AUTHORITIES.

7. Clemens Romanus,

8. Catullus, Eusebius, Jerome, Arnobius, Theodoret, Nicephorus.

9. Jerome, Theodoret,

10. Venantius Fortunatus, Sophronius.

GILDAS'S TESTIMONY.

1. Eusebius, Jerome, Bede, Freculphus, Ivo, Platina, Magdeburgici, Petavius, Scaliger, Capellus, Simson, Stillingfleet.

2. Tacitus, Martial.

3. Tacitus.

4. Tacitus.

EVENTS.

to

5. Caractacus's family returned Britain after seven years detention at Rome. (A.D. 58 or 59.)

6. St. Paul's first imprisonment expired. (A.D. 58 or 59.)

7. Caractacus's Father

Christianity into Britain.

introduced.

AUTHORITIES.

5. British Triads compared with Tacitus in

No. 4.

6. Acts of the Apostles xxviii. 30, compared with Eusebius, Jerome, &c. No. 1.

7. British Triads.

a

The two following pages are repeated, from former part of this volume, to illustrate the preceding Epoch and Authorities.

I. We know from incontestible foreign authority (Tertullian, Origen, &c.) that the Gospel was preached in Britain in the earliest days of Christianity; our oldest native historian (Gildas) says, before the year 61. We likewise know from indisputable authority (Eusebius) that the Gospel was preached in Britain by some of the Apostles. And if by some of the Apostles, we may be sure that the Apostle of the Gentiles must have been one; I say, must, because the conversion of the Gentiles was St, Paul's special commission,-because, before he went to Rome, he had expressed his intention of travelling to the West, (Spain) -because, by travelling to the West, he more completely fulfilled our Saviour's commission, (Acts xxii. 21. 2 Tim, iv. 17.)— because (as will appear in the next paragraph) we have evidence, indirect and direct, that he did go both to Spain and Britain,— and because we have no credible testimony that any other Apostle ever was in Britain, but St. Paul.

II. We know from unquestionable authority (Athanasius, Jerome, &c.) that St. Paul preached in Spain, and in the West; and that he went from Ocean to Ocean, and to the islands that lie in the Ocean; after his release from his first imprisonment at Rome. We

also know from the best authority (Clemens Romanus) that he went to the utmost bounds of the West. Britain was called the utmost island of the West (Catullus), and the utmost part of the West (Theodoret); and no other country, as far as yet appears, was called the utmost bounds of the West, but Britain, or in conjunction with Britain, and of which Britain was the most remote. St. Paul therefore could not go to the utmost bounds of the West without going to Britain.

Venantius Fortunatus and Sophronius, (who though they lived one in the sixth and the other in the seventh century, yet can be considered only as interpreters of the general sense of antiquity,) assert that St. Paul went to Britain.

III. We know further, that St. Paul was at Rome at the same time with the family of Caractacus; and that they returned to Britain the same year, in which St. Paul was set at liberty. We are also informed by a very ancient British record, that the knowledge of the Gospel was introduced into Britain by the father of Caractacus after seven years detention at Rome, that is, A. D. 58, which is within the period assigned by Gildas to the first introduction of Christianity.