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.

CAPUT XXXIV.

59. Proinde istum librum, in tam gravi et grandi causa non frustra fortasse prolixum, ob hoc ad tuam Venerationem scribere volui, ut si tuis sensibus non displicuerit, auctoritate potius tua, quae longe major est quam nostrae exiguitatis industria, quibus necessarium existimaverit, innotescat, ad eorum vanitates contentionesque opprimendas, qui putant absoluto Pelagio, judicibus episcopis orientalibus illa dogmata placuisse, quae adversum christianam fidem, et Dei gratiam qua vocamur et justificamur, perniciosissime pullulentia, christiana semper veritas damnat, et istorum etiam quatuordecim episcoporum auctoritate damnavit, quae simul et Pelagium, nisi ab illo essent anathematizata, damnasset. Nunc jam, quoniam reddidimus homini curam fraternae charitatis, et de illo ac pro illo nostram sollicitudinem fideliter prompsimus, videamus quomodo breviter possit adverti, etiam illo, quod clarum, apud homines absoluto, haeresim tamen ipsam divino judicio semper damnabilem, etiam judicio quatuordecim episcoporum orientalium esse damnatam.