33. C. Pray have you not read that [5248] "He who looks upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart?" It seems that not only are the look and the allurements to vice reckoned as sin, but whatever it be to which we give assent. For either we can avoid an evil thought, and consequently may be free from sin; or, if we cannot avoid it, that is not reckoned as sin which cannot be avoided.
A. Your argument is ingenious, but you do not see that it goes against Holy Scripture, which declares that even ignorance is not without sin. Hence it was that Job offered sacrifices for his sons, lest, perchance, they had unwittingly sinned in thought. And if, when one is cutting wood, the axe-head flies from the handle and kills a man, the owner is [5249] commanded to go to one of the cities of refuge and stay there until the high priest dies; that is to say, until he is redeemed by the Saviour's blood, either in the baptistery, or in penitence which is a copy of the grace of baptism, through the ineffable mercy of the Saviour, who [5250] would not have any one perish, nor delights in the death of sinners, but would rather that they should be converted and live.
C. It is surely strange justice to hold me guilty of a sin of error of which my conscience does not accuse itself. I am not aware that I have sinned, and am I to pay the penalty for an offence of which I am ignorant? What more can I do, if I sin voluntarily?
A. Do you expect me to explain the purposes and plans of God? The Book of Wisdom gives an answer to your foolish question: [5251] "Look not into things above thee, and search not things too mighty for thee." And elsewhere, [5252] "Make not thyself overwise, and argue not more than is fitting." And in the same place, "In wisdom and simplicity of heart seek God." You will perhaps deny the authority of this book; listen then to the Apostle blowing the Gospel trumpet: [5253] "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor?" Your questions are such as he elsewhere describes: [5254] "But foolish and ignorant questioning avoid, knowing that they gender strifes." And in Ecclesiastes (a book concerning which there can be no doubt) we read, [5255] "I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me. That which is exceeding deep, who can find it out?" You ask me to tell you why the potter makes one vessel to honour, another to dishonour, and will not be satisfied with Paul, who replies on behalf of his Lord, [5256] "O man, who art thou that repliest against God?"
The remainder of this book is occupied by a series of quotations from the Old Testament, designed to show that it is not only the outer and conscious act which is reckoned sinful, but the opposition to the Divine will, which is often implicit and half-conscious. Occasionally, also, the speaker shows how the texts quoted enforce the argument which he has before used, that men may be spoken of as righteous in a general sense, yet by no means free from sins of thought or desire, if not of act.
The passages quoted are:
Gen. viii. 21. I will not curse the ground....for the mind of man is set on evil from his youth.
xvii. 17, xviii. 12. Abraham and Sarah laughing at the promise.
xxxvii. 35. Jacob's excessive grief.
Exod. xxi. 12, 13. The guilt of one who slays another unawares.
Lev. iv. 2, 27. Offerings for sins of ignorance.
v. 3. Offerings for ceremonial uncleanness.
ix. 1. Offerings for Aaron at his consecration.
xii. 6. Offerings for women after childbirth.
xiv. 1, 6, xvi. 6, xii. 7. Offerings for the leper.
xv. 31, xvi. 2, 5. Offerings for the people on the day of atonement.
xxii. 14. Eating the hallowed things ignorantly; compared with 1 Cor. xi. 27, 28, of careless participation in Sacrament.
Numbers vi. 1. Offerings for the Nazarite.
xiv. 7, vii. 28, 29. Offerings for imploring God's Mercy.
xxviii. 15, 22, xxix. 5, v. 11, 17. Offerings at the feast.
Numbers xxxv. 13. The cities of refuge provided for manslayers.
Deut. ix. 6, xviii. 13. Israel warned not to boast of righteousness.
xviii. 9-12, v. 14, 15. Perfection used only of avoiding idolatry.
xxii. 8. The housetop without a parapet makes a man guilty.
xxiii. 2. Defilement from unconscious personal acts.
Josh. vii. 12. The people made guilty by the sin of Achan.
xi. 19, 20. The racial guilt of the Canaanites.
1 Sam. xiv. 27. Jonathan made guilty by tasting the honey.
xvi. 6. The Lord sees the heart, not the outward appearance.
2 Sam. iv. 11. Ishbosheth spoken of as righteous.
vi. 7, 8. Uzzah smitten for carelessness.
2 Sam. xxiv. 10. David's numbering the people.
1 Kings viii. 46. Solomon's Prayer--There is none that sinneth not.
xiv. 5. The prophet detecting the motive of Jeroboam's wife.
2 Kings iv. 27. Elijah seeing the Shunamite's heart.
1 Chron. ii. 32. Sept. Half-prophets.
Habakkuk iii. 1. Vulgate. A prayer "for sins of ignorance" ("upon Shigionoth"), supposed to be in recognition of over-boldness in i. 2-4.
Ezek. xlvi. 20. The sacrifice of Ezekiel's restored temple.
Jer. x. 23. The way of man not in himself.
xvii. 9. The heart deceitful.
Prov. xiv. 12. A way that seemeth right to a man.
xix. 21. Many devices in a man's heart.
xx. 9. Who can say, I have a clean heart?
17. Who will boast that he is clean?
Eccl. vii. 16. The heart of a man is full of wickedness.
[5143] See S. Aug. De Sp. et Lit., c. i.
[5144] Ps. cxxvii. 1.
[5145] Pumice terere.
[5146] Rom. ix. 16.
[5147] Reading quod super artes est.
