{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050397.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050397.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050397.htm","text":"Chapter 12 [IV.]\u2014The Fourth Item in the Accusation; And Pelagius\u2019 Answer.\nIt was further objected against Pelagius, as if he had written in his book, that \u201cevil does not enter our thoughts.\u201d In reply, however, to this charge, he said: \u201cWe made no such statement. What we did say was, that the Christian ought to be careful not to have evil thoughts.\u201d Of this, as it became them, the bishops approved. For who can doubt that evil ought not to be thought of? And, indeed, if what he said in his book about \u201cevil not being thought\u201d runs in this form, \u201cneither is evil to be thought of,\u201d the ordinary meaning of such words is \u201cthat evil ought not even to be thought of.\u201d Now if any person denies this, what else does he in fact say, than that evil ought to be thought of? And if this were true, it could not be said in praise of love that \u201cit thinketh no evil!\u201d 1641 But after all, the phrase about \u201cnot entering into the thoughts\u201d of righteous and holy men is not quite a commendable one, for this reason, that what enters the mind is commonly called a thought, even when assent to it does not follow. The thought, however, which contracts blame, and is justly forbidden, is never unaccompanied with assent. Possibly those men had an incorrect copy of Pelagius\u2019 writings, who thought it proper to object to him that he had used the words: \u201cEvil does not enter into our thoughts;\u201d that is, that whatever is evil never enters into the thoughts of righteous and holy men. Which is, of course, a very absurd statement. For whenever we censure evil things, we cannot enunciate them in words, unless they have been thought. But, as we said before, that is termed a culpable thought of evil which carries with it assent.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Work on the Pro...","type":"page"}