Letter 175: The Carthage council asks Innocent I to condemn Pelagian teaching on grace, free choice, and infant baptism.

To Innocent, most blessed and most honorable holy brother: Aurelius, Numidius, Rusticianus, Fidentianus, Evagrius, Antonius, Palatinus, Adeodatus, Vincentius, Publianus, Theasius, Tutus, Pannonius, Victor, Restitutus, Rusticus, Fortunatianus, another Restitutus, Ampelius, Ambivius, Felix, Donatianus, Adeodatus, Octavius, Serotinus, Maiorinus, Posthumianus, Crispulus, Victor, another Victor, Leucius, Marianus, Fructuosus, Faustinianus, Quodvultdeus, Candorius, Maximus, Megasius, Rusticus, Rufinianus, Proculus, Severus, Thomas, Januarius, Octavianus, Praetextatus, Sixtus, Quodvultdeus, Penthadius, Quodvultdeus, Cyprianus, Servilius, Pelagianus, Marcellus, Venantius, Didymus, Saturninus, Bizacenus, Germanus, Germanianus, Inventius, Maiorinus, Inventius, Candidus, Cyprianus, Aemilianus, Romanus, Africanus, and Marcellinus, who were present at the council of the church of Carthage. When we had come solemnly, as usual, to the church of Carthage, and a synod of our number was being held there for various matters, our fellow presbyter Orosius gave us letters from our holy brothers and fellow priests Heros and Lazarus. We have decided that the form of those letters should be placed below this one. When they had been read, we recognized Pelagius and Caelestius as authors of a thoroughly wicked error, an error that must be anathematized by all of us. For that reason we asked that what had been done here at Carthage nearly five years ago in the name of Caelestius be read back. Once it had been read, as Your Holiness will be able to see from the documents attached below, it was clear enough that a judgment had then been given: by episcopal sentence this wound seemed to have been cut out of the Church. Even so, after common deliberation, we judged that the authors of this persuasion, although that same Caelestius is said later to have reached the presbyterate, ought themselves to be anathematized unless they openly anathematize these things. If their own health cannot be restored, at least the health of those deceived by them, or able to be deceived by them, may be cared for once the judgment issued against them is known. We therefore thought this proceeding should be reported to Your holy Charity, lord brother, so that the authority of the apostolic see may also be added to the decisions of our small council, for the protection of many and for the correction even of certain perverse people. What these people do by their condemnable arguments is this: they do not defend free choice, but lift it up into sacrilegious pride, leaving no place for the grace of God. By that grace we are Christians; by that grace the decision of our will itself becomes truly free, when it is freed from the dominion of fleshly desires. The Lord says, "If the Son sets you free, then you will be truly free." Faith in Christ Jesus our Lord obtains this help. But they assert, as we have learned from brothers who have read their books, that God's grace should be understood as the fact that God established and created human nature in such a way that by its own will it can fulfill God's law, whether that law is written naturally in the heart or given in letters. They also say that the law itself belongs to God's grace, because God gave it to human beings as a help. But the grace by which, as we have said, we are Christians, the grace preached by the apostle when he says, "I delight in the law of God according to the inner person, but I see another law in my members fighting against the law of my mind and taking me captive under the law of sin that is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord," they refuse altogether to acknowledge. They do not dare openly attack it, but what else are they doing when they keep persuading merely natural people, who do not receive the things of the Spirit of God, that human nature alone can be enough for itself to perform and complete righteousness and to fulfill God's commands? They do not attend to the words, "The Spirit helps our weakness," and, "It is not of the one who wills or runs, but of God who has mercy," and that we are one body in Christ and individually members of one another, "having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us." Nor do they heed, "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace in me was not empty; rather, I labored more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me"; and, "Thanks be to God, who gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"; and, "Not