A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

The TENTH TOME.

THE Tenth Volume, not yet Printed, is intended for the Books which St. Augustin composed * 1.1 against the Pelagians.

The Three Books Of Merits and Remission of Sins, wherein he treats of Infant-Baptism, di∣rected to Marcellinus, ought to be set in the first place; for till then he had not undertaken the Pelagians, except in his Sermons, or in Conversation, (as he takes notice in his Retractations.) He writ these in the Year 412. in Answer to the Pelagians Questions which Count Marcellinus had sent to him at Carthage. He speaks there particularly of Infant-Baptism, as necessary to remit Original Sin; and of the necessity of the Grace of Jesus Christ, which justifies us, or maketh us righteous; though whil'st we are in this Life, we cannot so perfectly accomplish God's Law, but that we are obliged to say in our daily Prayers, Forgive us our Sins. These are the principal Truths opposed by the Pelagians. St. Augustin refutes them without naming the Authors, and speaks of Pelagius in good Terms; because several Persons had a great Esteem for his Vertue: And he had not yet set forth his Doctrine in his own Name, being contented to propose it in other Mens Names, in his Commentaries upon St. Paul. St. Augustin, in the last Book, refutes the Explications which he had given of those Passages of the Apostle that speak of Original Sin.

Count Marcellinus having received these Three Books from St. Augustin, sent him word back again, That he had found a Passage which puzzl'd him; St. Augustin had said, That with the help of Grace, Man might live without Sin; though none was yet arrived to that Perfection in this Life, and that none would ever arrive to it. Marcellinus asked St. Augustin how he could affirm this to be possible, if there were no Examples of it. To satisfie him about that Question, St. Augustin wrote the Book Of the Spirit and of the Letter: Yet he doth not examine this Question to the bottom; but having answered in very few words, That God can do many things which he doth not, he boldly attacks those who durst affirm, That a Man may fulfil the Commandments, be Just and Vertuous, without the succour of Christ's Grace. He grounds these Reasonings upon that place of St. Paul, The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. By the Letter, he understandeth the Law and the Commandments, which are unprofitable without the help of Grace, which is the Spring of Faith, of Righteousness, Holiness, and all Christian Vertues. This Book is of the Year 413.

In the Year 414. two young Monks, Timasius and James, having been undeceived by St. Au∣gustin, as to the Pelagian Errors, sent to him one of Pelagius's Books; wherein he pleaded

for the Strength of Nature, to the Prejudice of Christ's Grace. St. Augustin immediately en∣gaged to write against it, and composed upon that Subject the Book Of Nature and of Grace: * 1.2 wherein he defends the Grace of Jesus Christ, without Prejudice to Nature, which is delivered and regulated by Grace. He explains in this Treatise his Principles concerning the Fall of Humane Nature, and the Necessity of Grace to be Justified; yet he spares Pelagius's Name.

But this Monk having afterwards discovered his Opinions, was cited by Heros, Bishop of Arles, and by Lazarus, Bishop of Aix, to a Council of Fourteen Bishops, held at Diospolis, in Palaestine, in the Year 415. wherein he was declared Catholick in the absence of his Accusers, having made a shew of condemning the Errors whereof he was accused. St. Augustin fearing lest Men should believe that the Council had approved his Doctrine, wrote a Book, entituled, Of the Acts of Pelagius: wherein he declares how Things were carried; and discovers at the same time, that Pelagius had imposed upon the Fathers of the Council, by professing a Doctrine which he had opposed in his Writings. This Book is of the Year 416, or 417. Pelagius made use of the same Artifice to persuade Albinus, Pinianus and Melania, that he did not maintain the Errors he was accused of, by Anathematizing them in appearance. Coelestius also deceived Pope Zosimus by the same Fraud, by presenting unto him a Counterfeit Catholick Confession. These Cheats St. Augustin discovers and refutes in the Treatise Of Christ's Grace, and in that Of Original Sin; wherein he shews that these Confessions of Faith are captious and deceitful. These Treatises are of the Beginning of the Year 418. It is probable also that it was at that same time that St. Augustin writ the small Treatise Of the Perfection of Righteousness, against Coelestius: where he Answers the Objections and Difficulties proposed by this Man, under the Name of, Definitions against the Opinion of the Catholicks, who affirmed, That there never was, nor ever should be a Man that could attain to that Perfection, of passing his whole Life without Offending God: St. Augustin maintains, That God does not grant this Grace even to the greatest Saints; and so that it is ridiculous to believe that Man can compass this by the sole strength of his Free-Will, as Pelagius and Coelestius imagined. He does not mention this Book in his Retractations, bu•• St. Prosper quotes it several times.

