Gregory to have had any other views than those of fecular ambition in exacting this promise from Winfrid. But it seems alfo equally apparent, that the motives of the latter were holy and fpiritual. Willibrod acquiefced in Winfrid's defires, and difmiffed him with his bleffing. The younger miffionary departed immediately, and came into Heffe, to a place called Omenbourg, belonging to two brothers, who were nominal Chriftians, but practical idolaters. Winfrid's labours were fuccessful, both on them and their fubjects: and, throughout Heffe, or at least a very great part of it, even to the confines of Saxony, he erected the ftandard of truth, and upheld it with much zeal, to the confufion of the kingdom of Satan. It ought not, however, to be concealed, that Winfrid fuffered great hardships in a country fo poor and uncultivated as the greater part of Germany then was; that he supported himself at times by the labour of his hands, and was exposed to imminent peril from the rage of the obftinate pagans. After fome time he returned to Rome, was kindly received by Gregory II. and was confecrated bishop of the new German Churches, by the name of Boniface. There feems, even in that little circumftance, fomething of the policy of the Roman See. A Roman name was more likely to procure from the German converts refpect to the Pope, than an English one. Gregory, moreover, folicitous to preserve his dignity, exacted from the new bishop an oath of subjection to the papal authority, conceived in the frongeft terms; a circumftance, remarkably proving both the ambition of Gregory and the fuperftition of the times. Boniface armed with letters from the pope, and, what was far better, encouraged by the addition of fresh labourers from England, returned to the fcenes of his miffion. Coming Coming into Heffe, he confirmed, by impofition of hands, feveral who had already been baptized, and exerted himself with much zeal against the idolatrous fuperftitions of the Germans. An oak of prodigious fize had been an inftrument of much pagan delufion: his fincereft converts advised him to cut it down; and he followed their counsel. It ought to be obferved, that the famous Charles Martel protected him with his civil authority; for the dominion of the French extended a confiderable way into Germany. It does not appear, however, that Boniface made any other ufe of this circumftance, than what the most conscientious ecclefiaftic may do, wherever the Christian religion is established by the laws. Daniel, bishop of Winchester, about the year A.D. 723, wrote to Boniface concerning the best method 723. of dealing with idolaters. "Do not contradict," fays he, "in a direct manner their accounts of the genealogy of their gods; allow that they were born. from one another in the fame way as mankind are; this conceffion will give you the advantage of proving, that there was a time when they had no exiftence.-Afk them, who governed the world before the birth of their gods-ask them, if these gods have ceased to propagate. If they have not, fhew them the confequence; namely, that the gods must be infinite in number, and that no man can rationally be at ease in worshipping any of them, left he should, by that means, offend one, who is more powerful.-Argue thus with them, not in the way of infult, but with temper and moderation; and take opportunities to contrast these abfurdities with the Chriftian doctrine: let the pagans be rather afhamed than incenfed by your oblique mode of ftating ftating thefe fubjects.-Shew them the infufficiency of their plea of antiquity: inform them that idolatry did anciently prevail over the world, but that Jefus Chrift was manifefted, in order to reconcile men to God by his grace."--Piety and good fenfe appear to have predominated in thefe inftructions, and we have here proofs, in addition to thofe already given, of the grace of God conferred on our ancestors during the heptarchy. Boniface preferved a correfpondence with other friends in England, as well as with Daniel. From his native country he was fupplied also, as we have feen, with fellow-labourers. In Thuringia he confirmed the churches, delivered them from herefies, and falfe brethren, and the work ftill profpered in his hand. In the mean time, like all upright and conscientious men, he found himfelf often involved in difficulties, and doubted in what manner he should regulate his conduct in regard to scandalous priefts, who greatly obftructed his miffion. He laid his doubts before his old friend the bishop of Winchester*. Should he avoid altogether their communication? he might offend the court of France, without whofe civil protection he could not proceed in his miffion. Should he preferve connection with them? he was afraid of bringing guilt upon his confcience. Daniel advifes him to endure with patience, what he could not amend: he counfels him not to make a fchifm in the Church, under prêtence of purging it; and, at the fame time, exhorts him to exercife church-difcipline on notorious offenders. Boniface defired Daniel also to fend him the book of the prophets, which," fays he, "the abbot Winbert, formerly my mafter, left at his * Bonif. Ep. 3. Fleury, B. XLI. toward the end. death, A death, written in very diftinct characters. greater confolation in my old age I cannot receive; for I can find no book like it in this country; and, as my fight grows weak, I cannot eafily diftinguish the fmall letters, which are joined clofe together, in the facred volumes, which are at prefent in my poffeffion." Do thefe things feem to belong to the character of an ambitious and infidious ecclefiaftic, or to that of a simple and upright fervant of Jefus Chrift? The reputation of this Saint,-fuch Ishall venture to call him from the evidence of facts,-was fpread through the greateft part of Europe; and many from England poured into Germany, to connect themselves with him. Thefe difperfed themselves in the country, and preached in the villages of Heffe and Thuringia. A.D. In 732, Boniface received the title of archbishop, 732. from Gregory III. who fupported his miffion with the fame fpirit, with which Gregory II. had done. Encouraged by a letter fent to him from Rome, he proceeded to erect new churches, and to extend the profeffion of the Gofpel. At this time, he found the Bavarian churches difturbed by an heretic, called Eremvolf, who would have feduced the people into idolatry. Boniface condemned him, according to the canons, freed the country from his devices, and restored the difcipline of the Church. About the year 732, Burchard and Lullus were invited from England by Boniface, who made the former bishop of Wurtzburg, where Kilian had preached, and fuffered martyrdom, about fifty years before. He was abundantly fuccessful during the labours of ten years, by which his ftrength was exhaufted: he gave up his bifhopric in 752, and died foon after. Butler, Vol. X. Some time after, Boniface wrote to Northelme, archbishop of Canterbury, in a strain, which equally A.D. fhews the charity and fincerity of his fpirit, and 738. the fuperftition of the times *. In 738, he again vifited Rome, being far advanced in life; and, after some stay, he induced several Englishmen, who refided there, to join with him in his German miffion. Returning into Bavaria, by the defire of duke Odilo, he restored the purity of the faith, and prevailed against the artifices of fome feducers, who had done much mischief both by false doctrine and flagitious example. He established three new bifhoprics in the country, at Saltzburg, Frifinghen, and Ratifbon. That of Paffaw had been fixed before. It muft, however, be obferved, that the fucceffes and conquefts of the Carlovingian princes much facilitated his labours in Germany. In writing to Cuthbert, archbishop of Canterbury, after teftifying his zealous adherence to the See of Rome, and his fubmiffion to its authority, he exhorts him to discharge his duty faithfully, notwithstanding the difficulties to which good pastors were expofed. "Let us fight," fays he, "for the Lord; for we live in days of affliction and anguish. Let us die, if God fo please, for the laws of our fathers, that with them we may obtain the heavenly inheritance. Let us not be as dumb dogs, fleepy watchmen, or selfish hirelings, but as careful and vigilant paftors, preaching to all ranks, as far as God fhall enable us, in feafon and out of feafon, as Gregory writes in his paftoral." Adalbert, a Frenchman, a proud enthusiast, and Clement, a Scotchman, pretended that Chrift, by his descent into hell, delivered the fouls of the damned. * Ep. B. V. See Fleury XLII. 22. + Bonif. Ep. 105. Fleury XLII. 37: |