These very profound and learned Commentaries on the early history of the Church were composed not long before the author's death, and, of course, contain his most matured thoughts and opinions on the important and interesting topics discussed. In this work he aims not only to give a good general History of the period over which the work extends, but also to embrace a thorough and candid Discussion, conducted on sound historical principles, of all the obscure and difficult points in this portion of ecclesiastical history. The general History he includes in his text, which is broke into short sections or paragraphs: the Discussion follows, in the form of notes or commentaries, constituting much the larger part of the work, and that in which he cites or refers to all the material testimonies of the ancients, and fully discusses their import and value, according to his maturest judgment. --from the Preface