Preface

...the history of heretics was laid out before one's eyes in all, even the most minute circumstances; I need not even mention how the accounts of religious errors and heresies in those volumes have taken on an entirely different appearance throughout than what was initially drafted in this small book.

This seemed necessary for me to mention here, so that no one might think that he would find in the present writing a mere brief extract of what was only more extensively detailed in those two folio volumes original: "Folianten". Folios were the largest book format of the time, printed on large sheets of paper folded only once, signifying a massive and expensive scholarly work..

Rather, this book is primarily composed for those who desire a general and summary understanding of all church affairs, and especially for students who are enthusiasts of such knowledge, but most of all for the youth. The history of heretics, however, extends across countless other subjects and presupposes original Latin-derived: "præsupponiret", as it were, that the reader already possesses some chronological connection original: "chronologische connexion", meaning a basic understanding of how historical events and time periods link together. of periods and stories in their proper order.

Furthermore, one finds here a sufficient, thorough, and clear introduction to the history of the Old Testament, which is not to be found elsewhere. For this reason, one can again easily see that both books belong together almost inseparably, and that one can fittingly compensate for the shortcomings of the other.