namely, that God is not to be entreated to be our helper against the evil of sin and for the working of righteousness, and that the sacrament of Christian grace does not avail little children for the attaining of eternal life—these two things, which faithful hearts cannot bear, we bring to your apostolic breast. We have no need to say much, nor to exaggerate in words so great an impiety, since without doubt these things move you so, that you can in no way dissemble about correcting them, lest they creep more widely and contaminate—or rather destroy—many, while under the name of Christ they utterly estrange men from the grace of Christ.
Now the authors of this most pernicious error are reported to be Pelagius and Caelestius, whom indeed we would rather have healed within the Church than cut off from the Church with salvation despaired of, if no necessity compel it. One of them, namely Caelestius, is said even to have attained to the presbyterate in Asia; concerning whom, what was done a few years ago, your Holiness can be better informed by the Church of Carthage. But Pelagius, as the letters sent by certain of our brethren report, being established at Jerusalem, is asserted to be deceiving not a few.
Yet far more, who were able to investigate his opinions more carefully, contend against him on behalf of the grace of Christ and the truth of the catholic faith—but chiefly your holy son, our brother and fellow-presbyter Jerome. But we judge that, with the mercy of the Lord our God aiding—which deigns both to govern you as you take counsel and to hear you as you pray—by the authority of your Holiness, drawn from the authority of the holy Scriptures, those who hold views so perverse and pernicious will the more easily yield, so that we may rather rejoice together over their correction than grieve over their destruction, most blessed lord. But whichever they themselves may choose, certainly your Venerableness sees that provision must be made instantly and swiftly, lest they entangle in their snares others also—as many as they can—if it be dissembled by them.
Your Venerableness sees that provision must be made instantly and swiftly. These things we have directed in writing to your Holiness from the Council of Numidia, imitating the Church of Carthage and our fellow bishops of the province of Carthage, whom we have learned to have written to the Apostolic See, which you, blessed one, adorn, concerning this cause. [And in another hand:] May you, mindful of us, be increased in the grace of the Lord, most blessed lord, deservedly venerable and to be honored in Christ, holy pope. To the most blessed lord, deservedly most worthy of honor, our brother Pope Innocent: Aurelius, Alypius, Augustine, Evodius, and Possidius, greeting.
Concerning the two councils of the province of Carthage and of Numidia, we have sent to your Holiness letters subscribed by no small number of bishops, against the enemies of the grace of Christ, who trust in their own strength and say, in a certain manner, to our Creator: "You made us men, but we ourselves made ourselves righteous"; who therefore say that human nature is free, so that they may not seek a Liberator; therefore whole, so that they may judge a Savior superfluous. For they say it is so strong that, by its own powers received once at the origin of its creation, it can, through free will and with the grace of Him who created it aiding it no further, tame and extinguish all lusts and overcome all temptations.
Many of them rise up against us and say to our soul, "There is no salvation for it in its God." But the family of Christ, which says, "When I am weak, then am I strong," and to whom its Lord says, "I am your salvation," awaits the help of the Lord with suspended heart, in fear and trembling, even through the love of your Reverence. For we have heard that there are in the city of Rome, where that man long dwelt, some who favor him for various reasons—some indeed because you are reported to have been persuaded of such things, but many more who do not believe that he holds such views, especially because in the East, where he lives, ecclesiastical proceedings are boasted to have taken place, by which he is thought to have been cleared.
Now if there the bishops did pronounce him catholic, it must be believed to have been done for no other reason than that he said he confessed the grace of God, and said that a man can, by his own labor and will, live righteously—provided he did not deny that the grace of God helps toward this. For, having heard these words, the catholic prelates could understand no other grace of God than that which they are accustomed to read in the books of God and to preach to the peoples of God—that grace, assuredly, of which the Apostle says: "I do not make void the grace of God; for if righteousness be through the law, then Christ died in vain"—without doubt the grace by which we are justified from iniquity and by which we are saved from infirmity, not that by which we were created together with our own will.
For if those bishops had understood that he was calling grace that which we have even in common with the impious, with whom we are men, but was denying that grace by which we are Christians and sons of God—who among catholic priests would patiently hear him, to say nothing of tolerating him before his very eyes? Wherefore the judges are not to be blamed, because by ecclesiastical custom they heard the name of grace, not knowing what men of this sort are wont to scatter, whether in the books of their doctrine or into the ears of their followers.
