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WE said in the first book that that heresy which copies and follows the
lead of Pelagianism, strives and contends in every way to make it believed
that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when born of the Virgin was
only a mere man; and that having afterwards taken the path of virtue He
merited by His holy and pious life to be counted worthy for this holiness
of His life that the Divine Majesty should unite Itself to Him: and thus by
cutting off altogether from Him the honour of His sacred origin, it only
left to Him the selection on account of His merits. And their aim and
endeavour was this; viz., that, by bringing Him down to the level of common
men, and making Him one of the common herd, they might assert that all men
could by their good life and deeds secure whatever He had secured by His
good life. A most dangerous and deadly assertion indeed, which takes
away what truly belongs to God, and holds out false promises to men; and
which should be condemned for abominable lies on both sides, since it
attacks God with wicked blasphemy, and gives to men the hope of a false
assurance. A most perverse and wicked assertion as it gives to men what
does not belong to them, and takes away from God what is His. And so of
this dangerous and deadly evil this new heresy which has recently sprung
up, is in a way stirring and reviving the embers, and raising a fresh
flame from its ancient ashes by asserting that our Lord Jesus Christ was
born a mere man. And so why is there any need for us to ask whether its
consequences are dangerous, as in its fountain head it is utterly wrong. It
is unnecessary to examine what it is like in its issues, as in its
commencement it leaves us no reason for examination. For what object is
there in inquiring whether like the earlier heresy, it holds out the same
promises to man, if(which is the most awful sin) it takes away the same
things from God? So that it would be almost wrong, when we see what it
begins like, to ask what there is to follow; as if some possible way might
appear in the sequel, in which a man who denies God, could prove that he
was not irreligious. The new heresy then, as we have already many times
declared, says that the Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, only
a mere man: and so that Mary should be called Christotocos not Theotocos,
because she was the mother of Christ, not of God. And further to this
blasphemous statement it adds arguments that are as wicked as they are
foolish, saying, "No one ever gave birth to one who was before her." As if
the birth of the only begotten of God, predicted by prophets, announced
since the beginning of the world, could be dealt with or measured by human
reasons. Or did the Virgin Mary, O you heretic, whoever you are, who
slander her for her childbearing-- bring about and consummate that which
came to pass, by her own strength, so that in a matter and event of so
great importance, human weakness can be brought as an objection? And so if
there was anything in this great event which was the work of man, look for
human arguments. But if everything, which was done, was due to the power of
God, why should you consider what is impossible with men, when you see that
it is the work of Divine power? But of this more anon. Now let us follow up
the subject we began to treat of some little way back; that everybody may
know that you are trying to fan the flame in the ashes of Pelagianism, and
to revive the embers by breathing out fresh blasphemy.
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