nours. The King of DENMARK invited him to settle at Copenhagen. The Duke of BRUNSWICK called him from thence to Helmstadt, where he received the marks of distinction due to his eminent abilities; filled, with applause, the academical chair of divinity; was honoured with the character of ecclesiastical counsellor to that respectable court; and presided over the seminaries of learning in the duchy of Wolfembuttle and the principality of Blackenburg. When the late King formed the design of giving an uncommon degree of lustre to the University of Gottingen, by filling it with men of the first rank in the literary world, such as a HALLER, a GESNER, and a MICHAELIS, Dr. MOSHEIM was deemed worthy to appear at the head of that famous seat of learning, in the quality of chancellor; and here he died, universally lamented, in the year 1755, and in the sixtyfirst year of his age. In depth of judgment, in extent of learning, in the powers of a noble and masculine eloquence, in purity of taste, and in a laborious application to all the various branches of erudition and philosophy, he had certainly very few superiors. His Latin translation of the celebrated Dr. CUDWORTH'S Intellectual System of the Universe, enriched with large annotations, discovered such a profound acquaintance with ancient philosophy and erudition, as justly excited the admiration of the learned world. His ingenious illustrations of the sacred writings, his successful labours in the defence of Christianity, and the light he cast upon the history

1

of religion and philosophy by his uninterrupted researches, appear in a multitude of volumes, which are deservedly placed among the most valuable treasures of sacred and profane literature; and the learned and judicious work, that is here presented to the public, will undoubtedly render his name illustrious in the records of religion and letters.

How far justice has been done to this excellent work, in the following translation, is a point that must be left to the decision of those who shall think to peruse it with attention. I can say, proper with the strictest truth, that I have spared no pains to render it worthy of their gracious acceptance; and this consideration gives me some claim to their candour and indulgence, for any defects they may find in it. I have endeavoured to render my translation faithful, but never proposed to render it entirely literal. The style of the original is by no means a model to imitate, in a work designed for general use. Dr. MOSHEIM affected brevity, and laboured to crowd many things into few words; thus his diction, though pure and correct, became sententious and harsh, without that harmony which pleases the ear, and those transitions which make a narration flow with ease. This being the case, I have sometimes taken considerable liberties with my author, and followed the spirit of his narrative without adhering strictly to the letter. Where, indeed, the Latin phrase appeared to me elegant, expressive, and compatible with the English idiom, I have constantly followed

it; in all other cases, I have departed from it, and have often added a few sentences, to render an observation more striking, a fact more clear, a portrait more finished. Had I been translating CICERO or TACITUS, I should not have thought such freedom pardonable. The translation of a classic author, like the copy of a capital picture, must exhibit not only the subject, but also the manner of the original; this rule, however, is not applicable to the work now under consideration.

The reader will easily distinguish the additional notes of the Translator from the original ones of the Author; the references to the latter being included in crotchets, while those that indicate the former are marked with a hand, thus ().

When I entered upon this undertaking, I proposed rendering the additional notes more numerous and ample, than the reader will find them. I soon perceived that the prosecution of my original plan would render this work too voluminous; and this induced me to alter my purpose. The notes I have given, are not, however, inconsiderable in number; I wish I could say as much with respect to their merit and importance.-I would only hope, that some of them will be looked upon as not altogether

unnecessary.

HAGUE, 2 Dec. 4, 1764. S

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE

SECOND EDITION.

THE favourable reception which the first edition of this work met with, has encouraged the Translator to employ his utmost care in rendering the second still less unworthy of the acceptance of the Public. He has corrected a passage erroneously translated in the second volume, at the 574th page of the quarto edition; and he has revised the whole with a degree of attention, which he hopes will secure him against the charge of any other inadvertency. He takes this opportunity of acknowledging the goodness of the learned and worthy Dr. NEVE of Middleton Stoney, who favoured him with several Notes, and with some hundreds of Additional Articles and Corrections for the INDEX. Many of these are inserted in this edition, and an N. subjoined to each, to distinguish them from those of the Translator.

THE

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

THE different editions of the ELEMENTS OF THE CHRISTIAN HISTORY [a] met with such a favourable reception from the public, and the demand for them was so great, that they were, in a little time, out of print. Upon this occasion, the worthy person, at whose expence they had been presented to the public, desired earnestly to give a new edition of the same work improved and enlarged, and thus still more worthy of its gracious acceptance. The other occupations in which I was engaged, and a prudent consideration of the labour I must undergo in the correction and augmentation of a work in which I myself perceived so many imperfections, prevented my yielding, for a long time, to his earnest solicitations. The importunities of my friends at length prevailed upon me to undertake this difficult work; and I have employed assiduously my hours of leisure, during the space of two years, in bringing it to as high a degree of perfection as I am capable of giving it. So that now these Elements of Ecclesiastical History appear under a new form, and the changes they have undergone are certainly advantageous in every respect. I have re

[a] A small work published by Dr. MOSHEIM, many years ago, in two volumes, 12mo.

A 4