Against the Pelagians

This book can hardly be said to form part of a dialogue. It is rather an argument from Scripture to prove the point of the Augustinian arguer, Atticus. From the fourth chapter onwards it consists, like the last five chapters of Book I., of a chain of Scripture texts, taken from the New Testament and the Prophets, to show the universality of sin, and thus to refute the Pelagian assertion that a man can be without sin if he wills. We shall, therefore, give, as in the previous case, a list of the texts and the first words of them, only giving Jerome's words where he introduces some original remark of his own, or some noteworthy comment.

The Pelagian begins by reiterating the dilemma: If the commandments are given to be obeyed, then man can be without sin; if he is, by his creation, such that he must be a sinner, then God, not he, is the author of sin. To the argument that sacrifices are enjoined for sins of ignorance, he replies by appealing from the Old Testament to the New, which leads to a discussion (2, 3) on St. Paul's description of the conflict with sin, in Romans 7. Paul, it is argued, speaks not as a sinner, but as a man, and thus confesses the sinfulness of humanity. That men may be without ingrained vice is possible; that they can be without sin is not. This leads the Augustinian, Atticus, resuming his list of testimonies, to the fact that, though men are found who are righteous as avoiding wickedness (κακία), yet none is without sin (ἀ ναμάρτητος).

In Psalm xxxii. 5. One who speaks of himself as “holy,” yet confesses his transgression.

Prov. xxiv. 16. Explains this, “The righteous falls, but sins again.”

xviii. 17, LXX. and Vulgate. A righteous man accuses himself when he begins to speak.

Ps. lviii. 3. Sinners are estranged from the womb; that is, either, as St. Paul says, they sin “after the similitude of Adam”; or, “when Christ, as the firstborn, opened the virgin's womb”. The heretics refused to acknowledge the mystery, which was prefigured by the Eastern door of the Temple, which closed again when once the High Priest had gone through it.

Job iv. 17-21. Shall mortal man be just with God?

vii. 1. The life of man is temptation.

20, 21. If I have sinned, what can I do?

ix. 15, 16. If I were righteous, he would not hear me.

29-31. If I wash myself with snow water, etc.

x. 15. If I be righteous, etc.

xiv. 4, 5. Who will be free from uncleanliness? Not one.

Prov. xvi. 26, LXX. Man toils in sorrow.

Job xl. 4. What shall I answer you?

Prov. xx. 9. “Who will boast that he has a clean heart?” which shows at least that the commandments are not easy, as Pelagius says they are.

1 John v. 3. “His commandments are not grievous,” and

Matt. xi. 30. “My yoke is easy,” are true only in comparison with Judaism, and should be compared with

Acts xv. 10. A yoke...which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear.

James iv. 11. “You judge the law,” that is, if you say that the condemnation of sins of ignorance is unreasonable. That we all sin in such ways is evident from

James i. 20. “The wrath of man works not the righteousness of God.” But anger is constantly condemned as in

Prov. xv. 1, LXX. “Wrath destroys even wise men.”

Eph. iv. 26. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

Matt. v. 22. He who is angry...shall be in danger of council.

Eccles. xi. 19. “I am the most foolish of all men.” This is said by Christ in the person of humanity. So

Ps. lxix. 5. “God, You know my foolishness.” But

1 Cor. i. 25. The foolishness of God is wiser than men.

Ecclus. i. 18. “In much wisdom is much grief,” shows the wise man's sense of imperfection. So

viii. 7. “I hated my life,” and

14. “There be righteous men unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked;” that is, God sees evil where we do not.

17. “However much a man may labor, yet he shall not find it;” and

ix. 2, 3. There is one event to all. The heart...is full of evil.

x. 1. “Dead flies cause the ointment to stink;” That is, almost everyone is defiled by heresy or other faults.

1 Peter 2:17, 18. Judgement must begin at the house of God.