Page:Elizabeth Elstob - An English-Saxon homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory.djvu/40

 Baptism, by which we are born again to God, according to the Custom of the Holy, and Apostolical Roman Church. And, 3. That they should join with them, in preaching to the English. St. Augustine'' told them, that if they wou'd concur with him in these Particulars, tho' they differ'd from them in many other things, they wou'd easily bear with all the rest. But the Britains wou'd agree with him in no one Point, nor pay him any Respect as an Archbishop. So that it is plain, on which side the Obstinacy lay. Nay, it is very probable, that St. Augustine wou'd have comply'd with them yet farther, so far as it was safe, and have waved all his Pretensions, if he then made any, to a Superiority over them, wou'd they have come to a cool Debate; but they flew off, and wou'd hearken to no Terms. And it ought not to be forgotten, that the British Bishops, from elder Times, had not been very famous for Conformity, and Agreement amongst themselves. So that it is no wonder if they were not so complaisant, as to fall readily into an Agreement with St. Augustine. And perhaps it is no Absurdity at all, to mention this Account of the high Stomach of the British Bishops; since the great Bishop Stillingfleet acquaints us with it, in the Contest that happen'd about the Metropolitan Jurisdiction, between the Bishops of Landaff and St. Davids, when he tells us, that''