...both in Irenaeus himself and in our Dissertations and notes; with another Index added at the end for the notes of others.

These are the things that seemed proper to say by way of preface to this new edition of Irenaeus. Having now set forth the reason for my entire plan, I will not delay the reader further, but let him see for himself whether the work answers his prayers and efforts. If so, I would wish this alone to be the reward for my labor: to have deserved something from the Church; to whose judgment I willingly submit whatever has come from me, being ready to correct or retract everything she orders to be corrected or retracted.

IN THIS FIRST PART ARE CONTAINED:

An ornamental woodcut tailpiece features symmetrical floral and scrolling leaf patterns, common in 18th-century typography.

SELECT ANCIENT TESTIMONIA

REGARDING SAINT IRENAEUS AND HIS WRITINGS.

We pray that you fare well in God in all things and always, Father Eleutherus. We have urged our brother and colleague Irenaeus to bring this letter to you. We ask that you hold him in high regard, as a zealot for the covenant of Christ. For if we knew that a position original: "τόπον" / "locum" conferred justice on anyone, we would commend him to you among the first as a Presbyter elder of the Church, which is the rank he holds.

Eusebius, Book III of Church History, chapter 13.

It is possible for those who wish to know the beginnings, life, causes, and reasons of false dogmas, and finally the studies and institutes of each individual: not only of Simon himself Simon Magus, but also of the other authors of heretical wickedness, from the aforementioned books of Irenaeus, by whom these things have been accurately handed down.

Same book III, chapter 23.

That John survived even until these times the reign of Trajan will be sufficient to prove by the authority of two witnesses. Furthermore, these witnesses are most worthy of faith, since they have always correctly taught the Catholic doctrine in the Churches: namely, Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria. The former of these writes thus in his second book Against Heresies: And all, etc. See below p. 148, column 1, line 30.

Same book V, chapter 5.

When Pothinus had fallen in the ninetieth year of his age along with the Gallic Martyrs, Irenaeus took up the Episcopate office of bishop of the Church of Lyons after him. We have discovered that he was a hearer of Polycarp in his youth.

Same book V, chapter 20.

Against those who were corrupting the sincere law of the Church, Irenaeus composed various letters: one to Blastus, which he titled On Schism; another to Florinus On Monarchy, or That God is Not the Creator of Evils. For the latter seemed to defend that opinion. When he was later carried away into the error of Valentinus, Irenaeus again composed the book On the Ogdoad the number eight, referring to Gnostic celestial hierarchies for his sake. In this work, he also says he is holding to a book from the succession of the Apostles. In that place he recounts how he was familiarly associated with Polycarp, as revealed by these words: These dogmas, etc. See the Fragments of the lost Treatises of Irenaeus at the end of this work, page 339.

Same book V, chapter 24.

Irenaeus, in the Letter which he wrote to Victor concerning the disagreement over the observance of Easter in the name of the brothers over whom he presided in Gaul, defended the position that the mystery of the Lord's resurrection must be celebrated only on the Lord's Day Sunday. Nevertheless, among many other things, he decently admonished Victor not to cut off entire Churches of God from communion for keeping a custom handed down to them from their ancestors, and he further uses these words: For not only, etc. (See page 340 following.) And indeed Irenaeus, who was "peaceful" a play on his name Irenaeus, derived from the Greek "eirēnē" meaning peace by name and by purpose, advised and advocated these things for the peace of the Churches. Nor did he send letters in the same vein regarding the debated question to Victor alone, but to many other leaders of the Churches.

Finally, chapter 26.

Furthermore, besides the aforementioned works and Letters of Irenaeus, there exists a very brief and primarily necessary book by the same author Against the Gentiles, which is titled "On Knowledge". Also another dedicated to his brother Marcian, which contains a demonstration of the Apostolic preaching. Finally, a small book of Various Disputations, in which he makes mention of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Wisdom of Solomon, and brings forward certain opinions from those books. And these are the things from the writings of Irenaeus that have come to our knowledge.

Epiphanius, Heresy XXVII. 8.

That blessed successor of the Apostles, Irenaeus, disputing? very subtly concerning these things, admirably convicted the foolishness of Basilides with equal weakness original: "pari imbecillitate," referring to the weakness of the heretical arguments.

We pray that you fare well in God in all things and always, Father Eleutherus. We have urged our brother and colleague Irenaeus to bring this letter to you. We ask that you hold him in high regard, as a zealot for the covenant of Christ. For if we knew that a position conferred justice on anyone, we would commend him to you among the first as a Presbyter of the Church, for he holds this rank.

Tertullian, book III, Against the Valentinians, chapter 5.

Whence ecclesiastical Wisdom, as Irenaeus, the most curious explorer of all doctrines, and as Proculus, the dignity of our virgin old age and Christian eloquence; whom I would wish to follow in every work of faith, just as in this one.

The Latin text in the second column mirrors the Greek text from the first column, providing the same testimonies from Eusebius and others regarding Irenaeus' life and works.