laid down by Irenæus is an appeal to tradition manifested in all the Apostolic churches. He considers that truth is to be found in the tradition manifested in all the Apostolic foundations. But for the sake of brevity it is enough to consult the tradition of the Roman Church. Maret acknowledges a primacy in the Roman Church, but cannot believe that Irenæus would disallow the rightfulness of consulting the tradition of the Universal Church in which Irenaeus himself considers the Truth is found.
Gratry, in his famous letters during the Vatican Council, goes further than this, for he quotes the sequel to the passage of Irenæus, and underlines the statement which shows that the principle which this primitive writer considers Catholic is an appeal to the ancient Churches (plural) and by no means exclusive appeal to one.
"… It is not then necessary to seek elsewhere the truth, since it is easily found in the Church, the Apostles having made of the Church a rich bank, in which they have amassed all the treasures of truth; so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life. … Thus if a dispute should arise relative to a detail of tradition, should we not have recourse to the most ancient Churches (nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias, in quibus Apostoli conversati sunt) in which the Apostles themselves have lived, and learn from them immediately what is certain and clear upon the question?"[1]
Upon his passage Gratry observes:—
- ↑ Gratry's second letter.
