ignorant in thefe great Truths, and encourage them to forfake Idolatry, and Worfliip the Qne only true God?
He anf^er'd, VVp live in a World where very few Men can ferve God without the Intervention of Figures and Images ; For we can hardly think of any thing, but as 'tis reprefented under fome Corporeal Idea. And befides, if it was not for Polythetfm, and I- mages, how could the Bramans, Pantaren and other Ecclefiafticks, find fo comfortable a Living as now they Enjoy ?
But do you believe, reply'd I, that Idolatry is acceptable to the Supreme Being, whom, you fay, you devoutly Worfhip and Adore ?
He anfwer'd, if Men would lead Ibbtr and good moral Lives, God would pardon them all other Failings ; for he knows, 'ti? an Error of their Underftandings, and thai: they know no better ; and tho' their Ado- ration more immediately is direded to the Idol, yet ultimately it terminates upon him- feif i and therefore their Performances arp not unacceptable to him.
I
of Fhilofophy^ Idolatry ^ &c.' Iji
I told him, all Idol-Worfliip is an Abomi- nation to the Lord ; for he is a Spirit, and is to be worfliipped in Spirit and in Truth ; and their Worfhip is acceptable to the Devil only, the firfl: Author and Inventer of Ido • latrous Worfliip.
I wiih, faid the Philofcf her, with all my Heart, that all the World would adore the One only Supreme God, and deflroy all Graven Images, and worfhip him,as you have Well exprefs'd it, in Spirit and in Truth.
But what Means and Afliftance does your Philofophy afford to perform this Inward and Spiritual Worlliip, faid I ?
We have, faid he, Three great Means to affift us in our inward Worlhip of God (viz?) Fafling^ Solitarinefs, and Watching : For by the continual exercifing our felves in thefe three Duties, our Minds afcend above the vi- fible World, and are made fit to Worfhip God inwardly, or, as you lay, in Spirit and in Truth.
Thefe three Ruksy faid I, well obferv'd,
are very good ; but without Repentance from
dead Works, and a lively Faith in Jefus
Chrifty all Rules and Precepts will be of
L 4 little
i^z The Ihirteenth Conference]
^ittle ufe to you for the due Performances of his Internal and Spiritual Worfliip, fo ac- ceptable and well-plcaung to God : And therefore, m Or^^er to worfliip him as you ought, you mull be i?iitru(f>ed in the Do- ^_^y .-,:■ -"^ the Gofpel, 'vhich is the only Book thai, •tcc.cii^^s i Lilly arid c;".*iiy the M:-'ans of Salvation and Reconciliation with Govi. If you would be happy, liudy this excellent Volume, and throw away all your other Books of learned Vanities.
He asked me, if I could fliew him that excellent Book, which I called the Gof- pel >
Yes, faid I, and lliewed him the Bible printed in feveral differentLaguages^ and gave him a fummary Account of the Oeconomy of Salvation^ with which he feemed very much affe(2ed, and asked me, if I had no Wri- ting relating to the Chridian Religion, tran- flated into the Malaharian Tongue >
Thereupon I lliew'd him Luther's Cafe- ch/fm, U^ith Twenty Six Sermons preached by me upon the Articles of the Chriftian Faith in our Jerufalem-Church at Trattquehar; and finding him mightily delighted in the reading cf them, I bid him take them
with
of Philofophy^ Idolatry^ Szcl 155
with him, and read them diligently, not forgetting to inftrudl his poor Neighbours in the Dodrine of Salvation.
This he promifed to do , and with- drew.
^
Con-
^
155
Conference XIV.
Upon various Siihjecls,
Between feveral Perfons, and one o^ the Danifl^ Miffionaries.
N the Twenty third o^July, 170S, I fet out very early from l^ranque- bar by Land, to go to Negapatyiam^ a Town belonging to the Ho/Ia/id^ ers : When I came to the Teirritories of the King of tanjour^ I was presently (loppd by the Officers, commanding me to pay Tribute-money. I alighted ofT my Hcrfe, and ask'd them, if their Priefts had not free Pafiage through all Countries ?
They
155 The Fourteenth Confer encey
Tfiey have fo, faidthey, in all our King^s Dominions ; but we know that you are not one of our Priefts j you are the Chrijiian- maker of Trang^uehar.
But, Sir, faid Ij Remember, that T left roy own Countrys and wiih great Pams-ta- king, learnt your Language merely out of Love to your Souls. Pray, fliew me a Priefl: that has laboured fo much to promote your Happinefs, as I have ; and dare you. com- mand me to pay PaiTage -money ?
Then a Braman that fat among the Cu- flom houfe Officers told me, thatif tht King Oi lanjour knew that I pafs'd through his Territories, I fliould be forc'd to pay ten tim^s more than what is commonly demand- ed from other White People ; becaufe ever fmce you came to thefe Countries, you are, faid he, always fcolding at our Pagpds^ blaf- pheming our Gods, and curfing our Reli- gious Ceremonies as Superflitious Errors and Idolatry.
All this, faid T, is very true ; I have cry'd aloud againft your falfe Gods ; and will go on to do fo, not out of a Spirit of Contra- didtion j but out of an Earnefl: Defire to convince you of your grofs Errors and Ig- norance
upon various SubjeBs: 1 57
norance in Spiritual and Religious Mat- ters.
The Manikaren, or chief of the Cuftom- houfe OHicers told me, that I was cer- tainly in the right : For we do not live wor- thy of the Dignity of Rational Beings ; and we are now in the Dregs of Time ; the World is plung'd in the Mud and Mire of Senfuality and Worldly- minded- nefs.
'Tis not enough for you to confefs, faid i, the Evil of your Ways, unlefs you do likewife efchew Evil, and follow after that which is good ,• 'tis Imprudence in you to find fault with the Tirties : For to day is the Time of Salvation to you, and your Countrey-men, if you'll accept the kind Offers of Heaven, that are made to yoa at this time by my means : For lam come among you, willing to declare unto you the whole Counfel of God.
The Braman flood up, and faid to me,' we know, faid he, you have a long way to go ,• we'll fpare you from paying any Tri- bute for this time : Then giving a few Groats among the Officers to buy Betel- Areck, I rode forward, and was met by a numerous Company of Heathens of all Ranks and
De<
1 5 8 The Fourteenth Conference ,
Degrees, travelling towards DiruppudM^ a Pagod, Fifteen days Journey diflant, and Ve- ry famous for a Multitude of Pilgrims and Votaries, \yho refort thither, to the end they ifiay receive Forgivenefs of Sins. I ihew'd them the Vanity of their Undertaking, inaf- liiuch as none can forgive Sins, but the true God alone, through the Merits of his Son Jefus Chrift, updn the Condition of Faith and Repehtance,
Here I repeated compendioufly the Hi- flory of Chrift's Life, Death and Refurre- i^ion, with the faving Confequences of the fame j and then proceeded on my Journey, till I camie to a Town called /farcika, where there is a Stately Fagod^ or Heathen Temple ; before which I palled by, on Horfeback : Then fuddenly both Priefts and People pealed me with Male- didions and Abufive Words ; whereupon 1 alighted df! my Horfe , and ask'd them what was the Matter, and wherein I had offended them ?
The Governor of the Place told me. Sir, you fliould know that this FagoJ b a mofl holy Place, and the ufual Habita- tion of our God : Therefore 'tis for- bidden all Men with Horfcs and UmhreU Iff to pafs before it ^ even the Kmg of
upon various Subjed^s. i jy
tanjour himfelfj approaching this holy Place, he gets out of his Palanquin (Chair) or aiights off his Horfe, and walks with great Devotion i Therefore your riding by, and hot alighting ofT your Horfe, offended us very grievoufly.
Sirs, faid I, if you can demonftratc, the Gods worlhipped in this Temple, and the Dodrine taught therein to be true Gods, and true Dodrine, then, I confefs, I incurr'd very juflly your higheft Difpleafure ^ and will Chearfully fubmit to condign Punifh- ment : But if your Evidences are not cogent, or your Reafons demonftrative, how can you expedl that a Servant 6i the great God, who made you, and a Prieft, that teaches the Ways of Salvati- on, Ihould alight off before the Temple of a Dumb Idol, which can neither hear, fpcak, nor go >
Hereupon a Multitude of Mahometans applauded what I faid ; and defir'd the Bramafts to produce their Evidences for the Truth of their Gods and Religion ,• which if they were not able to perform, they pro- tefted, I had all the Reafons in the World not to alight off my Horfe in riding before the Pago{i»
Where-
1 6*0 The Fourteenth Conference]
Whereupon the Bramans retired, orte after another, giving me no Anfvver, nor Reafons in Defence of their lying Gods, and their falfe Religion.
Then addrefTing my felf to the Peo- ple, I fpoke of two Ways of attaining to the Knowledge of God, either by contem- plating the Works of Creation^ or by di- ligent Reading the Revealed Will of God contained in the Old and New Tefta- tnent ; and recommending them to the Grace of God, I was ferry'd over a great River, and came into a Publick Houfe, and there refrefhed my felf with my Companions : And finding the Houfe full of Heathens, I difcourfed them freely a- bout the Way and Dodrine of Salvation j and they heard me with Attention, and unaf- feded Willingnefs ; asking me, where was the Place of Happinefs ? Which was the true Way that led thither ? And whether every Man might not be faved in his own Religion ?
upon various Sulpje^s* i6i!
I anfwer'd what I thought proper, to their Three feveral Queftions, giving them by the way, fome of the Charatlerijtkks or Marks ot the True Religion, and of the Do- dJrine of Salvation, in Contradiflindion to the Dodfine of Hell and Perdition, taught by their vain, ignorant, lying Priefls.
M Con-
'^5^
Conference XV.
Ahout Matters of Religion.
Between fome Learned Bramam, Rifchi (Prophets,) and PhyficianSj und one of the Dani/Jj Miffionaries.
N the Twenty Seventh of July, 1708, the moft Learned ^rdfiw^«j, Rifchi, (Prophets) and Phyficians, affcmbled at the Houfe of one of the Dutch Magi Urates, who had fenc his Secretaries all about the Country, to invite them to a Friendly Conference about Matters of Rehgion : And they appearing, about Eight of the Clock in the Morning, were kindly received into the Chairs and Seats made ready for them, the Common Peo- M 2 pie
i 64 The Fifteenth Conference]
pie fitting upon a matted Floor, the Doors crouded with a great Multitude of Peo- ple.
I fignified my joyful Readlnefs of con- ferring with them abbut Matters of Religi- on, it being the diftinguifliing Charader of a Rational Being, to be capable of Difcour- fing about the Things relating to the Su- preme Being.
Hereupon a Rifchiy or one of their Pro- phets, anfwer'd me, in the Name of his Countrymen , that they were as joyful to have an Opportunity to talk now, for the firft time, with an European about Contro- verted Points in Religion, in their own Ma- laharian Language : But, faid he, we find iafuperable Difficulties that of nece(fity will retard our Union in Matters of Opinion, (o^^ ing we have no common Law own'd fed received by Europeans artd Malaharians, to which we may appeal as to a Common Vrin- c'lple : For if you talk of the Excellency of your Law, you can't exped- it lliould have any Impre/Iion upon a Malalarian Audience, who know nothing of your European Laws ; neither is it reafonably to be hoped,that you Chriftians will- embrace our Laws and Rdi- gioa upon our Commendation only.
i
about Matters of Religion; \ 6 5
I anfvV'er'd, I am very fenfible, that what you fay, is very rational and weighty ; and therefore juftly claims our firft Confide- racion, by inquiring into the Nature of, and Charaders v\(\h\Q in the Chr/fiian und Mala- larian Laws : But feeing your Law can't be produced ; and that you can't read the Laws of the Chriftians, this Debate mufi: be adjour- ned to another Opportunity ; and let us ar- gue the Matter for this time, from the un- doubted, -univerfally-received Principles of Reafon, and appeal to the Decifions of un^ prejudiced Confcience-
This Method they unanimoufly accepted, inviting me to propofe fome Subject matter for a ferious, fober Conference.
Then I began, with asking them, if they believed the Exiflence of One Supreme Be- ing?
They anfwer'd, Yes ; We believe that there is One only God, the Maker and Caufe of all other Beings whatfoever : For if we did not believe the Exillence of a Supreme Being, what (hould put us upon writing fo many Books about the Exiftence and Attri- butes of God ; and fo many voluminous
M 3 Wri-
1 66 The Fifteenth Confer enKe,
Writings about Kdigioudy worfliipping this Supreme Being?
I reply'd, this is all very true, that all Nations, however Barbarous and grofly Ig- norant, do believe the Exiftence of a Supreme Being ; but they know nothing of his Attri- butes neceffarily to be believed by all that ux3uld worfliipthis Supreme Being in a way acceptable in his fight. Pray, tell me, what do you believe therefore of this Great God, who is the Creating and EiUcienc Caufe of all other Beings i
The Rifchi anfwered, We call him in our Tongue DewaddaJuwam ; and fometimes more cxprefTively, Baraharaivajluvjagira Sa- ruwefuren; that is, the Supreme Independent Beings Lord of all.
Your Definition of a Supreme Being, re- ply'd I, is very excellent, and expreiiive e- nough of his Spiritual Perfedions ,* but I would fain know, if, befides him, you ac- knowledge no other God as the Objec5t of your Religious Worlhip?
The Rifchi (Prophet, or Dodor) faid, we acknowledge no other God befides him ; tho* many Perlons, as his Vicegerents, veftcd with Authority by him to Govern the vi-
fible
ahui Matters of Religion} \ 6^ Tiblc World, are commonly called Gods.
How many fuch f^icegerent Gods are there in all ?
The principal and mod: confidered among them, faid he, are Three, Biruma^ Wifchtnu and Ruddireu or Ifuren ; and they appearing among the Inhabitants of this Land at fun- dry Times,and Places, underdifferent Shapes, our Forefathers gave them many diflerent. Names, expreffive of fome Circumftance or other, relating to the* Divine Appari-. tion.
I urged them to tell, if thefe Gods were Created or Uncreated Beings ?
He anfwer'd, They have but borrowed Beings , and precarious Employments, to continue only till the Reftitutionofall Things to their firft Primitive State and Condition ; and then the Supreme Being (liall be all in all.
Do you then, faid I, efteem thefe Gods to be Miniflers only employed by the Prinie Caufe ; or to be Real and True Gods ?
M 4 We
1 68 7l}e Fifteenth Confer ence^
We efteem them to be fuch as Execute the high Commands of their Principal in the Punctilios of a fubmiffive and mofl pro- found Obedience.
Then, proceeded I, you make themOoi- nipo|:ent, Omniprefent, Omniicient, mod Holy, Juft, and Good.
Yes, fa id he, we believe them really fuch • and 'tis upon this fuppofition that we direct our Prayers and SuppUcations to them, and honour their Altar with Burnc- ofJerings ; and all this we do, purfuant to |:he flrid: Orders of thje Suprerne Be- ing.
Then,proceeded I, if you are able to prove that the aforefaid Attributes do properly, and in truth belong to your Gods, I am rea- dy to be One of their trueft Votaries ; but in cafe you fliall not be able Co make good your Premiifes, I exped: you fliould iorthwith forfake your falfe Imaginary Gods, and crown the Convidiions of Confcience, by yielding unlimitted Obedience to the 5- vidences of Truth.
Art
■ ahut Matters of Religion, 1 6^
An old Brawafi ([ood up, and faid,! have perus'd all the Hiflories of our Gods, -aHd never doubted of *the Truth of their Di- vinity ; and it would look very odd in a Man of my Age, now to call in queftion a Propofition fo uninterruptedly, and univer- fally re:eived.
The Rifchi hereupon reproved him, asin- confirtent u'ith himfeif, and all that were there prefent ; who all agreed, that all Points fliould be try'd by the Dint of Reafon and Evidence ; and more efpecially, feeing, faid he, he has prom.ifed to embrace our Religi- on, if we can produce Evidences, for the real Exigence of our Maiaharian Gods.
I anfwered, I'll hear you patiently, read, ing or relating the Hidory of the Appa- ritions, Wonders, Lives and Achievements of your Gods ; but you muH: not expe-fJ: that relating a Hillory amounts to Demonflrati- on ; but you mufl prove, that your Gods are really and truly endued with, and poflefl'ed of the forementioned Attributes.
Upon this, after fome Confultatlon a- mongfl: themfelves what Anfwer to give, they faid, this Matter requires a great deal of time I and therefore, 'tis our OphioA,
that
fjo The Fifteenth Conference,
that the Coaference fliould be adjourned to anpther Opportunity ; when we (hall be bet- ter provided with Books, neceflary for a Matter of this Importance ; and then, we iliall be able to give you Entire and Rational Satisfaction. '
Then, faid T, if you dare not hazard a fair Hearing of their Caufe, and an Examination of their Title to Divinity arid Adoration, I am refolv'd to proceed in my intended Evi- dences, and to demonftrate the Vanity and Non-entity of all your Titular Gods, infi- lling chiefly upon your own Conceffions, and the universal Truths own'd by all the Malalarian Nation.
You dedroy with one Hand what yoij build and eftablilh with the other, by afler- ling a Plurality of Gods, always at Defiance, and in open Hoftility among themfelves, iupplanting, deflroying, and murthering onq the other ; as in the Cafe of Wifchtnu and Maueli ; and in that of B'truma Beheaded by Jfaren^ and Deivaindoren depofed by fome petty fubordinaie Deities. Thefe and fuch other the likelnconfiftencies, are deftrudive of all true Religious Worlkip : For 'tis ac- cording to your Syftem, altogether impradJi- cable 3 becaufe you know not well where to addrefs your felves in time of Danger : For
if
ahut Matters of Religion. i ^ i
if you direct your Prayers to the one, ano- Deity is offended at your Devotion ; and the Multiplicity of thefe intriguing Gods have quite defeated and depriv'd the Supren^c God of the WorOiip due to his Name. So that although you own his Exiflence and Sovereignty, yet, which is as true as afto- nifhing, you neither have a Form of Prayer invoking this Supreme Being, nor (6 much as an Hymn compoled in his Praife, in all your Books of Devotions : Hence it comes to pafs, that mod of your Ignorant People have learnt by Heart Prayers and Hymns in Honour of Ifureny Wifchtm and Bzruma^ when yet, the vvifeft among you know little or nothing of the Nature and Properties of the Supreme Being.
But, to come to the fundry Apparitions of your God Jfurcn^ who appeared Sixty four times in Madurei under the Name of Tfcihokkenaden ,• in all which Appearances hereon Earth, he did nothing but what runs Counter to all that is holy and juft, and is deftrudlive of all the Attributes of God.
One of his Apparitions was to a Widow, in whofe Service he engng'd himfelf, upon condition he might have Meat enough; and thereupon fell a eating fo ravenouiiy, that neither Menaces nor Peifuafions could induce
him
I "y 2 The Fifteenth Confer ence^
hiai to any fort of Work : And at laft, the Widow complained to the King againft this infatiable Eater; and the King gave him fuch a thumping Blow, that 'twas felt over all the i^niverfal World i but in that moment Ifuren difappeared : And very many more fuch Pranks are to be found in the Hiftory of Ifuren.
Wifchtnu^ fay you, appeared ten times un- der the Form of a Swine, a Tortoife, and un- der many more ridiculous Transfigurations ; which, if now appearing before you in tliis Aflembly, you would all run away frighted, and take him for a ghaftly Devil, and not for your fo much beloved God Wtfchtnu : And if you were not depriv'd of the com- mon ufe of your Underftanding, in relation to Religious Matters, you would efteem him, if polfible, worfe than any Devil : For all his whole Courfe of ading, is but a con- tinued Praaice of Theft, Murtherand Adul- tery, and all the other Species of the grof- feft Wickedneifes.
The time is too precious to be fpent in repeating the infinite extravagant Adlionsof your other Gods; for what I have already faid, is enough to make you fenfible of the Unreafonablenefs of your Proceedings in the Important Matters of Salvation.
Therefore
ahom Matters of Religion. 173
Therefore, I befeech you, refled ferioufly upon the Errors of your Ways ; break down the wooden Images, and burn them in the Fire.
All that I had faid, was granted by them to be very true ; but they excused themfelves, faying that this MultipHcity of Gods is one of the Great Supreme Being's Garyjes or Paftimes, delighting himfelf with Varieties.
Then, faid I, you'll make at this Rate the greateft Villanies and Abominations to be the Pleafure and Delight of the'' Almigh- ty ; which deftroys the Difference between Vice and Verrue, and between all that is called Good and Evil : And 'tis from thefe wicked Pofitions, that many of you, not only emulate, but outvie your own Gods in the Pradice of uncommon Wicked- nefs.
Then the Rifchii flood up, and faid, 'Tis not enough to blafpheme our Gods, and vilifie our Religion ; but you muft prove that your Religion is better and more Eligi- ble, by giving us a briet Account of the chief Articles that all the Chriftians do believe.
Thefe
174 ^^^ Fifteenth Conference^
Thefe Conditions I gladly accepted ; and fliewed them, that there was but one God, One in Eilence and Three in Ferfons ; I men- tioned his chief Attributes ; That this glo- rious Three-One God had created all things Vifible and Invifible, and had made Man after his own Image ; how Man had loft that Image by falling into Sin.and into the greateft of Miferies, as the Confequences thereof.
I gave an Account of the Original of Heathenifm and Error ; and how God afterward revealed his Will to Mankind for enabling them to come to the Knowledge of the Truth.
I fpoke of the Means of Salvation, and of the Reafons of Chrift's coming into the World I and how, and in what manner, he lias redeemed his People from their Sins ,• and how Men are made Partakers of Chrift's Merits and Sufferings ,• and of the Propaga- tion of the Gofpei among all Nations , and laftly, I fpoke of the Neceflity of their Con- verilon, and of forfaking their falfe Gods, by true and fmcere Repentance ; the Nature whereof I made plain unto them..
They
about Matters of Religion, i-r j
They gave great Attention to me in ex- plaining all thefe Points, only the Rifchi made me fcveral Objedtions againfl: the Trinity^ the Birth, Sufferings and Death of Chrifl: for the Redemption of Mankind.
I told him, that in order to underftand thefe things, he muft have his Underftand- ing enlightned by the Spirit of God, which is obtained by all that pray unto him.
