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A work on the proceedings of pelagius

Chapter 59 [XXXIV.]--Although Pelagius Was Acquitted, His Heresy Was Condemned.

Now, with respect to this treatise of mine, which perhaps is not unreasonably lengthy, considering the importance and extent of its subject, I have wished to inscribe it to your Reverence, in order that, if it be not displeasing to your mind, it may become known to such persons as I have thought may stand in need of it under the recommendation of your authority, which carries so much more weight than our own poor industry. Thus it may avail to crush the vain and contentious thoughts of those persons who suppose that, because Pelagius was acquited, those Eastern bishops who pronounced the judgment approved of those dogmas which are beginning to shed very pernicious influences against the Christian faith, and that grace of God whereby we are called and justified. These the Christian verity never ceases to condemn, as indeed it condemned them even by the authoritative sentence of the fourteen bishops; nor would it, on the occasion in question, have hesitated to condemn Pelagius too, unless he had anathematized the heretical opinions with which he was charged. But now, while we render to this man the respect of brotherly affection (and we have all along expressed with all sincerity our anxiety for him and interest in him), let us observe, with as much brevity as is consistent with accuracy of observation, that, notwithstanding the undoubted fact of his having been acquitted by a human verdict, the heresy itself has ever been held worthy of condemnation by divine judgment, and has actually been condemned by the sentence of these fourteen bishops of the Eastern Church.

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Des actes du procès de Pélage

59.

La cause si grave et si importante que nous soutenons dans ce livre en excuse facile. ment la longueur. En l'adressant à votre Excellence, j'espère que s'il ne lui déplaît pas, elle usera de sa puissante autorité pour aider à notre faiblesse et communiquer cet écrit à tous ceux qu'elle croira nécessaire d'éclairer et de convaincre. Puisse-t-il étouffer pour toujours l'orgueil et l'esprit de chicane de ceux qui, dans l'absolution accordée à Pélage, croient trouver une preuve que ces évêques orientaux ont ratifié des doctrines contraires à la foi chrétienne et à la grâce divine, principe de notre vocation et de notre justification; des doctrines que-la vérité chrétienne réprouve et que ces quatorze évêques ont solennellement condamnées ; des doctrines enfin que Pélage lui-même a dû frapper d'anathème, s'il ne voulait pas s'attirer une sentence de condamnation. Maintenant donc que nous avons rempli à l'égard de cet homme tous les devoirs de la charité fraternelle, et que nous lui avons prouvé la vive sollicitude dont nous l'entourons, cherchons brièvement à nous convaincre que, malgré l'absolution accordée à la personne même de Pélage, l'hérésie qu'il soutenait serait toujours condamnable au jugement de Dieu et a été réellement condamnée par la sentence des quatorze évêques orientaux.