Year of Christ 223.bracketThe Acts ofUrbanusfabulous.

All I can find in the Antients concerningUrban, the Successor ofCallistus, is, that, during the whole Time of his Pontificate, both Church and State enjoyed a profound Peace under the EmperorAlexander; that he held the Chair near Seven Years, and died about the Middle of the Year 230[321]. Great and wonderful Things are related of him in his Acts, and in those of St.Cecilia, but such Acts[322]are evidently fabulous, since, in Opposition to all the Antients, they represent the EmperorAlexanderas a most cruel Persecutor of the Christian Name.Urbanhimself is supposed to have suffered under him, and placed accordingly by the Church ofRomeamong her Martyrs. His Body is now worshiped in an Abbey of his Name in the Diocese ofChalonson theMarne, and in the Church of St.CæciliaatRome[323].

Year of Christ 230.bracket

PontianussucceededUrbanin 230. and governed, according to the Pontifical ofBucherius[N4], Five Years, Two Months, and Seven Days; that is, from the 22d ofJuly230. to the 28th ofSeptember235[324].|Origendeposed.|In the Second Year of his Pontificate, thefamousOrigenwas deposed and excommunicated byDemetriusBishop ofAlexandria, and the Sentence approved of by most other Bishops, especially by the Bishop ofRome, who assembled, it seems, his Clergyon that Occasion: For what else could St.Jerommean, by telling us, thatRome assembled her Senate against Origen[325]?|The PersecutionofMaximinus.|The calm and quiet Days, which the Church had for some Years enjoyed, especially underAlexander, expired almost with the Pontificate ofPontianus; for that excellent Prince being assassinated in the Month ofMay235.Maximinus, who succeeded him, out of Hatred to him, began to persecute with great Cruelty the Christians, whom he had so much favoured, especially the Bishops[326].|PontianusbanishedtoSardinia.|Pontianusamong the rest was banishedRome, and confined to the unwholsome Island ofSardinia[327], where he died the same Year on the 28th ofSeptember, but of what Kind of Death is not well known[328].

