century, who have with amazing industry and patience collected the raw material from the quarries, and investigated every nook and corner of VIU TKEFACE. Christian antiquity. I need only refer to tlie Benedictine editors of the fathers ; to the Bollandists, in the department of hagiography ; to Massi and Haedocin, in the collection of the Acts of Councils; to Gallandi, Dtjpin, Ceillieb, Oudin, Caye, Fabkioius, in patristics and literary his- tory; to Petau's Theologka dogmata, Tillemont's Memoir es, Bull's Defensio Fidei Nicmnce, Binghaji's Antiquities, Waloh's Ketzerhistorie. In learning, acumen, judgment, and i-everent spirit, these and similar works are fully equal, if not superior, to the best productions of the modern Teutonic press ; while we cheerfully concede to the latter the superiority in critical sifting, philosophical grasp, artistic reproduction of the materia], and in impartiality and freedom of spirit, without which there can be no true history. Thus times and talents supplement each other. With all due regard for the labors of distinguished predecessors and contemporaries, I have endeavored, to the best of my ability, to combine fulness of matter with condensation in form and clearness of style, and to present a truthful and lively picture of the age of Christian emperors, patriarchs, and ecumenical councils. Whether, and how far, I have suc- ceeded in this, competent judges will decide. I must again express my profound obligation to my friend, the Eev. Dr. Yeomans, of Rochester, for his invaluable assistance in bringing these volumes before the public in a far better English dress than I could have given them myself. I hemi prepared the work in German, and bt«pe sent the -Qopy to Leipsic, where a German edition wUl appear simultaneously with the American. Some portions I IjwBa'mj'selfVeproduced in English, and bawQ made considerable additions throughout in the final revision of the copy for the press. But the body of the work kft&-been translated N from manuscript by Dr. Yeomans. Ilei** performed his task Avith that w'"^ consummate union of faithfulness and freedom which does full justice both to the thought of the author and the language of the reader, and Avhich has elicited the unqualified praise of tlie best judges for his translation of my History of the Apostolic Church, and that of the first three cen- turies. The work has been, for the translator as well as for the author, truly a labor of love, which carries in it its own exceeding great reward. For what can be more delightful and profitable than to revive for the benefit of the living generation, the memory of those great and good men who were God's own chosen instruments in expounding tlie mysteries of PEEFACE. IX divine truth, and in spreading the blessings of Christianity over the face of the earth ? It is my wish and purpose to resume this work as soon as other engage- ments will permit, and to complete it according to the original plan. -Itr the mean time I have the satisfaction of having finished