accord

The character of this miffionary would have done honour to the pureft times. We may more confidently depend on the account given of him, because he belonged not to the Roman communion, to which Bede was fuperftitiously devoted, but was a fchifmatic in the obfervation of Eafter, as all the Chriftians in the British ifles were, except the Saxons. To him Bede applies the expreffion that "he had a zeal for God, though not FULLY ing to knowledge." Ofwald, whom early education had rather prejudiced in favour of the fame fchifm, gave him an epifcopal See in the ifle of Lindisfarnt. But there was a great difficulty, which attended his miniftry; Aidan fpake English very imperfectly. Ofwald himself, therefore, who thoroughly underftood Irish, acted as his interpreter. The zeal of this monarch was indeed extraordinary, to induce him to take fuch pains. Encouraged by his protection, more Irish minifters came into the north of England, and churches were erected; the Gofpel

* Id. B. III. C. 3, 4, 5.

was

Non plene. Warner, by omitting the expreffion FULLY, mifreprefents our venerable hiftorian, as if he had looked on Aidan as wrong in point of knowledge altogether. In another place he 'invidiously compares the laborioufness and fimplicity of the Irish miffionary with the pomp of the Roman paftors fent by Gregory. We have feen abundant proof of the integrity and diligence of the latter. The truth is, that though God is no refpecter of perfons, man is very apt to be fo. Wherever he fends paftors fitted and commiffioned by himself, genuine traces of their work appear, and leave falutary fruits behind them. The Irish Saint Colomban, and after him Aidan, as well as the Roman Miffionaries of the Gregorian School, influenced by the fame Holy Spirit, left wholefome veftiges of their labours in the British Ifles, which extended even to distant ages. Had the former been Proteftants, properly speaking, and the latter Papifts, the fame estimate ought to have been formed, though fuch a diftinction in regard to thofe ages is chimerical.

Now called Holy Island, four miles from Berwick.

A.D.

was preached, and Northumberland recovered, by the zeal and piety of the new miffionaries, the ground which it had loft by the expulfion of Paulinus. Even to the year 716* the principles of evangelical piety flourished in the Irish School among this people; at which time they were duced to the Roman communion.

re

Aidan himself was a fhining example of godliness. He laboured to convert infidels, and to ftrengthen the faithful. He gave to the poor whatever prefents he received from the great, and employed himself with his affociates in the Scriptures continually. He ftrictly avoided every thing luxurious, and every appearance of fecular avarice or ambition: he redeemed captives with the money which was given him by the rich: he inftructed them afterwards; and fitted them for the miniftry.

The King was not inferior to the Prelate in his endeavours to promote godliness. Uncorrupt and humble, in the midst of profperity, he fhewed himfelf the benefactor of the poor and needy, and cheerfully encouraged every attempt to spread the knowledge and practice of godlinefs among men.

In the mean time Byrinus was fent from Rome into Britain, who, arriving among the Weft Saxons, and finding them all Pagans, laboured to inftruct them. Cynigilfus, their king, the father-in-law of Ofwald, received baptifm from him. The two princes gave to Byrinus the city of Dorcinca; where he refided as bishop, and the Gospel was propagated with fuccefs through this branch of the heptarchy.

In Kent Eadbald died in the year 640‡, and 640. was fucceeded by his fon Eafconbert, who reigned twenty-four years, was zealous in the fupport of godliness,

* Id. C, 4.

† Now Dorchefter, near Oxford, + Id. C. 8,

godliness, and was the firft Saxon king who totally deftroyed all the idols in his dominions.

Ofwald at length in the thirty-eighth year of his age, was flain in battle by the fame Penda king of Mercia, who was mentioned before. A memorable inftance of the unfearchable ways of Providence! Two kings, whofe equals in piety and virtue are not eafily found in any age, both lofe their lives in battle with the fame enemy, a barbarian and a Pagan! But they ferved not God for worldly, but for heavenly bleffings.

Providence was however preparing the way for the propagation of the Gospel through the whole heptarchy. Young Penda, fon of the tyrant of Mercia, defired in marriage the daughter of Ofwy, brother and fucceffour to Ofwald. His reception of Christianity was made the condition; and the young prince, we are told, on hearing the doctrines of the Gofpel preached, was induced to declare, that he would become a Chriftian, even if Ofwy's daughter were denied him. Two years before the death of old Penda, the fon married the Northumbrian princess, and patronized Chriftianity in that part of his father's dominions, which was committed to his government. But the latter renewed hoftilities against Ofwy, and at length was flain in battle *. Ofwy now mafter of Mercia and Northumberband, applied himself to propagate Christianity among his new fubjects. Through his influence alfo the Gofpel was reftored to the kingdom of the East Saxons; and London, which had rejected the miniftry of Mellitus, again embraced the religion of Christ.

In

The battle was fought between Ofwy and Penda, near Loyden, now Leeds, in Yorkshire, at Winwidfield, on the river Winvaed, now Aire.

In this century, Kentigern, bishop of Glasgow in Scotland, being expelled from his See, founded a monaftery and a bifhoprick on the banks of the river Elwy in North Wales. Archbishop Ufher, quoting John of Tinmouth, fays, there were in the abby 965 monks, one of whom was named Afaph. Kentigern being called back to Glasgow, appointed Afaph abbot and bishop of Llan-Elwy. Of Afaph it is recorded, that he was a zealous preacher, and that he used to say," they envy the falvation of fouls, who withstand the preaching of the Word." The See has fince born his name; and he feems to have had a fpirit fuperior to the monaftic fuperftition, in which he was educated*. Marianus Scotus, in his Chronicle, fays, in regard to this century, "Ireland was filled with Saints. Their schools were renowned for ages.'

But it is time to bring the English-Church-history of this century to a clofe. That there was a real effufion of the Holy Spirit on England, fo that numbers were turned from idols to the living God; that paftors, firft of the Roman and afterwards of the British communion, laboured in the work with fimplicity and fuccefs, has been evidenced. We have had alfo feveral inftances of the completion of that prophecy," Kings fhall be thy nurfing fathers and Queens thy nurfing mothers." But the zeal and purity of the Chriftian fpirit feldom last much longer than thirty or forty years in any place. The native depravity of man gradually quenches the Spirit of God, and the power of godliness is foon buried, or at least very faintly fubfifls in the rubbish of factious contentions and worldly lufts. This I find to have been the cafe in the latter part of the century in England. Wilfrid, bishop of York, a very fufpicious character, in his exile laboured indeed among

Alban Butler, Vol. V.

+ Id.

Ifaiah xlix. 23.

among the Frifians, and is faid to have been the first miffionary who taught that people. If he did any real good among them, it was the most useful part of his life; for in Britain he seems to have fomented turbulence and contention. He paved, however, the way for more upright miffionaries, whofe labours in Friezeland fhall be mentioned hereafter. The craft of Satan too commonly fucceeds in fomenting divifions, even among thofe, who with equal fincerity are engaged in the best of causes. While fuch men as Paulinus and Aidan lived, the diverfity of sentiments produced no great mischief. Afterwards, as depravity increased, and the spirit of faith and love grew colder, very hurtful disputes arofe, to the scandal of the Gofpel. The Roman Church, however, acquired more and more influence, though it was very far from pervading the whole of the British ifles at the end of the century. But nothing particularly pertinent to the defign of this hiftory occurs. Let it fuffice us to fay, that our ancestors faw in this century a bleffed time, the fruits of which will abide for ever.

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