Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	new_a	old_a	testament_n	3,965	5	8.0680	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35310	The antient and present state of Muscovy containing a geographical, historical, and political account of all those nations and territories under the jurisdiction of the present czar : with sculptures and a new map / by J.C., M.D., Fellow of the Royal Society, and a member of the College of Physicians, London.	Crull, J. (Jodocus), d. 1713?	1698 (1698)	Wing C7424; Wing C7425; ESTC R2742	334,877	511

publish'd till after the Consummation of the Marriage forasmuch as the Person the Czar makes Choice of which is done by Tying a Crown upon her Head is exposed to the Envy and Malice of such other Ladies as have been refused by the Prince so that to avoid any dangerous consequences but especially the Charms of these Rival Ladies which are much fear'd by the Muscovites there is scarce any thing known of the Czar's Marriage till it is Proclaim'd by the Sound of the Great Bell in Musco perhaps the finest in the World As the Fashion of the Czar's Cloaths is like that of the Nobility The Czaritza but only richer so the Dress of the Czaritza or Empress is little different from other Women the Attire of her Head is something higher and her Smock Sleeves are much longer to wit ten or twelve English Yards besides that her Robe or uppermost Gown has wide Sleeves not unlike to those of our Batchellours of Arts These are worn by all her Women of Honour Chamber-Women Ladies and Embroideresses The Father or Brother of the Czaritza or Empress dare not call her his Daughter and Sister nor dare any of the Kindred own themselves so It is a general Custom among the Russians The Czarovitz not to let their young Children be seen by any body but their nearest Relations for fear Strangers should cast some ill Aspect upon them This is more strictly observed with the Czarovitz or Son of the Czar none being permitted to see him unless it be his Tutor and Family Servants till he be fifteen Years old when he is exposed to publick View At the Birth of a Czarovitz the people to demonstrate their Joy bring great Presents to the Court which are for the most part return'd but if the Czar likes any of them he pays to the full Worth for them The Czar's Children are attended by other Children bred up with them who exactly know their distance and what manner of Respect is to be paid to them as well as other Persons of what degree soever None of them dare speak the least Word of what passes in their Court as it is death for any one to Reveal what is past in the Czar's Palace CHAP. XI Of the Religion of the Muscovites and their Church Government THE Muscovites do all profess one and the same Religion which may be said to be particular to them forasmuch as it extends not beyond the Grand Czar's Dominions unless it be at Narva where some few Muscovites live under the Jurisdiction of Sweden and that there is some Analogy betwixt them and those Inhabiting the Polish Russia that profess the Greek Religion The Muscovites glory that they are the only True Christians now in the World forasmuch as they are baptized whereas others have been only Sprinkled which is the Reason they alledge for Re-baptizing all such of what Persuasion soever that embrace their Religion They profess as they say the true Greek Religion which makes them shew abundance of Respect and Kindness to the Greeks so that the Greek Monks or Priests which frequently come from other parts into Muscovy with their Relicks know how to make an Advantage of their Simplicity and Ignorance They found their Religion on the Books of the Old and New Testament They are forbidden to bring the whole Bible to Church tho they are allowed to read it at home by reason of several passages in the Old Testament so that they only carry the New Testament and some certain chosen Psalms and Verses taken out of the Prophets It is about threescore years ago that they got the Bible translated into the Russian Language wherein they followed as they pretend the foot-steps of the Seventy Interperters They have also a certain Book which they call the History of the Gospel but the whole so adulterated with Fabulous Narrations and Impertinent Circumstances that in another Christian Country it would be so far from being look'd upon as a Book of Devotion that it would appear abominable As to the Explication of the Bible they follow St. Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem who flourish'd towards the latter end of the Fourth Age under the Reign of the Emperor Theodosius and ought not to be confounded with Cyril of Alexandria The rest of the Fathers which are in greatest esteem among the Russians are John Damascene Gregory Nazianzen St. John Chysostome and Ephraim the Syrian of whom they relate that an Angel having presented to him a Book writ in Golden Characters which no body could disclose he immediately received those Instructions from thence which he has transmitted in his Books to Posterity They relate out of their Annals that the Christian Religion was first established in these parts by the Apostle St Andrew who leaving Greece came to the Borysthenes where he embark'd and by the Sea of Ladoga came to Novogorod