Why then, faid he, 'tis but your praying to our Gods, and you'll come to underftand and Jove all the Myfteries and Teeming Ex- travagancies of our Religion and Worfliip.
I reply'd, what jou attribute to your Gods, is contrary to Reafon and common Sence ; but nothing in our Religion implies a manifeft Contradiction ; tho' we allow, that we have many Truths in our Syftena, that are above Human Underftanding ; an d therefore 'tis with mofl profound Humility of Mind we believe them, upon the Tell: i- inony of God himfelf : For tho' we don't ff 'e the Reafons of many things ; yet we wife] ly fuppofethat there may be Reafons which \^.e can't fee j and that *tis highly reafonab le to believe what God has revealed to us ifl^ his Word.
Til en-
'17^ The Fifteenth Conference^
Then another Ecclefiaftick Hood up, and faid, you are yet young, Sir, and your Memory is yet faithful, re- taining U'hat you learnt and read ; but we are Old, and our Memories are treache, rous, and our Parts not fo adive and bright as yours are ; therefore the heft Religion may fuffer in the Hands of bad Managers ; and the worO: may triumph in the Hands of a skilful Sophider.
1 anfwer'd, Your Religion has the Advan- tage at this time, with regard to the Quali- fications of its Advocates : For old Age car- ries a great deal of Wifdom and Experience with it, which is very confiderable in mana- ging Conferences upon Subjeds of this kind ; which don't confill in a great Readinefs of talking, but in comparing received unexa- mined Notions, with the Standard of un- bj afied Reafon.
Then a Phyfician ask'd me fome indifie- rent Qiif^ions about the Manners of the Europenris ; as, whether they had any Unt^ ^er/ities, where Me^/che and other Sciences W(?re taught publickly ? How Priefls Viere Ordained among us ? If we h^ld different and dillind: Families feparated from other Men, by Cuftoms and Ways of living peculiar ' ^ t(3
ahut Matters of Religion, fj'j
to each Tribe, and never to be married into another Clan ? Moreover he wouJd knows how Kingdoms were governed, Marriage, celebrated* To all which Particulars I an- fwered very (liortly.
He was fucceeded by a Braman^ who Que- flioned me about the Duration of this, and the Beginning of another World ; and whi- ther the Soul went after Death ? By this time fiv^e whole Hours had been fpent in clofe Debate ; and I thought bed to con- clude for that time ; highly approving of all that was wifely fpoken on their part ; the Rijchi (Prophet) likewite afliiring me, that all that I had offer'd, had been taken kindly by the Audience ; and that they would more deliberately weigh and confider what I had objeded againft their feveral Deities and Religion.
Then they were rqgal'd with B^telAreck and Sweet-meats.
I took their feveral Names in Writing, to the end I might fettle a Correfpondence with feme of the moll fenilble of them.
N Con4
'79
Conference XVI.
OffeioWal Particulars rela^ ting to Idolatry^ NeceJJity of Repentance^ &c.
- •:;;:./"":''.' ;'""^:\ -^
Between fome Bramans^ and others, and one of the Daniffj Miffiona- ries;
ON theTwenty eighth of jF«/y 1708, I rode out of Negapai»am, in order to haflen for TraMquelar ; but I took another Road f and coming into a Town where was a great Pagod, and accofting the Bramarts, I ask'd them, what Exercifes of Religion were perform'd in that Pagoda
N X They
1 8o The Sixteenth Conference] ^
They anfwer'd, Sacrifices are therein of- fer'd to the Gods , and Hymns are Tung to their Praifes, and wc dance and play be- fore them to the Sound of Inftrumental Mu- fick.
I anfwer'd, how can dumb Images be Gods, that can neither fee, nor move, nor are fenfible of any of your Theatri cal Per- formances ?
Hereupon fome from among the Crowd reply'd, yoU are certainly in the right, Sir; they want our Afliftance more than we {land in need of theirj : For no lefs than a thou- fand Perfons areemploy'd to fet them upon the great Waggon, and draw them about in Stat6, with a great deal of Sweat and Labour ; for we are made to believe, that if the I- mage is not well ferved, or fuffers the leaft Hurt, we infallibly bring Ruin and Deflru- (Stion upoa our own Heads.
Friends, faid I, do you promife me Pro- tedion from the violent Hands of angry Men, and I will undertake to break in Pieces all the Gods worlhipp'd in this Temple, with- out receiving any Hurt at all.
Then
of Repentance, &c. i8i
Then the Bramans ^nfwefd me pafllonjire-* ly angry, and faid, Sir, we fee, you would fain expofe us to the Laughter of all the People ; but we would have you know , that thefe Gods whom you fo vilifie, have been worfhipp'd by our /Incejiors for thefe ten thoufand Tears ', and as long as the Inhabitants are contented with their Gods and Religion, what have you to do to in# termed die in our Affairs ?
*Tis true, faid I, tho* you fhould continue in your Ignorance, your Blindnefs can't af. fed: my Happinefs ; neither can I exped: any additional Happinefs in your Converfion ; but your felves are to be great Gainers or Lofers, according as you Thall walk in the Way to Hell and Mifery, or in that leading into Eternal Life. But, however, as I am a Minifter of the Gofpel, I muft difcharge with Fidelity, the Office and Duty of my Miniftry, which is to admonifli and exhort you to turn from Idols, to ferve the living and true God ; which if I don't do, I am no faithful Servant in my Mailer's Servijc-e ,• but if you will not repent, and forfake ypur Idols, I have done my Duty : neither my Confcience here, nor God himfelf in theDay of Judgment, will reproach nie with Negli- N 3 gcncc
'182 7he Sixteenth Conference,
gence and Cowardice in that which relates xo your Salvation.
An old Man flood up, and laid, we live in the Kaliujur (laft Duration of the World) when all things are very confus'd and full of Irregularities ,• and there are fo many diffe- rent Opinions about the Names and Na- ture of God, that a Man does not know what Religion he had beftchufe and profefs ; but when this Duration is at an end, all things will be put to rights again, and all the Nations of the World fliall be in the fame Opinion in thefe Matters-
1 anfwer'd, that the Times are evil I don't deny ; but if you delay leaving your falfc Religion till the Duration of the prefent World is at an End, you are highly to be blamed : For if you die in your Sins, you'll be Eternally miferable ; and twill be then too late to repent and return to God ,• but you'll bear the Punilhment of your Idola- try.
Then the Town-Sacretary ask'd me, Pray Sir, what would you fay, what would you be at ?
of Repentance, Szcl 185
I feek neither Gold nor Silver, nor any. other Advantage from either of you, faid I; this is what I ieek, even ygur Salvation, and that you may come to the Knowledge of the Truth.
Then the Governour of the Place faid, come, let us go from this great Heat, and led me into a cool Room, and treated me with Milk, Figs, and Coko-nuts ; where being furrounded by a great Crowd of Peo- ple, I fliew'd to them the Scope -and Defign of Chrift's Dodrine, and the Excellency thereof, and fo recommended them to the Grace of God : And going on my Way, till I came to a Publick Refting-Place, I found many People llieltring themfelves from the foultry Heat of the Seafon ; an^ heard their mutual Complaints of the Diifi- culties of the Times, and of the great Taxes and Imports they groaned under, without any Hope of redreffing their Grievances from their cruel Governours.
'Tis to be v/ifli'd, faid I, that youx King were better intruded in the Knowledge of the True God, and his Law, which direds Kings and Princes to govern the People with Clemency and Equity ; knowing that they mud give an Account to God ot their Stew- N 4 ardiliip^.
184 The Sixteenth Confer ence^
ardlhip ; but the Idolatr}' allow'd, both by Prince and People brings a Curfe upon the whole Land, whereof this is a Part, even your milerable Circumllances and Poverty.
They anfwer'd, this is none of our Faults; the Bramans and the Great Men of the Earth are only capable to begin and carry on a Reformation in our Land : If 'twas in our Powet.we would certainly undertake it j but this is above our Capacity.
'Tis true, you can't change, faid I, your outward Circumftanccs for the better ; but you may change your inward Inclinations from running alter lying Vanities ; and let them flow for the future in the purer Chan- nel of the Fear of the True God ,• and your godly Example may in time Influence your Friends and Relations to fcrfake the Abomi- nation o^ IdoUvoorJhip,
Hereupon one askd me, can't we be fa- ved in our own Religion, Sir ? What, are all the Malaharians in a State of Damnation ?
I anfwer'd, fo long as you worOiip Idols, in lieu of the true God, you are obnoxious to Wrath and Eternal Puniihment.
One
of Repentance, &c. 185
One of the Company flood up, and faid, that is a very hard Speech indeed, to fay none of this Nation can be faved, while we have fo many forts of Learned Books a-^ mong us, and thoufands of Holy Men that lead exemplary Lives.
I fliew'd them, that their Boolis are full of lying Stories and Fables related of fome of their Saints ; which if true, they were far from being Men of Common Honefty.
Hereupon a Woman lifted up her Voice, and faid, Sir, you were a pious Man, with- out doubt, before your laft Nativity, feeing you are now fo Excellently well qualified with thofe bright Parts and Clearnefs of Un- derflanding.
lanfwer'd, Good Woman, I was born but once into this World ; and your repeated Na- tivities is a grofs Error, and an Handle to delay your Repentance, you foolillily ex- pecting to be born again in Order to do Pe- nance tor Sins formerly committed ; but in this you are grievoufly miftaken : For you mufl repent while 'tis called to day ; and you piuft be born again by a thorough Change wrought in your Mmdsby the Power of the Spirit of God. And befides this, there is no
other
i 8 6 Ihe Sixteenth Conference^
pther fecond Birth or Regeneration, where- of if you will be Partakers, you'll be as rea- dy a? my felf in talking of the things rela- ting to the Dodrine ot Salvation.
• Another Woman, told me, that llie be- liev'd I fliould never die, but that I Ihall live for ever.
J faid to her , Woman, your Words happen to be true ^ tho* as I am in- clined to believe, your Thoughts and Con- ceptions of things are very erroneous : For they that are reconciled to God through Jefus Chri^^ and made true Mem- bers of his myflical Body, through a live* ly Faith, iliall never die y But that they ftall not die a Temporal Death, is an intolerable Falihood ; but if you would live for ever , in a Spiritual Sence, you may, as well as I, upon condition you leave your Idolatry and wicked Living, repenting ferioully of your pad Sins : Do you apprehend my Meaning is all this ?
,,,jShe anfwer'd, Yes.
of Repent ancCy &c, 187
I charg'd them all to refled: ferioufly in my Abfence, upon what T had faid ; and fo commending them to the Care of the Almighty , purlued my Journey towards Tranquehar.
Con-
1 89
Conference XVIL
P
Of the Caufe of the Pullick Calamities^ &:c. of the Ma- labarians.
BetvO'een feveral Bramans, and others^ and one of the Dani/h Miffiona- ries.
ON the Fifteenfh of January 17 14, finding before one of the Pagods a great Multitude of People, as their Cuftom is, to divert them- felves, talk of their refpedive Tnterefls, com- plaining o( the Scarcity of Money, and of other Neceffiuries of Life j I ask'd them, if
they
t$o The Seventeenth Conference^
they knew the Caufe of all their prefent Mi- feries and DidrefTes ?
They anfwer'd, You know all, and we know nothing.
llieh 1 proceeded, and t5id them, that their great Sins were the Source of all the prefent Iqconyeniencies they laboured un»
But, faid they, the Europeam ^rt Sinners, well as we; What enonfioOs Crimes are we then guilty of, that our Afflictions Ihould be fo univerfal ?
^ 'Tis true, 'faid '• 1, that -the' "Europeans Urd great Sinners, as well as you ;, but they are not Ignorant of the Supreme Being ; neither do they adore Graven Images, nor have they rejed-ed the DoiStrine of the Gofpel, when tendred unto them, as you do this pay ; and therefore 'tis . a Wonder of Divine Patience that you are flill a Peo- ple ; and that you are (afferd' to walk ort God's Ground.
Then a Bramm flood up, and faid, Ouf prefent Mifcries fl*ow from the Arbitrary and Uncontroul'd Will of God, who oftert involves both the Good and Evil in the
fame
of the Malabar ians Calamities! 1 9 1
fame common Calamities ; or Sins, com. mitted before this our laft Nativity, may be the Caufe of our prefent Sufferings ; and we may more immediately afcribe it to the Corruption of Publick Miniflers, and the Weaknefs of our Prince fuffering himfelf to be mif-guided by Parafites and Flatterers, who feek their own Intereft more than the Publick Good.
Your firft Two Reafons are ridiculous^ and wickedly falfe, fa id I, as I have made it appear at another Conference : And as for your calling the Blame upon your King and Sovereign, this Excufe is as bold, as 'tis un- reafonable : For they may with more fem- blance of Truth, refled: all their Miferies and Misfortunes upon you Bramans, for not imparting to them more whoifome Inftrudti- ons, advantageous both to Prince and Peo- ple : So that in truth, you Bramans (Eccle- iia{lick«) are the Caufe of the Publick Ca- lamities, wherewith this Land is forely afRi- <^ed : For you give your felves out for the Darlings of Heaven, and EmbafTadors of the Gods, interpreting their Wills to the common People ; while you your felves are Promoters of ridiculous lying Abfurdities in your Pagodsy and fubftantial Originals of Worldly-mindednefs, and Lovers of filthy LuCre ; therefore all the Publick Calamities
are
192 The Seventeenth Conference^
are properly, and niore immediately due to you crafty, fenfual and covetous Priefts, who have mdfl: effacJed from the Minds 6f Men the Difference of Good and Evil, by your erroneous DocStrines, and worldly, vici- ous Converfation.
The People beholding the Bramans very earneftly, told them ; what this Man fays, is very true ; we would fain know What i^nfwer you'll return him : For we are not cern'd in the Accufation,
Then one of the Bramans fpoke to this Effed:; we teach the People to worfliipOne only, and not Many Gods ; and the Notion of a Plurality of Gods comes hence, ijiz, becaufe God is varioufly reprefented under different Attributes and Forms -, yet he is Hill but One God, as Gold is but one, as to its kind, tho' wrought into a Thoufapd dif^ ferent Figures, by the Art and Indullry of the Goldfmlth.
I anfwer'd, the Comparifon is very odious, and reflecfts Reproach upon the Great Cre- ator, whom you compare to lifeleis Metal; and therefore I take this as no Anfwer to my charging you with teachiog and promoting Errors among the People. And then dire- ding my Difcourfe to the Audience, I ask'd
theia
of the Malabarians Calamities. 19 j
them, if they had any Notion of the True God that made Heaven and Earth ? To which they gave no Anfwer ;
Then asking them if they knew the Pagod. Gods they had in their Temples ?
They anfwer'd, Yes, and repeated their feveral Names, with the Way of worfliip- ping every God refpecStively.
Then turning to the Priefls, Sirs, faid I, chefe are living Teftirtionies of the Falfe. nefs of what you juft now affirmed , i. e. that you taught the People to be- lieve in One only God, and not in the Multiplicity of your Images ; For of the Nature and Being of the Firft, they are ftu- pidly ignorant * and as for the Lad, they know them all by their Names.
• Hereupon, One of the Priefls anfwer'd, we have no time to teach the People, as you, and others, who have nothing elfe to do ; we are oblig'd to aflTift at long tedious Cere^ monies, which, tho' we begin two Hours before Sun-rifing, yet are feldom ended be- fore Ten a- clock ; all the time we are, ac- cording to the Laws of our Order, ftridlly forbidden to talk with any Man whatfoever. Then we have many Formulas of Prayers,and O Cere-
1 94 ^^^ Seventeenth Confer ence.
Ceremonious Wafliings in Holy and Confe- crated Ponds, which take up mod of our time till Noon ; and after all thefe Perfor- mances are ended, we muft prepare Sacrifi- ces, and offer Incenfe in the Pagods ; not to mention the many F(?4/?/;/g and Faflittg^days we are obliged to obferve ; fo that you may plainly fee, we have no time to'inftrucSt the People, as you do. And befides all this, our Order flridly forbids us to converfe with feveral forts of Families, and Tribes of People, left we be defiled by them : For we are a Holy Order of Men, and the Vulgar are moft of them Common or Unclean.
I anfwer'd. Your time might be bet- ter employ'd in teaching the People their Duty towards God, and towards their Fel- low-Creatures, according to his own Will and Command ; and not according to your own vain imaginary Will-worihip.
To this they reply'd, perfuade our King to be a Chriftian, and we promife you to follow his Example.
How, faid I, would you fet him to be the Rule of Faith and Practice, whom you made but juft now to be the Author of all yout Mifenes; but Sirs, is it not probable, that upon you Bramans Receiving the Tenders of
the
of the Malabarians Calamitiesl 1 9 5
the Grace of God, and adorning your Pro- fefTion with the Fruits of Righteoufnefs and holy Converfation, many of the great Men of the Earth would follow your Example, and at length the King himfelf be induced to embrace the Chriftian Religion >
And intreating them to confider well what I had fpoken, I bid them all adieu.
O 2 Con^
197
Conference XVIII
What Opinion the Heathens entertain of the Chrifti- ans ; and of many other Particulars.
Between a Mahometan Prieft and a School-mafter^ and one of the Da- nijh Miffionaries.
ON the Sixteenth of January^ a I\!ta- howetan Prieft, and a Malahariatt School-mafter came to fee our Frinting'Houfey and difcourfe up- on Matters of Religion ; and fitting down between them both, I faid, Now aMinifter O ; of
ip8 The Eighteenth Confer ence^
of the Gofpel has a Mahometan on the Right, and a Heathen on the Left- Hand.
Whereupon the lafl; reply'd , the Word Heathen imports no more than a Sinner ; and if fo, I am fure, that both Chriflian$ and Mahometans are as great Sinners as our
The Mahomet a^{ziA^ fince my coming in- to this Country, I have remark'd fome things that are very wonderful to me, who knew nothing of thefe things before my Arrival : For there is a Prophefie recorded in our Books, that there will happen a great Alte- ration, and a mighty Change in Matters of Religion, by fuch and fuch Men that woul4 come amongft us.
The Heathen added, and we have Prophe- fies much to the fame purpofe, which we commonly apply to you Mahometans , who have made great Alteration in thefe Countries of late Years, in Matters of Religion.
I anfwer'd, 'Tis God alone can change the Hearts of Men, and Confequently their Reli- gion ,• not by Fire, and Sword, and Warlike Engines ; but by mere Perfuajives and Ar- guments, borrowed from the Intereft that
Mankind
Heathens Opinion of the Chriftians. 1 99
Mankind has in conforming rhemfelves to the Holy Dodrine of Jefus Chrid ,• whether it be preach'd to you by Natives or Stran- gers ) therefore don't negled this great Sal- vation offer'd to you this Day through my Miniftry.
The Heathen faid, 'tis our Sins that hin- der us from accepting of, and clofing with what you propofe to us,- and 'tis impo/fible for us to become Chrifliafis (tho'you Preach the Chriflian Doctrine among usj till God does give the Power to leave our wicked Ways, and turn to him with all our Hearts ; Therefore we mud expedt with Patience, till fuch time as it will pleafe God to work this Change of Mind and Will in us : For till then, all the belt Means are but thrown a- v/ay upon us.
'Tis very true, reply'd I, that your Sins feparate you from God, and detain you in the Chains of Ignorance and Unbelief ; but fhculd not you by fo much the more make a diligent fearch after the Redeemer of the World, who came to fave you from the Do- minion of Sin, and the Devil, the mortal Enemies of your Soul ? It you do but pati- ently and obediently hear Inlfrudions, God ■will give you all the neceffary Ai^s and Afliftances of his Divine Grace, to enable O 4 you
2 CO The Eighteenth Conference f
you to fhake ofF the heavy Yoke of Sin, an*^ the Devil's Tyranny, to the end you may enjoy the glorious Liberty of the Children of God in Light : But you mull not expert that God will force and compel you to be holy here, and happy hereafter ; For you muft likewife do what is required at your hands ; that is, make ufe of the Means that are now offer'd unto you : But if you negled fo great Salvation, your Dedrudion comes from your felves.
The Mahometan ask'd me» how comes it that God fuffers fo many Heathen Nations to thrive and flouri(h,.when both you and us agree, that the World is govern'd by a wife Providence, which one (liould think, ought to prevent the Entrance of Evil into the World ?
I anfwer'd, that God rules the World, not by his Ablolute Power, but by his great and infinite Wifdom, which knows how to bring Good out of Evil ; and fpares whole Nations for the fake of a few Holy ones, who will in time Embrace the Dodrine of Salvation, and propagate the fame to lateft Polleri- ty.
Then the Mahometan ask'd me, why the Chrifiians make ufe of fo many Similitudes
and
Heathens Opinion of the Chriftians. 20 i
and Metaphorical Expreifions in their Dif- courfes and Writings ?
I anfwer'd, becaufe all Languages confift in Words denoting only things obvious to our SenfeS; but in Ipeaking of Spiritual Things, we are oblig'd to exprefs them by Siniihtudes and Parables.
Then he repeated a Paflage of HI- ftory relating to Mahomet^ who at his firft fetting up for a Prophet, was defir'd by the Deputies of a certain Neighbouring Town to folve them a Thoufand Difficulties propos'd unto him, in order ^^N^lTure them- felves that his Miffion was Heavenly, and that he was divinely infpir'd ; and upon his Non performance, they fufpeded his Do- drine to be no more than fandified Hypo- crifte, mix'd with a great deal of crafty fub- til Dealings : But immediately the Angel Gahriel, appearing at his Right hand, folv'd all thefe puzzling Queftions, publifh'd fmce in a feparate Volume called Air am 'Mufilam^ and tranflated out of Arahkk into HalaharU an ; whereupon they receiv'd his Religion ; and I muftconfefs, you anfwer fo juftlyand fully to all Queflions propos'd unto you, that one iliould fufped that you have the Affi- ftance of fome familiar Demon or other,
won-
202 The Eighteenth Conference, &c,
wonderfully skill'd, and ready in Extempo^ rary anfwering hard Queftions.
Upon this, we gave over talking, and walk'd in the Princing-houfe , they being aftonilh'd at this rare Invention, never known before in thefe Countries.
Con^
203
Conference XIX-
Of the Plurality of Wives a-- tnovg the Mahometans ; and of the different man-' 7ier of propagating their Religion and ours.
