LETTER LXXIII. 

IRENAEUS having enquired why the Law was ever given, seeing that Paul declares it to be injurious: S. Ambrose replies that it would have been useless, had we kept that natural law which is written on our hearts, and is found even in infants; but that, this being broken, the former became necessary, that it might take away all excuse by its manifestation of that sin which was afterwards removed by the grace of Christ.

AMBROSE TO IRENAEUS.

1. Greatly, it would seem, have you been moved by the lesson from the Apostle, having heard read to-day,  Because the Law worketh wrath; for where no law is, there is no transgression. And therefore you have thought fit to ask why the Law was promulgated, if it profited nothing, nay rather, by working wrath and bringing in transgression, was injurious.

2. And indeed, according to the tenor of your question, it is certain that the Law, which was given by Moses, was not necessary. For had men been able to keep the natural Law, which our God and Maker implanted in the breast of each, there would have been no need of the Law, which,  written on tables of stone, tended rather to entangle and fetter the infirmity of human nature, than to set at large and liberate it. Now that there is  a natural Law written in our hearts the Apostle also teaches us, when he writes, that for the most part  the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, and, though they have not read the Law, have yet the works of the Law written in their hearts. 

3. This law therefore is not written but innate; not acquired by reading, but flowing as from a natural fountain, it springs up in each breast, and men's minds drink it in. This Law we ought to have kept even from fear of a future judgment, a witness whereof we have in our conscience, which shews itself in those silent thoughts we have towards God, and whereby either our sin is reproved or our innocence justified. And thus that which has ever been manifest to the Lord, will be clearly revealed in the day of judgment, when those secrets of the heart, which were thought to be concealed, will be called into account. Now the discovery of these things, these secrets, I mean, would do no harm, if the natural Law still remained in the human breast; for it is holy, free from craft or guile, the companion of justice, free from iniquity.

4. Moreover let us interrogate the age of childhood, let us consider whether any crime can be found therein, avarice, ambition, guile, rage, or insolence. It claims nothing for its own, assumes no honours to itself, never prefers itself to others, neither wishes or knows how to avenge itself. Its pure and simple mind cannot even comprehend the meaning of insolence.

5. Adam broke this Law, seeking to assume to himself that which he had not received, that thus he might become as it were his own maker and creator, and arrogate to himself divine honour. Thus by his disobedience he incurred guilt, and through arrogance fell into transgression. Had he not thus violated his allegiance, but been obedient to the commands of heaven, he would have preserved to his posterity the prerogative of nature and the innocence which he possessed at his birth. Wherefore as by disobedience the authority of the Law of Nature was corrupted and blotted out, the written law was found necessary; in order that man, having lost all, might at least regain a part; attaining by instruction to the knowledge of that which he had received at his birth, but had subsequently lost. Moreover, since the cause of his fall was pride, and pride arose from the dignity of innocence, it was needful that some law should be passed which should subdue and subject him to God. For without the Law he was ignorant of sin, and thus his guilt was less because he knew it not. Wherefore also the Lord says,  If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 

6. The Law then was published, first to take away all excuse lest man should say, I knew not sin, because I received no rule what to avoid. And next that  all the world might become guilty   08-7  7. 1 subditus fiat. Vulg.  before God by the confession of sin. For it made all subject; in that it was not only given to the Jews but also called the Gentiles; for proselytes from the Gentiles were associated with them. Nor can he seem to be excepted, who after being called was found wanting, for the Law also bound those whom she called. And thus the fault of all worked subjection, subjection humility, humility obedience. And thus as pride had drawn after it transgression, so on the other hand, transgression produced obedience. And thus the written Law, which seemed superfluous, was rendered necessary, redeeming sin by sin.

7. But again, lest anyone should be deterred, and say that an increase of sin was caused by the Law, and that the Law not only did not profit but was even injurious, he has a consolation for his solicitude, because although  by the Laiv sin abounded, grace did much more abound. And now let us consider the meaning of this.

8. Sin abounded by the Law because  by the Law is the knowledge of sin, and thus it began to be injurious to me to know that which through infirmity I could not avoid; it is good to foreknow in order to avoid, but if I cannot avoid, to have known was injurious. Thus the effect of the Law was changed to me into its opposite, yet by the very increase of sin it became useful to me, because I was humbled. Wherefore David also said,  It is good for me that I have been humbled. For by my humiliation I have broken those bonds of that ancient transgression, whereby Adam and Eve had bound the whole line of their posterity. Hence too the Lord came in obedience that He might loose the knot of disobedience and of man's transgression. And so, as by disobedience sin entered, so by obedience sin was remitted. Wherefore the Apostle also says,  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 

9. Here is one reason the Law on the one hand was superfluous and yet became necessary. It was superflous herein, that it would not have been needed could we have kept the natural Law, but as we kept it not, the law of Moses became needful for us, to the intent that it might teach us obedience and loose that knot of Adam's transgression which has fettered his whole posterity. Guilt indeed was increased by the Law, but pride, the author of this guilt, was overthrown by it, and this was profitable to. me, for pride discovered the guilt, and this guilt brought grace.