The First Book Of Marriage and Concupiscence, was composed about the latter end of the Year 418. There St. Augustin Answereth one of the most malicious of the Pelagian Objections against Original Sin. If Concupiscence (said they) is Evil, and an Effect of Sin; if all Chil∣dren are Born in Sin, how comes Matrimony to be approved, which is the Effect and Spring of this Sin? St. Augustin handleth this nice Question very cunningly, by shewing, That though Lust be a Defect, and a Consequence of the First Man's Sin, which remaineth even in the Baptized; yet Conjugal Chastity is to be approved, which makes a good use of an evil thing. He occasionally discourseth of several Questions about Marriage, which he had treated of in other Books. This Book is dedicated to Count Valerius, into whose hands the Letter that contained this Objection fell.

Julianus, an Italian Bishop, a Man of VVit, having read this Book, he was resolved to sig∣nalize himself, by writing Four Books against this Treatise of St. Augustin. This Father having seen some Extracts of them, that were directed to Valerius, Answered them in the Second Book Of Marriages and Concupiscence, written in 419.

Some time after, he received the Four whole Books of Julianus. In reading of them, he perceived that the Extracts sent to him were not very faithfully drawn; which determined him to undertake another VVork to Answer them fully. It is divided into Six Books. In the two first he opposes the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers who dy'd in the Communion of the Church, to Julianus's Calumnies, who had accused St. Augustin of Approving the Manichaean Doctrine; because he had taught, That all Men inherited Original Sin from Adam; which is remitted not only in those of riper Years, but even in Children, by the Grace of Baptism. And for this he alledgeth some Passages out of St. Irenaeus, St. Cyprian, Rheticius Bishop of Autun, Olympius a Bishop in Spain, St. Hilary of Poictiers, and St. Ambrose, which prove, That Man is Born in Sin, and is Cleansed by Baptism. But because Julianus appealed to the Greek Fathers. St. Augustin produceth likewise the Testimonies of St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Basil, together with the Judgment of the Bishops of Palaestine, who condemned Pelagius. He Answereth a Passage of St. Chrysostom which Julianus had cited, and quotes several other Pas∣sages out of this Father, which suppose Original Sin. Having thus strengthned his Opinion with these Great Mens Authority, he likewise recriminates upon Julianus for publishing such Principles as favoured of the Heresie of the Manichees; and with this he concludes the First Book.

In the Second Book, he refuteth the chief Arguments of the Pelagians, against original Sin, by the Authorities of the Fathers; showing, That in their Writings they prevented and resolved those very Objections, which the Pelagians did so much depend upon. Having colle∣cted a great Number of Passages upon that subject, he saith, That their Authority is so much the more considerable, because they had said these Things without prejudice, before the Pelagi∣an Heresie broke out, following therein the Sence of the Church.

We have shewed, saith he, directing his Speech to the Pelagians, by invincible Authorities, That the Holy Bishops, who lived before us, taught the same Faith which we maintain, and overthrew the Argu∣ments which you make use of, not only in their Discourses, but in their Writings also—We have shewed you their Opinions, which are very particular, and clear: It is not their Power, but God's who made them his Holy Temples, which you ought to Fear. They

judged our Cause, at a time, when they could not be suspected either of favouring, or hating either Party; they had neither relation to, nor affection for the one, or the other; they were angry neither with you, nor us; neither you, nor we, could move them to Pity. They pre∣served the Doctrine which they found in the Church, and they taught what they had Lear∣ned: They delivered to their Children what they received of their Fathers. We had not yet referred our Cause to them, and yet they gave judgment on our side; neither of us were known to them, and yet they pronounced in our behalf; we had not had any Dispute with you, and they declared the Right to be on our side.▪ Those Bishops were Learned, Just, and Wise; they strongly defended the Truth against Innovations; and none can say, that they wanted Wit, Knowledge, or Freedom. Should a Council be assembled from all Parts of the World, it were hard to find such a Number of Bishops of that importance; nei∣ther did they all live at the same time. They are the choice of the greatest Men whom God gave to his Church in several Ages. Their Testimonies are collected in a Book, which may come to your Hands. The more you should wish to have them for your Judges, if you de∣fended the Faith of the Church, the more ought you to fear them when you oppose it. I hope that their Testimonies will cure your Blindness, as I wish it; but if you continue obsti∣nate in your Error, which God forbid, you are no more to look for a tribunal to justifie you, but those wonderful Defenders of the Truth to accuse you, St. Irenaeus, St. Cyprian, Rheti∣cius, Olympius, St. Hilary, St. Gregory, St. Ambrose, St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, St. Innocent, and St. Jerom, with all those that communicated with them, that is to say the whole Church. If you run to that excess of Folly, you must be answered by defending the Faith of these great Men, as the Gospel it self is defended against ungodly Men, and the Enemies of Reli∣gion.

