Now added to this second edition:

1 All the Greek fragments which Justin Martyr, Basil the Great, Epiphanius, Eusebius, Theodoret, Anastasius of Nicaea, Melissa, Demetrius the Deacon, Damascene, and Nicetas once cited from Irenaeus in their writings.
2 The same fragments translated into Latin by Joachim Perionius, Jacques de Billy, John Christopherson, and other men equally pious and learned.
3 The Scholia brief explanatory notes of Jacques de Billy, and the Notes of Fronton du Duc, a theologian of the Society of Jesus, on the first eighteen chapters of the first book.
4 Annotations by the Reverend Father Friar Francis Feu-ardentius, for the most part increased and enriched for each chapter of all the books.
5 Fragments of all other books of the Blessed Irenaeus that could be found until now, with annotations added by the same Friar Francis Feu-ardentius.
6 Five fragments from the writings of the Blessed Polycarp, never before printed.
7 Praises of the Blessed Irenaeus collected from other Fathers.
8 Added is the Conflict of Arnobius and Serapion concerning the triune and one God, and concerning the two natures in Christ in one person original: "supposito", also never before published until now.

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS

PRINCE AND MOST REVEREND

CARDINAL, CHARLES OF LORRAINE, BISHOP OF METZ

AND STRASBOURG, AND LEGATE BY THE SIDE original: "a latere"

An ornate decorative initial 'P' features leafy vines and floral motifs.

Those men of great and excellent genius certainly deserve well of the republic, most Illustrious Prince and most ample Cardinal, who explain the books of the Holy Bible with writings that are new but smell of the lamp original: "oleum lucernamque resipientibus", meaning they show much late-night study; or who solidly refute rising heresies; or finally, who adorn Christian piety and philosophy by other means. But those who call back from the grave of oblivion into this light the most holy and learned monuments of the ancient theologians are also judged by fair evaluators to perform a task no less useful and necessary. These people, since they have received one or two talents Matthew 25 of genius, study, and meditation from Christ, the common giver of all spiritual gifts, give the measure of wheat to the Divine family in due time Luke 12 for the religious benefit of their neighbors' salvation. They trade successfully until He comes who will demand an account from everyone. Truly, these people recover from filth and decay those much more ample gifts which were granted to those ancient men who possessed the first fruits of the Spirit Romans 8. By committing these to writings for the memory of posterity, they ensure that what those ancients once learned from the Apostles and Apostolic men, they still speak with their own words to us. They excelled the men of this age by as much as they were closer to the Sun of truth and the fountain, Christ, and were gifted with more powerful gifts and virtues of the same Holy Spirit. For ancient dogmas are to be venerated, as Basil the Great says Book on the Holy Spirit, chapter 29, because on account of their antiquity, or a certain grayness of age, they have something to be revered. To these, add especially the Martyrs, who, retaining a certain noble and masculine power from the Apostolic breast, and speaking as eloquently as they were brave, confirmed their very doctrine by their own blood in a most illustrious contest for the glory of holy God. Furthermore, they had those same Apostles, or their disciples and immediate successors, as teachers of their piety and doctrine. Therefore, whoever desires to look upon the form and mirror of the primitive Church; to discern the true and genuine traditions of the Apostles from the counterfeit; to have a sincere and certain understanding of the sacred volumes of both Testaments...