a Christian sect who appeared about the fifth or end of the fourth century. They maintained the following doctrines: 1. That Adam was by nature mortal, and, whether he had sinned or not, would certainly have died. 2. That the consequences of Adam's sin were confined to his own person. 3. That new-born infants are in the same situation with Adam before the fall. 4. That the law qualified men for the kingdom of heaven, and was founded upon equal promises with the gospel. 5. That the general resurrection of the dead does not follow in virtue of our Saviour's resurrection. 6. That the grace of God is given according to our merits. 7. That this grace is not granted for the performance of every moral act; the liberty of the will, and information in points of duty, being sufficient, &c. The founder of this sect was PELAGIUS, a native of Great Britain; but whether of England, Scotland, or Wales, is as uncertain as it is immaterial (A). He was born towards the close of the fourth century, and educated in the monastery of

(A) Dr Henry thinks he was born in North Wales; that his real name was Morgan, of which Pelagius is Pelagius of Banchor, in Wales, of which he became a monk, and afterwards abbot. In the early part of his life he went over to France, and thence to Rome, where he had the insolence to promulgate certain opinions somewhat different from those of the infallible church. His morals being irreproachable, he gained many disciples; and the dreadful heresy made so rapid a progress, that, for the salvation of souls, it became necessary for the pope to exert his power. Pelagius, to avoid the danger, in the year 409 passed over to Sicily, attended by his friend and pupil Celestius. In 411 they landed in Africa, continued some time at Hippo, and were present at the famous conference between the Catholics and Donatists which was held at Carthage in 412. From thence they travelled into Egypt; and from Egypt, in 415, to Palestine, where they were graciously received by John bishop of Jerusalem. In the same year Pelagius was cited to appear before a council of seventeen bishops, held at Diospolis. They were satisfied with his creed, and absolved him of heresy. The African bishops, however, being displeased with their proceedings, appealed to the Roman pontiff: he first approved, and afterwards condemned, the opinions of Pelagius, who, with his pupil Celestius, was publicly excommunicated; and all the bishops who refused to subscribe the condemnation of the Pelagian heresy were immediately deprived. What became of him after this period Pelagius is entirely unknown; but it seems very probable that he retired to Banchor, and died abbot of that monastery. He wrote, 1. Expositionem in epist. Paulinas, lib. xiv. 2. Epistolam ad Demetriadem de virginitate. 3. Explanationis symboli ad Damasum. 4. Epistolae ad viduam duae. 5. De libero arbitrio. These and many other fragments are scattered among the works of St Jerome. They are also collected by Garnerius, and published in Append. op. Mercatoris, p. 373.