where he Preach'd the Gospel That the Christian Religion was afterwards extirpated by the Neighbouring Pagans who made themselves Masters of Muscovy till in the Year 989. Prince Wolodimer or Vlodimer Great Duke of Russia having given them a signal Overthrow and re-united several of these Provinces to his Crown grew so famous for his great Atchievements that Basilius and Constantine Porphyrogennetae Emperours of Constantinople sent their Ambassadours to Congratulate his good Success and that by the Conversation and Instructions of these Ambassadors Prince Wolodimer was induc'd to embrace the Christian Faith and to receive Baptism John Cropalates who writ part of the Byzantine History and lived much about the same time as also Cedren and Zonaras chiefly attribute the Conversion of the Russians to the Christian Religion to a Miracle perform'd by a Bishop that was sent thither by the Patriarch of Constantinople to instruct and baptize the people For these Infidels having objected to him That since God had preserved Daniel's Companions in the Fiery Furnace why might not with the same or more reason the Bible be prevented by God's power from being consumed by Fire The Bishop after having told them that he was assured he could not ask any thing from God which he could not obtain by his prayers cast the Bible into a great Fire made for that purpose where having lain till the Fire was all spent it was taken out as entire and untouch'd as it was cast in whereat Wolodimer being moved abolish'd all Idolatry and in lieu thereof planted Christianity in all his Territories From hence it is that they deduce the Origin of their Religion from the Greek Church which however they have much alter'd since The Creed of Athanasius is the general Rule of their Faith for they believe in God the Father as Creator of the World in God the Son as Saviour and Redeemer of Mankind and in the Holy Ghost as Sanctifier of all the Faithful but for the rest they are involved in a great many Superstitions and fix the Center of their Devotion more in the outward and Ceremonial Part than in the Internal Part

of the first whose dead Body is carefully concealed is set up in his Room and declared to be the same Dalaè-Lama but only renewed in his Person and this Impostor is the more difficult to be discovered by the common People they being but rarely allow'd to see this High Priest unless it be at a distance when he gives them his Benediction I cannot but take notice here of the Opinion Preste Jean which some that have of late years travell'd into those Parts have conceived of this Dalaè-Lama to wit That he is that same Preste Jean who has made so much noise in the World and has been so variously represented by Historians Thus much is certain that if every thing be duely weighed as it ought to be concerning the Title and other Things which by many Authors are attributed to their Preste Jean the same may in most points be said of this Dalaè-Lama so that I see no reason why we may not with more Justice place him in Asia than these Authors have look●d for him in Abyssina where with all their Endeavours and Shifts they have never been able to find him out hitherto The Portugeses were the first that received and afterwards communicated this erroneous Opinion to the rest of Europe it being certain that the more an●ient Authors who have made any mention of this Preste Jean have placed him always in Asia though they have differed both as to his Name and place of Residence And thus far Baltazar Tellez Nicolas Godigno and some others who have been for a considerable time resident in Ethiopia and consequently had the better Opportunity to be inform'd concerning this Matter agree with the Antients that this Preste Jeen is not to be heard of in those Parts The Portugeses were first led into this Error by one Pieter de Coulan who being sent by their King John II. to discover the East-Indies by Land after having traversed a great part of Asia and the Indies could not hear the least Tidings there of this so Famous Preste Jean But in his return homeward coming to Cairo was inform'd that in Ethiopia there was a very Potent Prince who was a declared Protector of the Christians having always a Cross carried before him This Relation agreeing in a great measure with what had been published before concerning Preste Jean was the sooner received as Authentick first in Portugal and afterwards all over Europe The Jesuit ● Kirker has shewn us out of the Latin Chronology of the Kings of Abyssina That there is not the least mention made there of this Preste Jean and if we search narrowly into the Antient Authors that have had occasion to speak 〈◊〉 him we shall find that the greatest part of them have placed him betwixt the Country of the Monguls and China tho' perhaps in several Provinces which difference might perhaps arise from thence that in former Ages this Preste Jean had his several Vicars as the Dalaè-Lama has now which might be taken by some for the Head it self St. Antonius in the third Tome of his History places this Preste Jean in the Greater or Vpper India from whence he says he drove back the Tartars that invaded the Christians in those Parts Those who have assign'd him his Reign in Kitay have questionless comprehended that