her living head. The reigning powers, both in the east and the weft, were overgrown with falfe worship: even thofe parts of the west, which as yet were not difpofed to receive idolatry, were deeply prepared for the gradual admiffion of it, partly by the growing of fuperftition, and partly by the fubmiffion of all the European Churches to the domination of the Roman See. There the feat of Antichrift was firmly fixed. Rebellion against the lawful power of the magiftrate, the most arrogant claims to infallibility, and the fupport of imageworship, confpired with the temporal dominion lately obtained by the bishop of Rome, to render him the tyrant of the Church. His dominions, indeed, were not large; but, in conjunction with the proud pretenfions of his ecclefiaftical character, they gave him a fuperlative dignity in the eyes of all Europe. It was evident, that the face of the A.D. whole Church was altered: from the year 727, to 727. about the year 2000, we have the dominion of the Beaft*; and the prophefying of the witnesses in fackcloth, which was to continue 1260 days, or forty and two months, that is, for 1260 years. We must now look for the real Church, either, in diftinct individual faints, who, in the midst of popery, were preferved by effectual grace in vital union with the Son of God, or, in affociations of true Chriftians, formed in different regions, which were in a state of perfecution and much affliction. Where then was the Church in the eighth century? She still fubfifted; and the oppofition made to idolatry by Charles and the council of Frankfort, demonstrates her existence. Nothing but the influence of principles very oppofite to those which were fafhionable at Rcme can account for fuch events, at a time when the dignity of the Roman * Rev. xi. and xiii, See See was held in univerfal veneration. After all, it is in the propagation of the Gospel among the pagans, that the real Church is chiefly to be feen in this century. Some real work of this kind was carrying on, while the popedom was forming; and, by the adorable Providence of God, pious miffionaries, who entered not into the recent controverfies, but were engaged in actions purely fpiritual, were patronized and fupported in preaching Chrift among foreign nations, by the fame popes of Rome, who were oppofing his grace in their own*. Their ambition led them to cherish the zeal of the miffionaries, but with how different a fpirit! To this fcene let us now direct our attention. * Should any persons startle, that I call image-worship by no better name than idolatry, and rank pagan and papal practices in the fame clafs, I would refer fuch to the cenfure of St. Paul on the Galatians, iv. 8, 9. Idolatry being with them merely mental, originated in a felf-righteous principle, and the Apostle looks on them as worshippers of falfe gods, and informs them that they were returning again to bondage. How much more justly may image-worship be called "the doing fervice to them which by nature are no gods," where the idolatry is both men tal and external! CHAP. CHA P. IV. THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN THIS CENTURY, INCLUDING THE LIFE OF BONIFACE, ARCHBISHOP OF MENTZ. Warles, continued to labour with fuccefs in VILLIBROD*, with other English miffion the conversion of the Frifons. His epifcopal feat was, as we have feent, at Utrecht; for fifty years he preached, founded churches and monafteries, and appointed new bishops. The confequence of his labours was, that great numbers of pagans were received into the pale of the Church. The great light of Germany in this century was an Englishman named Winfrid, born at Kirton in Devonshire, about the year 680. He was brought up in the monaftic life from infancy. His refidence was in the monaftery of Nutcell, in the diocese of Winchester, which was afterwards destroyed by the Danes, and was never rebuilt. Here he was made acquainted with the facred and fecular learning of the times. At the age of 30, he was ordained priest, on the recommendation of his abbot, and laboured with much zeal in preaching the word of God. His fpirit was ardent, and he longed to be employed as a miffionary in the converfion of pagans. The example of a number of pious perfons of his own country might, no doubt, have great influence with him; for we have • Fleury, fifth Vol. XLI. 1. i Fleury XLI. 35, &c. Alban Butler, Vol. 6. have feen already, that the zeal of fpreading the Gofpel was peculiarly ftrong in the British ifles. A.D. He went over with two monks into Friezeland 716. about the year 716. He proceeded to Utrecht, "to WATER, where Willibrod had PLANTED;" but finding that circumstances rendered it impracticable at prefent to preach the Gospel there, he returned into England, with his companions, to his monaftery. On the death of the abbot of Nutcell, the fociety would have elected Winfrid in his room; but the monk, fteady to his purpose, refused to accept the Presidency; and, with recommendatory letters from the bishop of Winchefter, went to Rome, and prefented himself to the pope, expreffing a defire of being employed in the converfion of infidels. Gregory II. encouraged his zeal, and gave him a commiffion of the most ample and unlimited nature in the year 719. With this commiffion Winfrid went into Bavaria and Thuringia. In the first country he reformed the Churches, in the fecond he was fuccefsful in the converfion of infidels. Here alfo he obferved, how true religion, where it had been planted, was almost destroyed by falfe teachers: fome paftors, indeed, were zealous for the fervice of God, but others were given up to scandalous vices: the Englifh miffionary beheld their state, and the ill effects of it on the people, with forrow; and laboured, with all his might, to recover them to true repentance. It was with fincere delight, that he afterwards learned, that the door, which had been shut against his first attempts in Friezeland, was now opened for preaching the Gospel in that country. Ratbod, king of the Frifons, who had planted idolatry afresh among his fubjects, was dead, and the ob ftacles ftacles were removed. Winfrid returned into Friezeland, and for three years cooperated with Willibrod. The pale of the Church was hence enlarged: churches were erected: many received the word of God; and idolatry was more and more fubdued. Willibrod, declining in ftrength through old age, chofe Winfrid for his fucceffour. I have before obferved, that the duration of his pastoral labours, in his miffion, was no less than fifty years. The example of this great and holy perfon had long before this stirred up others to labour in the best of causes. Soon after that, he, with eleven com- A.D. panions in 690, had begun to preach the Gospel 690. in Friezeland, two brothers of the English nation went over into the country of the ancient Saxons, in order to preach to the idolaters. They were both called Ewald. They arrived in this country A.D. about the year 694, and meeting with a certain 694. fteward, defired him to conduct them to his lord. They were employed all the way in prayer, in finging pfalms and hymns. The barbarians fearing left these men might draw their lord over to Christianity, murdered both the brothers; and thus, toward the clofe of the foregoing century, it pleased God to take to himself two perfons who had devoted themfelves to preach the Gofpel of his Son among the heathen. The time of the more peculiar vifitation of Germany was reserved for the age which we are now reviewing. It must have been extremely delightful to Willibrod, to have met with a coadjutor fo zealous and fincere as Winfrid. However, the latter declined the offer, because the pope had enjoined him to preach in the eastern parts of Germany; and he felt himself bound to perform his promife. It is not poffible, indeed, to conceive fuch a man as Gregory |