THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
Celestius; but in view of the previous measures against Celestius, the information received from Diospolis, and the verdict of those who had read the writings of Pelagius and Celestius, the latter two were declared to be the authors of grave heresy in that they made no allowance for grace side by side with free will and since they assailed the necessity of infant baptism. The Africans appealed, moreover, in two letters to Pope Innocent I. for the authority also of the " Apostolic Chair "; but since the outcome of this might be doubtful, especially as Pelagius had many friends in Rome, Augustine and four other bishops (Aurelius of Carthage, Alypius, Evodius, and Possidius) appended to the synodical letters a private epistle in which they advocated that either Pelagius be tried orally at Rome or negotiations with him be taken up in writing. Innocent answered these three letters in an equal number of replies on Jan. 27, 417, evidently without having convened a synod. He declared it impractical to cite Pelagius for trial, evidently holding the judgment of the Africans as sufficient for decision. In his private letter the pope questioned the authenticity of the acts of the synod of Diospolis, which he utterly ignored in his official communications to Carthage and Mileve. He likewise declared that Pelagius and Celestius could have no part in the Church until they should come to their senses.
On Mar. 12, 417, Innocent I. died, and was succeeded by Zosimus, who was soon obliged to take cognizance of the Pelagian controversy. According to Marius Mercator, Celestius had gone from Ephesus to Constantinople, whence he was banished by Bishop Atticus. He appeared at Rome and submitted to Zosimus a request that the charges alleged against him be investigated. Zosimus accordingly, together with his clergy, 5. Zosimus considered the problem of Celestius'
and the orthodoxy and decided in his favor.
African These results were communicated by
Church, the pope to the Africans, whom he at the same time reproved for their hasty judgment, and he demanded that they revise their verdict or deliver Celestius to him at Rome within two months. This letter can hardly have been sent before Zosimus found himself plunged into the affairs of Pelagius. The latter, who had made a detailed presentment of his views in the four books of his De libero arbitrio (written after the Synod of Diospolis), had sent this work and a creed which is still extant, together with a letter of appeal to Innocent, of whose death he was unaware. The documents were received by Zosimus. In this work on the freedom of the will the basal concepts of Pelagianism are very evident. Pelagius endeavored to show that the assertion of a divinely given " natural power " did not exclude God's support of man's volition and action " that what they are commanded to do through free will they may the more easily fulfil through grace." The accompanying letter and the creed of Pelagius expressly stated that children should be baptized, and that man ever needs the help of God. Both these documents were publicly read by the pope's command, to the intense
joy of Pelagius' many friends in Rome. In a letter of Sept. 21, 417, Zosimus informed the Africans of these facts, and sending them the statements of Pelagius urged them to rejoice that Pelagius and Celestius, though accused by false judges, had never been outside the limits of the Church. At the same time apparently Zosimus cited Paulinus, the former accuser of Celestius, to appear at Rome. These measures of Zosimus naturally aroused opposition in Africa, but only a portion of the excited controversies which ensued is known. Three things however, are certain. Before the end of Feb., 418, a synod was held at Carthage, where a reply was formulated to the letter of Zosimus. This reply was couched in sharp terms, declaring that no general submission to the decision of Innocent could justify Celestius, who must condemn the erroneous doctrines he had advanced; or else the Roman see, which had adjudged his views to be orthodox, must be deemed to approve his errors; and Paulinus, writing on Nov. 8, 417, declared that it was unnecessary for him to go to Rome. On Mar. 21, 418, Zosimus replied that no change had been made in what Innocent had done. This letter reached its destination on Apr. 29, and two days later, in the presence of the Roman envoy, a synod of more than 200 bishops convened at Carthage. In a letter to Zosimus it was agreed to abide by Innocent's decision until Pelagius and Celestius should acknowledge beyond all doubt that the grace of God assists man not only to know justice, but to perform it. At the same time a number of anti- Pelagian canons were formulated. These affirmed (1) that Adam first became mortal through the fall ; (2) that children must be baptized for the remission of sins because of their original sin; (3) that it is an error to think " that the grace of God whereby we are justified avails only for the remission of sins, and not also for aid against their commission " ; and (4) that sinless perfection is impossible on earth.
Since these ecclesiastical measures could scarcely overcome the sympathy with Pelagius at Rome, the Africans prevailed upon the Emperor Honorius to issue a sacred rescript at Ravenna on Apr. 30, 418, in which, lamenting the spread of 6. Rescript Pelagianism at Rome and elsewhere, of Honorius. he commanded Celestius and Pelagius to be banished from Rome and their adherents to be exiled. This decree can scarcely have affected Pelagius himself; for though Marius Mercator states that he was banished from Jerusalem by a synod held late in 417 or early in 418, and presided over by Theodotus, bishop of Antioch, there is no reason to suppose that he had come to Rome before the promulgation of the imperial rescript. As late as the summer of 418 Augustine alludes to Pelagius as being in Palestine, but henceforth nothing whatsoever is known concerning him. Celestius, who seems to have been in Rome on Mar. 21, 418, fled probably to avoid the execution of the rescript. The promulgation of the emperor's edict and the general council at Carthage were followed by Zosimus' famous Epistula tractoria which has unfortunately perished. It is equally certain that the acts of the synod at Carthage were in the hands