numismatics, heraldry, and derives special assistance from ecclesiastical geography and statistics.10

§ 4.

OF THE SOURCES OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

The sources of ecclesiastical history, like those of every other

Era Constantinopolitana reckons after the creation of the world, the 1st September 5508 B. C., since the council of Trulla, (692), in civil use among the Greeks, among the Russians abolished in 1700. Besides, the different commencements of the year must be noticed in the reckoning of time. Comp. Ideler's Handbuch ii., 325 ff.

8 For the later Greek and Latin generally: C. du Fresne Glossarium ad Scriptores media et infimæ Græcitatis. Lugd. 1688. 2 Tom. fol. C. du Fresne Glossar. ad Scriptores mediæ et infimæ Latinitatis. Edit. nova operâ et stud. Monachorum ord. S. Bened. Paris. 1733-36. 6 Vol. fol. P. Carpentier Glossar. novum ad Scriptores med. ævi cum Latinos tum Gallicos. Paris. 1766. 4 Voll. fol. Glossar. manuale ad Scriptores mediæ et infimæ Latinitatis, (by J. C. Adelung). Hal. 1772-84. 6 Voll. 8. Here also belong all glossaries for the dialects of the middle ages. As every department of life and science has its peculiar ideas and expressions, so in like manner the Christian Church. For this ecclesiastical and theological terminology, which cannot indeed fitly lay the foundation of an ecclesiastical philology as a peculiar study, comp. J. C. Suiceri Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus e patribus Græcis. Second edition. Amsterd. 1728. 2 vols. fol. C. L. Baueri Glossarium Theodoreteum, appended to Schulz's edition of Theodoret, (Halle, 1774), and Index latinitatis Tertullianeæ, by Schütz and Windorf, annexed to Semler's edition of Tertullian, (Halle, 1776).

General works on Diplomatics: J. Mabillon De Re Diplomatica. ed. 2. Paris. 1709. Supplem. 1704. Nouveau Traité de Diplomatique par deux relig. Bénédictins de la Congr. de St Maur. (Toustain et Tassin). Paris, 1750-65. 6 voll. 4. Gatterer's Abriss der Diplomatik. Gött. 1791. 8. K. T. G. Schönemann's Vollständiges System der Allgemeinen Diplomatik, Hamb. 1801. 2 Bde. 8.

1o Caroli a S. Paulo Geographia Sacra s. notitia antiqua dioeceseon omnium veteris ecclesiæ, cur. J. Clerico. Amstel. 1703, fol. Fr. Spanhemii Geograph. Sacra et Eccles. (Opp. T. i. Lugd. Bat. 1701). Bingham Origg. Eccl. lib. ix. For later times: K. F. Stäudlin's Kirchl. Geographie u. Statistik. Tübingen 1804. 2 Thle. 8. Kirchl. Statistik von Dr Jul. Wiggers. 2 Bde. Hamburg u. Gotha, 1842.

Atlas Antiquus Sacer, ecclesiasticus et profanus, collectus ex tabulis geographicis Nic. Sansonis. Tabulas emendavit J. Clericus. Amstel. 1705. fol. Atlas Sacer s. Ecclesiasticus descriptus a J. E. Th. Wiltsch. Gotha 1843. fol.

history, may be traced back to private testimony, original documents, and monuments. To the first belong not only the records of ecclesiastical events which are original to us, and biographies of remarkable persons in the history of Christianity, particularly of hierarchs and saints,3 but also other works of Christian writers, especially the theological, and even many writings pro

1 Literary History of Ecclesiastical History, see C. Sagittarii Introductio in Historiam Ecclesiasticam. Jenæ, 1718. Tom. i. 4, with the supplements in Tom. ii, (curante J. A. Schmidio, 1718, p. 1-706. Ch. W. F. Walch's Grundsätze der zur Kirchenhistorie des N. T. nöthigen Vorbereitungslehren u. Bücherkenntniss. Gött. 1773. 8. Schröckh's Kirchengesch. Bd. 1. S. 141 ff. C. F. Stäudlin's Geschichte u. Literatur der Kirchengesch, herausgeg. v. J. T. Hemsen. Hanover 1827, 8. Comp. the works about to be quoted in Note 4 below.

2 Especially of the popes. The oldest collection of the biographies of them is Anastasii Bibliothecarii (abbot in Rome about 807) Liber Pontificalis. This, together with the following collections, has been inserted in Muratorii Rerum Ital. Scriptores, T. iii.

