Rom 5:12-13. — "Therefore as through one man sin entered into this world, and through sin death, and so death passed through to all men, in whom all sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world."
"Therefore as." [Ambrose] He said above that through Christ the reconciler there is righteousness and life, and what can be through Him. Through a similitude from the lesser—that is, through a similar and lesser thing—he intends to prove. For just as through Adam, a mere man, there is sin and death, so through Christ, man and God, there can be righteousness and life. And because through Adam there is sin and death, much more can there be righteousness and life through Christ, so that because also one Adam sinned in all, one Christ the Son of God might conquer sin in all. (126)
Therefore the Apostle here disputes at greater length concerning two men, namely concerning the first Adam, by whose sin as by hereditary evils his posterity are bound; and concerning the second Adam, by whom, paying for us what He did not owe, we are freed from debts both paternal and our own. Because therefore through that one man the devil held all who were generated concupiscentially through his corrupted flesh, it is just that through this one man he should release all who are spiritually regenerated through His immaculate grace. And this is what he says: "Therefore as," etc.
Follow the letter, so that the order of reasoning may be shown from the lesser and from the similar; as if to say: I say that through Christ there is righteousness and life: and therefore through Christ righteousness and life proceeds to all who are regenerated through His grace; understand: because through one man, namely through Adam from whom we are propagated, original sin entered into this world, wretched on account of that same sin—that is, into all men. (127)
He called "world" the entire human race. For just as they are from that one man, so they cannot be immune from the same sin unless they are absolved from its guilt through the baptism of Christ. (128) Behold, he proved from the lesser. Now let the same thing be shown and read from the similar: as what had been remitted; as if to say: So through one Christ there is righteousness and also life, just as through one man sin entered into this world. And the sense is not changed.
"And through sin death," [Ambrose] that is, the dissolution of soul and body, entered into Adam himself. And so through him, death passed through to all men generated through his corrupted flesh.
[Origen] It is asked how the Apostle says that through one man, and not rather through one woman, sin entered into the world, since from the woman was the beginning of sin, and before her from the serpent, or from the devil. To which we say that the Apostle in these matters maintained the order of custom, while attributing the succession of human posterity, which succumbed to sin and death coming from it, not to the woman but to the man. For posterity is accustomed to be named not from the woman but from the man: and on this account, mortal posterity and bodily succession is assigned rather to the man as author, and not to the woman. (129)
Or because the woman is from the man, and the flesh of both is one, and therefore whether it is said to be from the woman or from Adam, both pertain to the first man. Moreover, it should be known that certain heretics, who are named Pelagians, said that the sin of the first transgression passed to other men not by propagation but by imitation. Hence they do not wish to believe even in infants that original sin is loosed through baptism, which they contend is altogether nothing in those being born.
But if the Apostle had wished sin of imitation, not propagation, to be understood, he would give as its originator not Adam but the devil, concerning whom it is said in the book of Wisdom: "By the envy of the devil, death entered into the world" (Wisdom 2:24). And because he does not wish this to be understood as done by propagation but by imitation, Scripture immediately added: "But they imitate him who are of his part" (ibid.). Indeed, as many as transgress God's commandment through disobedience imitate Adam. But it is one thing which is an example to those sinning by will, another which is an origin to those being born with sin.
For the saints also imitate Christ unto following righteousness, but beyond this imitation, His grace also works inwardly our illumination and justification, which also inserts baptized infants into His body, who are not yet able to imitate anyone. Just as therefore Christ beyond the example of imitation also gives to the faithful a certain most hidden grace of His Spirit, which He also secretly infuses into infants, so also Adam beyond the example of imitation also corrupted in himself by a hidden infection of his carnal concupiscence all who would come from his stock.
Hence he rightly adds: "In whom all sinned"; as if to say: deservedly through him death entered into all, because the cause of death entered into all through him—that is, sin. [Augustine] And this is: "in whom," namely Adam, "all sinned," as in matter, not only by his example, as some say. (130) For all were that one man—that is, we drew original sin from him who was the origin and matter of us all, from whom according to the succession of propagation we descend through the concupiscence of the flesh.