N4. This Pontifical, well known toCuspinian,F. Petau, and other Chronologers, was published byBucheriustheJesuit, in 1633. with thePaschal Cycle of Victorius. It is a Catalogue of the Bishops ofRome, from the Foundation of that See to the Time ofLiberius, who was chosen in 352. As the Election ofLiberiusis marked, and not his Death, the Catalogue is supposed by some to have been written in his Time. His Election is marked thus;Liberius fuit temporibus Constancii ex diexi.Kalendas Junias in diem--a Consulibus ConstantioV.& Constantio Cæsare--ByConstantius Cæsaris meantGallus, the Son ofJulius Constantius, who, by his FatherConstantius Chlorus, was Half-brother toConstantine the Great.Galluswas raised by the EmperorConstantiusto the Dignity ofCæsarin the Year 351. on which Occasion he gave him his own Name[1], and the following Year took him for his Collegue in his Fifth Consulship, as appears fromIdatius, fromProsper, and from theAlexandrianChronicle. The above-mentioned Pontifical is very faulty in the Times preceding the Pontificate ofPontianus, who was chosen in 230. nay, if we believeBucherius,Anicetus,Eleutherius, andZephyrinus, are omitted in it. I said,If we believeBucherius; forBollandus, anotherJesuit, who perused the same Manuscript, assures us, that he found there the Names of those three Bishops, whichBucheriusassures us were not to be found there[2]. Which of the twoJesuitsis the honester is hard to determine in any Case, but impossible in this, unless the original Manuscript should be produced, which both perused. F.Pagi, theFranciscan, seems to favourBucherius; for he complains ofBollandusfor interpolating the Manuscript, and not publishing it with all its Faults and Charms, asBucheriushad done. But then he does not tell us, that he had seen the original Manuscript.Bollanduson the other hand complains ofBucheriusfor undervaluing such an unvaluable Piece; and settles by it his whole Chronology of the Popes, pretending it to have been sent by PopeDamasusto St.Jerom[3]. But for this the only Ground he has are some Letters fromDamasusto St.Jerom, and fromJeromtoDamasus, which, by the best Judges, are all thought supposititious. But even allowing it to have been sent byDamasusto St.Jerom, that ought not to recommend it more to our Esteem than it did to his; and he seems to have paid very little Regard to it: for in his Book ofIllustrious Men, which he wrote after the Death ofDamasus, he placesClementafterAnacletus, though that Pontifical putsAnacletusafterClement[4]. What I have hitherto said is to be understood with respect to the Times preceding the Pontificate ofPontianus; for, from his Time, the Pontifical ofBucheriusis almost quite exact to the End, that is, to the Election ofLiberius; and the more exact, the nearer it comes to his Time. I saidalmost, for it is not even thenceforth free from all Faults; but it has fewer than any other antient Record that has reached us; and it is on this Consideration that, from the Time ofPontianus, I have preferred it to all others. With respect to his Predecessors, I have adopted the Chronology ofEusebius, where it does not appear that he was mistaken; for that he was mistaken in some Points, is but too plain; and, for aught we know, he may have been so in many others. But as in those dark Times we have no authentic Records, no indisputable Authorities, to depend on, I thought it more adviseable to tread in the Footsteps of so famous and antient a Writer, than, by attempting to open a new Way, perplex and confound both myself and the Reader, asPearson,Dodwell, andPagi, have done. And it was not, I must own, without some Concern, that I found a Man of Dr.Pearson’s Learning reduced, by undervaluing the Authority ofEusebius, to take for his Guide a Writer of no Authority at all,viz.EutychiusofAlexandria, who flourished so late as the Tenth Century, and is only famous for his Blunders, even in what relates to his own Church. To the Pontifical were annexed, in the same antient Manuscript, several other small Pieces;viz.1. A List of the Consuls from the Year 205. to 354. with the Epacts, Bissextile Years, and the Day of the Week, with which each Year began. There are some Mistakes in the Epacts, but the rest is done with great Exactness. 2. Another List of the Consuls and Governors ofRome, from the Year 254. to 354. 3. A short Necrology of the Bishops ofRome, in which are marked, according to the Order of the Months, the Day on which each of them died, and the Place where he was buried. It begins withLucius, and ends withJulius. In this List,SixtusII. andMarcellusare omitted; the latter probably by a Mistake of the Transcriber, confounding him with his PredecessorMarcellinus; and the former, perhaps, because he is set down in the Calendar of Martyrs annexed to the Necrology. These Pieces, as well as the Pontifical, all end at the Year 354. whence CardinalNoris[5]and others are of Opinion, that they were written that Year.1. Aurel. Vict. p. 518. Socr. l. 2. c. 28.2. Bolland. Apr. t. 1. p. 22-24.3. Bolland. ib. p. 3. n. 10.4. Hier. de vir. illustr. c. 15.5. Fast. consular. p. 23.

1. Aurel. Vict. p. 518. Socr. l. 2. c. 28.2. Bolland. Apr. t. 1. p. 22-24.3. Bolland. ib. p. 3. n. 10.

1. Aurel. Vict. p. 518. Socr. l. 2. c. 28.

2. Bolland. Apr. t. 1. p. 22-24.

3. Bolland. ib. p. 3. n. 10.

4. Hier. de vir. illustr. c. 15.5. Fast. consular. p. 23.

4. Hier. de vir. illustr. c. 15.

5. Fast. consular. p. 23.

Year of Christ 235.bracket

Anterus, the Successor ofPontianus, presided only One Month and Ten Days, and died on the 3d ofJanuary236[329]. Some modern Writers place oneCyriacusbetween him andPontianus; but their Opinion, founded on the Authority of the fabulous Acts of St.Ursula, is sufficiently confuted byEusebius[330],Optatus[331], St.Augustin[332], andNicephorus[333], who all NameAnterusas the immediate Successor ofPontianus.|Anterusprobablydies a Martyr.|The Shortness of his Pontificate, and the cruel Persecution carried on byMaximinus, give us room to believe, that he died a Martyr, which Title is given him in the Martyrologies of St.JeromandBede[334].

