A display of two forraigne sects in the East Indies vizt: the sect of the Banians the ancient natiues of India and the sect of the Persees the ancient inhabitants of Persia· together with the religion and maners of each sect collected into two bookes by Henry Lord sometimes resident in East India and preacher to the Hoble Company of Merchants trading thether

CHAP. VII.

Containing the particulars of the Booke of their Law, as they are apportioned first to the Be∣hedin or Layman. Secondly, to the Herbood, which is the ordinary Churchman: And lastly, to the Distoore, which is their Arch-Bishop.

THe common diuision of men being of such as are of the Layetie, or such as are of the Clergie; and those of the Clergie being either such as are ordina∣rie, or such as are extraordinary; it pleased God say the Persees, to apportion and diuide his Law amongst these three sorts of men.

First, then vnto the Layman or Behedin, God gaue fiue Commandements, who being by secular occasions, drawne from the serui∣ces of Religion, had therefore a lesse difficult iniunction laid vpon him.

First, to haue shame euer with them, as a remedy against all sinne, for a man would neuer oppresse his inferiors, if hee had any shame, a man woald neuer steale if hee had any shame, a man would neuer beare false witnes if he had any shame, a man would neuer bee ouercome with drink if hee had any shame; but because this is layd aside, men are ready to com∣mitt any of these, and therefore the Be∣hedin or Layman must thinke of shame.

Secondly, to haue feare alwayes present with them, and that euery time the eye twinck∣led or Closed his leddes together, they should stand in feare at those times of their prayers, least they should not goe to Heauen, the thought of which should make them feare to committ sinne, for that God sees what maner of ones they are, that looke vp towards him.

Thirdly, that whensoeuer they are to doe any thing, to think whether the thing be good or badd that they goe about, whe∣ther commaunded or forbidden in the

Zundavastaw, if prohibited they must not doe it; if allowed by the booke of Re∣ligion, they may embrace and prosecute the same.

Fourthly, that whosoeuer of Gods Creatures they should first behold in the morning, it should bee a Monitour to put them in minde of their thankesgiuings to God, that had giuen such good things for mens vse and seruice.

Fiftly that whensoeuer they pray by day, they should turne theire faces towards the Sunne, & whensoeuer they prayd by night, they should inclyne towards the Moone, for that they are the two great lights of heauen, & Gods two witnesses: most contrarie to Lucipher, who loueth darknes more then light.

These bee the fiue Precepts enioyned to the Layman or Behedin; now follow those that are to bee obserued by the ordinary or common Churchman, called their Daroo or ••erbood who as his place required a greater holinesse then the Laymans, so his charge was greater, for not onely is he by the booke

of their Law inioyned to keepe the Behedins precepts, without violation, but also to ful∣fill these eleuen Precepts more, as particu∣lar to himselfe.

First, to know in what manner to pray to God, obseruing the rites prescribed in the Zundauastaw, for God is best pleas∣ed with that forme of prayer, that he hath giuen in his owne booke.

The second, to keepe his eyes from coueting or desiring any thing that is anothers, for God hath giuen euery man what he thinkes meete for him; and to desire that which is anothers, is not onely to dislike of Gods disposure of his owne gifts, but to chalenge to himselfe that which God hath denied him, and whereof hee seeth him vnworthie.

The third, to haue a care euer to speake the truth, for all truth commeth from God, and as it is most communicated to men of God, so they should most shew it in their words and Actions: but Lucifer is the Father of falshood, and whosoeuer vseth

it, it may be a signe that the euill spirit is powerfull with such a one, the Herbood therefore shall shew himselfe to bee con∣trarie to him, by his speaking the truth, for all men must giue credite to his words.

The fourth, to bee knowne onely in his owne busynes, and not to enquire after the things of the world, it belonging onely to him to teach others what God would haue them doe. Therefore the Behedin or Lay¦man shall see that hee want nothing needfull, but shall affoord it him, and hee shall seeke nothing superfluous.

The fift, to learne the Zundauastaw by heart, that hee may be ready to teach it to the Behedin or Layman, wheresoeuer he meeteth him, for from him must the peo∣ple fetch their knowledge concerning God

The sixt, to keepe himselfe pure and vndefil••d from things polluting, as from the Car∣keyses of the dead, or touching meates vn∣cleane, for God is pure, whose seruant hee is, and it is expected hee should be such, abhorring the sight of all things that are

foule and loathsome, and stopping the passages of his breath, least theire cor∣rupted aire should enter into him to defile him.

The seauenth, to forgiue all Jniuries, shewing himselfe the patterne of meekenes, that hee may bee thought one that cometh from God, for wee offend God euery day, yet hee giueth vs things that are good, when wee deserue that hee should recom∣pence euill for euill.

The eighth, to teach the common people to pray according to the directions in the booke of theire Law, to goe and pray with them for any good they desire to obtayne, and when they come to the place of worship∣ping, to ioyne in common prayer together.

