| override_editor

“ Of the existence of gods he speaks with much ambiguity. The actual objects of heathen worship he concludes from the nature of their mythology and ritual to be real but evil beings. But he nowhere denies that there exist also dii boni; only he views them (if existent) as mere reflexes of the Supreme Nature, and as in no sense distinct objects of worship and prayer. In worshipping the Supreme (he argues) , we worship by implication—if to be worshipped they are—such gods as are gods indeed. ”

“ Those six centuries, consequently, have a special interest for all Christian students, and particularly for those of our own Church, and deserve accordingly some special treatment. It was thought, therefore, that a Dictionary of Christian Biography which confined itself to this formative and authoritative period of the Church's history would be of special interest and service, not only to the clergy, but also to the Christian laity and to students for Holy Orders. ”

“ He is the only path to light; His followers alone are saved; He is stronger than fate. Some doubt may, perhaps, be thrown over the extent of these ascriptions of deity by the vague language with which Arnobius speaks of the gods (see below) . But with every deduction they are magnificent, and at least lie in the direction of the fullest orthodoxy. The allusions to the incarnation, life, and death of the Redeemer are numerous. ”

“ They were useful and necessary for purposes of learned reference, but they cast no light on the course and meaning of Church history for ordinary readers. We have had to exercise a discretion (which may sometimes seem to have been arbitrary) in selecting, for instance, from the 596 Johns just mentioned those which were the most valuable for such readers as we had in view; and for the manner in which we have exercised that discretion we must trust ourselves to the indulgent judgment of our readers. ”

“ Of the Lord Jesus Christ he uses the most glowing language. As a man He is the supreme philosopher and teacher, both of nature and religion. But He is also God: "Deus re certâ: Deus, homo tamen natus; Deus interiorum potentiarum ”

“ At Carthage he always met with a determined opposition, and at Constantinople and Rome both the imperial and the ecclesiastical powers were finally arrayed against him. After the condemnation of the doctrines of Pelagius by the oecumenical council at Ephesus, Coelestius passed from sight. ”

“ We must further offer the expression of our cordial gratitude to several living scholars, who have contributed new articles of similar importance to the present volume, in place of some in the original edition which the lapse of time or other circumstances had rendered less valuable than the rest. ”

“ After teaching for some years he founded in 558 his great monastery at Bangor, in the Ards of Ulster and co. of Down. Hither multitudes flocked from all quarters, and for it and kindred institutions he drew up a Rule which was considered one of the chief ones of Ireland. His most noted disciples at Bangor were Cormac, son of Diarmaid and king of South Leinster, who in his old age abdicated and became a monk, as is related in the Life of St. ”

“ The Editors cannot conclude without paying a final tribute of honour and gratitude to the generous and devoted scholar whose accurate labours were indispensable to the original work, as is acknowledged often in its Prefaces, and who rendered invaluable assistance in the first stage of the preparation of the present volume—the Rev. ”

“ G.S. The late Rev. G. Salmon, D.D.
⁠Formerly Regius Professor of Divinity and Provost of Trinity College, Dublin. P.S. The late Rev. P. Schaff.
⁠Bible House, New York. W.M.S. The Ven. W. M. Sinclair, D.D.
⁠Formerly Archdeacon of London. I.G.S. Rev. I. G. Smith, LL.D.
⁠Formerly Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. R.P.S. The late Very Rev. R. P. Smith, D.D.
⁠Formerly Dean of Canterbury. G.T.S. The late Rev. G. T. Stokes, M.A.
⁠Formerly Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Trinity College, Dublin. S. The late Right Rev. W. Stubbs, D.D.
⁠Formerly Bishop of Oxford. E.S.T. The Right Rev. ”

“ M. B. Cowell, M.A.
⁠Vicar of Ash Bocking. F.D. F. H. Blackburne Daniel, Esq.
⁠Of Lincoln's Inn. G.W.D. The Ven. G. W. Daniell, M.A.
⁠Archdeacon of Kingston-on-Thames. T.W.D. The late Rev. T. W. Davids. ”