Or "in which sin all sinned"—properly and circumspectly and without ambiguity the Apostle said this: "in which they sinned." For whether "in whom" is understood—namely, the man—or "in which"—namely, the sin—it is manifest. For other sins are proper sins, in which only those sin whose sins they are; this one is different, in which all sinned, when all were that one man. It is therefore manifest that all sinned in Adam, as if in a lump. [Ambrose] For he himself, corrupted through sin, all whom he begot were born under sin. From him therefore all are sinners, "until the law." (131)
And as if someone should say: Sin passed through to all. What then did the law do? Could it not reconcile so that sin would not pass to all? No, he says, "until the law" indeed—whether written or natural, that is, under the law—also sin [Haimo]—both original and actual—"was in the world," that is, in man. (132) Because neither could the law take away sin, but increased it, whether natural, in which anyone now using reason begins to add his own sins to original sin; or written, which was given through Moses to the people, which "came in that transgression might abound." (133)
Therefore the Apostle does not say that sin was in the world until the law so that henceforth it would be in no one, but because it could not be taken away through the letter of the law, which could only be done by the Spirit of grace alone, lest anyone trusting in his powers should think that free will and the law could suffice, and should mock Christ's grace.
Rom 5:13 cont. Rom 5:14. — "But sin was not imputed when there was no law; but death reigned from Adam to Moses even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of the one to come."
"But sin"; [Augustine] as if to say: Sin was in the world, but men did not impute it because they were blind. And this is: "sin was not imputed," (134) that is, it was not known, and was not thought to be sin by men. I do not say by God, by whose judgment "those who sinned without law will perish without law"; it was not imputed, I say, "when there was no law" which forbids sin. (135)
He does not say sin was not, but it was not imputed, because there was neither the law of reason in the infant, nor the law of the letter among the people, by whose accusation sin might be demonstrated. "But death reigned," etc., [Haimo] as if: sin was not imputed before the law, but nevertheless death—that is, sin or damnation—"reigned from Adam to Moses," (136) and until the law which was divinely promulgated through Moses, because it itself could not take away the kingdom of death.
By the kingdom of death he wants to be understood when the guilt of sin is so condemned in men that it does not permit them to come to eternal life, which is truly life; but drags them to the second death, which is eternally penal—that is, to gehenna. This kingdom of death is destroyed in any man only by the grace of the Savior, which also worked in the ancient saints, who, before Christ came in the flesh, pertained to His helping grace, not to the letter of the law merely commanding, not helping. For this was hidden in the Old Testament by the most just dispensation of the times, which is now revealed in the New.
Death reigned over all, except those who were helped by Christ's grace. It reigned, I say, "even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression," that is, who did not sin by their own proper will as Adam did, but were held bound by original vice, which they drew from him, through which they would be drawn to condemnation unless they were helped by Christ's grace. (137)
And note that by saying "until the law" or "until Moses" he includes that even then, namely under the law, there was sin and death—that is, damnation. (138) It should indeed be known that very many Latin codices have it thus: "Death reigned from Adam to Moses over those who sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression." Which even they who read it refer to the above understanding, so that they take those who sinned in Adam to have sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, that they might be created similar to him—namely, just as from a man come men, so from a sinner come sinners, and from one who would die come those who would die, and from one condemned come those to be condemned. But the Greek codices, from which the translation was made into Latin, either all or nearly all have what was first placed.
Or, with other things not changed, from that place it can be read thus: "But death reigned," and it is taken concerning bodily death; as if: sin was not imputed—that is, it was not known before the law—but the effect indicated it, because bodily death reigned daily through certain passions and finally by dissolving, "from Adam to Moses," when it was less seen. It reigned, I say, not only over those who by transgressing seemed to have deserved death by themselves, but also "over those who sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression," that is, over children who added nothing of themselves by transgressing the law.
Or thus from that place, "until the law," etc.; [Ambrose] as if to say: I rightly said that sin passed through to all. "For," that is because, "until the law," that is, even before the law, "sin was in the world," when it did not so appear, with the law not teaching. I say: sin was in the world, "but sin was not imputed" before God "when there was no law." Sin was indeed imputed among men, but not before God, before whom it was thought it would be with impunity, since it was not known that He would punish.
For men asserted that God was unconcerned, and therefore that sins would be with impunity before Him, but not among men. For the natural law had not entirely grown numb, because they were not ignorant that they ought not to do to others what they did not wish to suffer. For sin was so far from being unknown among men that Joseph, although by false accusation, was then shut up in prison as if guilty, and also the baker and cupbearer of Pharaoh.
