A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage · Section 30
SECT. XXX.
Of the Jeſuits ſent thither by their Superiors to convert people unto Chriſtianity, &c.
IN that Empire all Religions are tolerated, which make the Tyrannicall Government there more eaſy to be endured. The Mogol would ſpeak well of all of them, ſaying that a man might be happy, and ſafe in the profeſſion of any Religion, and therefore would ſay that the Mahometan Religion was good, ſo the Chriſtian Religion good, and the reſt good; and therefore by the way,
The Prieſts or Miniſters of any Religion find regard and eſteem amongſt the people. I ſhall ſpeak ſomething to this from my own particular uſage there, then very young, while I lived in thoſe parts; yet when I was firſt there brought into the preſence of the Mogol, immediatly after my arrive at his Court, I ſtanding near the Ambaſſadour (for no man there of the greateſt quality whatſoever, is at any time ſuffered to ſit in his preſence) and but a little diſtance from that King in his Goz…lca…, he ſent one of his Grandees to me, to let me know, that the King bad me welcome thither, that I ſhould have a free acceſs to him when ever I pleaſed, and if I would ask him any thing, he would give it me (though I never did ask, nor he give) and very many times afterward (when waiting upon my Lord Ambaſſadour) I appeared before him, he would ſtill ſhew tokens of Civility and reſpect unto me, and I never went abroad amongſt that people; but thoſe that met me upon this conſideration, that I was a Padrae (for ſo they call'd me) a Father or Miniſter, they would manifeſt in their behaviour towards me much eſteem unto me. But for the Jeſuits there.
There was one of that order in Goa (a City of the Portugals lying in the skirts of India) of very much fame and renown called Jeronymo Xauere, ſent for by Achabar Sha the late Kings Father in the year 1596. to argue before him the doctrine of Chriſtianity, there being alwaies preſent a Moolaa or Mahometan Prieſt, and a third perſon, who followed no preciſe rule, but what the light of nature meerly led him to, and theſe two were to object what they could againſt his reaſoning.
The Jeſuit in the Mogols own language (which was a great advantage to him) began to ſpeak firſt of the Creation, and then of the fall of man, in which the Mahometans agree with us.
Then he layd down divers grounds to bottom his reaſonings on.
That man by Creation was made a moſt excellent Creature, indued with the light of reaſon, which no other ſublunary Creature beſides himſelf had; then
That man thus endued, muſt have ſome rule or Law to walk by, which he could not preſcribe unto himſelf, and therefore it muſt be given him from above.
That this Law was firſt given unto man from God, and afterward confirmed by Prophets ſent into the world, in divers ages from God.
That this Law thus delivered muſt needs be one Law, in all things agreeing in it ſelf. And ſo did not the Law of Mahomet.
That this thus delivered was moſt conformable to right reaſon; And ſo was not the Law of Mahomet.
That man fall'n from God by Sin was not able to recover himſelf from that fall, and therefore it was neceſſary that there ſhould be one, more than a man to do it for him, and that that one could not be Mahomet.
That this one was, Chriſt God, as well as man, God to ſatisfie (the Mahometans themſelves confeſſing that Chriſt was the breath of God) and man to ſuffer death as he did.
That Chriſt the Son of God coming into the world, about that great work of ſatisfying Gods anger againſt man for ſin, it was neceſſary that he ſhould live a poor and laborious life here on Earth (at which the Mahometans much ſtumble) and not a life that was full of pomp, and pleaſure, and delicacie.
That the Goſpel of Chriſt, and other holy Books of Scripture, which the Chriſtians retain and walk by, contain nothing in them that is corrupt and depraved; But there is very much to be found in their Alcaron which is ſo.
That the great worth and worthineſs ſhining in the perſon of Chriſt, was by far more excellent than any thing obſervable in Mahomet (for they themſelves confeſs that Chriſt lived without ſin, when Mahomet himſelf acknowledgeth, that he had been a filthy perſon.)
That the feigned and fooliſh, and ridiculous miracles, which they ſay were done by Mahomet, were nothing comparable to the miracles done by Chriſt, who (as the Mahometans confeſs) did greater miracles than ever were done before or ſince him.
That there was a great deal of difference in the manner of promulgating the Goſpel of Chriſt, into the world, and the introducing of the Laws of Mahomet.
That Chriſt hath purchaſed Heaven for all that beleeve in him, and that Hell is prepared for all others that do not rely on him, and on him alone for Salvation.
