Chapter 74 [LXIII.]—Ambrose.

St. Ambrose, however, really opposes those who say that man cannot exist without sin in the present life. For, in order to support his statement, he avails himself of the instance of Zacharias and Elisabeth, because they are mentioned as “having walked in all the commandments and ordinances” of the law “blameless.”197    Luke i. 6. See Ambrose in loco (Exp. 61, s. 17). Well, but does he for all that deny that it was by God’s grace that they did this through our Lord Jesus Christ? It was undoubtedly by such faith in Him that holy men lived of old, even before His death. It is He who sends the Holy Ghost that is given to us, through whom that love is shed abroad in our hearts whereby alone whosoever are righteous are righteous. This same Holy Ghost the bishop expressly mentioned when he reminds us that He is to be obtained by prayer (so that the will is not sufficient unless it be aided by Him); thus in his hymn he says:

“Votisque præstat sedulis,

Sanctum mereri Spiritum,”198    Ambrose’s Hymns, 3.—

“To those who sedulously seek He gives to gain the Holy Spirit.”

CAPUT LXIII.

74. Opponit alia Ambrosii testimonia. Sanctus autem Ambrosius revera in eo loco quem iste commemorat, illis resistit qui dicunt hominem non esse posse sine peccato in hac vita. Ut enim ea diceret, accepit occasionem de Zacharia et Elisabeth, quod in Evangelio commemorati sunt ambulasse in omnibus justificationibus legis sine querela: numquid tamen negat gratia Dei fieri per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum? Ex qua fide etiam ante ejus passionem justos vixisse non dubium est, qui praestat Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis, per quem diffunditur charitas in cordibus nostris, qua una justi sunt quicumque justi sunt. Quem Spiritum memoratus episcopus etiam precibus impetrandum admonet (ita illi voluntas divinitus non adjuta non sufficit), ubi in hymno suo dicit, Votisque praestat sedulis, Sanctum mereri Spiritum .