3 Existing in great numbers, but only to be used with great caution. Acta Sanctorum, quotquot toto orbe coluntur. Antverp. 1643-1794, 53 vols. fol. A work of the Antwerp Jesuits,-Jo. Bolland, (he began it; hence the publishers are called Bollandists), God. Henschenius, Dan. Papebrochius, &c., arranged according to the days of the month. The 53d volume contains the 6th of October. The apparatus collected for the work, which was long unknown, to which alone about 700 MSS. belong, came to Brussels from the abbey Tongerloo, in the Bibliothèque de Bourgogne. Since 1839 the Jesuits have been working upon the continuation in Tongerloo at the expense of the Belgian government. De Prosecutione Operis Bollandiani, quod Acta Sanctorum inscribitur. Namur, 1838. 8. Mémoire sur les Bollandistes par M. Gachard, in the Messager des Sciences et des arts de la Belgique. T. iii. (Gand. 1835), p. 200. On the history of the Bollandistes, see what is written in the Bonn. Zeitschrift für Philos. u. kath. Theol. Heft. 17. S. 245 ff. 20. S. 235 ff.

Heft.

4 Literary collections relating to the fathers: Nouvelle Bibliothèque des Auteurs Ecclésiastiques, par L. Ellies du Pin. Paris, 1686-1714, gr. 8, with the continuations: Bibliothèque des Auteurs séparés de la Communion de l'Eglise Romaine, du 16 et 17 siècle par Ell. du Pin. Paris, 1718-19. 2 vols., and the Bibliothèque des Aut. Ecclés. du 18 siècle, par Claude Pierre Goujet. Paris, 1736-37. 3 vols. gr. 8. Comp. Remarques sur la Biblioth. de Mr du Pin par Matthieu Petitdidier. Paris, 1691 ss. 3 Tom. 8. and Critique de la Biblioth. de Mr du Pin, par Rich Simon. Paris, 1730. 4 Tom. 8.

Histoire des Auteurs Sacrés et Ecclésiastiques, par R. Ceillier. Paris, 1729 ff. 23 Thle. 4. (reaching to the thirteenth century). W. Cave, Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Historia Literaria. Oxon. 1740. Basil. 1741. 2 Voll. fol. (to the Reformation). Casp. Oudini.Commentarius de Scriptoribus Ecclesiast. Antiquis. Lips. 1722. 3 voll. fol. (to the

ceeding from persons not Christians who came in contact with the professed disciples of the Saviour.

Among the original documents the following must be particularly examined: the laws of different states, as far as they have exerted an influence on the Christian church, or have themselves arisen under the influences of the church itself; the acts and ordinances of ecclesiastical councils, the official writings of the heads of churches, especially of the popes; the rules

year 1460). J. A. Möhler's Patrologie, herausgebeben v. Reithmayer. Bd. 1. Regensburg, 1840. J. Chr. F. Bähr die christl. römische Theologie. Carlsruhe 1837, and his Gesch. de römischen Literatur im karolingischen Zeitalter, 1840, (a second and third supplementary volume, containing his History of Roman Literature).

Hamb. 1718. fol.

J. A. Fabricii Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica. Ejusd. Biblioth. Latina mediæ et infimæ Etatis. Hamb. 1734-46. 6 vols. 8. (enlarged by Mansi. Patav. 1754. 3 vols. 4), also Fabricii Biblioth. Græca, (Hamb. 1705 ss. voll. xiv. 4., ed nova variorum curis emendatior curante G. Ch. Harless. Hamb. 1790-1809. Vol. xii. 4, incomplete), and Biblioth. Latina, (ed 4. Hamb. 1722. 3 Tomi. 8. auct. ed. J. A. Ernesti. Lips. 1773, 74, 3 Tom. 8), contain accounts of ecclesiastical authors. A Supplement to the last work is presented in C. T. G. Schoenemanni Biblioth. Hist. Literaria Patrum Latin. a Tertulliano usque ad Gregor. M. Tomi. ii. Lips. 1792. 94. 8.

Patres ecclesiæ are, in the opinion of Catholics, the orthodox ecclesiastical writers as far as the thirteenth century, (these, however, are not normal, for this reason, like the Doctores Ecclesiæ, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Gregory the Great, Thomas Aquinas, and Bonaventura). Protestants usually restrict the appellation to the first six centuries, as the purer period of the church. The works of the fathers not included in separate collections are found in the large collections, such as: Magna Bibliotheca vett. Patrum. Paris 1654. 17 Tomi. fol. Maxima Bibliotheca vett. Patrum. Lugdun. 1677, 27 Tomi. fol. Andr. Gallandii Biblioth. vett. Patrum. Venetiis 1765 ss. 14 Tomi. fol.

Chr. W. F Walch Entwurf einer Vollständigen Geschichte der Kirchenversammlungen. Leipzig, 1759. 8. Sagittarianæ Introductionis in Histor. Eccl. Tom. ii. curante J. A. Schmidio, (Jenæ, 1718), p. 707.

