FATHERS.
CENT. II.
St. IRENÆUS,[1] of the Latin Church.—“ Things being thus made plain, (the descent of doctrine from the Apostles) it is not from others that truth is to be sought, which may be readily learned from the Church. For to this Church, as into a rich repository, the Apostles committed whatever is of divine truth, that each one, if so inclined, might thence draw the drink of life. This is the way to life: all other teachers must be shunned as thieves and robbers.-For what? Should there be any dispute on a point of small moment, must not recourse be had to the most ancient Churches, where the Apostles resided, and from them collect the truth?” Adv. Hæreses, lib. ii. c. iv. p. 178. Ed. Ben.
“ It is a duty to obey the priests of the Church, who hold their succession from the Apostles, and who, with that succession, received, agreeably to the will of the Father, the sure pledge of truth. But as to those who belong not to that leading succession, in whatever place they may be
- ↑ St. Irenæus, though by birth a Greek, was bishop of Lyons, in the second century; and, in his youth, had lived with St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, the disciple of St. John the evangelist. This brings him near to the apostolic times. In what year he died is not ascertained ; probably, about the close of the century, leaving behind him a Treatise in five books, “ against the Heresies” of the age. Of this work, which contains much that is highly valuable, and which was written in Greek, a Latin version, of great antiquity, but harsh, and often obscure, alone remains, some passages excepted, which have been preserved in their original language. Some fragments also are extant.
