A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

To the Reader.

NOtwithstanding the Discouragement, which the most Ingenious and Learned Mr. Du-Pin hath met with, from the Heads of his own Church, for his Free and Impartial Account of the Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers of the First Eight Centuries; yet so Communicative is he of his knowledge, that he is not deterr'd from his Generous Design, but hath Presented the World with a Conti∣nuation of that so Good and Excellent a Work in this History of the Ninth Century: An Age, which was perplex'd with so many Intricate Controversies quite through it; that scarce any Person, but of his Great Abilities, and firm Judgment, would have da∣red to medled with; yet he hath done it with that Clearness, Integrity and Faithfulness, that it is render'd one of the most Profitable Parts of Church-History. Indeed, the Roughness of the Way hath forced him out of his Former Method, and this part of his History appears in a Different Dress from his former; yet the same Ingenuity, Learn∣ing and Freedom, is so visible throughout, that no Man that hath any thing of the Critick, can doubt it to be his; and, the Different Method hath made the Controver∣sies of the Age so clear, that that History, which in our Annals seems very confused, is, by his way of Management, rendered not onely Clear and Intelligible; but extream∣ly Pleasant and Delightful, serving to give Light to some of the Greatest Contests, which have Disturbed the Church in these Latter Ages; particularly those of Predesti∣nation, and Grace, Christ's Real Presence in the Sacrament, &c. Some of the Contro∣versies being such, as are at this Day Hotly Debated, between the Church of Rome, and the Protestants: it may be justly suspected, that our Author should Repre∣sent things most fairly for the Romish side, in which, by his Profession, he is engag'd, few being Impartial in such Cases; but, to the Just Commendation of Mr. Du Pin's In∣tegrity, it ought to be said, That he hath even in those Points, no farther inclin'd to his own side, than the zeal of the Contending Parties hath justly oblig'd him, and the Words of the Controvertists will fairly bear, which is confess'd, are sometimes through the Heat of Contention, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, very Extravagant; but that ought to be imputed to the Author he is speaking of, not Mr. Du Pin: So that considering the Temp∣tation our Author had to be Partial in the History of this Century, more than in any of the Former, he is more to be admired for his Impartiality and Integrity in this, than in the Former Volumes.

As to the Translation, it was done from the Copy Printed at Paris; and there hath been more than ordinary care taken, that it be Faithfully rendred into plain, and sig∣nificant English; and where ever there occurr'd any difficult Customs or Words, or any Expressions, contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England, there is added in the Margin such Notes, as give an Explication of them, and discover both the Unsound∣ness of the Doctrine, and direct us to True and Orthodox Knowledge; whereby the History is fitted, not onely for the Reading of the Learned, but made profitable, and without danger, to the more Unskilful Readers.

In the Account of the Editions of the Fathers, Mr. Du-Pin is not so very exact, be∣cause his Design is only to give us an Account of their Writings, and a Censure upon them out of the Best Editions of their Works, which he sometimes mentions: but since it is Useful to those that Read these Authors, to know the several Editions of them; an Account of the varions Editions of the Works of the Ecclesiastical Writers of this Cen∣tury is added; to gether with several Observations, for which the Reader's Kind Ac∣ceptance is all the Reward desired.