Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

92 The Pelagian Controversy. CHAP. nr.
all exactness of definition ; yet the Church expressed a
substantial truth of morals, as well as one of faith and
piety, when she guarded the person
of our Lord from the
too near approaches
of sin. Desire discloses, on a nearer
examination, different moral complexions, and at a certain
stage is seen to be no longer a neutral thing. Our Lord,
therefore, had not the whole of desire assigned to Him, but
only that earlier stage
of it which is consistent with a sound
nature ; and, together with a true trial, a true sinlessness
was provided for.
But S. Augustine had to contest this whole question
with the Pelagian in the instance of our Lord, as he had
contested it before in the instance of Adam. The Pelagian
who attached concupiscence to man in Paradise, saw no
reason it
against attaching
to the humanity assumed by
our Lord. Intent on effort exclusively as the test of good
ness, he argued that it was this very strength of desire
which constituted the force of trial ; and that, therefore,
the great merit of our Lord s obedience was destroyed by
1
supposing Him to have been without it. Moreover, He
was our Model, as having been subjected to the same trials ;
but if His desires were weaker than ours, His temptation
had been less, and the force of His example was less with
it. 2
But, it was replied, that a state of mind which kept
off the approach of sin was a higher one than that which
resisted it near that the merit of our Lord s obedience
;
1 Julian: Non qui virtute judicii blasphemous conclusion in the case
delicta vitasset ; sed qui felicitate of our Lord. Ecce quod Christo
carnis a nostrissensibus sequestra tse, conaris importare insane
cupiditatem vitiorum sentire nequi- Tanto quippe in eo continentia spirivisset.
Augustine objects to this tus major est, quantomajorem carnis
mode of stating the Catholic position.
Sensissetenim si habuisset ;
concupiscentinm coerceret. C. 52.
2
Nunquam commemorationem
non enim sensus ei defuit quo earn fecisset exempli : quern enim ho-
sentiret, sed voluntas adfuit qua minibus ostenderet imitandum, si
non haberet. 1. Op. Imp. 4. c. 48. ilium externse carnis natura discre-
And he observes that if, according visset. . . Quanto ei rectius diceret
to Julian s argument, the merit of
virtue lay
segritudo peccantium et securitas
in conquest, it would coactorum follow that where the virtue was
" cum valemus omnes
;
recta consilia prsebemus segrotis ;
greatest, the passions must be tu si sic esses, aliter longe longeque
strongest ; which would lead to a sentires." Op. Imp. 1. 4. c. 86, 87.