Bptween fome Mahometans, and one of the Danijh Miffionaries.
ON the Nineteenth of Jcinuary^ fome Mahometans from remote Parts vifiting us, defircd us to beflow upon them fome Httle printed Book or other ; and ask'd us, w hy we could not teach the People without the Help of
printed
^04 T^he Nineteenth Conference]
printed Books ? And if every Man was not capable by his own Light of Reafon, to at- tain to fo much Knowledge as was necefla- ry for the Condu(5t of his Life, in or- der to pleafe God, and fave his Soul from the Punifliments of .the next World ?
Had our firfl: Parents, anfwer'd I, remain'd in their primitive State of Intregrity I would anfwer you in the Affirmative- but upon their Difobedience, they loft the Image of God, confifting in Know- ledge and true Holinefs; and are forced to make ufe of Books, Mafters and many more Helps, to attain the neccflary Know- ledge of Salvation, that they may think always of their Duty, and keep their God, and Chrift their Redeemer, always in their Minds, and before their Eyes.
And then T ask a them, how their Wives came to have any Knowledge in Religious Matters, feeing they were neither fent to School, nor permitted to frequent the Mo/ques to hear Sacerdotal Inftrudions.
They anfwer'd, 'tis not the Cuftom among us, that Women learn to Read and Write ; nor are our Women admitted to frequent any publick Company where Men are pre- ient, as among you Chriitians -, tho' now
and
6f Plurality of Wives ^ &c. 2 o J
and then, our Priefts are admitted to teach the Women in their own Hdufes.
By all this Refervednefs, faid I, ybu would make the World believe, that you are very Chafte in all yourConverfations; How comes it then that your Law ad- mits of having fo many Wives and Concu- bines ?
He anfwer'd. Fornication is feverely pu- niflied among us, and is accounted a very great Sin ,• whereof if either Man or Woman is convided, he is fent for by the Pried, who is obligd to give the offending Party a hun- dred Bajitnado's : Therefore this Sin is rarely to be found among us Mahometans. As for Mahornefs permittmg a Plurality of fViveSy in proportion to every Man's Faculty and Circumflances in the World ; 'tis a good Law, deftrudive of the Sin of Fornication, and preventing all its difmal Confequences in any well- regulated Society.
I Urg'd, that this was againft the firft In- flitution of Marriages : For God gave but one Wife to Ji/am, though at the fame time they had an exprefs Precept for Increafing and Multiplying : Therefore 'tis your unconfin'd Brutilli Lulls have laid the Foundation for this unreafonable Incootinency.
The
2 66 The Nineteenth Confer enci^
The Mahometan reply'd, By no meaiis, Sir; For this was the Pra dice of many holy Prophets, own'd by the Chriftians as fuch, before our Prophet Mahomet ^^s born.
I anfwer'd, Saints and Prophets had all df thern their Imperfedlions j but we are not to be Imitators of their Vices, but of their Vertues and Excellencies : But iliew me where any of the Prophets taught for Dod:rine, the Lawfulnefs of having many Wives? It fol- lows then, that the Impoftor did it, as one of the beft Stratagems, accompanied with bloody Wars, likely to propagate his wicked Opinions among an ignorant Lafcivious Na- tion at his firll fetting up for Prophet and Legiflator : Whence you may eafily fee the great difTerence between our Religion and yours, in the manner of their being propa- gated among many Nations.
Pray, how was the Chriflian Religion pro- pagated among the Gentiles, laid the Ma- hometan i
Through Perfecution, and Sufferings, arid cruel Deaths of many Thoufand of its Pro^ fefibrs : Moreover, by Ways and Means o( Love and Gofpel perfuafives, encouraging all to read the holy Scripture, containing
the
of Plurality of Wives ^ Sccl 207
the Prophefies relating to the promlfed Mef. fias ; whereas you forbid the reading of the Alcoran^ and difcourage Men from fuch Studies as nfiay be helpful to them in dif- covering the grofs Errors of their Carnal Religion.
What you fay, is very true, reply 'd he ; yet for all that, a Man may be fav'd in our Religion : For we hold the Exigence of One only God, and believe the Neceflity of Good Works to be pradtis'd in an uninter- rupted Courfe of a vertuous and a fobef Converfation. We know, that many of us are rebellious and difobedient, and therefore rauft be puniflied in Hell hereafter ,* whence however, after fome Duration oF Time, the Prophet will gracioufly deliver them all, when the Time of the Rejlitution of all things fliall come, when this World fhall bedeflroy- ed, and a new one ereded in its Room.
To this I anfwer'd, What you fay of Ma- hornet's relieving damned Souls from Hell, is very falfc and ridiculous : For after this Life, there is no Place for Repentance ; and 'tis therefore we are commanded by God to repent of all our Sins, and believe in Chrifl-j while we are yet alive, and can give fuffi- cient Teftimony to the World of the Sin- cerity of our Intention, by our manifeftly
declaring
2o8 Thff t^ineteenth Conference^ &c.
declaring War againft Siti, and leading pious and honed Lives worthy of our holy Profeflion. And as hr" Mahomet's redeem- ing you from Hell, do but read the Hifto- ry of his wicked Life, and then believe, if you can, that fuch an Impoftor is ever a- ble to deliver thence his own Soul.
Con-
209
Conference XX.
Of the Malabarian Sacred Law-Books , Aftrolog^y , and of many other Par-- ticulars.
Between fome Malabarian Priefts, and one of the Danifl) Miffiona- ries;
ON the Eighteenth of January^ as I was walking in the Streets, I faw a Pried reading to a great Con- courfe of Merchants, who heard him very attentively ; and putting my felf among the Auditors, I ask'd what Book 'twas he read ?
P He
2 1 0 The Ivpentieth Conference]
He anfwer'd, 'tis Kan^apuranu ; or an Hi* {lory- Book.
Do you believe for -Truth all the Con- tents of that Book, faid I unto him ?
Yes, reply'd he ; for 'tis a Treatife expli- catory of our Sacred Law.
Then I took him to task, and (hew*d, that 'twas but a continued Poetical Ficflion from the Beginning to the End, and thwarting all the Attributes of the Supreme Being , and defl:rud:ive of good Morals in all the Youth who aflift at the reading thereof.
But, Sir, faid he, this Book fpeaks of Come Achievements and Heroick Ac^^ions of the Gods, not only in this, but in the other World, where our Poets have never been ; and therefore they muft have had it reveal- ed unto them by the Gods themfelves ; as many other Sciences had been never difco- vered or found out without immediate Re- velation : As for Example, the Knowledge of the Heavenly Motions, of the Eclipfes of the Sun snd Moon, the Art oi Soothiay- iisg and foretelling future Contingenc es : All thf.le things we learn irom the Gods and Invifibie Beings i and all thefe Sciences be- ing
of the Sacred LarV" Books, &c, zij
lag writ in the Kerundum Language, known only to the Bramans^ 'tis firmly believ'd that this was the Language of the Gods.
This Bramijh PrieRcraft, reply'd I, Is too palpable to merit a Confutation : For with one half of a Thought you'll perceive, that *tis only to derive divine Venf^ration and Refpeci to all the lying Extravagancies writ in that Language, by impudently af- firming it to be the common Dialed: of the Gods ,• which, a« 'tis in it felf a ialle Ai^- fertion ; fo 'tis afolid Proof, that your Gods are Imaginary Vanities : For God does not talk and difcourfe in any Language whatfo- ever, as we Mortals do ,- which argues our Nature very imperfed:, having no other Way to know one another's Thoughts ,- which without Blaipheming, can't be faid of the All-wife God, who knowcth our Thoughts affar ofT And as to what you fay, that A- Jironomy and other Sciences have been in- vented by your Gods and Spiritual Beings ; this is likevvife falfe and ridiculous : For all the Knowledge of the Motion of Celeftial Bodies, of the Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon, is attained by Study and Obfervation ; as all other Arts and Sciences are acquir'd a- mong Men : But as to what you fay of Magick and Soothlaying, and toretclling of future Contingencies, they are no Arts P z nor
2 1 1 The Twentieth Conference^
nor Sciences, being not grounded upon any Certain Truths j but mere wild lying Conje- cftures, contributing very much to render our Lives uncomfortable when difappointed by the Hope of good things never to be at- tain'd ; and frighted with the Fear of Evil that will never come to pafs.
The Priefl made no Reply to all this ; but faid, all Religions come from God, and are approv'd of by him : For we find among our felves (^Malaharians^ Three Hundred and fixty Sorts or Seds of Religions ,• and that 'tis much the fame among you Chrifli- ans^ we are very much inclin'd to believe ; becaufe the Portugueze have Images in their Temples, and Ceremonies quite different from what we find among you j and w^e obferve that there is a different Language fpoke at every Fifty Miles :All which Varieties mud eome from God, and are acceptable unto him: For a Thoufand different Roads may lead to the fame Capital City, as Lines drawn from the difierent Points of the Cir- cumference, all terminate in the fame Centre : There may be dired: and round-about Ways ; and w hat then ? if they do but lead to the King'5 Houfe, my Toil and Labour is not to come into any confideration, when I fliall arrive at the long wiflvd for Port of Reft and Happinefs.
To
of their Sacred Larr: 'Books ^ S^c, 2 i j
To this I anfw'er'd, ^11 thefe Diveriltics of Opinions are from our fwerving Irom the Way of Happinefs mark'd out unto Man- kind by the Finger ol' God himfcU j and run- ning ailray in Ways and Roads of our ovvn finding out, leading at laft to Eternal Mi- fery.
Then they ask'd me, if we look'd upon their Religion as falfe only in fome Points or falfe in every Particular ?
You believe, faid I, the Exigence of a Supreme Beings the Immortality of the Soul, the Certainty of eternal Rewards and Pu- nifhments in the next World, the Difference tliat is betvvxen Vice and Vertue, the abfo- lute l^eceffity there is of loving the one, and avoiding the other : All thefe Points arei^ Eternal Truths, common to you and us, deeply engraven in every Man's Confcience, and can't be thence effaced by all the indu- flrious Endeavours of vicious Minds ; and therefore we never challenge you upon any of thefe Important Truths: But we find fault with your allertinga Plurality of Gods, your making Good and Evil to be equally deriv'd from God ; and that all the Wick- ednefles committed in the World, are but the Paftimesand Diverfions of the Almighty P 3 Sove-
24' The Twentieth Confer ence^
Sovereign ; your believing that you'll ob- tain the RemiiTion of Sins by the Irkfom Performances of ridiculous Ceremonies ; and your fitting contentedly Ignorant of the Knowledge of the Divine Will clearly re- vealed in his Holy Word, which I am wil- ling to impart and make known unto every one of you. 'Tis againft thefe abominable Errors that we contend with you, to the end you may come to the faving Knowledge of God and your felves, by heUeuiTig in his Mame.
The Pried; anfwer'd, Belief is as much iirg'd in our Religion, as in yours : For it would by no Means feem, or appear ridiculous to you in any of its Articles, if you did but believe it.
But, Sir, faid I, you have a falfe Notion o^ faving Faith : For 'tis not believing all extravagant lying Traditions of defigning Men ; but what the God of Truth propofes to us in his Holy Word, which is the uner- ring Touch-done in all Religious Matters, that I recommend.
Some of them fald, 'tis firmly believed a- mong us, that not only all Mankind, but all Birds, and Beads of the Fields, fliall be Eternally Happy after many repeated Nati.
vities
of their Sacred Laxp-Books, &€. 2 1 5
vities or Regenerations, qualifying them for the Enjoyment of God.
To this I anfwer'd, that as they are not capable of knowing and worihipping God here, fo are they lefs capable of enjoying him hereafter ; and therefore this muft be a very wild and groundlefs Conjecture.
P4
Con-
217
Conference XXL
Of their Wajhtngs and Pur i^ ficatioiis ; and of the Do- drmeofFatcfo much cul- tivated among them.
Between a Braman, and one of the Da* ni/h Miffionaries.
ON the Twenty ninrh of January^ I walk'd out into one of the neigh- bouring Villages, where very ma- ny Bramans allembied to hear my Difcourfe ; among whom there was one very famous for his Skill in the Art of Con- juring andSoothfaying j and befides, was an excellent Orator ; and having then finilh'd
their
i 1 8 The Tn^enty firfl Conference^
their Ordinary Wafliings, and but juft come out of the Water, I ask'd them,how daily Dip- ping and Plunging did avail them ? Do you, befides the cleanfing your Bodies, propofe by fo doing, the purifying of your Souis ?
He anfwer'd, we believe the Water to be a God, and the mofi: gracious and beneficent of all the Deities, to us Mortals, purifying our Souls, as well as our Bodies, when ac- companied with the ordinary Ceremonies, and with the eflabliflied Formulas of devout Prayers.
I grant, faid I, that Water is one of the conflituent Parts of all animate and inani- mate things, and very ferviceable to all vifible Beings ,• but for all this , 'tis no God, but a very excellent Creature, point- ing out to you that the Maker thereof mufl: be infinitely more Excellent and Glorious ,• and for not arguing thus like Creatures en- dued with Underftanding, you conclude, that all excellent Things mufl be Gods ; and this falfe Logick is the Source of all your innu- merable falfe Gods. Mean while, I intima- ted, that the \J(t of Baptifm or fprinkling of Water among Chrifliansy for the wafhing a- way Original Sin, was only jymholkal, re« prefenting unto our Faith the precious Blood oF the Lord Jefus Chrift, which purifieth
the
of the DoElrine of Fate, &c. 2 ! 9
the Confcience from Dead Works ; and as we are dipp'd in Water, fo we are purg'd with Chrift in Baptifm, that we may rife with him to a Newnefs of Life; and not that Water, properly and materially fpeaking, can walh away our Sins» and purifie our immate- rial Spirits.
He added, as there are different Medica- ments here trom thofe of Europe^ in order to cure Bodily Difeafes ^ fo God makes ufe of different Ceremonies and Religious Inflitu- tionsjto cure the fpiritual Difeafes of the Soul.
I anfwerd, that Comparifon has no Place in this Matter ; For the Difference of Climates and that of Human Bodies, do rationally call for different Methods of Cure -, but God, the Objed: of Adoration, is every where, and at all times the fame ; and Mens Minds are equally (with due Culture and Atten- tion) dilpofed to Fear and Love him as their God and Sovereign Good.
One of them anfwer'd, all comes from the Abfolute Decrees of Heaven ; we can't do otherwife than we do : For while we are yet in the Mother's Womb, we are form'd and fliap'd for Vice or Vertue, for this or that Religion : For Example ; fix Children born of the fame Motlier, bleifed with the fame
careful
2 2 o The Trvem^ firfl Conference^
careful Education, brought up under the fame Difcipline, yet but one of them very likely, which proves to be an honed Man ; and all the reft will become wicked and vi- cious. This can't be otherwife acounted for, than by refolving all to the unchangeable, uncontroul'd Orders of tire Almighty, who will have it fo, and no otherwife.
I anfwer'd, that God created in the Be- ginning every thing very good in. its kind ,• but Man fas I have flievvn on another Oc- carion)aburing his Free Will, rebelled againfl God, and thereupon loft the Power of doing what is acceptable and pleafing to God, without the immediate Aids of Divine Grace, offer'd to all of us through Jefus Chrift : But Mankind being bent upon Evil, and blinded in the Spirit o\ their Minds, negled the Of- fer of Grace and Pardon, made unto them through a Redeemer ,• and hence it is, that there are more wicked and bad Men in the World, than there are honeft and vertuoufly inclm'd.
The People cried out, Sir, 'tis all true what you (ay ; and we have learnt more of you, than we have of the Bramans all the time of our Lives ; for they never come near us, unlefs to eat and drink at Weddings and Buryings, to receive their Dole ol boil'd
Rice
of the VoBrine of Fate^ &c. zzt
Rice and Clothes, that at fuch times are di- ftributed among them ; and the poorer fort of Famihes dare not fo much as appear in their Neighbourhood, becaufe they call themfelves Holy Men ; and other poor Fa- milies they call Common and Unclean,
Then fome of the Bramans reprov'd the People, and (aid, they had neither Honour nor Modefty, in daring to talk fo of their Hol^y Or^er, and in neglecting to beftow upon them a Competent Maintenance, that they might difcharge the feveral Duties of their high and heavenly Office, without the Di(lra<5tion of worldly Cares : And as for their not converfing with fome fort of Men, 'twas becaufe they fear'd to be defiled by them ; feeing they were Bareyers, that eat CoivS'FleJh, and other forbidden Meats ; and therefore Men, who can't be faved in the
other World.
♦
I anfwer'd, if you are poor, 'tis to your Gods you mud attribute the Caufe of your Poverty, and not to the People, who make you very confiderable Allowances ; but you offer it in Sacrifices to your Idols, which you fhould rather ofier to hungry Stomachs : And as to the People you call Bareyers, or ttnclean^ I dare fay, that they are much more ufefulto the Government than you Bramans;
for
212 The Twenty firji Conferences
for they are very laborious, not aiham'd to do the meaneft Drudgeries j which, though mean and flaviili, yet muit be done by fome or other ^ and why for their Pains they muft be called Unclean by the Standers-by, I can't conceive : And I yet more wonder at the Men whom you bid ftand off, becaufe you are holier than they, and excommunicate from the Favour of God in the World that is to come, as well as from your Company in thisi it would be Urange, I fay, ifthofe Men would have any Refped for you Bra- mans >
You guefs very well, faid a Braman t There is an eternal Hatred between us and the Bareyers : For we are defcended from the God Biruma, and defigned for the Joys of Heaven ; but they are the OfF-fpring of fome Earthly-minded Men, and are ordamed for the Torments of Hell and eternal Mife- ry; and 'tis therefore in purfuance to this OMum, they affront us openly, and very often have the Impudence to throw Stones at us, when we are palling by their Habitations.
I told him, that 'twas his Pride that puff'd him up i and that this Idle Lazy Life gave them a fiaadle to infuk poor induftrious Men, who get their living by the Sweat of their Brows.
Then
of the VoEirine of Fate ^ &c. 223
Then he faid, that he, by the help of his Skill in Magick^QO\A^ compel the Devil to do, or fay what he pleafed ; which was an Ar- gument that their Law and Formula's oiPny" ers were more efficacious than ours, feeing we could not controul the Devil as he could.
I anfwer'd, that according to our holy Law, Witches and Wizards are condemned as the moft profligate Men in the World, in- afmuch as that they had made a fecret Con- trad with the Devil, the Enemy of God, and of the Souls of Men. Then I proceeded to enlarge on this Head, and fpake very fully of the Marks, and infallible Charaders di- flinguilhing the true Law of God from the Lying Laws calculated to the Intereft of worldly-minded Men, whofe Bufinefs 'twas toimpofe upon the reft of their Fellow-crea- tures.
Con-
22 5
Conference XXII.
Of the Laws of Moks ; and of the Gofpel^ &c.
Between Two Maboraetan Priefts, and one of the Danijh Mifliona- ries.
N tfie Thirty firfl: of January, I was vifited by two Mahometati Prlefts, the one of them a neigh- bouring Pried i but the other canae from Agar^ the Refidence of the great Mogul, They began to tell me, how God had at feveral times raifed up Prophets to inftrudt the People, and to guide them in the Ways of Truth and Holinefs ,• and more efpecially, faid they, we own four Great a Pro-
2 2 5 The Twenty [econd Conference^
Prophets, immediately fent from God, to reform this wicked World from the Evil of their Ways j the firft whereof was Mofes, the fecond David^ the third Jt- fm^ and the fourth Mahomet : Pray tell us, faid they, which of the Four do you look up- on to be the Greateft^and take for your Guide in Matters of Religion ?
*Tis confefs'd by all ChrifltattSy anfwer'd i, that Mofes, David, and Jefus^ were great Prophets; whereof the laft was not only a Prophet, but the Son of the living God, and the Redeemer of Mankind : And as to what you fay, that the Three forementioned Pro- phets gave three different Laws to Mankind, and Mahomet came to give the World a fourth Law, different from thole of Mojes, David^ and Jefus Chrift ; in all this you grofsly mi- Hake : For the Writings of the Royal Pro^ phet Davids and the Gofpel of Jejm Chrift, are but Explications of the Law of Mofes • and all put together, with the infpired Wri- tings of all the other Prophets, make but one juft entire Body, or Doctrine of all the things neceOary to be believed and pradis'd for the attaining eternal Happinefs : And though vt e don't obferve the Ceremonial Part of the Mofa ical L^w ; yet we read it attentively, inafmuch as tho't; Ceremonies were Types snd Shadows ot the promifed Mejfias ; and
there-
of the Larps of Mo[qs, &c. 227
therefore the 0/«/ and Mew Teftament make up One Compleat Chrijtian hfitution : But as for the Alcoran compo<>'d by Mahomet, 'us partly taken out of the Writings of our holy Bible, and partly out of the Books o\ Pagans^ mix'd with many of his own Extravagan- cies, as may be clearly feen by anydilarn- ing Reader : Therefore Mahomet gave the World no new Law ; but difmembred man- gled, and corrupted the Laws ot\^<^j, and the Gofpel of Jefus Qhrifl.
But, *tis certain, quoth the Mahometan^ that there is a great Conformity between your Religion and ours, with this only Difference ; we believe One^ and you a //•/- nit) of Gods.
Then I explain'd unto him at large, the Dodrine of the trinity^ and the Tvi o Na- tures of Chrift.
Well, quoth he, if once you receive fuch Opinions for Articles of Faith, I doubt not, but you'll find Arguments and plaufible Te- (limonies to defend your Point,- though this Dodrine or the trinity has neither M.o[es^ Davidj nor Ifnahi (Jefus) for its Author.
Q. i Here
2 28 The Twenty jecond Conference]
Here T flopp'd them, by producing many plain Texts of Scripture, both out of the 13ooks of Mofes, and out of the New Te- flament ; proving the Truth of the Chrilli- an Dodrine of the Tfinity.
