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| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
In the four preceding books, my very dear friend, which I put forth to you, all theheretics have been exposed, and their doctrines brought to light, and these men refuted who have devised irreligious opinions. [I have accomplished this by adducing] something from the doctrine peculiar to each of these men, which they have left in their writings, as well as by using arguments of a more general nature, and applicable to them all. Then I have pointed out thetruth, and shown the preaching of theChurch, which theprophets proclaimed (as I have already demonstrated), but which Christ brought to perfection, and theapostles have handed down, from whom theChurch, receiving [these truths], and throughout all the world alone preserving them in their integrity (bene), has transmitted them to her sons. Then also — having disposed of all questions which theheretics propose to us, and having explained the doctrine of theapostles, and clearly set forth many of those things which were said and done by the Lord inparables— I shall endeavour, in this the fifth book of the entire work which treats of the exposure and refutation ofknowledgefalsely so called, to exhibitproofs from the rest of the Lord's doctrine and theapostolic epistles: [thus] complying with your demand, as you requested of me (since indeed I have been assigned a place in the ministry of the word); and, labouring by every means in my power to furnish you with large assistance against the contradictions of theheretics, as also to reclaim the wanderers and convert them to theChurch of God, to confirm at the same time the minds of the neophytes, that they may preserve steadfast thefaith which they have received, guarded by theChurch in its integrity, in order that they be in no way perverted by those who endeavour to teach themfalse doctrines, and lead them away from thetruth. It will be incumbent upon you, however, and all who may happen to read this writing, to peruse with great attention what I have already said, that you may obtain aknowledge of the subjects against which I am contending. For it is thus that you will both controvert them in a legitimate manner, and will be prepared to receive theproofs brought forward against them, casting away their doctrines as filth by means of the celestialfaith; but following the onlytrue and steadfast Teacher, theWord of God,our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendentlove, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.
Source.Translated by Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut. FromAnte-Nicene Fathers,Vol. 1.Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co.,1885.)Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.<http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103500.htm>.
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