Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/36

 of him, and of his Followers, and by which they so much prevailed upon the Saxon People, and King Ethelberht himself, as may be seen not only from this Homily, but from Bede; where we are told that Augustin'' imitated the Lives of the Apostles with frequent Prayers, Watchings, and Fastings; serving God, and preaching the Word of Life with all Diligence: despising all earthly things, as unprofitable, that he and his Companions, for the Love of the Truth which they preached, were ready to suffer Persecution, and Death it self, if it were necessary. That hereupon many believed, and were baptised, admiring the Simplicity of their innocent Course of Life, and the Sweetness of their heavenly Doctrine. That King Ethelberht was so much pleased and delighted with it: as that he also received Baptism, and reverenced these Christians, as Men of a heavenly Conversation.''

Here is nothing like that Character of Arrogance, which some would fix upon St. Augustine, and altho' St. Gregory'', in a Letter to him, like a wise Father, and a kind Friend, cautions him against all Presumption, and Vanity, which the Devil might endeavour to insinuate into a Person, who had done such notable things, as the Conversion of a whole Nation, and shewing of Miracles: yet to shew you what Esteem he had of the Meekness of his Converfation, in the very close of the same Epistle, he acquits himself from having any distrust of his Conduct, and of the Hopefulness of his Condition. "This I say, because I desire to''