_Thurificati_, 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. _Novatian_ having thus, by a pretended Zeal for the Discipline of the Church, and the artful Insinuations of _Novatus_, seduced a great many at _Rome_, who styled themselves the _Cathari_, [Sidenote: _He acquaints the other Churches with his 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 of _Cornelius_[374]. At the same time _Cornelius_ wrote to the other Bishops, giving them a faithful Account of all that had happened at _Rome_, especially of the uncanonical Ordination of _Novatian_. However, the Letters of _Novatian_, signed by several Confessors, who were greatly respected in those Days, made no small Impression on _Antonianus_ an _African_ Bishop, and _Fabius_ Bishop of _Antioch_[375], but quite gained over to the Party _Marcianus_ Bishop of _Arles_[376]. [Sidenote: _His Deputies rejected and excommunicated in_ Africa.] The other Bishops declared all to a Man for _Cornelius_, especially St. _Cyprian_, and those of his Province, who, being assembled in a Council when the Deputies of _Novatian_ arrived, 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 of _Cornelius_’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]. [Sidenote: _St._ Cyprian_endeavours to reclaim the Confessors_.] St. _Cyprian_ therefore, whose Zeal was not confined within the Bounds, however extensive, of _Africa_, _Numidia_, and the Two _Mauritania_’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 of _Novatian_, and exhorting them to return with all Speed to the Catholic Church[379]. _Dionysius_ Bishop of _Alexandria_ writ them a pathetic Letter to the same Purpose[380];