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that either St. Peter or St. Paul did firft preach this Religion to the Britains. Bishop Stillingfleet, after the Reverend Dr. Cave, gives it clearly for the latter, the Apostle of the Gentiles, who is faid by St. Clement, in his first Ep. ad Cor. c. 5. to have preach'd to the utmost Bounds of the Weft. See Still. Or. Brit, p. 38, 39.

It is reported by Bede, who wrote in the beginning of the eighth Century, that Lucius, a British King, was converted to Christianity, A.D. 156. and Archbishop Ufher, de Primord. mentions two Coins with the Effigies of a King, and a Crofs, and the Letters LUC, fo far as could be difcerned.

About the Year 407. Christianity began to decline apace in this Country, by reafon of the Herefy of Pelagius (a Britain born, but who fpent most of his Life in Maly, Africa, and the Eaft) which, as it fpread its Venom far and near, fo particularly amongft his own Countrymen: by this means the British Chriftians were divided amongst themfelves; and at the fame time they were invaded by the Picts and Scots, who inhabited the Nothern Parts of the Ifle. Honorius, the Roman Emperor, had just before recall'd his Legions, which had formerly kept the Britains in fübjection to the Empire, but protected them againft all other People; the Britains then were not able to defend themfelves: The Emperor did indeed fend them Succours once and again, but they were foon commanded Home; for he had enough for them to do there to put a stop to the Incurfions of the Goths and Vandals,

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The Britains being reduced to these Straits, are forced to accept the Help of the English Saxons, (who inhabited Holstein and Jutland) a Heathen but Warlike People, who foon fubdu'd the Picts and Scots, but then made a League with them against the Britains; and fo made themselves Masters of the Country, and drove the Britans into Wales and Cornwal; to which Countries confequently Chriftianity was then confin'd, while Heathenifm and Idolatry spread itfelf over the reft of the Kingdom.

A. D. 596, and 150 Years after the English Saxons first came into this Country, Pope Gregory the Great fent Auftin, the Head of a Roman Monaftery, with forty Monks, to inftruct this Nation in the Chriftian Religion. The main. Body of the People were converted in about 70 Years time, the Isle of Wight being the last Place that was reduc'd. Bed. Hift. 1. 4. c. 16.

For near 950 Years we remain❜d in Communion, or rather Subjection to the Church of Rome. Auftin began to erect this Spiritual Tyranny, and Archbishop Becket, by dying a Martyr in the Pope's Cause, A. D. 1170, gave the finishing Stroke.

From the latter end of the Eighth Century, till the Reign of H. VIII. every Houfe throughout England paid a Peny every Year to the Pope, this the English call'd Rome-Scot and PeterPence; the Latins Denarius Romanus.

It had been much better if the English had received Christianity from the Britains, if it had not been below Conquerors to be taught by thofe whom they had fubdu'd. For they would have deliver'd this Religion to us without making us Slaves

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Slaves to the Pope, whofe Creature Austin was; and the British Bifhops were aware of this, and therefore oppofed him, and adher'd to their old Cuftoms of keeping Eafter, and Baptizing in a manner fomewhat different from that of Rome, and they continued their former Practice in the Year 731, when Bede finished his Hiftory; but in a fhort time after, the Welsh, as well as English, became entirely Romanifts.

But by degrees we became fenfible of our Servitude, and feveral hundred Years before the Reformation, many Laws were made to reftrain the Pope's Power here in England: And at laft, viz. in 1535, Henry VIII. a Prince of great Courage and Refolution, wholly renounced the Pope's Supremacy, as feveral German Princes had done before.

There were many other Errors which we had receiv'd from the Church of Rome, which were for the most part retain'd, and enforc'd with fevere Penalties, during the Reign of Hen. VIII. But the fame Year that he renounc'd the Pope's Supremacy, the whole Bible was publish'd in the English Tongue, as the Teftament had been before in the Year 1527. and this had fo good ef fect, that by the Year 1548, the 2d of Ed. VI. the generality of all Ranks of Men in England were convinced of the Errors of the Church of Rome, infomuch that an Act of Parliament pass'd for the English Service, and for Abolishing the Roman Worship. There was one thing which very much contributed to the fpeedinefs of our Reformation here in England, which was, that the People began to be very fenfible of the value et Money: for many of the Romish Errors were

very chargeable and expenfive. But on the other fide, they are very much to blame who reprefent our Reformers as Men who were acted with a denre of Riches, which they hoped to get by the Spoil of the Monafteries and Church-Lands, rather than with the love of Truth. For Monafteries were fupprefs'd, and the greatest Ravages on the Church committed in the time of H. VIII. in whofe Reign nothing was done towards a Reformation, but only that he had affumed to himfelf the Headship of the Church, and commanded the Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments, and Creed to be taught the People in English, and the English Bible to be fet up in Churches; and he who was the chief Mover in the Bufinefs of fuppreffing Monafteries, was the Lord Cromwel,who had learn'd this from his old Mafter Cardinal Wolfey, who had, by Licenfe from Pope Clement VII. pull'd down forty Monafteries, in order to erect and endow his Colleges at Oxford and Ipfwich. But that you may know how far we were from Reformation in his Reign, 'twill be fufficient to mention the Six Articles, which every one that deny'd was burnt, by Stat. 31. H. 8. c. 4. 1. Tranfubftantiation. 2. Communion in one kind. 3. Unlawfulness of Priests Marriage. 4. Unlawfulness of breaking a Vow of Chaitity. 5. The Lawfulness and Neceffity of Private Maifes. 6. The expediency of Auricular Confeffion.

Indeed the Reformation was never begun in earneft till the Reign of Edward VI. and then it was established. Queen Mary ufed all poffi. ble Means to nip it in the Bud; but her Time was fhort, and the Reign of her Succeffor Queen Eliza

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Elizabeth very long, in which the Reformati on took fuch deep Root in English Hearts, that nothing (under God) will ever be able to fubvert it, except our own Divifions.

CHA P. II.

Of the Doctrine of the Church of England.

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Ome are of Opinion, that there were British Bishops at the Council of Nice: but 'tis fufficient that we are affured, from St. Athanafius, Chryfoftom, Jerom, &c. that this Church receiv'd the Doctrine of that Council. See Stil. Or. Brit. p. 175.

There is no reafon to doubt but that the British Bishops, who were at the Council of Ariminum, were Orthodox when they came thither, as the great majority of that Council declar'á themfelves to be, while they were left to themselves; and what they did afterwards was extorted from them by the politick and oppreffive Arts of the Emp. Conftantius, and his Prefect Taurus; and our British Bishops were more expos'd to them than others, as being fo poor that they were forced to accept of a Maintenance from the Emperor, during the time of their attending the Council; and yet probably their Bishopricks might at leaft equal the generality of our prefent English Bishopricks in their Income and Revenue: For too many of these latter are fo very mean, that they are not fufficient to maintain those who are poffeft of them, here at home. The Confequendesof which may in time prove very fatal.

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