§. 24. His dealing with the Novatians is the same or worse: He feared not in the face of the Sun, to write that the Novatians opposed Infant-baptism, and numbereth them also with his party. When it is a falsehood as much aggravated as these particulars import. 1. They were an honest and numerous people, and scattered almost all over the Empire; tolerated till Innocents time in Rome, and long tolerated and much favoured by many Emperors and Patriarchs in Constantinople, because (as Socrates saith) they agreed in Doctrine with the Catholics: And could they have denied Infant-baptism, and not be accused of it? 2. They had many bitter enemies that would soon have cast this in their teeth. 3. Many Councils had to do with them, where multitudes had opportunity to accuse them. 4. They were an ancient Sect, arising even in Cyprian's time, and long continued: And in so many generations it would have been known. 5. They are put in the Catalogues of many Heresiographers that are keen enough, and none of them (that ever I found) accuse them of any such thing: No not Epiphanius himself, who is most copious, and not very backward to accuse. And shall either John of Leiden or any of his party now in the end of the world persuade us, by slandering so many thousands of innocent men, that they were guilty? And can Mr. Danvers now tell us that they held that which for a thousand years hath lain unknown?
§. 24. His dealing with the Novatians is the same or worse: He feared not in the face of the Sun, to write that the Novatians opposed Infant-baptism, and numbreth them also with his party. When it is a falshood as much aggravated as these particulars import. 1. They were an honest and numerous people, and scattered almost all over the Empire; tolerated till Innocents time in Rome, and long tolerated and much favoured by many Emperors and Patriarchs in Constantinople, because (as Socrates saith) they agreed in Doctrine with the Catholicks: And could they have denied Infant-baptism, and not be accused of it? 2. They had many bitter enemies that would soon have cast this in their teeth. 3. Many Councils had to do with them, where multitudes had opportunity to accuse them. 4. They were an ancient Sect, arising even in Cyprians time, and long continued: And in so many generations it would have been known. 5. They are put in the Catalogues of many Heresiographers that are keen enough, and none of them (that ever I found) accuse them of any such thing: No not Epiphanius himself, who is most copious, and not very backward to accuse. And shall either John of Leyden or any of his party now in the end of the world perswade us, by slandering so many thousands of innocent men, that they were guilty? And can Mr. Danvers now tell us that they held that which for a thousand years hath lain unknown?
