3. [III.]—Part of the Proceedings of the Council of Carthage Against Cœlestius.

“The bishop Aurelius said: ‘Let what follows be recited.’ It was accordingly recited, ‘That the sin of Adam was injurious to him alone, and not to the human race.’ Then, after the recital, Cœlestius said: ‘I said that I was in doubt about the transmission of sin,148    De traduce peccati, the technical phrase to express the conveyance by birth of original sin. but so as to yield assent to any man whom God has gifted with the grace of knowledge; for I have heard different opinions from those who have been even appointed presbyters in the Catholic Church.’ The deacon Paulinus149    This Paulinus, according to Mercator (Commonit. super nomine Cœlestii), was the deacon of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, and the author of his biography, which he wrote at the instance of Augustin. According to his own showing, he lived in Africa, and wrote the Life of Ambrose when John was pretorian prefect, i.e. either in the year 412, or 413, or 422. The trial mentioned in the text took place about the commencement of the year 412, according to Augustin’s letter to Pope Innocent (See Augustin’s letter, 175, 1. 6). See above, in the treatise On the Proceedings of Pelagius, 23. said: ‘Tell us their names.’ Cœlestius answered: ‘The holy presbyter Rufinus,150    Mercator (Commonit. adv. Hæres. Pelagii) informs us that a certain Syrian called Rufinus introduced the discussion against original sin and its transmission into Rome in the pontificate of Anastasius. According to some, this was the Rufinus of Aquileia, whom Jerome (in Epist. ad Ctesiphont.) notices as the precursor of Pelagius in his error about the sinless nature of man; according, however, to others, it is the other Rufinus, mentioned by Jerome in his 66th Epistle, who is possibly the same as he who rejects the transmission of original sin in a treatise On Faith, which J. Sismondi published as the work of Rufinus, a presbyter of the province of Palestine. It is, at any rate, hardly possible to suppose that the Aquileian Rufinus either went to Rome, or lodged there with Pammachius, in the time of Pope Anastasius. who lived at Rome with the holy Pammachius. I have heard him declare that there is no transmission of sin.’ The deacon Paulinus then asked: ‘Is there any one else?’ Cœlestius replied: ‘I have heard more say the same.’ The deacon Paulinus rejoined: ‘Tell us their names.’ Cœlestius said: ‘Is not one priest enough for you?’” Then afterwards in another place we read: “The bishop Aurelius said: ‘Let the rest of the accusation be read.’ It then was recited ‘That infants at their birth are in the same state that Adam was before the transgression;’ and they read to the very end of the brief accusation which had been previously put in.

CAPUT III.

3. «Aurelius episcopus dixit: Sequentia recitentur. Et recitatum est, Quod peccatum Adae ipsi soli obfuerit, et non generi humano. Et cum recitatum esset, Coelestius dixit: Dixi de traduce peccati dubium me esse, ita tamen ut cui donavit Deus gratiam peritiae consentiam; quia diversa ab 0387 eis audivi, qui utique in Ecclesia catholica constituti sunt presbyteri. Paulinus diaconus dixit: Dic nobis nomina ipsorum. Coelestius dixit: Sanctus presbyter Rufinus Romae qui mansit cum sancto Pammachio: ego audivi illum dicentem, quia tradux peccati non sit. Paulinus diaconus dixit: Est aliquis alius? Coelestius dixit: Audivi et plures dicere. Paulinus diaconus dixit: Dic nomina ipsorum. Coelestius dixit: Non tibi sufficit unus sacerdos?» Et post aliqua alio loco: «Aurelius episcopus dixit: Reliqua libelli legantur. Et recitatum est, Quod infantes qui nascuntur, in eo statu sint, in quo fuit Adam ante transgressionem: usque in finem libelli minoris superius inserti.