Page "Irenaeus" Paragraph 42

Irenaeus ' point when refuting the Gnostics was that all of the Apostolic churches had preserved the same traditions and teachings in many independent streams.

It was the unanimous agreement between these many independent streams of transmission that proved the orthodox Faith, current in those churches, to be true.

Had any error crept in, the agreement would be immediately destroyed.

The Gnostics had no such succession, and no agreement amongst themselves.