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96 CredibiliUj of lite Gospel History.
learned men suppose that the deputies of Novatiis might come
to Carthage m ith an account of his ordination likewise in the
month of July the same year. There^ matters Mere held in
suspense for a while, till they should receive a clearer account
of Cornelius's election.
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 Mere 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 never-
theless certain that they had been greatly disturbed })y 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. Marciani,
bishop of Aries, was tirm in the same principle and cause in
the time of popei'
deserted them.
Stephen; nor is it known that^ he ever
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 also there is authentic evidence from Cyprian himself.
There' seems to have been a new bishop, by name
Maximus, appointed for the
Cyprian's own diocese.
Novatian party at Carthage,
Though therefore Novatus and his principles had been
condemned and rejected by most christian bishops, and by
the majority of the clergy and people of their several
churches, at the time of Dionysius's writing the forementioned
letter to Stephen, Novatus still continued to have a numerous
' Sed cum statuissemus collegae complures, qui in unum conveneramus, ut
legatis ad vos coepiscopis nostris Caldonio et Fortunate missis, omnia integra
suspenderentur, donee ad nos iidem collegae nostri, rebus illic aut ad paceni
redactis aut pro veritate compertis,.redirent. Cypr. ad Corn. Ep. 48. [al. 45.]
p. 90, 91. Conf. Ep. 44. [al. 41.] p. 85. "" —Novissime, quod per
omnes ecclesias literae, calumniis et maledictis plena, eorum nomine frequentes
mLssfE fuissent, et pane omnes ecclesias perturbassent. Cornel, ap. Cypr, Ep.
49. [al. 46.] p. 22. " —et perplurimas civitates novos apostolos
sues mittiit.—Cypr. Ep. 55. p. 112.
" Vid. Euseb. 1. vii. cap. 4. et Pagi Crit. 256. n. xiv. xv.
p Vid. Cypr. Ep. C8. [al. G7.] i See TiUemont. St. Cyprien. Art. 39.
" —et jier plurimas civitates novos apostolos suos mittat,—cumque jampri-
dem per omnes provincias et per urbes singulas ordinati sint episcopi in aetata
antiqui, in fida integri, in pressura probati, in ptrsecutione proscripti, ille super
COS craare alios pseudoopiscopos audeat. Cypr. Ep. 55. p. 1 12.
' Nam et pars Novatian i maximum presbytcrum, nuper ad nos a Novatiano
legafum missum, atqua a nostra commuuicationerejectum, nunc isticsibi fecisse
pseudoepiscopum dicitur. Id. Ep. 49. p. 132.