HISTORICAL ESSAYS. No. IV. ON THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY INTO GREAT BRITAIN; AND ON THE CHARACTER OF GREGORY THE GREAT. HE precise date of the introduction of the Christian religion into our island, is involved in much obscurity. Gildas, who wrote his history, in the early part of the sixth century, and who is the most antient of British historians, states, that he could find no records of the affairs of Britain during the period of its subjection to the Romans. The concurring testimony, however, of other writers, corroborated by a variety of circumstances, seems to sanction the belief, that the light of the Gospel reached this island before the end of the first century of the Christian æra. There are, indeed, writers who maintain, that the Gospel was preached in England during the Apostolic age, and even by some of the Apostles themselves. Be this as it may, there is abundant evidence, that Christianity was early planted in Britain, and became firmly rooted there, during the period in which the Romans held possession of the island; and in the time of Diocletian, who became emperor, in the year of our Lord, 284, and ceased to reign in the year 305, we find the British Christians so increased in numbers and in notoriety, as to become victims of the atrocious persecution which raged throughout the Roman empire. On the abdication of Diocletian, the Christians of Britain, being protected by Constantius Chlorus, emerged from the hiding-places to which they had retired during the late persecution, repaired their ruined churches, and re-established the rites of sacred worship. External prosperity, is not, however, always favourable, in Christian communities, to internal piety; and the British church, which, during the storm of persecution, had held fast its "charity, and faith, and patience;" "left" its "first love," during the sunshine of imperial protection, and became "divided against itself." Magnificent churches were erected, and those duties of religious worship, which, in the time of danger, had been discharged with simplicity and privacy, were now, in the season of security, performed with ostentatious pomp: but the spirit of piety, had, in a great measure, evaporated. Fasts, and festivals were multiplied; the "mechanism of devotion" was established on a scale of splendour which vied with that displayed in Pagan worship; partly from vanity and the spirit of imitation, and partly from the delusive hope of thereby facilitating the conversion of the neighbouring heathens, the christian clergy were induced to adopt many of the more imposing ceremonies of pagan worship, as well as the variegated habits of the pagan priests; the churches, decorated with pictures of saints and martyrs, differed little, in appearance, from the heathen temples; and the spiritual character of the Christian religion was wellnigh lost and forgotten, amidst a multitude of incongruous rites and ceremonies. Mankind is ever prone to extremes; and before the close of the fourth century, the monastic superstition,-which, during the previous century, had been called into existence by Anthony the Egyptianhad penetrated into Britain. The austerities of Anthony himself, as well as of the primitive monks in general, were excessive; and altogether at variance with the spirit of the Gospel of Christ. As the wealth of the monkish communities increased, in consequence of gifts from richer members of their own fraternity, or from other causes— sloth and self indulgence, and other vices, as unchristian as their former voluntary penances, gained ground among them; and effectually obscured that gospel light, which, notwithstanding their many errors, these self-secluded men, might otherwise have been the means of preserving, amidst the thickening darkness around them. We must not, however, forget, as an illustration of the general truth, that the worst evils are usually attended by some counterbalancing good—that it is mainly to the industry of the monks in multiplying copies of the works of the Greek and Roman classics, as well as of many of the writings of the early fathers of the Church, that we are indebted, not only for the preservation of those invaluable monuments of genius or of piety, but also, for that revival of literature which, in due time, effected a revolution in the intellectual and social condition of Europe. About the middle of the fifth century,* the landing of the Saxons in England-an event as fatal to the political, as to the religious interests of the ill judging natives who had applied to them for protection and assistance,—was speedily followed by the extirpation of Christianity in * A. D. 449. such British provinces as were reduced to subjection by the Saxon invaders; and heathenism, with all its horrors, regained a footing in this land. At length however, when, in the time of the Heptarchy, the Saxons had become naturalized in Britain, and had formed alliances with the antient inhabitants of