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unhappy occasion of new factions, of which the ancient writers make frequent mention.* It is, however, necessary to observe here, for the information of those whose curiosity interests them in inquiries of this nature, that these subdivisions of the Eutychian sect are not to be adopted with too much facility.Scine of them are entirely fictitious; others are characterised by a nominal, and not by a real difference; the division is in words, and not in things; while a third sort are distinguished, not by their peculiar doctrines, but by certain rites and institutions, and matters of a merely circumstantial nature. Be that as it will, these numerous branches of the Eutychian faction did not flourish long; they declined gradually in the following century; and the influence and authority of the famous Baradæus contributed principally to their total extinction by the union he established among the members of that sect.

names of Acacius and Fullo were erased from the diptychs, or sacred registers, and thus branded with perpetual infamy.*

XXII. These deplorable dissensions and contests had, for their object, a matter of the smallest importance. Eutyches was generally supposed to have maintained, "That the divine nature of Christ had absorbed the human, and that, consequently, in him there was but one nature, namely, the divine;" but the truth of this supposition is destitute of sufficient evidence. However that may have been, this opinion, and also Eutyches, its pretended author, were rejected and condemned by those who opposed the council of Chalcedon, and principally indeed by Xenaias and Fullo, who are, therefore, improperly called Eutychians, and belong rather to the class of the Monophysites. They, who assumed this latter title, held, "That the divine and human nature of Christ were so united, as to form only one nature, yet without any change,. confusion, or

caution might be carefully observed, and their meaning be well understood, they frequently expressed themselves thus: "In Christ there is one nature; but that nature is two-fold and compounded." They disowned all relation and attachment to Eutyches; but regarded, with the highest veneration, Dioscorus, Barsumas, Xenaias and Fullo, as the pillars of their sect; and rejected, not only the Epistle of Leo, but also the decrees of the council of Chalcedon. The opinion of the Monophysites, if we judge of it by the terms in which it is here delivered, does not seem to differ in reality, but only in the manner of expression, from that which was established by the council. But, if we attend carefully to the metaphysical arguments and subtilties which the former employed to confirm their doctrine,§ we shall, perhaps, be induced to think, that the controversy between the Monophysites and Chalcedonians is not merely a dispute about words.

XXI. The Roman pontiff, Felix II., having assembled an Italian council, composed of six-mixture, of the two natures:" and that this ty-seven bishops, condemned and deposed Acacius, and excluded him from the communion of the church, as a perfidious enemy to the truth. Several articles were alleged against him, to furnish a pretext for the severity of this sentence; such as his attachment to the Monophysites, and their leaders Mongus and Fullo, the contempt with which he treated the council of Chalcedon, and other accusations of a like nature. But the true reasons of these proceedings, and of the irreconcileable hatred which the Roman pontiffs indulged against him, were his denying the supremacy of the bishop of Rome, his opposing it throughout the whole course of his ministry, and his ambitious efforts to enlarge, beyond all bounds, the authority and prerogatives of the see of Constantinople. The Greeks, however, defended the character and memory of their bishop against all the aspersions which were cast upon him by the Romans. Hence arose a new schism, and a new contest, which were carried on with great violence, until the following century, when the obstinacy and perseverance of the Latins triumphed over the opposition of the oriental Christians, and brought about an agreement, in consequence of which, the

*These sects are enumerated by Basnage, in his Prolegom. ad Canisii Lection. Antiq. cap. iií. and by Asseman, in his Dissertatio de Monophysitis.

the

XXIII. A new controversy arose in the church during this century, and its pestilential effects extended themselves through the following ages. The authors of it were Pelagius and Coelestius, both monks; the former a Briton, and the latter a native of Ireland. They lived

* Hen. Valesius, Dissert. de Synodis Roman. in quibus damnatus est Acacius, ad calcem, tom. iii. Scriptor. Eecles. p. 179.-Basnage, Histoire de l'Eglise, tom. i. 301, 380, 381.-Bayle's Dictionary.-David Blondel, de la Primaute dans l'Eglise, p. 279.—Acta Sanctorum, tom. iii. Februar. p. 502.

