Chapter 32 [XII.]—The Pelagian’s Heresy Arose Long After Ambrose.

It would be too long if I were to seek to mention everything which the holy Ambrose said and wrote against this heresy of the Pelagians, which was to arise so long afterwards; not indeed with a view to answer them, but with a view to declare the catholic faith, and to build up men in it. Moreover, I neither could nor ought to mention all those things which Cyprian, most glorious in the Lord, wrote in his letters, whereby it is shown how this which we hold is the true and truly Christian and catholic faith, as it was delivered of old by the Holy Scriptures, and so retained and kept by our fathers and even to this time, in which these heretics have attempted to destroy it, and as it will hereafter by God’s good will be retained and kept. For that these things and things of this kind were thus delivered to Cyprian, and by Cyprian, is testified by the testimonies produced from his letters; and that thus they were maintained up to our times is shown by these things which Ambrose wrote about these matters before these heretics had begun to rage, and catholic ears had shuddered at their profane novelties which are everywhere; and that thus, moreover, they shall be maintained hereafter, was declared with sufficient vigour partly by the condemnation of such opinions as these, partly by their correction. For whatever they may dare to mutter against the sound faith of Cyprian and Ambrose, I do not think that they will break out into such a madness as to dare to call those noted and memorable men of God, Manicheans.

CAPUT XII.

32. Haeresis Pelagiana multo post Ambrosium exorta. Fides catholica semper vigilans ad repellendum errorem. Synodi congregatio ad haereses damnandas non semper necessaria. Nimis longum erit, si omnia velim commemorare, quae sanctus Ambrosius adversus hanc haeresim Pelagianorum tanto post exorturam, non eis quidem respondens, sed praedicans catholicam fidem, atque in ea homines aedificans dixit et scripsit. Sed nec illa omnia commemorare potui vel debui, quae gloriosissimus in Domino Cyprianus posuit in Epistolis suis, quibus demonstretur, quam sit haec, quam tenemus, fides vera vereque christiana atque catholica, sicut per Scripturas sanctas antiquitus tradita, sic a patribus nostris, et usque ad hoc tempus, quo isti eam convellere tentaverunt, retenta atque servata, et deinceps propitio Deo retinenda atque servanda. Nam sic Cypriano et a Cypriano tradita haec atque hujusmodi ex ejus litteris testimonia prolata testantur: sic autem usque ad tempora nostra servata, ea quae de his rebus antequam isti ebullire coepissent, Ambrosius conscripsit, ostendunt, et quod eorum profanas novitates catholicae aures quae ubique sunt, horruerunt: sic porro deinceps 0637 esse servanda, satis salubriter istorum partim damnatio, partim correctio declaravit. Quodlibet enim mutire audeant adversus sanam fidem Cypriani et Ambrosii, non eos puto in tam magnum prorupturos furorem, ut memoratos et memorabiles homines Dei audeant dicere Manichaeos.