This he doth in the Four next Books, which contain the Answer to Julianus his Four Books. There he treateth particularly of original Sin, of Concupiscence, of the fal∣shood of the Vertues of the Heathens, of the necessity of Baptism, and of Grace; and answe∣reth all that Julianus had said against what he had set down in his Book of Matrimony, and Concupiscence. I do not believe that these Books were finished before the Year 424.

Before he had written them, Pope Boniface sent him two Letters of the Pelagians: the one of Julianus written to Boniface himself; and the other, in the Name of Eighteen Bishops of the same Opinion which had been sent to Thessalonica. St. Augustin having received them, immediately wrote four Books to refute them, which he directed to Pope Boniface. In the be∣ginning of the First, to get that Pope's good Will, he thanks him for the Love which he shewed towards him, and for the courteous manner wherewith he received his Brother Alypius of Ta∣gasta; he complements him upon the Dignity of his See, and tells him, That tho' all Bishops are obliged to watch for the Defence of Christ's Flock, he was yet more particularly engaged to do it, because he was in a more Eminent Place. Afterwards he answers Julianus's Calum∣nies, and proves, that the Catholicks did not deny Free-Will; that they do not condemn Mar∣riage, nor the lawful Procreation of Children; that they do not condemn the Saints of the old Testament, neither do they say, That the Apostles were defiled through disorderly Desires, and explains in what Sence St. Paul said he was carnal. But they maintain, That Man cannot be Righteous without Grace; that Children are born in Sin; that the involuntary Motions of Concupiscence, are an Effect of Sin; that the Grace of Jesus Christ doth not only help Man to do Good when he is willing, but makes him willing to do it; that the Saints of the Old Testament, were only justified by Faith in Jesus Christ; that Baptism is not only necessary to Children, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but also to obtain a share in Life eternal, out of which they are excluded by original Sin alone.

In the Two next Books, he refutes almost the same Calumnies contained in the other Letter of the Pelagians: The Two First are about Free-Will, and Marriage. St. Augustin adds nothing to what he had said in the fore-going Book. In the Third, they taxed the Catholicks with introducing Fatality. St. Augustin shews the difference betwixt Grace and Fate. In the Fourth, they accused them of maintaining, That the Law was not given to Justifie Man, but to render him more Sinful. St. Augustin tells them, That they did not understand the Opinion of the Church, in that Point; that the Law was given to teach what ought to be done, but that it is Grace which makes us obey the Law; and so the Law doth indeed shew what Righte∣ousness is, but doth not make us practise it. Fifthly, They upbraided the Catholicks with be∣lieving, That Baptism did not remit all Sins; so that Men continued partly God's Children, and partly the Children of the Devil. St. Augustin replies, That Baptism doth indeed remit all Sins, but it doth not cure Nature of its Weaknesses, and Imperfections▪ That the Righ∣teous may, and do Sin often, without becoming therefore the Children of the Devil, because there is no Man so Righteous as that he sinneth not. The Sixth Calumny is concerning the Old Testament. St. Augustin answereth, That the Righteous who lived under the Old Testament, were justified through the Grace of the New; whereof the Old was only the Fi∣gure. The Seventh is, that the Apostles, and Prophets were not perfectly Holy, but only less criminal than others. St. Augustin answers, That they were truly Righteous through Faith, and Charity, but they had not all the perfection of Vertue, which now they have in the other Life. He utterly rejects the Ninth Calumny, whereby they accused the Catholicks of saying, That Jesus Christ had been subject to Sin. The Tenth Calumny was expressed in these Terms: They affirm, That Men shall begin in the next Life, to practise the Commandments, which

they did not practise in this. St. Augustin opposes it; shewing, That they put an ill Constru∣ction upon a Catholick Truth; which is, That the Vertue, and the Righteousness of Men, shall only be perfect in the next Life.

In the last Book, St. Augustin refutes the Pelagian Doctrines; and shews, That under pre∣tence of commending Nature, Marriage, Free-VVill, the Law, and the Saints of the Old Te∣stament, they advanced very dangerous Errors, to which he opposes several Testimonies of St. Cyprian, and of St. Ambrose.

