doctrines above mentioned, and then to compare those opinions particularly with the doctrines themselves, as held by the greatest lights of the reformation.

When I would point out one of the first and greatest impugners of the doctrines of grace, the reader's mind will probably anticipate the name of PELAGIUS. His true name was Morgan, a British monk, who began to appear about the year 405. There was no outward blemish in his life and conversation; but he was esteemed, on the contrary, a man of remarkable piety and exemplary manners. His learning too was confessedly eminent: and his natural eloquence and understanding were such, as created general admiration. He had also a disciple and co-adjutor, named Celestius, almost equally considered for talents with himself, but much his superior in birth, being descended from an illustrious family in Scotland or Ireland.

These began to publish their opinions in some parts of Italy, if not in Rome, and drew away many disciples after them. When Rome was taken by Alaric the Goth in 410, they retired for about two years to Sicily, and then to Africa, infecting the whole country with their tenets, and especially the city of Carthage. But here first they received a public check. A council was called in 412, wherein the Bishop of Carthage presided, which condemned their principal error, in denying original sin, or rather the transmission of it from Adam to his posterity. Pelagius, who had previously departed to Palestine, escaped for a time the just censure which the council. thought fit to pass upon his disciple Celestius.

In Palestine, by great address and extraordinary ap

pearances

pearances of sanctity, Pelagius found powerful advocates and numerous admirers. He even procured, by artful management, the decision of a council of fourteen Palestine bishops in his favor. This decision, as the matter became more understood, produced counterdecisions of other councils and churches against him and his friend. People, in short, of the greatest eminence and stations were deceived and undeceived, with regard to these two persons; and the whole Christian world, especially the western part of it, was thrown into parties and confusions. Their doctrines were at length most solemnly condemned by several succeeding Bishops of Rome, particularly by a famous decretal of Celestine the first, and by several councils.* Let me only add here, for the sake of some of my readers, that the Church of Rome was not then, as afterwards, an im pugner, but a maintainer, with the other churches of that age, of those principles, which are properly enough called the doctrines of grace.

Austin, Jerom, Fulgentius, Marius Mercator, and other great men in the church, animadverted upon the growing heresy with all their abilities, confuted its tenets, and exposed their pernicious tendency. It was (as Jerom called it) the pestilence of the church, which soon spread itself through every country of Christendom, and rankles

CAVE Hist. Liter. The second council of Orange in particular published 25 canons upon grace and freewill against Pelagianism. Some of them are so striking and excellent, that, were there room, I could find a pleasure in translating them; as they show the sentiments of the church in the year 529. Sum. Conc. per B. Carranzam, Fol. 168. Paris, 1552.

and

in many different sects, to the present day. The Arian and other heresies, which afflicted the church at the same time, swell the volumes of ecclesiastical history, and must fill every pious mind with concern, that such multitudes of persons, many of whom were eminent for all that is valuable among men, should be either induced or obliged to treat religion like philosophers their questions in the schools, as a subject only to be debated on. It was a true expression of Sir Henry Wotton, though a coarse one, Pruritus disputandi, scabies ecclesiæ, "the itch of disputing is the scab of the church."

The SEMI-PELAGIANS (or as they were soon after called Massilienses, from the people of Marseilles in France, to whom Cassian the monk carried this doctrine, about A. D. 430.) were formed principally under Julian Bishop of Eclana. His opinions were not radically different from those of his confederates Pelagius and Celestius. Both himself and his many disciples agreed in the main, that grace was only an extraordinary gift or advantage of nature, by which, as by a superior understanding, the mind might work and, merit consideration and reward even from God himself. They, as well as succeeding heretics upon the same subject, when sifted to the bottom, were discovered to confound grace and nature, and to refer to one what is the sole operation of the other.

Concurring in too many things with these heresiarchs, though possessing some advantages greatly above them, after many ages arose the famous ARMINIUS; a man of great erudition, of great understanding, and confes

sedly of great apparent piety.* The doctrines only, which he disseminated, drew into question among his contemporaries the truth and reality of his Christian profession. He is said to have been perverted by some Socinians of Poland and Saxony, who had brought into Holland, Arminius's country, their heterodox principles and writings, which last were publicly burnt by order in 1598. But the seeds escaped, and grew up into evil trees with evil fruit.—I need not attempt this history, if I had room: it is in almost every hand. Let it suffice to add, that the opinions of Arminius and his adherents were solemnly condemned by the council or synod of Dort, in which was collected perhaps an assemblage of men, who, for their learning, for their piety, for all natural and gracious attainments and advantages, are not to be ranked after any general council which ever appeared in the world.

Arminius began this defection from the principles of the reformed religion; yet it is but justice to say, upon a careful perusal of his works, that he was not nearly so. rank in heresy, nor followed Pelagius and Socinus half

With equal truth and pleasure, I can say, in the language of the learned Dr. John Edwards, that "I desire to entertain favorable thoughts of those I contest with, and to remember that holy men do sometimes build hay and stubble on the foundation. I charitably believe, that there are many good men of the Arminian persuasion; though it is their unhappiness to be led away with the error of the age." Pref. to Ver. Redux. But I believe too, that their experience is superior to their principles; for, when they are with God, they ask like all God's children, in the sense of their own depravity and wants; but, when among men, they talk with almost the same confidence of their own powers, as the irreligious people of the world.

so close, as many have done who followed him. Episcopius, (a man of the first parts, who chiefly wrote the Acta Synodalia in opposition to the synod of Dort) Curcellæus, and, after these, Limborch, Le Clerc, and many others, widened the breach from the original doctrines of the reformation, and at last degenerated into a sect, which (to use Mr. Bayle's expression) is become "the common sink of all the Socinians in Europe." It must be allowed, that, as is natural in all errors, there are great gradations among the Arminians; some verging towards Pelagianism, with the celebrated Dr. Whitby, in several points; and some drawing nearer to the truth, and deserving to be distinguished from the others. These last have therefore been named, in order to prevent the appearance of abuse and confusion,

SEMI-ARMINIANS. It would seem invidious, and besides it is unnecessary, to mention names; because every body knows, and scarce any body attempts to disguise it, that a very great part of our clergy in the establishment, and very many of those out of it, havé adopted principles, not at all agreeing with those of the reformation, or with the articles enjoined by public authority. Of those who have departed from the pure Calvinistic doctrine (or, to say better, from the pure and primitive truth) some are so far detached, as to ren

Abp. Tillotson goes farther than simple Pelagianism; for hé says, that men have not only power to recover themselves, and (spiritually) to be " carvers of their own fortune;" but "have it also very much in their power to be the sovereign restorers of piety and virtue to a degenerate age;" nay, further, that "they could certainly prevail, either to make men good or to restrain them from being so bad." Vol. ii. Serm. 5. p. 147, &c,

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