when we treat of the particular branches of theology. Works of the kind we have been now considering, were not very numerous among the Reformed, nor of much repute. Before the expiration of the 17th century, STEPHEN GAUSSEN, Professor at Saumur, had written a Treatise on the Course of Theological Study, discussing the nature of Theology, the use of Philosophy, and the method of preaching, which was reprinted several times during the 18th. In this work we remark the faults of his age, but it contains many important observations and directions. J. HEINR. HEIDEGGER, of Heidelburg, wrote a Model for Theological Students, in which he collected much, which had been previously published in other works, and made many additions from his own resources. wished that less attention should be paid to Polemics, and gave his work rather a moral than a doctrinal cast. In the Netherlands, the sciences, criticism, and the oriental languages, were zealously cultivated as aids in the study of Theology.

He

In many parts of the Catholic Church, great progress was made in every department of knowledge connected. with Theology. They emulated the Protestants, and although no change or improvement was effected in their established system of doctrine, yet they were unwilling to be left behind in the prosecution of learning, and were not ashamed to avail themselves of the discoveries and im

provements of the Protestants. Since Rich. Simon, the criticism which he directed to the whole compass of Roman Catholic Theology, obtained many liberal defenders and cultivators; although the number of those who opposed its progress, still continued the most considerable. The Oriental languages retained their chairs in the Catholic Universities. Theology and its cognate branches of knowledge, were more divided and more extensively prosecuted. Theological Seminaries were multiplied, and improved. The congregation of St. Maurus and the Fa

thers of the Oratory were conspicuous for their diligence and zeal, and other learned Catholics have by their services in Ecclesiastical history, thrown light upon every part of theology. The suppression of the Jesuits produced greater liberty of the press, allowed the new principles of Interpretation greater influence, and lessened the constraint of pedantry and scholasticism. The strict ancient Catholic system was attacked with the weapons of learning, even in Italy. Many Catholic Princes and Bishops endeavoured, in various ways, to promote the interests of learning; and to improve the method of studying Theology. All this manifested itself principally in Germany, and indeed first in Salzburgh in Austria, in the States of the Electorates of Mentz and Bavaria, and in Wurzburg. Here the last struggles of the Jesuits were made for maintaining their influence. In Austria, in the year 1776, appeared under the Empress MARIA THERESA, The Instruction for all the Theological Faculties in the Empire. The author of this work was RAUTENSTRAUCH, a Benedictine, whom the Empress had made Director of the Theological Faculty of Vienna. The whole spirit and method of teaching, as regards Theology, would have been changed by this book, and would have received a completely prac tical tendency. The Sacred Scriptures were represented as the only proper original ground of theological knowledge. Scholasticism, and Jesuistical Casuistry were prescribed, and Polemics very much moderated. Great stress was laid upon the study of the Oriental Languages. Ecclesiastical History, it taught, should be prosecuted with moral and religious views. The cultivation of Biblical Hermeneutics was expressly enjoined. After attending to these subjects, Didactic and Casuistical Theology were to be studied. In Church Government, the Decretal was no longer to be followed, but some more liberal system. Not until the fifth and last year of the course, were the Ascetic Catechetical or Homelectic departments, nor Pastoral The

ology and Polemics to be attended to. Under JOSEPH II, the freedom of opinion, and liberty of the press were still further increased. Theology was now from the pulpit and the press, treated in a much better spirit and purified from many of its errors. This liberal spirit had begun to diffuse itself, but political events have since, not only suppres sed it in Austria and restored the direction of Theology to the Monks, but withdrawn the attention of Catholics from these subjects; so that the encouragements of various kinds which had been held out to theological learning, have failed of producing any important results.

