nor can any one be produced who thought otherwife." Again, "They who deny that the Greek Fathers understood the doctrine of the neceffity of grace, do them a very great injury, fince they often moft plainly affert it." The citations made by him in proof of this, with many others, will be given hereafter. I conclude with the words of Vincentius Lirinenfis, "Whoever, fays he, before the profane Pelagius, prefumed that there was fuch a power in free will, as to think the grace of God unneceffary to help it through every act in things that are good? Who before his prodigious difce Caeleftius denied, that all mankind are gulry of Adam's tranfgreffion?

man in common, and indefinitely, not diftinguishing what he can do by the strength of nature, and what by the strength of grace, but only attributing that nature to man, by which, before grace, he can do, or not do, moral good; and after ftrength received by grace can believe or not believe, do, or omit works of piety; contrary to which were the opinion of the Bardefanifts, Manichees, and the like. If we interpret the Fathers otherwise, adds he, we must not only make them contradict one another, but themselves also. Befides, we shall make it appear in the following Numbers by a variety of teftimonies, that they held the weakness and disability of man, without the grace of God, to do any thing that is fpiritually good; yea, even that is morally fo; and that the will of man is finful, and the root of fin; and that it is in a state of servitude and bondage to fin, until released by the grace of God; and as to the neceffity of grace of God to the performance of every good action, Voffius afferts and proves what follows, that "the Latin writers who were before the times of Pelagius, clearly acknowledged the neceffity of grace; both the Africans, as Tertullian, Cyprian, and Arnobius; and the Italians, French, and others, as Lactantius, Hilary, and Ambrofe;

the

Ib. Thef, 1. p. 267.

d

nor

nor can any one be produced who thought otherwise." Again, "They who deny that the Greek Fathers understood the doctrine of the neceffity of grace, do them a very great injury, fince they often most plainly affert it." The citations made by him in proof of this, with many others, will be given hereafter. I conclude with the words of Vincentius Lirinenfis, "Whoever, fays he, before the profane Pelagius, prefumed that there was such a power in free will, as to think the grace of God unneceffary to help it through every act in things that are good? Who before his prodigious difciple Caeleftius denied, that all mankind are guilty of Adam's tranfgreffion?

NUMB. I.

CLEMENS ROMANUS. A.D. 69.

Clement was fo far from afcribing voca

tion, converfion, or fanctification, to the will of man, that he always confiders it as the effect and produce of the will of God. His epifle to the Corinthians begins thus, "The church of God which dwells at Rome to the church of God which dwells at Co

e Ib. Thef. 2. p. 272.

f Commonitor. i. adv. Haeref. c. 34. Clement. Ep. 1. ad Corinth. p. 2.

0 4

rinth

rinth, κλητοις ηγιασμένοις εν θεληματι Θεό, το the called and fanctified by the will of God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift." He denies that men are called and juftified, and come to honour, glory, and greatnefs, by themselves, or by their own works, but by the will and grace of God; for thus he expreffes himself,

All therefore are glorified and magnified, ε δι' αυτών, η των έργων αυτων, η της δικαιοπραγία ας, της καταργεισανίας, αλλά δια το θελήματος aule, not by themselves, or their own works or righteous actions which they have wrought out, but by his will; and we alfo being called by his will in Chrift Jefus are justified, 8 δι' εαυτων, εδε δια της ημετέρας σοφιας, η συνε σεως, η ευσέβειας, η έργων, ων κατειργασαμεθα, εν Ocicat napaç, not by our felves, nor by our wisdom, or understanding, or piety, or the works which we have done in holiness of beart, but by faith, by which God Almighty hath juftified all from the beginning, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

b Ib. p. 72.

NUMB.

NUM B. II.

BARNABA S. A.D. 70.

с

Barnabas in his epiftle has a passage which

fets forth the corruption and weakness of the heart of man before the grace of God is implanted, infomuch that it stands in need of being rebuilt, new made, and created again; it runs thus, "How fhall the temple be built in the name of the Lord? Learn, Before we believed in God, the habitation of our heart was φθαρτον και ασθενες, corrupt and weak, as a temple truly built with hands; for it was an house full of idolatry, and 2 idolatry was the house of devils, by doing what was contrary to God. It fhall be built in the name of the Lord. Attend, that the temple of the Lord may be built glorious. How? Learn, receiving the remiffion of fins, and hoping in the name of the Lord, we become new, being created again as at the beginning.

Par. 1. § 12. p. 246,

榮源

NU M B.