10. Hear another reason. At first Moses' Law was not needed; it was introduced subsequently, and this appears to intimate that this introduction was in a sense clandestine and not of an ordinary kind, seeing that it succeeded in the place of the natural Law. Had this maintained its place, the written Law would never have entered in; but the natural Law being excluded by transgression and almost blotted out of the human breast, pride reigned, and disobedience spread itself; and then this Law succeeded, that by its written precepts it might cite us before it, and  every mouth be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God. Now the world becomes guilty before God by the Law, in that all are made amenable to its prescripts, but no man is justified by its works. And since by the Law comes the knowledge of sin, but not the remission of guilt, the Law, which has made all sinners, would seem to have been injurious.

11. But when the Lord Jesus came, He forgave all men that sin which none could escape, and  blotted out the handwriting against us by the shedding of His own Blood. This then is the Apostle's meaning; sin abounded by the Law, but grace abounded by Jesus; for after that the whole world became guilty, He took away the sin of the whole world, as John bore witness, saying:  Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Wherefore let no man glory in works, for by his works no man shall be justified, for he that is just hath a free gift, for he is justified by the Bath. It is faith then which delivers by the blood of Christ, for  Blessed is the man to whom sin is remitted, and, pardon granted. 

Farewell, my son; love me, for I also love you.

EPISTOLA LXXIII.

 Interroganti cur lata sit Lex, cum eam obesse Paulus indicet; respondetur inutilem eam futuram, si naturalis, quae inscribitur cordibus nostris, et in infantibus   1251B  deprehenditur, servata esset: hac soluta, illam fuisse necessariam, ut  excusationem tolleret peccatum manifestando, quod postmodum Christi gratia sublatum est. 

AMBROSIUS IRENAEO.

1. Decursa lectione Apostoli, non perfunctorie motus es; quia audisti hodie lectum:  Lex enim iram operatur: ubi autem non est Lex, nec praevaricatio (Rom. IV, 5). Unde et consulendum arbitratus es cur lata sit Lex, si nihil proderat; 1078 immo oberat, quae operaretur iracundiam, et praevaricationem introduceret.

2. Et quidem secundum interrogationem tuam certum est non fuisse Legem necessariam, quae per  1251C Moysen data est. Nam si naturalem legem, quam Deus creator infudit singulorum pectoribus, homines servare potuissent, non fuerat opus ea lege quae, in tabulis scripta lapideis, implicavit atque innodavit magis humani generis infirmitatem, quam elaqueavit atque absolvit. Esse autem legem naturalem in cordibus nostris etiam Apostolus docet, qui scripsit quia plerumque  et gentes naturaliter ea, quae Legis sunt, faciunt; et cum Legem non legerint, opus tamen Legis scriptum habent in cordibus suis  (Rom. II, 14).

3. Ea igitur lex non scribitur, sed innascitur: nec aliqua percipitur lectione, sed profluo quodam naturae fonte in singulis exprimitur, et humanis ingeniis hauritur. Quam debuimus vel futuri judicii metu servare, cujus testis conscientia nostra tacitis cogitationibus  1251D apud Deum ipsa se prodit, quibus vel redarguitur improbitas, vel defenditur innocentia. Itaque cum semper pateat Domino, tum maxime in die judicii manifestabitur; quando occulta cordis in examen venient, quae putabantur latere. Quorum tamen proditio, occultorum scilicet, nequaquam noceret, si lex naturalis inesset pectoribus humanis; est enim sancta, sine versutia, sine fraude, consors justitiae, expers iniquitatis.

4. Denique interrogemus infantiam, videamus si quod in ea crimen reperitur, si avaritia, ambitio,  1252A dolus, saevitia, insolentia. Nihil suum novit, nullos honores sibi arrogat, praeferre se alteri ignorat, fraudem nescit, vindicare sese nec vult, nec potest. Insolentia quid sit puro ac simplici nequit animo comprehendere.

5. Solvit hanc legem Adam, qui voluit sibi arrogare quod non acceperat, ut esset sicut creator et conditor suus, sic ut divinum honorem affectaret. Itaque per inobedientiam offensam traxit, et culpam incidit ex insolentia. Qui si non rupisset imperium, et obediens fuisset mandatis coelestibus, praerogativam naturae atque ingenitae sibi innocentiae haeredibus propriis reservasset. Ergo quia per inobedientiam praerogativa naturalis legis corrupta atque interlita est, ideo scriptum legis existimatum est necessarium;  1252B ut vel partem haberet, qui universum amiserat: et cui perierat quod nascendo assumpserat, discendo saltem cognosceret et custodiret. Simul quia causa dejectionis ejus superbia fuit, superbia autem orta est ex praerogativa innocentiae; debuit ea Lex ferri quae subditum Deo et subjectum redderet (Rom. VII, 8). Nam sine Lege peccatum nesciebatur, et minor erat culpa, ubi erat culpae ignorantia. Unde et Dominus ait:  Si non venissem, et locutus non fuissem iis, peccatum non haberent: nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato (Joan. XV, 22).