Ninth, to giue lycense for marriage, and to ioyne the man and woman together, and that no Parents match theire Children, without the consent and approbation of the Herbood.

The tenth, to spend the greatest part of their time in the Temple, that he may be ready

for all that come to him, for to that God hath appointed him, and to that hee must binde himselfe.

The eleauenth and last Jnjunction is vpon paine of damnation, to beleeue no other Lawe then that which was brought by Zertoost, to add nothing to it, to take nothing from it, for therefore was it so miraculously deliuered, and such gifts gi∣uen to Zertoost, that it might bee belee∣ued to come from God.

These are the Precepts that are to bee ob∣serued by the Herbood or ordinary Church man, contained in the booke of their Law. Now their Distoore or high Priest, whereof they haue neuer but one, to which all the Her¦boods pay their obseruance, as hee is aboue the rest in dignity, so he is enioyned to bee aboue the rest in sanctity; his Iniunctions therefore are transcending, for not onely is he bound by their Zunda••astaw or booke of Religion, to obserue all that is commanded the Behedin or Layman, in his fiue Precepts, and all that is commanded the Herbood, in his eleauen Pr••∣cepts, but also to fulfill thirteene Precepts more as peculiar to himselfe.

The first is that he must neuer touch any of a strange Cast or Sect, of what Religion soeuer, nor any Layman of his owne Re∣ligion, but he must wash himselfe, because God hath made him especially holy to himselfe, for which cause hee must not ap∣proach to God in prayer, with the touch of others vncleannesse.

The second is, that hee must doe euery thing that belongeth to himselfe with his owne hand, both to witnesse his better humility, as also the better to preserue his purity, viz. to set the hearbes in his owne Gar∣den, to sow the graine of his owne field, to dresse the meate that hee eateth, vn∣lesse he haue his wife to administer to him in that, which is not euer vsuall.

The third is, that he take the tythe or tenth of all things from the Behedin, as the Lords dues, and imploy it to such vses as he thinketh meete, since the Lord hath made him as his Almoner, and dispenser of Charity.

The fourth is, that as he must vse no Pompe

or superfluity, so of that great Reuennue that commeth yeerely to him, hee must leaue nothing ouer-plus at the yeeres end, that must not bee bestowed in good vses, either in Charitable Contributions to the poore; or in building of the Temples of God.

The fifth, that his house bee neere adioyning to the Church, where hee must keepe and make his abiding, continuing in Prayer and abstinence, not ostentating himselfe to publike view, but liuing recluse and re∣tyred from the world, as a man wholy de∣dicate to God.

The sixt, that hee must binde himselfe to greater purity then others, both in his fre∣quent washings, and also in his dyet, in feeding on meates accoumpted more pure by the Law, as also that he liue sequestred from his wife in time of her pollutions.

The seauenth is, that whereas the Her∣bood is enioyned only to be known in the Law, or booke called Zertoost, that the Distoore bee acquainted with all the

learning contayned in the Zunda∣nastaw, both in that part which treateth of judiciall Astrologie, committed to the Iesopp or wise man, as also in that which concerneth the Physition, and most espe∣cially in the booke of the Law, for it is ex∣pected that hee should informe all men, and none should bee found like him therin, before hee bee admitted to be high Priest.

The eight that hee must neuer eate or drinke excessiuely, for these are enemies to the high speculations required in a high Priest.

The Ninth that he stand in feare of no body but God, nor feare any thing but sinne, for hee is so to trust in God, that hee must not feare what Lucipher can do vnto him.

The tenth that God hath giuen him p••wer o∣uer all men in matters of the soule, that therefore when any man sinneth hee may tell him of it, be he neuer so great, and euery man is to obey him, as one that speaketh not in his owne cause, but Gods.

The eleauenth that according to the wisdome

that God hath giuen him, he be able to di∣scerne in what manner God cometh to re∣ueale himselfe, in what manner Lucipher, and how to descide betweene falshood and truth.

The Twelfth that when God manifesteth him selfe to him in visions of the Night, and sheweth him in what manner hee made his workes in the Creation, hee should not reveale Gods secretts, but keeping them to himselfe, should admire his power, for God doth not publish himselfe to any as he doth to his Distoore or high Priest.

The thirteenth that hee keepe an euer liuing fyer, that neuer may go out, which being kindled by that Fyer that Zertoost brought from heauen, may indure for all ages, till fyer shall come to destroy all the world, and that he say his prayers ouer it, according as is enordered by the booke of the Law.

This is a Summary of those Precepts con∣tayned in the Booke of their law, that Zertoost by them is affirmed to bring from heauen,

and that Religion which Gustasph with his fol∣lowers embraced, perswaded by the foremen∣tioned Miracles by Zertoost wrought amongst them.