On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin, Book I

Book I

• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.1 — Introductory. Chapter 1 [I.]—Introductory. How greatly we rejoice on account of your bodily, and, above all, your spiritual welfare, my most sincerely attached brethren and beloved of God, Albina, Pinianus, and…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.2 — Suspicious Character of Pelagius’ Confession as to the Necessity of Grace for Every Single Act of Ours. Chapter 2 [II.]—Suspicious Character of Pelagius’ Confession as to the Necessity of Grace for Every Single Act…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.3 — Grace According to the Pelagians. Chapter 3 [III.]—Grace According to the Pelagians. But why should we wonder at this? For the same Pelagius, who in the Proceedings of the episcopal synod unhesitatingly condemned…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.4 — Pelagius’ System of Faculties. In his system, he posits and distinguishes three faculties, by which he says God’s commandments are fulfilled,—capacity, volition, and action: meaning by “capacity,” that by which a man…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.5 — Pelagius’ Own Account of the Faculties, Quoted. Lest, however, it should chance to be said that we either do not correctly understand what he advances, or malevolently pervert to another meaning what he never meant…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.6 — Pelagius and Paul of Different Opinions. The whole of this dogma of Pelagius, observe, is carefully expressed in these words, and none other, in the third book of his treatise in defence of the liberty of the will,…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.7 — Pelagius Posits God’s Aid Only for Our 'Capacity.'. Let not Pelagius, however, in this way deceive incautious and simple persons, or even himself; for after saying, “Man is therefore to be praised for his willing and…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.8 — Grace, According to the Pelagians, Consists in the Internal and Manifold Illumination of the Mind. Chapter 8.—Grace, According to the Pelagians, Consists in the Internal and Manifold Illumination of the Mind. As to…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.9 — The Law One Thing, Grace Another. The Utility of the Law. Hence, then, it is clear that he acknowledges that grace whereby God points out and reveals to us what we are bound to do; but not that whereby He endows and…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.10 — What Purpose the Law Subserves. What object, then, can this man gain by accounting the law and the teaching to be the grace whereby we are helped to work righteousness? For, in order that it may help much, it must…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.11 — Pelagius’ Definition of How God Helps Us: 'He Promises Us Future Glory.'. For in another passage, after asserting at length that it is not by the help of God, but out of our own selves, that a good will is formed…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.12 — The Same Continued: 'He Reveals Wisdom.'. But what shall I say about the revelation of wisdom? For there is no man who can in the present life very well hope to attain to the great revelations which were given to the…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.13 — Grace Causes Us to Do. Chapter 13 [XII.]—Grace Causes Us to Do. To him, therefore, who is reluctant to endure the troublesome process, whereby this vaunting disposition is restrained, before he attains to the…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.14 — The Righteousness Which is of God, and the Righteousness Which is of the Law. Chapter 14 [XII.]—The Righteousness Which is of God, and the Righteousness Which is of the Law. If this grace is to be called “teaching,”…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.15 — He Who Has Been Taught by Grace Actually Comes to Christ. Chapter 15 [XIV.]—He Who Has Been Taught by Grace Actually Comes to Christ. Now as touching this kind of teaching, the Lord also says: “Every man that hath…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.16 — We Need Divine Aid in the Use of Our Powers. Illustration from Sight. Now what is the use of his examples, if they do not really accomplish his own promise of making his meaning clearer to us; not, indeed, that we…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.17 — Does Pelagius Designedly Refrain from Openly Saying that All Good Action is from God?. Chapter 17 [XVI.]—Does Pelagius Designedly Refrain from Openly Saying that All Good Action is from God? “That we are able to…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.18 — He Discovers the Reason of Pelagius’ Hesitation So to Say. Chapter 18 [XVII.]—He Discovers the Reason of Pelagius’ Hesitation So to Say. For, when wishing to point out why this lies within our own competency, he…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.19 — The Two Roots of Action, Love and Cupidity; And Each Brings Forth Its Own Fruit. Chapter 19 [XVIII.]