by the Apostle Paul, 2 Tim. iv, 21, is thought to have been a daughter of Caractacus, left behind at Rome; she having been married to a person of senatorial dignity. A learned antiquary thinks, that Claudia was born at Rome, and so named by her father, in honour of the Emperor Claudius. Martial, a Roman poet of that age, celebrated her as an accomplished British lady, married to Pudens, who is believed to have been the person whom the Apostle mentions by name with Claudia. Martial's lines have been thus translated. "From painted Britons, how was Claudia born! Of nations diverse, Nature joy'd to blend A form, that Rome and Athens might contend!" Writers are exceedingly anxious to prove, that Britain was honoured with the presence and labours of some of the Apostles of Christ. Traditions, the most extravagant and absurd, have been handed down to our times respecting the apostles James, Simon Zelotes, Peter, Andrew, and Joseph of Arimathea, having preached the Gospel in Britain. These do not claim particular notice in this place. Britain is, however, with some show of reason believed to have been honoured with a missionary visit from the great "Apostle of the Gentiles." Ancient and respectable tradition exists, declaring that our island was visited by Paul; and when we consider that he was liberated from his confinement at Rome, in the spring of A. D. 63, between which, and the period of his death, A. D. 65, or according to some A. D. 67, he might take his long purposed "journey into Spain," as he mentions, chap. xv, 24—28; while in the west, as there is much reason to believe he had made that journey, he might easily pass over the channel into Britain. Dr. Henry remarks, in which we may fully concur, "In a word, though it would be rash and unwarrantable in a modern writer to affirm positively that the apostle Paul preached the Gospel in Britain, yet it is certainly no presumption to affirm, that if any of the apostles preached in this island, it was most probably the apostle Paul *." History of Great Britain, book i. Several more recent writers have presumed to pronounce their judgment in the affirmative; supposing the evidence satisfactory, that our island was visited by the great "Apostle of the Gentiles *." However this may be in fact, it will be wise and profitable for every reader to embrace cordially the divine instructions of that extraordinary teacher of salvation ; and with him to "press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus +." CHAPTER V. CHRISTIANITY IN BRITAIN TO THE CONVERSION OF LUCIUS, A. D. 164. Progress of Christianity in Britain-Extinction of Druidism -Tradition concerning King Lucius - The Story improved by Jeffrey of Monmouth - Probable account of Lucius Account of the First Church, by Dr. Southey. CHRISTIANITY, having been introduced into Britain during the apostolic age, continued to diffuse its saving light from one native tribe to another, until they were all in some degree enlightened. As the Roman arms made progress throughout the land, they became the undesigned means of furthering the Gospel. For, reducing all the nations of South Britain under their government, and establishing free intercourse throughout the country, they prepared the way for the advancement of the Gospel. Suetonius Paulinus, commander in Britain during the reign of Nero, perceiving that the resentment of the native tribes was inflamed by the Druids, resolved on their extermination. Their strongest place of security was the isle of Anglesey, then called Mona, to which Paulinus led his terrible legions, and ravaged the consecrated island with fire and sword. Many of the infuriated Druids and Druidesses were taken captive, and sacrificed by the conquerors upon the altars which had been kindled for sacrificing the Roman prisoners, whose leaders the priests vainly hoped to overcome. * Bishop Burgess on The Seven Epochs of the Ancient British Church, p. 7; Calmet's Dictionary, fragments DCVII, DCVIII. + Phil. iii, 14. Druidism being thus overthrown, if not quite exterminated, in Britain, one of the greatest obstacles to the progress of Christianity was removed; and we have reason to believe that its influence prevailed extensively, though we have no particular account of its divine triumphs. The most popular record we have is that of the conversion of King Lucius: but the relations respecting him are so contradictory and absurd, that his story is rejected by every judicious writer, as almost altogether a monkish fable. That our readers may form an idea of the extravagance of this tradition, we shall give it in a brief form. Nennius, in the seventh century, the most ancient British historian by whom it is mentioned, says, "In the year 164 from the incarnation of our Lord, Lucius, monarch of Britain, with all the other petty kings of Britain, received baptism, from a deputation sent by the Roman emperors, and by the Roman pope Evaristus *." But to say that Lucius was monarch of Britain, with many petty kings dependent on him, while the Romans held most of the country, is absurd: much more so, that the Roman emperors, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and his successor Lucius Verus, who were pagans and