PART I. Many are of opinion, that the desire of extending CENT. V. his dominions was that which contributed principally to render Clovis faithful to his engagement; though some influence may also be allowed to the zeal and exhortations of his queen Clothildis. Be that as it will, nothing is more certain than that his profession of Christianity was, in effect, of great use to him, both in confirming and enlarging his empire. The miracles, which are said to have been wrought at the baptism of Clovis, are utterly unworthy of the smallest degree of credit. Among others the principal prodigy, that of the phial full of oil said to be brought from heaven by a milk white dove, during the ceremony of baptism, is a fiction, or rather perhaps an imposture; a pretended miracle contrived by artifice and fraud. Pious frauds of this nature were very commonly practised • The truth of this miracle has been denied by the learned John James Chiflet, in his book De ampulla Rhemensi, printed in folio, at Antwerp, in the year 1651; and it has been affirmed by Vertot, in the Memoires de l'Academie des Inscriptions et des Belles Lettres, tom. iv. p. 350. After a mature consideration of what has been alleged on both sides of the question, I can scarcely venture to deny the fact; I am therefore of opinion, that in order to confirm and fix the wavering faith of this barbarian prince, Remigius had prepared his measures beforehand, and trained a pigeon by vast application and dexterity in such a manner that, during the baptism of Clovis, it descended from the roof of the church with a phial of oil. Among the records of this century, we find accounts of many such miracles. There is one circumstance, which obliges me to differ from Dr. Mosheim upon this point, and to look upon the story of the famous phial rather as a mere fiction, than as a pious fraud or pretended miracle brought about by artifice; and that circumstance is, that Gregory of Tours, from whom we have a full account of the conversion and baptism of Clovis, and who, from his proximity to this time, may almost be called a contemporary writer, has not made the least mention of this famous miracle. This omission, in a writer whom the Roman catholics themselves consider as an over credulous historian, amounts to a proof that in his time this fable was not yet invented. PART 1. CENT. V. in Gaul and in Spain at this time, in order to captivate, with more facility, the minds of a rude and barbarous people, who were scarcely susceptible of a rational conviction. Of the Irish. The conversion of Clovis is looked upon by the learned as the origin of the titles of most christian king, and eldest son of the church, which have been so long attributed to the kings of France. For if we except this prince, all the kings of those barbarous nations who seized upon the Roman provinces, were either yet involved in the darkness of paganism, or infected with the arian heresy. VI. Celestine, the Roman pontiff, sent Palladius into Ireland, to propagate the christian religion among the rude inhabitants of that island. This first mission was not attended with much fruits; nor did the success of Palladius bear any proportion to his laborious and pious endeavours. After his death, the same pontiff employed, in this mission, Succathus, a native of Scotland, whose name he changed into that of Patrick, and who arrived among the Irish in the year 432. The success of his ministry, and the number and importance of his pious exploits, stand upon record as undoubted proofs not only of his resolution and patience, but also of his dexterity and address. Having attacked, P See Gab. Daniel et De Camps, Dissert. de titulo Regis Christianissimi, Journal des Scavans, for the year 1720, p. 243, 336, 404, 448. Memoires de l'Academie des Inscriptions, tom. xx. p. 466. 4 From the fragments of the lives of some Irish bishops, who are said to have converted many of their countrymen in the fourth century, archbishop Usher concludes that Palladius was not the first bishop of Ireland. See his Antiquities of the British Church. But it has been evidently proved, among others by Bollandus, that these fragments are of no earlier date than the twelfth century, and are beside the most of them fabulous. Dr. Mosheim's opinion is further confirmed by the authority of Prosper, which is decisive in this matter. PART I. with much more success than his predecessor, the CENT. V. errors and superstitions of that uncivilized people, and brought great numbers of them over to the christian religion, he founded, in the year 472, the archbishopric of Armagh, which has ever since remained the metropolitan see of the Irish nation. Hence this famous missionary, though not the first who brought among that people the light of the gospel, has yet been justly entitled, the apostle of the Irish, and the father of the Hibernian church; and is still generally acknowledged and revered in that honourable character. these conver VII. The causes and circumstances by which these The causes of different nations