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De la grâce de Jésus-Christ et du péché originel

8.

Appuyé sur cette promesse de soumission, le vénérable pape Zosime, sentant qu'il avait affaire à un homme que le vent d'une fausse doctrine avait enflé d'orgueil, se proposa de l'amener à une condamnation formelle de toutes les accusations soulevées contre lui par le diacre Paulin, et à une acceptation explicite de la lettre apostolique de son prédécesseur de sainte mémoire. Mais Célestius refusa obstinément de céder sur le premier point; quant à la lettre du pape Innocent, il n'osa la repousser, et alla même jusqu'à promettre « de condamner tout ce « que le Saint-Siège condamnerait ». C'était bien là le frénétique qui, sous l'influence d'une douce chaleur, commence à prendre du repos; toutefois il ne parut pas encore mériter qu'on le relevât de l'excommunication qui pesait sur lui. Néanmoins deux mois lui furent accordés pour réfléchir et pour venir à résipiscence, en attendant qu'une lettre d'Afrique apprît à Rome s'il voulait profiter de l'indulgence qui lui était offerte. Il lui suffisait de déposer son obstination vaniteuse, de se rappeler sa promesse et de lire attentivement la lettre à laquelle il s'était engagé de souscrire ; à ce prix sa guérison était assurée. Mais l'assemblée des évêques d'Afrique, témoin de ses dispositions, dut répondre qu'il n'était que trop juste de confirmer la sentence qui le frappait. Lisez tous ces documents, car nous vous les avons tous adressés.

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A Treatise on the grace of christ, and on original sin

Chapter 8 [VII.]--Coelestius Condemned by Zosimus.

The venerable Pope Zosimus, keeping in view this deprecatory preamble, dealt with the man, puffed up as he was with the blasts of false doctrine, so as that he should condemn all the objectionable points which had been alleged against him by the deacon Paulinus, and that he should yield his assent to the rescript of the Apostolic See which had been issued by his predecessor of sacred memory. The accused man, however, refused to condemn the objections raised by the deacon, yet he did not dare to hold out against the letter of the blessed Pope Innocent; indeed, he went so far as to "promise that he would condemn all the points which the Apostolic See condemned." Thus the man was treated with gentle remedies, as a delirious patient who required rest; but, at the same time, he was not regarded as being yet ready to be released from the restraints of excommunication. The interval of two months being granted him, until communications could be received from Africa, a place for recovery was conceded to him, under the mild restorative of the sentence which had been pronounced. For in truth, if he would have laid aside his vain obstinacy, and be now willing to carry out what he had undertaken, and would carefully read the very letter to which he had replied by promising submission, he would yet come to a better mind. But after the rescripts were duly issued from the council of the African bishops, there were very good reasons why the sentence should be carried out against him, in strictest accordance with equity. What these reasons were you may read for yourselves, for we have sent you all the particulars.