The 18th century produced works, which treated of Ecclesiastical writers, their lives, the contents, worth, and editions of their works, much more extensive and valuable than any which preceded them. These works refer so directly to all parts of Theology, (which they have contributed much to enlighten) and have so enriched the history of theological literature, that they deserve here a most honourable mention. We can however only notice those, which are the most comprehensive and important, passing by others, which relate either, only to one class of authors or to one particular age or nation. DUPIN'S Bibliotheca of Ecclesiastical Authors, which he commenced publishing in 1686, and completed in 1714, is the most extensive work of this nature. As an Introduction he has given Prolegomena to the Bible. The work itself, contains a Biography of Ecclesiastical Authors, a catalogue of their works, their chronological order, and their various editions; it presents also an epitome of their contents, and an examination of their style and opinions, with many other particulars connected with Church History and Chronology. It commences with the first century and continues to the 18th. What is properly Bibliographical in the work, is not always sufficiently accurate, the Epitomes are often incorrect and negligent, many articles are of no value, and with respect to authors, not of the Catholic communion,

there is much mistake and injustice. Yet the work possesses and must continue to possess a value which overbalances all these defects. The judgements given are discriminating and liberal, and the several authors are properly characterized. This work procured for Dupin two classes of opposers. The one found much that was too liberal and contrary to the true Catholic faith. The Archbishop of Paris condemned it, and forced its author to a public recantation of some of its parts. Bishop Bossuet also complained of his style of criticism, and pointed out many passages as erroneous, especially relating to doctrines and Church Government. The other class, on the contrary,

complained that his criticisms were not liberal enough, nor sufficiently accurate. This was especially the case with Richard Simon, whom Dupin had provoked by a previous attack. Simon exhibited many mistakes committed by his antagonist, and showed himself his superior, in profoundness, originality, segacity, and extent of learning, although he frequently did him injustice.

Whilst this work of Dupin was publishing, A Literary History of Ecclesiastical Writers, by WIll. Cave, an English Professor made its appearance. This work does not treat of the contents of the writings of ecclesiastical Authors, but with much minuteness, details every thing which relates to their lives, to their genuine, doubtful or spurious works. and the various editions of them, and to those which have never been published, or which have perished. This work was published gradually under the direction of Cave; and with the assistance of another individual, was constantly enlarged, though it never exceeded the size originally designed. At first, it reached only to the 14th century, but he afterwards brought it as low as the Reformation. It contains notices of all the heathen writers who opposed Christianity. It is divided into centuries, to each of which is affixed a distinct title, as the Apostolic, the Gnostic, Novatian, Arian, Nestorian,

Eutychian, &c. &c. To each century is prefixed a historical view of its principal events, then follows an account of all the Ecclesiastical Writers, in chronological order; and finally a notice of all the ecclesiastical councils, whether general or provincial which occurred during the period.

CAS. OUDIN, Librarian of the University of Leyden, found that the authors who had written on the Ecclesiastical Writers, as Possevin, Labbe, Cave, and Dupin had passed over many authors, without notice, and had committed a great number of mistakes. He made it therefore his object, in his great work, which he brought down to the year 1460, to supply the deficiencies of these authors, and present a supplement to their works, without however confining himself strictly to this object. He treated of a great number of unedited, and hitherto unknown works, which he had found out in the Libraries. He upbraided Cave with not having read and studied the ancient authors himself, but gleaned his account of them from others, and with having regarded many works as genuine, which are really spurious. Of Dupin he expressed a more favourable opinion. He himself, intentionally abstained from any thing of a doctrinal character, that his work might not offend the Catholics; he did not even investigate what the Fathers taught or wrote upon any doctrine, nor did he give any analysis of their works. He therefore had the more leisure to devote himself to the investigation of their history, of the spuriousness or genuineness of their works and their number and editions of them.

LOUIS ELLIES DUPIN, Nouvelle Bibliotheque des auteurs Ecclesiastiques, Paris, 1686-1711, 47 voll.

Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum historia litteraria, a C. N., usque ad Sec. 14, a GULIEL. CAVE, Ox. 1740-1743.

CAS. OUDIN, Commentarius de Scrip. Eccl. Antiquis illorumque scriptis, adhuc extantibus in Bibliothecis Europa, a Rellarmino, Caveo, Dupin, et alis omissis, Lip. 3 vol. 1722.