found objects deferving our ferious attention. Nor fhould we be prejudiced against the real Church, because the then wore a Roman Garb. Undoubtedly fhe was by this means much defiled with fuperftition; for that was as much the predominant Evil of thofe times, as profaneness is of our own. The laft-mentioned Evil admits of no coalition with Chriftian holiness; but superstition, to a certain degree, may co exist with the fpirit of the Gofpel. When that degree is exceeded, and general idolatry takes place, the Syftem then becomes too corrupt, to deferve the name of the Church of Chrift. I have marked this limit to the best of my judgment in the course of this hiftory, have exhibited the MAN OF SIN matured in all his gigantic horrors, and from that Epocha I defpair of discovering the Church in the collective body of nominal Chriftians. Every Reader will obferve the various features of Anti-Chrift defcribed in this Volume, and fome may perhaps be enabled to form a more liftinct and adequate conception of the nature of Popery, than they had before acquired. Leaving therefore the general Church of Rome, after fhe had ceased entirely to HOLD THE HEAD, I either travel with faithful Miffionaries into regions of heathenifm, and defcribe the propagation of the Gofpel in fcenes altogether new, or dwell with circumftantial exactnefs on the lives and writings of fome particular individuals, in whom the Spirit of God maintained the power of godlinefs, while they remained" in Babylon." The former object difplays one of the brighteft profpects of this whole period, and feems to rebuke the fupinenefs of modern times, in regard to the extenfion of divine truth among Pagan nations. The latter, I truft, will be found to afford matter of Christian inftruction; inftruction: the pleasure and benefit, which, as I have repeatedly heard, has been derived from the perufal of Auguftine's Life and Confeffions in the preceding volume, encourage me to expect, that the review of the lives and writings of Anfelm and of Bernard in this, may not be without fimilar fruit The history of these seven Centuries, as it has hitherto appeared in our common Ecclefiaftical narratives, it must be confeffed, is extremely uninterefting. If I have had fome advantages for enlivening and illuminating the fcene, let those be afcribed to the peculiar nature of my historical plan. The account of the Waldenfes, which clofes the volume, belongs not to the thirteenth Century exclufively; it is, however, afcribed to it, because in the course of that Century most extraordinary perfecutions and conflicts took place among this people, and particularly excited the attention of Europe. It was alfo judged proper, to give one unbroken narrative of Waldenfian tranfactions in Ecclefiaftical matters, till the time of the Reformation If the Reader learn fome practical leffons concerning the power, wifdom, goodness, and faithfulness of God, from the review of the events, which lie before him, I fhall have reafon to rejoice, nor fhall I think my labour to have been in vain. CONTENTS. CONTENT S. CENTURY VI. CHAP. I. The Life of Fulgentius, and the State of the CHAP. II. The State of the Church in other Parts of the Roman Empire, till the Death of Justin, including the Life of Cæfarius. CHAP. III. The State of the Church during the Reign of Juftinian. CHAP. IV. Mifcellaneous Affairs to the End of the Century. CHAP. V. Gregory the First, Bishop of Rome. His Paftoral Labours. CHAP. VI. Gregory's Conduct toward the Emperors Mauritius and Phocas. CHAP. VII. Gregory's Conduct with respect to England. PAGE I II 17 28 35 65 77 CHAP. |