Year of Christ 236.bracket

Fabianus, called by theGreeks,Fabius, byEutychius[335], and in the Chronicle ofAlexandria,Flavianus[336], was, according toEusebius, miraculously chosen for Successor toAnterus; for he tells us,|His miraculousElection.|That the People and Clergy being assembled in order to proceed to a new Election, a Dove, unexpectedly appearing, settled, to the great Surprize of all present, on the Head ofFabianus, who was not so much as thought of, being but a Layman, as appears from the Account, and not an Inhabitant ofRome, but just then come out of the Country. At this Prodigy the whole Assembly cried out with one Voice, Fabianusis our Bishop; and, crouding round him, placed him without further Delay on the Episcopal Throne.--ThusEusebius[337]: and to his Account is owing the modern Notion, that the Pope is always chosen by the Holy Ghost.|Not all popesthus chosen.|What happened in the Election of St.Fabianus (says CardinalCusani)happens in the Election of every Pope. 'Tis true we do not see the Holy Ghost with our corporeal Eyes; but we may and must see him, if we are not quite blind, with those of the Mind. In vain therefore, O eminent Electors, are all your Intrigues; the Person, on whose Head the heavenly Dove is pleased to perch, will, in spite of them, be chosen[338].In the Sequel of this History, we shall see such Monsters of Iniquity elected, and by such scandalous Practices, that to imagine the Holy Ghost any-ways concerned in the Election would be absolute Blasphemy.

Fabianusworthy ofthe Dignity towhich he was raised.

As forFabianus, he seems to have been well worthy of the Post to which he was raised; for the famous Bishop ofCarthage, St.Cyprian, in Answer to the Letter, wherein the Clergy ofRomegave him an Account of the glorious Death of their Bishop, calls himan excellent Man; and adds, thatthe Glory of his Death had answered the Purity, Holiness, and Integrity of his Life[339].|Some of hisRegulations.|From the Pontifical ofBucheriuswe learn, that he appointed Seven Deacons over the Fourteen Regions, or Wards, into whichRomewas then divided[340], to take care of the Poor, saysBaronius[341]. We read in other more modern Pontificals, that he named Seven Subdeacons to overlook the Seven Notaries, who are supposed to have been first appointed by PopeClement, and whose Province it was to commit to Writing the Actions and Speeches of the Martyrs. It is manifest from St.Cyprian[342], as Dr.Pearsonwell observes, that in the Time ofCornelius, the Successor ofFabianus, the Church ofRomehad Seven Subdeacons, to whom St.Cyprianrecommended the strictest Exactness in marking the Day of each Martyr’s Death[343]. As for taking down their Speeches, whichsome seem to object to, the Art of writing in Short-hand was well known in those Times.Eusebiustells us, that byTiro,Cicero’s Freed-man, were first invented certain Marks, which stood not only for whole Words, but intire Sentences[344]. But this Invention is, byDio, ascribed toMæcenas, who ordered his Freed-manAquilato make them known to all who cared to learn them[345]. Of their wonderful Quickness in writing, with the Help of these Marks,Martialtakes notice, in one of his Distichs, saying, How fast soever the Tongue may run, the Hand runs faster[346].

Said to haveconverted theEmperorPhilip.

Baronius[347]andBollandus[348]ascribe toFabianusthe Conversion of the EmperorPhilip, and his Son; adding, from the Acts ofPontiusthe Martyr, that he pulled down the great Temple of theRomans, that he dashed to Pieces their Idols, and converted the whole City. What a Pity that such wonderful Feats should have been passed over in Silence byEusebius, and all the Antients! As for the Conversion ofPhilip, and his Son, it is questioned by many, and very justly, the Silence ofEusebiusalone being an unanswerable Evidence against it; but all agree, that if he was instructed and converted byFabianus, he did no great Honour either to his Instructor, or his Religion. In the Latter-end of the Year 249, the EmperorPhilipbeing killed by the rebellious Soldiery atVerona,Decius, who was raised to the Empire in his room, began his Reign with the most dreadful Persecution that had ever yet afflicted the Church.|Fabianusmartyred inthe Persecution ofDecius.|Fabianuswas one of the first that fell a Victim to the implacable Hatred this Emperor bore to the Christian Name. He was put to Death on the 20th ofJanuary250. whileDeciuswas Consul the second time, together withGratus, after having governed the Church Fourteen Years, one Month, and Ten Days[349].

