FATHERS OF THE CHURCH 503 FATHERS OF THE CHURCH
but never so powerfully pervading the foreign sub- stance it enters as to undergo no deflections itself, or to talvc no stains ; and as its influence varies, from age to age, in intensity, ;;s well as in the particular direc- tion it may take, so do;'s it exliil)it, from age to age, great variations of form and hue. But the men of any one age indulge too much the overweening temper tliat attaches always to human nature when they say to themselves, our Christianity is absolute Christian- it}', l)ut that of such or such an age was a mere shadow of it. All mystification apart, as well as a supersti- tious and overweening deference to antiquity, nothing can be more simjile than tlie facts on which rests the legitimate use and value of the ancient documents of Christianity, considered as the repositories of those practices and opinions which, obscurely or ambiguous- ly alluded to in the canonical writings, are found, drawn forth, and ilhistrated in the records of the times immediately succeeding. These records contain at once a testimony in behalf of the capital articles of our faith and an exposition of minor sentiments and eccle- siastical usages, neither of which can be surrendered without some serious loss and damage" (Taj'lor, An- cient C'hrisivmity, 8vo ed. p. 66-71).
6. The more recent tendency among the theologi;ins of German V, England, and America is to study the fa- thers more thorouglily than ever, but to study them in a scientific way, for historical rather than polemical and dogmatical ends ; or, where dogmatic interests are involved, to use the fathers historicallv, and not as au- thorities. The terms Patristics and Patrology have come into use to designate the history and literature of the fathers on the one hand [see Patristics], and their theology on tlie other [see Patrology]. These brandies have not yet taken fulh;^ scientific shape, but they are on the way to it (see tlie references below).
IV. CoUectire Editions of the Fathers. — 1. The first great collection was that of De la Bigne, who formed the idea of a collection of the f.itliers with a view of opposing the doctrines of the Frencli Protestants. This scheme met with the approbation of his superiors in the Sorbonne, and the first eight volumes appeared at Paris in 1575, and the 9th in 157i). It is entitled Eih- liotkeca Velerum Patrum ct Antirpiorum Scriptomm Ec- c'esijsticoritm Latine, and it cont.iined about 200 writ- ers. The '2d edit., somewhat improved, was published at Paris in 1589, 9 vols. fol. The 3d edit. (Paris, 1609, 11 vols, fol.) has the addition of an Auctuariiim. In these editions the writers are classed according to sub- jects. The ■Ith edit., or rather a new work by the pro- fessors of Cologne, has the writers arranged in chrono- logical order. It was printed at Cologne in 1G08, in 14 vols, fol., to which in 1622 a supplement in one vol. was added. The 5th edit, (or 4tii of De la Bigne) was published at Paris in 1624, in 10 vols, fol., with the ad- dition of an Auctnariurn Grwco-Latiimm compiled by Le Due (the Jesuit Fronto Bucceits), and in 1629 a Siip- plemcntnm La'in>im in two vols, was added. The 6th edit, (or 5th of De la Bigne), printed at Paris in 1634, in 17 vols, fol., contains the preceding, with the Auctun- riiim and Supplementnm incorporated. The 7th edit, in 1654 is merely a reprint of the last. 2. In 1677 ap- peared at Lyons (27 vols, fol.) the Bibliotheca Patrum, which generally and deservedly bears the name of Bihliofhec'i Afdximn Patrum Lv<j:htnensk. It contains nearly all tiie writers found in the preceding works, together with many others (L-ttin only), chronologi- cally arranged. 3. After this gigantic undertaking, no similar work appeared until that of Andre #alland was published, under the title of Bibltothera veterum Patrum (intiquorumque Scriptorum Ecrlesiastiroriim pos- tremii Lugduncnsi mvllo lomph-tior ntqup accuraiior, in 14 vols. fol. (Venice, 1766-1781). The Greek texts are given, with Latin versions. Galland omits many au- thors given in the Bib/. Max., but adds also 180 not given in it. 4. The most complete edition of both Greek and Latin fathers is that of Migne, Pati-ologix
Cursiis Completes, seu Bibl'otheca Universalis, integra, etc., Omnium SS. Patrum, iJoctorum, Scriptorumrjuc Ec- clesia-ticonim (Paris, 1844-1867). 'I his immense col- lection includes all the Latin writers from the apostol- ical age down to the time of Innocent III (A.D. 1216), and the Greeks down to the time of tlie Council of Florence (A.D. 1439). In most cases the Benedictine texts are followed. Ample indexes are given, both alphabetical and analyticul, of the Latin fathers ; those for the Greek, unfortunately, were not all finished when Migne's establishment was burned down in 1868. The Latin fathers All, with the indexes, two hundred and twenty -two volumes imperial octavo. The Greek writers (with Latin versions) take up one hundred and sixty-seven volumes of the same size. The Latin ver- sion of the Greek fathers is also published separately in eightj^-four volumes. For purposes of reference, there can be no question that this is the most conven- ient series of tlie fathers and ecclesiastical writers ever pul)lished. Complaints are made of manj' of the vol- umes (and justly) that sutiicient care has not been taken with the editing ; and it is further cliarged that, in some cases, the old literaiy policy of the Church of Rome, of modifying, omitting, and even garbling, for polemical purposes, has been followed by Migne. For the study of sjjecial authors there are, certainly, edi- tions to be had more accurate and trustworthy than Migne's ; and no student who desires to be thorough in critical studj' would ever be satisfied without com- parison of various editions. But with all drawbacks, the fact remains that the Cursus Compiletus PatrologicB is an indispensable necessity to every large theologi- cal or historical library.