the temptations of evil spirits, and their own sensual inclinations, contributed thereto. Although they admitted, that since Adam's transgression, men were more easily led into sin; yet they ascribed to mankind, a power to resist all incitements to evil. Methodius(2), in particular, assumed that, by Adam's apostacy, the souls of mankind became full of wicked propensities; yet that it depended on their own wills, whether they would gratify those propensities or not. The same ideas continued to be the prevailing ones, among the Greek fathers; and they were developed by no one, more clearly, than by John Chrysostom. The Alexandrians, Clement and Origen, never once traced the mortality of mankind, back to Adam's sin; but attributed it to the nature of the body. They rejected, in the most express terms, all propagation of sin and guilt; although Origen believed in an existing sinfulness of men, as they came into the world. With them, substantially, Gregory of Naz. and Gregory of Nyssa, appear to have agreed.

(1) Justin Martyr, Dial. p. 176, 206, 231. Apol. major. § 10. p. 49. § 61. p. 80. Apol. minor. p. 93. Athenagoras, Legat. pro Christianis. p. 202-205. Tatiun, Orat. p. 146, 150, 152, 153, 249, 255, 261. Theophilus Antioch, ad Autol. Lib. II. p. 368.

Lib. III. c. 1. 2.
III. p. 947, 948.
(ed. Montf. T. I.

Clemens Alex. Strom. Lib. I. p.368.II. p. 461, 463. III. p. 556, 557. IV. p. 633. VII. p. 894. Origen, de Princip. Prooem. p. 48. and Opp. T. I. p. 260. T. H. p. 4. T. Athanasius, Opp. T. I. p. 150, 638. p. 104. T. I. P. II. p. 944.) Chrysostom, in Psal. L. Hom. II. Opp. T. III. p. 874, 875. in Ep, ad Rom. Hom. X. Tom. X. p. 125. Hom, XI. p. 137. Hom. XII. p. 153. Hom. XIII. p. 365. Cyril of Jerus. Catech. II. § 1—3. p. 22. Catech. IV. c. 19. p. 6.1.

Titus of Bostra, contra Manichaeos, Lib. II. in Basnage, Monumenta, Tom. I. p. 97.

Basil the Great, Homil. Quod Deus non sit auctor peccati, p. 74, 76.

Gregory, Naz.de Orat. Dom. Orat.V.Opp.T. I. p. 755,756.
Gregory, Nyss. Opp. T. I. p. 149-151. T. Iil. p. 329.
Nemesius, de Natura Hominis, c. 29—40.
Epiphanius, Haeres. XVI. § 4.

(2) in Photius, Biblioth. Cod. 234. p. 915. Cod. 236. p. 949.

SEC. 89. Latin fathers, before Augustine.

Tertullian(1), who believed in the propagation of souls, conceived the idea, that not only mortality, but likewise sinfulness, was propagated from Adam to his posterity. But though he maintained the propagated vitiosity of man, yet he was far from accounting mankind, incapable of good actions. He was followed by Cyprian(2) Hilary (3) of Poictiers, and Ambrose(4); and even Augustine(5) in his earlier writings, was of the same opinion. Arnobius (6) and Lactantius(7) dissented; but their views were not received, by the catholic churches.

(1) de Anima, c. 16, 40. contra Marcion, Lib. II. c. 6, 7. (2) Ep. LXIV. ad Fidum. p. 161. de Opere et Eleem. p. 196. de Gratia, ad Donat. p. 2. de Idolor. vanitate, p. 13.

(3) in Ps. cxviii. Lit. 22. Sec. 4. p. 366. (4) in Ps. cxviii. c. 7.

(5) de Lib. Arbitr. I. c. 13. II. c. 1.

contra Faustum

Manich. XXII. c. 78. de vera Relig. c. 14. (Opp. T. I. p. 756.) But otherwise, in his Retract. Lib. I. c. 14. (6) adv. Gentes Lib. I. p. 15. (He believed the soul to be, not from God, but the workmanship of some inferior power or spirit; and therefore defective.)

(7) Instit. divin. II. c. 12. VI. c. 13. VII. c. 5. de Ira Dei, c. 15. (He supposed the body, to contaminate the soul.)

SEC. 90. Early doctrine of divine aid to goodness. Historians. Gerh. Jo. Vossius, Historiae de controversiis quas Pelagius et ejus reliquiae moverunt, Lib. VII. ed. 2. Amstel. 1655. and in his Opp. Tom. VI. Veritable tradition de l'Eglise sur la Predestination et la Grace; in Jo. Launoii Opp. T. I. P. II. p. 1065.

Christ. Matth. Pfaff, Specimen historiae dogmaticae de Gratia et Praedestinatione, in his Primitia Tubingens. Tub. 1718. 4to.

Jo. Ja. Hottinger, Fata doctrinae de praedestinatione et Gratia Dei salutari. Tiguri 1747. 4to.

Jo. Geo. Walch, Diss. de Pelagianismo ante Pelagium; in his Miscell. sacra. 1744.

Theological history of the doctrine and opinions of the church, in the five first centuries, respecting divine Grace, free Will, and Predestination; (in Italian,) Trent. 1742. Fol. (by Scipio Maffei). Also in Latin, by Fr. Reifenberg, Francf. 1756. Fol.

