Christianography, Chapter 1
The ſeuerall ſortes of Chriſtians In the world, not ſubiect to the Pope, or differing in Religion from him
CAP. I.
CHriſtianity is not confined to one Countrey or Nation, but it is diſperſed over the face of the whole Earth. Our Lord and Saviour being ready to aſcend into Heaven, commanded his Apoſtles,Mat. 28 19 ſaying, Goe yee and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt. And this his commandement the holy Apoſtles put in execution.Mar. 16.20. They went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them. In the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories, the contries & Nations are named, in which and to whom they preached.
Peter preached in Iudea, Pererius ad Roman: cap. 30 ſect. 27.ANTIOCH, Galatia, Cappadocia, Pontus, in Aſia, Bithinia, and Rome.
James The ſonne of Zebedee, in Iudea and Spaine.
Iohn, in Iudaea and Aſia the leſſe.ex Origene. Dorotheo, En ſebio Hierony mo, Iſidore aliiſque.
Andrew in Scythia, Europea, in Epirus, Thratia and Achaia.
Iames the brother of our Lord in Hieruſalem.
Philip in Scythia and Phrygia.
Bartholmew in the farther India, and Armenia the great.
Matthew in Ethiopia.
Thomas to the Parthians, Medes, Perſians, Brachmans, Hircanians, Bactrians and Jndians.
Simon in Meſopotamia, Judas in Aegypt, and both after in Perſia.
Matthias in the higher Ethiopia,
Alſo Paul and Barnabas, in many countries of Europe and Aſia.
All theſe publiſhed the ſame faith for ſubſtance,Per Dei voluntatem in ſcripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum et columnā fidei nostrae futuram, Co len. 1625. Irenaeus adverſ. haereſ: lib. 3. cap. 1 Mat. 28.20. which we at this day profeſſe in the Church of England, for they taught thoſe things that Chriſt commanded them, which are ſet downe by the will of God, in holy Scripture, to be the pillar and foundation of our faith, as Irenaeus writeh. And although men are generally perſwaded, that theſe Churches are periſhed, or become Hereticks, yet according to Gods promiſe of aſsiſtance, not onelyonly to themſelves, (viz) Lo, I am with you alway, but alſo to their Succeſſors, preaching after them, even to the latter end of the world, Chriſtianity remaineth in many of theſe Regions to this day; maugre the cruelty of the Tyrants, and malice of the divel, as will appeare afterwards by the teſtimony of Hiſtoriographers, and other unreproveable Authors.
Some make but ſix ſorts of Chriſtians in the world.
Firſt the Eaſt Church, which challengeth to her ſelfe the firſt place, in regard of her prerogatives and priviledges, as having almoſt all the Apoſtolicke Sees, The greateſt number of Patriarcks, the Maieſty of the Empire of Conſtantinople, for above 1000 yeeres, which hath withſtood Paganiſme and Mahometiſme, and of the Empire of Trebizonde and Moſco, for ſome 100 of yeeres: the authority of Seven Generall Councells held amongſt them: the Syrian language, in which the Sonne of God delivered his holy Oracles, and the Hebrew and Greeke tongues, in which they were regiſtred, and which hath had not onelyonly all the holy Apoſtles and Diſciples, but Chriſt himſelfe when he was in his fleſh, preaching amongſt them; Of the communion of this Church, are the Grecians, the Muſcovites, the Georgians, the Mengrellians, the Circaſſians, the Syrians, or Melchites and others.
The ſecond, They make the Church of Rome in the weſt: whoſe Biſhops were for ſome 100, of yeares, many of them holy men and Martyrs.
Now their cheife is the Pope, who pretendeth himſelfe to be Chriſts alone Ʋicar, and Head of the Church, and to have all power, not onelyonly ſpirituall, above Councells and the whole Church of God, but alſo Temporall above all Princes, Kings, and Emperours, and that he alone hath the Keyes of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, and he hath in his Treaſury the good deedes or workes of Supererogation and Superabundant ſatis factions of all Saints and Martyrs, to beſtow them upon whom he liſt, and that he in cathedra cannot erre, and that none can beſaved, but thoſe that are under his Iuriſdiction
Of this Church, Italy, Spaine, and many other Regions are members, as afterwards more largely is ſet downe.
The third is the South or Meridional Church in Egypt under the Patriarch of Alexandria, and the Abasſins in Ethiopia under their Abunna.
The fourth, are Chriſtians falſely called Neſtorians under the Patriarch of Muſall, in divers parts of Aſia, who are accuſed to hold the Hereſie of Neſtorius which they have revoked.
The fifth are the Armenians in Armenia; and diſperſed in Europe, Aſia, and Africa.
The ſixt, are the Proteſtants of the Reformed Churches who inhabite a greate part of Europe.
But that you may the better take notice of theſe ſeverall ſorts of Chriſtians, not ſubiect to the Pope, I purpoſe to ſet them downe according to their habitations in the ſeverall parts of the world.
