To Florus 2.236

Those whom he strove to amend would more rightly admonish him to weigh how much he commanded and recognize that the first step of sound counsel is to observe moderation in commands. Teaching is stripped of authority when fairness does not defend it; it is full of authority when justice’s balance commends it. It is therefore established that the apostle, the churches’ revered teacher, giving an account of his teaching through good judgment, fairness, and humanity, meant nothing about natural sin. Rather, he insisted, as was the case, that we had been slaves of vices only through our will, and that through the same will, if corrected, we can serve righteousness. But since I have been occupied this far in explaining this passage, to show that the Manichaeans can find no defense in the apostle Paul’s words, and since the sequence of his discourse has disclosed the truth he follows throughout the entire body of his statements, let this be the end of the second book. Here, however, we must warn that nothing remains for the advocates of inherited sin except shamelessness. They confessed that they had no defense in reason and claimed all their comfort from the apostolic words we have explained. Now that it is clear these prescribe nothing disgraceful, nothing at odds with holiness and reason, their position has plainly fallen. Reason, together with many scriptural authorities, and the catholics’ reverence for God have overthrown it; and the supposed meaning of this passage no longer protects it (compare Romans 6:17–19).