Here the Mahometan reply 'd, I have not read your Books ; therefore 'tis to little pur- pofe to anfw^r rhe with Paffages dut of Books I never faw ; but put the cale, that this Do- drine was exprefsly writ in your Bible Cwhich yet fome Chriflians themlelves de- ny ;) but feeing that it thwarts the Light of Reafori, 'tis to be rejedled : For it gives an Handle to Chrillians to go back to Idolatry, and worfhip Graven Images and a Plurality of Gods ; as 'tis but too vifible in your Por^ tugueze Chriftians,- who live in thefe Coun- tries : For they woriliip Graven Images m their Temples, as the Heathens do.
I Ihew'd him, that this Dodrirre was nei- ther againfl the Unity of God, nor againft Reafon ; but that 'twas a great Myftery tranfcending finite Reafon, we freely grant ; becaufe the Nature of an infinite Being can't be Comprehended by our finite Reafbn, and created Underftandings : And as for your mentioning the Danger we are in of falling into Idolatry, be affur'd, that we are as
Greas
of the Laivs of Mofes, &"c. 229
Great Enemies toldol VVorfliip, as the Maho- metans themfelves : For we have no other Bufmefsin thefe Countries, but to bring the Heathens from the Worfhippisg many Ima- ginary Idol- Deities, to the Knowledge of tiie One only true God, and his Son Jefifs Chrrfi^ whom he hath Tent into World to fave Man- kind from the Guilt and Punilhment due to their Sins. But becaufe fome C/;a-//?/^»j de- ny Chrilt to be the everlafdng Son of God ; and others worHiip Graven images j muft that induce you to rejedt his Dodrineof the Trinity^ while you your felv'es believe a thoufand incomprehenfible Abfurdities of your Prophet Mahomet^ that affront com- mon Sence, and trample Reafon under foot ? For don't you give divme Worfliip to Ma- homet, though you acknowledge him to be a mere Man ?
We give him no Divine Worfliip, re- ply'd he ,• but revere him as our Law- giver ; and direcSt our Intentions to Ma- homefs God, who w^as pieas'd to make ufe of him to call us from Heathcnifra.
I anfwer'd, it appears by the whole Te- nor of your Carriage and Demeanour, that you adore Mahomet as much, if not more than God himfeif, becaufe he is always in your Mouths, and always mention'd in youj- Q. 3 Pray
230 The 7vpmty fecond Conference ,
Prayers ;1 which you never do with regard to Mo/eSf DavU. and Chrifl, whom you allow to be Prophets fent from God to re- form thefiniul World. Moreover, ^oufay, that he was Exifting before the Creation of the World ; and that all things were created for his fake : All this I lliew'd them out of their own Writings tranflated into the Maiahariaa Tongue.
They defired me to rehearfe all the Points which Chriftians efteem erroneous in their Religion.
I gave them a long Catalogue immedi- ately ^ among which, I mention'd Polyga- my^ as deftrudive both of Mofes's and Je- fus Chrift's Dodrine j both w hom they al- low to have been fent from God to Teach his Ways in Truth and Sincerity to the Children of Men.
Polygnmy^ faid they, is neither againfl: found Dod:rine, nor againfl the Light of Natural Reafon ; but we look upon it as a laudable Cuftom, acceptable to God, and ufeful to Human Society : For a Man peoples both this World, and that which is to come, with more New Inhabitants, than if he had married but One Wife only I And 'tis therefore that God has
Created
of the Laws of Mofes, i5^c. 23 1
Created more Women than Men ,• and by Polygamy the World is peopled with New Colonies, and all the Women taken care of.
This their Opinion, both by Reafon and Scripture, I confuted i and iTiew'd them, that 'twas \o plain a Truth, that the Hea- thens kept flill to the firft Inftitution of Marriage, and condemn Polygamy as the Eiled; of Untam'd Luft and Unbridled Jncontinency : And that there are more Women than Men in the World, is ground- lefs, and againfl: daily Experience : For 'tis very reafonable to believe, that both Sexes, as to their Number, come up very near to an Equality, if we confider the great Number of Men dying by the Sword, or drowned in the mighty Waters, or fent abroad upon other Expeditions, ufeful to the Society.
They made no Reply to all this ; but ask'd, what 1 thought of the Way and Manner of remitting Sins ?
Q. 4 Here-
232 l^be Twenty Jecond Conference ^
Hereupon I made a long Difcourfe, (hew- ing how Sifi came firft into the World ; and how Man by Sin being obnoxious to the Wrath of God, did Hand in need of a Redeemer : Which gave me occafion to explain to them the Dodrine of Juftifica^ tton and Forgivenefs of Sins, by the Free Grace of God, and not by any Works that we our (elves can do, without the Divine Concurrence of adiding Grace ,• which en- ables us to repent, and turn to God, con. quering our Stubbornnefs, and making us willing to run in the Ways of God's Com- mandments. And then I defired to know how Pardon of Sins was attained, according to the Principles of Mahometans ?
Some Sins, faid they, are blotted out, and pardoned, by the Offenders receiving an Hundred Baftinadds i fome by Forty, and fome Sins are by Death only aton'd for ; fome Sins are pardon'd, in confideration of pecuniary Mulds and Fines, and by doing long Penances, and iliewing Mercy to- wards the Poor with more than common Liberalities.
Upon this I refam'd, and (liew'd them, that this great Error was common both to them and to the Heathens, to thkik that the Guilt of Sin is pardoned by chaftifing
and
of the Laws of Mofes, iifc^ z j 3
and mortifying the Outward Man ; when all the Auderities of Corporal Penances can only weaken the Flefli, but in no wife crucifie Sin, and renew the Inward Man.
To all this they made no Reply ; but thank'd me for my Friendly Difcourfe.
I made them a Prefent of fome Book? out of our Printing-Houfe, in the Malaha-* rian Tongue, and difmifs'd them.
Con-
^3?
Conference XXIII.
OftheGoodmfsofGodf and of Maris Wickednefs ; and of the Heathens OhjeBions againft the Chrijlian Re^ Virion. Their making God the Author ofiSin.
Between many Heathens^ and one of the DaniJJj Miffionaries.
f ' ' ■ ■*■
ON the Nineteenth of Jcinuary I went to one of the Neighbouring Villages, where very many Heathens flock'd toge- ther to hear the Preaching of the Gofpel. I fpake to them of the manifold Mercies, and Goodnefs of God towards the Malaba-
nan
:?j5 Jhe Twenty third Conference,
rian Nation ; and of their National Ingratir tude, which, after the long Patience of Hea- ven, wearied with their wicked Courfes; is now rewarded with condign Punifliment, publick Calamities, and Affli(5tions with which their Land is vifited.
Hereupon one of them anfvver'd, that God is very Good, and ail Men very Evil, we all know ; but pray, tell us, how comes this Evil into the World ; and whence has it its Original ? And how can we be freed from all the Train of Miteries that attend it ? That Pride, Lying, Hatred and Difobedience are great Evils, is known by woful Experience ; but finding our lelves unable to refift the adJive Power thereof, we conclude, that God is the Author of Sin, as well as the Author of Vertue.
Your Ignorance of the Original of Evil, is the Caufe of this your prophane Opinion, that deftroys the very Notion of Vertue and Goodnefs ; and confequently you go on quietly in the fame finful Courfe of Life, as pleafing and acceptable to God. Here I ex- plain'd unto them very fully the holy Na- ture of God, and the Scriptural Account of the Original of Evil, and of its tremendous Confequences ,• from which Chrift redeem- ed us with his precious Blood ; If we repent
of
of the Qoodnefs of God, Stc, 237
of former Sins, and believe in his Name, and lead holy Lives worthy of the holy Precepts contained in his Gofpel ; 'tis then we lliall be enabled to refill Sin ; and quench all the fiery Darts of Satan ?
But here I was interrupted by one telling me, that all what 1 faid about the Scriptural Account of the Original of Sin^ was nothing at all to the purpofe : For thefe being Hifto- rical Tranfaditions, which happened before either you or we were born, they can carry no Convidion with them : For we have ve- ry many fuch Hiftories of Things tranfadied by the Gods in the World preceding this ; to which we neither lend much Attention, nor Belief.
You do well, faid I, to dif-believe ridicu- lous Fables, and feU-contradiding BJiftories, containing fuch monftrous Abfurdities, that no Man in his Senfes can hear them read with Patience : But as for the Hiflory, and Account we have of the Original of Evily and of the promifed Remedy thereof, 'tis made out fo clear, by the fulfilling of the feveral Prophefies relating to the mmuteft Circum- (lanccs, in the whole Procefs of the Work of our Redemption, that a Man may as juftly and reafonably doubt of the Exiftence of the ordinary Objeds of Sight and Hearing, as
doubt
238 the Twenty fecond Conference]
doubt of the Truth of what is related in th^ facred Pages of the Old and New Tefta- mtnt.
Here, refuming his Diicourfe, Sir, quoth he, 'tis a Wonder, that To wife a Man as you are, ihould thus go from Place to Place, to entertain People with learned Difcourfes, who don't much care to give you the bear- ing : I thought you had arriv'd at that high Degree of Wifdom, that teaches you to for- fake all the vain Converfation of the igno- rant Mohile, and lead a retired Life, as our Hermits and Anchorets do, whom we worihip and revere as the wifell of Mortals, and con- fult them upon occafional Difficulties ia their WildernefTes and Subterranean Refiden- ces, or Caves of the Earth : For they never come after us ,• becaufe fuch as third after the Knowledge of the Truth, will run after them to be intruded by them in the Precepts of Wifdom.
I return* d him the following Anfwer ; The'" great God, the Fountain of all Wifdom and Knowledge, wanting none of our Services and Performances, yet is in all Places, and at all times urging his Creatures to mind the Salvation of their Souls, and turn to him with all, their Hearts, that he may blot out their Iniquities, and pardon all their Sins :
And
of the Goodnefs of God^ &c^ i 3 9
And if God in his Mercy did not condefcend to come in quell of his Rebellious Children^ 'tis more than probable, that few or none would importune him with Reprefentations of their dangerous Circumftances, or with earneft humble Petitions for Grace and Par- don : For lb great is the innate Pride of Man's Heart, that he would rather hazard his Soul, and all, than owe his DeHverance to the free Grace of God : Therefore true Wifdom confifls in feeking and faving thofe that go aftray ; and the more laborious and adive we are herein, the more wife we are, in imi- tating the VVifdom of the Almightyi And if your Hermits were endued with the Wif- dom which comes from above, they would do as I do, teach the* Ignorant, and reclaim thofe to the Knowledge of God, who are carried away by the Delufionsof the Devil and crafty Men, who lye in wait to deceive filly Souls.
Upon this, another fpake; Whenever you come to us. Sir, we are heartily glad to fee you : For though we oppofe you now and then, and interrupt your Difcourfe. afTure your felf, that 'tis out of a Defire to have things yet more clearly dated, and fome little Scruples folv'd ,• and not out of any vSpirit of Contradidion : And to deal inge- nuouHy with you, I'll tell you what hinders
the
240 The Trventy third Conference^ &c,
Progrefs of your Docflrine, and what ren- ders it unacceptable to us MaUharians ; 'tis becaufe you are none of us, but a White European, If you were a Native, we would hear you chearfully.
God, faid I, having Thoughts of Grace and Mercy towards this unthankful Land, fo corrupted wit]i Idolatry, and cover'd with fuch grofs Darknefs, that there is no Wife Man left among you to teach his Brethren the Knowledge of God and his Ways j has fent Men from the reniOteff Corners of the Earth, to explain to you his manifold Wif- dom, hid from Ages and Generations, but now manifeft in his Beloved Son, and our, as well as your Saviour, and common Lord, Jefus Qhrifl. Thefe Wonderful Dealings of God with you, lliould awaken your At- tention the more, to confider, that he has not dealt thus with other Nations j neither were your Fathers inflrudled in the great Things of God, as you are this Day^ nei- ther did any Foreigners ever before, learn both tofpeak and write your Language with no other View than to promote the Welfare of your Souls, and render you acceptable in the Sight of God, your Creator. Then I concluded with Admonitions and Motives .to kcpentance, and to a Godly Life j and bid them all Adieu.
Con*
M«
Conference XXIV,
Of the HeatheniJJj Books ^ &c.
Between fome Heathens^ and one of the Danljl) Miffionaries.
ON the Fifth of March, fome Heathens from the City ot Meiron, came to my Houfe, defiring me to give them fome Printed Books, fuch as they had ^t^^ in the Hands of fome of their Neighbours.
T ask*d them, of what ufe fuch Books would be to them ?
To read them, and to raife Difcourfes thereupon, anfwer'd they, and wonder among our felves, how^^ the White Europeans could have learnt our Language, and printed it thus, without Ink and Writing.
*Tis not, faid I, to raife your Admirati- on, that we are come here from our own
R Coun^
242 T^he Twenty fourth Confer ence^^
Countrey, and print thefe Books with fo much Coil and Pains- taking ; but to the end we may fpread among you the Know- ledge of the True God, and that your felves may read the Words of Eternal Life, which are fufficient to make you wife unto Salvation *. But we are very much difap- pointed in our Expedation ; for we find, you little mind the Things that belong to your Peace, tho' brought home to your Doors, and ofler'd to you without Money and without Price ; while you are never wearied in reading the VVildeft Extravagan- cies, written by lying Poets, and falfe Hi- ftorians, who have made it their Bufinefs to impofe upon too credulous Pofterity.
Then, anfwer'd fome of them, are all our Books falfe ?
As to the Hiftorles of your Gods fundry Apparitions, the Foundation and Grounds of your /'tfgt^^-Worfhip, faid I, they are all abfurd Falfities ; and all the Rules and Direcflions there contain'd, for the attaining of Eternal Happinefs, are of no ufe : The befl: Books you have, are fuch as treat of Vertue and Vice, and other Matters in Mo- rality^ which are pretty well written, but mix'd and daih'd with interfperfed Falfities ; yet none of all your Books make any
mention
of the Heatheni/Ij Books^ &c, 24 j
mention of the Original of Man's Mifery, and of the promiflbry Means of Salvation. And as for your Books, Aftrological, Magi- cal, &c. written to promote the Deviliih Trade of Witchcraft^ they are good for nothing, but to be committed to the Flames, inafmuch as they diftrad your Minds from God, and feafon them with the Dodrine of Devils.
Then one flood up, and faid, you may rail and inveigh, as much as you pleafe, againfl: our Books ; yet, for what I can find, your Books have no Letters, but ours ; and no Words, but what are borrow'd from our Books, and from our Language.
'Tis very true, reply'd I, that I make ufe of your Words and Charaders, in order to make my felf intelligible to you, when I make known to you the Myfteries of Salva- tion, which I have not borrow'd from your Writings, but from the written Word of God : For tho' your Words are very good, yet what you mean by them, is Fallhood and Vanity. For Exaniple; you fay, God is to be feared ,• but then you make a Graven Image the Objedt of Religious Fear. The fame may be faid of the Words Repentance^ Holinefs, Wifdom^ &c. Which Vertues you make to coiifift in outward Grimaces, and R z Bodily
244 ^^^ Twenty fourth Conference^ Bodily Auflerities, and Self- macerations.
You are very much in the right, Sir, re- plied one of them : For we have only good Words left amongft us; becaufe all real Goodnefs is dead and buried with our Fa- thers; and I am apt to believe, that 'tis much the fame among the Chriftians : For your Phrafe and Didion are fmooth, polite and elegant ; but your Adions are as bad as our own.
I acknowledg'd, that the Corruption of Manners was indeed at this Day overfpread- ing the whole Face of the whole Univerfe j yet ftill with this Difference, that the Do- citrines of Salvation are kept pure amongft us J and therefore they have Means ready at hand to reclaim the Diibbedient from their Wickednefles : But if they continue in their Obftinacy and Rebellion againft God, they are inexcufable, and God is glorified in punilliing their Difobedience.
But pray let us fee, cry'd out one of them, how do you demonftrate, that our Books are falfe ?
Hereupon I nam'd their chief and prin- cipal Books relating to Religion ; and repea- ted the Contents of every one of them,
with
of the Heatheni/h Books, S^c- 245
with many impious and monftrous Paflages, verbatim, as therein contained j which, ac- companied with a clear and nervous Con- futation of their Errors, had this good Ef- {e£t upon them, that they freely confefs'd, that I was faithful in my Allegations; and that they were convinced, 'twas their Duty to lead better Lives than they do. But God has made us as we are, faid they, furround- ed with the enticing Allurements of this World, and hurried with the Cares and Bu- /inefles of this Life, fo that we really forget the Affairs of the other World, which are purely Spiritual.
Hereupon I fuited my Exhortation to their Spiritual Lethargy and Lukewarmnefs pf Temper, and difmils'd them.
R 5
Con-
247
Conference XXV-
Of the Heathen Feajl-Days. What Thoughts they con^ cehe of the Chriftian Faith. Of Marriage, &c.
Between fome Bramans^ and one of the Dani/h Miffionaries.
ON the Ninth of March, being a Feftival among the Heathens, I went into one of their Pagods, towards the Evening, which I found much crouded ; and ask'd the Bra* manSy upon what Account they celebrated this Day in thofe pompous Solemnities of carrying their Idol-Gods about the Streets ?
The Brar/ians anfvver'd, 'tis an Ancient
Cuflom received from our Ancellors, which
wc are obliged to obferve very religioufly,
R 4 with-
248 The Twenty fifth Confer enccf
without the leafl: Alteration ; tho' if we were left to our Choice, we would abolifli many fuch unneceflary Ceremonies, as no ways contributing to the attaining of Divine Wif- dom. Another Braman added, If our way of Worfliip is confidered only outwardly, it may indeed, to an indiflerent Beholder, feem very ridiculous ; but if it be confidered in its more Spiritual and inward Intention, e- very wife Man rauft judge very advantage^ oufly of our publick Way of Worihip.
This gave me a fit Handle to fpeak very Copioufly of the firft Inftitution of Feliivab, and how they abufed the Defign and End of this firfl laudable Inflitution, by fpending the Day in Luxury and Prophanencfs j in which, I alTur'd them, they greatly err'd.
A Braman told me, I was very much in the right ; but he was prefently reproved by another of the Order, threatning to exr communicate him out of the Society, if he talked at that rate.
The former reply 'd, 'tis dangerous to fpe^k as one thinks.
Then I fpake publickly, and faid, 'tis pad: all Difpute, that many wife Men amongfl: you do not approve of this way of Pompous
and
of the Heathen Feafl-DaySy &c. 249
and Ceremonious Worfliip , as contribu- ting to the attaining of Happinefs or folid Wifdom ', and are really afhamed of it as moft ridiculoufly foppiih ; tho' in the mean time they are ftill more afliamed to be hooted at by the Mob, lor owning the Truth inoppo- fition to the many Great and Mighty, who love to follow the Multitude to do Evil : Whereas cur Lord and Mailer Jefiu Chriji teaches us, that whoever loves Father andMo^ ther wore than him^ cant be one of his Difci- ples.
Whereupon a School-maflcr asked me, if according to our Laws, we were obliged to hate our Parents ?
I anfwer'd, Yes, when they hinder us to love God ; for the Refpedt we owe to them, comes in competition to that we owe to our dear Redeemer; and in this Cafe we muft obey God rather than Man ; But otherwife we are commanded to give Parents and Su- periors all due Reverence, according to the refpeiflive Relations we bear to them.
Then flood up another Braman^ asking me, if all iliould be faved, that were bap- tiz'd in the Name of Chrift ?
To
2 JO The Twenty fifth Confer ence.
To whom I return'd this Anfwer ; We have in our Hands all the necefTary Means of Salvation, by which all Men may be fa- ved ; but if they abufe the Grace of God, and are flothful in working out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling, Sin lies at their own Door, and their Deflrudtion comes from themfelves.
Then faid the Bramavy what advantage is there in embracing your Religion, fince I find, I may be damned in yours, as well as in my own ?
Then I ask'd them, but how can you de- monftrate, that you have the Dodlrine of Salvation >
One argued the Point from Antiquity ; another from the Multitude that profefs'd their Religion ,• a third alledged the mighty Wonders done by their Gods ; the fourth urg'd the Incapacity of the Bramans then and there prefent, to argue pertinently upon* Matters o( fo great Importance ; but defir'd me to travel through the Country, vifit Places of Devotion, and converfe with their Great and moft Learned Bramans ; and that then, he queftioned not, but I would be
tho-
of the Heathen Feafl-Days^ &c; 2 ji
thoroughly convinc'd of the Truth of their Religion.
Hereupon I fliew'd them, that all Argu- ments fetch'd from Antiquity, Numbers of Profeflbrs, and Univerfality and Extenfivenefs of any Religion, were trivial and inconclu- five ; and then proceeded to fliew, that their Religion was falfc, and to be forthwith a- bandoned.
Many aflented to all I faid 5 and were alhamed to have been of the Number of its Profeflbrs ; others did urge the Bramans to defend their Thefis^ and anfwer my Argu- ments.
The Bramans contented themfelves with faying, that there are many things in the Chriitian, as well as in their Religion, that are not capable of a Demonftration ; but are to be received by Faith : Fordoes not ic feem the Height of Unreafonablenefstofup- pofe him to be the Saviour of the World, who was of a mean Parentage, had but as mean an Education, perfecuted by hisCoun- try-men, and at laft was hang'd by publick Authority upon an infamous Crofs >
Then
a 5 i '^he Twenty fifth Conference ^
Then a School- mafter urged againft me the different Se^s of Chriftians.
I reply'd, that all the Chriftians agree in owning the Exiftence of One only Supreme Being, and his Word to be the Rule of th^r Lives and Pradice ; tho' 'twas true, that Ibme have brought in many pf their own Inventions.
Why then, faid one of the Afljftants , you fliould firft bring things to rights among your felves, before you undertake the Re- formation of Foreign Nations,
A Braman added, verily the Difference between you and us is very inconfiderable ; For you muft die, and fo muft we ; you urge the Necelfity of good Works, fo do we ; and as we are great Sinners before the Lord, fo are you : And, in fliort, none of your Grand- fathers, any more than ours, are come back from the Habitations of the Dead, to give us a true Account of thofe that are damned, or of fuch as are eternally happy in the Q- ther World.
I reply'd, you argue upon falfe Suppofition, that there is a Space of Time left for Repen- tance after this Life is ended 3 and therefore
you
of the Heathen Feaji-Days^ &c. 255
you neither fear Death, nor Hell ; and leave alllfliies of Happinels and Mifery,to Guefles and Peradventurcs.
