Letter 28: Aurelium Innocentius [amiliariler resalutm.

Innocent greets Aurelius warmly, as a familiar. Innocent to Aurelius, bishop of Carthage. In familiar letters true affection abides. For indeed the duties of charity are more rightly earned [exchanged] in private. For that reason I was eager to reply through our brother Julius to a letter sent from outside, lest perhaps the offense of a particular salutation left unattended should remain charged against me, most dear brother. Therefore I restore to your affection the aforesaid our brother, having been judged by the apostolic see and upon the report of a twofold synod. It remains that, the Lord being entreated by us, He may deign to grant that every stain of His Church may be wiped away by our continual labors. May God keep you safe. [Editorial apparatus follows in the source edition, discussing the dating and the manuscript readings of these letters. The editor reasons as follows:] [The events] pertaining to the care of the holy Jerome [are described]: that they were afflicted with the most wicked slaughter, that a deacon was killed, that the buildings of the monastery were set ablaze, that the man himself was scarcely defended by God's mercy as by a more fortified tower from this assault and onslaught of the impious. "I judge that we ought rather to keep silent, and to wait for what our brother bishops there think ought to be done about these so great evils, evils which who would believe that they could disregard?" For it is clear that the evils described in the appended letters were suffered by Jerome not at all from the Origenists, but from the Pelagians. 2. From the same narrative we learn that the irruption of these heretics into the monastery committed to Jerome's care occurred after the Synod of Diospolis. Whence it follows that it by no means happened then, when Jerome was abstaining from communion with John. For in the year 415, in the closing month of December, the Palestinian or Diospolitan synod was held. But from the year 397 they prove that John was reconciled with Jerome through the efforts of Theophilus of Alexandria. (Compare Tillemont, vol. XII, p. 199.) From the same source it is also manifest that the following letters were sent and written before the year 416. But neither does John's death, recorded in the year 417, persuade that they are much later than this year. By Baronius they are referred to the end of the year 416. But it ought to have been gathered by him from letter 55 that they are to be deferred to the year 417. For he judges that Aurelius -- to whom this letter is addressed, and through whom Jerome wished his letters to be delivered to Innocent, and the letters by which Innocent was writing back to Jerome to be returned to himself -- is none other than the bishop of Carthage; nor does anyone contradict him in this matter. But indeed, when this Aurelius with his colleagues at the beginning of the year 417 was writing to Innocent against Pelagius and Caelestius, he did not know that Jerome had suffered anything from the satellites of those heretics. Then only had it been spread abroad in Africa that Pelagius, established at Jerusalem, was deceiving many there, but that very many more -- among whom in the letter of the Milevitan synod Jerome alone is named -- were "contending against him on behalf of the grace of Christ and the truth of the catholic faith." Certainly this passage demanded that there also be added what the new defender of the grace of Christ had endured from the impious, if the knowledge of so atrocious a crime had reached Africa. Yet it is not to be doubted that that most bitter conflict of Jerome against Pelagius was the true cause why he was so cruelly treated. Although therefore Eustochium and Paula had concealed the cause and author of the violence inflicted on their monastery, nevertheless, since