33,8, TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



The firft prelude to JonaeFs rebellion was an anonymous 

 ktter written to the king, in which all the fcale and lame 

 arguments of the Alexandrians were raked together, and 

 Hated with a degree of prefumption worthy of the igno- 

 rance and obllinacy of thofe from whom they came. This,, 

 though ridiculous, and below notice in point of argument, 

 offended greatly both the king and the Jefuits, by the afpe- 

 rity of its termsyand the perfonal applicadons contained in- 

 it. The king was treated as another Diocleiian, thirfting af- 

 ter Chriftian blood, and for this devoted to hell; as were al- 

 fo the Jefuits, whom they called relations of Pilate, in allu-- 

 fion to their origin from Rome. 



The king, grievoufly offended, added this injunilion to 



the former proclamation, "■ That all out-door work, fuch as 



plowing and fowing, lliould be publicly followed by the 



hufbandman, on the Saturday, under penalty of paying a 



web of cotton clothj for the firft omiffion, wliich cloth 



was to be of five fliillings value ; and the fecond offence, 



was to be punifhed by a confifcation of moveables, and- 



the crime not to be pardoned for feven years ;" — the greatcft 



punifliment for mifdemeanors in Abyffmia. To this Socinios 



added, viva-voce, from his throne, that he never aboUJhed^ but 



explained and eftabliflied their religion,.which always taught, 



as their own books could tellify,.that Chrill was perfect God 



and perfect man, two dilUncS:' natures united in one hypof- 



tafis of the eternal word ; neither was it in compliance with. 



the Jefuits that he abrogated the obfervation.of the Jewilh 



fabbathj but in obedience to the council of Chalcedon, 



which was founded in the holy fcriptures, for which he was 



T^ady at all. times to lofe his life, though he fhould endea- 



jt- v-Qur 