Hereupon an old Man fpake, Sir, you are yet a fingle Man, and unacquainted with the carking Cares accompanying a Marriage- Life, which di{lrac3: us from attending the Duties of Religion.
The Marriage- State being God's own In- ftitution, can be no Hindrance to a holy Life, faid L
Then another ask'd me, why they [were Black and we White >
I anfwer'd, that the firft Parents of us all were created White : For 'tis Evident, that White will be made Black ; but Black can take no other Hue ; but the natural Reafon of their Blacknefs is the fcorching Heat of the Climate, which has that Effedl upon Hu- man Bodies.
Con-
255
Conference XXVI.
jihotit fever al Particulars relating to Religion.
Between a Malabarian Merchant^ and one of the Danilh Mijjionaries,
ON the Fourteenth o^ March, I came into a Place, where they were celebrating their Ceremonies ; and finding there a Concourfe of People, I fpake to them of the manifold Riches of the Grace of God, which were now offered to them at their Doors : But I liad no fooner ended my Difcourfe, when a Merchant flood up, and faid, We perfuade our felves that we are a very happy People ; our Gods love us, and we love and adore our Gods ; we have a Form of Publick Worfliip, eftabliihed among us by Publick Authority J we are a Wife, Underftanding People, enjoying all forts of Temporal and Spiritual Gifts at the liberal Hands of God •
we
2 $6 The Twenty Jixth Conference,
we live in a well-regulated Society, under a very wife Magiftracy; and, in ihort, we want for nothing that can 'be thought con- ducive to the Happinels of Soul or Body : And therefore we wonder very much at the Europeans y who make it their Bufinefs to inveigh againfl: our Religion, and rail at our Gods with bitter Satyrs. What, do you look upon us to be Monfters or Devils ? Have not we Wifdom and Underftanding, as well as any of you, vifible enough in ail forts of Manufadures prepared by the Induftry of the Inhabitants ; and for its Goodnefs and Beauty, coveted by the Eu- ropeans, and had in high Efteem amongft them ? What then can you pretend, and what iliould move you to change our Laws and Religion ?
I grant, faid I, that in relation to trade, and the Things of this Life, you are a very underftanding People, and no Ways inferi- our to any the wifeft Nation: Arid I would have you know, that we never blame your Underftandings upon this account ; biit when we confider your grofs Errors and 1- dolatry, we can't but fay, and affirm, that you are the moft ignorant and blind among Men, in the Things relating to God and the other World.
If
ahut fever al ? articular s^ &c, 257
If fo, faid he, how does God permit and fufFer our Religion to take Root, and flourifh in this Land, for fo many thoufand Years ?
God, reply 'd T, is good and gracious to- wards all irrational Creatures, tho* they ne- ver petition for Food, nor pray for their dai- ly Suftenancei yet he opens his liberal Hands, and feedeth every living Creature with Food convenient for him ; and befides, this is neither the Place, nor Time to reward and punifli every one according to bis Deeds : God referves to himfelf all the infinite incir- cling 4ges of Eternity, for diflributing of Rewards and Punifliments ; therefore his long-fuflering with your Folly and Weaknef- ics, is no Proof of the Truth of your efta- bhfhed Religion?
Be it fo, quoth he ; but all things come from the Hands of God, both Good and E- vil.
'Tis true, faid I, that God permits Evil, but is not the Caufe thereof : For I don't believe, that if a Thief breaks in this Night into your Warehoufe, andfteals thence your beft Effecfts, you would fay, that God brake in and ftole your Goods ; but you would feek after the Thief, and fee him pu- S nilhed
258 The Twenty fixth Conference j
niflied as the only Author of the Robbery, wilUngly, and defignedly, without any ex- ternal Impulfe to break into your Ware- houfe J Whereas if the Thief had been necef- fitated thereto, he is no more guilty, thah confuming Flames or Inundations, that ru^ ine very often Cities and whole Provinces : Therefore God is the Caufe of all that is truly good ; but we our feJves, and the Devil, are the Caufe of all that is morally evil.
Then, faid he, why don*t you drive this Deuil out of the Countrey, that caufes fo
much Mifchief amongft us ?
If you defire earneftly to be free from the I^evil's Tyranny, reply 'd I, refolve to ac- commodate your felves to all the Connmand- ments of God's written Law ; and then, by Divine Adiftance, we fhall be able enough to dellroy all ithe Works of the Devil, and drive him, not only from the Land, but likewife from your Hearts, where now he rules with defpotick Authority.
All you fay, anfwer'd another, is very true ; and we can eafily guefs what you would be at J* you would, Sir, root out of the Land our eftabliihed Religion, and introduce your own in its room, by flrength of Reafon, and
Elo-
about fever al Particulars ^ &a 259
Eloquence : But pray Sir, know, that we, and you are born in very different Climates, educated under different Governments and Inftitutions ; we differ in our Clothes, in our Way of Eating, Drinking, and in cultivating Sciences ; and as long as thefe Differences are remaining between you and us, 'tis more than probable, that your and our Pveligioa will continue to be (till very different Reli- gions, and very good both of them, for dif- terent Countries.
I reply'd, we come to you in the Spirit of Meeknefs and Love ; we compel none of you to embrace our Opinions ; we only lay the great Things of God that belong to the makmg you happy here and hereaiter, in the ffrongeft Liglit poffible, and then appeal to your own Underilandings, anfwering ac the fame time your many weak and little Ob- jedions ofTer'd againft theChriff ian Dodrine ; whereof the prelent Obje(3;ion is very incon- fiderable, viz. your arguing Irom the Diffe- rence o{ Manners and outward Habitudes^ to a neceffary Difference in Religion : For if you did turn Chriflians, it would be no way ne- ceffary for you to change your Way of eat- ing and drinking, and your daily Manner of dealing with your Neighbours : We urge you to turn only from the Worlliip of Idols, to Worfliip the true God inspirit and In Truth : S 2 And
260 the Twenty fixth Conference ^ 8zcl
And as for other Differences in outward Behaviour, between you and us, they are confident Vvith that Unity of Belief in Chrift, and with the Union of Charity and Love, which is all that is required of us in relation to Matters of Religion ; We neither come to change yout Government, nor your Lan- guage.
Then the Merchant flood up, and faid, I heartily beg Pardon for my contradiding you fo violently : For I did it to no other end, but to fee if I could once put you into a Fit of Anger ; for many told me, that you were never feen to be in a PalTion in any Pub- lick Difpute.
I anfwer'd, Phyficians and good Surgeons never quarrel with tineir Patients ; but bear patiently with all their Impotency of Mind and Peevifhnefs of Temper : For their Bu/i- nefs is to cure the Difiempers of the Body with Gentlenefs and ilwectnefs of Behaviour ; and 'tis mine to cure the Difeafes of the Soul with all Long.fultering and Patience : And wi«-h ih fe and the like Expreliions, I difmif- fed them.
Con-
2^1
Conference XXVII.
Of the fever al Excufes offered l?y the Heathens, for not receiving the Chriftian Re- ligion.
Between fome Heathen Fifliermen, and one of the Danifb MiflSona- lies.
N the Seventeenth of May, I pafs'd through three different . Villages belonging to Fifliermen, preach- ing to them the Words of e« ternal Life.
In the firfl: Village I preached about the Corruption of Human Nature, aad of the Hecejftty of a Redeemer ; and when I ha^ end- ed my Oifcourfe, one of them Itood up, and faid ^ Sir, what you fay, is very true and S 3 rea-
262 IheTrpenty Jeventh Confer ence^
reafonable ; and could we but lead fuch Lives as ycu have now defcribed, we would be of the Number of your Difciples ; but feeing we are a very poor and indigent People, we are not concern'd in what you fay ; our Time, tho' fpent altogether in Fiihing, and other Hard Labour, does fcarcelv afford us daily Bread ; and how can we fpend time about the Things of the other Life, whereof we are altogether ignorant ? And did we embrace your Religion, it would cofl us a great deal of time in the learning of it, and we mufl be all our Lives oblig'd to frequent your Church once a Week; which would alfo take up a great part of our time. We are contented to tread in our Fathers ileps, in this, and keep them Company in the next World ; we are not ambitious of being hap- pier in the other World than our Fathers are.
Your Poverty, faid I, is no Reafon why you Ihould negled: your eternal Intereft ; but you lliould endeavour to be rich towards God, that you may have that Reft and Hap- pinefs in the next, which you can't expert to enjoy in this World; which if you do, you'll find, that your Lives even here on Earth will be made eafier to you : For God- Ihefs has the Promife of this Life^ and of that which is to come. And as for your Fore- fathers being Heathens, ignorant of God and
Chrift,
of the Heathens Exeujes. i5j
Chrift, 'tis no Encouragement for you to be the like, and to rejed: the Offers of the Grace and Mercy oQer'd you this day : For you mull confider, that it is probable, if your Fathers had had the fame Offer and Tender of Grace, and Pardon of Sin, as you have this Day, they had repented in Sackcloth and Allies, and turned to the Lord their God, and burn'd their Images and Idols in the Fire.
Hereupon they were call'd into the Town to carry about the Streets their Gods, in great Carts made for that purpofe ; from which I difuaded them very earneftly ; but they anfwered, that if they did refufe, they Ihould be cruelly handled by their Superiors, and it may be, banifli'd the Town.
Thencelcame to another Village, where I found them employ'd in mending their Nets, and a Uttle Boy entertaining them with read- ing the Hiftory ot one of their Gods def- perately fallen in love with a Woman, with whom he had hii familiar Intrigues ; and im- mediately I took thence Qccafion to convince them of the Falfity and Wickednefs of their Religion ,• becaufe it admitted, and allowed of fuch Gods, who by their Example and Authority, contribute to render Men worfe S 4 than
264 Ihe Twenty [evemh Conference^
than Devils, both in all forts of bodily Un- cleannefs, and fpiritual Wickednefles.
They faid, we know no better ; for we have no Prieft among ns to give us any Tindure of Religion and Piety j and the Boy that reads that Book to us, can read no other : For this is the only Book he has learnt at School. Pray, Sir, what would you have us do ?
You mud repent, anfwer'd I, and forfake your Dumb Idols, to worlhip the True and Holy God, who made Heaven and Earth.
Your Dodrine, reply'd they again, is ve- ry good and reafonable ; but alas ! we are fo plung'd in the Dregs of Earthly-mind- ednefs, that we can't difengage our felves ^ from a thoufand Obligations which tie us fall to our old Religion ,• for we are, as it were, Vaffals and Slaves to the Governours of the Place, to draw about the Great Wag- gon, prefs'd with the heavy Weight of our Idols ; and did we come over to the Tents of Chriftians, they would not fuffer us any more to follow our ordinary Employ- ments.
But
of the Heathm% Excnfes^ 26$
But all thefe Objedions would be eafily anfwer'd by your felves, faid I, if you were earneftly in love with Truth ; and you ftiould not think and edeem your Lives dear un- to you upon the account of Chrift, who dii- ed for you. Then exhorting them to the Confideration of their Ways, I bid them a- dieu ; and going to a third Village, I ask»d fome of the Inhabitants, wherein confided their Divine Worfhip ?
We have none, reply'd they ; and know little or nothing of God, or of the Way of Worfliip ; neither do we trouble our felves with thefe Matters : For we are a poor, per^ verfe fort of People, who fpend good part of our Lives in Eating and Drinking, Mar* rying of Wives, and Quarrelling with one a- nothcr, and the reft of the time in Filhing for the Maintenance of our Families ; and when one of us dies, we think no more of him J but let him ihift for himfelf : For we give little time to think upon what is com^ monly reported of Heaven and Hell, or of any other Part of God's Worfliip ; tfao' in- deed, we have a little Pago^I among us ,• and when we take a very great Fifli, we com- monly oiler to our Gods the Bones thereof.
That
1x66 The twenty fevemh Conference^
That you confefs your Ignorance, reply'd I, is good, provided that at the fame time you are adiam'd, and forry for it, defiring to be inftrudted in the Knowledge of the true God.
One of them faid, tho' you come often to fee us, we are now as bad as ever ; and indeed, we are not worthy you fliould fpend fo much time and labour upon us : For we are neither capable of learning your Religi- on, nor of pradtifmg the fame when learnt ; and therefore, if we were already made Chriftians, I am affar'd we fliould be no Or- nament to your Religion : And is it not better both for you and us, to remain where we are ; and throw our felves upon the in- finite Mercies of a gracious God ; and let him do with us what he pleafes ?
I fiiew'd them the Abfurdity of this Opi- nion, and told them, that 'twas God alone can turn the Hearts of the Children of Men, and not they themfelves ; and exhorted them not to defpife the Offers of Grace that God was pleas'd to make them at this time ; and that the Word of God which they heard, was efficacious and powerful to con- vert the Soul, and to wean them from all Earthly Engagements to finful Pleafures, or
Tern-
of the Heathens Excujes} 2,6 j
Temporal Confiderations ; and to giveKnow. ledge and Underftanding to the Simple, ma- king them a willing People in the Day of his Power.
Upon this I recommended them to God, and bid them adieu.
Con-
268
Conference XXVIII.
Containing Afijwers to Thir- teen ^lejiions proposed hy them.
Between fome Heathens and Mahome^ tans, and one of the Dani/h Mif- fionaries.
N the Nineteenth of May^ we were vifited by fome Malabar tans and Mahometans, who ask'd me the following Queftions : i. If there was but one Religion in the World that was every way true, and free from errone- ous Opinions ? 2. If 'tis right to defpife and condemn all P^eligions that we don't profefs our felves ? 3. If 'tis God's Will and Pleafure to give the fame Revelations to all the dif- ferent Nations of the Earth ? 4 If God is a Refpedter of Perfons ? $. Whence comes
it
Answers to fome Queries ^ Stc, 269
it that the Wicked profper, when at the fame time the Godly are forely afflided i 6. If 'tis pofTible for a Man to live without Sin, all the time he is in this World ? 7. If Men can do any thing againft the Will of God; or if all their Adions are performed by his Efficacious Working ? 8. If Fate or Deffiny has more Influence upon Human Anions, than the moral Precepts of Laws commanding Good and forbidding Evil ? 9. Whence comes it that a Man follows evil Pradices, tho" he knows 'tis his Duty to adt other wife ? 10. If a Man can dired his Pray- er to God, without the Intervention of Gra- ven Images ? 11. Is not the Chriftian Do^ drine of the trinity inconfiflent with the Unity of the Supreme Being? 11. When did the Chriftian Religion iirft commence ? 13* What Religion did the Europeans obferve before Chriilianity came to be fettled among them ?
I returned proper Anfwers to all thefe Queftions very fully ; and then in my turn, I ask'd them, how, and by what means they hop'd to be fav'd >
The
27© ^^^ twenty eighth Conference]
The Heathens anfwer'd, by believing that among all the Gods known and ador'd a- mong us, there is but One Supreme Being, worthy of Fear, Love and Adoration ; and by putting all our Truft in him, direding our Prayers to him, giving Alms, and by obferving all the Ceremonies enjoyned by our Laws.
The Mahometan faid, We exped: Salvati- on, by believing, that there is but One. God, and that Mahomet is his Prophet; That the Alcoran is the Word of God, con- taining the Doditrine of attaining Happinefsj That by praying five times every Day; By doing Good, and efchewing Evil ,• By' confeding Sins to the Prieft, and undergo- ing what Penance he pleafe* to lay upon us ; By each going once in his Life to Mec- ca, if flrong, and has wherewithal to de- fray the Charges of the Journey ; By oU ferving the ordinary Feftivals ,• By going e- every Friday to the Mofque, and attending diligently to the reading of the Alcoran, He who does thefe things, will obtain eter- nal Happinefs.
I anfwer'd, Malaharians and Mahometans, you deceive your felves, if you think that thefe imaginary Performances can fave your
Souls :
Anftpers to fome ^eries, &c. 271"
Souls : For fome of thefe things are forbid- den as fuperftitious ; and the other Means, 'VIZ. mere bodily Exercifes, profit little to the Salvation of the Soul. But, to the end you may be faved, the Knowledge of a Redeemer is abfolutely necelTary to recon- cile Sinners to God, by his own pajftve and a^ive Obedience ; and fuch a Redeemer is Jefiis Chrifl^ who is made to us Juji'tficatioHy Rigbteoufnefs and Redemption.
Here the Malal>aria» anCwerd^ We abound more in good Works than the Chriflians do.
I reply 'd. For the fpace of Eight whole Years that I have lived among you, I fee none of your good Works ; but what you falfly fo call, are Works of Iniquity : For when you fpend liberally upon the building of Pagods, what is this but Abomination before the Lord ? And what you give to the Bramans^ and other Idol M'tniflers^ can be no better than Mif management, and ill beftow- ed Liberalities, upon the Promoters of grofs Ignorance and impious Frauds, as is owned by the Author of a Book, nam'd Tjchiwaw- oikkium ; and his Difciples, to this Day, own, that all the pompous outward Cere- monies obfervcd among you, are of no ufe in attaining Everialting Happlnefs.
Here-
2 7^ The Twenty eighth Confer ence, &c,'
Hereupon fome of them anfwer'd, Since your converfing among us, you make us, Malaharians and Mahometans^ mere Scepticks in our Opinions : Whereas before your coming hither, every one was well afTu* red ot his own Rehgion to be free from Errors and Imperfedions.
Con^
^73
Conference XXIX.
Of the jiff airs of Europe, and of India, Their A- verfion to all Europeans, iecaufe they eat FleJJj.
Between a Malabarian Prince, and fome Bramans, and one of the Dani/b Miffionaries.
.^V^.Vv'*\
ON the Twenty third of May, I I rode out to vifit a Naikken C pet- ty Prince,) whom 1 found in his Garden, accompanied with fome Bramafts, and many other Perfons. I was Very civilly receiv'd, and entertained with delicate Fruits, and made to fit down in a Chair after the manner of Europe. And af- ter I had afliired him of my Refpedts, in the mod expreflive Terms I was capable o[\ he ask'd me feveral Queftions in relation
T to
274 ^'-'^ Twenty ninth Conference^ to Europe j and if his Danifh Majefty fmy Gracious Sovereign^ was yet living ? How numerous was the Royal Family ? Of the Extent of the Danijh Dominions > Of the Strong Holds, and Fortified Places ? Of the Maritime and Land-Forces ? How many Kings there were in Europe ? And whether other Nations, befides Danes^ French^ Eng- I'tfh, Dutch and Portugueze^ could come to India > And which of all thefe was the moll powerful ? And if the Air was Temperate, that Indians might live therein, as^ Europe' ans do in India ? And if all the Europeans were Chriftians ? To all thefe, and more fuch like Queftions, I returned proper An- Iwers.
Then the Bramans began to talk of our printed Books, which had been perufcd by their Order, but not approved of: For one of thefe Books, they faid, was full of Inve- dives againft the BramanSy and the Pagoda Worlliip.
Thence I took occafion to vindicate thofe Books, and confute Idolatry.
. Whereupon the Braman told me, that it was a Piece of great Infolence to blafpheme their Gods and Religion ^ and that fuch high Crimes were intolerable.
I
of the Affairs of Europe, (J^J^c. 275
I anfwer'd, We only tell you what Is Truth, and what is Falihood j and let it reft: wholly in your Choice to accept the one or the other: For we ufe no Violence to bring you over to our Periuafion ; And we can in Juftice exped: that Toleration and Recepti- on in this Land which you give the Maho- metans^ who are no lefs Revilers of your Idol Worjhtp than our felves, and incompa* rably more numerous than we are.
The Prince then interposed, and faid, Your Defign is laudable : For 'tis but reafonable that Wife Men fliould communicate their Wifdom to the Ignorant j and in fo doing, they render great Service to their Genera- tion ,' and he wilh'd, there were more fuch Learned and Pious Men in that Countrey, to teach the People the true Way leading to Happinefs.
One of the Bramans reply'd, if one now-^ a-days makes mention of Happinefs, he will but expofe himfelf to the World, and make himfelf the Scorn of Fools : For when I thought lately to admonifli a Fiflierman of his Duty of leeking after the Way leading to Blifs and Happinefs, and not to fpend ail his time in Fifliing and mending of Nets , which can do him no fervice in the next T z World;
2 "16 The Twenty ninth Conference]
World ; Happinefs in our Dialed, anfwer'd the Finierman, is going to Sea, and catching Fifli, and bringing themafliore when caught; and if you will but hold your peace, and not be angry, I hope in a little time t6 fup- ply you with Fifli in abundance.
I ask'd the Braman, if he thought it un- lawful to eat Fifli or Flefli >
Fie reply 'd, that Nature has plentifully provided us with other Food, fo that we have no need of eating our Fellow-Crea- tures ; and 'tis written in our Law, that thefe very Creatures, if devoured by Men in this, will be their Tormenters in the next World, biting and tearing them with their Teeth, or trampling them under foot : And becaufe you Europeans drink (Irong Liquors, and kill ^and eat your Fellov\ -creatures, endued with Five Senfes as well as your felves, I confels, we have an inbred Averfion for you, and all that belongs to you.
I anfwer'd, 'tis true, that at firft, Man did live upon the Produce of the Earth; but to eat Fle.Qi, is both agreeable to Reafon and Revelation : For the living Creatures are made to ferve Man, as you your felves ac- knowledge by your daily Pradice : And Ttiany of tiiem being incapable of doing us
an-^
of the Affairs of Europe, ^c. 277
any fervice (as Filh and Fowl) but by fur- nifliing our Tables with wholfome Foqd ,• 'tis but reafonabie we fliould exert the Povy- er that God has given us over the Fidi of the Sea, the Fowls of the Air, and over the Beads of the Field. And as for our drink ing flrong Liquors, the Coldnefs of our Northern Region requires it : For the con- tinual Drinking of Water, as you do in thefe v/arm Climates, would kill us in the colder Climates of Europe. And we are taught in our Holy Law, that Happinefs does not confift in Meats and Drinks.
Then, faid the Prince, do you expecft Heaven and Happinefs by virtue of your Dodrine,or by yourvertuousConverfation?
