AN ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, Ancient and Modern, FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRIST, TO THE BEGINNING OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. IN SIX VOLUMES. IN WHICH THE RISE, PROGRESS, AND VARIATIONS OF CHURCH POWER ARE CONSIDERED IN THEIR CONNEXION WITH THE STATE OF LEARNING AND PHILOSOPHY, AND THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF EUROPE DURING THAT PERIOD.. BY THE LATE LEARNED JOHN LAWRENCE MOSHEIM, D. D. AND CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTTINGEN. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN, AND ACCOMPANIED WITH NOTES AND CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES. PRINTED BY AND FOR W. GRACIE; ALSO, FOR R. BAYNES, LONDON; I. WILSON, HULL; A. AND J. DUNCAN, GLAŞ, GOW; AND J. MAITLAND, ABERDEEN. THE TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. I CANNOT persuade myself, that the complaints we hear frequently of the frivolous nature of the public taste in matters of literature, are so far to be relied on, as to make me despair of a favourable reception of the following work. A HISTORY of the CHRISTIAN CHURCH, composed with judgment, taste, and candour, drawn, with uncommon discernment and industry, from the best sources, enriched with much useful learning and several important discoveries, and connected with the History of Arts, Philosophy, and Civil Government, is an object that will very probably attract the attention of many, and must undoubtedly excite the curiosity of the judicious and the wise. A work of this nature will be considered by the Philosopher as an important branch of the history of the human mind, and I need not mention a multitude of reasons that render it peculiarly interesting to the Christian. Besides, there has not hitherto appeared, in English, any complete History of the Church, that represents its revolutions, its divisions, and doctrines, with impartiality and truth, exposes the delusions of popish legends, breathes a spirit of moderation and freedom, and, keeping perpetually in the view of the reader the true nature VOL. I. and design of the Christian religion, points out the deviations from its beautiful simplicity, that have been too frequent among all orders of men, and in all ages of the world. The following work has the best claim, of any I know, to these characters [a]; and its peculiar merit is pointed out, as far as modesty would permit, in the ensuing Preface of its justly celebrated author. The reputation of this great man is very well known. His noble birth seemed to open to his ambition a fair path to civil promotion; but his zeal for the interests of religion, his insatiable thirst after knowledge, and more especially his predominant taste for sacred literature, induced him to consecrate his admirable talents to the service of the church. The German universities loaded him with literary ho [a] Some time after I had undertaken this translation, I was honoured with a letter from the learned bishop of GLOUCESTER, in which he was so good as to testify his approbation of my design, and to speak of the work I here offer to the public in an English dress in the following manner: MOSHEIM's Compendium is excellent, the method admirable; in short, the only one deserving the name of an Ecclesiastical history. It deserves, and needs frequent notes.I hope this eminent prelate will not take amiss my placing here a testimony that was not designed to be produced in this public manner. It is, however, so adapted to give those who examine recommendations with discernment, a favourable notion of the following work, that I could not think of suppressing it. It is usual, in publishing certain ancient authors, to prefix to them the encomiums they have been honoured with by those whose authority is respected in the republic of letters. I adopt this custom so far as to mention one testimony;--more would be unnecessary; the testimony of a WARBURTON is abundantly sufficient to answer my purpose, and will be justly looked upon as equivalent to a multitude. |