Collections of the proceedings of general councils: Conciliorum omnium collectio Regia. Paris, 1644, 37 vols. fol. Sacrosancta Concilia— stud. Ph. Labbei et Gab. Cossarti. Paris, 1672, 18 vols. fol., (with a supplementary volume by Baluzius. Paris, 1683.) Conciliorum collectio Regia maxima stud. J. Harduini. Paris, 1715. 12 vols. fol. Sacrosancta Concilia-curante Nicol. Coleti. Venet. 1728 ss. 23 vols. fol., (with the supplementum, by J. Dom. Mansi. Lucæ, 1748, 6 vols. fol.) Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio. Cur. J. D. Mansi. Florent. et Venet. 1759 ss. 31 vols. fol., extending to 1509.

6 Bullarium Romanum.-Luxemb. 1727. 19 vols. fol. Bullarium amplissima collectio op. Car. Coquelines, from the seventh volume onward,

Monu

of monastic orders; confessions of faith, liturgies, etc.s ments are ecclesiastical buildings, monuments of the dead, stone inscriptions, and other works which art has produced in the service of the church.

§ 5.

USE OF THE SOURCES.

The inquiries of ecclesiastical history are directed to the facts belonging to the history of the church of external and internal life both in their manifestation and grounds, which are sought to be deduced directly from the sources, in their original connection. For this purpose the historian requires not only a penetrating and unbiassed interpretation of the sources which present themselves, but also historical criticism, to enable him to judge of the genuineness, integrity, and credibility of the sources, not only in general, but in each particular case. This criticism must be the more watchful, since distortions of historical truth frequently appear in the province of ecclesiastical history, produced by the embarrassments of party views and interest, by the desire to adapt it to certain ends, and even by falsehood. In those cases in which the sources afford nothing at all, or what is false, relative either to single facts or their original connection, the inquirer must have recourse to historical conjectures, whose probability may border very nearly on truth, but often, perhaps, may rise very little above other possibilities. In forming such historical conjectures, he must be guided by a

with the title, Bullarium Romanum s. novissima collectio Apostolicarum Constitutionum. Romæ, 1739 ss. 14 Tomi in 28 Partt. fol., with the continuation, Bullarium Magnum Romanum Summorum Pontificum Clementis XIII. et XIV., Pii VI. et VII., Leonis XII., et Pii VIII. Romæ, 1833 ss. 89 fasc. fol.

7 Lucæ Holstenii Codex Regularum Monasticarum.

(Rom. 1661.

3 voll. 4), auctus a Mar. Brockie. Aug. Vind. 1759. 6 voll. fol.

8 J. A. Assemani Codex Liturgicus Ecclesiæ Universe. Rom. 1749. 13 vols. 4. L. A. Muratorii Liturgia Romana vetus. Venet. 1748. 2 voll. fol. Eus. Renaudot Liturgiarum Orientalium Collectio. Paris, 1716. 2 vols. 4.

1 Ernesti de fide historica recte æstimanda, (in his Opusculis Philologico-Criticis, ed. 2. Lugd. Bat. 1776, p. 64, ss.) Griesbachii Diss. de fide hist. ex ipsa rerum quæ narrantur natura judicanda, (in his Opusc. Acad. ed. Gabler. Jenæ, 1824, vol. i., p. 167, ss.)

careful consideration of existing relations, of the character of the period and persons, by analogy, and even by the false accounts of sources. The ecclesiastical historian must renounce party interest as well as prejudice in considering the peculiarities of his time. On the contrary, he cannot penetrate into the internal character of the phenomena of church history without a Christian religious spirit, because one cannot generally comprehend aright any strange spiritual phenomenon without reproducing it in himself. It is only investigation of this nature that can discover where the Christian spirit is entirely wanting, where it is used merely as a mask, another spirit having occupied its place. Wherever it exists it will not be mistaken, although it should manifest itself in such ways as are foreign to the spirit of our own times.

§ 6.

ARRANGEMENT OF THE MATERIALS OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.HISTORIC REPRESENTATION.

The old methods of arranging the materials of ecclesiastical history according to years, or of dividing them into centuries, have been rightly abandoned. The division into periods, by means of epochs, has been generally adopted, although great difference prevails in fixing these periods. We assume four periods: the first, To the time of Constantine, the first development of the church under external oppression; the second, Till the beginning of the image controversies, the development of Christianity as the prevailing religion of the state; the third, Till the Reformation, the development of the Papacy prevailing over the state; the fourth, The development of Protestantism.1 The contents of each period may be arranged either chronologically, or according to an artificial space taken from the different

1 The following have been used as epochs by different ecclesiastical historians, for the purpose of limiting their periods :-The destruction of Jerusalem, 70: Commencement of Constantine's reign, 306, or the Council of Nice, 325; Gregory the Great, 604, or Muhammed, 622; Boniface, the Apostle of the Germans, 715, or the beginning of the image-controversy, 725; Charlemagne, 800; Gregory VII., 1073; Removal of the papal residence to Avignon, 1305; Reformation, 1517; Founding of the University of Halle, 1693.