47. [XLIII.]—Ambrose Most Highly Praised by Pelagius.

“The blessed Bishop Ambrose,” says he, “in whose writings the Roman faith shines forth with especial brightness, and whom the Latins have always regarded as the very flower and glory of their authors, and who has never found a foe bold enough to censure his faith or the purity of his understanding of the Scriptures.” Observe the sort as well as the amount of the praises which he bestows; nevertheless, however holy and learned he is, he is not to be compared to the authority of the canonical Scripture. The reason of this high commendation of Ambrose lies in the circumstance, that Pelagius sees proper to quote a certain passage from his writings to prove that man is able to live without sin.111    See On Nature and Grace, above, ch. 74. This, however, is not the question before us. We are at present discussing that assistance of grace which helps us towards avoiding sin, and leading holy lives.

CAPUT XLIII.

47. «Beatus,» inquit, «Ambrosius episcopus, in cujus praecipue libris Romana elucet fides, qui scriptorum inter Latinos flos quidam speciosus enituit, cujus fidem et purissimum in Scripturis sensum, ne inimicus quidem ausus est reprehendere.» Ecce qualibus et quantis praedicat laudibus, quamlibet sanctum et doctum virum, nequaquam tamen actuoritati Scripturae canonicae comparandum. Quem propterea sic iste commendat, quia videtur sibi in quodam loco librorum ejus eo teste uti, quo probet hominem posse esse sine peccato: unde nunc non agitur, sed agitur de auxilio gratiae, quo ad non peccandum adjuvamur justeque vivendum.