{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050394.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050394.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050394.htm","text":"Chapter 9.\u2014The Third Item in the Accusation; And Pelagius\u2019 Answer.\nAnother statement was read which Pelagius had placed in his book, to this effect: \u201cIn the day of judgment no forbearance will be shown to the ungodly and the sinners, but they will be consumed in eternal fires.\u201d This induced the brethren to regard the statement as open to the objection, that it seemed so worded as to imply that all sinners whatever were to be punished with an eternal punishment, without excepting even those who hold Christ as their foundation, although \u201cthey build thereupon wood, hay, stubble,\u201d 1627 concerning whom the apostle writes: \u201cIf any man\u2019s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he shall himself be saved, yet p. 187 so as by fire.\u201d 1628 When, however, Pelagius responded that \u201che had made his assertion in accordance with the Gospel, in which it is written concerning sinners, \u2018These shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into life eternal,\u2019\u201d 1629 it was impossible for Christian judges to be dissatisfied with a sentence which is written in the Gospel, and was spoken by the Lord; especially as they knew not what there was in the words taken from Pelagius\u2019 book which could so disturb the brethren, who were accustomed to hear his discussions and those of his followers. Since also they were absent 1630 who presented the indictment against Pelagius to the holy bishop Eulogius, there was no one to urge him that he ought to distinguish, by some exception, between those sinners who are to be saved by fire, and those who are to be punished with everlasting perdition. If, indeed, the judges had come to understand by these means the reason why the objection had been made to his statement, had he then refused to allow the distinction, he would have been justly open to blame.\nThe bishops Heros and Lazarus; see above, I [II.].","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Work on the Pro...","type":"page"}