This again is one of the periods of ecclesiastical history, in which we find a multitude of events, which are so many proofs how far the supremacy of the pope was from being universally acknowledged. Felix II. de† See the passages drawn from the writings of the Moposes and excommunicates Acacius the patriarch of Con-nophysites by the most learned, and, frequently, imparstantinople, who not only receives this sentence with tial Asseman, in his Biblioth. Orient. Vatic. tom. iii. p. contempt, but, in his turn, anathematises and excommuni- 25, 26, 29, &c. cates the pope, and orders his name to be stricken out of the diptychs. This conduct of Acacius is approved by emperor, the church of Constantinople, by almost all the eastern bishops, and even by Andreas of Thessalonica, who was at that time the pope's vicar for East Illyricum. This was the occasion of that general schism, which continued for twenty-five years, between the eastern and western churches. It is here worthy of observation, that the eastern bishops did not adhere to the cause of Acacius, from any other principle, as appears from the most authentic records of those times, than a persuasion of the illegality of his excommunication by the Roman pontiff, who, in their judgment, had not a right to depose the first bishop of the east, without the consent of a general

council.

Many learned men treat this controversy as a mere dispute about words. Gregory Abulpharajius, himself a Monophysite, and the most learned of the sect, declares this as his opinion. See the Biblioth. Italique, tom. xvi. p. 285.-La Croze, Histoire du Christianisme des Indes, p. 23; and the Histoire du Christianisme d'Ethiopie, p. 14. Asseman, though a Roman by birth and by religion, seems, in a good measure, to have adopted the same way of thinking, as appears by p. 297 in his second volume.

See the subtile argumentation of Abulpharajius, in the Biblioth. Orient. tom. ii. p. 2 288.

Nothing very certain can be advanced with respect to the native country of Cœlestius, which some say was Scotland, and others Campania in Italy. We know

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XXIV. Things went more smoothly with Pelagius in the east, where he enjoyed the protection and favour of John, bishop of Jerusalem, whose attachment to the sentiments of Origen led him naturally to countenance those of Pelagius, on account of the conformity that seemed to exist between these systems. Under the shadow of this powerful protection, Pelagius made a public profession of his opinions, and formed disciples in several places; and though, in 415, he was accused by Orosius, a Spanish presbyter, whom Augustin had sent into Palestine for that purpose, before an as

he was dismissed without the least censure; and not only so, but was soon after fully acquitted of all errors by the council of Diospolis.*

at Rome in the greatest reputation, and were universally esteemed for their extraordinary piety and virtue.* These monks looked upon the doctrines, which were commonly received, concerning the original corruption of human nature, and the necessity of divine grace to enlighten the understanding, and purify the heart, as prejudicial to the progress of holiness and virtue, and tending to lull mankind in a presumptuous and fatal security. They maintained, that these doctrines were as false as they were pernicious; that the sins of our first parents were imputed to them alone, and not to their posterity; that we derive no corrup-sembly of bishops who met at Jerusalem, yet tion from their fall, but are born as pure and unspotted as Adam came out of the forming hand of his Creator; that mankind, therefore, are capable of repentance and amendinent, and of arriving at the highest degrees of piety and This controversy was brought to Rome, and virtue by the use of their natural faculties and referred by Coelestius and Pelagius to the decipowers; that, indeed, external grace is neces- sion of Zosimus, who was raised to the pontisary to excite their endeavours, but that they ficate in 417. The new pontiff, gained over have no need of the internal succours of the by the ambiguous and seemingly orthodox condivine Spirit." These notions, and others in- fession of faith, that Cœlestius, who was now timately connected with them, were propa- at Rome, had artfully drawn up, and also by gated at Rome, though in a private manner, by the letters and protestations of Pelagius, prothe two monks already mentioned, who, retir-nounced in favour of these monks, declared ing from that city, in 410, upon the approach them sound in the faith, and unjustly perseof the Goths, went first into Sicily, and after-cuted by their adversaries. The African bishops, wards into Africa, where they published their doctrine with greater freedom. From Africa Pelagius passed into Palestine, while Cœlestius remained at Carthage with a view to preferment, desiring to be admitted among the presbyters of that city. But the discovery of his opinions having blasted his hopes, and his errors being condemned in a council holden at Carthage, in 412, he departed from that city, and went into the east. It was from this time that Augustin, the famous bishop of Hippo, began to attack the tenets of Pelagius and Cœlestius in his learned and eloquent writings; and to him, indeed, is principally due the glory of having suppressed this sect in its very birth.