The whole world may be divided into two parts; the Old and the New, The one is called the Old, becauſe it was inhabited many yeares before the New was heard of amongſt us: either of theſe, may againe be ſubdivided into three parts. The old in to Europe, Aſia, and Africa, The new, into America, and the North, and the South, unknowne continents.
Europe the firſt part of the old world,EVROPE. Travelors breviat. (as I read) hath in longitude from the farther part of Ireland weſt, unto the River Tanais Eaſt, both places having 52 degrees for latitude 2166 miles And in latitude, from Morea in Graecia South, in the degree 35 to 72 North, 2220 or thereabouts. This is the leaſt part of the world, but the beſt, being beſt inhabited, and the inhabitants thereof, excelling in Arts and Sciences; And moreover, Chriſtian Religion flouriſheth in Europe, more then any part of the world elſe.
There are foure ſorts of Chriſtians in EVROPE.
1 The PROTESTANTS or Reformed Churches, under their ſeverall METROPOLITANS or Superintendents.
The Papiſts, under the Pope of Rome.
3 The Grecians, under the Patriarch of Conſtantinople.
4 The Muſcovites, under their Patriarch of Moſco.
Aſin the ſecond part of the old world, meaſuring it with a right line from the River Tanais, ASIA.to the promontory Tamos, both places having 50 degrees of latitude, it hath in longitnde 4284 miles, and meaſuring it with a right line, from the 150 degree of Eoplin octiall unto The promontory Tabin, it hath in North latitude 76 degrees, which being multiplied by 60 makes 4560 miles, allowing 60 miles for each degree. This part of the world is famous, in regard of the great Monarchies, as of Perſians, Medes, Aſſyrians, and Babylonians, but indeed moſt celebrated in holy writt for the CREATION of man in it, for the giving of the law; for the Invention af Acts and Sciences. It being the place alſo, in which our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt was borne, lived, wrought his Miracles & offered himſelfe a ſacrifice for our ſins.
In Aſia are theſe ſeverall ſorts of Chriſtians following.
1 The Chriſtians in PALESTINE under the Patriarch of Hieruſalem.
2 The Syrians or MALCHITES, under the Patriarch of Antioch.
3 The ARMENIANS, under their two Catholique Patriarchs.
4 The GEORGIANS, under their Metropolitan.
5 The MENGRELLIANS. under the Patriarch of Conſtantinople.
6 The CIRCASSIANS. under the Patriarch of Conſtantinople.
7 The CHRISTIANS of Aſia the leſſer. under the Patriarch of Conſtantinople.
8 Some Chriſtians in Aſia under the Patriarch of Moſco.
9 The Chriſtians under the Patriarch of MVSALL.
10 The Iacobites under their Patriarch.
11 The Chriſtians of St. Thomas.
12 The Maronites under their Patriarch.
Alſo to theſe Chriſtians, I might add divers others in Aſia, as the Curdi, the Morduits, and the Chriſtians inhabiting the great Iſle of Traprobana, with the Ilands nere therunto. Theinhabitants of the which Iles never acknowledged, nor their fathers the Popes of Rome, Coſ; lib. 10. cap. 15as Thomas a Ieſu reporteth
Africa the third part of the old world,AFRICA. is all compaſſed with the Seaſaving in one place, where it is by an iſtmos divided from Aſia, meaſuring it from Gambra on the Weſt; to Cape Gardafu, on the Eaſt, (both places having ten degrees North latitude) hath in longitude 4155 miles, and in latitude, from the Cape of good Hope, to the Mediterranean Sea, about 4020 miles, conteining 67 degrees or thereabouts.
In Africa are theſe Chriſtians following.
1 The Egyptians or Cophti, under the Patriarch of Alexandria.
2 The Abaſsins or Ethiopian Chriſtians,Quandoquidem hodie multi ſunt, qui cum nihil ſciant, ſcire omnia velint, aſſcrentes nullos (in his max imis regionibus uſque ad Indiam) inveniri Chriſtianos. Id quod verū non eſt, ſed ubique Chriſtus in mundo ſuoshabet cultores Id quidem verum eſt omnes Chriſtia nos tranſmarinos …usa Armenos, under their Abunna or Patriarch of Ethiopia.
Thus you ſhall finde it to be true, that Brochardus the Monke writeth of the eaſterne countries, although there are many now adaves, who knowing nothing, would ſeeme to know all things, affirming that there are no Chriſtians to be found in theſe great Regions, evon 10 …lia, which is not true, for Chriſt hath his worſhip … in all places but it is true that all the Chriſt is b… yond the feas viz, the Armenians, Cappadocians, Greeks, Chaldeans, Medes, Parthians, Indians, Nubeans, Iabeans, Aſians, Georgians.
EVROPA
All theſe ſeverall ſorts of Chriſtians before named in Europe, Aſia, and Africa, are not ſubiect to the papall iuriſdiction, or differ from the Pope in religion, except the Papiſts, and ſome of the Indians & Maronites, who alſo differ in ſome things from the Papiſts.