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A COMPENDIOUS HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
THE gospel of Christ was preached in Britain not very long after his ascension to heaven: but whether by Paul, Joseph of Arimathea, or whom else, we know not. The story of Lucius the British king's request of preaching missionaries from Eleu|therus bishop of Rome, is not in the least probable. While Diocletian the Roman emperor and his col|league furiously persecuted the Christians on the continent, about A. D. 302, Constantius their Cesar in Britain, against his will, commanded to pull down the Christian churches. But, as soon as he had it in his power, he restrained his persecution. It is said, that to try his courtiers, who professed them|selves Christians, he required them all to offer sacri|fice to the heathen idols, under pain of being depri||ved of their preferments,—and that such of them as stedfastly adhered to their religion he commended and inrolled among his particular friends: ••uch of them as complied with his sinful mandate, he sharp|ly rebuked as treacherous to their God, and dismis|sed from his service, as unworthy of trust. In A. D. 314, the bishops of York, London, and Britannia secunda, attended the council of Arles in France,