Whoever will be happy, mult believe our Holy Dodrine, and lead Holy Lives : For Faitb without good Works is dead^ and there- fore of no ufe at all, reply *d L
Then, refum'd he, 'tis not your Religious Opinions, and different Articles of Faith can make you happy ; but a good Converfa- tion; all which we allow to be abfolutely true : What then does it profit or avail, to difpute about empty Speculations? You re- commend the Pradice of all vertuous Acfti- on, and fo do we, and are inferiour to none in punilliing Vice. T 3 .1
2'ji The Tr^entieth ninth Conference y
I anfwer'd, that 'twas not pofTible to per- form Adlions truly good and vertuous, with- out the Knowledge of the Will of God con- tained in the Chriflian Dodtrine, which we preach among you : And as for fuch Chri- fiians, who are difobedient to the Precepts of the Gofpei, 'tis their own fault : and the Glorious Dodrine profefTed by them, is not to be charged with their Sins, without being guilty of the greatefl Piece of Iniquity.
Hereupon the Braman asked me to give him an Account of the Chriftian Religion, as to its Original, and Progrefs among fo many Nations ; and what were the chief Articles thereof ?
To all which Heads I made very particu- lar Anfwers ,* and to which they gave great Attention, and feemed to be very well plea- fed with what I faid upon the chief Articles of the Chriftian Religion ; and defired me to (lay with them for that Night, it being then very late. But my Bufmefs would not permit me ^ and therefore I took my leave, and recommended them to the Care of the Almighty.
Con-
279
Conference XXX.
Of the Heathens Alms. State of departed Souls.
Between fome Heathen Pilgrims^ and one of the Daniflj Miffionaries.
N the Twenty fixth of May^ I met a great Multitude of Pilgrims, tra- velling to vifit a famous Pagod, named Tfchirenkum. I ask'd them thereafon of this long Journey ?
They faid, our Parents at their Death o- bliged us with a folemn Oath, to vifit the aforefaid Temple, to didribute Alms among the Bramans there.
I ask'd further, what their Parents Aim was in all this ?
T 4 For
2 8o The Thirtieth Conference,
For the Repofe of their* Souls in the other World, faid they ; For, fearing their good Works were not fufficiently Meritorious , they engaged us to make up fuch Deficiencies, by diftnbuting .Alms liberally among the Priefls re Tiding at Tfchirenkum ; and we hope our Children will do us the like good Oilices when we are dead and gone ; and therefore we chearfully undergo this long tedious Journey : For we are taught, that the Souls departed, meet with many Hin- drances and Difficulties in their Way to the other World, and feme mud undergo Hell- Torments, till fuch time as they are deliver- ed thence by the Bramifli Prieils, who read the Law, and pray upon their Account, that God may give them fpeedy Deliverance.
I reply'd, You are grofsly abus'd by the Priefts in this, as well as in many other Points, for the fake of Filthy Lucre : For the Soul, as it leaves the Body, goes either to Heaven, or to Hell, whence there is no Redemption by Prayers of Priefts, nor by Alms of Relations: For now, while we live, is the accepted time for Repentance -, and now is the Day of Salvation ; now is the time to deal your Bread among the Lame, the Blind, and very necelTitous People, and not among the Priefts, the Minifters and Pro- moters
of the Heathens Alms, &c« 281
meters of Idolatry, and the great Enemies of all that is truly Good and Religious.
Hereupon they told me, if giving of Alms to Bramans, and vifiting of the Refident Pla- ces of the Gods were not good Works, they defired me to inform them, wherein did a good Work confift ?
To this Queftion T anfuer'd very fully j giving all the Charaderiftick Marks of GoodlVorks^ and how dangerous *tis to be miftaken in this Point.
Whereupon one cry'd out, all what you fay, is very excellent ; and epecially that Aflertion of yours, We are not faved hy our own good Works J lut ly the Grace of God.
Your Obfervation, faid I, is very jufl ; and and I praife your quick Apprehenfion of Things : But this is not enough ; you mud likewife acknowledge,thar all Grace and Mer- cy comes from 'jejus Chrzfi, who is the only Mediator between God and Man j and be- lieve, and bebaptiz'd in his Name.
Then a Woman flood up, ftnd ask'd, why Godfaves I'ome, and damns others?
z^z The Thirtieth Conference^
J told them, that God would* have all Men be faved, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth ; giving them at the fame time all the Aids of his Grace, and the Ex- ternal Means of Salvation ; exhorting and perluading them to turn to God ; but that if they negled; the Day of Grace, and har- den their Hearts, and defpife the Meffages and Meflengers of good Tidings fent unto them, their Damnation is ol themfelves, and v^'ill be the jufl: Puniihment of their wilful Obftinacy and Difobedience.
Hereupon I was interrupted by an old Man lifting up his Voice ,• who bid me not to make fo many Words about Blifs and Mifery, Damnation and Happinefs j for that there is no other Hell, than this Earth ,• up- on which we live a Life of Mifery, feparated from God, becaufe of former Tranfgreflion ; and for the punifliing us for the fame, we are baniflied for a time from the Prefence of God, and imprifoned in thefe frail crazy Frames of Flefli and Blood ; but when that time appointed for the Expiation of our Sins ihall come, we (liall be delivered from our Bodies, and return into Heaven whence we came.
Here-
of the Heathens AlmSy &ۥ 283
Hereupon I reply'd, This Earth, fo glo- rious in all its Varieties, and wonderful in its Productions of all forts, can't be the Place of Damnation : The fpiritual Wick- ednedes, and groffer Impieties thereupon committed every Day, is owing to the firfl Man's Difobedience i who, by finning a- gainft God, drew a Curfe upon himfelF and upon the whole Creation. That our Souls are nobly, and heavenly defcended, I allow ; but that they are united to Moulds of Clay, upon Difobedience committed in a State and Capacity purely Spiritual and Pre-exiftent to his perfonal Union, is abfolutely deny'd, as a grofs Midake flowing neceffarily from your Ignorance of the Hiftory of the Crea- tion, which teaches us how God created Man after his own Image, by breathing into his Noflrils the Breath of Life ; and how af- terwards Man found out many Inventions, and finned again{tGod,and is now miferable in Soul and Body : But upon his turning unto his former Obedience, by believing in Jefus Qhrifl, tho' (at the Diflblution of thefe Earthly Tabernacles, the Bodies are crum- bled into Duft, and the Souls return to God that gave them ; yet at the great Day of Accompts the Souls fliall re-afiume their former Bodies, to the end they may be
unitedly
284 The Thirtieth Conference, &c.
unitedly rewarded according to the Works done in the Flelh, whether Good or Evil. The Dodtrine of the Refurre^ion of the Flejh offended feme oF them ; which gave me a Handle to explain very fully this great Article of the Chrijiian Faith .- With which I concluded my Difcourfe.
Con-
285
Conference XXXI.
Of Chriji, the Saviour of the World ; whether every one may he faved in his own Religion^ &c,
Beween jome Heathens, and one of the Daniffi Mijjlonaries.
ON the Twenty eighth of May, feve- ral Heathens came to {ce our Prints ing-Houfe ; and finding fome Sheets of St. Matthew's Gofpel, newly printed in their own Language, they were very curi- ous to know what it contain d, and to know whofe Hidory it was.
I told them, that 'twas the Hiftory of Je-
Jus Chnfl the Saviour of all Mankind ; and
thence I took occafion to explain at large
the whole Procefs of Man s Salvation, which
they
2 85 The Thirty fir jl Conference^
they did not at all difapprove of ,• but af- firmed, that every one might be faved in his own Religion ,- and that the Gracious God would condemn none of his Crea- tures that ferioufly lov'd and fear'd him as the Supreme Being, merely for fome fpeculative Errors, or Tome lefs confidera- ble Failings in Moral Pradice.
'to^
I granted them, that God was Gracious and Merciful j but was hkewife a Juft and Holy God, punifiiing wilful Impiety, and an uninterrupted Courle of Wickednefs ; which is altogether inconfiftent with an earned and true Defire after Happinefs, and the Enjoyment of God. And indeed, this is your Cafe ; for tho' God has been pleas'd to offer you the Means of Grace and Salvation, you defpife his Offers, and call his Words behind your Backs.
What, would you have us, Sir, turn Apo- (lates from the Religion of our Fathers, and leave the Temples of our Gods, to the end ue may embrace the Religion of Foreigners, and thereby be expofed to the Contempt and Hatred of all our Country- men, by whofe Means and Correlpondence our felv^es and FafTiilies are provided for ? And befides all thisj both Men and Women fit promifcuoufly in jour Churches. VJa3 To
of the Saviour of the World, &c. 287
To thefe and other fuch Objedlons, I anfwer'd what I thought to the purpofe ; fhewing them, that Was neceffary to fufTer fome Inconveniencies in this Life, when we were well alTur'd to be infinitely rewarded with an exceeding Weight of Glory in that which is to come. And as to the promif- cuous Aflemblies of all Ranks and Sexes in our Churches, 'tis but what common Rea- fon does didate to us ; For we are all crea- ted and maintained by the fame God ; and we have nothing but what we receive of his Hands j and if fo, why fhould we vainly and fooliflily fay to our Brother, Hand thou there, for I am holier than thou ? We Chriflians are all Brethren and Sifters in Chrifl Jefus^ enjoying the fame Glori- ous Advantages of being efteemed the Chil- dren of God, and the Communion of Saints, which is an Article of our Holy Religion. Both Men and Women have Souls equally precious ; and therefore muft appear at the proper Place appointed for Publick Inftru- dtion, that they may be more and more con- firm'd in the Dodrine of Salvation, and encouraged to walk in the Ways of Vertuc to the Glory of him that has called them to the ProfefTion of the Gofpel.
You
288 The Thirty fir fl Conferenccy &cJ
You keep your Women in Ignorance of all Religious Matters ; all their Knowledge amounting only to this, that they can fay the common Salutation Shalam^ before an Image ; and repeat a very ihort Form of Prayer, confilling only of Five Sylables, and affiil at Feftival Ceremonies.
Con-
289
Conference XXXII.
Whether we/Jjould know God ^ and our own Minds firfl ; or the Things ohviom to our Senfes. Of Children dying in their Infancy , Sec.
Between fome Bramans^ and one of the DaniJJ) Miflionaries.
N the Thirtieth of May, I met ia a Neighbouring Village very ma- ny Bramans ; and falling into Dilcourfe , we were prelently furrounded by a great Multitude of Hear- ers.
V The
25)0 The Thirty fecond Conference^'
The Bramans told me, that they would fain know my Opinon upon feveral Parti- culars, if I was diipofed to entertain them with an amicable Conference.
I anfwer'd, Yes, provided the Subjedl- matter of Difcourfe be edifying to them that hear it. ,
Hereupon they, ask'd me, whether we iliould firit endeavour after the Knowledge of our felves, and then ftudy the natural Sci- ences ; or, vice verfa^Rrd ftudy the Arts and Sciences, and then Study the Nature of God and our lelves ?
I anfwer'd, you fliould, without doubt, know God an J your felves in the firft Place, as the moft neceffary and ufeful Knowledge ; and then attach your felves to inferior Sci- ences.
Then they ask'd me, what I thought would become of the Souls of thofe Chil- dren that either died in the Mothers Womb, or in the State of Infancy, beiore the Years ofDifcretion?
of knowing God firfl, &c. 29 1
I anfwer'd, that fo foon as the Child is form'd in the Womb with an immortal Soul, he is already a perfedt Man, and is endued with all the Faculties of a Rational Being, tho' he can't adually exert his Reafon, in a- d:ing or difcourfing as thofe of riper Years ; becaufe of the Tendernefs of the bodily Or- gans in young Children ; But as to their 6ouls, they are entire and perfe(5i: ; and after their Separation from the Body, are capable of enjoying the Beatifical Vifion of God in Heaven, as well as the Souls of thofe that live to Years of Maturity.
They ask'd me further about the Length, Breadth, and Profundity of Hell >
I told them, that Things fpiritual were not to be meafured by Yards and Inches ; but that 'twas a State adapted for the Pu- nilhment of unrepcnting Souls.
I was likewifc ask'd, how many Langua- ges were now fpokea in Paradife ; and whe- ther the departed Souls of different Nations and Languages do underftand one another in Heaven ?
V i
292 T^he Thirty fecond Conference ^
I reply'd, that Spirits have no Organs of Speech ,• and therefore do not fpeak at all • but whether they communicate their Thoughts one to another, and after what manner that is perform'd, that is what no Man can pretend to explain. And withal I bcgg'd leave to propofe in my turn fome DiiTiculties to their ferious Confideration ; And firlt, I ask'd them, how they could worlliip thofe Imaginary Beings and Fi- d-itious Gods, who, according to their own Authors, were more wickedly profligate, than the word Mifcreant among Rational Beings ?
They anfwer'd, that tho' 'twas true, that fuch and fuch Adions are related of the Gods which would be criminal and finful in any Man to do the like , ( for he is UnStly forbidden to do fo and fo ; ) Yet the Gods are lubjedi to no Law and Pre- cepts, whether Negative or Affirmative, and therefore could not be properly faid to be guilty of any finFuI Adion : And we are no more allow'd to withdraw from them the ufeful Religious Woribip paid to them for fo many Ages by our Forefatliers, than wc are to deny our Allegi- ance to our Lawful King, upon pretence of fome Irregularities la his Life, and Male-
admi-
of knovping God firfl^ &c. 295
adminiftration of the publick Affairs of the Kingdom.
I ask'd them in the next place, if they could demonflrate that their Idols were true Gods ?
They anfwer'd, that the Matter being felf-evident, wanted no Proofs or Demon (Ira- tions : For they had been ador'd as Ciods for many thoufands of Years, by all the Sages and wife Men in all the pall Ages of the World.
Then I queflioned them about the Ori- ginal of their Law, and how it was intro- duc'd firft into the World ^ and wherein did it chiefly confift }
They reply'd,TheGods themfelves reveal'd unto their Prophets the feveral Precepts and Ceremonious Ordinances contain'd in their Law, and as for the feveral Hillorical Books relating to the Achievements and Heroick A- d:ions of th'? Gods, they had been faithfully writ down by Learned Men that were Eye- witnefTes of the faid Tranfadions, and care- fully prefer v*d, and communicated to fuc- ceeding Ages, without the leall Change or Alteration.
V3 I
294 ^^^ Thirty fecond Confer eme,
I ask'd them farther, how they could fhQWy that the Doilrine contained in their Law was a faving Dodrine ?
They reply *d, as for moral Precepts, we can give you demonftrative Proofs thereof; but for the Precepts that relate to the Means of Salvation, as, the Performance of this or that Ceremony, we can give no reafona- ble Account of fuch and fuch Precepts ; but believe them to be acceptable to God, when carefully put in Practice ,• not that they are more decent, or ufeful than other Ceremonies ; but becauie they are the Rites that God commanded us carefully to obferve ; and hence 'tis, that we conftantly believe the Way of Salvation to be One only ; but the Religious Duties and Or- dinances are very various in different Coun- tries , and among different Orders of Men.
I proceeded in asking them wherein did the pretended Purity and Holinefs of the Br am am confifl: >
They
of knowing God fir fl, Szc. 295
They were pleas'd to give me the foL lowing Account of themfelves ; ^We get up daily two Hours before Sun-rifing, eafe Nature , waih our Mouths , rinle our. Teeth with clean Water ; then we wafli our Bodies in confecrated Ponds, and repeat our ordinary torms of Prayers, perform the ufuai Ceremonic!>, beftrew our Mvcs with confecrated Allies made ofCows Dung, and walk about with fome holy Relick in our Hands, for the Edification of the People ; then we ofl^r Sacrifices in the Pagers, and do all the Pago^. Offices ; and when we walk out among the Populace, we give diligent heed that they don't touch us, for fear of be- ing polluted by them ; We eat no Flefli, and drink no ftrong inebriating Liquors ,• but feed upon clean wholfome Food ; and having fpent one half of the Day in the Service of the Gods, the other half we fpend in provi- ding our felves with the Neceflaries of Life,
I ask'd them in the lad Place, . where- in their Prayers chiefly conrifted >
V 4 Our
2^6 The Thirty fecond Confer ence, &c.
Our Prayers, faid they, are Forms, dire- died in general to the Supreme Being, or to this or that God in particular : Very often our Prayers are extemporary Effufions and E- jaculations of the Soul to God, praying for this or that Mercy, or for the Remo- val of fome heavy Judgment.
Con-
297
Conference XXXIII.
Of the Water of the River , Ganges ; of their Beads,
calTd Ruddiratfchangel,
and how prepard.
Between fome Antigoels (an Order of Ecclefiafticks) and one of the Da^ niflj Miflionaries.
ON the Fourth oijune, I met near a Pagocl, very many of the Anti- goel Order, employ 'd in prepa- ring Bearis, called Rudciiratfchan^ gel, elleemed by the Heathens as holy, and precious Antidotes againltali forts of Occur- rences : They are made of dry'd Berries oj a certain Tree ; and therefore I was defi- rous to know^ what gave them their Value, and this more than Ordinary Efteem among the ► eopie, (e^irg Jieir iniriiifick Worth was bus; very incOi^i/:dtiable? They
2^% fhe Thirty third Conference]
They anfwer'd, that thefe forts of Beads had been for fome thoufand Years unconte- fledly an efficacious Medicine for Souls, and a Sovereign Amulet againfl: the Power of Sin and Satan ; and are Jikewife great Pre- fervatives againft all Difeafes and Mifchances attending all living Creatures ; and they are nor to be prepared by the prophane Vul- gar ; but by us of the holy and fan(^ified Order of Antigoels.
I told them that this could be nothing elfe but Witchcraft : For 'tis evident, that the Berries of Trees can't change the Conftitu- tion of a vicious Mind, and make it lober and temperate.
There vi'as alfo prefent a Mao, who had the Water of the River Ganges to diftribute among the People at a very dear Rate. Him I likewife took to task, and ask'd, how the Water of that River, Vv'hich is full of Carrion and dead Carkafles daily caft into it , fliould have a diftinguifliing Vertue from Waters of all other Rivers whatfoe- ver ?
B^t
of the River Ganges^ Sec. 299
But they told me, that this River fprung from Paradife ; and that therefore the Water of it was holy and eilicacious to purge the Soul from all fpiritual Diftem- pers.
The Water- merchant added, if the Water of Ganges was not truly confecratcd, why Ihould fo many Nations have Recourfe to its holy Streams, rather than to other Rivers >
I anfwer'd, that all their tediousPilgrimages to Ganges^ as well as to other Places of Devo. tion, was Superftition, Madnels, and grofs Ignorance of the Means of Salvation, or- dained by Gqd himfelf to change the Heart, and purifie the Confcience from dead Works. But you Heathens infifting upon the fabulous Traditions of credulous Antiquity, are re- folved to march on in the dark, as your Fa- thers did before you, not unlike thofe blind Mafters of Families, who heard much talk- ing of an Elephant ; but becaufe of their Bhndnefs could form no true Idea of him ,• but refolv'd that the Senfe of Feeling ihould fupply the Want of the vifive Faculty. One of them took the Elephant by the Tail ; and going home, reported to his Wife and Chil- dren, that an Elephant was like a great I^ole ;
another
3 00 The Thirty third Conference^ Szc,
another taking the Elephant by the Ear, re- ported to his Domefticks, that it was fome- thing like a Beefom ,• and a Third hand- ling him by the Trunk, told his Chil- dren, that an Elephant was very like a Pe- ftie, wherewith Rice is pounded in a Mortar ; and their refpecfiive Families ever fmce en- tertain thefe different Notions of an Elephant. And thus 'tis with refped: to the Notion you entertain of God, or the Supreme Being, holding tenacioufly the foolifli Traditions of your Fathers, blindfold and unexamined.
Con-
301
Conference XXXIV,
Of the Chriflian Religion ; and of the Mahometan.
Between a Mahometan Pricft, and fome Moors, and one of the Dani/Jj MiC- fionaries.
N the Ninth of Juyte I was vifited by a Mahometan Prieft, accompa- ny'd with a very numerous Re- tinue of Moors-, who told me, he underftood that I endeavour'd to introduce a new Rehgion among them, never known to Mofes, Davidj Chriji, nor Mahomet.
I reply'd, that he was ftrangely mifmfor- med : For we taught nothing but what Mo- [es,^ David znd Jejus Chrifi warranted us to (peak and teacli : And this I made out very fully, by ihewing him, chat we proiefled
the
J 02 The Thirty fourth Conference^
the Chriftian Religion in its Primitive Puri- ty, containing all that Mofes and David left behind them in their infpired Writings. But as for your Mahomet^ he did but corrupt the Dodljfine of the Prophets, and that of the Gofpel of Chrift : Out of which Cor- ruption was generated that impure Mixture, or Compoll, called the Alcoran^
The Mahometan reply'd, we acknowledge for Genuine, the Writings of Four Great Prophets, viz. Mofes^ who was fent from Heaven , to blefs the World with Good Laws; but God failing of his Aim, fent David unto the World, to mitigate the Laws of Mofes : But his Law was likewife difre- garded, and violated by the greateft Part of Mankind : Whereupon Ifrali (Jefus Chrift) was fent into the World, who was born of Mary^ and did many Wonders, and jiv'd mofl: of his time in the Wildernefs ; never frequenting Cities, nor any Place inhabited by Mankind ; wherefore the greateO; part of the World defpifed his Law as not (uitcd to civil Societies ; but rather calculated for a few Hermits and Monks, afleding Wildernelles rather than populous Cities. Hereupon God Almighty refolving to accommodate all Degrees, Ranks and Conditions of Men, he fent Mahomet into the World to write the Alcoran, as didated
by
of the Chriflian Religion, &c. 303
by the Angel Gahriel, fuited to the Capacities and Humours of all forts of People ; allow- ing at the fame time the Laws of Mofes, David, and of Chrifl^ to be Divine and Heavenly ; only we give Mahomet the Pre- ference, as being the laft of all the Four mentioned Legiflators ; who unanimoufly afferted the Unity of One God.. For tho' Jefus Chrid was adored as God by fome of his own Difciples and heedlefs Followers ; yet he himfelf preach'd againfl: the Plurality of Gods : And when he came to hear, that fome of his Difciples adored him, calling him the Son of God, he abandon'd them to them- felves, and retir'd into the Wildernefs,where he made this excellent Prayer to the One God, faying, Thou knowefl rights 0 Great and Supreme Governour of the UniverfSy that I acknowledge no God hefides thee j and yet againfl my Will and Orders^ fome of my Difciples adore me as a Gody calling me thy Sony ivho did ft neither heget, nor art begotten.
