St. IRENÆUS, L. C. “The Church, extended to the boundaries of the earth, received her faith from the Apostles and their disciples. Having received it, she carefully retains it, as if dwelling in one house, as possessing one soul and one heart: the same faith she delivers and teaches with one accord, and as if gifted with one tongue: for though in the world there be various modes of speech, the tradition of doctrine is one and the same. In the Churches of Germany, in those of Spain and Gaul, in those of the East, of Egypt, and of Africa, and in the middle regions, is the same belief, the same teaching. For as the world is enlightened by one sun, so does the preaching of one faith enlighten all men that are willing to come to the knowledge of truth. Nor, among the Pastors of the Church, does he that is eloquent deliver other doctrine; for no one is above his master; nor he that is weak in speech diminish the truth of tradition. Faith being one, cannot be affected by the powers or the want of utterance.”[1] Adversus Hæreses : L. 1. c. X. p. 48, 49.
“God placed in his Church Apostles, Prophets, Doctors ; and the whole operation of the Spirit, of which they do not partake who are not united to the Church; but by their own bad designs and actions, they deprive themselves of life. For where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where this Spirit is, there is the Church and all grace: the Spirit is Truth.” Ibid. L. iii. c. xxiv. p. 223. Vide L. iv. c. xxxiii. p. 272.
About the time of St. Irenæus began the Quartodeciman dispute. This question,—which regarded the time of celebrating the festival of Easter, and which was finally decided
- ↑ This passage is preserved in Greek, and, when compared with the Latin, it causes regret, that the whole is not extant in that language.
