De Doctrina Christiana

John Milton · Sumner’s Edition of 1825

Milton’s systematic theology, unpublished in his lifetime and found in a Whitehall cupboard in 1823, set here in parallel — his Latin beside Sumner’s English, paragraph for paragraph, with every scriptural citation indexed. Both texts are in the public domain and this edition is free.

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Liber I: De Cognitione Dei

2 chapters published

Liber II: De Dei Cultu

17 chapters published

Index of Scripture

The treatise argues almost entirely by proof-text, so “where does Milton use this verse?” is the question the book is built to answer. 5,468 citations, each shown as printed in both layers — and where the two disagree about the number, both stand and the index says why.

A Working Draft

19 of the fifty chapters are published. Book II is complete; Book I is in progress, and its heaviest chapters are scheduled last. What this edition prints, what it declines to correct, and why some citations are marked not yet checked are all set out in the About page.