PREFACE MANY years ago the late Dean Burgon suggested to me, as a work which I might usefully undertake, to supply the desideratum of a complete account up to date of the Athanasian Creed. The following pages are the result of a very humble but I trust honest attempt, so far as it goes, to reach the high ideal thus set before me. Of its imperfections I am fully sensible. It is almost needless to say that I have derived great assistance from the well-known work of Waterland upon the subject, which, though it necessarily falls short of our present standard of knowledge, possesses a permanent value. But I have not accepted his statements and conclusions without examination, and in some cases have been unable to follow him; as, for instance, in regard to the Commentary ascribed by him to Venantius Fortunatus, but which seems to me to be of uncertain authorship. Another book which has furnished me with information is the late Dr. Swainson's work on the Creeds, and I am all the more ready to make the acknowledgement, as I differ entirely from the author's theories with respect to the origin, construction, and date of the Quicunque vult. This was my introduction to the important MSS. of the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris-Latin 13,159, 1,451, and 3,848 B. The information thus acquired has been supplemented by the results of study and research carried on, as opportunity has permitted, for more than twenty years in our own public Libraries and in some foreign collections, viz. the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris, the Public Library at Troyes, the Ambrosian Library at Milan, and the Vatican. It will be seen that I have divided the work into two parts, the first treating in detail of the various authorities and documents on which the history of the Creed rests, the second stating the conclusions to be drawn from them in regard to the several points of principal interest and importance. Any person, not largely endowed with the gift of patience, may do wisely to proceed at once to the second part, and if he wishes to examine the grounds of any particular conclusion as explained in the first, he will be able to do so by means of reference to the list of contents and the foot-notes. The present volume comprises, together with much additional matter, the substance of two volumes previously issued by me. on the same subject. My sincere thanks are due to the Rev. C. E. Plumb, Principal of St. Stephen's House, Oxford, for kindly undertaking the troublesome but useful task of compiling Indices. To others, who have assisted me by advice or information, I have expressed my grateful acknowledgements in the various passages of my book where they are called for. OXFORD, November, 1896. G. D. W. OMMANNEY. |