One Ambrose quotation that comes up in discussions of Justification by Faith is this one:
Ambrose (c. 339-97): Thus I do not have the wherewithal to enable me to glory in my own works, I do not have the wherewithal to boast of myself, and so I will glory in Christ. I will not glory because I have been redeemed. I will not glory because I am free of sins, but because sins have been forgiven me. I will not glory because I am profitable or because anyone is profitable to me, but because Christ is an advocate in my behalf with the Father, because the blood of Christ has been poured out in my behalf. Fathers of the Church, Vol. 65, Saint Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works, Jacob and the Happy Life, Book 1, §6.21 (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1972), p. 133.
This seems, at least on its face, to be at odds with the approach to justification described by Trent and expressed in canons XII, XXIV, and XXXII on Justification. The reason it seems that way is because it downplays individual merit in favor of forgiveness on the basis of what appears to be an imputation model of the atonement. An even more problematic passage for the Tridentine view is when Ambrose states:
Ambrose (c. 339-97): And Isaac 'smelled the fragrance of his garments.' [Gen. 27.27] And perhaps that means that we are not justified by works but by faith, because the weakness of the flesh is a hindrance to works but the brightness of faith puts the error that is in man's deeds in the shadow and merits for him the forgiveness of his sins. Fathers of the Church, Vol. 65, Saint Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works, Jacob and the Happy Life, Book 2, §2.9 (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1972), p. 151.
This is particularly notable because Ambrose recognizes that these clothes are not Jacob's own:
Ambrose (c. 339-97): Accordingly, Jacob received his brother's clothing, because he excelled the elder in wisdom. Thus the younger brother took the clothing of the elder because he was conspicuous in the merit of his faith. Rebecca presented this clothing as a symbol of the Church; she gave to the younger son the clothing of the Old Testament, the prophetic and priestly clothing, the royal Davidic clothing, the clothing of the kings Solomon and Ezechias and Josias, and she gave it too to the Christian people, who would know how to use the garment they had received, since the Jewish people kept it without using it and did not know its proper adornments. This clothing was lying in shadow, cast off and forgotten; it was not tarnished by a dark haze of impiety and could not be unfolded farther in their confined hearts. The Christian people put it on, and it shone brightly. They made it bright with the splendor of their faith and the light of their holy works. Fathers of the Church, Vol. 65, Saint Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works, Jacob and the Happy Life, Book 2, §2.9 (Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1972), pp. 150-51.
Thanks to Pastor David King for bringing this to my attention and for providing this and other material on Ambrose.
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