Therefore "sin was not imputed when there was no law"—I do not say among men, but before God. But when the law was given, they knew that God cares for human things and judges.
"But death reigned," as if to say: Before the law, sin was not imputed, but death reigned, with the devil securely possessing men's souls because of the believed impunity. For thinking they sinned with impunity, they transgressed more, more ready for certain sins which the world nourished as if they were lawful. By this Satan rejoiced, secure that he possessed man, abandoned by God on account of Adam.
It reigned, I say, "from Adam to Moses," through whom the knowledge of the one God returned, because through him the law was given in which it was commanded concerning worshiping the one God. Therefore death reigned until Moses—that is, until the law—because then already a remedy was given to men by which they could be freed. Under which, however, if they were similar to Adam's transgression, death would reign over them. But the law was given at the beginning of the return from Egypt, teaching about the one God, lest death—namely the devil or sin—should reign, and the kingdom of death began first to be destroyed in Judea. But now it is destroyed everywhere through Christ's grace.
And note here that "until" is taken exclusively: "over those who sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression."
Another reading in which "also" and "not" are not read; as if to say: Death reigned until Moses, yet not over all, but "over those who sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression," that is, over those similar to Adam the transgressor—namely those who, neglecting the Creator, served the creature, constituting gods for themselves whom they might worship to the injury of God, just as he consented to the devil in place of God. For Adam's sin is not far from idolatry, who, despising the Creator's precept and consenting to the devil's persuasion, as it were established the devil in God's place and wished to be as God.
But there were those who sinned without abandoning God; for whoever understood, whether by transmission or by natural judgment, and venerated God, sharing with none the honor of His name and majesty—if he sinned, because it was impossible not to sin—he sinned under God, not against God. And therefore death did not reign over them, but over those who sinned in the likeness of Adam—that is, who under the guise of idols served the devil.
Such were almost all until the law; very few, like Abraham, served the one God, and death did not reign over them, because after that death which is called the first, they did not arrive at the second, which punishes eternally. Rather, they were kept under hope of being freed at Christ's coming, as it is read concerning Abraham, that although he was set apart in the underworld, nevertheless he was at a long distance from sinners, so that there was a great chasm between the righteous and sinners (Luke 16).
And it should be known that Ambrose says the books which have it otherwise are corrupted, where namely it is written that death reigned "even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression." This reading is also found in the Greek codices, which some understand thus: they say that bodily death reigned over worshipers of the one God even until Moses—but why not until the end of the age?
Nevertheless there are certain Latin codices which are established to have been translated from the ancient Greeks, which have it thus: "over those who sinned," etc., which the simplicity of the times kept uncorrupted and confirms. But after discord began to be stirred up, with minds dissenting and heretics disturbing, many things in both Greek and Latin codices were changed by heretics out of zeal for contention, who, when they cannot use their own authority for victory, adulterate the words of the law, so that they assert their sense as if by the words of the law, and resist those contradicting them as if by authority.
"Who, Adam, is a type," that is, a likeness, "of the one to come," namely Christ, insofar as He was future to Adam then. But Adam is called a type of the one to come—that is, of Christ—because even then God decreed in mystery—that is, disposed in His secret counsel—to amend through one Christ what had been sinned through one Adam. Whence it is said in Revelation: "The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world."
And he is called "a type of the one to come," that is, of Christ, from the contrary, because "as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15). As that happens in him, so this happens in this one. (139) But this type is not in every part conformable, as is shown subsequently.
Or he is called a type of Christ because just as he was made by God without intercourse, so Christ proceeded from the Virgin with the Holy Spirit cooperating. Or Adam is called a type of Christ because just as he is the father of all according to the flesh, so Christ is the father of all according to faith. And just as from the side of him sleeping a rib was taken, from which Eve was formed, so from His side flowed the sacraments—namely, the water of cleansing and the blood of redemption—by which the Church is saved.
[Remigius] And therefore just as he could communicate to his children his sin and death, so this one communicates to His own His righteousness and life, and even this one confers more good on His own than that one did evil, and therefore He can save more than that one could destroy. And this is what he adds.
