b Cyprian, gives him both these hard names: and Cyprian likewise speaks in the same manner. What was his schism we have seen; what was his heresy is not quite so clear. St. Jerom, as before cited, says Novatus was against receiving apostates, though they repented. And undoubtedly that was his opinion, but perhaps not the whole of it; for, as this dispute had its rise upon occasion of the great numbers of persons who had lapsed some way or other in the Decian persecution, Novatus seems to have extended his severe doctrine to all such; not only apostates, or those who had actually sacrificed, but to others also, who had been guilty of any slip or fault at that time. Eusebius says that Novatus excluded those from all hopes of salvation who had lapsed in time of persecution, though they gave signs of a sincere conversation and repentance: but Socrates says, his opinion was, that they who had sacrificed in the persecution should not be received to communion: they should be exhorted to repent; but their pardon should be referred to God, who is able and has a right to forgive sins. And this is the principle of the Novatians which Cyprian ridicules and exposes, and Ambrose' condemns, and shews to be extremely absurd and unreasonable. k h ; This, most probably, is the true account: and perhaps Eusebius, and some others, who speak much after the same manner with him, ought to be so understood likewise, though they seem to express themselves differently; for Ambrose too charges them' with denying salvation to men. The meaning of those writers I suppose to be this, that the Novatians by their hardhearted doctrine, and even letting them die out of the communion of the church, discouraged men's repentance, and consequently obstructed their pardon and salvation. Novatus then forbade the receiving to the communion of the church such as had fallen in time of persecution, whilst other Christians were for receiving them after tokens of repentance, suitable to the kind and degree of the offence; some after a shorter, others not till after a longer, time of humiliation and penance; all however who desired it in the near approach of death. In this way of conceiving of this matter we are confirmed by the accounts Eusebius has left us of the epistles of Dionysius of Alexandria to several, upon the doctrine of repentance, and the various degrees or kinds of offences. m But though the controversy upon this head was occasioned by the falls of some under persecution, it is not unlikely that Novatus himself, or his followers afterwards, carried this rigour and severity to other sins, sometimes called mortal, and reckoned more heinous than others; such as adultery, fornication, and the like; withholding the communion of the church from all who were surprised into any of these. So say" Pacian, and Socrates, and the author of the Questions a Ut scias quales duces et protectores iste schismaticus et hæreticus lateri suo semper junctos habeat. Cornel. ap. Cyprian. Ep. 50, [al. 48] p. 94. Vid. et ep. 49. p. 92. Posteaquam vos de carcere prodeuntes schismaticus et hæreticus error excepit. Cypr. Ep. 54. p. 99. Vid. supra not. p. 213. ο πώς μηκετ σης αυτοις σωτηρίας ελπίδος, μη ει πάντα τα εις επισροφήν γνησίαν και καθαραν εξομολογησιν επιτελοιεν. Eus. L. vi. cap. 43. init. d μη δέχεσθαι τες επιτεθυκοτας εις τα μυστηρια αλλά προτρέπειν μεν αυτές εις μετάνοιαν, την δε συγχωρησιν επιτρε πειν Θεῷ, τῷ δυναμένω και εξεσίαν εχοντι συγχωρειν αμαρτηpara. Socr. L. iv. cap. 28. p. 245. B. e Atque o frustrandæ fraternitatis irrisio! o miserorum lamentantium caduca deceptio!--hortari ad satisfactionis pœnitentiam, et subtrahere de satisfactione medicinam; dicere fratribus nostris, Plange, et lacrymas funde, et diebus et noctibus ingemisce,sed extra ecclesiam post omnia ista morieris; quæcumque ad pacem pertinent, facies; sed nullam pacem, quam quæris, accipies. Cypr. Ep. 55, [Pam. 52] p. 114. in. aut præmiis aut fructibus incitantur. Id. ib. cap. 16. p. 413. Conf. cap. 11. p. 404. hadimendo spem salutis, denegando misericordiam patris, respuendo pœnitentiam fratris. Anonym. ad Novatian. Hæret. apud Cyprian p. 16. a. Oxon. Et tu jam, Novatiane, judicas, et nullam spem pacis ac misericordiæ habere lapsos prædicas. Id. p. 19. infr. m. Sed