The See vacant.Year of Christ 250.bracket

The Death ofFabianuswas followed by a Vacancy, which lasted at least Sixteen Months, the Christians being either imprisoned, or so dispersed, that they could not assemble to chuse a new Bishop. During this Interval, the Clergy, that is, the Presbyters and Deacons, took upon themselves the Care and Administration of all Ecclesiastical Matters; and, being informed byClementius, Subdeacon of the Church ofCarthage, who came toRomeaboutEasterin 250. that St.Cyprianhad been obliged, by the Fury of the Persecution, to withdraw for awhile from his See, they writ to that Clergy, exhorting them to follow their Example[350]. Several excellent Letters passed on this Occasion between the Clergy ofRome, and St.Cyprianand his Clergy, especially concerning the Method they were to hold with theLapsed; that is, with those who had either obtained of the Pagan Magistrates Protections, orLibels of Safety, whence they were calledLibellatici, or had actually sacrificed to Idols, and were thence namedSacrificati. In one of these Letters, theRomanClergy, after having maturely examined so material a Point, and advised not only with the neighbouring Bishops, but with others, who, from the distant Provinces, had fled for Concealment toRome, declare it was their Opinion,|The Opinion of theRomanClergyconcerning theLapsed.|That such of the Lapsed as were at the Point of Death, should, upon an unfeigned Repentance, be admitted to the Communion of the Church, but that the Cause of others should be put off till the Election of a new Bishop, when, together with him, with other Bishops, with the Priests, Deacons, Confessors, and Laymen, who had stood firm, they should take their Case into Consideration; adding, that a Crime committed by many ought not to be judged by one; and that a Decree could not be binding without the Consent and Approbation of many[351].|They disown thePope’s Infallibility.|Could they in more plain and express Terms disown the Infallibility of the Pope their Bishop? Could they upon mature Deliberation write thus, and at the same time believe his Judgment an infallible Rule? Such a Proposition would, in these Days, be deemed heretical; and no Wonder; the Pope’s Infallibility must be maintained at all Events; and to maintain it is impossible, without condemning, as heretical, the Doctrine taught by the Church in the first and purest Ages.

Year of Christ 251.bracket

After the See had been vacant for the Space of Sixteen Months,Cornelius, a Presbyter of the Church ofRome, was at last elected[352], on the 4th ofJune251. according to the most probable Opinion[353].|The Character ofCorneliusby St.Cyprian.|He was, according to St.Cyprian[354], a Man of an unblemished Character, and, on account of his peaceable Temper, his great Modesty, his Integrity, and many other eminent Virtues, well worthy of the Dignity to which he was raised. He did not attain at once, says the same Writer, to the Height of the Priesthood, but after he had passed through all the inferior Degrees, agreeably to the Discipline of the Church. He was so far from using Intrigues, from intruding himself by Violence, as some have done, that Violence was necessary to make him accept the Dignity offered him. He was ordained Bishop, continues St.Cyprian, by some of our Collegues, who, being then atRome, conformed to the Judgment of the whole People and Clergy[355]. AsDeciuswas still alive, who had declared, that he had rather bear with a Competitor to his Crown, than with a Bishop ofRome[356], the Christians, in all Likelihood, laid hold of the Opportunity, which the Revolt ofValensgave them, to chuse a new Bishop; for this very YearJulius Valensrevolting, caused himself to be proclaimed Emperor inRome[357]; and though he held the Empire but a very short time, yet his Revolt might divertDeciusfor a while from persecuting the Christians.