6. Lata est ergo Lex, primum ut excusationem tolleret, ne quis diceret: Peccatum nescivi; quia praescriptum non erat quid caverem. 1079 Deinde ut omnes subditos faceret Deo agnitione peccati (Rom. III,  1252C 19). Omnes autem subditos fecit, quia non solum Judaeis data est, sed etiam gentes vocavit; proselyti enim ex gentibus sociabantur. Neque vero exceptus videri potest, qui vocatus defuit; Lex enim quos vocavit et alligavit. Universorum itaque culpa operata est subjectionem, subjectio humilitatem, humilitas obedientiam. Itaque quia superbia culpam contraxerat, e contrario culpa obedientiam generavit. Unde lex scripta, quae videbatur superflua, facta est necessaria; ut peccatum peccato solveret.

7. Sed ne rursus aliquis deterreatur, et dicat incrementum peccati factum esse per Legem, et Legem non solum non profuisse, sed etiam obfuisse arbitretur; habet quo solari suam possit sollicitudinem, quia  etsi per Legem superabundavit peccatum,  1252D  superabundavit et gratia (Rom. V, 20). Quid sit hoc, intelligamus.

8. Superabundavit peccatum per Legem quia per Legem agnitio peccati (Rom. VII, 7), et coepit mihi obesse scire id, quod per infirmitatem vitare non possem; ad cavendum enim prodest praescisse: sed si cavere non queam, obfuit nosse. Versa ergo Lex in contrarium, tamen ipso peccati incremento facta est mihi utilis; quia humiliatus sum. Unde et dixit David:  Bonum est mihi, quod humiliatus sum (Psal. CXVIII, 71). Humiliando autem me, solvi vinculum  1253A erroris superioris, quo Adam et Eva nexuerant omnem propriae seriem successionis. Unde et Dominus quasi obediens venit; ut inobedientiae et praevaricationis humanae Iaqueus solveretur. Itaque sicut per inobedientiam peccatum intravit, ita per obedientiam peccatum solutum est. Unde et Apostolus ait:  Quia sicut per inobedientiam unius hominis peccatores constituti sunt plurimi; ita et per obedientiam unius hominis justi constituentur multi  (Rom. V, 19).

9. Habes igitur unum, quia Lex et superflua fuit, et facta est non superflua: superflua in eo, quia non fuisset necessaria, si illam legem naturalem servare potuissemus: sed quia non servavimus, ista lex per Moysen necessaria facta est; ut doceret me obedientiam, et laqueum illum solveret praevaricationis Adae,  1253B qui laqueus totam astrinxit haereditatem. Crevit quidem culpa per Legem, sed et culpae auctor superbia soluta est, idque mihi profuit; superbia enim culpam invenit, culpa autem gratiam fecit.

10. Accipe aliud. Non fuit necessaria lex per Moysen. Denique subintravit (Ibid. 20): quod utique non ordinarium, sed velut furtivum significare videtur introitum; eo quod in locum naturalis legis intraverit. Itaque si illa suum servasset locum, haec lex scripta nequaquam esset ingressa: 1080 sed quia illam legem excluserat praevaricatio, ac propemodum aboleverat pectoribus humanis, regnabat superbia, inobedientiaque sese diffuderat; ideo successit ista, ut nos scripto conveniret, et omne os obstrueret, ut totum mundum faceret Deo subditum (Rom. III, 19) Subditus autem  1253C mundus eo per Legem factus est, quia ex praescripto Legis omnes conveniuntur, et ex operibus Legis nemo justificatur; id est, quia per Legem peccatum cognoscitur, sed culpa non relaxatur, videbatur Lex nocuisse, quae omnes fecerat peccatores.

11. Sed veniens Dominus Jesus, peccatum omnibus, quod nemo poterat evadere, donavit, et chirographum nostrum sui sanguinis effusione delevit. (Coloss. II, 14). Hoc est quod ait: Superabundavit peccatum per Legem: superabundavit autem gratia per Jesum (Rom. V, 20); quia postquam totus mundus subditus factus est, totius mundi peccatum abstulit, sicut testificatus est Joannes, dicens:  Ecce agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccatum mundi (Joan. I,  1254A 29). Et ideo nemo glorietur in operibus, quia nemo factis suis justificatur: sed qui justus est, donatum habet, quia per lavacrum justificatus est. Fides ergo est quae liberat per sanguinem Christi (Rom. IV, 6); quia beatus ille cui peccatum remittitur, et venia donatur. Vale, fili, et nos dilige; quia nos te diligimus.