The matter concerns not Pelagius alone—since perhaps he has already been corrected, which would that it were so—but so many others, who by their loquacious contending, and by dragging along weak and untrained souls as though convinced, and by wearying with the very contention souls that are firm and stable in faith, have now filled all places everywhere. Either, therefore, he must be summoned to Rome by your Reverence and diligently interrogated as to what grace he means, of which he professes—if indeed he now professes—that men are helped toward not sinning and toward living righteously; or this very matter must be treated with him by letters.
And when he shall have been found to mean that grace which ecclesiastical and apostolic truth teaches, then, without any scruple to the Church, without any lurking-place of any ambiguity, he is to be absolved; then in very truth we must rejoice over his cleansing. For whether he say that grace is free will, or that grace is the remission of sins, or that grace is the precept of the law, he says nothing of those things which, through the ministration of the Holy Spirit, pertain to the conquering of concupiscence and temptations—the Spirit whom He most richly poured out upon us, who ascended into heaven and led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. For hence we pray that we may be able to overcome the temptation of sins, that the Spirit of God, of whom we have received the pledge, may aid our infirmity.
But he who prays and says, "Lead us not into temptation," surely does not pray that he may be a man, which he is by nature, nor pray that he may have free will, which he already received when nature itself was created, nor pray for the remission of sins, because this is said above, "Forgive us our debts," nor pray that he may receive the commandment, but plainly prays that he may fulfill the commandment. For if he shall have been led into temptation—that is, shall have failed in temptation—he assuredly commits sin, which is against the commandment. He prays therefore that he may not sin, that is, that he may do nothing evil, which the Apostle prays for the Corinthians, saying: "Now we pray to God that you do nothing evil."
Whence it sufficiently appears that, for not sinning—that is, for not doing evil—although it is not doubted that there is a choice of the will, yet its power does not suffice unless the infirmity be aided. That prayer therefore is the clearest testimony of grace; let him confess this grace, and we shall rejoice over him, whether upright or corrected. Law and grace must be distinguished. The law knows how to command, grace how to help. Nor would the law command if there were no will, nor would grace help if the will were sufficient. We are commanded to have understanding, where it is said, "Do not be like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding"; and yet we pray to have understanding, where it is said, "Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments."
We are commanded to have wisdom, where it is said, "You fools, be wise at last"; and yet it is prayed that we may have wisdom, where it is said, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and does not reproach, and it shall be given him." We are commanded to have continence, where it is said: [ . . . ]; and yet it is prayed that we may have continence, where it is said, "When I knew that no one could be continent unless God grant it—and this very thing was of wisdom, to know whose gift it was—I went to the Lord and besought Him." Finally, lest it be too long to run through all, we are commanded not to do evil, where it is said, "Turn away from evil"; and yet it is prayed that we may not do evil, where it is said:
"Now we pray to God that you do nothing evil." We are commanded to do good, where it is said, "Turn away from evil and do good"; and yet it is prayed that we may do good, where it is said, "We do not cease praying and beseeching for you"; and among the other things which he prays for them, he says, "That you may walk worthily of God unto all pleasing, in every good work and word." As, therefore, we acknowledge the will when these things are commanded, so let him too acknowledge grace when they are asked for. We have sent to your Reverence the book which certain religious and honorable young men, servants of God, gave us—whose names too we do not keep silent; for they are called Timasius and James, who—as we have heard, and as you also deign to know—at the very exhortation of Pelagius abandoned the hope
which they had held in the world, and now, continent, serve God. When at length, through our labor of whatever sort and by the Lord's inspiration, they had been freed from that same error, they brought forward that book, saying it was Pelagius's, and earnestly begged that a reply might be made to it. It was done; the reply itself was written back to them; giving thanks, they wrote back. We have sent both—both that to which the reply was made, and what the reply was; and, lest we should be too burdensome, we have made marks at those places where we ask you not to think it a burden to look, at how, when the objection was put to him that he was denying the grace of God, he so answered that he said it was nothing other than the nature in which God created us.
