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250 Credibility of the Guspel History.
tine, when they say the No vatians were so called from Novatus,
mean the presbyter of Carthage or him of Rome : but it
seems to me most likely that they mean the latter, who was
by much the more famous man : nor can there be any good
reason assigned why they should not there mean the same
person, even the presbyter of Rome, to whom their brethren,
the Greek writers, contnujally ascribe tiie unmerciful doctrine
of rejecting- penitents; to whom likewise the Latins themselves
ascribe it very frequently ; and 1 suppose it to be a
common opinion, among learned and judicious moderns, that
the party wasnot denominated from the presbyterof Carthage,
but from the presbyter of Rome. Nefandoe seditioni tamen
Novatianus, non Novatus nomen imposuit. Basnag-. An. 251.
n. vi. Indeed Jerom says : Hujus auctor Novatus Cypriani
presbyter fuit : which 1 have translated :
' The first author
' of this rigid principle Mas Novatus, Cyprian's presbyter,'
p. 78. And Mr. Jackson, p. 128, translates it after this
manner: 'The author of this sect was Novatus, one of
' Cyprian's presbyters.' But I think that we have neither
of us translated happily; for that sense does not agree with
the preceding words, Avhere Jerom expressly says that Novatian,
or Novatus of Rome, formed or constituted the sect of
the Novatians. Novatianus Roman.ie urbis presbyter, adversus
Cornel ium cathedram sacerdotalem conatus invadere
Novatianum— dogma constituit, nolens apostatas suscipere
poBuitentes. Hujus auctor Novatus Cypriani presbyter fuit.
It seems to me therefore that in these words Jerom intends
to say, ' his adviser was Novatus, one of Cyprian's presby-
' ters :' for, having before said that ' the presbyter of Rome
' formed the sect of the Novatians,' he cannot be disposed
to say, presently afterwards, that Novatus of Carthage was
the author of the same sect. The most, I think, that he can
mean is, that the presbyter of Carthage helped and concurred
with him at Rome: and this too it is likely is said by him
upon the authority of St. Cyprian only. Moreover, it is
observable that Novatus, the presbyter of Carthage, so long"
at least as he was in Africa, was of a quite contrary principle
from that which distinguished the Novatian sect : he was for
receiving those who had lapsed upon very easy terms; and
though he may afterwards have embraced the rigid principle
of that sect, yet it is not likely that he should have been the
first author and proposer of it. I shall represent this in the
words of some others, that it may not be suspected I state
the case wrong'. Secundum Raronii arginnentnm pariter
infirmum, (piod nempe cum