d in Carthage; and
when Novatian excluded them altogether from communion, he acted on a
principle which was not then novel. There was at that time, in fact,
quite as much diversity in discipline and ceremonies among Christians as
is now to be found in evangelical Protestant Churches.

It must be admitted that, as we descend from the apostolic age, the
spirit of the dominant body in the Church betrays a growing want of
Christian charity. There soon appeared a disposition, on the part of
some, to monopolize religion, and to disown all who did not adopt their
ecclesiastical Shibboleth. When the great mass of Christians became
organized into what was called the Catholic Church, the chief pastors
branded with the odious name of heretics all who did not belong to their
association. The Nazarenes originally held all the great doctrines of
the gospel, but they soon found themselves in the list of the
proscribed, and they gradually degenerated into abettors of very corrupt
principles. Those members of the Church of Carthage who joined
Felicissimus acted upon principles which the predecessors even of
Cyprian had sanctioned, and yet the African prelate denounced them as
beyond the pale of divine mercy. Novatian was not less orthodox than
Cornelius; but because he contended for a system of discipline which,
though not unprecedented, was deemed by his rival too austere, and
because he organized a party to support him, he also was stigmatized
with the designation of heretic. The Quarto-decimans, as well as those
who contended for Catholic rebaptism, would doubtless have been classed
in the same list, had they not formed numerous and powerful
confederations. Thus it was that those called Catholics were taught to
cherish a contracted spirit, and to look upon all, except their own
party, as out of the reach of salvation. Their false conceptions of what
properly constituted the Church involved them in many errors and tended
to vitiate their entire theology. But this subject is too important to
be discussed in a few cursory remarks, and must be reserved for
consideration in a separate chapter.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE THEORY OF THE CHURCH, AND THE HISTORY OF ITS PERVERSION.

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.

"I am the good Shepherd," said Jesus: "the good Shepherd giveth his life
_for the sheep_.... My sheep _hear my voice_, and I know them, and
they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life, and _they shall never
perish_." [636:1]