that we are sufficient to think anything as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God"; and, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing power may be God's and not from us." If we wanted to gather all such passages from the Scriptures, a volume would not be enough. We are afraid that, by recalling these very things before you, things that you preach with greater grace from the apostolic see, we may seem to act out of place. But we do it because the weaker each of us is thought to be in preaching the word of God wherever we are, the more often and more boldly they rise against us. If, then, Pelagius, in the episcopal proceedings said to have taken place in the East, also seemed to Your Veneration to have been rightly acquitted, still the error and impiety itself, which already has many defenders scattered in different places, must be anathematized also by the authority of the apostolic see. Let Your Holiness consider, and with pastoral feeling share our concern, how deadly and destructive to Christ's sheep is what necessarily follows from their sacrilegious arguments. We would no longer need to pray that we not enter into temptation, as the Lord warned his disciples and placed in the prayer he taught; nor would we need to pray that our faith not fail, as he himself testified that he had prayed for the apostle Peter. For if these things lie within the power of nature and the choice of the will, who does not see that they are asked from the Lord uselessly and prayed for falsely, when prayer seeks what is already obtained by the sufficient powers of our created nature? The Lord Jesus should not have said, "Watch and pray," but only, "Watch, lest you enter into temptation"; nor should he have said to the most blessed Peter, the first of the apostles, "I have prayed for you," but, "I warn you," or, "I command and order you that your faith not fail." Their contention also contradicts our blessings, so that whatever we ask from the Lord over the people, that they may please him by living rightly and piously, seems to be said in vain. It also contradicts what the apostle prays for the faithful when he says, "I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom every fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his Spirit." If, then, when blessing the people we say, "Grant them, Lord, to be strengthened with power through your Spirit," their argument objects to us, claiming that free choice is denied if we ask God for what lies in our own power. "If we want," they say, "we can be strengthened with power by that natural capacity which we do not receive now, but received when we were created." They also deny that little children must be baptized for the salvation given through Christ the Savior. By this deadly teaching they kill them forever, promising that even if they are not baptized they will have eternal life, and that they do not belong to those of whom the Lord says, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." These children, they say, were not lost; there is nothing in them to be saved or redeemed at such a price. Nothing in them is damaged, nothing is held captive under the devil's power, and the blood said to have been poured out for the forgiveness of sins was not poured out for them. Yet Caelestius already confessed in his little book in the church at Carthage that the redemption even of little children is accomplished through Christ's baptism. But many who are said to be, or to have been, their disciples do not stop affirming wherever they can those evils by which they try to overturn the foundations of the Christian faith. Therefore even if Pelagius and Caelestius have corrected themselves, or say that they never held these views, and deny that any writings brought forward against them are theirs, and there is no way to convict them of lying, nevertheless in general whoever teaches and affirms that human nature can be sufficient for itself to conquer sins and carry out God's commands, and in this way is found an adversary of the grace of God, which is displayed most clearly in the prayers of the saints, and whoever denies that little children are delivered from destruction and receive eternal salvation through Christ's baptism, let him be anathema. As for the other charges brought against them, we do not doubt that Your Veneration, when you have examined the episcopal proceedings said to have been conducted in the East in the same matter, will judge in such a way that all of us may rejoice in God's mercy. Pray for us, most blessed lord Pope.