But if he denies that this is his book, or those same passages in the book, we do not contend; let him anathematize them, and let him confess most openly that grace which Christian doctrine shows and proclaims to be proper to Christians—which is not nature, but that by which nature is saved and helped: not by doctrine sounding in the ears or by any visible aid, as it is in a manner planted and watered from without, but by the ministration of the Spirit and by hidden mercy, as He does who gives the increase, even God.
For although, by a not unreasonable manner of speaking, it is called the grace of God by which we were created, so that we were not nothing, nor were we something as a corpse, which does not live, or a tree, which does not feel, or a beast, which does not understand, but men—so that we might exist and live and feel and understand, and be able to give thanks to our Creator for so great a benefit; whence deservedly this too can be called grace, since it was given not by the merits of any preceding works but by the gratuitous goodness of God—yet another is that grace by which, being predestined, we are called, justified, glorified, so that we may be able to say: "If God be for us, who can be against us? He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all."
Concerning this grace the question was being turned, when by those whom Pelagius grievously offended and troubled it was said to him that he assailed it by his disputations, in which he asserted that human nature by itself suffices, through free will, not only for the doing but even for the perfecting of the divine commandments. This is the grace which apostolic doctrine calls by that name, by which we are saved and justified from the faith of Christ. Concerning this it is written: "I do not make void the grace of God; for if righteousness be through the law, then Christ died in vain." Concerning this it is written: "You are made void from Christ, you who are justified in the law; you have fallen from grace." Concerning this it is written: "But if by grace, then not now of works; otherwise grace is no more grace."
Concerning this it is written: "Now to him who works, the reward is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt; but to him who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned unto righteousness"—and many other things, which you yourself can better remember and understand more prudently and preach more illustriously. But that grace by which we were created men, even though we understand it not undeservedly to be so called, yet it is a wonder if we read it so called anywhere in the legitimate prophetic, evangelic, and apostolic writings. Since, therefore, concerning this grace, most well known to Christian, faithful, and catholic people, the question was put to him, that he might cease to assail it,
what is the meaning of this—that, when he himself had raised this same objection against himself in his book, as though from an opposing person, in order to clear himself by answering, he answered nothing else than that the nature of created man reflects the grace of the Creator, and that thus he says he can, without sin, fulfill righteousness through free will with the aid of divine grace, because God gave this to man in the very capacity of his nature? To whom it is deservedly answered: Then the scandal of the cross has been made void; then Christ died in vain. For unless He had died for our offenses and risen for our justification, nor, when He ascended on high, leading captivity captive, given gifts to men, that possibility of nature which he defends would not exist in men.
Or was perhaps God's commandment lacking, and therefore Christ died? Nay, this too was already holy and just and good; already it had been said, "You shall not covet"; already it had been said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself"—in which word the Apostle says the whole law is fulfilled. And since, unless he love God, no one loves himself, therefore the Lord says that on these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets. These two commandments had already been given to men from God. Or was the eternal reward of righteousness not yet promised? This he himself does not say, who has set down in his own writings that even in the Old Testament the kingdom of heaven was promised.
If, therefore, for the doing and perfecting of righteousness there was already the capacity of nature through free will, if there was already the holy, just, and good commandment of God's law, if there was already the everlasting reward promised—then Christ died in vain. Therefore neither through the law is righteousness, nor through the capacity of nature, but from faith and the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, the one mediator of God and men; who, unless He had died in the fullness of time for our offenses and had risen for our justification, assuredly both the faith of the ancients would be made void and ours. But faith being made void, what righteousness remains for man, since the just lives by faith?
For from the time that through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and so it passed unto all men, in whom all have sinned, without doubt from the body of this death, where another law wars against the law of the mind, no man's own capacity has freed or frees him—that capacity which, being lost, needs a Redeemer, being wounded, a Savior—but the grace of God through the faith of the one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who, although He was also God, made man, and remaining God, having become man, Himself remade what He had made. But I think this escapes him: that the faith of Christ, which afterwards came into revelation, was in secret in the times of our fathers, through which nevertheless they too were freed by the grace of God.
