Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/440

 4 c4 A U G U S T I N. lib. I. method of theGofpel; that the religion of Jefus Chrift was ea F-* to ir, a ke its way by argument and perfuafion, and to be mat- ter of choice, not of compulfion. Auguftin, by direction cf the pope, went afterwards to Aries in France, where he was eonfecrated archbifhop and metropolitan of the Englifh na- tion by the archbifhop of that place. On his return to Bri- tain, he difpatched a prieft and a monk to Rome, to acquaint the pope with the fuccefs of his mifiion, and to defire his re- Bede, lib. i.folution of certain queftions. Thefe men brought back cap. 27. w j tn them a pall, and feveral books, veftments, utenfils, and ornaments for the churches. His holinefs, by the fame mef- fengers, gave Auguftin directions concerning the fettling of epifcopal fees in Britain, and ordered him not to pull down the idol- temples, but convert them into Chriftian churches; only deftroying the idols, and fprinkling the plate with holy water, that the natives, by frequenting the temples they had been always accuftomed to, might be the lefs (hocked at their entrance into Chriftianity. And whereas it had been their cuftom to facrifice oxen to their falfe gods, he advifed that, upon the anniversary of each church's confecration, the peo- ple fhould erel booths round about it, and feaft therein ; not facrificing their oxen to devils, but killing them for their own refrefhment, and praifmg God for the bleffing. Ib. cap. 34. He futher cautioned him not to be pufted up with the mira- cles, h was enabled to work in confirmation of his miniftryj but toconfider how much the Englifh were the favourites of heaven, fmce God enabled him to alter the courfe of nature to promote their converfion. Auguftin fixed his fee at Canterbury ; and, being fupported by Ethelbert, made an attempt to fettle a correfpondence with the Britifh bifhops, and to bring them to a conformity with the Romifh church. To this purpofe a conference was held at a place in Worcefterfhire, fmce called Auguftin's Oak, but without fuccefs. A fecond conference was pro- pofed, at which the appearance was more numerous than at the former ; feven Britifh bifhops attending at it, with a great many learned monks from the monaftery of Bancorna- burg, or Bungor, who were under the direction of their ab- bot Dinoth. Thefe Britons, before they began their journey, applied to a certain hermit of eminent virtue and good fenfe, to know whether or not they (hould give up the ufages and traditions of their church, and acknowledge the pretenfions of Auguftin. He told them, that it Auguftin Ihould prove to be a man of God, they ought to be governed by him. They afked him how they Chouid know this. The hermit replied,