Section 34
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xxvm PREFACE. sion. A more general circulation of primitive works, whether by copious extracts, or by entire translations, appears to be one of the best means at least, of giving a primitive tone to modern Christianity. And though we might not conceive ourselves bound to acknowledge every thing as biblical, merely because it was primitive, yet were it possible that we could ascertain the real state of Christianity in every respect as it was then, doubtless it would prove a salutary check upon many of our errors.* To show that we are not singular on this subject, we here give the sentiments of a foreign journal, which will never be regarded as enthusiastic by those who are at all acquainted with its cha racter. " Independently of the importance of studying the fa thers with respect to doctrine and ecclesiastical history, and even with respect to exegesis, the perusal of their writings serves, among other objects, to awaken and excite religious views and ideas in the minds of the young, much more than any course of instruction, however logically exact, and in accordance with the rules of hermeneutics. And we are convinced that the ex cessive abuse that has been of late made of manuals, journals, magazines, &c., for clergymen, which for the last twenty years, arid longer, has been the order of the day in many places, and by which the spirit of young clergymen has been warped and per verted to indolence and carelessness, would not have made such inroads, if, together with the Holy Scriptures, which should un questionably form the basis of every discourse, the study of the fathers had also been zealously encouraged."f It was well observed by a modern philosopher, that if every age had had its Aristotle, philosophy would long since have reached its climax ; and we may observe with regard to ecclesi* The importance of a more general acquaintance with the opinions and doc trines prevalent in the church, before the Council of Nice, is obvious. No attempt, however, has as yet been made to bring them into such general circulation, that all could have and read them, laity as well as clergy. With a view to supply this de fect, among others, the translator has projected a publication to appear periodically, embracing copious extracts from the fathers on doctrine, and dissertations in refer ence to the Archseology of Christianity, with the title Repertory of Primitive Theology. See the Prospectus of this publication. f Hall. Allgem. Lit. Zeitung. No. 10. 1817.