24.—Pelagius’ Answer to the Charges Brought Together Under the Seventh Item.

The following, as the proceedings testify, was Pelagius’ own answer to these charges against him: “Concerning a man’s being able indeed to be without sin, we have spoken,” says he, “already; concerning the fact, however, that before the Lord’s coming there were persons without sin, we say now that, previous to Christ’s advent, some men lived holy and righteous lives, according to the teaching of the sacred Scriptures. The rest were not said by me, as even their testimony goes to show, and for them, I do not feel that I am responsible. But for the satisfaction of the holy synod, I anathematize those who either now hold, or have ever held, these opinions.” After hearing this answer of his, the synod said: “With regard to these charges aforesaid, Pelagius has in our presence given us sufficient and proper satisfaction, by anathematizing the opinions which were not his.” We see, therefore, and maintain that the most pernicious evils of this heresy have been condemned, not only by Pelagius, but also by the holy bishops who presided over that inquiry:—that “Adam was made mortal;” (and, that the meaning of this statement might be more clearly understood, it was added, “and he would have died whether he had sinned or not sinned;”) that his sin injured only himself and not the human race; that the law, no less than the gospel, leads us to the kingdom of heaven; that new born infants are in the same condition that Adam was before the fall; that the entire human race does not, on the one hand, die through Adam’s death and transgression, nor, on the other hand, does the whole human race rise again through the resurrection of Christ; that infants, even if they die unbaptized, have eternal life; that rich men even if baptized, unless they renounce and give up all, have, whatever good they may seem to have done, nothing of it reckoned to them, neither can they possess the kingdom of God;”—all these opinions, at any rate, were clearly condemned in that ecclesiastical court,—Pelagius pronouncing the anathema, and the bishops the interlocutory sentence.

24. Ad haec sibi objecta, sicut gesta testantur. Pelagius ita respondit: «De posse quidem hominem sine peccato esse, dictum est,» inquit, «superius: de eo autem quod fuerint ante adventum Domini homines sine peccato, dicimus et nos quoniam ante adventum Christi vixerunt quidam sancte et juste, secundum Scripturarum sanctarum traditionem. Reliqua vero et secundum ipsorum testimonium a me dicta non sunt, pro quibus ego satisfacere non debeo: sed tamen ad satisfactionem sanctae Synodi, anathematizo illos qui sic tenent, aut aliquando tenuerunt.» Post hanc ejus responsionem Synodus dixit: «Ad haec praedicta capitula sufficienter et recte satisfecit praesens Pelagius, anathematizans ea quae non erant ejus.» Videmus igitur et tenemus, non solum a Pelagio, verum etiam a sanctis episcopis qui illi judicio praesidebant, mala perniciosissima hujusmodi haeresis esse damnata: «Adam mortalem factum,» quod ut plenius exponeretur quomodo dictum sit, additum est, «qui sive peccaret, sive non peccaret, moriturus esset. Quod peccatum ejus ipsum solum laeserit, et non genus humanum. Quod Lex sic mittat ad regnum, quemadmodum et Evangelium. Quod infantes nuper nati in illo statu sint, in quo Adam fuit ante praevaricationem. Quod neque per mortem vel praevaricationem Adae omne genus hominum moriatur, neque per resurrectionem Christi omne genus hominum resurgat. Quod infantes, etsi non baptizentur, habeant vitam aeternam. Quod divites baptizati, nisi omnibus abrenuntient, si quid boni visi fuerint facere, non illis reputetur, neque regnum Dei possint habere.» Haec 0335 certe omnia judicio illo ecclesiastico anathematizante Pelagio, et episcopis interloquentibus, constat esse damnata.