Innocent had been forewarned of the things Pelagius was carrying on at Jerusalem, it was not difficult to scent this out. 3. That pope rebuked John of Jerusalem with letters so threatening, not only because it was his duty either to restrain or to avenge such outrages, but also because there was perhaps not lacking a suspicion that he had favored them. The old quarrels between him and Jerome over the cause of Origen, though long since lulled, were not hidden. He had also heard, with rumor reporting it, how much Pelagius was loved by John. On which account Augustine in letter 179, n. 1, thus addresses John himself: "Pelagius, our brother, your son, who I hear is much loved by you"; and in number 5: "If you love Pelagius, let him also love you, nay rather himself more, and let him not deceive you." 4. Among other things we observe that Innocent's letter to this John savors of a Greek turn of phrase: and so that this pope either wrote in Greek, or at least took care that whatever he had written in Greek should be turned into Latin, and that only a Latin interpretation of this Greek text, very faithful to it, has come down to us. Indeed one passage and another, which at first appearance seem obscure or even mutilated, when measured against the Greek phrasing, at once turn out clear and entire. [The editor further notes:] This Aurelius is recorded to have had an affection for arriving at [Jerome at] Bethlehem, but not to have arrived. Nor, if he had taken the care, would there have been need of these letters. We should therefore think it safer that he gave his effort that they [Jerome's household] might be deterred by someone of his own people. [On a disputed manuscript reading:] It had been published in a contrary sense, against Innocent's meaning, and the longer-standing reading; until, from the re-examination of the Vatican archetype itself, our conjecture was confirmed, and we learned that the error arose from the mere unskillfulness of a copyist in reading old characters. Innocent has in view that passage of Paul, Titus III, 10: "A heretical man, after a first and second correction, avoid." And this that pope teaches especially concerning a stubborn and fraudulent heretic, such as Pelagius was, who strove rather to deceive and to cover his heresy than to seek the truth. LETTER XXXIII. Innocent sends a letter to Aurelius to be delivered to Jerome. To my most beloved brother Aurelius, Innocent. Our fellow-presbyter Jerome has well believed in your most dutiful affection for reaching even to us. We have compassion for the member of our flock, and what we judged ought to be done, or what we were able to do, we have swiftly carried out. Let your brotherhood, most dear brother, hasten the more quickly to deliver the letters to the aforesaid Jerome. LETTER XXXIV. Innocent consoles Jerome for the things he has suffered, and declares what for the present he has judged ought to be done, and has now already done. To my most beloved son Jerome the presbyter, Innocent. The Apostle testifies that contention has never done any good in the Church; and therefore he bids that the corrections of heretics be made first, rather than be drawn out in long-continued debate. While this rule is regarded negligently, the evil that must be guarded against is not avoided, but increased. Yet because your grief and groaning so shakes our inward parts that there is no occasion [now] for handling and deliberating, first I address the faith of your constancy. That anyone for the truth's sake is struck by injury, or, as you say, by peril, because he awaits blessedness -- of this you have often related much, and we admonish you, who are well mindful of your own preachings. Therefore, roused by so great a scene of evils, we hastened to seize the authority of the apostolic see for suppressing every wickedness; but against whom we should