The Book of Grace, and Free-Will, was written by St. Augustin in the Year 427. upon a Dispute which happened in the Monastery of Adrumetum, against those who fearing, least by the Doctrine of Grace, Free-VVill should be denied, do indeed deny Grace by defending Free-VVill, because they suppose that Grace is given according to Merit. This last Error St. Augustin chiefly opposes in this Book; shewing, That the beginning both of Faith, and good Resoluti∣ons, is an effect of Grace.

The reading of this Book did not settle Peace among those Monks: For there was an Objecti∣on proposed, which was obvious enough to every Man's understanding. If no Man can do Good, without the Grace of God, and this Grace cannot be merited, no Man is to be repro∣ved, or corrected for not doing his Duty, since it is not in his Power to do it, because he wants Grace, and cannot deserve it. St. Augustin perceiving the Difficulty of this Objection, for the Solution thereof, composed the Book of Correction, and Grace, wherein, without re∣tracting any thing of what he had formerly said, he affirms, That Admonition is to be used: 1. Because it may happen, that God will touch the Heart of him that is reproved. 2. Because Sinners sin voluntarily, and without Compulsion; and that they cannot complain that God hath denied them his Grace, or the Gift of Perseverance, since he owes his Grace to no body. He does not content himself with Answering the Objection; but further explains and confirms his Principles, by shewing the difference betwixt the Grace of Adam in the State of Innocence, and that which is necessary to Man in the state of fallen Nature. He speaks also of the Gift of Perseverance, which is not granted unto all; and of the Power of Grace, and the free Predesti∣nation of the Elect.

He again insisteth upon the same Matter, and upon the same Principles, in both the Books which he writ in answer to Hilary's, and Prosper's Letters. The First is of the Predestination of the Saints, and the Second of the Gift of Perseverance: Wherein he demonstrates, That the beginning of Faith, and good Purposes, is the Gift of God; and that so, our Predestina∣tion, or Vocation, does not depend upon our Merits. The Second Book concerns the Gift of Perseverance, which he shews to depend equally upon God, as the beginning of our Conversion. St. Augustin composed these Treatises in the Year 429.

St. Augustin's last Effort against the Pelagians, fell upon Julianus his old Adversary; who, to maintain the Quarrel he had begun, composed Eight Books against St. Augustin's Second Book Of Matrimony, and Concupiscence. St. Augustin having received Five of them from Aly∣pius, undertook to write against them, and was engaged about the Fourth, when he writ the ••••4th. Letter to Quodvultdeus, in the Year 428. It is probable, that Alypius sent him the other Three, but St. Augustin answered but Six; and this Work remains imperfect, as Possi∣dius affirms. The Six Books of St. Augustin were published by F. Vignier, from a Manuscript of the Abby of Clervaux, which, in all probability, will be revised and corrected in a new Edition from some other Manuscripts. These Books are written by way of Dialogue: There St. Augustin produces Julianus's own Terms, and Answers them plainly, and in few Words.

We referr'd to speak of St. Augustin's Four Treatises Of the original of the Soul, to this place, because they were not written properly against the Pelagians, though St. Augustin handleth there some Questions that have some relation to the Dispute betwixt them: Therefore I think that it had been more proper to have set them at the end of the Sixth Volume, than in this place. The occasion and subject of these Four Books is this.

A Priest of the Province of Mauritania Caesariensis, one Victor, who was Surnamed Vincen∣tius, from a Donatist Bishop, Successor to Victor of that Name, whose Memory that Priest who had been a Donatist, did reverence very much: This Priest, I say, having met in the House of one Peter, a Spanish Priest, with a Writing of St. Augustin's, wherein this Saint had set down his usual Doubts about the Soul's Original, wrote two Books against him, which he directed to Peter himself. He affirmed in that Book, That nothing was easier than the decision of that Question, and that he was sure that God did every moment create new Souls; but added to this Principle several erroneous Consequences: He confessed, indeed, That the Soul was no part of God's Substance; but he would not say that he created it of nothing; He asserted, That it had a Body, and so that Man was made up of a gross Body, of a Soul that was a more sub∣til Body, and of a Spirit. He said, That the Soul deserved to be placed in the Body, to contract some Pollution by conversing with Flesh; but that it was also Purified by the Flesh. That those Children whom God predestinated to Baptism, were saved though they were not baptized; That their Souls went into Paradise until the Day of Judgment, and that after the Resurrection they should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: That Sacrifices were to be offered for them: And last of all, That the reason why some were Saved and others Damned, was the know∣ledge which God had of the Good or Evil which they should have done, if they had lived. These

Notions being very dangerous, and Vincentius having maintained them with a great deal of Wit and Eloquence; when St. Augustin had received these Books from Renatus, a Monk of Caesarea, he thought himself obliged to Answer them.