however, that he was descended of an illustrious family; and that, after having applied himself to the study of the law for some time, he retired from the world, and embraced the monastic life. See Gennad. de Script. Eccles. cap. xliv.

The learned and furious Jerome, who never once thought of doing common justice to those who had the misfortune to differ from him in opinion, accused Pelagius of gluttony and intemperance, after he had heard of his errors, though he had admired him before for his exemplary virtue. Agustin, more candid and honest, i bears impartial testimony to the truth; and, even while he writes against this heretic, acknowledges that he had made great progress in virtue and piety, that his life was chaste and his manners were blameless; and this, indeed,

is the truth.

with Augustin at their head, little affected with this declaration, continued obstinately to maintain the judgment they had pronounced in this matter, and to strengthen it by their exhortations, their letters, and their writings. Zosimus yielded to the perseverance of the Africans, changed his mind, and condemned, with the utmost severity, Pelagius and Cœlestius, whom he had honoured with his approbation, and covered with his protection. This was followed by a train of evils, which pursued these two monks without interruption. They were condemned by the same Ephesian council which had launched its thunder at the head of Nestorius; in short, the Gauls, Britons, and Africans, by their councils, and the emperors, by their edicts and penal laws, demolished this sect in its infancy, and suppressed it entirely before it had acquired any tolerable degree of vigour or consistence.

XXV. The unhappy disputes about the opinions of Pelagius occasioned, as usually happens, other controversies equally prejudicial to

* See Daniel, Histoire du Concile de Diospolis, which is to be found in the Opuseula of that eloquent and learned Jesuit, published at Paris in 1724. Diospolis was a city of Palestine, known in Scripture by the name of Lydda; and the bishop who presided in this council was Eulogins of Cæsarea, metropolitan of Palestine.

The doctrines that were more immediately conTo preserve the thread of the history, and preted with the main principles of Pelagius, were, that vent the reader's being surprised to find Pelagius and mfaut baptism was not a sign or seal of the remission of Coelestius appealing to Rome after having been acquitted sins, but a mark of admission to the kingdom of heaven, at Diospolis, it is necessary to observe, that these monks which was only open to the pure in heart; that good were condemned anew, in 416, by the African bishops as works were meritorious, and the only conditions of salva-sembled at Carthage, and those of Numidia assembled at tion:-with many others too tedious to mention. Milevum; upon which they appealed to Rome.

See the Historia Pelagiana of Ger. J. Vossius, lib. i. been made upon this controversy, in the Bibliotheque Italique, tom. v. p. 74. The writers on both sides are mentioned by Jo. Franc. Buddeus, in his Isagoge ad Theologiam, tom. ii. 1071. The learned Wall, in his History of Infant Baptism, vol. i. chap. xix. has given a concise and elegant account of the Pelagian controversy; an account which, though imperfect in several respects, abounds with solid and useful erudition.

