memorable event that occurred in the interval, in the following words, "In the mean time, Christ, the true Sun, superior to that luminary which shines on the firmament, displayed his divine rays, the knowledge of his precepts to this island, benumbed with the gloom of winter; for we know that in the latter end of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, his bright and glorious beams first shone upon the world."*

---

The above quoted testimonies will suffice to prove the Apostolical antiquity of our Church, but we are not informed therein, who was appointed, in the hands of God, to be the first messenger of peace and salvation to our heathen ancestors. To satisfy our curiosity on this point, we must consult old British documents, of undoubted credit, styled, "The Triads of the Isle of Britain," and there we shall meet with the following statement :- "The three holy kings of the isle of Britain; the first, Bran the Blessed, the son of Llyr Llediaith, who first brought the Christian faith to the nation of the Cymry, from Rome, where he had been for seven years as an hostage for his son Caradog, whom the Romans had imprisoned, after that he was betrayed by treachery, and an ambush laid for him, by Aregwedd Foeddawg. The second, Lleirwg, the son of Coel, who was the son of St. Cyllin, surnamed Llenfer Mawr, who established a Church at Llandaff, the first established in Britain. He also granted constitutional privileges, judicial power, and validity of oath to the Christians. The third, Cadwalladr the Blessed, who granted the privilege of his land and all his property to the faithful, who fled from the infidel Saxons, and the unbrotherly ones, who wished to slay them."+ Here we find the introduction of Christianity into Britain attributed to Bran, the son of Llyr Llediaith, and father of the brave Caradog, or Caractacus. This prince was, together with his father and the whole of his family, carried captive to Rome, by the Emperor Claudius, in the year 52. St. Paul was carried prisoner to the same place, about the year 58; and if Bran and his family were detained there seven years, they might have thus enjoyed the ministry of St. Paul for one year. It is not improbable, that they had heard the Gospel preached there in the course of the preceding six years; for we know that it was proclaimed in Rome before St. Paul's arrival, and that they were in the last year confirmed in the faith by the great Apostle of the Gentiles himself.

In an ancient British manuscript, designated "The Genealogy of the Saints of the Isles of Britain," we are told, that Bran, on his return to his native country, was accompanied by three Christian teachers, from Rome, of the names of Ilid and Cyndaf (who are said to have been Israelites,) and Arwystli Hen (an Italian,) who, no doubt, is the Aristobulus mentioned in Rom. xvi. 10. As Bran's abode and dominions lay in Siluria, which comprises a part of South Wales, we may naturally suppose that the glad tidings of the Gospel were first proclaimed to the inhabitants of that favoured spot. And it is thought that Llanilid, between Llantrisant and Bridgend, is the oldest Church in Britain. Not far from this Church is a farm-house, called Trefran, and there, it is said, Bran resided. The wakes or festivals of that parish are still called Gwyl Geri, from Ceri, the grandfather, or, as some say, the father of Bran. Perhaps, also, Compare Rom, ii, 8,

Epist. c. i. † Myf. Arch. vol. ii. p. 63, tr. 53, 13, xv. 23,

Llantrisant was dedicated to the memory of the three saints that came over with Bran.

We may rest assured that St. Paul, who commanded Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, to lay hands suddenly on no man," acted in a similar manner himself towards the above missionaries, and that he, having found them "apt and meet to execute their ministry duly," ordained them by imposition of hands.

The epithet, "Blessed," might have been affixed to the name of Bran in consideration of his sacred office. And the Greeks affirm of Aristobulus, that he was "brother of St. Barnabas, and one of the seventy disciples; that he was ordained a bishop by St. Barnabas or St. Paul, whom he followed in his travels, and was sent into Britain, where he laboured much, made many converts, founded churches, and furnished them with priests and deacons, and at last died there."* If Aristobulus was ordained by St. Paul, we see the propriety of Theodoret styling the Britons disciples of the tent-maker," even if St. Paul never visited Britain in person.

From what has been said, we gather that a Christian Church has existed in Britain from the days of the Apostles, planted by bishops of St. Paul's ordination, which completely refutes the assertions of those who maintain that in the time of King Lucius, and the Pope Eleutherius, Christianity first found its way to this country.

It is worthy of observation, that the Church of Britain was fully settled and established prior to the Church of Rome, because Linus, the first Bishop of Rome, was not appointed until the year of St. Paul and St. Peter's martyrdom, which was seven or eight years subsequent to the appointment of the three orders in Britain. Also, that LIN-us (Cy-LLIN) was a Briton, the son of Caractacus; and, consequently, that the Romanists lie under a greater obligation to the Britons, for the foundation of their Church, than the Britons to them.

