OF THE MOST EMINENT FATHERS OF THE CHURCH THAT FLOURISHED IN THE FIRST FOUR CENTURIES; WITH RICAL ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF PAGANISM UNDER BY WILLIAM CAVE, D. D. A NEW EDITION, CAREFULLY REVISED, BY HENRY CARY, M.A. WORCESTER COLLEGE, AND PERPETUAL CURATE OF ST. PAUL'S, OXFORD. FOR THOMAS TEG G, 73, CHEAPSIDE, LONDON. 1744012 ADVERTISEMENT TO THE PRESENT EDITION. THE writings of Cave, especially his Lives of the Fathers, are so well known and appreciated, that the Editor is persuaded a lengthened preface of his own would not add at all to their value. He need therefore only state what his task has been in preparing the present edition for the press. The text has been carefully revised throughout, and the authorities quoted and referred to have been collated and examined. But the most laborious part of the editor's undertaking has been in correcting his author's references. Cave had, in great measure from necessity, made use of inferior editions of the Fathers; of some of them, there were not at the time of his writing accurate imprints. In the present work, therefore, later and improved editions of the authors quoted or referred to, have been in many cases consulted throughout. The following table of editions used, will enable the studious reader to verify Cave's statements: many, however, are not here particularized, either because they are only once or twice referred to, or because, being quoted by chapter or section, or both, they may readily be found in the various editions. |