The Pelagian controversy has been historically treated by many learned writers, such as Usher, in his Anti-cap. lv. p. 130; as also the learned observations that have quit. Eccles. Britannica; Laet; Ger. Vossius; Norris; Garnier, in his Supplement. Oper. Theodoreti; Jansenius in Augustino, and others. Longueval also, a French Jesuit, wrote a History of the Pelagians. See the preface to the ninth volume of his Historia Eccles, Gallicana. After all, it must be confessed, that these learned writers have not exhausted this interesting subject, or treated it with a sufficient degree of impartiality.

by the more power of his natural faculties, as also of exercising faith in Christ, and forming the purposes of a holy and sincere obedience." But they acknowledged, at the same time,

the peace of the church, and the interests of true Christianity. In the course of this dispute, Augustin had delivered his opinion, concerning the necessity of divine grace in order to our salvation, and the decrees of God with"That none could persevere or advance in that respect to the future conditions of men, with- holy and virtuous course which they had the out being always consistent with himself, or power of beginning, without the perpetual supintelligible to others. Hence certain monks port and the powerful assistance of the divine of Adrumetum, and others, were led into a no- grace." The disciples of Augustin, in Gaul, tion, "That God not only predestinated the attacked the Semi-Pelagians with the utmost wicked to eternal punishment, but also to the vehemence, without being able to extirpate or guilt and transgression for which they are pun- overcome them. The doctrine of this sect ished; and that thus both the good and bad ac- was so suited to the capacities of the generalitions of all men were determined from eternity of men, so conformable to the way of thinkty by a divine decree, and fixed by an invinci- ing that prevailed among the monastic orders, ble necessity." Those who embraced this opin- and so well received among the gravest and ion, were called Predestinarians. Augustin most learned Grecian doctors, that neither the used his utmost influence and authority to pre-zeal nor industry of its adversaries could stop vent the spreading of this doctrine, and ex-its rapid and extensive progress. Add to its plained his true sentiments with more perspi- other advantages, that neither Augustin, nor cuity, that it might not be attributed to him. his followers, had ventured to condemn it in His efforts were seconded by the councils of all its parts, or to brand it as an impious and Arles and Lyons, in which the doctrine in pernicious heresy. question was publicly rejected and condemned.* But we must not omit observing, that the existence of this Predestinarian sect has been denied by many learned men, and looked upon as an invention of the, Semi-Pelagians, designed to decry the followers of Augustin, by attributing to them unjustly this dangerous and pernicious error.†

XXVII. This was the commencement of those unhappy contests, those subtile and perplexing disputes concerning grace, or the nature and operation of that divine power, which is essentially required in order to salvation, that rent the church into the most deplorable divisions through the whole course of the succeeding age, and which, to the deep sorrow and XXVI. A new and different modification regret of every true and generous Christian, was given to the doctrine of Augustin by the have been continued to the present time. The monk Cassian, who came from the east into doctrine of Augustin, who was of opinion, that, France, and erected a monastery near Mar- in the work of conversion and sanctification, seilles. Nor was he the only one who attempt- all was to be attributed to a divine energy, and ed to fix upon a certain temperature between nothing to human agency, had many followers the errors of Pelagius and the opinions of the in all ages of the church, though his disciples African oracle; several persons embarked in have never agreed entirely about the manner this undertaking about the year 430, and hence of explaining what he taught on that head.‡ arose a new sect, the members of which were The followers of Cassian were, however, much called, by their adversaries, Semi-Pelagians. more numerous; and his doctrine, though vaThe opinions of this sect have been misre-riously explained, was received in the greatest presented, by its enemies, upon several occasions; such is usually the fate of all parties in religious controversies. Their doctrine, as it has been generally explained by the learned, amounted to this: "That inward preventing grace was not necessary to form in the soul the beginnings of true repentance and amendment; that every one was capable of producing these

*See Jac. Sirmondi Historia Prædestinatiana, tom. iv. op. p. 271.-Basnage, Histoire de l'Eglise, tom. i. livr. xii. cap. ii. p. 698. Dion. Petavius, Dogmat. Theol. tom. vi. p. 168, 174, &c.

