Against Two Letters of the Pelagians, Book III

Book III

• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.1 — Statement. Chapter 1 [I.]—Statement. There still follow things which they calumniously object to us; they do not yet begin to work out those things which they themselves think. But lest the prolixity of these…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.2 — The Misrepresentation of the Pelagians Concerning the Use of the Old Law. They declare “that we say that the law of the Old Testament was given not for the end that it might justify the obedient, but rather that it…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.3 — Scriptural Confirmation of the Catholic Doctrine. This is what we say; this is that about which they object to us that we say “that the law was so given as to be a cause of greater sin.” They do not hear the apostle…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.4 — Misrepresentation Concerning the Effect of Baptism. “They assert,” say they, “that baptism, moreover, does not make men new—that is, does not give complete remission of sins; but they contend that they are partly…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.5 — Baptism Puts Away All Sins, But It Does Not at Once Heal All Infirmities. Baptism, therefore, washes away indeed all sins—absolutely all sins, whether of deeds or words or thoughts, whether original or added, whether…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.6 — The Calumny Concerning the Old Testament and the Righteous Men of Old. Now if these things are so, out of these things are rebutted those which they subsequently object to us. For what catholic would say that which…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.7 — The New Testament is More Ancient Than the Old; But It Was Subsequently Revealed. Chapter 7.—The New Testament is More Ancient Than the Old; But It Was Subsequently Revealed. Here, certainly, if we ask whether this…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.8 — All Righteous Men Before and After Abraham are Children of the Promise and of Grace. Chapter 8.—All Righteous Men Before and After Abraham are Children of the Promise and of Grace. Whether, then, Abraham, or…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.9 — Who are the Children of the Old Covenant. But those belong to the old testament, “which gendereth from Mount Sinai to bondage,” which is Agar, who, when they have received a law which is holy and just and good, think…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.10 — The Old Law Also Given by God. And it is for this reason that God made the old testament, because it pleased God to veil the heavenly promises in earthly promises, as if established in reward, until the fulness of…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.11 — Distinction Between the Children of the Old and of the New Testaments. But there is plainly this great difference, that they who are established under the law, whom the letter killeth, do these things either with the…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.12 — The Old Testament is Properly One Thing—The Old Instrument Another. Therefore, by a custom of speech already prevailing, in one way the law and all the prophets who prophesied until John are called the “Old…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.13 — Why One of the Covenants is Called Old, the Other New. But some one will say, “In what way is that called the old which was given by Moses four hundred and thirty years after; and that called the new which was given…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.14 — Calumny Concerning the Righteousness of the Prophets and Apostles. They say, moreover, “that all the apostles or prophets are not defined as entirely holy by us, but that we say that they were less wicked in…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.15 — The Perfection of Apostles and Prophets. Since, then, all righteous men, both the more ancient and the apostles, lived from a right faith which is in Christ Jesus our Lord; and had with their faith morals so holy,…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.16 — Misrepresentation Concerning Sin in Christ. They have not a righteous advocate, who are (even if that were the only difference) distinguished absolutely and widely from the righteous. Be it far from us to say, as…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.17 — Their Calumny About the Fulfilment of Precepts in the Life to Come. Chapter 17 [VII.]—Their Calumny About the Fulfilment of Precepts in the Life to Come. But who can bear their objecting to us, “that we say that…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.18 — Perfection of Righteousness and Full Security Was Not Even in Paul in This Life. Chapter 18.—Perfection of Righteousness and Full Security Was Not Even in Paul in This Life. But how impudent I do not say, but how…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.19 — In What Sense the Righteousness of Man in This Life is Said to Be Perfect. From this it results that the virtue which is now in the righteous man is named perfect up to this point, that to its perfection belong both…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.20 — Why the Righteousness Which is of the Law is Valued Slightly by Paul. Therefore the blessed Paul casts away those past attainments of his righteousness, as “losses” and “dung,” that “he may win Christ and be found in…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.21 — That Righteousness is Never Perfected in This Life. Now, according to this righteousness of God, that is, which we have from God, faith now worketh by love. But it worketh that, in what way man can attain to Him on…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.22 — Nature of Human Righteousness and Perfection. For from the place in which he undertook to say these things, he thus began, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.23 — There is No True Righteousness Without the Faith of the Grace of Christ. Wherefore he who lives according to the righteousness which is in the law, without the faith of the grace of Christ, as the apostle declares…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.24 — There are Three Principal Heads in the Pelagian Heresy. When, then, the Pelagians are pressed with these and such like testimonies and words of truth, not to deny original sin; not to say that the grace of God…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.25 — He Shows that the Opinion of the Catholics is the Mean Between that of the Manicheans and Pelagians, and Refutes Both. Chapter 25 [IX.]—He Shows that the Opinion of the Catholics is the Mean Between that of the…vatican.va
• Against Two Letters of the Pelagians III.26 — The Pelagians Still Strive After a Hiding-Place, by Introducing the Needless Question of the Origin of the Soul. Chapter 26 [X.]—The Pelagians Still Strive After a Hiding-Place, by Introducing the Needless Question…vatican.va