and to learn the language in which they are publickly read, ever fince it hath ceased to be the vulgar tongue. And most certain it is that it is Religion which hath preferved the knowledge of the dead languages. We fee that, by the state of Afric, where Latin is now abfolutely unknown, although in the days of St. Auguftin it was fpoken there as in Italy. It is then by an ef fect of Providence that a reverence for Religion hath caufed the ancient tongues to be preserved. Elfe we fhould have loft the originals of the holy Scriptures, and of other ancient Authors, and fhould not be able to know whether the verfions of them were faithful.

Ceremonies alfo are a bar to innovations; they are publick protefts against them, which at least put a stop to Prescription, and warn us of the wholefome practices of Antiquity. Thus the office of Septuagefima fhews us how we ought to prepare ourselves for Lent; the ceremony of Afh-Wednesday re

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prefents to us the laws of Penance; the whole Lent-fervice fhews us with what care the Catechumens were prepared for baptifm, and the Penitents for abfolution, &c. The office for the day before Eafter is intended to remind us that we ought to fpend in a religious manner the night before the Resurrection. If these forms had been abolished, we should be ignorant of the fervour of the ancient Chriftians, a fervour capable of overwhelming us with a falutaconfufion. And who knows whether in happier times the Church may not re-establish thofe holy practices?

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The firft Authors who have treated of Religious Ceremonies lived in the ages which I am reviewing; but they all speak of them as of most ancient inftitutions; and if in their time any new ones had been introduced, they would not have failed to obferve it. To these Ceremonies they affign myftical meanings, of which every one may form fuch judgment as he thinks fit. At leaft they affure us of a matter of fact;

and

and we may be certain that they were practised in their times, fince they pretend to affign the reasons of them. This in my opinion is the chief ufe of thefe Writers. But you have seen in the firft fix ages proofs of our Ceremonies, at least of those which are most effential.

Laftly, Thefe middle ages have also had their Apostles, who founded new Churches amongst the Infidels at the expence of their blood; and thefe Apoftles were Monks. Amongst the chief I count St. Auftin of England, and his companions, fent by St. Gregory, who though they did not suffer martyrdom, had the merit of it, by the courage with which they exposed themselves in the midft of a nation, as then, barbarous. Nothing is more edifying than the hiftory of that infant Church, which Bede hath preserved to us, where we fee virtues and miracles. worthy of the firft ages. And indeed it may be said that every age hath had its primitive Church. That of England proved the fruitful fource of the Nor thern

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thern Churches. The Anglo-Saxons, becoming Chriftians, had compaffion on their brethren the ancient Saxons refiding in Germany, and addicted to Idolatry. With an active zeal they undertook to carry the Lamp of the Gofpel through those vaft regions. Thence came the miffion of St. Villebrod in Frifia, and of St. Bonifacius in Germany. It is fomewhat furprising that for the space of feven hundred years fo many pious Bishops of Cologn, Treves. Mentz, and other cities of Gaul on the confines of Germany fhould not have undertaken to convert the people beyond the Rhine. Doubtless they faw in the attempt unfurmountable difficulties, either from the diverfity of language, or the ferocity of thefe nations fo remote from Chriftian mildnefs, as I have endeavoured to fhew elfewhere. But, without prefuming to penetrate into the defigns of God, certain it is that he did not think fit to make himself known to the Germanic nati ons, till about the middle of the eighth century;

century; and that in this he fhewed more favour to them than to the Indians and others whom he hath left to this day under the darkness of Idolatry. Now I find some remarkable circumftances in the foundation of these Churches. First, they who undertook the labour of this Ministry, always received a Miffion from the Pope, though in the earliest times, every Bishop thought himself privileged to preach to his neigbouring Infidels. But it is to be fuppofed that in the later ages the Pope's appointment might be neceffary, to remove diverfe obftacles and in fact I find that St. Bonifacius had to contend with certain independent and irregular Priests up and down in Germany, who acknowledged the jurifdiction of no Prelate. I find alfo that this holy Martyr neglected not to fecure the temporal protection of Charles Martel, and of Pepin, to prevent his infant Church from being stifled in the cradle. I fee that afterwards fuch Miffions continued to be fupported by

Princes,