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, be fore the Love of Heavenly Things. The third of Difcord, when we make no Difficulty to offend the Minds of our Neighbours even in needlefs Things. The fourth of Iniquity, when we look upon it as no Crime to rob the Weaker, and to defraud them. Thefe Fires increafing by Degrees, extended fo as to meet one another, and being join'd, became an immenfe Flame. When it drew near, he, fearing for himself, faid to the Angel, Lord, behold the Fire draws near me. Who anfwer'd, That which you did not kindle fhall 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 Concupifcence ball burn in the Fire; for as every one burns in the Body through unlawful Pleafure, fo when discharg'd of the Bo dy he fall burn in due Punishment. Then he faw 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 faw Devils flying through the Fire, raifing Conflagrations of Wars against the Juft. 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 be very wholfome to himself, or to al others that would liften to them. They ha ving ended their Discourse, and returning to Heaven with the Angelical Spirits, the three Angels remaind with the Bleffed Furfeus, of whom we have spoken before, and who were to bring him back to his Body. And when they approach'd the aforefoid immense Fire, the Angel divided the Flame, as he had done before; but when the Man of God came to the Paffage fo 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 Punifhment. The Angel replying, faid, He did not receive the fame through Avarice, but in order to fave 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 Perfon that dy'd in bis Sins, his Punishment would not burn in you. And proceeding in his Difcourfe, gave him wholfome Advice, for what ought to be done towards the Salvation of fuch as repented. He being afterwards reftor'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 Flefh publickly flow'd, in a wonderful Man Q 3 ner, ner, what the Soul had fuffer'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 Vifions, he would on ly relate them to those, who ask'd him for the fake of Compunction. An ancient Brother of our Monastery is ftill living, who is wont to declare that a very fincere and religious Man told him, that he had seen Furfeus himfelf in the Province of the Eaft-Angles, and receiv'd those Visions from his Mouth. Adding, that tho' it was in most sharp Winter Weather, and an hard Froft, fitting in a thin Garment, when he related it, yet he fweated as if it had been in the greatest Heat of Summer, through either exceffive Fear, or Comfort. To return to what we were faying before, when after Preaching the Word of God many Years in Scotland, he could no longer bear the Tumult of the Crouds reforting to him, leaving all that he feem'd to have, he alfo departed his native Ifland, 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 faid, built a noble Monastery. Thefe Things being rightly perform'd, being defirous to rid himself of all Bufinefs of this World, and even of the Monaftery itself, he left the fame, and the Care of Souls to his Brother Fullan, and the Priests Gobban, or Golban and Dicull, and being himfelf free from all that was worldly, refolv'd to end his Life in Eremitical Converfation. He had another Brother call'd Ultan, who after a long Monaftical 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 feeing the Province in Confufion, by reafon of the Irruption of the Gentils, and prefaging 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 Counfellor Erconvald taking his Body, depofited it in the Porch of a Church he was building in his Town of Perron, or Perfon, till the Church itself fhould be dedicated. The which hapning twenty feven 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 fame Body to the Eastward of the Altar, it was ftill found free from any Blemish of Corruption, and tranflated thither with due Honour; where it is evident that his Merits, through the Divine Operation have been declar'd by many Miracles. Thefe 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, whofoever will read it, will find more fully, as alfo of his Fellow-Labourers in his aforefaid little Book. The Reliques of Furfeus are preferv'd in the Collegiate Church at Peronne in France, which is dedicated to him. Dr, Smith. CHAP Honorius dying, Deufdedit is chofen Archbishop of Canterbury, and who were at that Time Bishops of the Eaft Angles, and of the Church of Rochester. I N the mean Time a Felix, Bishop of the Eaft-Angles, dying, when he had held that See feventeen 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 ftead, Honorius himself alfo having run his Courfe, 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, Deufdedit, of the Nation of the South-Saxons was chofen the fixth Archbishop of Canterbury. To ordain whom Ithamar, Bifhop of Rochefter came thither. His Ordina tion a And was buried an Dunwich, thence remov'd to Soham, a Village near the Ifle of Heli, upon the edge of the Lake formerly dangerous to Ships, but now there is a Way to ga over the Marshes on foot, where are fill to be feen the Ruins of the Church burnt by the Danes; the Body of the Saint af ter long Search, was found and bury'd at Ramfey. Malmsb. de Pont, II. His Day is celebrated the 8th of March. Dr. Smith. |