THE BIBLICAL CABINET; OR HERMENEUTICAL, EXEGETICAL, AND PHILOLOGICAL LIBRARY. VOL. XXXV. NEANDER'S HISTORY OF THE FIRST PLANTING OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. EDINBURGH: THOMAS CLARK, 38 GEORGE STREET; HAMILTON, ADAMS & CO. LONDON; W. CURRY JUN. & CO. DUBLIN ; W. R. PETERS, 36 PARK ROW, NEW YORK; AND WHIPPLE & DAMRELL, BOSTON. MDCCCXLII. DR AUGUSTUS NEANDER, ORDINARY PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN, CONSISTORIAL COUNSELLOR, &c. TRANSLATED FROM THE THIRD EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL GERMAN, Philosophia quærit, religio possidet veritatem. J. PICUS A MIRANDOLA. Kein andrer Gott als der Gott der Bible, der Herz zu Herz ist. NIEBUHR. TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. ONLY a few words seem necessary by way of preface to the following translation. It was begun towards the close of 1840; but early in the present year the Translator having requested Dr Neander to favour him with any corrections or additions which he might have made to the second edition (published in 1838), was informed, in reply, that a third edition was passing through the press : at the same time, an offer was most kindly made of forwarding the proof-sheets, by which means the translation will appear within a few weeks after the original, in its most approved form. It may be proper to state, that there were circumstances which rendered it desirable that as little delay as possible should occur in the preparation of the English work. This demand for expedition may have perhaps occasioned more inadvertencies than the modicum of negative reputation allotted to literary workmanship of this kind can well afford. The Translator trusts, however, that he has, on the whole, succeeded in giving a tolerably correct representation of the original, though, had time been allowed for a more careful revision, several minor blemishes might have been removed, and the meaning of some passages have been more distinctly brought out. The Author's great and long-established reputation as an Ecclesiastical Historian, would render it unnecessary, |