tina dei lege, quae nos tune in suis
sacerdotibus prophetavit." Here also Tertullian's Montanism had an
effect. Though conceiving the directions of the Paraclete as _new
legislation_, the Montanists would not renounce the view that these laws
were in some way already indicated in the written documents of
revelation.]

[Footnote 633: Very much may be made out with regard to this from
Origen's works and the later literature, particularly from Commodian and
the Apostolic Constitutions, lib. I.-VI.]

[Footnote 634: Where Christians needed the proof from prophecy or
indulged in a devotional application of the Old Testament, everything
indeed remained as before, and every Old Testament passage was taken for
a Christian one, as has remained the case even to the present day.]

[Footnote 635: With the chiliastic view of history this newly acquired
theory has nothing in common.]

[Footnote 636: Iren. III. 12. 11.]

[Footnote 637: See III. 12. 12.]

[Footnote 638: No _commutatio agnitionis_ takes place, says Irenaeus, but
only an increased gift (IV. 11. 3); for the knowledge of God the Creator
is "principium evangelli." (III. 11. 7).]

[Footnote 639: See IV. 11. 2 and other passages, e.g., IV. 20 7: IV. 26.
1: IV. 37. 7: IV. 38. 1-4.]

[Footnote 640: Several covenants I. 10. 3; four covenants (Adam, Noah,
Moses, Christ) III. II. 8; the two Testaments (Law and New Covenant) are
very frequently mentioned.]

[Footnote 641: This is very frequently mentioned; see e.g., IV. 13. 1:
"Et quia dominus naturalia legis, per quae homo iustificatur, quae etiam
ante legisdationem custodiebant qui fide iustificabantur et placebant
deo non dissolvit etc." IV. 15, 1.]

[Footnote 642: Irenaeus, as a rule, views the patriarchs as perfect
saints; see III. II. 8: "Verbum dei illis quidem qui ante Moysem fuerunt
patriarchis secundum divinitatem et gloriam colloquebatur", and
especially IV. 16. 3. As to the Son's having descended from the
beginning and having thus appeared to the patriarchs also, see IV. 6. 7.
Not merely Abraham but all the other exponents of revelation knew both
the Father and the Son. Nevertheless Christ was also obliged to descend
to the lower world to the righteous, the prophets, and the patriarchs,
in order to bring them forgiveness of sins (IV. 27. 2).]

[Footnote 643: On the contrary he agrees with the teachings of a
presbyter, whom he frequently quotes in the 4th Book. To Irenaeus the
heathen are simply idolaters wh