Whoever, in all the times of the human race, were able to be freed, were freed by the hidden judgment of God, yet not a blameworthy one. Whence the Apostle says: "Having, however, the same spirit of faith"—assuredly the same as they too had—"according to what is written, 'I believed, therefore have I spoken,' we also believe, therefore also we speak." Hence it is that the mediator Himself says: "Abraham desired to see My day, and he saw it and was glad"; hence Melchizedek, by bringing forth the sacrament of the Lord's table, knew how to prefigure His eternal priesthood. But now, the law having been given in the writings, which the Apostle says entered in that the offense might abound, and of which he says: "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise."
What then is the law? It was set forth for the sake of transgression, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made, being ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if a law had been given which could give life, righteousness would altogether have been from the law. But the Scripture concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Is it not sufficiently shown that this was accomplished through the law, namely, that sin might be acknowledged and increased by transgression—for where there is no law, neither is there transgression—and that thus, against the victory of sin, refuge might be taken in the divine grace which is in the promises; and that so the law might not be against the promises of God, because through it comes the knowledge of sin, and from the transgression of the law comes the abundance of sin, so that for liberation the promises of God might be sought, which is the grace of God, and there might begin to be in man a righteousness not his own but God's, that is, given by the gift of God? This righteousness even now some, as was then said of the Jews, being ignorant of the righteousness of God and wishing to establish their own, are not subject to the righteousness of God.
For by the law they too think themselves to be justified, free will sufficing them for keeping it—that is, by their own righteousness brought forth out of human nature, not given out of divine grace, on account of which it is called the righteousness of God. Whence likewise it is written: "For by the law is the knowledge of sin; but now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." When he says "has been manifested," he shows that it existed then also, but as it were hidden—like that rain which Gideon obtained, then as though hidden in the fleece, but now as though manifest on the threshing floor. Since therefore the law, without grace, could not be the death of sin but its power—for so it is said:
"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law"—just as many flee from the face of reigning sin to grace, as it were now open on the threshing floor, so few fled to it, as it were then hidden in the fleece. But this distribution of the times is referred to the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, of which it is said: "How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"
Wherefore, if both before the time of the law and in the very time of the law the righteous fathers, living by faith, were justified not by the capacity of a nature weak and needy and corrupted and sold under sin, but by the grace of God through faith—and now this same grace, coming already into the open and revealed, justifies—let Pelagius therefore anathematize his writings, wherein against it, even if not through obstinacy yet through ignorance, he disputes by defending the capacity of nature for conquering sins and fulfilling the commandments; or, if he denies that these are his, or says that they were foisted into his writings by his enemies, things which he denies to be his—let him nevertheless anathematize and condemn them, by your fatherly exhortation and by the authority of your holiness.
If he is willing, let him learn to remove from himself the burdensome and destructive scandal to the Church—a scandal which his hearers, and those who love him to their own perversion, never cease to spread abroad on every side. For if they come to know that this same book, which they either suppose to be his or know to be his, has been condemned by the authority of the catholic bishops, and above all by your Holiness, whose judgment we do not in the least doubt carries greater weight with him.
and has been anathematized and condemned by that very man himself, we do not think they will any longer dare, by their speech against the grace of God—which has been revealed through the passion and resurrection of Christ—to trouble the hearts of the faithful and of simple Christians; but rather, with the Lord's mercy assisting, and with you contending together with us through your prayers ablaze with charity and piety, they will be brought to trust not in their own virtue but in that same grace, so that they may be not only blessed for eternity but also righteous and holy.
Hence, we have thought it better that the letter written to him by one of us should be forwarded to your Blessedness—the letter addressed to the man who, through a certain Eastern deacon (who is nonetheless a citizen of Hippo), transmitted certain writings, as it were, in his own defence. We judge it better and we request that you yourself deign to send it to him; for in that way he will not disdain to read it, considering in it rather the one who sends it than the one who wrote it.
But as to that which they say—that a man can be without sin and easily keep the commandments of God, if he wills—although, when this is said to be through the help of grace (which was nevertheless revealed and bestowed through the incarnation of His only-begotten Son), it may seem to be spoken more tolerably; nevertheless, since it may not unreasonably raise the question where and when it is brought about in us through that same grace that we should be wholly without any sin—whether in this life, when the flesh lusts against the spirit, or rather in that life, when that word shall come to pass which is written: 'Where, O death, is thy victory? where, O death, is thy sting?'
