red themselves for incorporation with the "faith."[465] The limits
of the latter therefore seem to be indefinitely extended, whilst on the
other hand tradition, and polemics too in many cases, demanded an
adherence to the shortest formula. The oscillation between this brief
formula, the contents of which, as a rule, did not suffice, and that
fulness, which admitted of no bounds at all, is characteristic of the
old Catholic Fathers we have mentioned. In the second place, these
fathers felt quite as much need of a rational proof in their arguments
with their christian opponents, as they did while contending with the
heathen;[466] and, being themselves children of their time, they
required this proof for their own assurance and that of their
fellow-believers. The epoch in which men appealed to charisms, and
"knowledge" counted as much as prophecy and vision, because it was still
of them same nature, was in the main a thing of the past.[467] Tradition
and reason had taken the place of charisms as courts of appeal. But this
change had neither come to be clearly recognized,[468] nor was the right
and scope of rational theology alongside of tradition felt to be a
problem. We can indeed trace the consciousness of the danger in
attempting to introduce new _termini_ and regulations not prescribed by
the Holy Scriptures.[469] The bishops themselves in fact encouraged this
apprehension in order to warn people against the Gnostics,[470] and
after the deluge of heresy, representatives of Church orthodoxy looked
with distrust on every philosophic-theological formula.[471] Such
propositions of rationalistic theology as were absolutely required,
were, however, placed by Irenaeus and Tertullian on the same level as the
hallowed doctrines of tradition, and were not viewed by them as
something of a different nature. Irenaeus uttered most urgent warnings
against subtle speculations;[472] but yet, in the naivest way,
associated with the faithfully preserved traditional doctrines and
fancies of the faith theories which he likewise regarded as tradition
and which, in point of form, did not differ from those of the Apologists
or Gnostics.[473] The Holy Scriptures of the New Testament were the
basis on which Irenaeus set forth the most important doctrines of
Christianity. Some of these he stated as they had been conceived by the
oldest tradition (see the eschatology), others he adapted to the new
necessities. The qualitative distinction between th