quid mirum, si salutem negatis aliis, qui vestram recusatis? Ambr. ib. 1. ii. c. 4, [al. 5.] p. 422. Hinc ergo apparet, Novatianum cum dolo dicere agendam pœnitentiam. Ut quid enim pœniteret, si delictum aboleri negatur? Ex Vet. et Nov. Test. Qu. cii. ap. August. Τ. iii. in App. En, qui salutis viam fratribus inexorabili religione præcludat! Pacian. Ep. 2. p. 309. A. m Ut lapsis infirmis et in exitu constitutis pax daretur. ap. Cypr. Ep. 55, [al. 52.] p. 102. Tractatus omnis Novatianorum, quem ad me confertis undique propositionibus destinâsti, Symproniane frater, hoc continet: quod post baptismum pœnitere non liceat: quod mortale peccatum ecclesia donare non possit; imo quod ipsa pereat recipiendo peccantes. Pacian. Ep. 3. init. • Εν Καισαρεία της Καππαδοκιας τες μετα το βαπτισμα μaρtynoтas εw0801 Tys noivuvias, ws of Navariarol. Socrat, L. v. c. 22. p. 288. B. Novatianus, majora, inquit, crimina nominatim remitti prohibentur, id est, idololatria et fornicatio post lavacrum. Qu. cii. August. T. iii. b a out of the Old and New Testament, and St. Ambrose, that the Novatians did not allow the church a right to pardon mortal sins, or greater sins, committed after baptism. And St. Ambrose will have it that Novatus was more rigid than his followers, refusing pardon to all sins, small as well as great. Theodoret therefore says, that among the Novatians repentance is not to be mentioned and Cyprian in very strong terms calls Novatus not only a deserter of the church, but an enemy of mercy, a murderer of repentance, a teacher of pride, a corrupter of truth, and a destroyer of charity. d C e This then was the heresy of Novatus; the principle by which he and his people were distinguished from other Christians: for which they arrogated to themselves (as Eusebius, and f Augustine, and Ambrose, and other writers intimate), or received from their adversaries, by way of derision, the denomination of pure, or puritans. k m n Nor does it appear that Novatus went into any other error of moment; for Cyprian is not unwilling to allow that he agreed with catholic Christians upon the doctrine of the Trinity. Sozomen, the ecclesiastical historian, says this was the only innovation made by the founder of the Novatian sect, not to receive penitents to communion: and he adds, that they celebrated Easter at the same time with the Romans. Nevertheless, afterwards there arose a dispute among them upon this point, which divided the sect; as is related by " Socrates and " Sozomen. I took notice just now, that Cyprian was not unwilling to allow that Novatus thought rightly about the Trinity; but whether he was really orthodox, or held the Nicene faith, is another question, and a point not so easily decided. From Jerom and Rufinus we learn, that the people. of the Macedonian sect at Constantinople were fond of the book which Novatus wrote upon the Trinity, supposing it favourable to their notion about the Spirit. And among the moderns Frederic Spanheim says, that though Novatus maintained a trinity of persons in one Godhead, against Sabellius, and asserted Christ's divinity, yet he speaks in a most dangerous manner of the Spirit, as less than Christ, and a creature. Tillemont says, that, in the 22d and 24th chapters of his book upon the Trinity, he teaches the Son to be less than the Father, and the Spirit to be less than the Son; and that there are in him other things tending to Arianism. Du Pin' and 'bishop Bull are better satisfied with the treatise upon the Trinity. But enough of that matter. U q W r The Novatians are said by several ancient writers to have condemned second marriages as unlawful and sinful, insomuch that they would not receive those to communion who married a second time. So Epiphanius, and " Augustine in his book of Heresies: and in another work, entitled, Of the advantage of widowhood, if it be his, he joins them with the Cataphrygians, as agreeing with them in this respect: and Rufinus upon the Creed says roundly, that Novatus, meaning I suppose his sect, forbade second marriages absolutely, and in all cases. Theodoret Sed aiunt se, exceptis gravioribus criminibus, relaxare veniam levioribus. Non hoc quidem auctor vestri erroris Novatianus, qui nemini pœnitentiam dandam putavit. Ambr. de Pœnit. l. iii. c. 3. p. 393. B. Ita nec Novatianus probatur, qui veniam interclusit omnibus. Ambros. ib. vid. et not. '. Kaι HAVTEλWS TOY TYS METAVGIAS TWY DIXEIWY GUλλoy Piger λoyo. Theod. H. F. 1. iii. cap. 5. -desertor ecclesiæ, misericordiæ hostis, interfector pœnitentiæ, doctor superbiæ, veritatis corruptor, perditor caritatis. Cypr. ad Corn. Ep. 60, [al. 57.] p. 142. Καθαρός ἑαυτες αποφηναντων. 