He wrote therefore a Treatise to this Renatus, who had sent them; wherein he refuteth the particular Opinions before-named: and among the rest, That of Childrens Salvation who die without Baptism; He showeth, That they cannot be saved but by that Sacrament; and that the Eucharist is not to be offered for those that died before the Use of Reason, and unbaptized: For, saith he, The Body of Jesus Christ is not to be offered but for such as are Members of Jesus Christ; But none can be a Member of Jesus Christ, but by Baptism in Jesus Christ; or by dying for Jesus Christ;

Nisi Baptismate in Christo, aut morte pro Christo.

He answereth the Example of the good Thief, in whom Faith supply'd Baptism; and that of Dinocrates Brother to St. Per∣petua, a Child of Seven Years of Age, to whom God granted Salvation, through the Prayers of that Saint, as it is related in the Acts of her Martyrdom. As to this latter Example, St. Augustin saith at first, That being not taken out of a Canonical Book, he can ground no Doctrine upon it, and that it is uncertain whether that Child was baptized or no.

After this, he answers Vincentius's Notion, That Children were either Saved or Damned, for the Good or Evil which they would have done, if they had lived; This, he says, is a foolish Opinion: For, how can a Person be punished or recompensed, for Evil or Good Actions which are not, and which shall never be? were this true, no Man that is baptized can be secure; for who knows whether he should not have Apostatiz'd, had he lived? And how can this be made to agree with what the Scripture saith of a Man that is taken away, lest the Wickedness of his Sin should corrupt him. Having refuted Vincentius's false Consequences, he shews, That those Passages of Scripture which he alledgeth to prove the daily Creation of Souls, do indeed prove nothing, and that he takes almost all of them in a wrong sence; yet he condemns not this Opi∣nion, provided that Testimonies of Scripture be not abused to prove it, and that nothing be al∣ledged contrary to the Doctrine of the Church to uphold it: provided likewise that it be not said, 1. That God created sinful Souls. 2. That Children dying before Baptism, are saved. 3. That Souls sinned before their entrance into Bodies. 4. That they are punished for future Sins that shall never be.

St. Augustin was not contented to write this Book to Renatus; but he writ besides, a second Trea∣tise upon the same Subject, to Peter the Spanish Priest, who had given the occasion of this Con∣troversie, to disabuse him concerning Vincentius's Opinions.

And last of all, he dedicates two Books to Vincentius himself. In the first, he refuteth these Errors, which he reduces to these Eleven Propositions: 1. That the Soul is not created of No∣thing. 2. That God creates Souls in infinitum. 3. That the Soul loses its Merit by being uni∣ted with the Body. 4. That it is renewed by the same Flesh, which caused it to lose its Merit. 5. That it deserved to be sinful, before it entred into the Body. 6. That original Sin is remit∣ted in Children that die without Baptism. 7. That some Children whom God hath predesti∣nated to be baptized, do not receive that Sacrament. 8. That one may say of them, He was taken away, lest Wickedness should corrupt him. 9. That there are Habitations for them in the Kingdom of Heaven. 10. That the Eucharist ought to be offered for them. 11. That their Souls go into Paradise after Death; and that after the Resurrection they shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the Second, St. Augustin defends those things which Vincentius found fault with in his Book: They are Three. 1. His Doubts of the Original of the Soul. 2. His denying it to be a Body. 3. That he distinguished not the Soul from the Spirit. He said, touching the first Point, Is it credible that a Man does not know himself? if that be, Wherein doth he differ from Beasts? St. Augustin answers, That Man ought to confess his Ignorance, not only as to what relates to the Divinity, but also as to many things that concern his Body and Soul: And he pro∣duces several Examples of them. Upon the Second, his Question was, What the Soul is, if it be not a Body? but as he confessed at the same time that God is not a Body; St. Augustin asketh him the same Questions concerning the Nature of God, which he had started about the Nature of the Soul. He refuteth their Opinion who believed the Soul to be Corporeal, and particularly Vincentius's fancy, That the Soul being entred into the Body, was diffused into all the Parts, and by a kind of Congelation, had received the figure thereof. He answers the Argument which Vincentius had raised out of the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, and from Apparitions; observing, That the Soul feels and represents Bodies, though it be not a Body, and though there be no Body present. As for what is said of Lazarus's Finger, and of the parts of a Soul; he retorts the Argument upon Vincentius, because he spake likewise of the Finger of God, and Scripture ascribes Members to him, though he be a meer Spirit.

