acknowledge the church of Conftantinople; those upon the frontiers of Mufcovy circum-. cife like the Jews and Turks, though in other circumstances they are not of their religion, nor are they profeffed Christians or idolaters, but live according to the laws of nature, and worship one God, Creator of the World. Crim Tartary profeffes Mahometanism, there are alfo among them, fome Jews and Roman Catholics, to whom they give toleration, upon their paying tribute. Turkey generally profeffes Mahometanism, but Jews and Chriftians are tolerated in many places, particularly thofe of the Greek church, who have a patriarch at Conftantinople. I now proceed regularly to ASIA. IN Turkish Afia Mahometanism is uppermoft, though other opinions are tolerated; the the Greeks have two patriarchs here, one at Antioch, the other at Jerufalem; in this empire principally are thofe called Arminians, Georgians, Neftorians, Jacobites, and Maronites (all treated of hereafter), there are alfo fome Roman Catholics, Sabeans, Coptes, and a great number of Jews; the Roman Catholics are for the most part French and Venetian merchants, who are affifted by the Franciscan monks, whofe common refidence is at Jerufalem and Bethlehem. In Perfia, Mahometanifm, according to the Sect of Ali, is the national religion, but all ftrangers have liberty of confcience: so that there are all forts of Chriftians, Jews, Banions, and other idolaters. Arabia is fubject to the Grand Signior, and Mahometan princes, who permit Chriftians to live there, who have built a famous monaftery upon. Mount Sinai, poffeffed by the religious Greeks of the order of St. Bafil. The 'empire of Mogul, in India, is fubject to a Mahometan hometan prince, of the fect of Ali: In this dominion there are many idolatrous heathens, and alfo fome Roman Catholics, Jews, and Abyffines, all nations and opinions being tolerated. The Peninsula of Indies on this fide the gulf of Bengal, comprehends many kingdoms, but most of them heathen idolaters: but the island of Goa, belongs to the Portuguese, who have divers churches and monafteries in it: the archbishop of this ifle hath under him all the bishops of the East Indies, and here the Inquifition exercises its tyranny against all that they call apoftates: but Arminians, Jews, Moors, and Banyans, are fuffered to live there, according to their religion, befides Arabs, Perfians, and Abysfines, who partly follow Chriftianity, and partly the Moorish Mahometanifm, the people of Calecut generally believe in God. The kingdom of Narfingua practises the fame fuperftitions, and have abundance of Pagods and Temples built in honour of their demons; demons; the king of Golconda follows the religion of the Perfians, but the people are grofs idolaters: the main land of India, beyond the Ganges, is poffeffed by divers idolatrous princes: the peninfula of the fame Indus, on the eaft fide of the gulf, is also a country where they worship idols and falfe gods. The king of Siam permits the exercife of all forts of religion, and fhews particular marks of efteem to Chriftianity: The peninfula of Melaca is dependant upon Siam, but the greatest part of it is poffeffed by the Hollanders, who grant liberty of conscience to all merchants trading among them there : are many Roman Catholics in the kingdom of Tonquin and Lao, where the Jefuits preach the people of Pegu are so addicted to idolatry, that all attempts of converting them to Christianity have hitherto proved fruitless: the Chinese are idolaters, but Christianity is tolerated among them, and the Jefuits have divers churches there: there are alfo also a great number of Jews, who have their fynagogues by the permiffion of the emperor of China Tartary is fubject to divers princes, the chief of whom is the great Cham, fome of the fovereigns are Mahometans, others are Pagans and Idolaters: There are alfo Neftorians and Jews, but fuch as obferve but little of the law of Mofes ; idolatry reigns in Japan, and fince the perfecution in 1630, theChriftians have had no church in that country, though they formerly had; the Phillipine islands belong to the king of Spain, who gives liberty of confcience to all those of the country, who are idolaters, and to divers Indian Chineses. The islands of Java and Sumatra, are inhabited by people addicted to idolatry; there are alfo mixed with them Mahometans and Chriftians. The Hollanders are very potent in the ifle of Java, wherein they have Batavia; the natives of Ceylon are idolaters, but there are many Mahometans and Christians among them; the Dutch poffeffing |