The Institutes of Johann Lorenz von Mosheim, originally written in Latin, was for a long time both the most respected and the most popular work on church history, at least in the Protestant world. It was translated twice into English; but the first translation, by Archibald MacLaine, was widely regarded as too inaccurate to be reliable. The “new and literal” translation by James Murdock is supposed to be far better. Nevertheless, we include both translations here.
Perhaps the most sincere and convincing tribute to Mosheim’s learning is that his ecclesiastical history was one of the few works from which Edward Gibbon was willing to accept quotations at second hand. “The learning and judgment of Mosheim had been of frequent use in the course of my Historical Inquiry,” says Gibbon, “and I had not been wanting in proper expressions of gratitude.” In another place, he adds that “when, amidst the fury of contending parties, I trace the progress of ecclesiastical dominion, I am not ashamed to confess myself the disciple of the impartial Mosheim.”
Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern, by John Laurence von Mosheim, D.D. A new and literal translation from the original Latin, with copious additional notes, original and selected, by James Murdock, D.D. Edited with additions, by Henry Soames, M.A. London: [a large consortium of well-known publishers], 1850.
Mosheim’s Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern. A new and literal translation from the original Latin, with copious additional notes, original and selected. By James Murdock, D.D. Revised, and many supplementary notes added, by James Seaton Reid, D.D. Twelfth edition. London: Ward, Lock, & Co., [1849]. —Two columns of small type in one volume; OCR works very well.
Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, by Johann Lorenz von Mosheim. Translated by James Murdock; revised by James Seaton Reid. In one volume (two columns, small type). London, 1878.
Another edition, 1867.
An Ecclesiastical History, ancient and modern, from the birth of Christ, to the beginning of the present century. By the late learned John Laurence Mosheim, D. D. Translated from the original Latin and accompanied with notes and chronological tables, by Archibald MacLaine, D. D. First American edition. Philadelphia: Stephen C. Ustick, 1798. —From John Adams’ library.
An Ecclesiastical History, ancient and modern; from the birth of Christ to the beginning of the eighteenth century. By the late learned John Laurence Mosheim, D. D. Translated from the original Latin and illustrated with notes, chronological tables, and an appendix. by Archibald MacLaine, D. D. Continued to the year 1826, by Charles Coote, L.L.D., And furnished with a dissertation on the state of the primitive church, but the Right Reverend Dr. George Gleig of Stirling. Cincinnati: Applegate & Co., 1863. —Two columns in one large volume.
1858 printing.
Io. Laur. Moshemii Institutionum Historiae Ecclesiasticae Antiquae et Recentioris Libri Quatuor. Ex ipsis fontibus insigniter emendati, plurimus accessionibus locupletati, variis observationibus illustrati. Editio altera. Helmstadii: Apud Christianum Fridericum Weygand, 1764.
Another copy.
The first Weygand edition, 1755.