At last, St. Augustin saith to the last Point, That when the Spirit is distinguish'd from the Soul, the word Spirit is taken in a special manner for Intelligence or Understanding; but not for Spirit, as it is a Nature opposed to Body. Lastly, He exhorteth Victor to lay aside the Sur-name of Vincentius; because, being entred into the Church, he could no longer, without con∣demning himself, look upon Vincentius as a Saint, who died a Donatist. These Treatises were composed in 419.

Though the main Points treated of in St. Augustin's Works against the Pelagians have been mentioned already: yea, it will not be amiss, to give here a general view of his Doctrine. God

created the First Man in a state of Innocence, Holiness, and Grace. He was subject neither to the Necessity of Dying, nor to Sicknesses, nor Pain, nor the Motions of Lust, nor Ignorance, nor any of the Inconveniencies of Life, or the Imperfections of Nature, which are the Consequences and Effect of his Sin. His Free-Will was entire, and weakened with nothing. It was perfectly indifferent to do either Good or Evil, though it could not do good without the help of Grace; but this Grace which God afforded him, was entirely subjected to his Free-Will: It was a help without which he could not do good; but it did not make him do good. Such was the Condi∣tion of the First Man, like that of the Angels before their Sin. Such would have been the Con∣dition of his Posterity, had he continued in that Happy state; but having offended God by his Disobedience, he, and all his Posterity are become subject unto Death, Pain, Sicknesses, Punish∣ments; and what is worse, to Ignorance and Lust, that is to say, to Extravagant Motions which are within us, whether we will, or no. But what is yet more incomprehensible, all his Descen∣dents begotten in the ordinary way, are born in Sin; They all contract the Sin which we call Original, which makes Children the Objects of God's Wrath, and infallibly Damns them, except they are regenerated by Baptism. Baptism doth indeed take away the stain of Sin, but it doth not remove the Punishment, and the Consequences of Sin. Concupiscence, Ignorance, Inclination to Sin, Weaknesses, and other Punishments for Sin, abide still during the whole course of this Mortal Life. Free-Will is not extinguish'd, but it hath not so much strength, and stands in need of powerful assistance to do good. The Grace which it needs to act, is not only that help without which it could neither will nor do that which is good; but also such an assistance as makes it both will and do it infallibly: This Grace is necessary not barely to ac∣complish entirely what is good, and to continue therein; but it is even necessary to begin Faith, for Prayer, and for the first Motions of Conversion. Yet it bereaves us not of our liberty, be∣cause we do not keep the Commandments, but as far as we are willing. It worketh this Will in us, without Violence or Compulsion: for God constraineth no Man to do either good or evil; but to do good the Will must be succoured by Grace, which doth not deprive it of its Liberty: and this Grace is not granted to Merit, but is absolutely free. Since the First Man's Sin, the whole mass of Mankind was corrupt, condemned, and subject to Death. God by free Grace and Mercy takes out of this mass of Corruption whom he pleases, leaving the rest in that condition, out of that Justice which none can find fault with; for what is Man that he should dispute it with God? Doth the Earthen Vessel say to the Potter that framed it, Why hast thou made me thus? However, it may be truly said, That all Men may be saved if they will; if they be not, they can only accuse their own perverse Will, whereby they resist the Call of God. There are some Graces which he refuseth not to Reprobates, wherewith they might do good if they would. To some, he gives the Knowledge of his Law, and they despise it; He inspires into others a desire of being Converted, and they reject it; Some he excites to Prayer, but they neglect to do it; He speaks to the Hearts of several, who harden themselves, that they may not hearken unto his Voice; He overcomes the hardness of some for a time, converting them by an Effectual Grace, who plunge themselves again in Vice. In a word, how strong and powerful soever the Grace is which he gives, yet it may be said in some sence, that Man may always resist it, though he doth not actually do it. God does not grant this Grace to all Men, not only because he oweth it to none; but also because some make themselves unworthy of it: for to say nothing of Children who die before the use of Reason, who are either damned because of Original Sin, or saved by the Grace of Baptism, the Adult who have not the gift of Perse∣verance, have made themselves unworthy of it, either through their own Sins, or by the Con∣tempt which they have cast upon God's Vocation; or by the Opposition they have made to in∣ward Grace; or lastly, by falling again into the state of Sin, from which God delivered them in his Mercy. And so no Man can either excuse himself or accuse the Justice of God, because every one receiveth what he deserved; every one is rewarded or punished, according to the good or the evil which he hath done, by his Will which co-operates with the most effectual Grace.

