These new Deputies met with no better a Reception than the former had done: for St. _Cyprian_, being informed of their Departure from _Rome_, by the Confessor _Augendus_[387], and soon after of their Characters by the Acolyte _Nicephorus_, both sent, for that Purpose, by _Cornelius_[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 of _Novatus_, procured some of their Party to be ordained Bishops, and _Nicostratus_ among 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 exclude from their Communion. But against this Evil a Remedy was found by St. _Cyprian_, and the other _African_ Bishops, 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]. [Sidenote: _The Confessors return to the Communion of the Church._] The Storm, which _Novatus_ had raised in _Rome_, was laid by his Departure; for he was no sooner gone, than the Confessors, whom he had seduced, _viz._ _Maximus_, _Urbanus_, _Sidonius_, and _Macarius_, signified to _Cornelius_ their eager Desire of quitting his Party, and returning to the Communion of the Church. _Cornelius_ questioned, at first, their Sincerity; but, being convinced of it at last, he assembled his Clergy, not caring to trust to his own Judgment, in order to advise with them, in what manner he should proceed, in the present Case. At this Council assisted, besides the _Roman_ Clergy, Five Bishops, who either happened to be then at _Rome_; or, on this Occasion, had been invited thither by _Cornelius_. They were scarce met, when the Confessors, attended by a great Croud, appeared before them, testifying, with a Flood of Tears, the Sincerity of their Repentance, and begging they would forget their part criminal Conduct. [Sidenote: _How received._] The Council did not think it adviseable to come to any Resolution, till they had acquainted the People with the Request of the Confessors; which they no sooner did, than the People flocked to the Place, and, not upbraiding, but embracing, with Tears of Joy, their retrieved Brethren, and with the same Tenderness as if they had been just then delivered out of Prison, pointed out to the Council the Method they were to pursue. Accordingly _Cornelius_, having, with the Approbation of the Council, made them renounce the Errors of _Novatian_, and acknowlege him for the only lawful Bishop of _Rome_, readmitted them, without farther Satisfaction, to the Communion of the Church[390]. From this Account I should imagine, that those who accompanied the