11. [X.]—How that Pelagius Deceived the Synod of Palestine.

Now I pray you carefully to observe by what evidence Pelagius is shown to have deceived his judges in Palestine, not to mention other points, on this very question of the baptism of infants, lest we should seem to any one to have used calumny and suspicion, rather than to have ascertained the certain fact, when we alleged that Pelagius concealed the opinion which Cœlestius expressed with greater frankness, while at the same time he actually entertained the same views. Now, from what has been stated above, it has been clearly seen that Cœlestius refused to condemn the assertion that “Adam’s sin injured only himself, and not the human race, and that infants at their birth are in the same state that Adam was before the transgression,” because he saw that, if he condemned these propositions, he would affirm that there was in infants a transmission of sin from Adam. When, however, it was objected to Pelagius that he was of one mind with Cœlestius on this point, he condemned the words without hesitation. I am quite aware that you have read all this before. Since, however, we are not writing this account for you alone, we proceed to transcribe the very words of the synodal acts, lest the reader should be unwilling either to turn to the record for himself, or if he does not possess it, take the trouble to procure a copy. Here, then, are the words:—

CAPUT X.

11. Jam nunc diligenter attendite, unde monstretur quod Palaestinos Pelagius fefellerit judices, ut alia taceam, in hac ipsa quaestione de Baptismate parvulorum: ne forte cuipiam, in eo quod diximus, eum sensum, in quo liberior Coelestius fuit, vobis occultasse Pelagium, cum et ipse non aliter sentiat, calumniari potius vel suspicari, quam certum aliquid comprehendisse videamur. Nempe jam superius satis claruit, propterea Coelestium noluisse damnare quod dicitur, «Adae peccatum ipsi soli obfuisse, non generi humano; et infantes qui nascuntur, in eo statu esse, in quo Adam fuit ante praevaricationem:» quia videbat, si ista damnaret, confirmare se in infantibus peccati ex Adam transitum. Haec autem cum fuissent objecta Pelagio, quod ea cum Coelestio etiam ipse sentiret, sine ulla retractatione damnavit. Quod licet vos legisse sciam; tamen quia non solis vobis hoc scribitur, ne pigeat lectorem ad ipsa gesta recurrere, vel si ea non habet, etiam cum labore perquirere, ipsa inde verba transcribimus, quae infra scripta sunt.