Letter 12: Gelasius assures Honorius that he ought not to have been troubled by what the pope had written to him about the...

Of Pope Gelasius, to the same Honorius, bishop of Dalmatia. [Argument: That he ought not to have been disturbed because the things which were learned concerning the heresy arising in Dalmatia were written to him; that it was of no concern to him through whom he had learned these things; but that it was rather his duty to rouse him at once to vigilance (n. 1). What was transacted with his own legates (n. 2).] To his most beloved brother Honorius, Gelasius. 1. We marvel that your affection has marveled that the care of the apostolic see, which by the custom of our forefathers is owed to all the churches throughout the world, has been solicitous also for the faith of your region as well; and when it had been reported to that see that certain men throughout the Dalmatias were striving to corrupt catholic integrity and to bring in afresh the poison of the Pelagian pestilence, which had been condemned beforehand by laws both divine and human, we did not think that it should in any way be deferred, but rather that, inquiring more diligently into these matters, either-if perchance they had crept in-they should be healed at once, or, if they were proved to have been falsely bruited about, they should relieve our anxiety; judging that it was better for us to be seen to have wished to investigate such things rather impatiently than to let destruction grow by dissembling. For we ought neither to suppress causes of this kind by silence nor to foster them by deferral, since, as the teacher of the gentiles says, in solicitude not slothful, and again, he who is set over others in solicitude, they would beyond doubt convict us as guilty, unless we made inquiry at once, even if the reports had been spread to no purpose. Nor does it matter through whom these same things had come to our ears, provided that-with such things being reported in whatever manner, after they had penetrated our conscience-the pastoral watches ought not to have been negligent in truly investigating them, so that either the gaping wolves might be opposed at the very outset, or, no wild beasts existing, the guardianship of the sheep might continue secure. The apostle testifies that he had learned of the dissensions among those who were Corinthians, from those of the household of Chloe, and he does not omit to write at once, so that either the pious physician might meet the strifes as they arose, or that he might soon rejoice over their ascertained soundness. By which examples we too in the letters which have been directed concerning this matter, as we recall, [were prompted], namely that either we should resist the madnesses creeping in, or-if none of these things had happened at all-we should rejoice over the integrity of catholic truth. Wherefore not only should your affection [not] [be disturbed] by our vigilance; but, having received the greeting of the present address, [you should] rather join your own industry of skill with ours: so that either, if such things have been attempted, they may forthwith be corrected, or, lest they be attempted by any stealthy creeping in, by more attentive precaution they may not be able to slip in. 2. But concerning those things on which those whom your charity has sent wished to be more fully instructed, the following headings with their responses will make them known. And since the aforesaid have professed that they acquiesce in these things to such a degree that they affirmed that they had also held the same from the first, but wished, before any matter was called into question, that they should be more clearly explained: we have striven, as far as it could be done amid occupations which by no means permit us to draw breath, the Lord granting it, following our fathers' footsteps, not to keep silent concerning such things as we have received. Whoever follows this rule of sober understanding with a faithful heart ought deservedly to be reckoned among the orthodox; but whoever shall have thought that it must be refused, let him not doubt that he is an exile from the apostolic teachings. Certainly, if there is anything which has the power to disturb the mind, let your brotherhood not omit to consult us confidently, so that, the grace of the Lord administering it, brotherly conference may dispel the ambiguity of all obscurity.

^t^ Oelasli papae ad eumdem Uouorium Dalmatiae episeopum. Eum non debuisse permoveri, quod quae de nascente in Dalmatii» haeresi didieermi p. ' ad eum scripserit; nihil illius interesse, per guos ea didicerit; nd autem muneriM esse, ut confestim euni ad vigHaniiam excitaret {n. 1). Quid eum ipsius legaiis actum (n. 2). Dilectissimo fratri Honorio Gelasius. 1. Miramur dilectionem tuam fuisse miratam^ curam sedis apo- stolicae, quae more majorum cunctis per mundum debetur ecclesiis, , pro vestrae quoque regionis fide fiiisse sollicitam; quumque ad eam perlatum esset, quod quidam per Dalmatias integritatem catholicam vitiare niterentur et divinis humanisque legibus ante damnatmn Pe- lagianae pestilentiae denuo virus inferre, non putayerimus uUatenus differendum, quominus haec diligentius inquirentes, aut") si for- tasse subrepserant, de proximo sanarentur, aut anxietatem nostram^ . si falso probarentur jactata, relevarent: aestimantes, melius nos videri impatientius talia investigare voluisse, quam cl-eseere dissi- mulando pemiciem. Neque enim vel silentio premere causas^) hujus- modi vel differendo fovere deberemus, quum dicente magistro gen- ^^j g » tium, soUicitudine no7i pigri, atque iterum, qui praeest in soiliciiudme, , reos procul dubio nos, nisi continuo quaereremus, etiamsi inaniter 1 essent vulgata, convincerent. Nec interest*, per quos ad aures no- stras eadem pervenissent, dum quomodolibet ista referentibuS; post- .1 quam nostram conscientiam penetrarent, in his veraciter indagan- ^ dis pastorales excubias esse non oportuerit negligentes, quatenus vel e vestigio posset lupis hiantibus obviari, vel nullis exsistentibiB feris ovium custodia secura persisteret. Ab his, qui essent CUoeS; 111 ^^thiorum se dissensiones agnovisse testatur apostolus, confestun- que scribere non omittit, ut vel nascentibus jurgiis pius medicatoi^^ occurreret, vel de eorum comperta mox incolumitate gauderet. Qoo(^^ nos quoque litteris, quae super hac parte directae') sunt, im reminiscimur, ut scilicet aut irrepentibus bbsisteremus insaniiSy si nihil horum penitus accidisset, de catholicae veritatis inl laetaremur. Quapropter non solum dilectio tua nostra non del ') Ita G^; alii dictae ... praesentis coUoquii, EPISTOLAE 5. 6. 325 ▼igilauiia permoyeri; sed praesentis alloquii salutatione percepta (a. 490 nobiscum potius industriam propriae sociare sollertiae : quatenus vel ""^^^) sire tentata sint talia^ protinus corrigantur^ vel ne^ qualibet ob- reptdone tententur^ attentius praecavendo subintrare non valeant. 2. De quibus autem ii; quos tua caritas destinavit; plenius^) instrui voluerint; sequentes tituli cum suis responsionibus intima- bont. Et quoniam se his acquiescere praefati eatenus sunt professi, ut eadem se et primitus tenuisse firmarent^ sed ante ullius^) in quaestionem yocata vellent manifestius expediri : studuimus quantum inter occupationes fieri potuit^ quae nos minime respirare patiuntur^ largiente Domino sequentes paterna vestigia de talibus^ quae^) ac- cepimns, non silere. Quam regulam sobrie sentiendi quisquis fideli eoirde sectatur; inter orthodoxos merito debeat aestimari; quisquis ▼ero putayerit abnuendam^); ab apostolicis sese non ambigat exsu- lare doctrinis. Certe si quid est^ quod valeat animum permovere^ firatemitas tua consulere fiducialiter non^) omittat^ ut Domini gratia miuistrante totius discutiat obscuritatis ambiguum fraterna coUatio.