EPISTOLA 175 Scripta a. 416. Concilii Carthaginiensis Patres Innocentio pontifici romano de erroribus Pelagii Caelestiique in epistola Herotis ac Lazari significatis (n. 1): nimium videlicet extolli naturam liberumque arbitrium adversus gratiam (nn. 2-3) rogantes ut sua auctoritate damnet hos errores adhuc inter Christifideles serpentes etsi visus sit Pelagius in concilio Diospolitano absolutus (nn. 4-5) Caelestiusque retractasse sententiam qua declaraverit frustra pueris baptisma administrari (n. 6). DOMINO BEATISSIMO ET HONORANDISSIMO, SANCTO FRATRI INNOCENTIO, AURELIUS, NUMIDIUS, RUSTICIANUS, FIDENTIANUS, EVAGRIUS, ANTONIUS, PALATINUS, ADEODATUS, VINCENTIUS, PUBLIANUS, THEASIUS, TUTUS, PANNONIUS, VICTOR, RESTITUTUS, RUSTICUS, FORTUNATIANUS, ALIUS RESTITUTUS, AMPELIUS, AMBIVIUS, FELIX, DONATIANUS, ADEODATUS, OCTAVIUS, SEROTINUS, MAIORINUS, POSTHUMIANUS, CRISPULUS, VICTOR, ALIUS VICTOR, LEUCIUS, MARIANUS, FRUCTUOSUS, FAUSTINIANUS, QUODVULTDEUS, CANDORIUS, MAXIMUS, MEGASIUS, RUSTICUS, RUFINIANUS, PROCULUS, SEVERUS, THOMAS, IANUARIUS, OCTAVIANUS, PRAETEXTATUS, SIXTUS, QUODVULTDEUS, PENTHADIUS, QUODVULTDEUS, CYPRIANUS, SERVILIUS, PELAGIANUS, MARCELLUS, VENANTIUS, DIDYMUS, SATURNINUS, BIZACENUS, GERMANUS, GERMANIANUS, INVENTIUS, MAIORINUS, INVENTIUS, CANDIDUS, CYPRIANUS, AEMILIANUS, ROMANUS, AFRICANUS, MARCELLINUS, QUI CONCILIO ECCLESIAE CARTHAGINENSIS ADFUIMUS Herotis ac Lazari epistola contra Caelestium. 1. Cum ex more ad Carthaginensem ecclesiam solemniter venissemus, atque ex diversis causis congregata ex nobis synodus haberetur, compresbyter noster Orosius nobis litteras sanctorum fratrum et consacerdotum nostrorum dedit Herotis et Lazari, quarum formam his constituimus esse subdendam. His ergo lectis, Pelagium et Celestium auctores nefarii prorsus, et ab omnibus nobis anathemandi erroris advertimus. Unde factum est ut recensendum peteremus; quid ante ferme quinquennium super Celestii nomine hic apud Carthaginem fuerit agitatum. Quo recitato, sicut ex subditis advertere poterit Sanctitas tua, quamvis et iudicatio manifesta constaret, qua illo tempore episcopali iudicio excisum hoc tantum vulnus ab Ecclesia videretur: nihilominus tamen id communi deliberatione censuimus, huiusmodi persuasionis auctores, quamvis et ad presbyterium idem Celestius postea pervenisse dicatur, nisi haec apertissime anathemaverint, ipsos anathemari oportere, ut si ipsorum non potuerit, saltem eorum qui ab eis decepti sunt vel decipi possunt, cognita sententia quae in eos lata est, sanitas procuretur. Pelagianorum error de gratia ac libero arbitrio. 2. Hoc itaque gestum, domine frater, sanctae Caritati tuae intimandum duximus, ut statutis nostrae mediocritatis etiam apostolicae Sedis adhibeatur auctoritas, pro tuenda salute multorum, et quorumdam perversitate etiam corrigenda. Id enim agunt isti damnabilibus disputationibus suis, ut non defendendo, sed potius in superbiam sacrilegam extollendo liberum arbitrium, nullum relinquant locum gratiae Dei, qua christiani sumus, qua et ipsum nostrae voluntatis arbitrium vere fit liberum, dum a carnalium concupiscentiarum dominatione liberatur, dicente Domino: Si vos filius liberaverit, tunc vere liberi eritis 1; quod auxilium fides impetrat, quae est in Christo Iesu Domino nostro. Isti autem asserunt, sicut a fratribus qui etiam eorum libros legerunt, cognovimus, in eo Dei gratiam deputandam, quod talem hominis instituit creavitque naturam, quae per propriam voluntatem legem Dei possit implere, sive naturaliter in corde conscriptam, sive in litteris datam: eamdem quoque legem ad gratiam Dei pertinere, quod illam Deus in adiutorium hominibus dedit 2. A Pelagianis naturam pro gratia praedicari. 3. Illam vero gratiam qua, ut dictum est, christiani sumus, cuius Apostolus praedicator est, dicens: Condelector enim legi Dei secundum interiorem hominem: video autem aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae, et captivantem me sub lege peccati, quae est in membris meis. Miser ego homo! quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius? Gratia Dei per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum 3, nolunt omnino cognoscere; sed nec aperte quidem oppugnare audent: sed quid aliud agunt, cum hominibus animalibus non percipientibus quae sunt Spiritus Dei 4 persuadere non cessant, ad operandam perficiendamque iustitiam et Dei mandata complenda solam sibi humanam sufficere posse naturam? non attendentes quod scriptum est: Spiritus adiuvat infirmitatem nostram 5; et: Non volentis, neque currentis, sed miserentis est Dei 6; et quod unum corpus sumus in Christo, singuli autem alter alterius membra; habentes dona diversa secundum gratiam quae data est nobis 