persecutors, should send a deputation of Christian missionaries to convert and baptize the Britons. This story became so embellished by the monkish fictions, that in the twelfth century, five hundred years after Nennius, Jeffrey, a Benedictine monk, of Monmouth, says, "Lucius imitated all the acts of goodness seen in his father Coilus, and above all, sent letters to Pope Eleutherius, desiring to be instructed in the Christian religion. That holy pope sent to him two religious doctors, Faganus and Duvanus, who, after having preached the incarnation of the Word of God, administered to him baptism, and made him a proselyte of the Christian faith. People from all countries assembling, followed the king's example, and being washed in the same holy laver, were made partakers of the kingdom of heaven. The holy doctors almost extinguished paganism in the whole land; dedicated the temples that had been founded in honour of * Henry's History of Great Britain, book i, chap. ii. many gods, to the one only God and his saints, and filled them with congregations of Christians. There were then in Britain eight and twenty flamens (head priests), as also three archflamens, to whose jurisdiction the other judges and enthusiasts were subject. These they delivered from idolatry, and where they were flamens made them bishops, where archflamens archbishops. The seats of the archflamens were at the three noblest cities, viz. York, London, and Caerleon upon Usk, in Glamorganshire. Under these three, now purged from superstition, were made subject twenty-eight bishops, with their dioceses." To complete this account Jeffrey adds, The glorious king, rejoicing at the great progress the true religion had made in his kingdom, granted, that the possessions and territories formerly belonging to the temples of the gods, should now be converted to a better use, and appropriated to Christian churches. And because greater honour was due to them than to the others, he made large additions of lands and mansion houses, and all manner of privileges." He further adds, that "Lucius departed this life in the city of Gloucester, and was honourably buried in the cathedral church, in the 156th year after our Lord's incarnation.” 66 Though this story is believed by Roman Catholics, and much of it by many Protestants, yet, as Dr. Henry, in his History of England, remarks, "Every one who knows any thing of the state of Britain at that time, must know that it contains as many falsehoods and impossibilities as sentences *" Gildas, a zealous Christian monk of the sixth century, the most ancient of our historians, gives no hint concerning Lucius. The whole account is evidently the manufacture of adherents of the Papacy, to promote that usurpation. Archbishop Usher remarks, on this absurd tradition, "There are not wanting those who say, that this British Lucius was baptized by Timothy, the disciple of Paul †.” Twenty-three different dates are given for the conversion of Lucius; from which it is concluded, that as there are so * Henry's History of Great Britain, book i, chap. ii. + Antiquitates, chap. iii, p. 17. many allusions to that affair, we cannot reject it altogether. It seems highly probable, that a petty prince, named Lucius, about the middle of the second century, was allowed by the Romans to retain a shadow of authority in his country: that this British chieftain embraced Christianity, and used his influence to bring others to yield to its gentle claims: that for this purpose he might possibly seek spiritual advice from Eleutherius, at that time bishop or pastor of the Christians at Rome, and place under his instruction some British converts, to be employed as Home Missionaries in their own country. No military or political agitation attending all this, the Romans might not interfere to prevent the accomplishment of the desires of Lucius; and Christianity, by this means, would make silent progress throughout the island. Many of all classes would be baptized, the rude pagan temples would be converted into Christian sanctuaries, and numerous congregations might be gathered, listening to the preachers of the gospel of salvation, and worshipping God by faith in Jesus Christ *. Dr. Southey, who is generally inclined to magnify the clerical order, speaking of this period, and of the "doubtful legends" concerning Lucius, remarks, "It is said that the first church was erected at Glastonbury; and this tradition may seem to deserve credit, because it was not contradicted in those ages, when other churches would have found it profitable to advance a similar pretension. The building is described as a rude structure of wicker-work, like the dwellings of the people in those days, and differing from them only in its dimensions, which were threescore feet in length, and twentysix in breadth. An abbey was afterwards erected there, one of the finest of those edifices, and one of the most remarkable for the many interesting circumstances connected with it f." Upon the whole, although the popish legends concerning those times afford but little satisfaction as to the true number Taylor's Calmet, frag. DCVIII. + Book of the Church, vol. i, chap. ii, p. 13; Stillingfleet's Origines Sacræ, chap. i, p. 11. |