5.20. Religion is not to be inforced but per|swaded and preached, Augustine is made archbishop of England, Gregorie informeth Augustine of certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new English church, as the reuenewes of the church to be diuided into foure parts, of liturgie, of mariage, of ecclesiasticall discipline and ordeining of bishops: trifling questions obiected by Augustine to Gregorie, fel|low helpers are sent ouer to assist Augustine in his ministerie, he receiueth his pall, reformation must be doone by little and little, not to glorie in miracles, the effect of Gregories let|ters to K. Ethelbert after his con|uersion to christianitie. The xx. Chapter.

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Religion is not to be inforced but per|swaded and preached, Augustine is made archbishop of England, Gregorie informeth Augustine of certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new English church, as the reuenewes of the church to be diuided into foure parts, of liturgie, of mariage, of ecclesiasticall discipline and ordeining of bishops: trifling questions obiected by Augustine to Gregorie, fel|low helpers are sent ouer to assist Augustine in his ministerie, he receiueth his pall, reformation must be doone by little and little, not to glorie in miracles, the effect of Gregories let|ters to K. Ethelbert after his con|uersion to christianitie. The xx. Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _KIng Ethelbert reioised at the conuersion of his peo|ple,Beda. lib. 1. cap. 26. and 27. howbeit he would not force anie man to be bapti|sed, but onelie shewed by his behauiour, that he fauored those that beléeued more than other, as fellow citizens with him of the heauenlie kingdome: for he learned of them that had instructed him in the faith, that the obedience due to Christ ought not to be inforced, but to come of good will. Moreouer he prouided for Au|gustine and his fellowes a conuenient place for their habitation within the citie of Canturburie, and fur|ther gaue them necessarie reuenewes in possession for their maintenance.Augustine or|deined archbi|shop of the English na|tion. After that the faith of Christ was thus receiued of the English men, Augustine went into France, and there of the archbishop of Arles named Etherius was ordeined archbishop of the English nation, according to the order prescri|bed by Gregorie before the departure of the said Au|gustine from Rome.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After his returne into Britaine, he sent Lau|rence a priest,Laurence a priest. and Péeter a moonke vnto Rome, to giue knowledge vnto Gregorie the bishop, how the Englishmen had receiued the faith, and that he was ordeined archbishop of the land, according to that he had commanded, if the woorke prospered vnder his hand as it had doone. He also required to haue Gre|gories aduice touching certeine ordinances to be made and obserued in the new church of England. Wherevpon Gregorie, sending backe the messen|gers, wrote an answere vnto all his demands. And first touching the conuersation of archbishops with the clergie, and in what sort the church goods ought to be imploied,The reue|newes of the church to be diuided into 4. parts. he declared that the ancient custome of the apostolike see was to giue commandement vnto bishops ordeined, that the profits and reue|newes of their benefices ought to be diuided into foure parts, whereof the first should be appointed to the bishop and his familie for the maintenance of hospitalitie: the second should be assigned to the clergie: the third giuen to the poore: and the fourth imploied vpon repairing of temples.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And whereas in the church of Rome one custome in saieng masse or the liturgie was obserued,Liturgie. and another custome in France; concerning such church seruice,Church ser|uice. Gregorie aduised Austine that if he found anie thing either in the church of Rome, either in the church of France, or in anie other church which might most please the almightie God, he should diligentlie choose it out, and instruct the church of England (now being new) according to that forme which he should gather foorth of the said churches: for the things are not loued for the places sake, but the places for the things sake.Such as did steale. Also for punishing of such as had sto|len things out of churches, so néere as might be, the offendor should be chastised in charitie, so as he might know his fault, and (if it were possible) restore the thing taken away.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 And touching degrées in mariage, Englishmen might take to their wiues,Mariages. women that touched them in the third and fourth degrée without reprehension, and if any vnlawfull mariages were found amongst the Englishmen, as if the sonne had maried the fa|thers wife, or the brother the brothers wife, they ought to be warned in anie wise to absteine, and vn|derstand it to be a gréeuous sinne: yet should they not for that thing be depriued of the communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord, least those things might séeme to be punished in them wherein they had offended (before their conuersion to the christian faith) by ignorance:Discipline of the church. for at this season the church (saith he) correcteth some things of a feruent earnestnesse, suffreth some things of a gentle mildnes, and dissem|bleth some things of a prudent consideration, and so beareth and winketh at the same, that oftentimes the euill which she abhorreth by such bearing and dissem|bling, is restreined and reformed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Moreouer touching the ordeining of bishops,Ordeining of bishops. he would they should be so placed, that the distance of place might not be a let, but that when a bishop should be consecrated, there might be thrée or foure present. Also touching the bishops of France, he willed Au|gustine in no wise to intermeddle with them, other|wise than by exhortation and good admonition to be giuen, but not to presume anie thing by authoritie, sith the archbishop of Arles had receiued the pall in times past, whose authoritie he might not diminish, least he should séeme to put his sickle into another mans haruest. But as for the bishops of Britaine, he committed them vnto him, that the vnlearned might be taught, the weake with wholesome persua|sions strengthened, and the froward by authoritie reformed. Moreouer, that a woman with child might be baptised,Women with child. and she that was deliuered after 33 daies of a manchild, and after 46 daies of a woman|child, should be purified, but yet might she enter the church before, if she would.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The residue of Augustines demands consisted in these points,Matters in question about trifles. to wit:

Compare 1577 edition: 1 1 Within what space a child should be christened after it was borne, for doubt to be preuented by death?

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Within what time a man might companie with his wife after she was brought to bed?

Compare 1577 edition: 1 3 Whether a woman, hauing hir floures, might enter the church, or receiue the communion?

Compare 1577 edition: 1 4 Whether a man hauing had companie with his wife, might enter the church, or receiue the commu|nion before he was washed with water?

Compare 1577 edition: 1 5 Whether after pollusion by night in dreames, a man might receiue the communion: or if he were a priest, whether he might say masse?

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 To these questions Gregorie maketh answere at full in the booke and place before cited, which for bréefenesse we passe ouer. He sent also at that time with the messengers aforesaid, at their returne into England, diuers learned men to helpe Augustine in the haruest of the Lord. The names of the chiefest were these,Assistance to Augustine. The pall. Melitus, Iustus, Paulinus, and Ruffi|nianus. He sent also the pall, which is the ornament of an archbishop, with vessels and apparell which should be vsed in churches by the archbishop and o|ther ministers. He sent also with the pall other let|ters to Augustine, to let him vnderstand what num|ber of bishops he would haue him to ordeine within this land. Also after that Melitus, and the other be|fore mentioned persons were departed from Rome, he sent a letter vnto the same Melitus, being yet on his way toward Britaine, touching further matter EEBO page image 102 concerning the churches of England, wherein he confesseth that manie things are permitted to be vsed of the people latelie brought from the errors of gentilitie,Bearing with them that had newlie recei|ued the faith, whereof su|perstition grew and in|creased. in keeping feasts on the dedication daies, which haue resemblance with the old superstitious rites of the Pagan religion. For to hard and obsti|nate minds (saith he) it is not possible to cut away all things at once, for he that coueteth to the highest place, goeth vp by steps and not by leaps.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 At the same time Gregorie did send letters vnto Augustine touching the miracles,Miracles. which by report he vnderstood were shewed by the fame Augustine, counselling him in no wise to glorie in the same, but rather in reioising to feare, and consider that God gaue him the gift to worke such signes for the wealth of them to whom he was sent to preach the gospell: he aduised him therefore to beware of vaine-glorie and presumption, for the disciples of the truth (faith he) haue no ioy, but onlie that which is common with all men, of which there is no end, for not euerie one that is elect worketh miracles, but euerie of the elect haue their names written in heauen. These letters, with the other which Gregorie sent at this time vnto Augustine, were dated the tenth day of the kalends of Iulie,602 in the yéere of our Lord 602, which was the 19 yeere of the emperour Mauricius. Moreouer he sent most courteous letters by these messengers to king Ethelbert, in the which he greatlie commen|ded him, in that he had receiued the christian faith, and exhorted him to continue in that most holie state of life, whereby he might worthilie looke for re|ward at the hands of almightie God.