The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

NovATiJS. A. D. 251. 95
duct 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 tlechunation : 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, m hat lie says appears to have no other foundation
but suspicion and conjecture.
I Mould 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 showing- 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 happeiied 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 lean
perceive, there is no ground for thinking- the African Novatus
the first author of the Nov atian 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 examina-
tion.
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 tjie result of his own serious thoughts, or
whether he was led into itby views of private interest, or by the
management of some designing and artful adviser ; these are
matters very much in the dark. 1 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 ovu' author's own writings, or of his followers, shoidd
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 fourth day of June, 251 ; and those
•^ Vid. Pearson. Ann. Cypr. 2.51, n. vi. vii. viii. ix. Pagi Crit. 251. n. xix.
et. seq. Tillemont. S, Corneille, Art. ii.