Novatianism

It is of the good providence of God that of the same father works should have come down vindicating the doctrine of the Church on penitence as a doctrine against the heresy of Novatian, practically against the neglect of careless sinners.

The epistles to Simpronian and exhortation to penitence combined show how compatible are tenderness to the sinner with a strict and, as it would now seem, severe doctrine of penitence, that not earnest calls to a self-avenging and self-chastening penitence but the denial of its fruits and the power of the keys is the essence of Novatianism.

Well versed as St. Passien was in the writings of St. Cyprian, who also insists on the same acts of penitence, his language approaches more both in style and vividness of expostulation to that of Tertullian, whose work on penitence he claims as having been written by him while a Catholic.

It is hoped that from this very combination his works might be useful in these days in which, for want of that more frequent special application of the power of the keys which our Church suggests, any mention of more earnest penitence is thought to partake of the hard and uncompassionating heresy of Novatian.

Let this again be remarked as one of the happy effects of the work of the Holy Ghost on the church.

Novatianism had spread into Gaul and Marcian, bishop of the church of Arclat, united himself to the schism.

Faustinus, bishop of Lyon, wrote both to Cyprian of Carthage and Stephen of Rome on the subject.

Other bishops in France wrote also on the subject.

The former he finds more suitable to the state of Christianity among us, but it could gain no solid footing in the third century.

The Novatian schism stood at last on the ground of excessive severity, a certain proof of the strictness of discipline then fashionable among Christians and of course of great purity of life and doctrine having been prevalent among them.

But to refuse the readmission of penitence was a dangerous instance of pharisaical pride, though in justice to Novatian it ought to be mentioned that he advised the exhorting of the lapsed to repentance and then leaving them to the judgment of God.

But extreme austerity and superstition were now growing evils and cherished by false philosophy.

Then the sense of the majesty where a church has been evangelically settled, and pastors sound in faith and manners are appointed, ought to prevail.

It cannot be right for single persons on no better ground than their own fancy and humor to dissent.

This is not keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, but this was the first origin of the Novatian schism.

Persons who have used themselves to the lawless mode of acting in religion which now so unhappily prevails, who feel no pity for the Church of Christ, nor care how much her members be torn one from another, and make no more difficulty of charging their pastors than their workmen, will not enter into the beauty of Cyprian's charitable concern for the unity of the Church.

It is of the good providence of God that of the same father works should have come down vindicating the doctrine of the church on penitence as a doctrine against the heresy of Novatian, practically against the neglect of careless sinners.

The epistles to Sempronian and exhortation to penitence combined show how compatible are tenderness to the sinner with a strict and, as it would now seem, severe doctrine of penitence, that not earnest calls to a self-avenging and self-chastening penitence but the denial of its fruits and the power of the keys is the essence of Novatianism.

Well versed as St. Passien was in the writings of St. Cyprian, who also insists on the same acts of penitence, his language approaches more both in style and vividness of expostulation to that of Tertullian, whose work on penitence he claims as having been written by him while a Catholic.

It is hoped that from this very combination his works might be useful in these days in which, for want of that more frequent special application of the power of the keys which our church suggests, any mention of more earnest penitence is thought to partake of the hard and uncompassionating heresy of Novatian.

A priest and a monk of theirs were tortured and the latter died by this usage.

Novatianism still retained a measure of the divine spirit and was honored with furnishing those who suffered for Jesus.

This people had three churches in Constantinople, one of which was thrown down by the emperor's orders.

The Novatians carried away the materials to the other side of the sea.

Footnote, that is risen again in footnote.

An attempt was now made to reunite those of the general church with the Novatians.

The former were the more ready because they had no place of worship at all, but the narrow bigotry which had ever been the great fault of Novatianism prevented the union.

But we must now mention a remarkable instance of human infirmity which calls at once for compassion and for caution.

The former he finds more suitable to the state of Christianity among us, but it could gain no solid footing in the third century.

The Novatian schism stood at last on the ground of excessive severity, a certain proof of the strictness of discipline then fashionable among Christians, and of course of great purity of life and doctrine, having been prevalent among them.

But to refuse the readmission of penitence was a dangerous instance of pharisaical pride, though in justice to Novatian it ought to be mentioned that he advised the exhorting of the lapsed to repentance, and then leaving them to the judgment of God.

But extreme austerity and superstition were now growing evils, and cherished by false philosophy.

Then the sense of the majesty where a church has been evangelically settled, and pastors sound in faith and manners are appointed, ought to prevail.

It cannot be right for single persons on no better ground than their own fancy and humor to dissent.

This is not keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, but this was the first origin of the Novatian schism.

Persons who have used themselves to the lawless mode of acting in religion which now so unhappily prevails, who feel no pity for the church of Christ, nor care how much her members be torn one from another, and make no more difficulty of charging their pastors than their workmen, will not enter into the beauty of Cyprian's charitable concern for the unity of the church.