1. vi. cap. 43. init. f Cathari, qui seipsos isto nomine quasi propter munditiam superbissime atque odiosissime nominant. Augustin. Hær. 38. 8 Ut sunt doctores Novatianorum, qui mundos se appellant. Ambr. ib. 1. i. cap. 1. p. 390. Eulog. ap. Phot. Cod. 280. p. 1620. v. 50. i Quod vero eumdem quem et nos Deum Patrem, eumdem Filium, eumdem Spiritum Sanctum, nôsse dicuntur, nec hoc adjuvare tales potest. Ep. 69, [al. 76.] p. 183. k Ναύατος μεν γαρ, ός αρχηγός εγενετο της αἱρέσεως, τις μεταμελόμενος επί τοις αμαρτημασιν εις κοινωνίαν 8 προσίετο, HAI TOTO μOVOY EXαIVOTOμal. Sozom. 1. vi. cap. 24. p. 670. A. Ibid. Socr. 1. v. cap. 21. p. 282. n Soz. 1. vi. cap. 24. 1. vii. cap. 18... VOL. II. says • Transit ad inclytum martyrein Cyprianum, et dicit, Tertulliani librum, cui titulus est de Trinitate, sub nomine ejus Constantinopoli a Macedonianæ partis hæreticis lectitari. In quo crimine mentitur duo. Nam nec Tertulliani liber est, nec Cypriani dicitur, sed Novatiani, cujus et inscribitur titulo: et auctoris eloquium styli proprietas demonstrat. Hieron. Apol. adv. Ruf. 1. 2. p. 415. T. iv. Bened. P Vid. Ruf. de adult. Libr. Orig. ap. Hieron. T. v. p. 253. Ac quamquam in unâ deitate personarum Trinitatem distinguit, contra Sabellium, adstruatque Christi divinitatem ; tamen de Sp. S. ut minore Christo, et creaturâ, locutus admodum periculose est. Spanh. Hist. Ec. Sec. iii. p. 782. See Tillemont. Les Novatiens, art. 3. Du Pin. Bibl. des Aut. Eccl. t Def. Fid. Nic. Sect. ii. cap. x. * Ούτοι δε 8 βελονται δίγαμοις επικοινωνείν ει γαρ τις μετα το βαπίισμα συναφθείη γυναικί δεύτερα, παρα τετοις εκ εισδεχ * Aug. de Bono. Vid. cap. 4. T. vi. Bened. Et quod Novatus solicitavit, lapsis pœnitentiam denegando, et secundas nuptias, cum forte iniri eas necessitas exe gerit, condemnando. Rufin, in Symb. Ap. cap. 39. p. 226. ap. Cyprian. Op, edit. Baluz. p. 27. Oxon. ap. Hieron. Oper. p. 142. f. T. v. Benedict. H a this was an additional doctrine of the Novatians. Socrates' asserts, that the Novatians were not all of one mind upon this head: the Novatians in Phrygia, he says, condemned second marriages; they of Constantinople had no positive rule concerning this matter; but the Novatians in the West received bigamists to communion without scruple. This is likely to be the truth: some had this rigid sentiment, but not all; for it being not a doctrine of Novatus himself, but added afterwards, as Theodoret assures us, all the sect was not agreed in this point. However, here we see another sin, beside apostacy, that excluded men from communion; for the Novatians, that condemned second marriages, esteemed such as married a second time after baptism to be unworthy of that privilege. с And perhaps it may be allowed not to be an improbable conjecture, that this principle was borrowed from the Montanists, and therefore prevailed most among the Novatians of Phrygia; though, possibly, some few in other places also approved of the same rigid doctrine. Pacian expressly says, that the Novatians made great use of Tertullian; meaning, I suppose, those works of his which were written after he had imbibed the Cataphrygian doctrine. Pacian says likewise, that when Sympronian first wrote to him he did not well know what to think of him; whether he ought to take him for a follower of Montanus, or of Novatus. It is scarce needful to observe, that they baptized afresh all who came over to them from other sects; because it seems to be a necessary consequence of their refusing communion with other Christians, as not sufficiently pure. This was the doctrine of Novatus himself, as Cyprian allows plainly. He says that herein Novatus aped the catholic church. I shall add here but one thing more. Eulogius' says that the Novatians at Alexandria did not pay due reverence to the martyrs, nor allow that there was any virtue in their reliques. He