Hence it came to pafs, that the Difciples were of different Sentiments about their own Mafter ^ fome holding the Dodrine of Unity, as Chrift taught them -, and others adored him as a God. Therefore Mahomet was fent into the World to deftroy the Wor- iliip of many Gods, both among the Heathens and Chrfflians.
I
J 64 The Thirty fourth Conference^
T rcply'd, that what he had reported of Chrifi^ was partly true, and partly very Fa* bulousand Falfe. And as for the Dodrine of the trinity, I prov d it to him out of the Writings of Chrill: himfelF, whom he allow'd to be a True Prophet ; and confonant to the Dodtrine taught in the Pfalms, and in the Law o{ MofeSy tho' not fo clearly there ex- prefs'd, as in the New Teltament.
Well, fa id he, I have heard you preaching to day ; and I don't altogether difapprove of your Religion ,• and was mightily pleas'd to fee no idols or Images in your Church, as among the Portugueze ; who fymbolize aimoil: in every thing with the Heathens, in the Number oi Idols and Graven Images. I was like^vife in the Dani(h Church, where all the Bearers are White Men ; and there alfo I law fosne Images : Pray, are your Re- ligions diilereok
ir >
I anfwer'd, that 'twas but One Religioa ; and thofe Images were not woribipp'd as by the Fortugueze ; but only ferv'd as Orna- ments CO the Church, and as commemora. tive Signs of fome PalTages of Chrifi's Life and huiiering^. Upon this, I Ihew'd the Order we obierv'd to bring up our Children in the Knowledge and Fe^r of God ,• and
prefented
of the Chriflian Religion^ &c. 305
prefented him with fome Books out of our Printing Houfe, relating to the Principles of the Chriftian Religion i with which he feem- ed very much fatisfied ; alluring me, that he was charm'd with the Civility and kind Be. haviour of the Europeans.
Then he bid me i^dieu; promifmgto give me another Vifit very foon.
The END of the CONFERENCES.
X LETTERS
3°7
LETTERS
FROM THE
HEATHENS
TO THE
MmSIONJRIES.
LETTER I.
Of the Malabarian Regeneration^ or Metemplychofis.
YOU the Venerable Prlefts of Tra^- quelar , have been pleafed to favour me with the Continuance of your Love ; And according to the bed of my Capacity, I have endeavour'd hitherto to be pundua!, in making the bed
X -L Returns
3 o8 Letters from the Heathens
Returns to your feveral Interrogatories : I do affiire you, that I am readily difpoled, and very de/irous to do you further Service.
You are plcafed to ask me, what we mean by Regeneration, or our Second Birth ? Sirs, our Meaning is, that every Man born into this Worldj that leads a vertuous Life, ex- ercifing Repentance for paft Tranfgrelfions, and abftaining for the future from the Pra- (flice of Vice, performing withal the Offer- ings and Ceremonies enjoyned byoiif Laws, fliall at his Death, enter upon the real En- joyment of Eternal Happinefs ; and is not liable to the perplexing Nece/Tity of being born of a Woman the fecond time. But fuch as live wickedly, and die without Re. pentance, mud not only undergo punifliing Severities in the other World ; but withal, their Souls will be re-commirted into Bodies two-footed, four-footed, or volatile, to atone and do Penance for Sins committed in the former Body ; and in cafe of Non repentance, their Nativity is to be ftill reiterated ; elfe they will never enter into Eternal Reft.
This is the received Opinion among our Learned Men, concerning this Matter , and is all that i have to write upon this Head.
IF^^^R
to the Mijjlonaries^ 309
LETTER 11,
Of the State of Departed Souls ^
\7'0UR Letter I have receiv'd, contain- ing fome hard Qiieftions, and your friendly VViilies for the Continuation of my Health, which, thro' God's Goodnefs and the Mediation of your Prayers, I hitherto enjoy : And as to your Demand about the State of Separated Souls ^ the common Opi- nion is, that Emadudakel, or the Mellenger of Death, receives the Soul, as 'tis breathed out of the Body, into a kmd of a Sack, and runs away with it thro' Briars, and Thorns, and burning Whirlwinds, which torment the Soul very fenfibly, till he arrives at the Bank of a Fiery Current, thro' which he is to pafs to the other fide, in order to deliver the Soul to Emeny or the God of the Dead • who refers the Examination thereof to his Secre- tary, named Tfchiddirahuddiren, who is to make his Report to Biruma (or one of the three Perfons in the Malaharian Godhead i) who rewards Jufl and Holy Souls v/ith the everlafting Fruition of God's Glorious Pre- fence;. but the Souls of the Wicked are tor- mented with Pains intolerably grievous, ^c. X 3 LETTER
3 1 0 Letters from the Heathens
LETTER III.
Of the Day of Judgment.
JN Anfwer to your Queftion, 'viz. If all Men are to he nndevouz d in a General ASemhly^ to receive feverally every one his Final Doom > I reply, That when the Lad of thefe Eighteen Great Durations of the World are at an End Teach of which Dura- tions, or Cycles, confifting of many thou- (Imd Years^ then the Supream Being will fummon the Dead to appear, in order to judge every one according to his Deeds, whether they be Good or Evil : The Godly are either receiv'd into an Eternal State of Happinefs, or are to undergo another Birth, in order to be further purify 'd, and to arrive to higher Degrees of Perfection : But they who lead vicious Lives, are Tent to animate the Bodies of Flies, Birds, Dogs, Foxes, or other Beads, in a new World : For there iliall be then a new Creation of Sun, Moon and Stars, ^c.
LETTER
to the Mijjionm ies* j i i
L E.T T E R IV.
Among the Four different Religions of the World, rphich is the mofl proper to render us happy in the next World ?
M.M. the unvvorthiert: of your Slaves, greet you heartily with a profound Scki" lam (^Salutation) As to your Queftion, a- bout the Choice of the bell Religion, you are no doubt, better versd in this fort of Queftions than I am i and at leaftwife, are a/Rired that Men can be faved in one ReU- gion or another.
Our Sentiments about Religious Matters are very different in this Land ; tho' we all agree in this, to mind more the Things of this World, than any Spiritual Concerns ,• and thofe few that have (Jilengaged them- felves from the Pleafures and Advantages of Life, and fpend their time in the Purluit oi Heavenly Things, arc look'd upon as Men arriv'd at the higheft Degree of Perfection ; tho' 'tis a receiv'd Opinion amongft us, that all fuch as lead a good and vertuous Life, may be faved in any Religion : And we ihail X 4 begin
5 1 2 Letters from the Heathens
begin with the Mahomeiatty which allows one married Wife, but Fourty eight Con- cubines i and commands to pray five times a Day. Therefore I humbly conceive, that a Man may be faved in this Religion, if he Lmfeignedly believes the Frincipies thereof to be Divine and True ; feeing 'tis confefs'd on all Hands, that Faith is the great Inftrument of our Salvation ; but this we blame in the Mahometan^ that he is for con- demning ail but himfelf.
The Law of the Chriftian is true and ho^ ly, comprehending the Life of Chrift, who came into the World to teach Mankind the Way of Salvation, died and rofe again, or^ dering the Ufe of Baptifm and of the Lord's Supper, and all other things neceifary for the attaining of Salvation : But this we mightily diOike in your Religion, as abomi. nable, that you fpit [They uje to go out of the Honfe to fpit] in your own and other Mens Prefence ; that you converfe with your Wives in the time of their Uncleannefs ; and that you make no diflindion between Fa- milies.
As
to the Mijfwnariesl 3 i ^
As touching the Jewijh Religion, 'tis known that that is comprehended in the Old Teflament ; but feeing they expecSt a Mejftas to come to deliver them, and defpilb Chrift and his Gofpel, I really believe, they vain- ly hope for, another Deliverer, ^c.
LET-
J 1 4 Letters from the Heathens
LETTER V.
of the Four Principalities into which the Kingdom ^/ Tan jour is divided.
Mod Reverend Priefls, Your favouring me with your entertaining Enqui- ries, obliges me to give you the belt Informa- tions I can in this Matter : The lafl: King that reigned over the tanjouiian Kingdom, was named Egofchirajcha ; and died but Two Years ago ; the prefent King's Name is Sa- ruivofchirafcha, and Rules abfolutely in this Kingdom, by paying 3333 Dollers to the great Moguls and as much to one of his Vicegerents in a Province bordering upon Tanjour, The King's younger Brother is called Dukkofchirafcha. There are four Lieutenants or Lords, that govern the four Provinces into which the Kingdom is divid- ed ; and their Names are Suweatter Tjcok Kapamudaliar , Suweitar Wawofch'tpandiden^ Suweitar Schivaminadapullei ^ and Suwertar Annatfchipand'tder. The Refidence of the iirft Lord is Southwards, and called Dirut- t^arapundi'y the Refidence of the Second is Kumhakonum ; of the Third, Karuppuranei- kurei \ and the City where the Fourth re- fides, is called Kevoirimairom. One of thele
Lord-
to the M'lffionaries, 3 f ^
Lorddiips fell to the Ibare of the King's younger Brother at the Deceafe of Egofchi- rafcha their eldeft Brother. The Inhabitants do not polTefs a Foot of Ground here ; but all is the King's Land ; yet Husbandry is promoted with all the Chearfulnefs imagi- nable : For the Lord Lieutenant gives them Seed to Tow their Fields, gives Oxen to thofe that are Poor, and fometimes advances them Money to buy themfelves Bread, till the Harvefl comes ; and then they are to re- ceive two Fifths for their Labour, and the Remainder is the King's ,• but in other Pro*- vinces the fame Proportion is not obferved : For the Sovereign has more than three Fifths; and the Inhabitants fomewhat iefs than two.
•In the Province where Bomwhahttapitilei governs, there was lately (bund an immenfe Treafure, with vvhich he bmk a very Mag- nificent Palace, but negle(5ting to pay that Refpediand Veneration to one of the King's' Minillers, as was expecfred, 'twas infinuated to the King, that the Lieutenant's Wife and Daughter were ibch finiflied Beauties thaC the whole World could not parallel ,* and withal that he had built a very fiately Houfe, adorned with Columns fo artificially Wrought , emulating the mod Mallerly Workmanlliip in the King's Houfe ,- and
that:
3 1 6 Letters from the Heathens
that fome of thefe (lately Pillars were bol- Jovv within, tilled with molten Gold, the better to hide his immenfe Treafures from the Knowledge of his Sovereign. Where^ upon a Band of armed Men were fent to bring him to Court ; and feveral great La- dies were fent thither to condud: to Court his Wife and Daughter ; but the Lieutenant defending his jBoufe with Twenty armed Men, bid defiance to the King's Soldiers: which fo enrag'd his Sovereign, that he ordered his Houfe to be levell'd with the Ground, and all his Preciou? Furniture tq be carried to Court.
The Inhabitants live very eafie and hap- . pily in all thefe Four Provinces, except in Mairom ; where they are cruelly op- prefs'd by a Rich Braman, whom the Lieute- nant has veiled with almofl: abfolute Autho- rity, fo as to raife the Price of Corn at plea- fure, refufing to give them their Proportion of the yearly Produce of their Ground. He raifes Monopolies of all forts of Provender for either Man or Bead, and fells it at an exceffive Rate : And tho' repeated Complaints have been made againft him, he always comes off with a good Grace, by the Means of large Prefents to the King's Minifters, ^c
LET-
to the MiJJtonaries, 3 1 7
LETTER VI.
Of the Original of the City of Tranque- bar ; and of the Danifh Colony fettled there.
r OST Venerable PrieQs, who worflilp _ J^ the Three Glorious One God, Lord of Lords, and King of Kings j who propa- gate the Knowledge of the True Religion, exercifmg Juftice and Righteoufnefs, and walking in the laudable Paths of Vertue ^ T, who am the meaneft of your Servants, kifs your Feet with a profound Schalam,
The Family of the Seelingers (Mariners^ inhabited the Towns Dirumaleiwaf.hel^ Di- rnkaremr^ and Dirukilatfcher^ for 300 Years; afterwards a wife Man came to underlland, that in this Place the City of Tranquehar had been, but fincedeftroy'd by Inundations, and converted into a Mountain of Sand : Whereupon a Brawan, accompany 'd with one of his Difciples, coming to view the Place, they difcovered fome Remains of a Temple overgrown with Wood: For which reafon Orders were immediately given to
clear
3 1 8 Letters from the Heathens
clear the Ground , and make the Place habitable.
In the time of King ArfchuJappanaiker arrived here 9 Danijh Admiral, who was kindly received by ourGovernours ,• and, to his great Satisfadion, procured Freedom to build a Fortrefs in the Year i6io: The Governour's Name was Gale de Gedde : Since which time the Place has been more and more fortified ; and the Danes don't only oblige all Merchant Ships arriving here, to pay Cuftom -, but raife Contributions from many of our Neighbouring Villages.
LET.
to the Mifjionaries. 2 1 9
LETTER VII.
Oj the Contents of a Famous Book, calPd Diruwalluwer.
MOST Reverend Priefts, in compliance with my own Duty, and your juft Defires, I fend you the following Account of our celebrated Poem, call'd Diruwalluwer : It contains ^30 Verfes ; the Chapter caird Arupal, has 38 Leaves, containing ^80 Ver- fes y the Chapter Poralpaly 70 Leaves, con- taining 700 Verfes ,• the Chapter Rumapal, xs Leaves, and 250 Verfes. The firft of thefe Chapters teaches the Difference be- tween Vice and Vertue, and the Manner of performing ail good Works, whether Reli- gious or Civil ; the fecond Chapter teaches how to dired our Thoughts in the Con- templation of Death, and how we are to carry our felves in Buying and Selling : and the third and laft Chapter treats of all the Duties relating to a Marriage-State.
Lp-r- TT^
3 ZO Letters from the Heathens
LETTER VIII.
Of the Malabariatis Notion of Happinefs and Mifery ; or^ their Heaven and Hell
GOD inhabits A'oliafchum, or Paradife ; in which there are feveral Manfions for Ir'rophets of different Degrees, to bring tfieir Offerings and Sacrifice before the Su- preme Being. This delicious Place is blefs'd and adorn'd with Flowers, Gardens plenti- fully affording all forts of Fruits, with fa- cred Springs and Fountains of Living Water ; where alio Heavenly Birds, fuch as Fine Parrots, render the Place more agreeably blefs'd, and perfectly delicious. The Faith, ful and Godly Souls departed this Life,iliali fee God Face to Face, thro' all the never- ceafing Ages of Eternity.
On the contrary, Hell is the Refidence of Emeu (^Death,^ and is called Emalogu^ and is a large fiery Cellar, where there are fiery Leeches, which torment Sinners proportio- nably to the Degrees of their Crimes.
LETTER
to the Mijfwnarie%l 3 2j'
L E T T E R IX*
Of the End of the World.
BEfore the End of the World, we eon- (lantly believe, that the North, South, Eaft, and Weft Seas, iliall be all blended together, and make but one Great Sea ; and that thenall living Creatures, (the Inferior Gods themfelves not excepted) ihall ceafe to be diftindt feparate Beings, by being fwallowed up into the Nature of the One only God, the primary Caufeof all things : And there will be a new Creation immedi- ately follow : The Supreme Being will cre- ate a Sett of new Gods ,• and thefe new Gods will form all forts of Mineral, Vege- tative, and 'Animated Beings, much the fame as they were before.
LET-
3 22 Letters from the Heathens
LETTER X.
Deliverance from Sin, The chief End of Man, Duty towards his Creator^ and Knowledge towards God^
T 7f 7 E believe>the Way to expiate the Guilt y V of Sill, is, with Drink and Meat-Of- ferings, vifiting the Vagods, building new, or by repairing Publick Houfes to entertain Strangers in, by Cloathing and Feeding the Priefts, and Building Houles for the BramanSy fpending part of our time in Pilgrimaging from one Place of Devotion to another j and by doing more fuch Offices towards our Fel- low Creatures.
The chief End of Man's Creation, is to know God, and dired daily Prayers, and ofter Sacrifices unto him ,• and that Man fliould ftudy, read, and meditate on the Di- vine Laws.
And as to the Duties that God requires of Man. they are fuch as thefe ; Every good Man IS obliged to get up at Three a-clock in the Mornmg, rinie and cleanfe his Teeth,
b efprinkle
to the Miffionaries.- 523'
befprinkle himfelf with confecrated Allies bathe himfelF in Holy Streams, and then prepare a Drin-k-Offering of Honey, Milk, Sugar, Lemmons, Kokus-wat^r, and Kun^ ^«/w/-Flowers, and oF other fuch Aromatick Spices ; repeat feveral Forms of Prayers, and attend diligently the Prf^<7^-Worlhip.
In the laft place, and in Anfwer to your Qiieftion, viz. wherein the Knowledge of ones fcif confffts ? I anfwer, that in order to know our felves thoroughly, we mud be well skill'd in the Nature ot the five Elements ; as alfo their different EffecSts and Properties, We mud be very well acquainted with the Dodrine of Refpiration and Infpiration,and be able to know how many times he fetches his Breath in one Day ,• which according to Computation, is twenty one thoufand, and two hundred times. Moreover he mud know where the Sence of Feeling is, whea a Man fleeps ? Wherein does Life properly confift, and where is the Seat thereof? Laft- ly, he muft be well read in the Dodrine of the Caufes and Symptoms of all Difeafes; well acquainted with his own Complexion; and in fine, be able to account both for Memory and Forgetfulnefs. Such a Man as this, may be properly fiiid to know him«' felf.
Y X LET-
324 Letters from the tieathens
LETTER XL
Of the Malabarians Opimon of the Chri" flian Religion,
THE Law of the Chriftiansis holy, jufl, and good ; the Dod^rine of the Tri- nity, the Life of Chrift, and of his Twelve Apoflles are all very edifying; and fo are your Commandments and Articles of Faith ; Moreover, you affirm, that in the Beginning God did only create the Man and the Wo« man ; All which I believe to be very true : And indeed, your Law feems to be a clear Mifrour, without Flaw or Blemifh ; and did you but abflain from your eating of Cows Flelh, fpitting in your Houfes, and fome other daily Nadinefles committed by you ; and on the contrary, accuftom your lelves to wafhing your Bodies more often, and ad nothing againft Purification and Cleanlinefs ; wc aflure you, the whole Na- tion would have nothing to fay againfl: your Difcipline, except your giving out, that you eat the Body of Chrift, and drink his Blood in the Sacrament; which T humbly conceive, norie of us will ever be able to com* prehend. LET'*
to the Mijfwnarles. 325
LETTER Xir.
The Religion of ?Z?^ Heathens and Turks compared together^
REverend Sir, you derire to know if any one living according to the Prin- ciples of the Mahometan Religion, may ob- tain everlafting Life and Happinefs ; and which I judge to be the bell, this, or my own Malabar tan Religion > In order to fatis- fie your Queftion, give me leave to tell you, that our Religion is as old as the World, which is indeed, a tenfold Law or Religion, marking out unto Mankind Ten different unerring Ways of attaining Salvation j or as we are wont to exprefs it, Ten fever al Offer- i»^s : For this, or that Way of worfliipping God, aflifting at fuch or fuch Ceremonies, leading this or that fort of Life, we call Oflerings made of our Time and Labour to the Service of God; whereof the firlt is this, which requires, That a Man do believe in the great Sovereign Being, revere afid adore him, offer unto him, and love him with all Kis Heart, and with his Lips fmg forth the Praifes due to his Name.
Y 3 The
3 25 Letters from the Heathens
The fecond Way of attaining Happinels, is, to woriliip God without the Intervention of Images and Tagods^ by directing our Minds and Hearts immediately to the Su- preme Being, regarding all the different Re- ligions this day eftablilhed in the different Countries of the World, to be equally good or bad : For fuch a Votary ties himfelf to no Sett of publick Ceremonies ; but worihips God in Spirit and in Truth, and believes him to be all- feeing, All in all, and every where equally prefent.
The third Way of attaining Salvation, is by offering to the Tiratti Lingum., which is an Image of a Man made of Dung, which we beftrew with fweet-fcented Flowers, and dired Formulas of Prayers to it, with great Devotion ; and believe in fo doing, to attain Salvation and Eternal Happinefs ; becaufe we are commanded fo to do by the Law of God.
The fourth Way of attaining Happinefs, is by leading a Monaftical Life, abandoning Houfe and Home, and all the Pleafures that attend a focial Life, by living in Wil- dernefles and Woods, f:parated trom the reft of Mankind.
The
to the MiJJionaries. j 2 7
The fifth Way to Happinefs, is Celibacy, holding no Commerce or Familiarity with Women ; or, if one is married, by giving his Wife a Bill of Divorce, living chaitly and foberly the remainder of his Life. We be- lieve that fuch Men as thefewill be certain- ly happy in the other World, for generouily (for the fakeof God)derpiring the Pleafures of this.
The fixth Way leading to eternal Happi- nefs, is, the obferving diligently the ftrid "Performances of the Ceremonious Rites and Offeriijfgs^^i^r'd us by the Priefis in filie p0^s^ and ftudying to be ufeful and ben^Jcial to all Mankind.
The feventh Way to Happinefs, is blind- ly to follow in all things the Did-ates and Commands of our Priefts, and believe what they bid us, whether it be good or bad : For we are not to fearch into the Nature of Vice and Vertue; but fquare our Lives by the Exemplary Lives of ho- ly Priefts and Men of God.
The eighth Way leading to Eternal Hap- pinefs, is the Exercife of all forts oF good Works i by diilributing Rice among the Poor, clothing feme, Furniiliing others with
Y 4 Money,
328 Leters from the Heathens
Money, building Houfes for the Bramam^ and publick Inns for poor Pilgrims and Strangers.
The ninthWay to Happinefs, is the lead- ing a ftrid Life according to the Command- ments of our Law ,• and conftantly offering to fVifchtfiu, is the Tenth Way to attain E- ternal Happinefs.
As for the Mahometan Religion, the Pro- feffors thereof cry it up for the bed Religion in the World, which we constantly deny ; tho' we acknowledge at the fame time the Mahometans to be a wife People j neither do we pretend to blafpheme their Religion ; but confefs ingenuoufly, if they do live up to what they profefs, God in Mercy will fave their Souls.
