1 partly copied, and partly abridged, what I had there written on the subject of Atonement, as mentioned before, and alfo on that of Baptifm. Some things too will be fouud in this work copied, or abridged, form other works that bear my name, as the Eay on the Lord's Supper, on Church Difcipline, and the Difquifitions relating to Matter and Spirit. But the whole of fuch extracts will not much exceed a single sheet; and I did not think it right to leave any of the pieces imperfect merely to avoid a repetition of fo fmall a magnitude, especially considering that the feveral publications may fall into diferent hands. Since, however, I have written so largely on the fubject of the foul, and the history of opinions relating to it in the Disquifitions, I have omitted it altogether in this work, though it would have been a very proper part of it. I have only taken from that work fome particulars relating to the Stare of the dead, and a few other articles, without which this work would have been ftrikingly defective. The whole of what I have called the Sequel to the Difquifitions (or the Hiftory of the the Philofophical Doctrine concerning the Origin of the foul, and the Nature of Matter, with its influence on Chriftianity, especially with reSpect to the Doctrine of the pre-existence of Chrift) I wish to have confidered as coming properly within the plan of this work, and effential to the principal object of it. Indeed, when I publifhed the Difquifitions I hesitated whether I should publish that part then, or reserve it for this History. But the reft of this work was not then ready, and it was of too much use for the purpose of the other, not to go along with it. I wish the general arguments against the pre-existence of Christ, contained in Sect. VI. of that Sequel to be particularly attended to. In a fubject fo copious as this, I am far from fuppofing it probable that I have made no mistakes, notwithstanding I have used all the care and precaution that I could. If any fuch be pointed out to me, whether it be by a friend or an enemy, I shall be glad to avail myself of the intimation, in case there should be a demand for a fecond edition. As fome of my materials bear an equal relation to several of the fubjects into which the work is divided, the reader will find a repetition of some things, but they, are fo few, and fo ufeful useful in their refpective places, that it hardly requires an apology. As to the repetition in the Appendix, the importance of the subject must apologize for it. Though I have made no formal divifion of this work except into separate Parts and Sections, the reader will perceive that I have in the first place confidered the most important articles of chriftain doctrine, and then those that relate to difcipline, and the government of the church. As there are different editions of many of the authors that I have quotod, I shall here give a catalogue of the principal of them. FOLIO. Divi Gregorii Papæ Opera..............................Paris 1551 Juftini Martyris Apologia cum notis Thirlby London 1722 Arnobius adverfus Gentes, per Elmenhorftium Hamb. 1610 Joannis Damafceni Opera, per J. Billium....Paris 1619 Anfelmi Opera, per Picardum.............Col. Agrip. 1612 Bernardi Opera, per Picardum......................Paris 1609 Athanafii Opera, Gr. Lat. 2 vols..................Paris 1627 - Thomas Aquinatis Summa............... Gregorii Nazianzeni Opera.......... ..Paris 1631 ....Paris 1630 Coloniæ 1682 ...Bafil 1569 ..Paris 1623 Chryfoftomi Tatiani Oratio contra Græcos, Gr. et Lat. at the end of Juftin Martyr's works..........Coloniæ 1686 Origenis Opera (Latine) 2 vols........................Bafil 1571 Irenæi Opera, per Grabe........ ......Oxon 1702 Cyrilli Hierofolymitani Opera, per Milles Oxon. 1703 Cypriani Opera......... .................Gxon. 1682 Tertulliani Opera, per Rigaltium.................Paris 1675 Optati Opera, per G. Albafpinæum............Paris 1676 Eufebii, Socratis, Sozomeni, Theodoriti Hift. ecclef. 3 vol. per Reading... per Reading.........................Cant. 1720 Dupin's Hiftory of ecclefiaftical writers, 13 vols. Grotius de fatisfactione, in his Works, vol. 4th. QUARTO. Origenes cont.a Celfum................... London 1696 London 1679 Cantab. 1677 Syntagma, Confeffionum Fide................... Geneva 1654 OCTAVO. Lanctantii Opera..... ......................Lug. Bat. 1660 Editome, per Davis.......Cantab. 1718 Petri Lombardi Sententiæ...................... .Moguntiæ 1632 Novatiani Opera, per Welchman.................Oxon. 1724 DUODECIMO, &c. Athenagoriæ Opera, per Richenbergium. Leipf.....1685 Whenever I have quoted Beaufobre, without mentioning any particular work, it is his Hiftoire de Manicheifme, 2 vols. 4to. 1734; With refpect to the other works I have As I have quoted Fleury's Difcourfes on CONTENTS |