55. [L.]—Ambrose Witnesses that Perfect Purity is Impossible to Human Nature.

He ought, moreover, carefully to note that, in the very same context from which he quoted that passage of Ambrose’s, which seemed so satisfactory for his purpose, he also said this: “To be spotless from the beginning is an impossibility to human nature.”139    See Augustin, above, De Naturâ et Gratiâ, c. 75 [lxiii.]. In this sentence the venerable Ambrose does undoubtedly predicate feebleness and infirmity of that natural “capacity,” which Pelagius refuses faithfully to regard as corrupted by sin, and therefore boastfully extols. Beyond question, this runs counter to this man’s will and inclination, although it does not contravene the truthful confession of the apostle, wherein he says: “We too were once by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”140    Eph. ii. 3. For through the sin of the first man, which came from his free will, our nature became corrupted and ruined; and nothing but God’s grace alone, through Him who is the Mediator between God and men, and our Almighty Physician, succours it. Now, since we have already prolonged this work too far in treating of the assistance of the divine grace towards our justification, by which God co-operates in all things for good with those who love Him,141    Rom. viii. 28. and whom He first loved142    1 John iv. 19.—giving to them that He might receive from them: we must commence another treatise, as the Lord shall enable us, on the subject of sin also, which by one man has entered into the world, along with death, and so has passed upon all men,143    Rom. v. 12. setting forth as much as shall seem needful and sufficient, in opposition to those persons who have broken out into violent and open error, contrary to the truth here stated.

CAPUT L.

55. Attendat sane iste in eodem ipso loco, unde hoc Ambrosianum testimonium, quod ei placebat, assumpsit, etiam illud eum dixisse, quod «ab initio esse immaculatum , humanae impossibile sit naturae: ubi omnino illam naturalem possibilitatem, quam Pelagius non vult fideliter respicere peccato esse vitiatam, et ideo jactanter extollit, enervem infirmamque testatur venerandus Ambrosius: procul dubio contra istius voluntatem, sed non contra apostolicam veritatem, ubi legitur, Fuimus et nos aliquando 0386 natura filii irae, sicut et caeteri (Ephes. II, 3). Ipsa est enim per peccatum primi hominis, quod ex libero ejus venit arbitrio, vitiata et damnata natura; cui sola per Mediatorem Dei et hominum et omnipotentem medicum divina subvenit gratia. De cujus adjutorio ad justificationem nostram, quo Deus diligentibus eum omnia cooperatur in bonum (Rom. VIII, 28), quos prior dilexit (I Joan. IV, 19), donans eis ut diligeretur ab eis, quia jamdiu est ut disserimus: deinceps incipiamus, quantum Dominus adjuverit, etiam de peccato, quod per unum hominem cum morte intravit in mundum, atque ita in omnes homines pertransiit (Rom. V, 12), adversus istos qui in errorem huic contrarium veritati apertius eruperunt, quae satis esse videbuntur exprimere.