does not say that this was the common opinion of the Novatians; but it seems to me, that their rigid principles would generally lead them to deny those who suffered in the catholic church to be true martyrs. Nay, the catholics would not allow the Novatians to have any martyrs: how then could the Novatians suppose there were martyrs among their adversaries? especially since they thought the church quite corrupted, ruined and destroyed, by receiving great sinners upon repentance, and communicating with them. They might likewise think themselves obliged to ape the catholics in this, as well as in some other matters: and, besides, the allowing this would be giving an advantage to some arguments brought by the catholics against their relentless unforgiving doctrine; which would be in effect yielding up their cause, and the main ground of dissention and separation. i k This is said, supposing Eulogius by martyrs to mean martyrs in the catholic church, since the separation of the Novatians. If he means all martyrs in general, and such as were allowed that character by the Novatians themselves, as having suffered in communion with them, or in the pure times of the church, before the rise of this controversy; then it will be thought by some, that what Eulogius complains of may be esteemed rather a proof of the judgment and good sense of the Novatians, that they had not that excessive veneration for martyrs, which was then be come fashionable among Christians. III. When Novatus embraced the rigid principle above described, is disputed. Some think it was taken up only as acceptable to some people, and as a method of throwing hatred upon. Cornelius, who had obtained the see of Rome, and was for allowing the peace of the church to * Οἱ δε τετε διαδοχοι και έτερα τῷ δογματι προςεθείκασι της γαρ δευτέροις γάμοις ώμιληκοτας των ἱερων εξελαύνεσι Music. Hær. Fab. 1. iii. c. v. p. 229. D. b Socr. 1. v. cap. 22. p. 288. B. C. • Tertullianus post hæresim suam: (nam multa inde sumpsistis.) Pacian. Ep. 3. p. 314. E. Cum primum scripseras, Cataphrygem putabam. Id. ib. p. 308. A. Nec nos movet, frater carissime, quod in literis tuis complexus es, Novatienses rebaptizare eos, quos a nobis solicitant: -Nam Novatianus, simiarum more, quæ, cum homines non sint, homines tamen imitantur, vult ecclesiæ catholicæ auctoritatem sibi et veritatem vindicare, quando ipse in ecclesiâ non sit.—Sciens etenim unum esse baptisma, hoc unum sibi vindicat, ut apud se esse ecclesiam dicat, et nos hæreticos faciat. Cyprian. ad Jubaian. Ep. 73. p. 198. 1 φησι και τις εν Αλεξανδρεια Ναυατιανός κατά των μαρ τύρων το Χρισε κενολογώντας. Eulog. ap. Phot. Cod. 290. h See before, p. 46. Note *. Plurimos comperimus se denuo reformâsse post lapsum, et pro nomine Dei passos. Num possumus his martyrum consortia negare, quibus Dominus Jesus non negavit? Audemus igitur dicere, non esse his vitam redditam, quibus Christus coronam reddidit? Ambr. de Pan. I. i. cap. 9. [al. 10] p. 401. Et Conf. Anonym. adversus Novatian. ap. Cypr. p. 17. fin. p. 18. init. Oxon. b C d e a such as had fallen in time of persecution, and gave proofs of repentance. So Pacian seems to say. And Tillemont argues, that Novatus did not make any schism in the church till after the election of Cornelius. But Pearson and some others have thought the schism commenced at the very beginning of 251: which is argued from some words of Cornelius in the letter formerly abridged by us; where he says that Moses the martyr, who is supposed to have. died early in the year 251, had withdrawn himself from Novatus, and five other presbyters. The learned Benedictine, who writes the life of St. Cyprian, takes a middle way, as he says, between these two sentiments: he thinks the schism did not break out till after the election of Cornelius,, but that, for some good while before, the foundation of it was laid, and divers steps taken; which I apprehend must be granted: what Cornelius says of Moses seems a good proof of it. Another argument of this may be, that the ordination of Novatus very speedily followed that of Cornelius, so that the deputies from Novatus arrived in Africa about the same time with those from Cornelius, as appears from St. Cyprian, and is allowed by Tillemont.' k h Whenever