and deliver what themfelves do not believe 47 7. Sometimes they have altered their Fudgment SI 9. When the Senfe of any one Father is found, 'tis yet difficult to know whether it be the common Opinion 10. It is not barely difficult, but impoffible to know 2 Obj. The Fathers, tho' well underflood, yet are 1. Their Teftimony is not always certain, or true 62 6. Both Proteftants and Papifts rejet 'em when not The Church tho' not perfe&, yet purer in its Primi- tive than later. Ages, and the Reasons hereof 80 Its Doctrine corrupted by Papifts, Socinus, Curcilæus, Placed in the Clergy alone, as appears from Scripture The CONTENTS of the PRELIMINARY HE Defign of the Preliminary, to Supply what has been omitted, and corred what has been His Parents, Place of Nativity, Studies and Conver- The Defign of this Charge upon St. John and Juftin This Apology was writ at Rome, when the Perfecuti- A Sum- A Summary of the Particulars in the Apology, at the end whereof Baptifm, and the Eucharift with their Miracles commonly wrought in his time and after 9 The Genuinefs of this Apology not doubted Rules obferved in this Tranflation A Character of the Authors Stile The CONTENTS of the PRELIMINARY ་ PREFACE, Concerning the Right Ufe of the Fathers. Ο NE of the Ableft * Criticks, and the most all bis Curiofity and Lift to expofe their Nakedness, cannot but acknowledge, That thofe Times which came nearest to the Apoftles, were neceffarily the pureft, and less fubject to Sufpicion of Corruptions either in Doctrine, Manners, or Christian Discipline; it being reafonable to believe, that if there be any Corruptions crept into the Church, they crept in by degrees, by little and little, as it happens in all other Things. Which Conceffion of his, by the way, I take to be a fufficient Anfwer to his whole Book: It cannot therefore but be worth our while to tranflate fome of the next beft Books to the Bible, to open a Paffage for the Unlearned, into the Knowledge of the Pureft Times of Chriftianity, next to the Apoftles, but not by Scraps and Quotations, which are neither fafe nor fatisfactory, but from Daille of the Right Ufe of the Fathers, cap. 1. the The 1 the intire Authors themselves; and by fhort Notes to lay before the People in the most inftructing View we can, that Primitive Form and Power of Godliness, that Strength of Reafon and Beauty of Example, whereby the old fuffering Heroes Apologiz'd and Liv'd the Gentiles into Chriftians, in an Age when Wit and Wickedness, with all the Kingdom of Darkness, were at the highest Elevation, and in Confederacy against them. And were but the Tranflations of the fame Spirit with the Originals, I am perfuaded they cou'd not eafily be read by well-difpofed People, without fome good Effect upon their Understanding and Paffions. For I find in as clear and deep a * Writer as any of the Age, among feveral Expedients for antidoting the Minds of the People against the Poifon of the Times, this for one, viz. A Choice Collection in English of the ancient Chriftians, whereby the People might fee the Doctrine, Manners, Rites, Cuftoms, Polity, and Discipline, when the Church fubfifted purely upon its own Powers and Principles independently on the Empire. This is the Plan I have follow'd, but who befides this Great Mafter HimSelf of Stile and Antiquity, can come up to his own Rules, and happily reach that Sublime and Beauty of Tranflation, he there prefcribes? 'Tis no eafie Matter to enter into the Soul of an Author, and express him to the Life, to hit off a Good Like, with all the diftinguishing Graces; to animate a PiEture, and make the Verfion glow with the Warmth and Spirit of the Original. How well I have * Dr. Hickes's Preface to his Apologetical Vindication, &c. fucceeded |