—The Two Roots of Action, Love and Cupidity; And Each Brings Forth Its Own Fruit. Concerning this “capacity,”…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.20 — How a Man Makes a Good or a Bad Tree. Now a man makes a good tree when he receives the grace of God. For it is not by himself that he makes himself good instead of evil; but it is of Him, and through Him, and in Him…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.21 — Love the Root of All Good Things; Cupidity, of All Evil Ones. The “capacity,” then, of which we speak is not (as he supposes) the one identical root both of good things and evil. For the love which is the root of…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.22 — Love is a Good Will. That love, however, which is a virtue, comes to us from God, not from ourselves, according to the testimony of Scripture, which says: “Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God,…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.23 — Pelagius’ Double Dealing Concerning the Ground of the Conferrence of Grace. Chapter 23 [XXII.]—Pelagius’ Double Dealing Concerning the Ground of the Conferrence of Grace. Perhaps, however, our own antecedent merits…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.24 — Pelagius Places Free Will at the Basis of All Turning to God for Grace. But perhaps he may meet us with this rejoinder, that in the sentence before us he spoke of our “meriting the divine grace by doing the will of…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.25 — God by His Wonderful Power Works in Our Hearts Good Dispositions of Our Will. Chapter 25 [XXIV.]—God by His Wonderful Power Works in Our Hearts Good Dispositions of Our Will. Now I want him to tell us whether that…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.26 — The Pelagian Grace of ‘Capacity’ Exploded. The Scripture Teaches the Need of God’s Help in Doing, Speaking, and Thinking, Alike. Chapter 26 [XXV.]—The Pelagian Grace of “Capacity” Exploded. The Scripture Teaches the…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.27 — What True Grace Is, and Wherefore Given. Merits Do Not Precede Grace. Now even Pelagius should frankly confess that this grace is plainly set forth in the inspired Scriptures; nor should he with shameless effrontery…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.28 — Pelagius Teaches that Satan May Be Resisted Without the Help of the Grace of God. Chapter 28 [XXVII.]—Pelagius Teaches that Satan May Be Resisted Without the Help of the Grace of God. In the book which he addressed…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.29 — When He Speaks of God’s Help, He Means It Only to Help Us Do What Without It We Still Could Do. Chapter 29 [XXVIII.]—When He Speaks of God’s Help, He Means It Only to Help Us Do What Without It We Still Could Do.…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.30 — What Pelagius Thinks is Needful for Ease of Performance is Really Necessary for the Performance. Chapter 30 [XXIX.]—What Pelagius Thinks is Needful for Ease of Performance is Really Necessary for the Performance. In…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.31 — Pelagius and Cœlestius Nowhere Really Acknowledge Grace. Let him amend all this, that if human infirmity has erred in subjects so profound, he may not add to the error diabolical deception and wilfulness, either by…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.32 — Why the Pelagians Deemed Prayers to Be Necessary. The Letter Which Pelagius Despatched to Pope Innocent with an Exposition of His Belief. Chapter 32.—Why the Pelagians Deemed Prayers to Be Necessary. The Letter Which…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.33 — Pelagius Professes Nothing on the Subject of Grace Which May Not Be Understood of the Law and Teaching. Chapter 33 [XXXI.]—Pelagius Professes Nothing on the Subject of Grace Which May Not Be Understood of the Law and…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.34 — Chapter 34.—Pelagius Says that Grace is Given According to Men’s Merits. The Beginning, However, of Merit is Faith; And This is a Gratuitous Gift, Not a Recompense for Our Merits. Then, again, whatever it is which he…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.35 — Pelagius Believes that Infants Have No Sin to Be Remitted in Baptism. Chapter 35 [XXXII.]—Pelagius Believes that Infants Have No Sin to Be Remitted in Baptism. But Pelagius would have the reader pass from this letter…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.36 — Cœlestius Openly Declares Infants to Have No Original Sin. Chapter 36 [XXXIII.]