The Effect of this Grace, according to St. Augustin, is to make us in love with that which is good; it is a pleasure which draws our heart towards good things, and enables us to keep the Commandments; without this Grace, there is no Action meritorious. The fear of Punishment, though merely servile, is good and profitable, because it regulates the inward Man, but it does not render us Righteous before God. We shall never perfectly accomplish the Precept of loving God in this Life, because we shall never love him so perfectly as in the next: And though through God's Grace, a Man may absolutely avoid all Sin in this Life; yet it never did, nor shall ever happen that a mere Man (excepting the Blessed Virgin, of whom St. Augustin would not have us to speak, when Sin is mentioned) passed through this Life without Sin: For this reason, the most righteous say daily, Lord remit us our Debts; that is, our Sins; But these are not mortal Sins, which bereave the Soul of Righteousness and Holiness; they are venial and daily Sins, which are indeed against God's Law, but do not utterly destroy Charity.

St. Augustin's Principles concerning Predestination and Reprobation, do exactly agree with his Opinion touching Grace. Both those Decrees, according to him, suppose the fore-knowledge of Original Sin, and of the Corruption of the whole mass of Mankind. If God would suffer all Men to remain there, none could complain of that severity, seeing they are all guilty and doom'd to Damnation, because of the Sin of the First Man. But God resolved from all Eter∣nity,

to deliver some whom he had chosen out of pure Mercy, without any regard to their future Merits; and from all Eternity he prepared for them that were thus chosen, those Gifts and Graces which are necessary, to save them infallibly; and these he bestows upon them in time. All those therefore, that are of the number of the Elect, hear the Gospel and believe, and persevere in the Faith working out by Love, to the end of their lives. If they chance to wander from the right way, they return, and repent of their Sins: and it is certain that they shall all die in the Grace of Jesus Christ.

Reprobation is not like Predestination; God doth not positively cast away any Man; he pre∣destinateth none to Damnation; he only knows those that are left in that mass of Perdition, and are not of the happy number of those whom he will deliver through Mercy. These Wretches are at last Condemned, either because of Original Sin which is not remitted to them, and such are the Children that die without receiving Baptism, or for the Sins which by their Free-Will they have added to the first Sin; or, because they wanted Faith and Righteousness; or lastly, because they did not persevere unto the end.

This is an Abridgment of St. Augustin's Doctrine, which is set down in his Books against the Pelagians, and in several other places of his Works.

The Supplement to this Volume, containeth for the most part Writings that serve to justifie St. Augustin's Doctrine of Predestination and of Grace, and some other Treatises upon the same Subject, attributed to St. Augustin; the Authors whereof are not well known. St. Prospers Four Books, in Defence of St. Augustin, are of the first sort; to which they have added his Epi∣gram, in Commendation of the same Father.

Coelestine's Letter, the Capitulars that follow it, and the Canons of the Council of Orange, are likewise Illustrious Approbations of St. Augustin's Doctrine. Here one might add several other Treatises about Grace, written upon occasion of those Contests raised concerning St. Au∣gustin's Opinion; such as the Letter of the African Bishops that were banished into Sardinia; The Canons of the Council of Valentia; with the Treatises of Florus, Lupus, Remigius of Auxerre, Ratramnus, and several other Authors who writ of these Matters in the Ninth Century.

The other VVorks contained in this Addition do not bear the Names of any Authors. The First is a considerable Treatise, divided into Six Books, and entituled, Hypognosticôn; Or, Re∣flections and Notes against the Pelagians and Coelestians. The Author sets down the main Doctrines of the Pelagians in their own words, and then confutes them Although this Book is conformable to St. Augustin's Doctrine, yet it hath not his Style. That Father among the Bene∣dictines, who chiefly looks after the New Edition of St. Augustin, having given me notice, That he thought it might be Marius Mercator's; I have examined it, and found that his Conjecture is not ill grounded. For, in the First place, That VVork is of an ancient Author, who both liv'd and writ at the same time with Pelagius and Coelestius, and he was of St. Augustin's Opinion; this agrees with Marius Mercator. 2. Marius Mercator usually gives his Treatises the same Title with this; for so he entituled his Writing against Julianus. 3. The Form of this Treatise is perfectly like that of his other Treatises: he lays down there the very Terms of his Adversaries, and then refutes them with Notes and Reflections. 4. Having compared this Treatise with others of Marius Mercator, and particularly with his Book against Julianus, I found the Style to be the same: One may meet with the same Terms repeated again, the same Figures, the same Liveliness, the same Turn, and the same Expressions. Lastly, St. Augustin, in the 193d. Letter, to Marius Mercator, in 418. affirms, That this Man had written a Book full of Scripture-Testimonies against the new Hereticks: and this can belong to no other of Mercator's Treatises, but agrees perfectly with this. These are the Conjectures which I thought of, and I doubt not but the Benedictines will bring several others much stronger; in the mean time, these may be sufficient to make their Conjecture very probable.