[5148] That is, Diodorous, surnamed Cronus, who lived at Alexandria in the reign of Ptolemy Soter (b.c. 323-285). He was the teacher of Philo. For his discussions On the Possible, Zeller's "Socrates and the Socratic Schools," Reichel's translation, pp. 272, 273, and authorities there cited, may be consulted.
[5149] Died b.c. 207, aged 73. He was the first to base the Stoic doctrine on something like systematic reasoning.
[5150] S. Matt. xix. 24.
[5151] S. Matt. xix. 21.
[5152] Job i. 1.
[5153] This appears to be an inaccurate quotation made from memory.
[5154] S. Luke i. 5 sqq.
[5155] Job xvi. 21. Vulg. R.V. Margin--"That one might plead for a man with God as a son of man pleadeth for his neighbour."
[5156] Job xxxi. 35.
[5157] Job ix. 20, 30, 31.
[5158] S. Luke i. 18.
[5159] Ib. 20.
[5160] Eccles. vii. 21.
[5161] 2 Chron vi. 36.
[5162] Ps. xix. 12, 13.
[5163] Ps. cxliii. 2.
[5164] 1 John v. 18, 19.
[5165] 1 John i. 8.
[5166] 1 John i. 9.
[5167] Prov. xviii. 17, Vulg. nearly.
[5168] Is. xliii. 26, Sept.
[5169] Rom. xi. 32.
[5170] Jer. xxiii. 28.
[5171] Deut. xviii. 13.
[5172] S. Matt. v. 48.
[5173] Ps. xli. 7.
[5174] Rom. iii. 23, 24. So R.V. Margin--"To be propitiatory."
[5175] Cic. Lib. iv. Acad. Quæst.
[5176] Phil. iii. 12-16.
[5177] From scheptomai , to keep watch.
[5178] Prov. i. 3, Sept.
[5179] Ps. cxix. 18.
[5180] The reading is much disputed.
[5181] Ps. cxliii. 2.
[5182] Malach. iii. 6.
[5183] 2 Cor. iii. 10.
[5184] Ib. 11.
[5185] 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10.
[5186] 1 Cor. xiii. 12.
[5187] cxxxix. 6.
[5188] Ps. lxxiii. 16, 17.
[5189] Ibid. 22, 23.
[5190] Jer. x. 14.
[5191] 1 Cor. i. 25.
[5192] 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.
[5193] 1 Cor. xii. 21, 29, 11.
[5194] Rom. ix. 21.
[5195] S. Luke i. 48 sq.
[5196] Lam. iv. 6.
[5197] Ezek. xvi. 55.
[5198] Gen. xxxviii. 26.
[5199] 1 Cor. xv. 28.
[5200] Ps. lxii. 2.
[5201] S. John xxi. 15-17.
[5202] James ii. 10.
[5203] Ps. civ. 24.
[5204] According to some, Plato: more probably, Origen, the word archaios being an allusion to the title of his chief work, Peri 'Archon.
[5205] 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5.
[5206] That is, mean.
[5207] 1 Tim. iii. 2 sq.
[5208] Titus i. 5 sq.
[5209] Ps. ci. 6.
[5210] 1 Sam. ii. 24.
[5211] 1 Pet. ii. 22.
[5212] S. John xiv. 30.
[5213] Phil. ii. 6 sq.
[5214] Verse 24.
[5215] Literally, wash a brick (that has not been burnt). Hence (1) labour in vain, or (2) make bad worse. The latter appears to be the meaning here.
[5216] Virg. Georg., iv.
[5217] Rom. xvi. 18.
[5218] Gal. iv. 16.
[5219] Prov. xx. 24.
[5220] Jer. x. 23.
[5221] S. John xx. 11.
[5222] 1 Cor. iv. 7.
[5223] S. John vi. 38.
[5224] S. Luke xxii. 42.
[5225] S. Matt. vi. 10.
[5226] Ps. civ. 35.
[5227] Is. i. 28.
[5228] Ps. xxxii. 10.
[5229] Heb. xii. 6.
[5230] Verse 5. Sept.
[5231] S. John v. 28, 29.
[5232] Rom. ii. 12.
[5233] The reference is to the stature of Pelagius.
[5234] The sense of this passage is much disputed. St. Jerome was, possibly, speaking of persons who upon the whole are sincere and not merely covenanted Christians.
[5235] Jerome seems here to speak in his own person and to address Pelagius directly.
[5236] Cornuta fronte. Literally, "with horned brow." The allusion is to the rays of light which beamed from the face of Moses, the Hebrew word bearing both meanings, ray and horn. Hence the portraiture of him with horns.
[5237] Deut. xxii. 4.
[5238] Rom. xii. 20.
[5239] S. Matt. iii. 2.
[5240] iv. 17.
[5241] iv. 23.
[5242] x. 7.
[5243] A Christian of Carthage who, together with Cyprian, sent relief to the bishops and martyrs in the Mines of Sigus, in Numidia, and elsewhere (a.d. 257).
[5244] Job xiv. 4.
[5245] Ps. li. 5.
[5246] 1 John i. 8.
[5247] Ps. xix. 12, 13.
[5248] S. Matt. v. 28.
[5249] Numb. xxxv. 6.
[5250] Ezek. xviii. 23.
[5251] iii. 21.
[5252] Eccles. vii. 16.
[5253] Rom. xi. 33, 34.
[5254] 2 Tim. ii. 23.
[5255] Eccles. vii. 24, 25.
[5256] Rom. ix. 20.