213 A.D. 446. FELAGLOriSM REFUTED. priests were selected to be sent thither as apostles, namely, Germanue, bishop of Altisiodoria, and Lupis, bishop of the city of Troyes, who hastened to Britain to confirm the faith of the church. When they with prompt devotion had yielded to the prayers and injunctions of the holy church, they set sail on the ocean, and although with labour and danger, they in a short time crossed the sea, and enjoyed the wished-for shore in quiet. Then they convened a synod at Verolamium, and · an immense multitude of men, with even their wives and children, came thither to the summons. « The people was assembled, the judge who was to preside was waited for, the parties were present similar though in unequal condition ; for on one side was divine faith, on the other human presumption ; on one side Christ, on the other Pelagius, the author of the perverse error. As the first step, the blessed priests gave their adversaries liberty of arguing, and of proposing what they pleased, and they permitted them to give utterance to their chattering loquacity ; so they, with naked, unmeaning words, long and mûtlesBly wasted the time, and tired the ears of the auditors. Then the venerable priests, overflowing with eloquence, poured upon them with showers from the Gospels and words of the Apostles. They also mingled their own arguments with the divine ones, and followed up their modest assertions with testimonies, which they read. Vanity is convicted, perfidy is confounded and refuted, so that, not being able to answer, they confess at each objection that is alleged against them, that they have erred. The people who witness the conference, can hardly restrain themselves from violence, and bear their testimony in favour of the decision with uproar. After that day, that cunning superstition was so thoroughly eradicated from the minds of all men, that they embraced with thirsty desire the doctrine of the priests and of the orthodox believers. Therefore that damnable sin having been checked, and its authors confuted, and the minds of all men settled in purity of faith and consolidated in unity, the honest priests sought the blessed Alban, with the intent of returning thanks to God by his intervention ; that now that they were victorious, they might discharge their devoted feelings of gratitude to that person whose assistance they had implored when entering upon the contest.