CHAP. XXX.

A Copy of the Letter, which he (Pope Gregory) fent to the Abbat Mellitus ther going into Britain.

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HE aforefaid Meffengers being departed, the Holy Father Gregory fent after them Letters worthy to be preferv'd in Memory, wherein he plainly fhows, what Care he took of the Salvation of our Nation: Writing thus,

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O his most beloved Son the Abbat Mellitus, Gregory, the Servant of the Servants of God. We have been very much concern'd, fince the Departure of our Congregation that is with you; because we have not receiv'd any Account of the good Succefs of your Journey. When therefore Almighty God fhall bring you to the moft Reverend Man our Brother, Bishop Auguftin, tell him, what I have upon mature Deliberation on the Affair of the English, thought of, viz. that the Temples of the Idols in that Nation ought not to be destroy'd; but let the Idols that are in them be deftroy'd; let Holy Water be made and Sprinkled in the faid Temples, let Altars be erected, and Relicks plac'd. For if thofe Temples are well built, it is requifite that they be converted from the Worship of Devils to the Service of the true God; that the Nation, not feeing thofe Temples deftroy'd, may remove Er

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For from their Hearts, and knowing and adoring the true God, may the more familiarly refort to the fame Places they were wont. And because they ufe to flaughter many Oxen in the Sacrifice to Devils, fome Solemnity must be exchang'd for them on this Account, as that on the Day of the Dedication, or the Nativities of the Holy Martyrs, whofe Relicks are there depofited, they may build themselves Huts of the Boughs of Trees, about thofe Churches, which have been turn'd to that Ufe from Temples, and celebrate the Solemnity with religious Feafting, and no more offer Beafts to the Devil, but that they kill Cattle to the Praife of God in their eating, and return Thanks to the Giver of all Things for their Satiety; to the end that whilft fome Satisfactions are outwardly permitted them, they may the more eafily confent to the inward Joys. For there is no doubt but that it is impof fible to retrench all at once from obdurate Minds; because he who endeavours to afcend to the highest Place, rifes by Degrees or Steps, and not by Leaps. Thus the Lord indeed made himself known to the People of Ifrael in Egypt; and yet he refer'd to them the Ufe of the Sacrifices, which they were wont to offer to the Devil, for his own Worship; fo as to command them in his Sacrifice to kill Beafts, to the end, that changing their Hearts, they might lay afide one Part of the Sacrifice, and retain another; that fo they might be the fame Beasts which they were wont to offer, but that offering them to God, and not to Idols; they might no longer be the Same Sacrifices. This it behoves your Affection to communicate to our aforefaid Brother, that he being there prefent, may confider,how he is to order all things. God preferve you in fafety, most beloved Son. Given the thirteenth Day of the Kalends of June, in

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the 19th Year of the Reign of our Lord, the moft pious Emperor, Mauritius Tiberius, the 18th Tear after the Confulship of our faid Lord. The fourth Indiction.

CHA P. XXXI.

Pope Gregory, by Letter, exhorts Augustin not to glory in his Miracles.

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T which Time he alfo fent Auguftin a Letter concerning the Miracles that he had heard had been wrought by him; wherein he admonishes him not to incur the Danger of being puff'd up by the Number of them; In thefe Words.

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know, most loving Brother, that Almighty God, by means of your Affection, shows great Mirac'es in the Nation, which he would have chofen. Wherefore it is necessary, that you rejoice with Fear, and be apprehenfive in rejoycing, on account of the fame Heavenly Gift; viz. that you rejoyce because the Souls of the English are by outward Miracles drawn to inward Grace; but that you fear, left amidst the Wonders that are wrought, the weak Mind may be puff'd up in its own PreSumption, and as it is without rais'd to Honour, it may thence inwardly fall by Vainglory. For we must call to mind, that the Difciples returning with Joy after Preaching, and Saying to their Heavonly Mafter, Lord, in thy Name, even the

Devils are fubject to us; were presently told, Do not rejoyce on this Account, but rather rejoice for that your Names are written in Heaven. For they had plac'd their Thoughts on private and temporal Foy, who rejoic'd in Miracles; but they are recall'd from the private to the publick, and from the temporal to the eternal Joy, to whom it is faid, Rejoice for this, because your Names are written in Heaven. For all the Elect do not work Miracles, and yet the Names of them all are written in Heaven. For the Joy of the Difciples is not to be in Truth, any farther than for that good, which is common to them with all Men, and in which they have no End of their Joy. It remains therefore, most dear Brother, that amidst thofe Things, which through the working of our Lord you outwardly perform, you always in wardly ftrictly judge your felf, and sharply underStand both what you are yourself, and how much Grace is in that fame Nation, for the Converfion of which you have, alfo receiv'd the Gift of working Miracles. And if you remember that you have at any time offended our Creator, either by Word or Deed, that you always call that to mind, to the end, that the Remembrance of your Guilt may crush the Vanity rifing in your Heart. And whatsoever you ball or have receiv'd in relation to working Mirdcles, that you repute the fame, not as confer'd on you, but on thofe for whofe Salvation it has been given you.

CHA P. XXXII.

That Pope Gregory Jent Letters and Prefents to King Ethelbert

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HE fame Holy Pope Gregory at the fame time, fent likewife a Letter to King Ethelbert, as alfo many Prefents of feveral forts; being defirous to glorify the King with Temporal Honours, at the fame time that he rejoyc'd, that through his Labour and Industry he had attain'd the Knowledge of the Heaven ly Glory. The Copy of the faid Letter is this.

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O the most glorious Lord, and his moft excellent Son, Ethelbert, King of the English, Bishop Gregory. To this end, Almighty God advances all good Men to the Government of Nations, that he may by their means beftow the Gifts of his Mercy on all thofe over whom they are plac'd. This we know to have been done in the English Nation; over whom your Glory was therefore plac'd, that by means of the Goods which are granted to you, the heavenly Benefits might also be conferr'd on the Nation that is fubject to you. Therefore, (glorious Son,) do you carefully preferve the Grace you have receiv'd from the Divine Goodness, and haften to promote the Chriftian Faith you have embrac'd among the People under your Subjection; multiply the Zeal of your Uprightness in their Con

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