LET-
to the Mijjionaries. 329
LETTER XIIL
Of the feveral Kings and Princes who have ruVd in the Malabarian and neighbouring Kingdoms,
TO comply with your Commands, I fend you the following Account of the feveral Kings and Princes that have go- verned for the lad 85 Years m our Neigh.- bouring Kingdoms.
• In the lad Antu (the Space of 60 Years) King Regunadanaiker rul'd in the Kingdom of Tfchoromandel^ K^"g MarudeiwirA-paKaiker rul'd in Diritfchancipal : Thefe, and many more petty Kings, have neither Crowns, nor Scepters ; but King Tfchingamagarafcha de- fcended lineally from the Sun, hath wore a Crown, and ruTd in Kand't^ or in the fa- mous Ifland of Qeylon : He built many Pa- gods^ Houfes for Bramansy and for Pilgrims in every City, endow'd with Yearly Reve- nues, and all poffible Accommodations, and with all Eatables, and even with Milk for Babes, who might with their Nurfes pafs that way : Befides, he gave general Orders
to
3 50 Letters from the Heathens
to conduct: the Pilgrims into their Lodgings in dark Nights with Flambeaux and Torches. He never perverted Juftice; but the Poor and the Rich were treated according to the flrideO; Impartiality of diftributive Juftice ; His Treafure was inexhauftible ; and after he had reigned fourcy Years, he died, to the great Lofs of all his Subjeds,
In this prefent Antu, reigns in the King- dom oi tjchoromandel the Son of Regunaela naiker. The prefent King of Ceylon is called after his Father's Name, Tfchingamarafcha,
When there was a great Dearth in the Kingdom of Coromandel, the King ordered his Officers to call together a hundred thou- fand Men to be fupplied with Meat and Drink in thofe hard times. And the King calling for a Balance, put himfelf in one Scale thereof, and Gold enough to counter- balance in the other Scale ; which Gold he immediately caufed to be diftributed among the People ; He continued for fome time to be an Univerfal BlefTing to his Countrey ; following the good Example of Pious Kings his Predeceffors ,• but afterwards prov'd to be a cruel Tyrant, plundering his Subjed:s of their bed Effeds ; and if any had a hand- fome Woman to his Wife, the King carried her away by force, giving in lieu thereof a Piece
of
to the MiJJionaries, 3 3 i
of Money to the injured Husband. He had One hundred and fifteen married Wives, and one Thoufand Concubines : Three hundred and threefcore Women did dance daily in his Prefence ; his Palanquin was always born by Women ; Women carried Flambeaux and Torches before him, attended him with Um- hello s^ play'd on Indruments i and all the other Court- Employments within Doors were all done by Women ; whereof no lefs than Five thoufand were employ 'd in his Family : All which Women, with all his Jewels and vafl: Treafures, he caufed to be {hut up in "a Houfe, and to be blown into the Air with Gunpowder, at the Approach of the Army of the Great Mogul to bellege Tanjour^ one of his chief Cities. His two Sons feeing their Father's Cowardice, in not daring to fight the Great Moguls oder'd their Service to the King, and undertook to defeat all the Mogulijh Armj, if their Father would but entruftthem with the Command of Four and twenty tiioufand Mea. Is it fo, reply'd the Father, then when you have defeated the^ Great Mogul, you'll employ your Prowefs againft my felf; whereupon the two Bro- thers were Iliut up in a dark Chamber, and flarv'd to Death. Some time after, this bloody Man, at the Sacking o\ TaMJour. was taken and heun to p.cccs by his Ene- mies.
LET-
2 2 2 Letters from the Heathens
LETTER XIV.
Of the Sacerdotal and Regal Dignity,
YOU were pleas'd to ask our Opinion in relation to the Sacerdotal and Regal Dignity ; anjd which in our Judgment is the more Excellent ?
We conceive the Matter thus j the Priefts teach and inftrud: the King himfelf in the Precepts of Wildom and Religion, and ihews him the Ways of Salvation j and Kings and Princes rule Kingdoms and Principalities ; and their Authority relates only to the Things of this Life : So that the King and the Pried are highly to be efteem'd and re- vered ; but with Refpedts of a very different kind ; the Authority of the one regarding only our fpiritual, and that of the other, our Temporal and Worldly Welfare.
LETTER
to the Miffionarief, 335
LETTER XV.
Of buying Slaves ; of making Wary n^he* ther LarpfuL
IN anfwer to your feveral Queftions, we fend you our Meaning in few Lines : And in the firft Place, touching fuch Perfons as make it their Bufinefs to cajole half witted innocent Men with large Promifes, and other Allurements, in order to mafter them afterwards, by reducing them into the Condition of Slaves, we look upon fuch Men, incapable of receiv- ing Forgivenefs of Sins, and of enjoying future Happinefs : And 'tis a Proverb com- mon among us, That a City driving fuch infamous Commerce, can never increale, nor profper.
We believe it lawful to make- War up- on our Enemies that wrong and injure us,- and if the King in fuch Cafes does not defend his Subjects by repelling Force with Force, he forfeits his Crown and Scepter : And 'tis written in one of our Books call'd Rafchianidifaftrumy that tho' a fandlified
Cow
334 Letters from the Heathens
Cow fiiould attempt to gore a Man violent. ]j; 'tis then lawful to kill her, which other- wife is here a very Capital Crime.
Moreover, we believe, that all that die in a lawful War in the Defence of their Coun- trey, are receiv'd into Paradife,- and he that kills an Enemy, is recompenfed in the other World with higher Degrees of Glory and Happinefs, ^c
LET-
to the Mtjfwnaries* 335
LETTER XVI.
Of the Indian and European Civil Go- vernment ; and which ought to be ^- fleemed the beft^
OUR Civil Law in Malabar is very ex- cellent, grounded on Juftice and E- quity, and the Proceeding is according to Evidences, and teftimonial Depofitions of faithful and honeft Men ; but very often there are great Miftakes committed in the Executive Part of our Laws, through the Negligence of our Kings, and Corruption of wicked Miniflers.
We readily acknowledge the Europeans to be a very polite and well difciplin'd Peo- ple ; efpecially at Sea, and at Fire-Arms ; but in weilding a Sword, or in managing Bows and Arrows, fighting upon Elephants and Camels, or in warlike Stratagems, the Europeans are not to be compared with our Malaharian Soldiers j and this I'll exemplifie in one of our Kings who rul'd about Twen- ty Years ago in Diritfcinapoli over feventy Governors of Provinces, whereof every one
could
J J ^ Letters from the Heathens
could bring upvon his own Charges fome Thoufands of Men to the Field; and be- caufe confcious of their great Strength, they difregarded the young King's Orders, the King immediately drew together twenty thoufand Foot and three thou land Horfe, ordering them to march out of their Gar- rifons, to take the Benefit of Countrey-Air for his Majefty's Diverficn ; and in the fpace of fix Days, he came before a Town belong- ing to one of his feventy Deputy-Governours, rode in alone with his drawn Sword , and finding the Governour in the Streets, he cut him to Pieces ; after which bold Action, (all the People knowing 'twas their King;) the Governour's Son threw himfelf immedi- ately at his Majefty's Feet, begging that his Life might be fpar'd, offering twenty thou- fand Ferdous for his Pardon.
The King anfwer'd, don't fear, thy Life is fpar'd ; thy Father negle(3:ed to pay me due Homage ,• therefore I killed him > but take care to rule my People with Equity and Prudence.
Thence he march'd with his Elephants and armed Men before another City, which he found unguarded, open, and Expofed to the leafl: Infult of a Neighbouring Enemy. He calld the Governour of the Place; who
ran
• to the Mijjion^ies, jjy
ran with Prefents, and threw himfelf at the King's Feet, begging that his Life might be fpared , and that his prefent Negligence might be pardoned; promifing to be mors carcibny circumfped for the future ,♦ beg- ging his Majefty to accept of a Golden Pa- lanquin Ca Chair carried on two Mens Shoul- ders) valued at 121000 Verdous^ and leveral Budiels of Pearls, Corals and other precious Stones. The King accepted the Prefents, a#il charg'd him upon Penalty of his high Difpleafure to be more watchful in the Dif- charge of his Empoyment for the time to come ; and march'd thence to vifit unexpe- d:edly the other flrong Places of his King- dom, hewing into Pieces the Governours that negleded their Duty, or did not pay him due Homage ; which {truck a Terror into all the adjacent Princes, that they were in great fear of him ; and the Great Mo^ul of the Indies could not force him to pay him Tribute as his PredecefTors did.
This King in all warlike Achievements was another Wtratjchuren (i. e.) another Alexander : For when a Tyger raging Mad, came out of the Forefl, and the Army was in Its March, all the Soldiers did quake and tremble ; but the King rode on boldly, and with one Stroke of his broad Sword, cut the Tygfr's Body in two ; And we have many fuch brave Men among us in thefe Countries. Z LET-
3 3 8 Letters from the Heathens
LETTER XVII,
About the different Kinds or Species of Living Creatures.
HE diflerent Species of vegetative and living Creatures are Eighty four Hun- dred Thouland in Number ,• whereof there are Twenty Hundred Thoufand Species of Trees, Nine Hundred Thoufand different kinds of FiOi, One Hundred Thoufand lorts of Worms and creeping; Things, Ten Hun- dred Thoufand Kinds o[ Birds; and from the Elephant to the Ant, there are Thirty Hundred Thoufand ditlerent forts of walking Creatures In tht; laft place, we compute Four Hundred Thoufand diiterent forts of Men.
We have a learned Br'aman among us, who hath with a great dea4 of Indullry, methodi- cally, and at length, Ipecified in Writing, ailthefedi^erent forts of Beings j defcribing their Figure, Properties, and the refpedive Countries >vhere they are to be found ; ' whereof he hathprctrpifed :o fend you a Co-
LET-
tc the Miffionarie%l 539
LETTER XVIII.
If it is the Will of God^ that all Men fjjmld be faved ; and of the Form of God'
YOU are pleas'd to ask me, if God would have all Men be faved from Hell- Torments, and be happy for ever >
I aofwer, Yes ; becaufe God is gracious Und merciful towards all his Creatures ; and in pardoning great Sins, his Grace and Goodnefs are more confpicuouHy glo- rified : But if Sinners go on in their Ob- Itinacy and Difobedience, God juftly pu- niOies fuch with the moft exquifite Pains of Hell • according as 'tis written in our Law.
And as touching the Form of the Su- preme Being, he is reprefented to us, fit- ting upon the Top of a Silver Mountain in Paradife, holding a Deer by the Horns in one Hand, and his Bow and Arrows in another. He has five Faces, three Eye^, covered all over with Holy Aihes, and has Z i his
7^0 Letters froM the Heathens
his Neck twilled about with a hideous Serpent.
Others defcribe him quite otherwife ; fay- ing, he is neither One, nor Two, neither Light nor Darknefs ; that he is neither ex- cluded from, nor circunfifcribed in any- place ; is not to be refembled to any Crea- ture whati'oever.
LET-
to the Mijjionaries, 341
LETTER XIX.
Reafons why the Malabarians reje3 the Chrijlian Religion.
"1 70U defired me in yonr lad, to give j[ ygu my Reafons why our People don't embrace the Chriftian Religion aiter you have taken lb much pains to prove the Truth thereof with fo many Evident De- monfirations,- and have as fully (liew'd the Falfenefs of our Malahanan Woriliip ?
, And I find you are much afloniflied at opr Infidelity. But, Sirs, give us leave to tell you, that we can't fee that you have fufr ficiently proved our Law to be falle and al- together erroneous ; nor fo clearly and evi- dently prov'd the Truth of your own, that we llicnld inconfiderately change the Religi- on of our Fathers for that of Foreigners and Sojourners in our Land : For I would have you know, thiat as Chrijlians and Mahometans depvp their Laws from God ; fo do we : For certainly, you can't imagine, that we hammer'd and lorged a Religion to our felves, more than you.
Z 3 The
342 Leters from the Heathens
The Mahometan will have his Religion to be abfolutely the bell: ; the Chrijiians con- demn all but themfelves ; and we Malaha- rians think our Religion to be the bed for us ; and Queftion not but that the Chriftl- ans may be faved if they lead Lives conform- able to the Precepts of their Religion.
Which is the bed Religion, is a difficult Task to know ; for even among our felves we have many different Opinions ,• fome affirming that Ifuren is the Supreme God, others ftand up for Wifchtnu ; and there are as many learned Men, who plead for the God tjchivoens ; and I think 'tis Prudence not to trouble my felf with the Truth or Faliliood of your Religion, till I know firfl, which is the trued of the many Opinions relating to Religion, that we entertain here ^mong our felves.
LET-
343
A
LETTER
F R O M T H E
ISSIO NJRIE<S
TO THEIR
Friend in Europe.
Mofl worthy Sir^
E Praife God with all our Hearts, for making you fo ulelul an Inflrument in Efig" land to further the Progrefs of the Gofpel among the Gentiles j botii by your gopd Counfels and Sums of Money that you were pleas'd to fend us at feveral times : And we thank you more efpecially, for the great Pains you took lately t.o traa- flate our German Relations of the Progrefs of the Gofpel among the Indians^ into the En- gltjh Language i which will, as we have grounds to hope, awaken the Zeal and Cha-
Z 4 rity
J 44 -^ Letter from the Mijjionaries
rity of that generous Nation, to afTid our Endeavours iri preaching the Word of God among the UnbeUevers ; and upon this Ac- count, we look upon you to be our Fellow- Lahourer in the Work of the Lord, in preach- ing the glad Tidings of vSalvation among the Unbelieving Ind'tam : And we beg ear- neflly, that God Almighty will be pleas'd to preferve your precious Life in Peace and Profperity, that you may go on and do us more good.
We receiv'd your Letters of Exchange by a Ship caW'd Jafif^e ; one for 25 Pounds, and the other for 10 Pounds ; both which Sums have bcea paid us at Madras, (i. e.) Fort St. George.
We receiv'd two other Letters from you by another Ship lately arriv'd upon our Coaus ; which were very acceptable to us, both with regard to the Author, and to the excellent Inllrudions for carrying on the Work of Converfion fuccefsfuliy.
Two Letters from the Society fettled at London for propagating of the Gofpel, came fafe to our Hands, and rejoiced our Hearts exceedingly. The Lord ilrengthen the Hands of thofe pious and truly Iionourable good Chriflians, to do more and more good
both
to their Friend in Europe. 345 both in the Chriftian and Gentile World.'
All Helps fent us by that Generous and Noble Company, are happily arriv'd, and are to us very acceptable ; and raore efpecially the Printing- Prefs^ with all its Appendices ; which we are getting in order with all ' pof- fible Ipeed ; and we hope to fend by the next Ship a Prcof, or Specimen, of our Ma- laharian Printing, to our great Patrons and generous Benefad:ors in England -^ whence we expe(5t farther Afliflances, that being of all the Nations of Europe^ the moO; capable of extending the Limits of Chrift's Kingdom, by their frequent Navigations, and many Settlements in both the Indies.
Oh ! When will the time be, tliat all the Proteflant Nations will joyn- Hands and Hearts, to deflroy the Worlhip of Devils ; and break to Pieces the Idols of the Hea- thens, that the Name of ^ejtis may be made knov\'n to all the Nations oi the Earth. The Undertaking is great and feafible, back'dwith many precious Promifes both rrcm the Old and New Ttftamament, vit,. that all the Kingdoms of the World will become the Kingdoms of God and his Chriit.
We
J 4^ ^ Letter from the Miljlonaries
We fee before our Eyes, the Harvefr to be very great, and ripe for the Sickle ; Luc we want Hands ,* we want Temporal Sub- fidies ; and therefore the Labourers are too few to tin fo large a Vineyard.
Surely, fuch Chriflians who are averfe to this pious Work, can have no real Love to the Chriilian Religion ! '
We would humbly propofe to the Prote- flant Churches, to fupply us with learned Students in Divinity, and fend them here to be indrufled in the h^ian Languages, to capacitate them for future Service, under our Diredion, who have by our long pra« (fifing thefe People, div'd into their Inclina- tions ; and know upon our own Experience, what fort of Arguments are mod likely to gain their Approbation, and perfuade them to hear patiently the Admonitions of the Lord ; but thefe Students mufl be Men tru- ly fearing God, and hating Covetoufnefs ,• difengaged from all Earthly Ties of SelF- feeking, and from the inveterate Ecclefiafti- cal Itch of ruling over God's Inheritance : For if the Minifters of the Gofpel are other- u'ife minded, all their Learning will have no other Effedt than to perfuade Chrillians to turn Heathens, and confirm Heathens in their Infidelity. If
to their Friend in Europe. j 47
If we were blefs'd with faitbful FcIJow- Labourers in this great Work, we have all the fair Profpeds of fpreading the Know- ledge of Chrift an:*ong many populous Na- tions of the Indies.
The EitgUJh have feveral Settlements on the Coaft of Bengal^ and the Dutch in many- Places of the Indies'^ which afford us an open Door to preach among tlie Neighbouring Heathens.
I have writ to Batavia and to Ceylon^ to be informed of what Methods have been taken by the Nation laft mentioned, for the Propagation of the Gofpel ,• but hitherto I have no other Account, than, that all the PortHgueze Churches coiled'ed formerly in thefe Countries by the Portugal Miflionarie^ were brought over to the Dutch Difcipline, in all the Plantations taken from the Portu- gueze by the Dutch Company. But in thefe Countries tliey have undertook nothing in favour of the Chriftian Religion, tho' they have many Converted Indians whereof fome are Slaves ^ among whom there is a Ledurer who reads Service in Portugueze^ and Admi- nifters the Sacrament to them Weekly.
There
348 A Letter from the Miffionaries
There was a Minider in Na-^apatnam ; but he is gone away. And in the populous Town of/Zyg/y, on theCoaftof Bengal, there is a great Number of Dutch Merchants ; yet they have no Preacher among them.
'Tis certain that God has wonderfully blefs'd the Dutch Nation in all their laudable Undertakings in thefe Countries ; and there- fore we firmly perfuade our felves, that at this Jun(5ture fthat feems to be favourable for dilating the Knowledge of Chrift among thefe Nations) the Hollnnden will cheerful- ly come to our Afliftance.
The Tortugueze Miilionaries in the Space of about Two Hundred Years, brought q- ver to the Romifh Perfuafion almoft all the Maritime Towns \ but now this feems to be in a declining (late ; For it'o^ of the Millio- tiaries learn the Indian Languages, fo as to be able to teach the Heathens ; but content themfelves with reading the Mafs in the Latin Tongue, and trult the Natives with the important OfHce of Preaching ; who are no Way qualified for fo high an Em- ployment ; For they know nothing elfe but to repeat the Ten Commandments , the Lord's Prayer, and Ave Maria^ and to ilgn themfelves with the Sign of theCrofs-
Upon
to their Friend in Europe, 349
Upon fome Feftivals the Fortugueze Fa- thers do preach in their own Language j and that but very feldom.
There is no difciplinary Inditution obfer* ved among thefe Chriftians ; fo that they are more fcandaloufly corrupted in their Manners, than the Heathens themfelves ; and they fymbolize with them in moftof their Cerenaonies ,• and there is little or no Difference between a Portugueze Church and a Heathen Pagody with regard to all outward Rites and Ceremonies, and the Idolatrous Worfliip of Images.
'Tis reafonable to believe, that the firft: MiiTionaries were heartily zealous in per- fuading their new Converts to the NeceHity of living holy and pious Lives, worthy of the Gofpel of Jefns Chrifl : But fince the Portugueze Empire in thefe Countries has been deftroyed by the Hollanders, the Ro- man Cathoiick Chriftians have but a mere Form of Godlinefs without the Power there* of.
All the Account that I can give you of the Chriftians of St. Thomas^ is, as foUow- eth ?
Within
3 50 A Letter from the Mijjlonaries
Within a Mile of MaJras, or Fort Su George^ there is a Town called Mailapour, (I G.J a To^'n of Peacocks ; becaufe thofe Birds are very numerous in the neighbour- ing Mountains.
This Town by the Portugueze is called St\ Thomds ; becaufe that the Apollle of that Name preach'd the Gofpel there, confirm, ing his Dodrine with many Miracles.
Thofe Ancient Chriftians are dill to be found in Cochin, in the Southern Coafts of MaUhar : And, if we believe the Fortu- g/4eze, they are now reconcil'd to the Ro- man Church.
As touching the Writings of the Portugal Miflionaries, we can give you but a very imperfed: Account j only we underftand, that here and there, fome Manufcripts are yet extant in the Malaharian Tongue; but the moO: Valuable were loft, when the Hollanders made themfelve$ Maflers of this Countrey. Thefe Writings confid chiefly of the Life of Chrift, his Apoftles, and of feversl Romijb Saints, larded with Fabks and lying .Wonders.
Some
to their Friend in Europe* 351
Some of their Miilionaries lead an Ere- mitical Life at fome diftance from Towns and Villages ; and call themfelves Northern Bramans j a Sed: of Hermits highly efteem- ed among the Heathens.
Among the Mahometans^ we find very many Hermits, who profeiTing Poverty, go about from Place to Place , making a Trade of begging ; and are highly edee- med by the People, for Men difinterefs'dly hol^ ; many whereof proteH againft all the Pompous Train of External Ceremonies and /'^gc^-Worfhip j exhorting the People to worlhip God in Sincerity and in Truth, with a Mind full of Humility and Godly Fear.
There are yet remaining fome Cloyfter^s of Portugueze Monks in thefe Countries, as in Europe ^ and likewife Schools and Colle- ges, in the French and Portugueze Settle- ments.
We humbly defire you, Sir, to adiire our Patrons and Benefadors in Europe, that we are very thanktul for Favours receiv'd; and are refolved to preach the Gofpel in Seafon and out of Seafon ; and our own Lives iliall not be counted dear unto us, fo we
may
3 5.2 ^ Letter from tb^ Mijfjionaries, &c*
may any way. promote the Converfion of the Gentiles to the Obedience of Ghrift.
Pray, affift ns with your Daily Prayers; and, as often as you can, with your Ccxin- (els and other Chriftian Oilices,
Yours, &c.
B Ziegenhalg jf. E^ Grundler.
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