But granting, say our opponents further, that there was a Christian Church in Britain before the time of Lucius, yet the conduct of that prince in applying to Rome for baptism, implies her dependence at that period upon the Church of Rome.

It is but too probable that Bede, and others of the same principles, in their bigoted zeal for the supremacy of the Pope, framed this account as well as they could to correspond with their own inclinations. That it has been perverted is clear enough, for the conversion of Lucius has been attributed to sundry Popes; Evaristus, A.D. 100, Alexander I., A.D. 109, and Eleutherius, A.D. 156. And Archbishop Usher has enumerated no less than twenty-five different statements of the year in which that event occurred. At the period of which we are speaking the state of religion in this country was undoubtedly low, and so Lucius, recollecting that the Gospel was first brought here from Rome, was naturally enough induced to resort to the same source for aid to restore it. Indeed the very idea of his making such an application implies, on his part, a previous acquaintance with the truths of Christianity. The several Churches of Christendom were at this time in their purity, and the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome was confined within the limits of

Usher's Britann. Eccles. Antiq. p. 9.

2

Italy and Sicily. In the Council of Nice, A.D. 325, it was decreed that the "ancient customs should prevail, and the privileges of Churches be preserved." The Council of Ephesus also, A.D. 430, forbade Bishops to "assume jurisdiction over provinces which had not from the beginning been subject to their predecessors;" and it enjoined on "all who might have taken such provinces an immediate restitution." It likewise decreed "that every province should preserve pure and inviolate the rights which it had from the beginning; that the canons of the Fathers might not be transgressed, nor the pride of worldly dominion enter under the pretence of the sacred ministry."*

I have before shewn that the British Church was independent of the Church of Rome in her origin; we are further assured that she continued to maintain and exercise that independence down to the time when the above synods were convened. For in the year 381, when the Council of Constantinople was held, according to a very ancient Greek MS. in the Bodleian Library, purporting to be "the order of the Presidency of the most holy patriarchs on that occasion, neither England, Scotland, nor Ireland, were reckoned dependents on the Roman Patriarchate.t Jerome also, about the same time, testifi that the British Church was sound in the faith, and wholly independent of any other Church.‡

22

That she was independent of the Roman jurisdiction in the year 314, when the Council of Arles was held, appears from the conduct of her representatives at the said Council. There were present three British Prelates, Eborius, Bishop of York, Restitutus, Bishop of London, and Adelphuis, Bishop of Caerleon, who was also attended by Sacerdos the Priest, and Arminius the Deacon, from the same place. These sub> scribed to the acts of the Council, one of which was "That no Bishop should encroach upon another." Then they forwarded the canons to the Bishop of Rome, to be promulgated, and not, as the Romanists pretend, to be confirmed by him. In this letter to the Bishop of Rome they give him none of those pompous titles, which the Popes have since assumed, but simply call him their "dear brother" they say they were all knit together in one common bond of charity and unity that they were met at Arles, in obedience to their most pious emperor-that they should have been glad of their brother's, the Bishop of Rome's, company-but as that could not be, they had sent him an abstract of their canons, that he might publish it throughout all his diocese.§ According to the resolutions of the Councils of Nice and Ephesus the British Church was to continue thus independent until the canons should be altered by another Council of equal authority; and as no such Council has ever since been held, we must unfeignedly protest that "the Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in the realm of England.”

The

Moreover, in the letter reported to have been written by Eleutherius to Lucius, we find the nationality and independence of the British Church frankly and unequivocally admitted by the former. prince is congratulated "for having established the Church in his kingdom," and recommended, as the temporal head of that Church, "to rule the same in the unity of the faith and the law of Christ." And lastly, in consideration of his supremacy in things ecclesiastical, he is compli *Origines Liturg. vol. ii. P. 263. Hierom in Paulin.

+ Peranzabula, p. 71, § Peranz. p. 68.

mented with the enviable title of "Vicar of Christ," which title was adopted and retained by the British Kings and their Saxon successors, down to William the Conqueror, but afterwards usurped by the Popes." Granting that the British prince was aided in his designs to promote the original efficiency of his Church at this period by the co-operation of Christian teachers from Rome, yet the fact would go no further to establish her dependence on the See of Rome, than the arrival of Germanus and Lupus, at a subsequent period, would transfer her allegiance to the Church of Gaul. Indeed, if a converted nation necessarily becomes subject to the particular See from whence it was originally supplied with instructors, then all the churches would be subject to the See of Jerusalem, since it was from thence the Gospel was propagated throughout the world.