Novatus first approved the rigid máxims upon which his sect was formed, it is now the common opinion of learned moderns that Novatus, presbyter of Carthage, under Cyprian, was the first author of these measures; agreeably to the passages of Jerom, Cyprian, and Pacian, which we took notice of some while ago.' n In January 251, say " Pearson and Pagi, Novatus came from Africa to Rome, and there drew Novatus, presbyter of that city, into his measures; or as they express it, separated him from the church. Moses, who before was intimate with Novatus, hereupon shews his dislike of him, and of five other presbyters, of the same sentiments and measures. Moses dies soon after. When the persecution abated, the disturbance broke out, upon account of the election of a bishop at Rome. Ο But here, in my opinion, arises a very considerable difficulty. Moses is supposed to have died at Rome in January, or February, 251, and before his death to have shewn a dislike of Novatus, and five other presbyters of Rome, on account of measures they had been led into by Novatus, presbyter of Carthage, lately arrived there. But Tillemont shews it to be very probable that Novatus, Cyprian's presbyter, was yet in Africa in February, if not also in March, the same year. And I own it seems to me most probable that he must have been at Carthage in the month of March: how then is it possible that he should have misled those presbyters at Rome before the death of Moses? I beg leave therefore to mention a thought, to be considered and examined by the curious: it seems to me that too much regard is paid to what Cyprian writes of his presbyter Novatus, as if he had been the chief author of all the disturbances at Rome. For the Greek writers, who appear to be well acquainted with the Novatian sect, say nothing of this African Novatus;, nor does Cornelius in the fragments of his letter to Fabian of Antioch, preserved in Eusebius, take any notice of him. Indeed Cornelius, in a letter to Cyprian, mentions this person among other a Audite, quæso, et totum ordinem vestri erroris advertite. Cornelius, jam Romæ episcopus a sexdecim episcopis factus, locum cathedræ vacantis acceperat.-Tum forte quidam presbyter Novatus ex Africa-Romam venit.-Nec multo post, Novatianum istum episcopatu Cornelii anxium, (nam sibi speraverat) cum aliquantis, ut in tali re solet, ex suâ parte fautoribus nutantem impellit, dubitantem fovet, ut magnum aliquid speret, hortatur. Invenit aliquos ex eorum numero qui tempestatem persecutionis illius evaserant; apud quos, banc ipsam de lapsis receptis Cornelio conflaret invidiam. Pacian. Ep. 3. p. 310. E. F. See Tillem. Mem, Ecc. T. iii. St. Corneille art. 3. et note iii. c Vid. Pearson. Ann. Cyprian. 251. num. i. d Vales. Annot. in Eus. 1. vi. c. 43. p. 137. a. Euseb. 1. vi. c. 43. p. 245. C. D. Vid. Pearson. ib. et Pagi Crit. 251. n. xiv. Sic mediam inter utrosque viam inibo, ut ex utrâque sententiâ aliquid assumam, aliquid etiam refellam. Etsi enim schisma ante Cornelii ordinationem erupisse non credam, videtur tamen multo ante occultis molitionibus informatam et præparatam. Vit. St. Cypr. ap. Cypr. Bened. p. 84. vid. etiam p. 85, 86. Vid. Cypr. Ep. 44, [al. 41] Ep. 45, [al. 42.] m Ann. Cypr. 251, n. i. n Sub initio itaque Januarii Novatus, relicto in Africâ Felicissimo, Romam venit, et separavit ab ecclesiâ Novatianum. Quare Novatianum, antea sibi maxime familiarem, Möyses presbyter et confessor illustris, adhuc superstes, sed paulo ante mortem, a communione suâ separavit, ut habet Cornelius epistola ad Fabium Antiochensem episcopum, apud Eusebium. lib. vi. cap. 43. Möyses autem paulo post moritur in carcere, hoc ipso mense exeunte. Pagi Crit. 251. n. xiv. • See Tillem. Mem. Ec. Corneille Art. 3. note iii. P Pato Nicostratum, et Novatum, et Euaristum, et Primum, Et Dionysium illo jam pervenisse. Invigiletur ergo, &c. Corn, ad Cyprian. ap. Cypr. Ep. 50, [al. 48.] b legates in the second deputation sent by his rival from Rome to Africa; but he does not lay any thing particularly to his charge: and he there actually calls another person author of the schism. It is apparent, from Cyprian's answer to that letter, that Cornelius had never sent him any account of the conduct of the African Novatus. But Cyprian, upon