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92 CredibUily of the Gospel History.
martyrs, iior° allow that tliere 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 princi-
ples would generally lead them to deny those who suffered
in the catholic church to be true martyrs. Nay,P the catholics
would not alloAv the Novatians to have any martyrs : how
then could the Novatians suppose there were martyrs among"
their adversaries ? especially 'i 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 ; Avhich would be in effect yielding
up their cause, and the main ground of dissension and sepa-
ration.
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 M ill 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 of martyrs, which was then become 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 ofRome,and
was for allowing the peace of the church to such as had fallen
in time of persecution, and gave proofs of repentance. 80 ^
° lb. p. 1620. in. p See before, p. 84. Note \
1 Nu/line apud nos confessores, martyres nuUi, nulli immaculati atque integri
sacerdotes, quos catenae, quos ignes, quos gladii probaverunt ? Fuere, inquies
sed negatores recipiendo perierunt.— Interim cui persuadere poteris, quod, lapsis
receptis, ecclesia tota conciderit ? quod, admissis poenitentibus, admittentium
populus negator effectus sit? Pacian. Ep. p. 309. G.
Plurimos comperimus se denuo ret'ormasse post lapsuni, et pro nomine
Dei passos. Num possuraus his martyrum consortia negare, quibus Dominus
Jesus non negavit ? Audemus igitur dicere, nou ease his vitam redditam, quibus
Christus coronam reddidit ? Ambr. de Poen. 1. i. cap. 9. [al. 10.] p. 401.
Et Conf. Anonym, ad versus Novatian. ap. Cypr. p. 17. fin. p. 18. init. Oxon.
* Audite, quaeso, et totum ordinem vestris erroris advertite. Comehus, jam
Romae episcopus a sexdecim episcopis factus, locum cathedrae vacantis acceperat.—Tum
forte quidam presbyter Novatus ex Africa—Romam venit.—Ncc
;