vast Country situate betwixt the Rivers of Volga and the Oby as far as China under that Name as the Muscovites do to this day especially since Marcus Paulus Venetus who resided several Years with the Great Chan of the Tartars places Preste Jean in the same Kingdom of Tanchut where the Dalaè-Lama has his Residence to this day Both the Antient and Modern Authors have been strangely puzzled in finding out the true Etymology of the Word Preste Jean but in my Opinion that of Scaliger is the most probable who derives it from the Persian Word Prestegiani which signifies as much as Apostolick and might easily by Corruption be transformed into Preste Jean by such of the Europaeans as did not understand its true signification There is but two Objections of any moment to be made against this Assertion The first is that the same Preste Jean who is so much celebrated throughout Europe and his Subjects were Christians whereas the People Inhabiting now adays the Great Tartary are Idolaters The second is that Preste Jean was a Temporal Prince As to the first it is to be observed that tho' at present that vast Country is altogether possess'd by Infidels or Pagans nevertheless it is very probable that in more Antient Times the Christian Religion was introduced into those Parts as well as others and continued there for a considerable time there being certain Remnants of Christianity to be met with to this day among some of its Inhabitants There is a Country in those Parts called by the Moors in derision Kiaferstan that is The Country of the Infidels the Inhabitants of which are called to this day Christians of St. Thomas and tho' no Christians now yet have retain'd Baptism for their Children have painted Crosses in their Churches and bear three Red Crosses made with the Tincture of Sanders-Wood in their Foreheads I think it is almost beyond question that in the thirteenth Age there was a vast number of Christians in Tartary their Emperor Cublai having embraced the Christian Religion and his Brother waged War with great Success against the Caliph of Babylon and other Infidels In the fourteenth Age several of Franciscan Monks who were sent to the Great Chan converted in the Kingdom of Thibet which is next to that of Tanchut a great number of Pagans and it is Remarkable what F. Andrada a Portugese Jesuit relates That in the Year 1624. when he travell'd in those Parts he found among the Inhabitants some corrupted Idea's of Christianity as a certain sort of Confession of that Christian Faith their Ancestors had profess'd in former Ages And I think it no less worth Observation that this Dalaè or High-Priest of the Tartarian bears the Name of Lama which in the Tartarian Language signifies a Cross and that the Tartars of Bogdoi who acknowledge among the rest the Authority of this Dalaè wear always Crosses about them which they call Lama's and keep them with a great deal of Reverence As to the second Objection of this Dalaè not being a Temporal Prince now this may be ascribed to the Wars and Revolutions of a Country inhabited by several distinct Nations so as being first corrupted and at last quite degenerated from their Antient Religion into a Barbarous Idolatry and thereby the whole face of Affairs changed this Successor of Preste Jean from being a Monarch might become the Head of a New Religion or rather Idolatry But Tartars of Mongul it is time after this Digression to proceed in the Description of the Tartarian Provinces between Muscovy and China and among them to the Tartars of Mongul These Tartars inhabit a very large Tract of Ground from the Western sources of the

very obnoxious to the Censures of the Nobles For having mounted the Throne by Blood and fraudulent Means he began to be jealous of his most trusty Friends and to gratifie his Fears exercised his Cruelties upon several Persons of an eminent Rank whom he caused to be put to Death upon no other Pretence than his having secret Intelligence of their Unfaithfulness As his Reign was one continued Series of Troubles so when he was at a Plunge he used to have recourse to Sorcerers and Witchcraft and being infatuated by their Perswasions he committed such Barbarities as are scarce to be named without horror It was upon this account he caused the Wombs of big-bellied Women to be ript open to make use of the immature Fruit to accomplish his Enchantments which he was vainly perswaded would be more efficacious against the Poles than his Sword Some of his Wizzards having foretold him that one whose name was Michael should succeed him in the Throne he caused three of his most faithful Friends and Servants to be made away for no other reason but because they bore that name which for all his barbarous Precautions was verified in the Person of Mich. Federowitz the present Czar's Grandfather There were in the great Church within the Castle amongst other Things of great Value thirteen Statues representing our Saviour and the twelve Apostles all of massie Gold each of them of the bigness of a Man valued at near three hundred thousand Pounds Sterling Zuski being at last reduced to great Straights for want of Money and having in vain try'd all the Skill of his Sorcerers who were not able to supply his present Occasions he had recourse to the