Falfhood, when we do not fulfill that which we promis'd in Baptifm, to renounce the Devil and all his Works. The next of Covetousness, when we prefer the Riches of the World, before the Love of Heavenly Things. The third of Difcord, when we make no Difficulty to offend the Minds of our Neighbours even in needless Things. The fourth of Iniquity, when we look upon it as no Crime to rob the Weaker, and to defraud them. These Fires increasing by Degrees, extended so as to meet one another, and being join'd, became an immense Flame. When it drew near, he, fearing for himself, faid to the Angel, Lord, behold the Fire draws near me. Whoanswer'd, That which you did not kindle shall not burn you; for tho this appears to be a terrible and great Fire, yet it tries every Man according to the Merits of his Works ; for every Man's Concupiscence shall burn in the Fire; for as every one burns in the Body through unlawful Pleasure, so when discharg'd of the Body be frall burn in due Punishment. Then he saw one of the three Angels, who had been his Conductors throughout both Visions, going before, divide the Flame of Fire, and the other two flying about on his two fides, defend him from the Danger of that Fire. He also saw Devils flying through the Fire, raifing Conflagrations of Wars against the Just. Then follow'd Accufations of the wicked Spirits against him, the Defence of the Good, and the Light of more numerous Heavenly Troops; as alfo of Men of his own Scotish Nation, whom he had long fince been inform'd to have been defervedly advanc'd to the Degree of Priefthood, from whom he heard many Things that might

:)

might be very wholsome to himself, or to all others that would listen to them. They having ended their Discourse, and returning to Heaven with the Angelical Spirits, the three Angels remain'd with the Blesled Furfeus, of whom we have spoken before, and who were to bring him back to his Body. And when they approach'd the aforesoid immenfe Fire, the Angel divided the Flame, as he had done before; but when the Man of God came to the Paffage so open'd amidst the Flames, the unclean Spirits laying hold of one of those whom they tormented in the Fire, threw him at him, and touching his Shoulder and Jaw, burnt them. He knew the Man, and call'd to mind that he had receiv'd his Garment when he dy'd; and the Angel immediately laying hold, threw him back into the Fire, and the malignant Enemy faid, Do not reject him you before receiv'd; for as you accepted of his Goods being a Sinner, so you are to partake of his Punishment. The Angel replying, faid, He did not receive the same through Avarice, but in order to save his Soul. The Fire ceas'd, and the Angel turning to him added, That which you kindled burnt in you; for had you not receiv'd the Money of this Person that dyd in bis Sins, his Punishment would not burn in you. And proceeding in his Discourse, gave him wholsome Advice, for what ought to be done towards the Salvation of fuch as repented. He being afterwards restor'd to his Body, throughout the whole Course of his Life, bore the Mark of the Fire which he had felt in his Soul, visible to all Men on his Shoulder and Jaw; and the Flesh publickly show'd, in a wonderful ManQ3

ner,

ner, what the Soul had suffer'd in private. He always took care, as he had done before, to induce all Men to the Practice of Virtue, as well by his Example, as by Preaching. But as for the Matter of his Visions, he would only relate them to those, who ask'd him for the fake of Compunction. An ancient Brother of our Monastery is still living, who is wont to declare that a very fincere and religious Man told him, that he had seen Furfeus himself in the Province of the East-Angles, and receiv'd those Visions from his Mouth. Adding, that tho' it was in most sharp Winter Weather, and an hard Frost, fitting in a thin Garment, when he related it, yet he sweated as if it had been in the greatest Heat of Summer, through either excessive Fear, or Comfort.

To return to what we were saying before, when after Preaching the Word of God many Years in Scotland, he could no longer bear the Tumult of the Crouds resorting to him, leaving all that he seem'd to have, he also departed his native Island, and came with a few Brothers through the Britons into the Province of the English, and preaching the Word of God there, as has been said, built a noble Monastery. These Things being rightly perform'd, being defirous to rid himself of all Business of this World, and even of the Monastery itself, he left the fame, and the Care of Souls to his Brother Fullan, and the Priests Gobban, or Golban and Dicull, and being himself free from all that was worldly, resolv'd to end his Life in Eremitical Conversation. He had another Brother call'd Ultan, who after a long Monastical Probation was arriv'd at an Ancho

Anchoritical Life. Repairing all alone to him, he liv'd an whole Year with him in Continence and Prayer, and daily Labour of his Hands. Afterwards seeing the Province in Confufion, by reason of the Irruption of the Gentils, and presaging that the Monafteries would be alfo in Danger, leaving all Things orderly, he fail'd over into France, and being there honourably entertain'd by Lotharius, King of the Francs, or the Counsellor Erconvald, he built a Monastery in the Place call'd Latiniacum; and falling fick not long after, departed this Life. The fame Counsellor Erconvald taking his Body, deposited it in the Porch of a Church he was building in his Town of Perron, or Perfon, till the Church itself should be dedicated. The which hapning twenty seven Days after, and the Body taken from the Porch, being bury'd near the Altar, was found as entire as if he had just then dy'd. And again four Years after a more decent Tabernacle or Chapel being built for the same Body to the Eastward of the Altar, it was still found free from any Blemish of Corruption, and translated thither with due Honour; where it is evident that his Merits, through the Divine Operation have been declar'd by many Miracles. These Things and the Incorruption of his Body we have taken notice of, that the Sublimeness of this Man may be the better known to the Rea ders. All which, whosoever will read it, will find more fully, as also of his Fellow-Labourers in his aforesaid little Book.

The Reliques of Furseus are preferu'd in the Collegiate Church at Peronne in France, which is dedicated to him. Dr. Smith.

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CHAP

i

CHAP. XX.

Honorius dying, Deusdedit is chofen Archbishop of Canterbury, and who were at that Time Bishops of the East Angles, and of the Church of Rochester.

N the mean Time a Felix, Bishop of the

Ingles, dying, when he held the

See seventeen Years, Honorius ordain'd Thomas his Deacon, of the Province of the Gyrvit, in his Place; and he departing this Life when he had been Bishop five Years, he substituted Berchtgiflus, furnam'd Boniface, of the Province of Kent in his stead, Honorius himself also having run his Course, departed this Life, in the Year from the Incarnation of our Lord 653, the Day before the Kalends of October; and and when the See had been vacant a Year and fix Months, Deusdedit, of the Nation of the South-Saxons was chofen the fixth Archbishop of Canterbury. To ordain whom Ithamar, Bishop of Rochester came thither. His Ordination