Irenæus, one of the most Ancient Fathers, Scholar to S. Polycarp, S. John's Disciple, in his Book against Heresies, giveth us four notable marks of their Authors: First, he sheweth how they disguize their Opinions; Errour never shews It Self, saith he, lest it should be taken naked; but is artificially adorned in a splendid Mantle, that it may appear truer than Truth it self, to the more unskilful. 2. That having Doctrines which the Prophets never preached, nor God taught, nor the Apostles delivered, they pretend unwritten Traditions: Ex non Scriptis legentes, as he phraseth it. 3. They make a Rope of Sand, that they may not seem to want Witnesses; passing over the Order and Series of Writings, and as much as in them lies, loosing the Members of the Truth, and dividing them from each other: for they chop and change, and making one thing of another, deceive many, &c. But that which I chiefly intend is the fourth; They bring forth a vast multitude of Apocryphal and Spurious Writings, which themselves have feigned, to the amazement of Fools; and that those may admire them, that know not the Letters (or Records) of the Truth. How far the Papists have trodden the foregoing Paths, it is not my purpose to unfold, only the last, the Heretical pravity of Apocryphal and Spurious Books; how much they have been guilty of imposing on the World by feigned Records, I leave to the evidence of the ensuing Pages; which I heartily desire may be answerable to the Merit of so great a Cause.

Vincentius Lirinensis, another eminent Father, praised by Gennadius, died in the time of Theodosius and Valentinian. He wrote a Book against Heresies in like manner; wherein preparing Furniture and Instructions against their Wiles, he at first telleth us, that the Canon of the Scripture is alone sufficient: Then, that the concurrence of the Fathers is to be taken in, for the more clear certainty of their sense and meaning.