Britain;" or among those which are not historical, "the three qualifications of poetry," "the three foundations of learning." These are documents of undoubted credit, and contain proofs that the writers were possessed of profound knowledge of human nature, and great critical sagacity. Some of them allude to circumstances about the first population and early history of the island, of which every other memorial has perished.

CHAPTER II.

INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY.

AN eminent writer (Southey) has observed that "concerning the introduction of Christianity into Britain the documents are but scanty." Either the first British Christians kept no memoirs of that important event; or those memoirs have long since perished. Gildas, the most ancient of our historians, who lived in the sixth century, says that he could find no British records of the civil and ecclesiastical affairs of Britain, while it was subject to the Romans; and adds, that if any such records had ever existed, they had either been destroyed by their enemies, or carried into foreign lands by some of the exiled Britons. We must therefore be content with what light and information we can collect from the writers of other nations, who incidentally mention the time, and other circumstances of the planting of Christianity in this island.

The concurring testimonies of several writers make it highly probable, if not absolutely certain, that the faith of Christ was made known in this

land about the middle of the first century. Eusebius, who was Bishop of Cæsarea in the beginning of the fourth century, says, in a book which he wrote to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel, that the Apostles who preached Christ to the world could be no impostors or deceivers, that though it were possible for them to deceive their neighbours by an improbable story, yet it would be madness for illiterate men to go about, and deceive the world by preaching this doctrine in the remotest cities and countries; and naming countries whither they went, he mentions those which are called the British Isles. Theodoret also, Bishop of Cyprus, who lived in the former part of the fifth century, and was eminent for his learning, states that the Gospel was conveyed by the Apostles to the remotest bounds of the West, and other similar expressions are used by which our land was frequently described.

According to Gildas, Christianity was introduced into Britain before the end of the reign of Tiberius, who died in the year 37; or, as he is understood by many, before the defeat of the Romans by Boadicea, Queen of Iceni, in 61, which is more consistent with other accounts. His words, which occur immediately after relating the above defeat, are certainly obscure. "Meanwhile these

CHAP. II.]

ANCIENT TESTIMONIES.

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islands, stiff with cold and frost, and in a distant region of the world, remote from the visible sun, received the beams of light, that is, the holy precepts of Christ the true Sun, showing to the whole world His splendour, not only from the temporal firmament, but from the height of heaven, which surpasses every thing temporal, at the latter part, as we know, of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, by whom his religion was propagated without impediment, and death threatened to those who interfered with its professors." Parsons the Jesuit, Baronius, and some other writers of the Church of Rome, say that Peter preached in Britain: but they can produce no tolerable evidence or authority for this opinion. Isidore mentions James the Brother of John as preaching here: and Dorotheus, a writer of not much repute, mentions Simon the Canaanite. The early death of James by the command of Herod, shews that the account of Isidore is not entitled to credit, and the others here referred to, are probably of a similar character. It may however be stated as certain that a Christian church was planted here in the times of the Apostles. Gibbon says "the public highways which had been constituted for the use of the legions, opened an easy passage for the Christian missionaries, from Damascus to Corinth,

and from Italy to the extremity of Spain or Britain."

While the records of our early history are rendered obscure by the fabulous additions of later ages, we may conclude, that where the voice of such a tradition as our early Christianity, has been strong, unvarying and continued, it is reasonable to conclude that it contains at least the outlines of truth, and it would be as absurd to reject all it utters, as dangerous to receive all its details.

This may be shewn in the instance of the tradition of Glastonbury, in which along with much that is doubtful, we have some information as to the early history of our Church. The tradition is to the following effect: "that after the glorious resurrection and ascension of our Saviour, and the descent of the Holy Ghost, the success of the Gospel began to spread, and the number of believers increased daily; and all of them maintained such friendly intercourse, that they seemed to be of one heart and of one soul. The Jewish priests, with the Scribes and Pharisees, growing envious at the progress of Christianity, stirred up a persecution against the Church, murdered Stephen, and dispersed the rest of the disciples; thus the disciples went forth into several countries according as they were commissioned, and as they travelled, they preached to the Gentiles.