rise up we have read neither named by name, nor charged by any account of crime. Therefore what we can, we suffer with you. But if you lay down an open and manifest accusation against certain persons, either I will appoint suitable judges, or if anything more pressing and more careful can be done by us, I will not delay, most beloved son. Nevertheless I have written to my brother bishop John, that he act more circumspectly: lest anything of this kind still arise concerning the church entrusted to him -- which it behooved him to provide against, that it should not befall, or should not happen -- and other things, with which he closes that same letter. [...] something more, even to those to whom relief can be brought, whom not crime brought hither, but rather error; with these, when they say they still fear more than [...] should befall, even though this be afterwards most troublesome.

Aurelium Innocentius [amiliariler resalutm. Innocentius Aurelio episcopo Carthaginensi. In familiaribus scriptis dilectio vera consisiit. Elenim jus firmius charitalis olficia nielius ' scorsum mercantiif. Quainobreui per fratreir. noslriini Jnlium episiolse cxirinseciis missae respondere s gestivi, ne apud me forsitan remaneret peculiaris negntae salu- talionis offensa, fralcr eharissime. Supradicliiin igi- r tnr fralreni nosiruni liue dilectioui resliiuo eum aposioliea? sedis h ad rclaiionem rtuplicis synodi ju- dicalis. Snpcrcsl , ul oratus a noliis Diuninns | rie- staredignetur, qiiaienus oiunis Eccleshxsuae macula, coiitinuis laborihus nosiri- possil abstergi. Deus te cilbe ad curam sancti iiieronymi pertinenles, scele- ralissiina c;ode afficerenlur, diaconus oceidere ur, aililicia inonasterioi nni inccndereulnr, vix ipsum ah boc iinpelii aique incursu iiupiorum in Dei mise- ricordia lurris munilior luereiur, lacemlum nobis poiius vitleo, et exspeciamliini quid illic fraires nosiri episcopi de his lantis malis agendiini exisli- meiil, a quibus eos dissimulare posse quis crednt?» Ea eniin qrjne in subjeclis epislolis desrribitnlur mala, Hicronymum miniip.e ab Origenislis, sed a Pelagianis pcrpesstim esse liquet. 2. E\ eadeni narratione discimus, horum haareli- corum in monasteriiitn Ilieronymi ctir;e comiiiissnm irriiplionem post Diospolilanam syiitidiim eonli- gisse. L'nde illud conseqtiens esl , ul neqiiaquam ttinc evcneril, cum llieionymiis a Jonnnis coinnm- nionc abslinebat. Anno eniiu 415, nieuse Decembri labenle, celebrala est Pal;esiina seu Diospolilana synodus. Abanno autem 597, Joannem Theopliili Alexandrini opera ciim Ilicionymo reeonciliaiitm esseerutliii proh;inl. (!'. Tillem. lom. XII, p. 199.) Indidein quoipie manifeslum est, C|iistolas seipientes mittinie anie aiinuin 416 fuisse scriptas. Sed neque hoc anno illas multo pusieriores e^se Joannis inors anno 417 consignaia persuadet. A Baronio ad linem Aug. et mss. Valic. et Corb. rmii deessent in aliis, sunl resiiiuia. 0 Etlil. Rom. el Concil. lolain rem. Cnrb. ms.,(o- Inm. Verius editi alii el setipii libri, toiam , scilieel legem. Ul enim annoiavit Quesnellus, allmlii Inno- cenlius ad illod Aposioli Roirt. mi. I : scientibiis enim tegem toquor. II i ei postesi Cicle-iiniis Ephesiiinhi syuotlum alloquenS epi-l. 17, n. 4, ail: His omnibus breviiei animuti , quia , sicitl uit Apostolui, scietttibus legem loguor. 