60
NOVATUS
NUADHA
Epistle to the Hebrews as Scripture, since henever quotes any texts out of it, though there wereseveral which favoured his cause, notably Heb.vi. 4-8. His followers, however, in the nextcentury, did use them. Some have even thoughtthat Novatian was the author of the Refutationof all Heresies (Bunsen, Christ, and Mankind , i.480). The works of Novatian were published byWelchmann, Oxon, 1724; by Jackson, London,1728, and in Galland. Bib. PB. t. in. Theyhave been also translated in the volume ofClark’s Ante-Nicene Lib. containing the secondpart of St. Cyprian’s writings, Edinburgh, 1869.Jackson’s edition is the best. It was severelycriticised by S. Crellius in a work styledArtemonii defensio emendat. in Hovatiano factar.cont. J. Jackson. t Lond. 1729. [Fortunatus ;Maximus; Moses; Evaristus ; Dionysius;Fabius ; Nicostratus (1).] (Forbesii Instruct.Histor. Theolog. p. 666 : Lumper, Hist. SS. PIviii. 259 ; Natal. Alex. ed. Mansi, saec. iii. cap. i.art. iv.; Welch’s Ketzerhist . ii. 185 ; Neander,II. E. ed. Bohn, pp. 330-335; Ceillier, ii. 426 ;Gieseler, H. E. i. 284, ed. Clark.) [G. T. S.]
NOVATUS (1), presbyter of Carthage. Heseems to have been an original opponent ofCyprian’s election, but is first mentioned by himin Ep. xiv. sec. 5, with three other presbyters—Donatus, Fortunatus, and Gordius—as havingwritten about some question to Cyprian then inretirement. This was, doubtless, touching therequest of the confessors, to have peace grantedto certain of the lapsed which, in Ep. 50,Cyprian refuses until he had taken counsel withthe presbyters and faithful laity. Cyprian, inthis latter epistle, reproves certain presbyters,evidently Novatus and his companions, who,“ considering neither the fear of God nor thehonour of the bishop,” had already grantedpeace to the lapsed. In Ep. xliii., writing tothe church of Carthage, he compares Novatusand his associates to the five chief comm is*sioners entrusted with the conduct of the per-secution, and, as it seems, intimates that theythreatened to raise a riot upon his appearancefrom his place of retirement. In Ep. Iii. 3Cyprian, writing to Cornelius, gives a very badcharacter of Novatus. He describes him as one“ ever eager for innovation, of insatiableavarice, puffed up with pride, always known forevil to the bishops here, a heretic, and per-fidious,” again, as “having robbed orphans,defrauded the church, permitted his father todie of hunger, having kicked his wife whenpregnant, and having thus become the murdererof his own child.” The critic will be apt tothink that Cyprian’s feelings must have herecoloured his judgment, as such a bishop as hewas could scarcely have tolerated such a badman in the presbyterate. He, in the sameepistle, describes him as having made hisfollower Felicissimus a deacon, and then “atRome committing greater and more grievouscrimes. He who at Carthage made a deaconagainst the church, there made a bishop.” TheLiberian catalogue in like manner describesNovatus as ordaining Novatian in Rome and Nico-stratus in Africa, though Cornelius (Euseb.II. E. vi. 43) tells us Novatian was ordained bythree bishops from distant parts of Italy.Neander ( II . E. i. 313, ed. Bohn), concluding on
the contrary, from Cyprian’s words, thatNovatus, “ spurning the yoke of episcopalmonarchy,” himself ordained Felicissimus.Cyprian evidently merely means that Novatusbrought about the ordination of both the deaconand bishop. At the same time, Ep. xliii. sec. 2,proves that Cyprian’s wrath was specially stirredby some anti-episcopal innovations of Novatusand his party. What their character was itwould be now impossible to determine (cf. Bing-ham, Dissert, on 8th Nicene canon in Opp. London,1840, t. viii. p. 417). After the consecration ofNovatian, Novatus was sent by him, togetherwith Evaristus, Nicostratus, Primus and Dio-nysius to organize his party in Africa (Cyprian,Ep. 1.). After this he disappears from our sight.(Compare Dr. Pusey’s note upon him, appendedto Cyprian, Ep. Iii. in Oxford, Lib. of Fathers.See also Milman, Lat. Christ, t. i. pp. 60-62,ed. Lond. 1867. On the latter page he remarksin a note, “ We are on historical ground, or whata myth might be made out of these two innova -tors —Novatus and Novatian.”) [Novatianus jCyprian.] [G. T. S.]
NOVATUS (2), bp. of Thamogade (Hartel—as also some Inscriptions ; Thamugade, more com-mon (hod. Timgad), near Lambaesis in Numidia,afterwards a headquarters of Donatism (vid.Morcelli) Sentt. Episcopor . 4 in Sgn. Carth. subCyp. de Bap. 3). His expressions as one of theoldest of the eighty-seven bishops seem to affectour estimate of the date of the Agrippinensiancouncil. He could scarcely have called itsmembers “ sanctissimae memoriae ” had not thegeneration passed, nor “ collegae ” if they hadbeen beyond his memory. [E. W. B.]
NOVATUS (3), called Catholicus, a monkprobably of the 4th century, author of a shortLatin piece, Sententia de Humilitate et Obedientiaet de Calcanda Superbia. (Patr. Lat. xviii. 67;Ceillier, vi. 331.) [C. H.]
NOVATUS of Sitifa. [Navatus.]
NOVELLUS, bishop of Tyzica, a smalltown of Proconsular Africa, Thisica of Ptolemy,between Tabraca and the river Bagradas (Ptol.iv. 3-31). The see appears to have lasted aslate as A.D. 449, for a bishop of Tizzica waspresent at the Lateran council held in thatyear (Booking, Hot. Dign. i. p. 642). Novellus ismentioned by Augustine as being, together withFaustinus of Tuburbo, open to a charge fromthe Donatist point of view, of the same kindas Caecilianus, yet not condemned by his partyon that account, probably because both he andFaustinus adopted Donatist views. Augustinedoes not mention the charge, but it was no doubtone of having received consecration from a“ traditor.” (Aug. ad Don. post Coll. xxii. 38;Morcelli, Afr. Chr . i. 342.) Faustinus (4).]
[H. W. P.]
NOVELLUS, bishop of Complutum, ismentioned in a.d. 579 by J. Biclarensis (Chron.in Migne, Patr. Lat. lxxii. 866) as an illustriousperson. Nothing more is known of him. Atthe third council of Toledo in A.D. 589 the seewas vacant (Esp. Sag. vii. 179). [F. ^*]
NUADHA (Nuad, -datus, -dus, Nuat,Nodtat), abbat, classed in recent times among