PREFACE THAT the interests 12 folde promoted by the recoris erits 2: by no one who dus tion was expec ages of ter large portion of the U. who are not enque. approach the inmetz uses are there wre-_ But as we must preach like Fa.. remembrance Gurch to de record it, savi cepts, teaches, in ecclesiastical history, with the louder voice of examples and facts. The excellencies of Christian principles and conduct here allure to imitation, by the happy consequences which appear on record, or the errors of former generations in the church make some atonement to us for the mischiefs which they have occasioned, by standing as flaming beacons on a dangerous shore. Since not merely insulated individuals, but the whole body of Christians are, at some seasons, exposed to the danger of acting upon mistaken principles, and pursuing pernicious measures, which unhappily turn the march of religion from an advancing, to a retrograde course; it is infinitely desirable to hold out such warnings as fatal experience may furnish, to save us from renewing the errors and mistakes of those who have gone before us. It is, indeed, a melancholy truth that, though individuals may learn wisdom from the follies of their predecessors, nations buy experience only to throw it away again but in the church of Christ, where the depraved passions are brought into subjection by divine grace, and a sincere desire to know the path of duty predominates in the heart, the advantage of these instructive records is often inestimably great. As the sacred Scriptures have announced the will of heaven that "the memory of the wicked shall rot," while "the righteous are held in everlasting remembrance,” it cannot be less than a duty to consecrate to the actions or sufferings of pious men those labours of the press, which confer on them a species of immortality upon earth. It is the privilege of sacred history to give a niche in the temple of God to the statues of men, who have devoted their lives to rear that temple to his praise. Thus some of the most striking examples, which the histories of this world would have neglected, as too tame for their stormy scenes, are not only snatched from unmerited oblivion, but called forth to contend against the pestiferous influence of worldly heroes, and to perpetuate the usefulness which was the ambition of their lives, beyond the limits of their earthly race. Hereby a martyred "Abel, being dead, yet speaketh," to warn succeeding generations from emulating the fatal success of a murderous Cain, though dazzling with all the delusive lustre which historians may unhappily contrive to throw around a conqueror. What Christian, that has read the biographies of holy men, will hesitate to acknowledge, that their animating influence has thrilled through all his soul, and inspired him with the sacred ambition to " go and do likewise?" Who, on rising from the perusal of such works, does not ardently wish that they could be multiplied, that the diversified excellencies of numerous Christians might fan a kindred flame in other breasts? But the example of many an excellent person, though worthy to be held up to imitation, does not admit the honour of a separate publication; or, if the partiality of friends should give it this distinction, the smallness of the work exposes it to be at last forgotten, amidst the multitudes of books" of making which there is no end." It is the province of ecclesiastical history to collect these scattered leaves, more sacred and more precious than those of the heathen Sibylls, and thus to watch that the names, which the church has inscribed in the book of life, should not again be blotted out. And even where men are only anxious to be thoroughly informed of the affairs of their country, or of the world, though they may be unhappily indifferent to religion, the history of the church has high claims upon their attention. Yet how many who would blush to be found ignorant of even the more minute occurrences in the political world, deem it no reflection on their education to be almost total strangers to the first leading facts in the history of religion? But in various important instances these two branches of knowledge are so entwined, that he who is ignorant of the one cannot be well informed of the other. And where the governments of the world have interfered with religion, as they too often have, to its injury and their own, it will generally be found, that those who make religion the element of their existence, view the affair through a different medium from others, and place it in that true light which has escaped the historians of this world. How strange the difference between the characters or histories of the first Christians, when we see them in the clear light of the New Testament, and in the obscure hints of Pliny or Suetonius! How much would he suffer in loss of real knowledge who should content himself with what he could learn of Christianity from the historians of the Roman empire! It is in the ecclesiastical department that history is carried forward to its true and noblest end. For who but children read the historic page, for the mere knowledge of tales and dates? He whose mind is imbued with the true spirit of history, values it chiefly for the knowledge of man which it conveys, and the lessons of moral and political wisdom which it so forcibly inculcates. And where can these higher objects be more effectually obtained than in those pages which record the sentiments of men on their immortal destiny, devellope the passions which their religion or their superstition enkindled, and transmit to poste rity the good or evil effects of the various systems of faith which they have adopted? That which is called history by eminence excells the science of naturál history, as far as the rational surpasses the animal or vegetable world; but ecclesiastical history transcends all other, for it is not only the history of minds, but of minds acting under the impulse of conscious immortality. The irrational creation could afford materials for a |