THE SECOND PREFACE.

...composed by Saint EPHREM, who does not sing them, or who does not recite the forms of prayer prescribed by him? For nothing is truer than that proverb of the ancients: "Experience finally makes known in what things one was most excellent."
Pindar, Nemean Odes, 3.

original Greek: "Ἐν δ' πείρᾳ τέλος φάνει, ὧντις ἐξοχώτερος γένηται" — A quote from the Greek lyric poet Pindar: "In the trial, the end is manifest, by which a man becomes more excellent."
Would that those people Referring to contemporary dissenters or heretics in the eyes of the 18th-century editor. would attend to the Sermons of their own Doctor concerning the marks of the true Church; surely they would not then dissent from the Catholic Church. Saint EPHREM wrote clearly about the signs of the true Church against the heresies of his time; he enumerates and weighs four signs in particular.

First, he opposes the novelty of the heretics with the antiquity of the Catholic Church. Then, he points to the perpetual agreement in doctrine with the Disciples of Christ. Third, he cites the succession of Bishops and the legitimate ordinations of Ministers through the laying on of hands, traced back to their very beginnings. Finally, he notes the name "Catholic" itself, which no assembly of men outside the Church has been able to claim for themselves until now. In this context, "Catholic" (from the Greek katholikos) means "universal." The author argues that only the true Church can claim a universal presence across time and geography.

He clarifies these ornaments of the true Church even further by contrasting them with the marks of the heretics. From this treatise, we learn of the common errors in Syria regarding Marcion, Mani, Bardaisan, and Eutactus, Leaders of various 2nd-4th century movements: Marcionism (dualism), Manichaeism, and the teachings of the Syrian philosopher Bardaisan. as well as the names of sects preceding the age of the Blessed EPHREM. (It seems that Theodoret Theodoret of Cyrus (c. 393–458), an influential theologian and historian of the Syrian church. later transferred many things from this same work into his own commentary against heresies.) In this work, we also find a remarkable passage from which we clearly gather the antiquity of our Author; for he says he is writing at the beginning of the fourth century from the Savior’s coming, which is the very age of Saint EPHREM.

There is no time to recount the rest; for it remains to deal with the other part of the proposed thesis: the "torches" kindled by Ephrem’s labors must be brought forth to illuminate the secrets of the Divine Faith and the Sacred Scriptures. At the very threshold, as it were, the golden explanations of the Old and New Testaments offer themselves. If anyone should contend that these have a father other than EPHREM, I would reply only this: that they—just like the other treatises of Saint EPHREM which we publish—are distinguished by all those marks of quality which have approved other monuments of antiquity to posterity.

Furthermore, to this part of Saint EPHREM'S labors belongs the vision of the Sacred Book offered to the Author by an Angel; as well as those words of Saint Gregory of Nyssa: Saint Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395) was a contemporary of Ephrem and one of the "Cappadocian Fathers." "Ephrem, with constant study, busied himself with all of Scripture, both ancient and new, as diligently as anyone else, and interpreted it accurately and usefully; and from the very creation of the world even to the last book of grace, he illustrated with commentaries those things which were hidden, secret, and recondite, aided by the light of the Spirit."

To this, the Metropolitan of Soba Abdisho bar Berika (died 1318), also known as Ebed-Jesu, the Metropolitan of Nisibis (Soba) and a famous Syriac bibliographer. subscribes—a most suitable witness, as one who saw and reviewed the books copied from the original autographs. Although he indicates only those which were able to come into his hands, it is clear from other sources that many more were passed over by him. Furthermore, several things recommend this diligence of the Blessed EPHREM: specifically, he alone preserved for us the Syriac version Referring to the Peshitta, the standard Syriac Bible. and removed all doubt concerning its antiquity and authority...