There were many more particulars beſides theſe, which that Jeronymo Xaucere laid down before the Mogol to ground his arguments on, which that King heard patiently at ſeverall times during the ſpace of one year and half, but at laſt he ſent him away back again to Goa honourably, with ſome good gifts beſtowed on him, telling him as Felix did, after he had reaſoned before him, that he would call for him again when he had a convenient time, Acts 24. 25. Which time or ſeaſon neither of them both ever found afterward.
Theſe particulars which I have here inſerted (with many more I might have added to them, upon all which that Jeronymo Xaucere enlarged himſelf before the Mogol in his arguings before him) were given unto me in Latine by Franciſco Corſi, another Jeſuit reſident at that Court, while I was there, and long before that time. And further I have been there told b… other people profeſſing Chriſtianity in that Empire, that there was ſuch a diſpute there held, and for my part do beleeve it.
For that Franciſco Corſi he was a Florentine by birth, aged about fifty years, who (if he were indeed what he ſeemed to be) was a man of a ſevere life, yet of a fair and an affable diſpoſition: He lived at that Court, as an Agent for the Portugals, and had not onelyonly free acceſs unto that King, but alſo encouragement and help by gifts, which he ſometimes beſtowed on him.
When this Jeſuit came firſt to be acquainted with my Lord Ambaſſadour, he told him that they were both by profeſſion Chriſtians, though there was a vaſt difference betwixt them in their profeſſing of it. And as he ſhould not go about to reconcile the Ambaſſadour to them: So he told him that it would be labour in vain if he ſhould attempt to reconcile him to us. OnelyOnly he deſired, that there might be a fair correſpondency betwixt them, but no diſputes. And further his deſire was that thoſe wide differences 'twixt the Church of Rome and us might not be made there to appear, that Chriſt might not ſeem by thoſe differences to be divided amongſt men profeſſing Chriſtianity, which might be a very main obſtacle, and hinderance unto his great deſign and endeavour, for which he was ſent thither, to convent people unto Chriſtianity there. Telling my Lord Ambaſſadour further, that he ſhould be ready to do for him all good offices of love and ſervice there, and ſo he was.
After his firſt acquaintance, he viſited us often, uſually once a week. And as thoſe of that ſociety, in other parts of the world are very great intelligencers: ſo was he there knowing all news which was ſtirring and might be had, which he communicated unto us.
And he would tell us many ſtories beſide, one of which, if true, is very remarkeable. And it was thus; there are a race of people in Eaſt India, the men of which race have (if he told us true) their right legges extraordinary great and miſhapen, their left legges are like other mens. Now he told us, that they were the poſterity of thoſe who ſtamped St. Thomas the Apoſtle to death, come thither to Preach the Goſpel, and that ever ſince the men of tha… race have, and onelyonly they of that Nation, that great deformity upon them. Some few people I have there ſeen of whom this ſtory is told, but whither that deformity be like Gehiza's leproſie, hereditary, and if ſo, whither it fell upon that people upon the occaſion before named, I am yet to learn.
The Jeſuits in Eaſt-India (for he was not alone there) have liberty to convert, any they can work upon, unto Chriſtianity, &c. the Mogol hath thus far declared, that it ſhall be lawfull for any one, perſwaded ſo in conſcience, to become a Chriſtian, and that he ſhould not by ſo doing loſe his favour.
Upon which, I have one thing, here to inſert, which I had there by report (yet I was bid to beleeve it and report it for a truth) concerning a Gentleman of quality, and a ſerv…nt of the great Mogol, who upon ſome convictions wrought upon him (as they ſay) would needs be Baptized and become a Chriſtian. The King hearing of this convert ſent for him, and at firſt with many cruell threats commanded him to renounce that his new profeſſion, the man replyed that he was moſt willing to ſuffer any thing in that cauſe, which the King could inflict.
The Mogol then began to deal with him another way, asking him why he thought himſelf wiſer than his fore-Fathers, who lived and dyed Mahometans, and further added many promiſes of riches and honour, if he would return to his Mahometiſm, he replyed again as they ſay (for I have all this by tradition) that he would not accept of any thing in the world ſo to do; The Mogol wondring at his conſtancy told him, that if he could have frighted, or bought him out of his new profeſſion, he would have made him an example for all waverers; but now he… perceived that his reſolution indeed was to be a Chriſtian, and he bid him ſo continue, and with a reward diſcharged him.
