The Introduction, page 224-Sect. I. The History of Christian Ministers till the Fall of the Western Empire, 225-Sect. II. The History of the Clergy, from the Fall of The Introduction, page 243-Sect. I. Of the State of the Papal Power till the Time of Charlemagne, 244-Sect. II. The History of the Papal Power from the Time of APPENDICES TO PARTS X. AND XI. APPENDIX I. The History of Councils, page 263-APPENDIX II. Of the Authority of the Secular Powers, or the Civil Magistrate, in Matters of Religion, 266—APPENDIX III. Of the Authority of Tradition, and of the Scriptures, &c., 273. The Introduction, page 279-Sect. I. Of the Monastic Life, till the Fall of the Western Empire, 281-Sect. II. The History of the Monks after the Fall of the The Introduction, page 293-Sect. I. The History of Church Revenues till the Fall of the Western Empire, 293-Sect. II. The History of Church Revenues after the Part I. Containing Considerations addressed to Unbelievers, and especially to Mr. Gibbon, page 301-Part II. Containing Considerations addressed to the Advocates for the present Civil Establishments of Christianity, and especially Bishop Hurd, 311- APPENDIX. Containing a summary View of the Evidence for the Primitive Chris- tians holding the Doctrine of the simple Humanity of Christ, 317. The following List of the principal Ecclesiastical Writers, &c., after the Apostolic Age, with the Time when they flourished, chiefly from CAVE'S HISTORIA LITERARIA, may be useful to the general reader : PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION OF 1871. 66 BELIEVING, as all Christians do, in the divine origin of Christianity, and seeing at the present time the Church of Christ divided and distracted on a great number of questions, we may properly deem valuable whatever in any measure contributes to lead mankind to a better knowledge of the opinions and practices of the first Christians. The statement of Tertullian, "That is the true faith which is the most ancient, and that a corruption which is modern," is generally admitted; and so the New Testament, above all other books, is chiefly studied and prized. And next in importance, as helping to settle some questions about the true faith, is the knowledge of the opinions of the Christians immediately following the Apostolic age. Dr. Priestley, in an eminent degree, by the careful study of all the writings extant of the first five hundred years of the Christian era, has done a service for the reformation of religion. The present volume he spoke of as the most valuable of all my writings." Many of its statements were severely canvassed by Bishop Horsley and others, and the author made a few corrections. You have set me right," he said, "with respect to the exactness of two of my quotations, not one mistake having been discovered in it that at all affects my general design."-Many are not a little surprised and disappointed that Dr. Priestley should have excluded the Arians from his list of Unitarians, and thus weakened his argument by never calling into court some of the principal witnesses, simply because they believed in the pre-existence of Christ; for otherwise the Arians were essentially Unitarians. Dr. Priestley was a strict Humanitarian, regarding none as Unitarians but those who believed in Jesus Christ, as only and properly a man;"-for this is the meaning of his phrase a mere man," which has given much offence. Nevertheless, he was a firm believer in the supernatural power and divine mission of Christ. Dr. Priestley also unnecessarily, in one or two places of this volume, introduces his materialistic philosophy, with which not a few of his friends, in his own day, had no sympathy; and the same may be said of many Unitarians now. The New Appendix aims but to give a few additional thoughts and quotations on an important controversy, and affords the reader some idea of his larger work, "A History of the Early Opinions concerning Jesus Christ," in two volumes. This work, which is out of print, and may possibly never be reprinted, contains some eighteen hundred quotations from the writings of the so-called orthodox fathers. The paragraphs in this Appendix are mere summaries, to convey to the reader some idea of that invaluable and scarce work. Dr. Priestley says, speaking of this history, "I find myself, in a great measure, upon new ground. At least I see reason to think that it has never been sufficiently examined by any person who has had the same general view of things that I have." Since his time other authors have gone over the ground, and with some additional results. We are indebted to several gentlemen for services connected with this volume who have verified the numerous quotations and afforded useful hints. At the close of the last century this History stirred up much controversy, and may yet in some degree aid the religious inquirer to the solution of questions of polity and doctrine which still agitate the Christian world. PREFACE TO RUTT'S EDITION. DR. PRIESTLEY, as he has mentioned in Hoadley, that Dr. Priestley recomhis own Preface, designed to have added mended the following pages. Bishop this History, as a fourth Volume to the Hurd was of another school. A highly Institutes, on their first publication in accomplished classical scholar, and, in 1771. But other occupations inter- his earlier writings, no illiberal polivened, till his materials became suffi- tician, he appears to have been concient for a larger Work, and he had an tent as a Theologian to dwell in decenincreasing conviction of its utility and cies. Thus, as a Warburtonian Lecimportance. His metaphysical discus- turer, in 1772, he could only discover a sions had led him still farther to con- papal Man of Sin, though Mr. Evansider the questions concerning the son, whose inquiries were more exnature of Christ; nor during his excur- tended, could assure the bishop that sion to the Continent in 1774, could there were many Antichrists. Indeed, he have failed to perceive the corrupt by a prelate who had congratulated forms of religion under papal establish- the English Reformation because it ments, and their influence to foster the advanced or was retarded as the supeprejudices, and to increase the number of unbelievers. rior judgment of the Civil Magistrate determined, Dr. Priestley's appeal would not be much regarded. It is to be regretted that it was received with a discourtesy too nearly bordering on Warburtonian arrogance. Yet Dr. Priestley was not one of those credulous Protestants who satisfy themselves that the Reformers in the sixteenth century had left no corruptions of Christianity unreformed, in The appeal to Mr. Gibbon was churches which, under their influence, equally unsuccessful, had Dr. Priestley were established by the civil power. expected his approbation. But the Such establishments themselves, he spirit which the celebrated Historian justly regarded as no trifling corrup- discovered, on this occasion, I may find tions; and as to some of the most cen- another opportunity to describe. Yet sured representations in this Volume, I form expectations, at this moment, their Author is justified by the pub- with peculiar diffidence; from the imlished opinions of not a few dignified pression of a very recent event of which Churchmen. For what are the special the painful information has reached pleadings of Bishop Burnet in his Ex- me, while concluding this Preface. I position-Bishop Hoadley's Plain Ac- refer to the lamented death of Dr. count and his Kingdom of Christ not Thomson, an encourager of this underof this World-Dr. Clarke's Scrip- taking, on whose approbation of its ture Doctrine-Bishop Law's Theory progress I should have set no common "purged of ancient prejudices"-Dr. value. May his family receive all the Jortin's Remarks, where he explodes consolation which religion can bestow, "metaphysical and scholastic divinity when a Christian is called from the from the Christian system;"-what are all these but forcible though indirect attacks on the Creeds and Ritual of their own Church? It was not, however, to the consideration of a Churchman, formed in the liberal, though inconsistent, school of labours of life to the recompense of Clapton, May 26, 1818. |