perhaps, Boniface himself, in his knowledge of the true religion of Christ; and he is, therefore, not improperly placed by many among the witnesses for the truth in this barbarous age". Both were condemned by the Roman pontiff Zacharias, at the instigation of Boniface, in a council at Rome, A.D. 748. And both, it appears, died in prison.

§ 3. Much greater commotions were produced in Spain, France, and Germany, towards the close of the century, by Felix, bishop of Urgel, in Spain, a man distinguished for his piety. Being consulted by Elipandus, archbishop of Toledo, respecting his opinion of the sonship of Christ, the Son of God, he answered, in the year 783, that Christ, as God, was by

that he was a man of apostolic sanctity, and wrought signs and wonders. He next hired some ignorant bishops to ordain him, contrary to the canons, without assigning him a specific charge. He now became so insolent, as to assume equality with the apostles of Christ; and disdained to dedicate a church to any apostle or martyr; and reproached the people for being so eager to visit the thresholds of the holy apostles. Afterwards he ridiculously consecrated oratories to his own name; or rather defiled them. He also erected small crosses, and houses for prayer, in the fields, and at fountains, and wherever he saw fit; and directed public prayers to be there offered; so that great multitudes, despising the bishops, and forsaking the ancient churches, held their religious meetings in such places, and would say, The merits of St. Adalbert will aid us. He also gave his nails and locks of his hair to be kept in remembrance of him, and to be placed with the relics of St. Peter, the prince of apostles. And finally, what appears the summit of his wickedness and blasphemy against God, when people came and prostrated themselves before him, to confess their sins, he said: I know all your sins, for all secrets are known to me; return securely, and in peace, to your habitations. And all that the holy Gospel testifies as done by hypocrites he has imitated, in his dress, his walk, and his deportment." The Epistle then describes the wickedness of Clement, thus: "The

other heretic, whose name is Clement, opposes the catholic church, and renounces and confutes the canons of the church of Christ. He refuses to abide by the treatises and discourses of the holy fathers, Jerome, Augustine, and Gregory. Despising the decrees of councils, he affirms, that, in his opinion, a man can be a christian bishop, and bear the title, after being the father of two sons, begotten in adultery [i. e. in clerical wedlock]. Introducing Judaism again, he deems it right for a christian, if he pleases, to marry the widow of his deceased brother. Also, contrary to the faith of the holy fathers, he maintains, that Christ, the Son of God, descended into hell, and liberated all that were there detained in prison, believers and unbelievers, worshippers of God and worshippers of idols. And many other horrible things he affirms respecting divine predestination, and contravening the catholic faith." See Harduin's Concilia, tom. iii. p. 19361940.

Tr.]

6 The errors of Clement are enumerated by Boniface, Epist. cxxxv. p. 189. [See them stated in the concluding part of the preceding note. Tr.] Among these errors, there is certainly no one that is capital. See Jac. Usher, Sylloge Epistolar. Hibernicar. p. 12. and Nouveaux Dictionnaire Histor. Crit. tom. i. p. 133, &c. [For the history of the controversy with both Adalbert and Clement, see Walch's Historie der Ketzereyen, tom. x. p. 3-66. Tr.]

nature, and truly, the Son of God; but that as a man, he was the Son of God only in name, and by adoption. This doctrine, imbibed by Elipandus from his preceptor, Elipandus disseminated in the provinces of Spain, while Felix spread it in Septimania [or Languedoc]. But in the view of the pontiff Hadrian, and of most of the Latin bishops, this opinion seemed to revive the error attributed to Nestorius, and to divide Christ into two persons. Hence Felix was judged guilty of heresy, and required to change his opinion; first, in the council of Narbonne, A. D. 788, then at Ratisbon, in Germany, A. D. 792; also at Francfort on the Maine, A. D. 794; and afterwards at Rome, A. D. 799; and lastly, in the council of Aix-la-Chapelle. And he revoked his opinion ostensibly; but not in reality; for he died in it, at Lyons, where he was banished by Charlemagne. No rule of faith could be enacted for Elipandus, by the christians, because he lived under the Saracens of Spain. Many believe, and not without reason, that the disciples of Felix, who were called Adoptionists, differed from other christians, not in reality, but only in words, or in the mode of stating their views. But as Felix was not uniform in his language, those who accuse him of the Nestorian error, have some grounds of argument.