—Cœlestius Openly Declares Infants to Have No Original Sin. Who would believe that, under so clear a confession, there is concealed a…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.37 — Pelagius Nowhere Admits the Need of Divine Help for Will and Action. I also have read those books or writings of his which he mentions in the letter which he sent to Pope Innocent, of blessed memory, with the…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.38 — A Definition of the Grace of Christ by Pelagius. “Let them read,” says he, “the epistle which we wrote about twelve years ago to that holy man Bishop Paulinus: its subject throughout in some three hundred lines is…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.39 — A Letter of Pelagius Unknown to Augustin. Chapter 39 [XXXVI]—A Letter of Pelagius Unknown to Augustin. “Let them also read,” says he, “my epistle to the holy Bishop Constantius, wherein I have—briefly no doubt, but…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.40 — The Help of Grace Placed by Pelagius in the Mere Revelation of Teaching. Chapter 40 [XXXVII]—The Help of Grace Placed by Pelagius in the Mere Revelation of Teaching. “Let them read moreover” says he, “what I wrote,…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.41 — Restoration of Nature Understood by Pelagius as Forgiveness of Sins. In this same work he says in another passage: “Now, if even without God men show of what character they have been made by God, see what Christians…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.42 — Grace Placed by Pelagius in the Remission of Sins and the Example of Christ. Chapter 42 [XXXVIII.]—Grace Placed by Pelagius in the Remission of Sins and the Example of Christ. Likewise in another place in this…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.43 — The Forgiveness of Sins and Example of Christ Held by Pelagius Enough to Save the Most Hardened Sinner. Chapter 43 [XXXIX.]—The Forgiveness of Sins and Example of Christ Held by Pelagius Enough to Save the Most…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.44 — Pelagius Once More Guards Himself Against the Necessity of Grace. Then, again, in the work addressed to the holy virgin, of which we have spoken already, there is this passage: “Let us submit ourselves to God, and by…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.45 — To What Purpose Pelagius Thought Prayers Ought to Be Offered. Chapter 45 [XLI.]—To What Purpose Pelagius Thought Prayers Ought to Be Offered. “Let them also read,” says he, “my recent little treatise which we were…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.46 — Pelagius Professes to Respect the Catholic Authors. Chapter 46 [XLII]—Pelagius Professes to Respect the Catholic Authors. Such are the particulars which, to the best of my ability, I have succeeded in obtaining from…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.47 — Ambrose Most Highly Praised by Pelagius. “The blessed Bishop Ambrose,” says he, “in whose writings the Roman faith shines forth with especial brightness, and whom the Latins have always regarded as the very flower…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.48 — Ambrose is Not in Agreement with Pelagius. I wish, indeed, that he would listen to the venerable bishop when, in the second book of his Exposition of the Gospel according to Luke,he expressly teaches us that the Lord…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.49 — Ambrose Teaches with What Eye Christ Turned and Looked Upon Peter. That repentance, indeed, itself, which beyond all doubt is an action of the will, is wrought into action by the mercy and help of the Lord, is…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.50 — Ambrose Teaches that All Men Need God’s Help. In the same book the same St. Ambrose says again: “Now if Peter fell, who said, ‘Though all men shall be offended, yet will I never be offended,’ who else shall rightly…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.51 — Ambrose Teaches that It is God that Does for Man What Pelagius Attributes to Free Will. Chapter 51 [XLVI.]—Ambrose Teaches that It is God that Does for Man What Pelagius Attributes to Free Will. Let him lend an ear…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.52 — If Pelagius Agrees with Ambrose, Augustin Has No Controversy with Him. Inasmuch, however, as the discussion about free will and God’s grace has such difficulty in its distinctions, that when free will is maintained,…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.53 — In What Sense Some Men May Be Said to Live Without Sin in the Present Life. Chapter 53 [XLVIII.]—In What Sense Some Men May Be Said to Live Without Sin in the Present Life. But in reference to the particular point in…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.54 — Ambrose Teaches that No One is Sinless in This World. Lastly, let him give good heed to his venerable bishop, when he is expounding the Prophet Isaiah, and says that “no man in this world can be without sin.” Now…vatican.va
• On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin I.55 — Ambrose Witnesses that Perfect Purity is Impossible to Human Nature. Chapter 55 [L.]—Ambrose Witnesses that Perfect Purity is Impossible to Human Nature. He ought, moreover, carefully to note that, in the very same…vatican.va