The late Mogol about the beginning of his reign, cauſed a temple to be built in Agra, his chief City, for the Jeſuits, wherein two of his younger Brothers Sons were ſolemnly Baptized, and delivered into their hands to be trayned up in Chriſtianity, the young Gentleman growing to ſome ſtature (after they had had their tuition for ſome years) deſired them to provide them wives out of Chriſtendome fitting their Birth, in which having not ſuddain content, they gave up their Crucifixes again into the Jeſuits hands, and ſo left them; who had theſe conjectures upon this their revolt, that either the King their Unkle cauſed them to be Baptized; to make them more odious to the Mahometans, being ſo near of his blood; Or elſe it was his plot to get them beautifull wives out of Europe, which himſelf meant to take if he had liked them.
The Jeſuit I laſt named Franciſco Corſi upon a time (at our being there) having his houſe, amongſt very many more conſumed by a ſuddain fire, it ſo was that his wooden Croſs, ſet on a Pole near the ſide of his houſe, was not (as he ſaid) conſumed. Upon which he preſently repayred to that Court, carried that Croſs with him, and told the King thereof. The Prince Sultan Caroome (who was no favourer of the Chriſtians) being then preſent, and hearing him talk how his Croſs was preſerved, derided him, ſaying, that it was one of his fabulous miracles, and further added, that he would have a fire preſently made before the King, whereinto he would have that Croſs caſt, and if it conſumed not, his Father himſelf, and all the people there would preſently become Chriſtians, but if it did himſelf ſhould be burnt with it. The Jeſuit not willing to put himſelf upon ſo ſuddain and ſo hot a tryall, anſwered that he durſt not tempt God, who was not tyed to times, and it might be that Almighty God, would never ſhew that people that infinite favour to make them Chriſtians, or if he had ſuch a great mercy for them in ſtore, it might be that the time of manifeſting it was not yet come, and therefore if he ſhould now ſubmit to that tryall, and Almighty God not pleaſe to ſhew a further and a preſent miracle, his Religion would ſuffer prejudice there for ever after and therefore he refuſed.
It ſhould ſeem that the Jeſuits there do exceedingly extoll the Virgin Mary, which I have gathered from poor people there, natives of that Country, who have often asked Alms of me, when I ſtirred abroad amongſt them, and whereas one hath deſired me to give him ſome relief for Chriſts ſake, there are many who have begged it for the Virgin Maries ſake.
Well known it is, that the Jeſuits there, who like the Pha…iſees, Mat. 23. 25. that would go Sea and Land to make one Proſelyte; have ſent into Chriſtendome many large reports of their great Converſions of Infidels in Eaſt India; but all theſe boaſtings are but reports; the truth is that they have there ſpilt the precious water of Baptiſm upon ſome few Faces, working upon the neceſſity of ſome poor men, who for want of means, which they give them, are contented to wear Crucifixes; but for want of knowledge in the Doctrine of Chriſtianity are onelyonly in Name Chriſtians. So that the Jeſuits Congregations there are very thin, conſiſting of ſome Italians, which the Mogol entertains (by great pay given them) to cut his Diamonds and other Rich ſtones. And of other European ſtrangers which come thither, and ſome few others of the Natives before mentioned. So that in one word I ſhall ſpeak this more of the Jeſuits in Eaſt India, that they have there Templum, but not Eccleſiam.
When I lived in thoſe parts it was my earneſt deſire and daily prayer, to have put my weak hands unto that moſt acceptable; but hard labour of waſhing Moors, that the Name of Jeſus Chriſt might have been there enlarged (if God had pleaſed to honour me ſo far) by my endeavours. But there are three main and apparent obſtacles (beſides thoſe which do not appear) that hinder the ſettlement and growth of Chriſtianity in thoſe parts. Firſt the liberty of the Mahometan Religion given the people there in caſe of Marriage. Secondly, the moſt debaucht lives of many coming thither, or living amongſt them who profeſs themſelves Chriſtians, per quorum latera patitur Evangelium, by whom the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt is ſcandalized, and exceedingly ſuffers. And laſtly the hearts of that people are ſo confirmed and hardned in their own evill old ways, their ears ſo ſealed up, their eyes ſo blinded with unbelief and darkneſs, that onelyonly he, who hath the Key of David, that ſhuts when no man can open, and opens when no man can ſhut, can open to them the dore of life.
I have ſome things more by way of inference to adde unto this relation, which con…eins matter, a… it appears to me,