Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

CHAP. in. The Pelagian Controversy. 91
Adam at his creation was considered to be in the same
condition as every other man that has been born, and to
have had the same straggle of the flesh and spirit. 1
2. The Pelagian doctrine had an important bearing on
the doctrine of the Incarnation, in regard to the manner in
which our Lord was, according to that economy, subject to
temptation and trial, and exposed to the approaches of sin.
Scripture says that our Lord was in all points tempted like
as we are. But the Church has not considered it consistent
with piety to interpret this text to mean that our Lord had
the same direct propension to sin that we have, or that
which is called by divines concupiscence. 2 Such direct
appetite for what is sinful is the characteristic of our fallen
and corrupt nature ; and our Lord did not assume a corrupt,
but a sound humanity. Indeed, concupiscence, even prior
to and independent of its gratification, has of itself the
nature of sin 3 ; and, therefore, could not belong to a perfect
Being. Our Lord had all the passions and affections that
legitimately belong to man which ; passions and affections,
tending as they do in their own nature to become inordi
nate, constituted of themselves a state of trial ; but the
Church has regarded our Lord s trial in the flesh as con
sisting in preserving ordinate affections from becoming
inordinate, rather than in restraining desire proximate to
sin from gratification. So mysterious a subject precludes
1
Quod miserrimum bellum in- est, in paradise futuram esse, si nemo
troducere conaris in illius beatissimse peccasset, talemque
in illo fuisse et
pacis et libertatis locum. Op. Imp. priusquam peccaret ; addis ejus con-
1. 5. c. 8. Nos autem dicimus tarn ditioni et istam miseriam per carnis
beatum fuisse ilium hominem ante spiritusque discordiam. C. 16.
2
peccatum, tamque liberse voluntatis,
Christus ergo nulla illicita
ut Dei praeceptum magnis viribus concupivit, quia discordiam carnis et
mentis observans, resistentem sibi spiritus, quse in hominis naturam ex
carnem nullo certamine pateretur, prsevaricatione primi hominis vertit,
nee aliquid omnino ex aliqua cupi- prorsus ille non habuit, qui de
ditate sentiret, quod nollet. L. 6. Spiritu et Virgine non c. 14. Addo ad bonitatem conperconcupis-
centiam carnis est natus. Op. Imp.
ditionis Adse quod in eo caro adversus
spiritum non concupiscebat ante
1. 4. c. 57.
3 Malum esse quamvis mente non
peccatum : tu autem qui talem dicis consentiente, vel carne tamen talia
carnis concupiscentiam qualis nunc concupiscere. Op. Imp. 1. 5. c. 59.