1 G trn. , gunliler vel iis iwssil subveniri, quos non scelus liuc , scd magis criur indu.cit : eorruple. Ilic erroris auetor ab li^, quos ille seduxii, dlsiiiiguitlir. fl Apu.l Qnesn. m in edlt. Rom. etConcil. ae ple- risque nis^. tlcs |ti:t' siil)sei|iiuntur. Ilorum loco MilMiiuii Garner. , Honorio xi et Coiwantio n coss. (hn Corbeiensem piuxlt codlcem, Itisi veltistius sit iiiendiiin , sineerain leclinnem prae oculis liahens , eani ex iiiipcniia sic depravatahi extiibuit : Ptidie knlendas Febrvarias gloriosissrmi TheodOsii ijui elJu- nii qtuirti Patladii v. c. conss. Ncnipe , ut in novis- siina Augii8iini ciliiione observatum fuit, notaiu p. c. lotjo niovens, el cum vi kalendas conjnngens imle lecit priilie kalendas ; el loco Theodosii vu aug. legit Theodosii qui. Ex collalione epistolas 29 , ui mani- fesius lit uierqtte lapsus, ila et restaiiraiur. Eadem Inscriplio iu ms. Vatic. ita effertur : Duta kal. Fe- bruarii post. cons. 7 heodosii aug. elJunii Quurlt Pal- luilti, oinissis seil. duabiis numeiicis uotis. In veleribus Codicis a Quesneiio vtilgali lucnoo eollcctioms Isidori exciuplauhiis habetur, inscnhi- lurque magno consensu epistola familiaris, Eodein teiitpore, (]uo ires superiores , seripia ac per eum- deni episcopum Juliuin missa esl. D r Edit Kom. ct Coucil., mclius se orsa mercantur : corriguntur ex niss. Mox extrmsecus missa; , id est separatim scripiae. B Veius cxemplar Cod. Quesn., respoudcre malui- mus, uc upud nos forsilun, mox Omisso [rulcr charis- sime. vox digiwm et prseier (idem m^s. addilitffi 1'oiiojm- dicata appellai Innocentius responsa, qnseaposiolio* setlis de relius ad ipsain relali» jniliciuin intlicctit. Il;ec dno verba , judicaium ei comtiiulnm Vigilio papt el Gregoiio syiiunyiiia esse suo loco visui i su- iinls. 1 Noia consularis hic proetermissa , e\ superiori- Inis epistolis esi supplenda. 59U 600 anni 4l6refernnttir. Vernm eas in annum 417 diffe- * rendas es^e ipsi ex epistnla 55 culligendum fuit. Anrelimn eniin, cui inscribilur ba-c epistola, el per qiiein Hieronymus. litteras suas Innocenlio tradi, ac vit i^siio Innocenlius eas t|iiilnis llieronymo rescri- beliai, ipsi reddi voluil , non aliuiu esse censel ab epNcnpo Catbaginensi ; nec ci liac in re nllus refra- gnlur. At veio tluin Aurelius iste cnm collegis anno 417 ineuntc ad Innoceniium coiura Pelagium aiipie Cceesiiuin scriberet, Hierotiymiun ;ib lioruin hasre- tii oiiiiii saielliiilms qnidquam passuin esse ignora- bat Tunc lanlum in Africa perviilgatum erat, Pela- gium llierosolyniisconstitutummullos ilii fallere, sed uiulio plnres, ex quibus in epistola Milevitanae sy- nodi liiernnymus unus appeilamr, < adversus cniu pro graiia Christi et calholicae Gdei veritate confli- gere. » Certe posuilabat liic locus, ut et ul, quod novus gratiae Christi defensor ab impiis pertulerat, adjiceretur, si facinoris tam atrocis noiitia in Af- ricam pervenissei. Non ambigendum lainen, quin acerriiniis ille Hieronymi adversus Pelagium con- flcius vera exstiteril causa, cur curti eo tain crnde- lileractum sit. Quamvis igilur Eustochiuin el Paula violenii.e monasterio suo illatse causam etauctorem relieui-senl, Innocentio lanien de iis, qu;c Pelagius Hierosolymis actitabat, prsemonilo hoc subodorari diflicile noii fuit. 5. Joanneiii llierosulymilaiiiim minacibus adeo lit- teris corripuil is papa, nmi soluni, quiaejuserat tauta llagitia vel coercere vel vindicare; sed et quia euin illis favisse suspii io forie non deerat. Nnn la- tebanl veteres imer illum el llieroiiymuiu Oi igenis causa etsi jam prideni sopitae siniuhates. Fania quoquf nuutiaute andieral, quantum a Joanne Pe- lagiu^ dibgereiur. Quocirca ipsuin Joannem Augus- linus epist. 17;i, n. I, sic nlloquilur : « Pelagmm veni frairem nosirum, lilium mum, quem audio quod inuliiiiii diligis; > et miin. 5 : t Si diligitis Pe- lagium, diligat vos eliam ipse, inuno magis se ipsum, et iiou vos lallat. > 4. neiimm oliservamus, epistolam Innocentii ad hunc Joannem Cr;ecam phrasiin sapere : adeoque hunc papam vel Gr.vce sciipsisse, vel certe ult|iitid Gr;ece scripseiat iu latinum converleretur, r urasse, ac solain hiijns Gr.eci lexius iiiteipreiatiuiiein Laii- nam littene valtle tenacem ad nos pei vemsse. Saue unus el alter loeus, qui piima specie obscuri vel etiani manci apparent, ad Grsccain phrasiin exacli, stalim perspicui etinlegii evadunl. * In edit. Concil. 