53. [XXIX.]—Pelagius’ Use of Recommendations.

As to that which I placed in the postscript,—that he might “find favour with the Lord,”—I intimated that this lay rather in His grace than in man’s sole will; for I did not make it the subject either of exhortation, or of precept, or of instruction, but simply of my wish. But just in the same way as I should, if I had exhorted or enjoined, or even instructed him, simply have shown that all this appertained to free will, without, however, derogating from the grace of God; so in like manner, when I expressed the matter in the way of a wish, I asserted no doubt the grace of God, but at the same time I did not quench the liberty of the will. Wherefore, then, did he produce this letter at the trial? If he had only from the beginning entertained views in accordance with it, very likely he would not have been at all summoned before the bishops by the brethren, who, with all their kindness of disposition, could yet not help being offended with his perverse contentiousness. Now, however, as I have given on my part an account of this letter of mine, so would they, whose epistles he quoted, explain theirs also, if it were necessary;—they would tell us either what they thought, or what they were ignorant of, or with what purpose they wrote to him. Pelagius, therefore, may boast to his heart’s content of the friendship of holy men, he may read their letters recounting his praises, he may produce whatever synodal acts he pleases to attest his own acquittal,—there still stands against him the fact, proved by the testimony of competent witnesses, that he has inserted in his books statements which are opposed to that grace of God whereby we are called and justified; and unless he shall, after true confession, anathematize these statements, and then go on to contradict them both in his writings and discussions, he will certainly seem to all those who have a fuller knowledge of him to have laboured in vain in his attempt to set himself right.

CAPUT XXIX.

53. In ipsa quoque subscriptione quod posui, ut Domino placeat, magis hoc esse significavi in ejus gratia, quam in sola hominis voluntate, quando id nec hortatus sum, nec praecepi, nec docui, sed optavi. Quemadmodum vero si hortarer, aut praeciperem, vel docerem, pertinere hoc et ad 0350 liberum arbitrium demonstrarem, nec tamen Dei gratiae derogarem: ita quia optavi, Dei quidem commendavi gratiam, non tamen arbitrium voluntatis exstinxi. Utquid ergo in hoc judicio protulit hanc epistolam? secundum quam si ab initio sapuisset, nullo modo fortassis, licet a bonis fratribus, sed tamen perversitate disputationum ejus offensis, ad episcopale judicium vocaretur. Porro autem, sicut ego rationem de hac mea epistola reddidi; ita de suis, si esset necesse, redderent quorum allegavit, dicentes vel quid putaverint, vel quid ignoraverint, vel qua ratione scripserint. Proinde Pelagius de quorumlibet sanctorum amicitia se jactaverit, quorumlibet de suis laudibus litteras legerit, quaelibet purgationis suae gesta protulerit, nisi ea quae contra Dei gratiam, qua vocamur et justificamur, posuisse in libris suis idoneorum testium fide probatur, confessus anathematizaverit, ac deinde contra haec ipsa scripserit et disputaverit, nequaquam his quibus plenius notus est, videbitur esse correctus.