Jarrel - Baptist Church Perpetuity - Landmark Baptist

“The controversy with the Novatians turned upon two general points; one
relating to the principles of penitence, the other to the question, what
constitutes the idea and essence of a true church? In respect to the first point
of dispute, Novatian had been often unjustly accused of maintaining that no
person, having once violated his baptismal vows, can ever obtain the
forgiveness of sin. … But, first, Novatian by no means maintained that a
Christian is a perfect saint. … Novatian, too, declared that the fallen brethren
must be cared for and exhorted to repentance. He, too, acknowledged God’s
mercy toward sinners, and allowed it right to commend the fallen to that
mercy; but that men could once more surely announce to them that
forgiveness of sins which they had trifled away; this he was unwilling to
concede because he could find no objective ground for such confidence. With
regard to the second main point in the controversy, the idea of the church,
Novatian maintained that one of the essential marks of a true church being
purity and holiness, every church which neglected the right exercise of church
discipline, tolerated in its bosom, or readmitted to its communion such
persons as, by gross sins, have broken their baptismal vow, ceased by that
very act to be a true Christian church, and forfeited all rights and privileges of
such a church. … Novatian … laid at the basis of his theory the visible church
as a pure and holy one, and this was, in his view, the condition of the truly
catholic church.” f153
Without adding other testimonies, suffice it to conclude this chapter with J.M.
Cramp, D.D., whom Dr. Armitage pronounces, “A sound theologian and
thoroughly versed in ecclesiastical history.” f154
“We may safely infer that they abstained from compliance with the
innovation, and that the Novatian churches were what are now called Baptist
churches, adhering to the apostolic and primitive practice.” f155
The biographer of Socrates says: “The Novatian church was not only sounder
in doctrine, but at the same time abounded with the most eminent clergy.” f156
(All italics in this chapter mine.)