were engaged to abandon the su- sions. perstition of their ancestors, and to embrace the religion of Jesus, may be easily deduced from the facts we have related in the history of their conversion. It would indeed, be an instance of the blindest and most perverse partiality, not to acknowledge, that the labours and zeal of great and eminent men contributed to this happy purpose, and were the means by which the darkness of many was turned into light. But on the other hand, they must be very inattentive and superficial observers of things, who do not perceive that the fear of punishment, the prospect of honours and advantages, and the desire of obtaining succour against their enemies from the countenance of the christians, or the miraculous influences of their religion, were the prevailing motives that induced the greatest part to renounce the service of their impotent gods. See the Acta Sanctor. tom. ii. Martii, p. 517, tom. iii. Februar. p. 131, 179, Jac. Waraei Hibernia Sacra, printed in folio at Dublin, 1717. This latter published at London, in 1656, in 8vo. the Works of St. Pat rick. The synods, that were held by this eminent missionary, are to be found in Wilkins's Concilia Magnæ Brit. et Hiberniæ, tom i. p. 2. With respect to the famous cave, which is called the Purgatory of St. Patrick, the reader may consult Le Brun, Histoire Critique des pratiques superstitieuses, tom. iv. p. 34. CENT. V. PART I. How far these conversions were due to real miracles attending the ministry of these early preachers, is a matter extremely difficult to be determined. For though I am persuaded that those pious men, who, in the midst of many dangers, and in the face of obstacles seemingly invincible, endeavoured to spread the light of Christianity through the barbarous nations, were sometimes accompanied with the more peculiar presence and succours of the Most High; yet I am equally convinced, that the greatest part of the prodigies, recorded in the histories of this age, are liable to the strongest suspicions of falsehood or imposture. The simplicity and ignorance of the generality in those times furnished the most favourable occasion for the exercise of fraud; and the impudence of impostures, in contriving false miracles, was artfully proportioned to the credulity of the vulgar; while the sagacious and the wise, who perceived these cheats, were obliged to silence by the dangers that threatened their lives and fortunes, if they detected the artifice." Thus does it generally happen in human life, that when the discovery and profession of the truth is attended with danger, the prudent are silent, the multitude believe, and impostors triumph. • There is a remarkable passage, relating to the miracles of this century, in Æneas Gazeus's Dialogue concerning the Immortality of the Soul, &c. entitled, Theophrastus, p. 78, 80, 81, edit. Barthii. See the controversy concerning the time when miracles ceased in the church, that was carried on some years ago, on occasion of Dr. Middleton's Free Inquiry, &c. This is ingenuously confessed by the benedictine monks, Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. ii. p. 33, and happily expressed by Livy, Hist. lib. xxiv. cap. x. § 6. Prodigia multa nuntiata sunt, quæ quo magis credebant simplices et religiosi homines, eo plura nuntiabantur. 487. Sulpitius Severus, Dial. i. p. 438. Ep. i. p. 457. Dial. iii. cap. ii. p. CHAPTER II. CONCERNING THE CALAMITOUS EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED TO THE PART J. suffer in the pire. 1. It has been already observed, that the Goths, CENT. V. the Heruli, the Franks, the Huns, and the Vandals, with other fierce and warlike nations, for the most The christians part strangers to Christianity, had invaded the Ro. Roman em man empire, and rent it asunder in the most deplorable manner. Amidst these calamities, the christians were grievous, nay, we may venture to say, the principal sufferers. It is true, these savage nations were much more intent upon the acquisition of wealth and dominion, than upon the propagation or support of the pagan superstitions; nor did their cruelty and opposition to the christians arise from any religious principle, or from an enthusiastic desire to ruin the cause of Christianity; it was merely by the instigation of the pagans, who remained yet in the empire, that they were excited to treat with such severity and violence the followers of Christ. The painful consideration of their abrogated rites, and the hopes of recovering their former liberty and privileges by the means of their new masters, induced the worshippers of the gods to seize with avidity every opportunity of inspiring them with the most bitter aversion to the christians. Their endeavours however, were without the desired effect, and their expectations were entirely disappointed. The greatest part of these barbarians embraced Christianity; though it be also true, that in the beginning of their usurpations, the professors of that religion suffered heavily under the rigour of their government. |