INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. HE biographyof Novatian belongsto the ecclesias ticalhistoryof the thirdcentury. He was, or is reputed to have been, the founder of a sect which claimed for itselfthe name of Puritan (xcc&upoi); and he is alsosaid to be the firstfalsePope (Pseudo-Papa). For a long time he was in determined oppositionto Cornelius,bishop of Rome, in regard to the admissionof the lapsedand penitentinto the church; but the factsof the controversyand much of our information in regard to Novatian are to be got only from hisenemies, the Koman bishop and his adherents. Accordingly,some have believedall the accusationsthat have been brought againsthim, whileothershave been inclinedto doubt them all.1 It is not known where Novatian was born. Some have appealed to Philostorgius2 in behalf of the opinionthat he was a Phrygian ; but othersmaintain that,supposing this to be a statementof the historian,it is a mere conjecture of his,based on the characterof Novatian'steaching. It is also statedby Cyprian, that he was a Stoic before he passed over to the Christianchurch ; but thisalsohas been doubted. While amongst the catechumens,he was seized by a violentdisease,attributedto demoniac agency; and being near death,he receivedbaptism. He was ordained presbyter by Fabian, bishop of Eome, againstthe wishes of the restof the clergy,who objectedtheretohis having receivedclinicbaptism. The subsequentcircumstancesof his schism and his contestwith Cornelius,are statedat length with no friendlyspiritin a letterto Antonianus by Cyprian.* 1 Seethelastportionof SectionSecondofNeander'sChurchHistory. * Hist.Eccl.lib.viii.c.15. The textof Valesiushas OCxro>,not NovatusorNovatian. 3 Vol.i.Ep.li.p.183,transl. 298