36. [XXXIII.]—Cœlestius Openly Declares Infants to Have No Original Sin.

Who would believe that, under so clear a confession, there is concealed a contrary meaning, if Cœlestius had not exposed it? He who in that book of his, which he quoted at Rome in the ecclesiastical proceedings there,94    See above, ch. 32 [xxx.]; compare De Pecc. Orig. chs. 5, 6. distinctly acknowledged that “infants too are baptized for the remission of sins,” also denied “that they have any original sin.” But let us now observe what Pelagius thought, not about the baptism of infants, but rather about the assistance of divine grace, in this exposition of his belief which he forwarded to Rome. “We confess,” says he, “free will in such a sense that we declare ourselves to be always in need of the help of God.” Well, now, we ask again, what the help is which he says we require; and again we find ambiguity, since he may possibly answer that he meant the law and the teaching of Christ, whereby that natural “capacity” is assisted. We, however, on our side require them to acknowledge a grace like that which the apostle describes, when he says: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind;”95    2 Tim. i. 7. although it does not follow by any means that the man who has the gift of knowledge, whereby he has discovered what he ought to do, has also the grace of love so as to do it.

CAPUT XXXIII.

36. Quis crederet, sub hac quasi manifesta confessione sensum latere contrarium, nisi eum Coelestius aperuisset? Qui in libello suo, quem Romae gestis ecclesiasticis allegavit, «parvulos et baptizari in remissionem peccatorum» confessus est, et negavit «ullum habere originale peccatum.» Sed nunc non de Baptismate parvulorum, sed de adjutorio gratiae potius, etiam in libello fidei 0378 suae, quem Romam misit, quid Pelagius senserit attendamus. «Liberum,» inquit, «sic confitemur arbitrium, ut dicamus nos indigere Dei semper auxilio.» Ecce iterum quaerimus, quo auxilio nos indigere fateatur: et iterum invenimus ambiguum, quoniam potest respondere, legem se dicere doctrinamve christianam, qua naturalis illa possibilitas adjuvetur. Nos autem illam gratiam in eorum confessione requirimus, de qua dicit Apostolus, Non enim dedit nobis Deus spiritum timoris, sed virtutis et charitatis et continentiae (II Tim. I, 7). Non est autem consequens ut qui habet donum scientiae, quo noverit quid agere debeat, habeat etiam charitatis, ut agat.