Rom 5:15-16. — "But not as the trespass, so also is the gift. For if by the trespass of one, many died, much more has the grace of God and the gift in the grace of one man Jesus Christ abounded to many; and not as through one who sinned, so also is the gift: for judgment indeed was from one unto condemnation, but grace was from many trespasses unto justification."
"But not as." As if to say: Adam is a type of Christ—that is, Christ and Adam are similar—but "not as" the trespass of Adam is, "so also is the gift" of Christ—that is, the gift of Christ is greater than the trespass of Adam, and therefore the sin of Adam is not so efficacious unto damnation as the grace of Christ is unto salvation. Which is to say: their causes are not equal, nor are the effects of the causes equal. This is shown there.
"And not as through one"; but he first sets forth by which he proves that the causes of Adam and Christ are not equal, saying: "For if by one"; as if to say: Truly the gift of Christ is not as the trespass of Adam, because the trespass of Adam is one, by which many died; but the grace of Christ is manifold, by which many are vivified. But if one trespass could kill many, it is clear that manifold grace can vivify much more.
For the cause of Christ is abounding grace, from which all good things are to man, without which he has nothing good. The cause of Adam is that original sin, of which all who are carnally begotten are guilty; (140) they have many other sins from themselves, even if from that original sin they are more prone to sinning. Moreover, even to those who are redeemed through Christ, the form of death from Adam avails temporally; but the form of life through Christ will avail eternally.
Although therefore Adam is a type of the one to come, nevertheless Christ bestows more upon the regenerate than Adam harmed them when generated. And rightly does this cause of Christ profit all His own, because if the cause of Adam harmed all his own, then this one also could do so for his own. And this is: "For if," etc.; as if to say: Truly the gift is not as the trespass. "For," that is because, "by the trespass of one man" Adam—one trespass indeed, even if he himself committed many, yet to posterity he transmitted only one original sin—"many," namely all his children carnally begotten from him, "died," that is, were constituted sinners.
"Much more," that is then, "the grace of God and the gift"—that is, the gratuitous gift, or grace, that is, the remission of sins, "and the gift," namely the other gifts of the Holy Spirit—"abounded," that is, passed through much more abundantly, "to many," that is, all his children. But this abounding and greater thing profits all his own more, because it looses not only that original sin but also the added sins.
Moreover, this gift is given "in the grace of one man Jesus Christ," that is, through the grace of Christ. [Haimo] He calls "grace" the perfection of virtues which was in Christ the man, who through His goodness, from His fullness, gave to us. (141)
And note: "many" is not placed there comparatively, but absolutely, as if he were saying "many." For not more are justified through Christ than are condemned through Adam; but it must be said "much more abounded," so that the gift of Christ is compared to and preferred over the trespass of Adam. For Adam indeed from one trespass begot many guilty ones; but the grace of Christ also looses and forgives even the trespasses of their own will, which they added to the original guilt in which they were born. Therefore the cause of Christ is greater than the cause of Adam.
And now just as here he shows that the effects of the causes are unequal; as if to say: Not only are the causes unequal, but also the effects. And this is because "not as through one sin" it happens, "so also" it happens "through the gift," but more happens through the gift, and this he proves.
"For judgment" of God proceeding "from one" trespass alone, the original one drawn from Adam, is "unto condemnation" of bodily and eternal death. "But grace" of Christ proceeds "from many trespasses" not from one alone, "unto justification," because it not only forgives but also justifies. (142)
And attend to what was said: "judgment from one unto condemnation," which was not said because that alone which is originally drawn is to be condemned in judgment, but because even that alone, if it is alone, makes damnation. But the grace of Christ forgives not only that which is originally drawn but also many actual sins, and moreover justifies—that is, makes righteous from unrighteous, and then causes progress from good to better.
Behold, in these things he shows that the effects of the causes of Christ and Adam are unequal. The effect of Adam's cause—that is, of the sin which he brought in—is not all damnation, but that which is owed for that one sin. For there are also other damnations from our added sins. But the effect of Christ's gifts, with all sins both original and actual removed, is all justification and eternal life, concerning which he adds in the following verse, saying:
Rom 5:17. — "For if by the trespass of one, death reigned through one, much more those receiving the abundance of grace and of the gift and of righteousness will reign in life through one Jesus Christ."
"For if," as if to say: The grace of Christ proceeds unto justification, and rightly this is for His own, "through one" Christ, because if that—that is, damnation—is for his own "through one" Adam, then the grace of Christ also could do this. And truly it can do this, because it also leads unto eternal life. And rightly so.