the bare mention of the name of his presbyter, being full of resentment, goes into a kind of declamation; and, beside what that Novatus had done at Carthage, he tells Cornelius a story of what he supposed he had done at Rome: and he seems to think he knew this better than Cornelius himself; at the same time, what he says appears to have no other foundation but suspicion and conjecture. I would therefore dispose things at Rome about this time in the following order: Moses died in January, or the beginning of February, 251: before his death he observed caballing, and interest-making for the chair of Rome; which occasioned his shewing a dislike of Novatus, and five other presbyters of that city. Perhaps likewise some schemes were now proposed relating to the treatment of the lapsed, which he did not approve of. After his death, and before the election of Cornelius, which happened in June 251, Novatus of Carthage came to Rome, and joined the party of the Roman presbyter of that name: and I suppose he continued to favour that interest; and he may be allowed to have fomented the dissensions at Rome. But, so far as I can perceive, there is no ground for thinking the African Novatus the first author of the Novatian rigid principle, and the Novatian sect, but the conjectural story of Cyprian, and the authority of those few other writers, who have taken things upon trust from him, without any nice inquiry or examination. As for the exact time when our Novatus took up his rigid scheme of church discipline; whether before or after the ordination of Cornelius, and the particular occasion of it, and whether it was the result of his own serious thoughts, or whether he was led into it by views of private interest, or by the management of some designing and artful adviser; these are matters very much in the dark. I know of no remaining evidence sufficient to afford satisfaction in these points; nor do I see how they can ever be fully cleared up, unless some more of our author's own writings, or of his followers, should be brought to light, which we have no reason to expect. IV. When Novatus was ordained he and his people were not idle or inactive, but supported his election to the utmost of their power. His deputies, as was observed before, arrived at Carthage about the same time with those from Cornelius. It is now the general opinion of learned men, that Cornelius was ordained on the 4th day of June 251; and those learned men suppose that the deputies of Novatus might come to Carthage with an account of his ordination likewise in the month of July the same year. There matters were held in suspense for a while, till they should receive a clearer account of Cornelius's election. с g Novatus sent abroad letters and deputies to many other churches, as is apparent from the epistles of Cornelius and Cyprian, authentic witnesses in this case. And though the churches were generally restored to peace and tranquillity in the space of a few years, as appears from what Dionysius of Alexandria writes in a letter to pope Stephen, it is nevertheless certain that they had been greatly disturbed by this affair. The many epistles or treatises, written by the same Dionysius upon this occasion, are a proof that many relished the rigid doctrine of this sect. Fabius, bishop of Antioch, in particular, had been their friend and favourer. Marcian, bishop of Arles, was firm in the same principle and cause in the time of pope' Stephen: nor is it known that he ever deserted them. Besides, for keeping up their interest, there were new bishops ordained, and set over those who anywhere separated from the catholic church upon the ground of this principle. Of this * Euaristum vero auctorem schismatis fuisse, &c. Ib. Nam de Novato nihil inde ad nos fuerat nuntiandum, cum magis per nos vobis debeat Novatus ostendi, rerum novarum semper cupidus, &c. Cyprian. Ep. 52, [al. 49] p. 96. Vid. Pearson. Ann. Cypr. 251, n. vi. vii. viii. ix. Pagi Crit. 251, n. xix, et seqq. Tillem. S. Corneille Art. ii. 4 Sed cum statuissemus college complures, qui in unum conveneramus, ut legatis ad vos coëpiscopis nostris Caldonio et Fortunato missis, omnia integra suspenderentur, donec ad nos iidem collega nostri, rebus illic aut ad pacem redactis, |