See Gilb. Mauguini Fabula Prædestinatiana confutata, which he subjoined to the second tome of his learned work, entitled, Collectio variorum Scriptorum qui Sæc. ix. de Prædestinatione et Gratia scripserunt.-Fred. Spanhemius, Introd. ad Historiam Eccles. tom. i. op. p. 993.-Jac. Basnag. Adnot. ad Prosperi Chronicon et Præf. ad Faustum Regiensem, tom. i. Lection. Antiqu. Canisii, p. 315, 348. Granet (who wrote the life of Launoy) observes, that Sirmond had solicited Launoy to write against Mauguin, who denied the existence of the predestinarian sect; but that the former, having examined the matter with care and application, adopted the sentiment of Mauguin. The whole dispute about the exIstence of this sect will, when closely looked into, appear to be little more, perhaps, than a dispute about words. It may be very true, that, about this time, or even from the time of St. Paul, certain persons embraced the predestinarian opinions here mentioned; but there is no solid proof, that the abettors of these opinions ever formed themselves into a sect. Sce Basnage, tom. i. p. 700.

part of the monastic schools in Gaul, whence it spread itself through other parts of Europe. As to the Greeks, and other Eastern Christians, they had embraced the Semi-Pelagian doctrine before Cassian, and still adhere firmly to it. The generality of Christians looked upon the opinions of Pelagius as daring and presumptu

The leading principles of the Semi-Pelagians were the five following: 1. That God did not dispense his grace to one, more than another, in consequence of predestination, i. e. an eternal and absolute decree, but was willing to save all men, if they complied with the terms of his Gospel; 2. That Christ died for all men; 3. That the grace purchased by Christ, and necessary to salvation, was offered to all men; 4. That man, before he received grace, was capable of faith and holy desires; 5. That man, born free, was consequently capable of resist ing the influences of grace, or complying with its suggestions. See Basnage, tom. i. livr. xii.

Basnage, tom. i. livr. xii.-Hist. Literaire de la France, tom. ii. præf. p. 9.-Vossii Histor. Pelagiana, lib. v. p. 538.-Scipio Maffei (under the fictitious name of Irenæus Veronensis,) de Hæresi Palagiana, tom. xxix.Opuscul. Scientif. Angeli Calogeræ, p. 399.

It is well known that the Jansenists and Jesuits both plead the authority of St. Augustin, in behalf of their opposite systems with respect to predestination and grace. This knotty doctrine severely exercised the pretended infallibility of the popes, and exposed it to the laughter of the wise upon many occasions; and the fa mous bull Unigenitus set Clement XI. in direct opposition to several of the most celebrated Roman pontiffs. Which are we to believe?

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II. In the western parts, Remigius, or Remi, bishop of Rheims, who is commonly called the

Concerning the Prosperous Events which happen- Apostle of the Gauls, signalised his zeal in the

ed to the Church during this Century.