7 The authors who have treated of the sect of Felix, are enumerated by Jo. Alb. Fabricius, in his Bibliotheca Lat. Medii Evi, tom. ii. p. 582. To these, add Peter de Marca, in the Marca Hispanica, lib. iii. c. 12. p. 368, &c. Jo. de Ferreras, Histoire générale d'Espagne, tom. ii. p. 518. 523. 535, 536. 560. Jo. Mabillon, Acta Sanctor. Ord. Bened. tom. v. Præf. p. ii. &c. Of Felix in particular, account is given by Domin. Colonia, Histoire Littér, de la Ville de Lyon, tom. ii. p. 79. and by the Benedictine monks, in Histoire Littéraire de la France, tom. iv. p. 434, &c. [This sect is fully treated of in C. W. F. Walch's Historie der Ketzereyen, vol. ix. p. 667-940. and in his Historia Adoptianorum, Gotting. 1755. 8vo. See also Schroeckh, Kirchengesch. vol. xx. p. 459-498. Tr.]

[Jo. Geo. Dorscheus, Collat. ad Concilium Francof. p. 101. Sam. Werenfels, de Logomachiis Eruditor. in his Opp. p. 459. Jac. Basnage, Prof. ad Etherium, in Henr. Canisii Lectionibus

Antiquis, tom. ii. pt. i. p. 284. Geo. Calixtus, in his Tract on this subject, and others. [Dr. Walch, in his Historia Adoptianor. considers Felix as not a Nestorian; and yet he regards the controversy as not merely about words. The substance of Felix's views he thus states. Christ as a man, and without regard to the personal union of the two natures, was born a servant of God, though without sin. From the condition of a servant, he passed into that of a free person, when God, at his baptism, pronounced him his dear Son. This transaction was his adoption, and likewise his regeneration. The title of God belongs to him, indeed, as a man; but not properly, for he is God only nuncupaticely. Thus did Felix utter something unsuitable and new; but his innovation was not a ground for so great an alarm throughout the whole church, as if he had assailed the fundamental doctrines of christianity. Tr.]

CENTURY NINTH.

PART I.

THE EXTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

THE PROSPEROUS EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

§ 1, 2. The Swedes, Danes, and Cimbrians converted.-§ 3. The Bulgarians, Bohemians, and Moravians.-§ 4. The Slavonian tribes, the Russians.-§ 5. Estimate of these conversions.

§ 1. So long as Charlemagne lived, which was till the year 814, he omitted no means which he deemed requisite, to propagate and establish christianity among the Huns, the Saxons, the Frieslanders, and others'. But it is to be regretted, that

he did not omit to employ violence and war. His son, Lewis the Meek, had the same zeal for propagating christianity, though greatly his inferior in other respects. Under his reign, a convenient opportunity was presented for planting christianity among the northern nations, especially the Danes and Swedes'. Harald Klack, a petty sovereign of Jutland, being expelled his kingdom, by Regner Lodbrock, in the year 826, applied to the emperor for his assistance. Lewis promised him aid, on condition that he would embrace christianity himself, and admit teachers of the christian religion into his country. Harald acceded to the terms, was baptized at Mayence, A.D. 826, together with his brother, and took along with him to Jutland two preachers of christianity, Ansgarius, a monk and schoolmaster of Corbey in Saxony, and Autbert, a monk of Corbey in France; and these monks preached among the inhabitants of Jutland and Cimbria, for two years, with great

success.

§ 2. On the death of his fellow-labourer Autbert, in the year 828, the indefatigable Ansgarius went over to Sweden; and there he pleaded the cause of Christ with equal success3.

servants drank from gilded cups. For the presbyters told the masters; "You unbaptized persons are not worthy to eat with those that are baptized." This enkindled such a desire to become christians, that great numbers of them were baptized. The story does as little credit to these missionaries, as to their converts. See the Life of St. Ruprecht; in Canisii Lectionibus Antiq. tom. vi. of the old ed. 4to. Schl.]

2 [Ebbo, archbishop of Rheims, who had travelled as an imperial envoy in the northern countries, made an attempt as early as A. D. 822, to spread christianity there; and, together with Halitgarius of Cambray, he obtained from pope Paschal a full power for this purpose. See Acta Sanctor. Antw. ad 3 Februar. and Mabillon, Acta Sanctor. Ord. Bened. sæcul. iv. pt. ii. p. 79. 90. Schl.]

3 [The christians who were carried into captivity by the Normans, in their frequent plundering expeditions, undoubtedly contributed much to give this people a favourable disposition

towards christianity; and especially by recounting to them the wealth and power of the christian countries, which was ascribed to their religion. This will account for what historians affirm, that Swedish ambassadors came to king Lewis, and stated among other things, that many of their people had an inclination towards christianity, and that their king would cheerfully permit christian priests to reside among them. Anscharius and Vitmarn were sent thither, with rich presents. Their voyage was unfortunate: for they fell into the hands of pirates, who plundered them. Yet they finally reached the port of Biork, which belonged to the king, Bern or Biorn. There they collected a congregation and built a church, in the course of six months; the king having given liberty to his subjects to embrace the new religion. On the return of these missionaries, the congregation in Sweden was without a teacher, till Ebbo sent them his nephew Gausbert, who, at his ordination to the episcopacy of that see, took