Novatian

ThoughCorneliuswas chosen by the unanimous Voice of the People and Clergy, yetNovatian, a Presbyter of the Church ofRome, who aspired to the same Dignity, not only refused to acknowlege him; but having gained a considerable Party among the People, Five Presbyters, and some Confessors, he wrote in their Name and his own to St.Cyprian, and no doubt to many other Bishops, laying heinous Crimes to the Charge ofCornelius; namely, his having sued for a Protection from the Pagan Magistrates, which was ranking him among theLibellatici, who were excluded from all Dignities andEmployments in the Church. St.Cyprianhaving received this Letter, and at the same time one fromCornelius, acquainting him with his Election, as was customary in those Times among Bishops, he caused the one to be read in a full Assembly of the People and Clergy, but suppressed the other, looking upon it as a scandalous Libel[358].|St.Cypriancalls aCouncil,|However, to prevent the Calumnies and false Reports that might be spread abroad byNovatianand his Partisans, he assembled a Council of all the Bishops of his Province, who, hearing of the Schism in the Church ofRome, resolved to send thither two of their Body, who should carefully inform themselves of what had passed in the late Election, and on their Return make a faithful Report of all they had learnt. Pursuant to this Resolution,CaldoniusandFortunatus, TwoAfricanBishops, were dispatched toRomewith Letters from the Council to the Clergy of that City, and to the Bishops who had been present at the Ordination ofCornelius. The Bishops no sooner received these Letters than they answered them, assuring their Brethren inAfrica, thatCorneliushad been lawfully chosen; and at the same time commending him as a Person, on account of his extraordinary Piety, and exemplary Life, most worthy of the Dignity to which he had been raised.|which acknowlegesCornelius.|Their Testimony was soon after confirmed byCaldoniusandFortunatusreturning fromRome, and like wise byStephaniusandPompeius, TwoAfricanBishops, who had assisted at the Ordination ofCornelius; so that he was universally acknowleged all overAfrica[359].

TheAfricanBishops no sooner acknowlegedCorneliusthan they acquainted him with the Resolutions, which they had taken in their late Council, with respect to the Lapsed.|Resolutions of theCouncil ofAfricaconcerning theLapsed.|The Substance of these was, That such as had yielded to the Fury of the Persecution ought not to be abandoned, lest, giving themselves up to Despair, they should fall into a total Apostasy; but should be re-admitted to the Union of the Church upon a sincere Repentance, and after a long Penance; that the Time of their Penance should be shortened, or prolonged, according to the Nature of their Crimes; that is, theLibellaticishould have a shorter Time assigned them; and theSacrificati, called alsoThurificati, who had actually offered Sacrifice, or Frankincense, to Idols, should not be admitted till they had expiated their Offence by a very long Penance; but that both theLibellaticiandSacrificatishould be taken in, before the Time of their Penance was expired, if at the Point of Death, or even thought to be in Danger[360]. As to fallen Bishops, they were to be dealt with in the same Manner; and, after due Penance, or, as it is sometimes called, Satisfaction, be admitted only in a Lay Capacity[361].Corneliusdid not, upon the Receipt of these Determinations or Decrees, step into his oracular Chair, and thence, as an infallible Judge, condemn or approve them. Such arbitrary Proceedings would not have been well relished by the Bishops ofAfrica, nor even by his own Clergy, who not long before had declared, Thata Decree could not be binding without the Consent and Approbation of many.|Which are approvedby the CouncilofRome.|He therefore acted on this Occasion as St.Cyprianhad done, as other Bishops did afterwards; that is, he assembled a Council, whichEusebiuscallsa great Council[362]; for it consisted of Sixty Bishops, and a great Number of Priests, Deacons, and Laymen, who, in those Times, were admitted to all Councils[363]. By this Venerable Assembly were the Decrees of the Council ofAfricaexamined and approved, and then sent to be in like manner examined and approved by other Bishops, till the whole Church had agreed to them[364].

Novatianexcommun-icated.