From the time of Lucius down to the arrival of Augustine the monk, A.D. 589, it does not appear that the national Church of Britain was at all annoyed by Romish interference. In the meantime, ecclesiastical affairs were conducted "decently and in order." Dioceses were formed, churches were erected and endowed, monasteries and schools were founded in different parts of the country; and, under royal patronage, Christianity became more eminently the religion of the State.

If we

The Romanists confess, as we have seen in Bede's account, that the British Church kept the faith inviolate until the time of Dioclesian. Now, by keeping it inviolate, we are to understand here keeping it in accordance with their own-for they will not admit any religion to be orthodox which at all varies from that professed by themselves. consult Ecclesiastical History, we shall find that the Church of Rome began, about this time, to err and deviate from her primitive doctrine; therefore, this unintentional confession, on their part, goes far to prove that the British Church continued to maintain, in purity and simplicity, the "faith which was once delivered unto the Saints," and consequently was different from the Church of Rome.

It is true that corruptions and errors occasionally crept into the Church of Britain, but they were not cherished and preserved in her as essential points of faith, according to the practice adopted in the Roman Church. They were soon discovered to be errors, and the Rulers of the Church exerted their utmost endeavours to remove them as such. Accordingly when Pelagius broached his heretical doctrines, an application was forthwith made to the Church of Gaul for aid to suppress them, in compliance with which, Germanus and Lupus, two eminent prelates, were immediately dispatched over. These divines succeeded wonderfully in checking the progress of the heresy for a time; and when the same plague broke out afresh, Germanus was again invited over, who now prevailed with the civil authorities to banish the Pelagians out of the country. After that St. David was raised as defender of the faith, who, by his laborious exertions, completely extirpated the destructive doctrine, so that not a vestige was left on Augustine's arrival.

I have alluded to this fact merely to shew the watchfulness exercised by our ancestors over the welfare of their Church. Neither were the monastic institutions at this time indicative of any religious decline, or

* Hales's Origin and Purity of the Brit. Church, p. 108.

ecclesiastical abuses; because these establishments were not tainted with the extravagances and corruptions which naturally affected them under the sway of Popery. They were founded with a view to promote learning and piety as well as to supply the Church with competent ministers. The monks gained their own livelihood by cultivating waste lands, with which their establishments were endowed by their wealthier neighbours. They resorted much to prayer and fasting, and their whole demeanour was unimpeached. Indeed the system altogether seemed peculiarly adapted for the turbulent state of the times.

(To be continued.)

MEDITATIONS ON THE FESTIVALS OF THE CHURCH.

THE SEASON OF ADVENT.

IN commencing a series of Meditations upon the Festivals of the Church, we are desirous to draw more attention than, we fear, is generally given to the peculiar structure and nature of her Ecclesiastical system. For we are led to believe, nay, we cannot but fear, that those who profess to be members of her Communion, are either not aware of the propriety and necessity of conforming to the various offices appointed by her Ritual, or being aware of the duty which their connection with the Church requires of them, even in a still greater degree, by refusing to comply with her demands. To such persons much of the beauty of the Ecclesiastical system is lost, and consequently much spiritual advantage is foregone. For the Ecclesiastical year contains a series of Offices of periodical occurrence, many of which follow each other in natural and regular succession, founded upon events which occurred in the lives, either of our Lord or his Apostles. Thus the Church has designed to keep up a continual and devout recollection of the grand circumstances of our Lord's Birth, and Ministry, and Atonement, as well as to hold up to the regard and imitation of all her members, the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, who having followed him in the time of his first Advent, in the regeneration, shall hereafter appear with him in glory, sitting upon thrones, and judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. But when we perceive the indifference and neglect with which such Holy Festivals of the Church are too frequently regarded, and when we contemplate God's house of prayer so little, if at all, attended when these Festivals are celebrated, we may well wonder at the coldness and want of zeal and devotion of these latter days, and be led to fear, that having declined from the old paths which have been trodden by our fathers, our lukewarmness will be severely visited by God, when he ariseth, as we are told that he will one day arise, "to shake terribly the earth."

Feeling, therefore, as we do, that these are eventful days, and carnestly desiring a return to the practice of those times, when the objects of eternity assumed a higher import; since in the views and esteem of those who wished to be regarded as the servants of God, we propose, with the blessing of the Almighty, and by the aid of his Spirit, to devote, from time to time, as occasion may occur, a little space to some brief considerations upon the principal Festivals of the Church; and accordingly we