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Show ATHAIN 45105 KIRCHE Bon riack Subfcriptions of all the Pricfts, that he might interpret them : I have therefore refolved with-my felf intirely to publifh, with all fidelity that may be, th Siga M dilco Infcription it felf both in the Chinefran and Latine Chara&ers, with a Latine Interpretation word for word, retaining the Chinefian Phrafe, and alfo to propof have and (hew unto all perfons all the Syriack Subfcriptions of the Syrians commentated on by Athanafius Kircher, a Perfon excellently accomplifhed in th Langua arrv That ges, with other Chinefian occurrences, as fo many obvious teftimonies of th Ca lic tholick Verity, and that I may comprehend all in a word, to expofe the Stone i felf to the eye of the whole world in the Chinefian Idiome, as it wa {culped i the year of Chrift 782 ; that from thismoft ancient teftimony every one may conje&ture, how true the Dodrine of the Catholicks s, {ecing that the {ame wa preached in an oppofite Quarter of the World amongft the Chinefes, Anno 636. o our Saviour, that is about 1000 years fince. The Chinefian Original of th Stone is now conferved in the Library of the Roman Colledge that belongeth unt the Fathers of the Society of Jefus, and another Copy is to be feen in the Repofi tory of the Houfe of the Proteflion. Imy felf alfo obtained from the moft Grav Chinefiar Dotiors and Mafters (at that very time that the Monument was found a Book Printed in the Chinefian Language, in which the Writing of the Ston was moft truly and exadtly exprefled acqording to the true Original They advife the Chinefes in the larger Preface ad joyned to the Book, that at length the would have recourfe to the Mafters of the great Occident (for (o they term th Fathers of the Socicty of Jefus) and difcover whether that they preach the fam Law amongft the Chinefes, which their Anceftors with fo many Emperours em - braced a thoufand Centuries ago, and which the Fathers of the Society of Jefu exhibited in the Books Printed in the Chinefian Language before that the Ston was found unto al F okien forth, F okit'll yed, th found which t were na doms o and tha that ist which1s And Gofpel colleGet Malsba the Chri (which Now it only remaineth that I fhould declare how this Marb]e Tabl Thome ) th When that after the death of Saint Francis Xavier, the Venerable Fathe or Treafu Thomas 1\ nas the ~ was deteted Matthew Riccins and other Fathers of the Society of Jefus had introduced th Gofpel of Chrift into the more innermoft parts of China, and had ereGed Refi dencies and Churches in fome Provinces, and therefore the propagation of th Hol Fait ha made n {mal progref i tha o Xenfe Ann 16 25 when that fome one Perfon of the Society of Jefus invited by Do&or Philip ha baptized twenty Perfons, in his Native Country of Sanywen, and that he wen with the fame Dodtor to fee a Stone, which they had found fome months befor 1 the Village Chenche conjoyned to the Metropolis Siganfu, whilft that the caft up the rubifh for the building of a Wall This Father writes (which othe Fathers alfo, that had fixed their abode and ereted a Church in Siganfu, wit the' Chriftians and Gentiles affirmed) that a Stone was found five hands broad one thick, and nine and more long ; the top of the Stone made like to an oblon Pyramid of two hands, and one broad; onthe Vertex thie Crofs was engrave above the Clouds that with its branches feemed to imitate the Flower-Deluce befides the Chinefian Infcription, on the left fide, and beneath, there appeare the Syrian Names of the Syrian Priclts, and alfo other Chinefian Names of th {fame Priefts under-written. (It is the Cuftom of the Chinefes to have man Names3 whence al{o the Chriftians at this day retain both the Name of th Saints they received in Baptifm, and another Cbinefian Name.) The Governou of the place being certified concerning the finding of the Monument, {mitte both with the novelty of the thing, and withan Omen (for on that very da his Son departed the World) commanded an elegant Compofition to be mad ‘10 the praife of the Monument found, and to be engraved on fuch another lik Marble ftone, caufing both of them to be placed in the Fane or Temple of th Bonwii i the Ant of Saint T "Odii‘dl C tans of CJy that he tha {eribed hi nore nayr t0 be map clude ehgy Chinefes dendy the :er}' Pats 0ED thy kl.fl tbfi thir}:i \Uver Co'mputeffit t;ihien]yyearof ea beings IW'ia : f!mn y Or S F"'*'f'dnf |