twelve Apostles whom he displaced from their Station in the Church and having caused them to be melted down made use of the Metal for the Payment of his Soldiers He had so much Grace as to spare the Statue of our Saviour which the Poles not long after converted to the same use All these Enormities being now by the Nobles who had conspir'd his Ruin improved to his disadvantage the Populace whose Darling he was before prompted more by their Zeal for their golden Statues than the Love and Welfare of their Country Zuski deposed soon shook hands with the Nobility and seeing Demetrius to meditate a second time the Siege of their Capital City they with the same unanimous Consent wherewith they had raised him before to the Throne pull'd him down again and thrust him with his two Brothers into a Cloyster This done they sent their Deputies to Zolkievitzski the Polish General who commanded that Body which was approaching to the City of Musco unto whom they promised to chuse Vladislaus the Prince of Poland for their Great Duke provided he would defend them against Demetrius Zolkievitzki The Poles admitted in to the City of Musco gladly accepting of their Propositions detatch'd immediately a good Body of his best Troops who being readily admitted into the City he followed in few days after with the whole Army pitching his Tents on the East side of the City as Demetrius was encamped on the Western part Some time being spent in Consultations betwixt the Muscovites and Poles the first opened their Gates to the last so that Zolkievitzki marching with his whole Army through the City fix'd his Camp near to that of Demetrius who tho' not a little surprised at this sudden and near approach of the Poles yet was forced to put the best Countenance he could upon the Matter and to smother his present Resentment There being thus a communication and seeming friendly Correspondence maintain'd betwixt both Camps Zulkievitzki found it no very difficult Task to debauch that Body of Polish Horse Commanded by Spiaha which hitherto had remain'd stedfast in the Interest of Demetrius These having received the publick Faith of the Commonwealth of Poland for the Payment of all their Arrears unanimously revolted and declared for King Sigismund Zarucki the General of the Cosacks and Kasinowski Prince of the Tartars that served in the Demetrian Camp both intimate Friends of Demetrius seeing themselves thus deprived of the assistance of the Polish Horse the main strength of their Army and that the City of Musco was defended by a great Body of Poles both within and without its Walls began now to despair of the Fortune of Demetrius and thinking it not advisable to involve themselves in his Ruine they resolved to embrace the Party of the Conquering Pole expecting to reap from the Success of Sigismund the Fruits of their past Labours Whilst these were preparing to wait upon the King before Smolensko Demetrius retreats from before Musco Demetrius forsaken not only by the Poles but also by them he most confided in and seeing himself and his Affairs exposed to Dispair sought once more for Refuge at Cal●ga which having served him as a Shelter before now received him again with open Arms. The Muscovites being thus freed from Demetrius would fain have recalled their former Promise of Electing Vladislaus their Great Duke alledging that they could not proceed to his Election till he were present in Person to confirm to them by Oath the maintenance of their Religion and Ancient Customs But Zolkievitzki having declared in the Name of King Sigismund that he would not quit the City with his Army till he saw Prince Vladislaus seated upon the Throne and that therefore he exhorted them to fulfil their solemn Promise without any further Tergeversations unless they would expose their Capital City to inevitable Destruction and that he was ready to swear to such Articles in the Great Duke's Name as should be agreed betwixt them they judged it most adviseable not to exasperate the Poles who at present had two potent Armies one in the very Bowels of the City of Musco the other in the Empire before Smolensko These Considerations at last prevailing over the Aversion they had against the Poles and being perswaded that the Childhood of Vladislaus could not but furnish them in a little time with an Opportunity of ridding their Hands of him as they had done of both the Demetrius's they proceeded with all the usual Solemnities to the Election The chief Conditions were That a general Amnesty and Act of Oblivion should be passed and all their Ancient Customs and Privileges confirmed and established That the new Great Duke Vladislaus should with all convenient Speed come in Person into Russia That he should conserve their Religion inviolable and for the better Settlement of the same and the whole Kingdom abjure the Roman Catholick Faith and embrace the Greek Religion Zolkievitzki and some of the great Officers of the Polish Army having confirmed these Articles by Oath in the Name of the new Great Duke he was tho' absent proclaimed with the usual Ceremonies and Fealty sworn to him by all the Boyars Uladislaus proclaimed Great Duke Nobles and Chief Officers there present as Great Duke and Emperour of Russia with great Demonstrations of Joy