[Augustine] "For," that is because, "by the trespass of one," even if one's own sins were not added, "death"—that is, the dissolution of soul and body—"reigned," even before death inflicting passions, "through one," Adam, because whatever powers it had in him, it exercised over all posterity, of whom he was the matter, just as the guilt was his alone, which was poured out into all.
"Much more" then men, "receiving" from God, not having from themselves, "the abundance of grace," that is, of the remission of sins. [Haimo] He says "abundance" because one's own sins are also loosed. "And abundance of the gift," that is, of charisms, "and of righteousness," that is, of good working, "will reign through one Jesus Christ in life"—eternal life, [Augustine] that is, eternally in incorruption.
"Much more," he says these will reign, because this is a much greater thing than is in the kingdom of death. Or "much more will they reign in life" than death reigned in them, because they will reign in life eternally, but death reigned in them temporally and with an end.
Rom 5:18-19. — "Therefore as through the trespass of one unto all men unto condemnation, so also through the righteousness of one unto all men unto justification of life. For just as through the disobedience of one man many were constituted sinners, so through the obedience of one will many be constituted righteous."
"Therefore as through the trespass of one," etc. From what has been said he draws his discussion to a conclusion in the same thing which he had proposed: Since Adam is a type of Christ to come, and because the gift of Christ is greater and confers more, "therefore as," that is, how worthily, "through the trespass of one," passing not by imitation but by propagation, "unto all men," it was gone from man, or the sentence of God proceeded "unto condemnation" of body and soul, "so also through the righteousness of one," availing "unto all men," if they themselves wish, it was gone from man, or the sentence of God proceeded "unto justification," which is the cause of life. (143)
Attend that the Apostle, seeing that sinners are made not by imitation of Adam alone but by propagation, nor are they justified by imitation of Christ alone but by spiritual regeneration, said "all" and "all," not that all generated through Adam are regenerated through Christ, but because just as no one's carnal generation is except through Adam, so no one's spiritual regeneration is except through Christ.
If there were any generated apart from Adam, and if any regenerated apart from Christ, he would not say "all" and "all"; but just as there is no man apart from that generation, so there is no righteous person apart from this one. For no one is born except in carnal concupiscence, which was drawn from the first man; and no one is reborn except by spiritual grace, which was given by the second man.
Later he calls the same ones "many," but differently. From that place "but not as the trespass," etc., he had said that Adam is a type of the one to come. A type indeed in this, that one amends what one sinned; but nevertheless the cause of Adam is not such as is the cause of Christ, because one is the trespass of Adam, by which "many," that is, those similarly transgressing, "died"; but the grace of Christ passes to more, because both to these and to those not similarly transgressing.
And attend that he acts here concerning the actual sin of Adam, in which he says those died who actually sinned according to his likeness, and it is read "more," comparatively; as if to say: Truly the gift is not as the trespass. "For if by the trespass of one they died," namely imitating his transgression, "much more the grace of God and the gift in the grace of one man, Christ Jesus, abounds to more."
For more obtain grace through Christ than died by the trespass of Adam, by which died those who sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression; but the grace of Christ abounded both to those who sinned similarly and to those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression. For grace abounded both to many who, neglecting God, served the creature, lest departing from this life they be received by the second death, and to worshipers of the one God who were held in hell by the paternal sin according to God's sentence—grace abounded in the descent of the Savior, giving pardon to all with triumph, taking them up into heaven.
"And not as through one sin" it happens, "so" it happens "through the gift. For judgment" of God proceeds "from one unto condemnation, but grace from many unto justification" of life. Manifestly therefore it is different, because in the one sin of Adam those similar to him were condemned; but grace justified men not from one but from many sins, and also led them unto life, which it well could do.
"For," that is because, "by the trespass of one man, through one" death reigned, namely the devil or sin. And attend that he says "death reigned," not "reigns," agreeing with the above sense, where he said death reigned until Moses, because those who through the law, with God's judgment known, had fear of Him, were taken from the dominion of death. But before, when without law the fear of God was not on earth, death prevailed over those similar to Adam; and if death reigned there, "much more" men "receiving the abundance of grace and of the gift and of righteousness will reign in life through one Lord Jesus Christ," that is, much more ought grace to reign, which passed to more than death, and confers eternal life.