54. Quae autem 55 erat , ntmc 54. Hic lameii Aurelius in Diiiem perveniendi aflectio- nem habere, n<>n pervenisse meinuratur. Nec si exstilissei curam, liiteris istis opus fuis?el. Saiius igitur censuerimus eum, ut ab aliquo e snis deler- rentur, operam dedisse. Innoceniii nienli conlrario seusu iia viilgaium erat, magisque diuiurna, cum ex ipsius arclletypi Yaticani recngiiiiiOiie conjectura nusira (irniala e^t, ac men- diiiu ex mer.i librarit in legendis veteiibus liluis imperilia iiatnni esse didicimus. Respicit Innocen- lius ad isliul Pauli Til. III, 10: Hcereticum liominem post primam el secundam correpiionem devita. Id vero niaxime docet ille pap.i de lisretico pertinaci et 1'iaudii'enlo, qualis erat Pel igius, qui lallere inagis stndebat ct haeresini suam tegc-re, quam quserere ve- ritatem. EPISTOLV « XXXIII. Litleras Aurelio mittit Innocentius Hieromjmo reddendas. Dilectissimo fralri Aubei.io Innocentius. Piissimam eliam ad nos perveniendi '' lusm affec- lionein bene compresbyler noster credidit Hierony- mus.Compatiimirgregisnostrimembro.elqundfaeieii- diim diixiuiiis, ve! facere poiuiinus, simius velociter exsecuii. Germanitas lua , frater cbarissime, cititu litteras memorato (Hieromjmo) rcddere festinet. EPISTOL.V c XXXIV. Innocentius Hieromjmum, ob ea qua; passus est conso- latur, et quid pro tcmpore [uciendum duxeril, ac jam [ccerit, dectarul. Oilectissimo lilio IIieronvmo prcsbytero I Innocentius. Ntimquam boni aliquid contentionem fecisse in Ecclesia lestatur Aposiolus; et ideo hsereticornm correptiones primum fieii jubel d magis, quani diu- turna duci collatione. Qua: rcgula dum negligenter • aspicitur, maluin non viiatur quod cavendum est , sed augelur. Tamen quoniam dolor gemitusque luits ita qualit viscera nostra, ut f ratio non traclandi consulendique sit : prinium conMantise luse alloquor fidem. Pro verilale quisque injuria, aul, ut dicis, periculo percellelur, b quia cxspectet bealitiidiuem, multis s;vpe narrastis, eih tuarum te pinedicationum bene meinureni commonemus. Ilaque excitati lanla malornm scena, arripere auctorilatem sedis aposlo- licse ad omne conipriineuduin nefas festinavimus ; C sed in queni insurgeremus nec nomine appellatum legimus, nec criminis aliqua ratioiie laxaium. Quod ergo possumus, condolenius. Si deposneris autem apertam manifeslamque in homines aliquos accusa- tioneui, aut judices compeitnles iiibuani, aulsi ali- quid urgenlius sollicitiiisque a nobis fieri potest, lion retardabo, fili dilcclissime. Tamen episcopo fratri meo Joanni sciipsi, ut circitmspectius agat : ne ' quid cirea ecclesiam sibi creditam adbuc lale hic perinde est atque consideralur, substiliiil in textu accipitur. '. In ms. Vatic. deest ratio. Aliqund aliud voca- biiluin ad integritatem sententioe desideratur. lnte- grior ent, si legaiur, ut nullu ratio. R ln edit. Loncil. po.sl Barnn. qui exspectat. D Veiius Rtini. cuni ms. Valic. quia exspectet. Niiidior. fiel bac lectio ila conslrucia : Quisque (ceu quisquis) injuria aut periculo pro veritate percellelur, <iuia is beutiludinemexspeclct, ipsi multis sa'pe narraslis, seu exposuislis. Ex i|iit) sequitur, nl hnjnsinodi vir, ctim S|ie bealus sil, minus sit lugendus. 1 lutegrior fiet hic lucus, si ila legaiur : nesi circa ecclesium sibi creditnm adliuc tule aliqiud fwt, quiile providere eum oportuit ne uccidercl, vel ne acccidal. Ilic ineinorat Innocentius quod sub epistolaj sequen- lis initium ad Joanuem scribil : Oporluil custodire germanilatem tuam, et gregi suo sollicitius providere, ue qnid linjusmodi orirelur, neciiou alia, quibus eain- deni epi-iolain claudit. Cum iis, qu:c limoi entius Ilune seiiliit, b;ec Augtistiui lib. de Geslis Pelagii, n. 06, conferenda sunt dc iisdein malis verba i lnij''n 601 EPISTOL^ ET DECRETA. L602 aliquid fiat, quale providere et propellore, ne acci- \ tiones, ciim plus se adhnc metuere dicant, qnam derel, vcl ne accidat, etiain ijisi sit et postea moles- tissimum.