The Book Of Predestination and Grace, which is among St. Augustin's Works, under the Name of an incertain and suspicious Author, is attributed by Sirmondus to St. Fulgentius, and Printed under his Name among this Father's Works. We shall examine whether it be his, when we come to St. Fulgentius. However, this small Discourse of Predestination agrees neither with the Style nor with the Doctrine of St. Augustin.

These are all this Father's Works. His Life will be added in another Volume, with the Testimonies of the Ancients concerning him, the Commendations that have been given him, and very large and useful Tables.

Though we have given a sufficient Account both of St. Augustin's Character and Genius, in speaking of his Works; yet it is convenient to say something of them here in general. He was a Man of great Extent, great Exactness, and great force of Mind. His Reasonings were very strong. His ordinary Method is, to lay down extensive Principles, from which he draws an infinite number of Consequences: so that all the Points of his Doctrine have a great Connexion one with another. He argued more upon most of the Mysteries of our Religion, than any Author before him. He starts several Questions never thought of before, and resolves many of them by the mere Strength of his VVit. He often left the Notions of his Predecessors, to follow a Path wholly new, whether in Expounding the Scriptures, or in Opinions of Divinity. That may be said of him, as to Divinity, what Cicero said of himself, as to Philosophy, That he was Magnus Opiniator; that is, that he advanced several Opinions that were only pro∣bable.

But St. Augustin doth it modestly, and with much Prudence, without pretending to oblige others to embrace his Opinions without Examination: whereas, when the Question is about the Doctrine of the Church, he proposes and maintains it stoutly, and as strongly opposes its Opposers. He had much less Learning than VVit; for he understood not the Languages, neither had he read the Ancients much. He wrote with greater Facility and Clearness, than Politeness and Elegancy. Though he had taught Rhetorick, yet either he was not Master of the Eloquence of the Orators, or he neglected it: nay, his Expressions are not always pure; for he often uses unproper and barbarous Words. He often uses little strokes of VVit, and plays with VVords. He repeats the same things, and insists upon the same Arguments in hun∣dreds of places. He dwells long upon the same Thought; to which he gives several turns, and enlarges frequently upon common places. He treated of infinite numbers of Things, by laying down Principles; and framed (if we may so say) the Body of Divinity for all the Latin Fathers that came after him. They have not only taken out of his Books the Principles they make use of, but often they have only copied them. The Councils have borrowed his VVords to express their Decisions. In short, Peter Lombard, in the Twelfth Century, going about to compose an Epitome of the whole Body of Divinity, did little else but Collect Passages out of St. Augustin. And though Thomas Aquinas, and other Schoolmen, followed another Me∣thod; yet, for the most part, they have stuck to S. Augustin's Principles, whereupon they erected their Theological Opinions.

After this, no Man needs wonder that his VVorks were so much looked after formerly, and so many times published since Printing was invented. The Edition of St. Augustin's VVorks was one of the first considerable Things that Printers committed to the Press. Amerbachius undertook it in 1495. This Gothick Edition was followed by that of Basil, in Nine Volumes, in the Year 1506. and by that of Paris, in 1515. with long Lines, published in 1528. and in 1526. which is the fairest for its Character. The Editions of Guillard and Chevallon, which came out not long after, are likewise pretty fair ones.

In 1571. Two came out; the one in Paris, by Morellus; and the other at Lions: The Doctors of Louvain having carefully Revised St. Augustin's VVorks, caused them to be Printed at Antwerp, in 1577. The following Editions are only new Impressions of this. The first and the fairest was done at Paris, 1586. and was followed by those of the Years 1609, 1614, 1626, 1635, 1652. not to mention that at Venice in 1584. that at Colen, in 1616. and the last Edi∣tion at Lions. Now they having Printed, from time to time, several Treatises of St. Augustin that were not in the former Editions, Father Vignier thought fit to collect them into a Body, that might serve for a Supplement to all the Editions of St. Augustin. He joyned to it the im∣perfect Treatise against Julianus, and some Sermons which had not been Printed before, and published them all in Two Volumes, in Folio, at Paris, in 1655. This Labour becomes useless by the last Edition of St. Augustin, which excelleth and effaces all the fore-going Editions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tom. X.
• * 1.2

  St. Au∣gustin. Tome X.