ion is
greater than our calamities, and his goodness superior to our
afflictions. Our neighbours hate us at present, as much as our more
distant enemies did before; they persecute the remnant of us still
remaining, deprive us of our few churches left, banish our preachers,
abuse our schoolmasters, treat us with contempt, and oppress us in the
most opprobrious manner. In all our afflictions the truth of the gospel
shone among us, and gave us comfort; and we only wished for the grace of
Jesus Christ, (not only to ourselves, but to soften the hearts of our
enemies) and the sympathy of our fellow christians."

The protestants of Poland were persecuted in a dreadful manner. The
ministers in particular were treated with the most unexampled barbarity;
some having their tongues cut out, because they had preached the gospel
truths; others being deprived of their sight on account of their having
read the bible; and great numbers were cut to pieces for not recanting.

Private persons were put to death by various methods; the most cruel
being usually preferred. Women were murdered without the least regard to
their sex; and the persecutors even went so far as to cut off the heads
of sucking babes, and fasten them to the breasts of the mothers.

Even the solemnity of the grave did not exempt the bodies of protestants
from the malice of persecutors; for they sacrilegiously dug up the
bodies of many eminent persons, and either cut them to pieces, and
exposed them to be devoured by birds and beasts, or hung them up in
conspicuous or public places.

The city of Lesna particularly suffered in this persecution; for being
besieged and taken, the inhabitants were all put to the sword.

CHAPTER X.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS IN CHINA AND SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES.

Christianity was first established in China by three Italian
missionaries, called Roger the Neapolitan, Pasis of Bologne, and Matthew
Ricci of Mazerata, in the marquisate of Ancona. These entered China
about the beginning of the sixteenth century, being well circumstanced
to perform their important commission with success, as they had
previously studied the Chinese language.

These three missionaries were very assiduous to the discharge of their
duty; but Roger and Pasis returning to Europe in a few years, the whole
labour fell upon Ricci, who aimed to establish christianity with a
degree of zeal that was indefatigable.

Ricci, though much disposed to indulge hi