For the sting of death is sin. This must be dealt with more carefully on account of certain others who have wrongly held, and have committed to memory in their writings, that even in this life a man can be without sin—not from the beginning of his birth, but by conversion from sins to righteousness and from a reprobate life to a good life. For thus they understood what is written of Zechariah and Elizabeth, that they walked in all the ordinances of the Lord blameless. This phrase 'blameless' they took to mean 'without sin'—not indeed denying, but rather (as is found in other places in their writings) piously confessing, the help of the grace of our Lord, which comes not through the natural spirit of man but through the principal Spirit of God.
These men seem to have given too little thought to the fact that Zechariah himself was assuredly a priest; and all priests then were bound by the law of God first to offer sacrifice for their own sins, and then for the people's. Therefore, just as now, through the sacrifice of prayer, we are proved not to be without sin—since we are commanded to say: 'Forgive us our debts'—so then too, through the sacrifices of animal victims, the priests were proved not to be without sin, they who were commanded to offer for their own sins. But if the matter stands thus—that through the grace of the Saviour we indeed make progress in this life as lust wanes and charity grows, but are made perfect in that life when lust is extinguished and charity is complete—then assuredly that which is written:
'Whosoever is born of God does not sin,' is spoken according to charity itself, which alone does not sin. For it is to the birth which is from God that charity, to be increased and perfected, pertains—not that lust which is to be diminished and consumed, which, however, so long as it is in our members, by a certain law of its own wars against the law of the mind. But he who is born of God, neither obeying its desires nor presenting his members as weapons of iniquity to sin, can say: 'It is no longer I who work it, but the sin that dwells in me.'
But however this question may stand—since, even if a man is not found in this life without sin, it is nevertheless said that this can come to pass through the help of the grace and Spirit of God, and that we must strive and pray for it to come to pass—anyone is tolerably mistaken who, striving and desiring it, affirms it; nor is it diabolical impiety but human error to affirm what is to be striven for and longed for, even if he cannot demonstrate what he affirms. For he believes that to be possible which is certainly praiseworthy to will. But it is enough for us that no one in the Church of God, among the faithful, is found—at whatever advancement and excellence of righteousness—who would dare to say for himself that the petition of the Lord's Prayer, 'Forgive us our debts,' is unnecessary,
and say that he has no sin, and so deceive himself, and the truth be not in him—even though he now lives blamelessly. For it is not any and every sin, even of human temptation, but a grave sin that comes into blame. As for the other things which have been charged against him, just as your Blessedness will have perceived them defended in the proceedings, so about these you will without doubt render judgment. Your most gentle sweetness of heart will surely grant us pardon for having sent to your Holiness a letter longer, perhaps, than you would wish. For we do not pour back our little stream to enlarge your abundant spring; but in this not-small temptation of the present time—from which may He deliver us, to whom we say:
'Lead us not into temptation'—we wish to have this approved by you: whether our stream too, however small, flows from the same head of waters from which yours also flows in abundance; and we wish to be comforted by your reply concerning our common participation in the one grace. CLXXVIII. To the most blessed lord, to be venerated in the truth of Christ, brother and fellow-priest Hilary, Augustine sends greeting in the Lord. When our honourable son Palladius was sailing from our shore, by asking a favour he rather granted one—namely, that I should commend not only him to your kindness but also myself to your prayers, most blessed lord and brother to be venerated in the charity of Christ. And when I do this, your Holiness will surely do likewise, which we both presume of you.
But as for our circumstances—since I know that your love is anxious for us, as ours is for you—your Holiness will hear from the aforesaid bearer. Yet, what is most necessary, I will say briefly. A certain new heresy, hostile to the grace of Christ, is attempting to rise up against the Church of Christ, though it is not yet clearly separated from the Church: namely, of men who dare to attribute so much power to human weakness that they contend this alone pertains to the grace of God—that we were created with free will and with the possibility of not sinning, and that we received the commandments of God which we might fulfil; but that, for the very keeping and fulfilling of those commandments, we need no divine help.