Novatian

In his own words on Romans

• Romans 1:8

  We have not just recently adopted this particular course of action, nor have these measures against the ungodly suddenly crossed our mind. For with us, the strictness is ancient, the faith is ancient. The apostle would not have praised us so highly by stating: "Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world," if this strictness of ours had not already been rooted in the faith of those times.

  LETTER ONE 2.2

• Romans 1:20

  The human mind, learning to know the hidden things from those which are manifest, may consider in spirit the greatness of the Maker from the greatness of his works, which it sees with the eyes of the mind.

  THE TRINITY 3.6

• Romans 8:26

  The Holy Spirit importunes the divine ears on our behalf "with sighs too deep for words," thereby discharging his duties as advocate and rendering his services in our defense. He has been given to dwell in our bodies and to bring about our sanctification.

  THE TRINITY 29.16

• Romans 10:4

  There was indeed a time long ago when attention was to be paid to these shadows and figures prescribing abstinence from foods pronounced good in their creation but forbidden by the law. When Christ, "the end of the law," came, he cleared up all the ambiguities of the law and all those things which antiquity had shrouded in mystery.

  JEWISH FOODS 5.1-2

• Romans 11:33

  The world, this chariot of God and all that is therein, is guided by the angels and the stars. Although their movements are varied—bound nevertheless by fixed laws—we see them guided to their goals according to the time measured out to them. So may we deservedly cry out with the apostle as we admire the Maker and his works: "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"

  THE TRINITY 8.11

• Romans 11:36

  All things exist by God's command, so that they are "from him"; they are set in order by his Word and therefore "through him." Finally, all things have recourse to his judgment so that, while they long for freedom "in him," after corruption has been done away with they appear to be recalled "to him."

  THE TRINITY 3.7

• Romans 14:14

  It is evident that all these foods enjoy again the blessings they received at their creation, now that the law has ended. We must not return to the legal prohibition of foods commanded for certain reasons and which evangelical liberty, setting us free from its bondage, has now discontinued.

  JEWISH FOODS 5.6