conversion of those who still adhered to the I. THE zeal of the bishops of Constantino- ancient superstitions;* and his success was conple, seconded by the protection and influence siderable, particularly after that auspicious peof the Grecian emperors, increased the num-riod when Clovis, king of the Franks, embracber of Christians in the east, and contributed ed the Gospel. to the conversion of some barbarous nations; In Britain, several circumstances concurred of those, particularly, who lived upon the bor- to favour the propagation of Christianity.— ders of the Euxine sea, as appears from the Ethelbert, king of Kent, the most considerable most authentic records of Grecian history. of the Anglo-Saxon princes, among whom that Among these nations were the Abasgi, who in- island was at this time divided, married Bertha, habited the country lying between the coast of daughter of Cherebert, king of Paris, toward the Euxine and mount Caucasus, and who em- the conclusion of this century. This princess, braced Christianity under the reign of Justi- partly by her own influence, and partly by the nian; the Heruli, who dwelt beyond the pious efforts of the clergy who followed her Danube, and who were converted in the same into Britain, gradually formed, in the mind of reign; as also the Alans, Lazi, and Zani, with Ethelbert, an inclination to the Christian reliother uncivilised people, whose situation, at gion. While the king was in this favourable this time, is only known by vague and imper- disposition, Gregory the Great, in 596, sent fect conjectures. These conversions, indeed, over forty Benedictine monks, with Augustin however pompously they may sound, were ex- at their head, in order to bring to perfection tremely superficial and imperfect, as we learn what the pious queen had so happily begun. from the most credible accounts that have been This monk, seconded by the zeal and assistgiven of them. All that was required of these ance of Bertha, converted the king, and the darkened nations amounted to an oral profes-greatest part of the inhabitants of Kent, and sion of their faith in Christ, to their abstaining laid anew the foundations of the British from sacrifices to the gods, and their commit-church.t ting to memory certain forms of doctrine, while little care was taken to enrich their minds with pious sentiments, or to cultivate in their hearts virtuous affections; so that, even after their conversion to Christianity, they retained their primitive ferocity and savage manners, and continued to distinguish themselves by horrid acts of cruelty and rapine, and the practice of all kinds of wickedness. In the greatest part of the Grecian provinces, and even in the capital of the eastern empire, there were still val in England, he converted the heathen temples into places of Christian worship, erected Christ-Church into multitudes who preserved a secret attachment a cathedral, opened a seminary of learning, founded the to the pagan religion. Of these, however, vast abbey of St. Augustin, received episcopal ordination from numbers were brought over to Christianity un-the primate of Arles, was invested by pope Gregory with der the reign of Justin, by the ministerial la-power over all the British bishops and Saxon prelates, bours of John, bishop of Asia.‡

*Procopius, de Bello Gothico, lib. iv. cap. Quien, Oriens Christianus, tom. i. p. 1351. Procopius, lib. ii. cap. xiv.

The labours of Columbus, an Irish monk, were attended with success among the Picts and Scots, many of whom embraced the Gospel.§

In Germany, the Bohemians, Thuringians, and Boii, are said to have abandoned, in this century, their ancient superstitions, and to * Histoire Literaire de la France, tom. iii. p. 155.

This British apostle was prior of the Benedictine monastery of St. Andrew at Rome. After his arri

and was the first archbishop of Canterbury.

Bede's Histor. Eccles. Gentis Anglor. lib. i. cap. xxiii.-Rapin's History of England.--Acta Sanctor. tom.

iii.-Leiii. Februar. p. 470.

Asseman. Biblioth. Orient. Vatic. tom. ii. p. 85.

§ Bede's Histor. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. iv.

Henr. Canisii Lection. Antiquæ, tom. iii. part ii. p. 208.-Aventin. Annal. Boiorum,

have received the light of divine truth; but this assertion appears extremely doubtful to

many.

All these conversions and sacred exploits will lose much of their importance in the esteem of such as examine with attention the accounts which have been given of them by the writers of this and the succeeding ages; for by these accounts it appears, that the converted nations now mentioned, retained a great part of their former impiety, superstition, and licentiousness, and that, attached to Christ by a mere outward and nominal profession, they, in effect, renounced the purity of his doctrine, and the authority of his Gospel, by their flagitious lives, and the superstitious and idolatrous rites and institutions which they continued to observe.*

III. A vast multitude of Jews, converted to Christianity in several places, were added to the church during the course of this century. Many of that race, particularly the inhabitants of Borium in Libya, were brought over to the truth by the persuasion and influence of the emperor Justinian. In the west, the zeal and authority of the Gallic and Spanish monarchs, the efforts of Gregory the Great, and the labours of Avitus, bishop of Vienne, engaged numbers to receive the Gospel. It must, however, be acknowledged, that, of these conversions, the greatest part arose from the liberality of Christian princes, or the fear of punishment, rather than from the force of argument or the love of truth. In Gaul, the Jews were compelled by Childeric to receive the ordinance of baptism; and the same despotic mode of conversion was practised in Spain. This method, however, was entirely disapproved by Gregory the Great, who, though extremely severe upon the heretics, would suffer no violence to be offered to the Jews.§

