OCR Text |
Show ATHAIN 48105 KIRCHE e e e et e e et e e i,e e . e et ring froni the Chinefes.T hefe things being proved by experience,it was conclude that none (hould undertake this expedition, who was not in {fome tolerable meafureinftratted in the Chinefian Language at Maccao, whete on purpofe the Ne Converts Teachers of the {ame were kept 5 and being skilled in the Tongue, the expeCed no fruic of their labour, unlefs they obliged the minds of the Mandorine by fome curicus Prelents of their Ingenuity : where 1s no place for them t boaf of Meraphyfical Speculations, nor ftudy of Scholaftical Quirks an Subtleties, o more fublime Theories, but you muft extra& and fhew {ome undertaken {pecimens of the Mathematicks, and things {enfible, both to caufe admiration, and t gain arepute to the Exropean world : laftly, fome Documents of Moral P ilofophy, unto which they are addifted, tobe approved not by vain gaieti of words but example of an exquilice, excellent, and innocent life, removed fromal de {ires of mundane pretenfions, fuchas becometh the Apoftolical Labourers in th propagation of the Divine Law. And asthe Precepts of the Chriftia Faith fee to differ as much from their‘Religion as the Heaven doth from the Earth fo it can not beexprelled how many toyls and labours muft be undergone, and ho man dangers pafied through, that they may be rendred capable of receivin our mof boly Law,and the truth of the fame,dextroufly or genuinely explained;here th vanities of Polytheilm, or of having many Deities, muft be confuted ; here Pol ga my, or the Martying of many Wives, muft be razed and defiroye by {trength o Argument ; here the incomprehenfible myfteries of our belief muft b inculca ted with great dexterity and caution, wherein labouring with more then ord nar patience and continual fubje&ion of the body, how many calumnies muf th be fubje&t unto ! But for this perufe the Hiffory of Father Daniel Bartolus l t l - Publifhed in the Italian Tongue. And becaufle the Preaching of the G fpel coul not take root without the publication of Books, I might treat opportunel in thi place concerning thofe publithed on this occafionA.s firft the Works of the Venerable Father Matthew Riccius of Macera, the founder of the Cb inefian expeditio after Saint Francis Xavier. Secondly, Father Nicholas Trigantins a Flandyia of Doway. Thirdly, Father Facob Rbho of Millan 5 all which writ m ny large an learned Volumns; and befides thefe there were many who Publifhed large Treatifes to fatisfie the curiofity of the Europeans, asthe twofold Univerfal H ftor of Father Nicholas Trigantins, Father Fobn Terentins his Indian Fliny, a d man more particularly mentioned by our Author, from Folio 117. to 121. in w ick ar the particularsat large wo m ted to - no Shee and I of C ‘bt fi ~ that noted bed i his order PART 'tbofe tred man Sole the Mupn Jefu |