the followers of Novatian, a priest of Rome, and of Novatus,
a priest of Carthage, in the third century. They were distinguished
merely by their discipline; for their religious and doctrinal tenets do
not appear to be at all different from those of the church. They
condemned second marriages, and for ever excluded from their communion
all those who after baptism had fallen into sin. They affected very
superior purity; and, though they conceived that the worst might
possibly hope for eternal life, they absolutely refused to reädmit into
their communion any who had lapsed into sin. They separated from the
church of Rome, because the members of it admitted into their communion
many who had, during a season of persecution, rejected the Christian
faith.
a priest of Carthage, in the third century. They were distinguished
merely by their discipline; for their religious and doctrinal tenets do
not appear to be at all different from those of the church. They
condemned second marriages, and for ever excluded from their communion
all those who after baptism had fallen into sin. They affected very
superior purity; and, though they conceived that the worst might
possibly hope for eternal life, they absolutely refused to reädmit into
their communion any who had lapsed into sin. They separated from the
church of Rome, because the members of it admitted into their communion
many who had, during a season of persecution, rejected the Christian
faith.