Page:William John Sparrow-Simpson - Roman Catholic Opposition to Papal Infallibility (1909).djvu/33

 ] 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.

Upon his passage Gratry observes:—

"The reader has here before him the whole doctrine of St Irenæus upon this subject. This doctrine is perfectly clear. It is almost the same as that of Tertullian, who says: 'Run over the Apostolic Churches,