A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

§ 84. The Pelagian Controversy 511the truth is not in us”; whosoever thinks that this should be sounderstood as to mean that out of humility we ought to say thatwe have sin, and not because it is really so, let him be anathema.For the Apostle goes on to add, “But if we confess our sins, he isfaithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from alliniquity,” where it is sufficiently clear that this is said not onlyin humility but also in truth. For the Apostle might have said,“If we shall say we have no sins we shall extol ourselves, andhumility is not in us”; but when he says, “we deceive ourselvesand the truth is not in us,” he sufficiently intimates that he whoaffirmed that he had no sin would speak not that which is truebut that which is false. [466]7 [115]. It has seemed good that whosoever should say thatwhen in the Lord's Prayer, the saints say, “Forgive us our trespasses,”they say this not for themselves, because they have noneed of this petition, but for the rest who are sinners of thepeople; and that therefore none of the saints can say, “Forgiveme my trespasses,” but “Forgive us our trespasses”; so that thejust is understood to seek this for others rather than for himself,let him be anathema.8 [116]. Likewise it seemed good, that whosoever asserts thatthese words of the Lord's Prayer when they say, “Forgive us ourtrespasses,” are said by the saints out of humility and not in truth,let them be anathema.The following canon, although it seems to have been enactedfor the case of Apiarius, is nevertheless often cited in the sameconnection as the eight against Pelagius, and is therefore givenhere for the sake of convenience.18 [125]. Likewise, it seemed good that presbyters, deacons,or other of the lower clergy who are to be tried, if they questionthe decision of their bishops, the neighboring bishops havingbeen invited by them with the consent of their bishops shall hearthem and determine whatever separates them. But should they