the country, their animosity against the Christian religion decreased; and the marriage of Ethelbert, king of Kent, in the year 570, with the Christian princess Bertha, the daughter of the French King, Caribert, or Cherebert, paved the way for the introduction of Christianity into the southern portion of Great Britain. At this conjuncture, the providence of God provided for the AngloSaxons, (thus previously, in some measure disposed to listen to the preaching of the Gospel), the means of instruction; and this through the instrumentality of the Bishop of Rome. Scarcely any historical character has provoked more discussion among contending writers, than that of GREGORY THE FIRST, usually called THE GREAT; and, by the members of the Romish communion, distinguished by the title of St. Gregory. This Prelate occupied the Pontifical chair from the year of our Lord 590 to the year 604-a period of something more than thirteen years and a half; and the simple fact, that his character has, by some authors, been most vehemently lauded, and by others, still more extravagantly vilified, is sufficient to prove its claims to earnest and impartial consideration. The main circumstances of the personal and family history of this remarkable man, are sufficiently well known. He was a Roman, by birth; of a family of the highest nobility; and not the first of his race who was raised to the papal Chair. Having attentively studied the Roman jurisprudence, and being eminent in all the secular knowledge of his day, he was promoted, in early life, by Justin I, the nephew and successor of the renowned Justinian, to the office of Præfect of the city of Rome; and discharged the duties of that important station, with singular prudence, impartiality, and justice. Being, however, disposed towards religious contemplation, he retired, while still young, to the seclusion of a cloister; and devoting his large possessions, hereditary and acquired, to the use of the Church, by founding and endowing several monasteries, he employed his retirement to the best advantage, by sedulously applying himself to the study of religion, and the practice of prayer and meditation. From this devotional solitude, he was forcibly withdrawn, during the reign of the Emperor Maurice; and, against his own inclination, elevated to the See of Rome. It is scarcely necessary to say, that the sincerity of a humility so unusual, has been questioned or discredited. Happily, however, the general character of Gregory, and the spirit in which he discharged the duties of the episcopal office thus forced upon him, were such as have constrained the majority of those who have undertaken to estimate his character, to acquit him of the charge of hypocrisy. His enlarged benevolence, the strictness of his moral deportment, and his persevering endeavours to enforce upon his clergy of every rank, such a course of conduct as befitted their sacred order, have been disputed by none and the more deeply and minutely we examine into such evidence as the nature of the case admits, the more stable will become our conviction, that these virtues and excellences sprang, not from a thirst of human applause, but from those CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES, of which CHRISTIAN PRACTICE is the genuine and necessary fruit. : The conduct of this Roman Prelate with regard to the conversion of the English, has been much censured by some writers, who, misled by their zeal against popery, have attributed his efforts in that Christian cause, solely or mainly to the grasping and domineering spirit which has too often characterized the occupants of the Papal Chair. Forgetting, that those of the Britons, who,-amid the Pagan darkness which, since the advent of the Saxons, had overspread the land,—had held fast the profession of Christianity, were no more PROTESTANTS, than the Roman Christians at that time, were, properly speaking, PAPISTS. On this subject we may be permitted to quote the words of an author deeply and accurately versed in the ecclesiastical records of the period." Gregory," says the pious and candid historian of the Church of Christ," was NO POPE; nor had the Britons separated from the general church and formed a purer establishment of their own. Superstition and ecclesiastical power, in the excess, adhered indeed to the conduct of the Roman prelate, as the fault of the age, not of his temper; and if he had perfectly avoided the fashionable evils of his time, he would have been, I had almost said, more than human. But the ideas peculiarly popish, were not yet matured in the church. * I ought to profit by the mistakes of others; that is, I ought to forget my own times and connections; to transplant myself into the age in which I write; to make liberal allowances for its customs and prejudices; and to enable the reader, from facts themselves, to form his own judgment." * Vide Milner's History of the Church of Christ, Vol. III., Cent. VI., Chap. 7. NO. IV.-VOL I. 2 E |