But what he says afterward, "all," he takes as those sinning similarly. Likewise he speaks of all believers, and this is what he adds: [Ambrose] "Therefore as through the trespass of one," passing "unto all men," there was sin similarly "unto condemnation, so also through the righteousness of one," passing "unto all men" believing, it was gone "unto justification of life." For there is not general damnation or justification in all. Hence he says afterward: "Many, for just as," etc.
Here now he determines the trespass of one, so that just as he by the merit of sin destroyed, so this one by the merit of righteousness is seen to have freed us, and he explains the order of designation from which he had begun to speak above, namely in what way Adam is a type of the one to come, saying:
"For just as through the disobedience of one man," namely Adam, "many were constituted sinners," that is, all his own who are not Christ's, "so also," and deservedly, "through the obedience of one man," that is, Christ, "will many be constituted righteous," that is, all His own.
And note that he does not say through one God or Word, but "through the obedience of one man" they are justified; lest you think the ancient righteous were freed by the Word of God alone—that is, by faith in the Word alone without faith in the Incarnation—without which neither the ancients nor the moderns could be freed. (144)
For that is sound faith by which we believe that no man, whether of greater or infant age, is freed from the contagion of ancient death and the obligation of sin which he contracted by first birth, except through one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, by the most salutary faith in whose man and the same God even those righteous ones were made safe who, before He came in the flesh, believed He would come in the flesh. For the faith is the same, both ours and theirs.
Therefore since all the righteous—that is, true worshipers of God, whether before the Incarnation or after—neither lived nor live except from faith in Christ's Incarnation, and indeed it is written that there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved, from that time it avails to save the human race from which it was corrupted in Adam.
That one sent one sin into the world, but this one not only took away that one but all that He found added. Behold it has been shown how the grace of Christ surpasses the trespass of Adam, because it looses not only the original sin propagated from Adam but also the actual sins mentioned above, and provides righteousness and life.
Before this grace works in man, he is his own and unfaithful. "For through faith the ungodly is justified." Just as therefore the adult is justified through the virtue of faith, so also the infant through the sacrament of faith—that is, he is made righteous from unrighteous, faithful from unfaithful. (145)
But Julian asks by what means sin is found in an infant, saying: "This one who is born does not sin, that one who begot does not sin, that one who believed does not sin. Through what cracks therefore, among so many protections of innocence, do you imagine sin entered?" To him the holy page responds. "Through one man," says the Apostle, "sin entered into the world"; "through the disobedience of one," says the Apostle; what more does he seek? What is clearer, what is more inculcated? Why does he seek a hidden crack when he has a most open door?
Again he says: "If through man sin entered into the world, sin is either from the will or from nature; but if it is from the will, evil is the will which makes sin; but if from nature, evil is nature." To whom I respond: "From the will, sin is." Perhaps it is asked whether original sin is from the will. I respond: entirely also original sin is from the will, because this was sown from the will of the first man, so that it might be in him and pass to all.
But what he said, "if sin is from nature, then nature is evil," I ask that if he can, he respond. It is manifest that from an evil will, as from an evil tree, all evil works are made as evil fruits; but from whence will he say that evil will itself arose, unless from good? For if from an angel, what is an angel but the good work of God? If from man, what was man himself but the good work of God? Indeed what were these two before evil will arose in them, but the good work of God, and good and praiseworthy nature? Therefore from good arises evil, nor was there anything from which it could arise for man except from good. I say therefore that no evil preceded evil will.
Again he says: "If nature is the work of God, the work of the devil is not permitted to pass through the work of God." But did not the work of the devil, when it was first in the angel who was made devil, arise in the work of God? Therefore if evil, which was nowhere at all, could arise in the work of God, why could not evil, which was already somewhere, pass through the work of God? But men are the work of God. (146)
Therefore the work of the devil passed through the work of God, and because the devil is the creature or work of God, the work of the work of God passed through the work of God, and came even to infants, who committed nothing in the branch but perished in the root: they have no evil except what they drew from the fountain, except what they drew from the origin. (147)
Common therefore was the perdition, and common is the finding. "For just as through the disobedience of Adam many will be constituted sinners" by guilt, "so also through the obedience of Christ will many be constituted righteous."
CONTINUE
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