7; et: Gratia Dei sum id quod sum, et gratia eius in me vacua non fuit, sed abundantius omnibus illis laboravi; non ego autem, sed gratia Dei mecum 8; et: Gratias Deo, qui dedit nobis victoriam per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum 9; et: Non quia idonei sumus cogitare aliquid quasi ex nobismetipsis; sed sufficientia nostra ex Deo est 10; et, Habemus thesaurum istum in vasis fictilibus, ut eminentia virtutis sit Dei, et non ex nobis 11; et innumerabilia talia, quae de Scripturis omnibus si colligere velimus, tomus non sufficit. Et veremur ne apud te ista ipsa commemorando, quae maiore gratia de Sede apostolica praedicas, inconvenienter facere videamur: sed ideo facimus, quia eo quo infirmiores sumus, quaquaversum quisque nostrum verbo Dei praedicando putatur attentior, crebrius eos patimur in nos et audacius insurgentes. Pelagii error a Sede Apostolica damnandus. 4. Si ergo Pelagius episcopalibus Gestis quae in Oriente confecta dicuntur, etiam tuae Venerationi iuste visus fuerit absolutus; error tamen ipse et impietas, quae iam multos assertores habet, per diversa dispersos, etiam auctoritate apostolicae Sedis anathemanda est. Consideret enim Sanctitas tua, et pastoralibus nobis compatiatur visceribus, quam sit pestiferum et exitiale ovibus Christi, quod istorum sacrilegas disputationes necessario consequitur, ut nec orare debeamus ne intremus in tentationem, quod Dominus et discipulos monuit 12, et posuit in oratione quam docuit 13; aut ne deficiat fides nostra, quod pro apostolo Petro se rogasse ipse testatus est 14. Si enim haec possibilitate naturae, et arbitrio voluntatis in potestate sunt constituta; quis non ea videat a Domino inaniter peti, et fallaciter orari, cum orando poscuntur quae naturae nostrae iam ita conditae sufficientibus viribus obtinentur? nec debuisse dicere Dominum Iesum: Vigilate et orate; sed tantummodo: Vigilate, ne intretis in tentationem 15? nec beatissimo Petro primo Apostolorum: Rogavi pro te, sed, moneo te, vel impero ac praecipio ne deficiat fides tua 16? Ecclesiae benedictiones ac deprecationes vanae Pelagianis. 5. Contradicitur etiam istorum contentione benedictionibus nostris, ut incassum super populum dicere videamur quidquid eis a Domino precamur, ut recte ac pie vivendo illi placeant; vel illa quae pro fidelibus precatur Apostolus, dicens: Flecto genua mea ad Patrem Domini nostri Iesu Christi, ex quo omnis paternitas in coelis et in terra nominatur, ut det vobis secundum divitias gloriae suae virtute corroborari per Spiritum eius 17. Si ergo voluerimus benedicendo super populum dicere, Da illis, Domine, virtute corroborari per Spiritum tuum; istorum nobis disputatio contradicit, affirmans negari liberum arbitrium, si hoc a Deo poscitur quod in nostra est potestate: "Virtute enim corroborari si volumus, inquiunt, possumus ea possibilitate naturae, quam nunc non accipimus, sed cum crearemur accepimus". Parvulorum baptisma a Caelestio confessum. 6. Parvulos etiam propter salutem quae per Salvatorem Christum datur, baptizandos negant, ac sic eos mortifera ista doctrina in aeternum necant, promittentes etiamsi non baptizentur, habituros vitam aeternam, nec pertinere ad eos de quibus Dominus ait: Venit enim Filius hominis quaerere et salvare quod perierat 18; quia isti, inquiunt, non perierant, nec est quod in eis salvetur, vel tanto pretio redimatur: quia nihil est in eis vitiatum, nihil tenetur sub diaboli potestate captivum, nec pro eis fusus est sanguis qui fusus in remissionem legitur peccatorum 19. Quamquam per baptismum Christi etiam parvulorum fieri redemptionem, in libello suo Celestius in Carthaginensi ecclesia iam confessus est: sed multi qui eorum perhibentur esse vel fuisse discipuli, haec mala quibus fundamenta christianae fidei conantur evertere, quacumque possunt, affirmare non cessant. Unde etiamsi Pelagius Celestiusque correcti sunt, vel se ista numquam sensisse dicunt, et quaecumque scripta contra eos prolata fuerint sua esse negant, nec est quemadmodum de mendacio convincantur: generaliter tamen quicumque dogmatizat et affirmat humanam sibi ad vincenda peccata, et Dei mandata facienda sufficere posse naturam, et eo modo gratiae Dei, quae sanctorum evidentius orationibus declaratur, adversarius invenitur; et quicumque negat parvulos per baptismum Christi a perditione liberari, et salutem percipere sempiternam, anathema sit. Quaecumque autem alia eis obiciuntur, non dubitamus Venerationem tuam, cum Gesta episcopalia perspexerit, quae in Oriente in eadem causa confecta dicuntur, id iudicaturam unde omnes in Dei misericordia gaudeamus. Ora pro nobis, domine beatissime Papa.