At the Council ofRomeassisted among other PresbytersNovatian: but as he maintained, in Opposition to the whole Assembly, that the Lapsed were to be admitted upon no Terms or Satisfaction whatsoever, but should be left to the Divine Tribunal, he was himself cut off from that Communion, which with an invincible Obstinacy he denied to others[365]. Provoked at this Sentence, he readily gave Ear to the Insinuations ofNovatus, a Presbyter of the Church ofCarthage, who had fled from thence toRome, to avoid the Sentence of Excommunication, with which he was threatened by St.Cyprian, and the other Bishops ofAfrica, for his scandalous Doctrine, and irregular Practices[366].Pacianuspaints him in the blacked Colours:|Novatushis Wickedness.|He stripped the Orphans, says he, plundered the Widows of the Church ofCarthage, and appropriated to himself the Money belonging to the Poor and the Church[367]: He turned his Father out of Doors, and let him die of Hunger in the Streets, and would not even be at the Trouble of burying him after his Death. With a Kick in the Belly he made his Wife miscarry, and bring forth a dead Child: whencePacianuscallshim a Traitor, an Assassin, the Murderer of his Father and Child[368]. As for his Doctrine, he held, while atCarthage, Tenets diametrically opposite to those he taught atRome: for, atCarthage, he was for admitting to the Communion of the Church not only the Lapsed, but all other Sinners, let their Crimes be ever so heinous, without any Sort of Penance; and, atRome, for excluding them, let their Penance be ever so long, let their Repentance be ever so sincere[369]. AtCarthagehe foundFelicissimus, of whom I shall speak hereafter, inclined to Lenity; andNovatian, atRome, to Severity: and therefore, as he was a Man of great Vanity, and no Principles, he suited himself to the different Tempers of such as he judged the most capable of raising him.|He gains manyFollowers, and someConfessors, to theParty ofNovatian.|AtRome, by a Pretence to an uncommon Sanctity and Severity, he gained a great many Followers, and among them some Confessors lately delivered out of Prison, from whom he extorted Letters directed toNovatian, wherein they consented to the Ordination of the saidNovatian. In virtue of these Letters he was accordingly ordained, some say inRome[370], others in a neighbouring Village[371], by Three Bishops sent for byNovatusout of the Country for that Purpose, and quite unacquainted with his Views.|NovatianthefirstAnti-pope.|Being thus ordained Bishop, he was set up by the Party againstCornelius, whom they charged with relaxing the Discipline of the Church, and communicating with the Lapsed, especially with oneTrophimus. This St.Cypriancalls a false and groundless Charge; for, as toTrophimus, though he was in the Number of theThurificati, that is, though he had offered Frankinsense to Idols, and even persuaded his Flock (for he was a Presbyter, if not a Bishop) to follow his Example, yet he had sufficiently atoned for his Crime, by a sincere Repentance, by a long Penance, and, above all, by bringing back his People with him, who would not have returned without him[372]. As for the others, 'tis true, he communicated with some who had not fulfilled the Time of Penance assigned them, but such only as, being admitted at the Point of Death, had afterwards recovered; which can no otherwise be avoided, says St.Cyprian[373], but by killing those to whom we granted the Peace of the Church, when we apprehended them to be in Danger.Novatianhaving thus, by a pretended Zeal for the Discipline of the Church, and the artful Insinuations ofNovatus, seduced a great many atRome, who styled themselves theCathari,|He acquaints theother Churches withhis Ordination.|that is, the pure, undefiled Party; he wrote in their and his own Name to the other Churches, acquainting them with his Ordination, exhorting them not to communicate with the Lapsed upon any Terms, and bitterly complaining of the scandalous Lenity and Remisness ofCornelius[374]. At the same timeCorneliuswrote to the other Bishops, giving them a faithful Account of all that had happened atRome, especially of the uncanonical Ordination ofNovatian. However, the Letters ofNovatian, signed by several Confessors, who were greatly respected in those Days, made no small Impression onAntonianusanAfricanBishop, andFabiusBishop ofAntioch[375], but quite gained over to the PartyMarcianusBishop ofArles[376].|His Deputies rejectedand excommunicatedinAfrica.|The other Bishops declared all to a Man forCornelius, especially St.Cyprian, and those of his Province, who, being assembled in a Council when the Deputies ofNovatianarrived, excommunicated without farther Examination both him and them[377]; and well they might, since they had taken so much Pains to inform themselves of the Lawfulness ofCornelius’s Election, as we have related above. The Deputies, though thus rejected with Scorn and Disgrace by the Council, did not abandon the Enterprize, but proselyting from Town to Town, nay, from House to House, inveigled a great many, under colour of communicating with the Confessors[378].|St.Cyprianendeav-ours to reclaimthe Confessors.|St.Cypriantherefore, whose Zeal was not confined within the Bounds, however extensive, ofAfrica,Numidia, and the TwoMauritania’s, to withdraw this main Support from the Party, writ a short but nervous Letter to the Confessors, deploring the Fault they had committed, by consenting to the unlawful Ordination ofNovatian, and exhorting them to return with all Speed to the Catholic Church[379].DionysiusBishop ofAlexandriawrit them a pathetic Letter to the same Purpose[380]; and these Letters had at last the desired Effect; but not beforeNovatus, who had drawn them into the Schism, leftRome; which happened on the following Occasion:

Novatiansends newDeputies intoAfrica.

Novatian, being informed that the Deputies he had sent intoAfricawere every-where rejected and despised, resolved to send others, whom he judged, on account of their Rank and Authority, more capable of promoting his Design[381]. The Persons he pitched upon wereNicostratus,Novatus,Evaristus,Primus, andDionysius. Ofthe Two last I find no farther Mention made in History; ofNovatusI have spoken above; and as forEvaristusandNicostratus, the former was a Bishop, and is supposed to have been one of the Three that ordainedNovatian.Nicostratuswas a Deacon of the Church ofRome[382], and had been imprisoned with the Two PresbytersMosesandMaximus, for the Confession of the Faith[383], which intitled him to a Place among the Confessors.|Their Characters.|To these Three St.Cyprianascribes the excellent Letter, as he styles it, which the Confessors ofRomewrit to those ofCarthage[384]. He was likewise one of the Confessors, who writ to St.Cyprianhimself, as appears from the Title of that admirable Letter, which runs thus:The PresbytersMosesandMaximus,the DeaconsNicostratusandRuffinus,and the other Confessors, who are with them, to PopeCyprian[385].|The Name of Popeantiently common toall Bishops.|We may here observe, by the way, that the Name ofPope, which signifies no more thanFather, was antiently common to all Bishops; but was afterwards, by a special Decree ofGregoryVII. appropriated to the Bishop ofRome. To return toNicostratus, the Character given him by St.CyprianandCornelius, bespeaks him quite unworthy of being joined with the others, who are named in that Letter, and were all Men of great Piety: for he had squandered away the Money belonging to the Church, that was lodged in his Hands, embezzled that of the Widows and Orphans, and defrauded a Lady, who had trusted him with the Management of her Affairs[386].

The Deputies areeverywhere rejectedinAfrica.

These new Deputies met with no better a Reception than the former had done: for St.Cyprian, being informed of their Departure fromRome, by the ConfessorAugendus[387], and soon after of their Characters by the AcolyteNicephorus, both sent, for that Purpose, byCornelius[388], he acquainted therewith the other Catholic Bishops, who, upon that Intelligence, rejected them with the greatest Indignation, as Apostates, and Firebrands of Sedition. Hereupon the Deputies having, by the Means and Contrivance ofNovatus, procured some of their Party to be ordained Bishops, andNicostratusamong the rest, they named them to the Sees of the Catholic Bishops; which bred great Confusion and Disorder in the Church, it being a difficult Matter for the Bishops in the distant Provinces to distinguish between their lawful Brethren and the Intruders, and consequently to know whom they should admit to, and whom they should excludefrom their Communion. But against this Evil a Remedy was found by St.Cyprian, and the otherAfricanBishops, who, to arm him against the Craft and Arts of those subtle Impostors, transmitted to him a List of all the Catholic Bishops of that Province[389].

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