"Now with the exception of the holy Virgin Mary in regard to whom, out of respect for the Lord, I do not propose to have a single question raised on the subject of sin-after all, how do we know what greater degree of grace for a complet victory over sins was conferred on her who merited to conceive and bring forth Him who all admit was without sin-to repeat then: with the exception of this Virgin, if we could bring together into one place all those holy men and women, while they lived here, and ask them whether they were without sin, what are we to suppose that they would have replied? Would it be the reply of this man (Pelagius) or that of John the Apostle? I ask you. No matter how they excelled in holiness during her their stay in this body, if they could have been asked, they would have exlaimed with one voice: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."."