fluenced by the example and authority of their princes, than by force of argument, or the power of a rational conviction; and, indeed, if we consider the wretched manner in which many of the first Christian missionaries performed the solemn task they had undertaken, we shall perceive that they wanted not many arguments to enforce the doctrines they taught, and the discipline they recommended; for they required nothing of these barbarous people that was difficult to be performed, or that laid any remarkable restraint upon their appetites and passions. The principal injunctions they imposed upon these rude proselytes were, that they should get by heart certain summaries of doctrine, and pay to the images of Christ and the saints the same religious services which they had formerly offered to the statues of the gods. Nor were they at all delicate or scrupulous in choosing the means of establishing their credit; for they deemed it lawful, and even meritorious, to deceive an ignorant and inattentive multitude, by representing, as prodigies, things that were merely natural, as we learn from the most authentic records of these times.

CHAPTER II.

Concerning the calamitous Events which happened to the Church during this Century. I. THOUGH the abjuration of Paganism was, by the imperial laws, made a necessary step to preferment, and to the exercising of all public offices, yet several persons, respected for their erudition and gravity of manners, persisted in their adherence to the ancient superstition. Tribonian, the famous compiler of the Roman law, is thought, by some, to have been among the number of those who continued in their prejudices against the Christian religion; and IV. If credit is to be given to the writers of such also, in the opinion of many, was the case this century, the conversion of these uncivilis- of Procopius, the celebrated historian. It is at ed nations to Christianity was principally ef- least certain, that Agathias, who was an emifected by the prodigies and miracles which the nent lawyer at Smyrna, and who had also acheralds of the Gospel were enabled to work in quired a considerable reputation as an historiits behalf. But the conduct of the converted cal writer, persevered in his attachment to the nations is sufficient to invalidate the force of pagan worship. These illustrious Gentiles these testimonies; for certainly, if such mira- were exempted from the severities which were cles had been wrought among them, their lives frequently employed to engage the lower orwould have been more suitable to their profes-ders to abandon the service of the gods. The sion, and their attachment and obedience to the doctrines and laws of the Gospel more stedfast and exemplary than they appear to have been. Besides (as we have already had occasion to observe,) in abandoning their ancient superstitions, the greatest part of them were more in

This is ingenuously confessed by the Benedictine monks, in the Histoire Literaire de la France, tom. iii. Introduc. See also the orders given to the Anglo-Saxons by Gregory the Great, in his Epist. lib. xi. lxxvi. where we find him permitting them to sacrifice to the saints, on their respective holidays, the victims which they had formerly offered to the gods. See also Wilkins Concilia Magnæ Britanniæ, tom. i.

Procopius, de Edificiis Justiniani, lib. vi. cap. ii. 1 Greg. Turon. Histor. Francor. lib. vi. cap. xvii. Launoius, de veteri More baptizandi Judæos et Infideles, cap. i. p. 700, 704, tom. ii. part ii. op.

See his Epistles, particularly those which he wrote to Vigilius of Arles, Theodore of Marseilles, and Peter

of Terracina.

rigour of the laws, as it usually happens in human life, fell only upon those who had neither rank, fortune, nor court-favour, to ward off their execution.

II. Surprised as we may be at the protection granted to the persons now mentioned, at a time when the Gospel was, in many instances, propagated by unchristian methods, it will appear still more astonishing, that the Platonic philosophers, whose opposition to Christianity was universally known, should be permitted, in Greece and Egypt, to teach publicly the tenets of their sect, which were absolutely incompatible with the doctrines of the Gospel. These doctors indeed affected (generally speaking) a high degree of moderation and prudence, and, for the most part, modified their expressions in such a manner, as to give to the pagan system an evangelical aspect, extremely

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