"In the Name of our Lord and Saviour "JESUS CHRIST, in the Reign of our "most pious Lords, Ecgfrid, King of "the Northumbrians, the 10th Year of "his faid Reign, the 15th Day of "the Kalends of October, the eighth In"dition; and Ethelfrid, King of the Mer" ans, the fixth Year of his Reign; and Al dulf, of the East-Angles, the seventeenth "Year of his Reign; and Lothair, King of "Kent, the seventh Year of his Reign; The odore, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of "the Island of Britain, and of the City of "Canterbury, prefiding, the other venerable "Bishops of the Ifland of Britain fitting with "him, the Holy Gospels being laid before "them, at the Place, which in the Saxon "Tongue is call'd Haethfeld, conferring to"gether, we Expounded the True and Ortho"dox Faith, as our Lord JESUS in the Flesh " deliver'd the same to his Disciples, who "saw him present, and heard his Words, " and as deliver'd in the Creed of the Holy "Fathers, and by all Holy and Universal Sy"nods in general, and the Consent of all " approv'd Doctors of the Catholick Church, we therefore following them jointly and orthodoxly, professing according to their divinely inspir'd Doctrine, do believe, and "do, according to the Holy Fathers, firmly confefs, properly and truly the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, a Trinity confubstantial in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, ८८ ८८ Y2 "that • Now Bishops-Hatfeild in Hertfordshire. "that is, one God in three Subsistences, or "Consubstantial Persons of equal Honour and Glory. And after much more of this fort, appertaining to the Confeffion of the true Faith, this Holy Synod added to its Inftrument. We have receiv'd the five Holy "and General Councils of the Blessed Fathers acceptable to God; that is, those who were affembled in the Nicene Council of 318 Bishops, against the most impious Arius and his Tenets; and at Conftantinople, of 150 against the Madness of Macedonius and Eudoxius, and their Tenets; and at Ephe"fus, first of 200 against the most wicked ८८ Neftorius, and his Tenets; and at Chalcedon, "of 630 against Eutyches and Neftorius, and " their Tenets; and again, at Constantinople, they Aflembled in the fifth Council, in the Reign of Juftinian the Younger, againft "Theodorus and Theodoret, and the Epistles of "Iba, and their Tenets. (And against Cyril, a " little lower.) And the Synod held in the "City of Rome, in the Time of the most "blesled Pope Martin, the eighth Indiction, the most pious Constantin being Emperor, "and in his ninth Year. We receive and "glorify our Lord JESUS CHRIST, as they * glorified Him, neither adding nor diminish ing any thing, Anathematizing those with our Hearts and Mouths whom they anathematiz'd, and receiving those whom they receiv'd, glorifying God the Father without any Beginning, and his only begotten Son generated from Eternity, and the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and "the Son after an ineffable Manner, as those Holy "Holy Apostles, Prophets, and Doctors, whom we have above mention'd did de"clare. And all we, who with Archbishop "Theodore expounded the Catholick Faith, * have subscrib'd. CHAP. XVIII. Of Join the Singer of the Apoftolick See, who came into Britain to teach. T HE Venerable John, Archchanter of the Church of the Holy Apostle Peter, and Abbat of the Monaftery of St. Martin, who came lately from Rome, by Order of Pope Agatho, together with the most Reverend Abbat Bifcop, firnam'd Benedict, of whom mention has been made above, was present at this Synod, and with the rest, sign'd the Decrees of the Catholick Faith. For the faid Benedict having built a Monaftery in Britain, in Honour of the most blesled Prince of the Apostles, at the Mouth of the River Wire, went to Rome with Ceolfrid his Companion and Fellow Labourer in that Work, who was after him Abbat of the same Monastery; the faid Benedict having been feveral Times bcfore at Rome, and was honourably receiv'd by Pope Agatho of blesled Memory; of whom he also ask'd and receiv'd the Confirmation of the Immunities of the Monastery he had built, being a Bull of Privilege sign'd by Apoftolical Y3 poftolical Authority, pursuant to what he knew King Ecgfrid had defir'd and granted, by whose Consent alfo and Gift of Poileffions in Land, he had built that Monastery. He then receiv'd the aforesaid Abbat John to be conducted into Britain, that he might teach in his Monastery the Method of finging throughout the Year, as it was practis'd at St Peter's at Rome. The Abbat John did as he had been commanded by the Pope, teaching the Singers of the faid Monastery the Order and Manner of finging and reading aloud and committing to Writing all that was requifite throughout the whole Course of the Year for celebrating of Festivals; all which are still obferv'd in that Monastery, and transcrib'd by many others elsewhere. The said John did not only teach the Brothers of that Monastery; but fuch as had Skill in Singing resorted from almost all the Monafteries of the fame Province to hear him; and many invited him to teach in other Places. Besides the Affair of Singing and Reading, he had also been directed by the Apoftolical Pope, which was carefully to inform himself concerning the Faith of the English Church, and to give an Account thereof at his Return to Rome. For he also brought with him the Decision of the Synod of the blessed Pope Martin, and 105 Bishops, not long before, held at Rome, principally against those who taught but one Will and Operation in CHRIST, and gave it to be tranfcrib'd in the aforesaid Monastery of the most Religious Abbat Benedict. That fort of Men at that Time, much perplex'd the Faith of the Church of Conftantinople; but by the Help Help of God they were then discover'd and subdu'd. Wherefore Pope Agatho being defirous to be inform'd concerning the State of the Church in Britain, as well as in other Provinces, and how clear from the Contagion of Hereticks, he gave this Affair in Charge to the most Reverend Abbat John, then appointed to go for Britain. The Synod we have spoken of having been gather'd to this Effect in Britain, the Catholick Faith was found untainted in them all; and a Copy of the same given him to carry to Rome. But in his Return to his own Country, he foon after croffing the Sea, fell Sick and Dy'd; and his Body, for the fake of St. Martin, in whose Monastery he prefided, was by his Friends carry'd to Tours, and honourably bury'd; for he had been lovingly entertain'd there when he went into Britain, and earnestly intreated by the Brethren, that in his Return to Rome he would take that Road, and give them a Visit. In short, he was there supply'd with some to conduct him on his Way, and afsist him in the Work enjoin'd him. Tho he dy'd by the Way, yet the Teftimonial of the Faith of the English Nation was carry'd to Rome, and most agreeably receiv'd by the Apoftolical Pope, and all those that heard or read it. CHAP. |