Jesus and his apostles, represent faith and reformation, sometimes as the work of man, and sometimes as being the gift of God. Hence efforts were made, to reconcile these opposite representations. The Greek church(1) took the ground of the perfect freedom of man's will; and therefore taught, that it depends on the purpose and exertions of man, to attain to faith and virtue; yet that the grace of God, comes in aid of man's exertions, by imparting to him strength, assistance, and excitements. Of course, man must render himself a fit subject of divine grace; which he has power to use properly, and also to abuse. These ideas, which were fully stated by Clement(2) and Origen(3), were also advanced by the fathers of the fourth century; by Cyril(4) of Jerusalem, Gregory(5) of Nazianzum, Gregory(6) of Nyssa, and clearest of all, by Chrysostom(7). The Latin fathers(8) did not deviate essentially. For, although they painted, in glowing colors, the excellence of divine grace, yet they left room, for the spontaneous activity of man to have a part in his reformation. An irresistable work of grace, and an unconditional election, were not thought of; and the divine purposes were always traced back to God's foreknowledge.

(1) See Justin Martyr, Apol. maj. Sec. 10, p. 48. and p. 61.

(2) Strom. Lib. II. p. 434, 462. IV. p. 633, 443. V. p. 645, 647. VI. p. 788, 832. VII. p. 860.

de Princip. L. III. c. 1, 2. also Opp. T. I. p. 108 &c. Procateches. c. 1. Catech. I. Sec. 3. XIII. Sec.

1-4. XIV. Sec. 19, 22.

Orat, XXXI, p. 504, 505.

(6) Orat. I. Opp. T. I. p. 150.

(7) in Genes. Homil. 22, 23, in Ep. ad Rom. Homil. 16. in Ep. ad Hebr. Homil. 12. (Opp. T. XII. p. 805-07.) in Ps. L. Homil. 2. de Ferendis reprehens. Homil. 13. (8) Irenaeus, adv. Haeres. II. c. 37-39. Tertullian, de Anima, c. 21. adv. Marcion II. c. 5-8. Minutius Felix, Octav. c. 36. Cyprian, de Gratia Dei, ad Donat. p. 3, 4. Testim. adv. Judaeos, L. III. c. 52. Arnobius, .adv. Gentes. L. II. p. 88, 89. Lactantius, Instit. divin. IV. c. 16. VI. c. 24. VII. c. 5. Hilary of Poict. in Psal. exviii. Lit. V. § 14. Lit. VI. § 4. Lit. XVII. § 8. Optatus Milevit. de Schismate Donatist. II. c. 20. Ambrose, in Evang. Luc. L. II. c. 14. de Fuga Saeculi, c. 1. de Fide, ad Grat. L. V. c. 2.

SEC 91. Conflict of Augustine with Pelagius. Historians of it. Cornelius Jansenius, Augustinus. Louv. 1640. Fol. Dionys. Petavius, de Pelagianorum et Semipelagianorum dogmatum Historia; in his work, de Dogmatibus theolog. T. III. p. 304-335. de Prædestinatione et Reprobatione L. II. ibid. T. I. p. 343, 475.

Henry Noris, Historia Pelagiana; in his Opp. Veron. 1729. Tom. I.

Ch. Fr. W. Walch, History of Heresies; (in German,) vols. IV. and V.

Augustine, the renowned Bishop of Hippo, by his aims to glorify the grace of God, and by some passages of scripture, was led to a mode of thinking, which deviated from the earlier system of belief, and which attributed all goodness in men, exclusively, to divine operation. On this subject, he fell into a contest with Pelagius and Coelestine. And through the influence of his reputation, and the cooperation of the African churches, and of the

Bishop of Rome, the Pelagians were condemned, as heretics; notwithstanding the Council of Diospolis was favorable to them. This controversy related to the subjects of sin, grace and free will, and election; with which were connected, those of infant baptism, redemption, and perseverance in holiness.

Notices. The earlier writings of Augustine were: de Libero Arbitrio, Lib. III. A. D. 388. de Diversis Questionibus LXXXIII. A. D. 348–395. de Diversis Questionibus ad Simplicianum, A. D. 397. His later writings were de Peccatorum meritis et remissione, Lib. II. A. D. 412. de Natura et gratia, contra Pelagium, A. D. 415. de Gestis Pelagii, A. D. 416. de Gratia Christi, et de peccato originali, Lib. II. A. D. 418. de Nuptiis et concupiscentia, Lib. I, II. A.D. 419, 420. contra II. Epistolas Pelagianorum, ad Bonafacium, Lib. IV. and contra Julianum. Lib. VI. A. D. 421. de Correptione et gratia; de Gratia et libero Arbitrio, A. D. 427. de Praedestinatione sanctorum; de Dono perseverantiae, A. D. 428, or 429. Operis imperfecti conira Julianum, Lib. VI. A. D. 430.

From Pelagius, we have, besides a commentary on the Epistles of Paul, an Epistle to Demetrias, (edited by J. S. Semler, Halle, 1775.) and a confession of faith. From Coelestius, also a confession of faith. And from Julian, many fragments, cited by Augustine.

SEC. 92. The first point, sin.

The Pelagians believed, that Adam's sin had no bad effects, upon the character and condition of his posterity; that sin arose, merely, from imitation; that all men are, from their nature, mortal; and are born, undepraved. According to Augustine's doctrine, all men, in consequence of their descent from Adam, are mortal; are chargeable with hereditary sin; and are obnoxious to damnation. These doctrines he endeavored to prove, from infant baptism, from the practice of exorcisms, and from Rom. v. 12. Against him it was objected, that his doctrine of hereditary sin and its propagation, was ab