4

from God except their souls and spirits, then, of fied by the term "blood" consists not of body course, the woman is of the man even as regards alone, but also of soul and spirit? For just as her soul and spirit; so that nothing is left to the controversialist who maintains the propagathose who dispute against the propagation of tion of souls, ought not, on the one hand, to souls. But if he is for dividing the subject in press this man too hard, because the Scripture such a manner as to say that the woman is of says concerning the first man, " In whom all have the man as regards her body, but is of God in sinned "3 (for the expression is not, In whom respect of her soul and spirit, how, then, will the flesh of all has sinned, but "all," that is, "all that be true which the apostle says, "All things men," seeing that man is not flesh only);-as, of God," if the woman's body is of the man in I repeat, he ought not to be too hard pressed such a sense that it is not of God? Wherefore, himself, because it happens to be written "all allowing that the apostle is more likely to speak men," in such a way that they might be underthe truth than that this person must be preferred stood simply in respect of the flesh; so, on the as an authority to the apostle, the woman is of other hand, he ought not to bear too hard on the man, whether in regard to her body only, or those who hold the propagation of souls, on the in reference to the entire whole of which human ground of the phrase, "The whole race of men nature consists (but we assert nothing on these of one blood," as if this passage proved that points as an absolute certainty, but are still in- flesh alone was transmitted by propagation. For quiring after their truth); and the man is through if it is true, as they assert, that soul does not the woman, whether it be that his whole nature descend from soul, but flesh only from flesh, then as man is derived to him from his father, and is the expression, of one blood," does not signify born in him through the woman, or the flesh the entire human being, on, the principle of a alone; about which points the question is still part for the whole, but merely the flesh of one undecided. "All things, however, are of God," person alone; while that other expression, "In and about this there is no question; and in this whom all have sinned," must be so understood phrase are included the body, soul, and spirit, as to indicate merely the flesh of all men, which both of the man and the woman. For even if has been handed on from the first man, the Scripthey were not born or derived from God, or ture signifying a part by the whole. If, on the emanated from Him as portions of His nature, other hand, it is true that the entire human being yet they are of God, inasmuch as whatever is is propagated of each man, himself also entire, created, formed, and made by Him, has from consisting of body, soul, and spirit, then the Him the reality of its existence. passage, "In whom all have sinned," must be taken in its proper literal sense; and the other phrase, "of one blood," is used metaphorically, the whole being signified by a part, that is to say, the whole man who consists of soul and flesh; or rather (as this person is fond of putting it) of soul, and spirit, and flesh. For both modes of expression the Holy Scriptures are in the habit of employing, putting both a part for the whole and the whole for a part. A part, for instance, implies the whole, in the place where it is said, "Unto Thee shall all flesh come; "5 the whole man being understood by the term flesh. And the whole sometimes implies a part, as when it is said that Christ was buried, whereas it was only His flesh that was buried. Now as regards the statement which is made in the apostle's testimony, to the effect that "He giveth life and spirit to all," I suppose that nobody, after the foregoing discussion, will be moved by it. No doubt "He giveth;" the fact is not in dispute; our question is, How does He give it? By fresh inbreathing in every instance, or by propagation? For with perfect propriety is He said to give the substance of the flesh to the

CHAP. 28. -A NATURAL FIGURE OF SPEECH MUST

NOT BE LITERALLY PRESSED.

He goes on to remark: "But the apostle, by saying, And He Himself giveth life and spirit to all,' and then by adding the words, 'And hath made the whole race of men of one blood,' has referred this soul and spirit to the Creator in respect of their origin, and the body to propagation." Now, certainly any one who does not wish to deny at random the propagation of souls, before ascertaining clearly whether the opinion is correct or not, has ground for understanding, from the apostle's words, that he meant the expression, of one blood, to be equivalent to of one man, by the figure of speech which understands the whole from its part. Well, then, if it be allowable for this man to take the whole from a part in the passage, "And man became a living soul," as if the spirit also was understood to be implied, about which the Scripture there said nothing, why is it not allowable to others to attribute an equally comprehensive sense to the expression, of one blood, so that the soul and spirit may be considered as included in it, on the ground that the human being who is signi

2

3 Rom. v. 12.

4 Another reading has "he asserts," i.e. Augustin's opponent, Victor. 5 Ps. lxv. 2.

human being, though at the same time it is not that internal portion of their nature which has denied that He gives it by means of propagation. no sex.

CHAP. 29 [XVIII.] — THE SIXTH PASSAGE OF SCRIP-
TURE QUOTED BY VICTOR.

Let us now look at the quotation from Genesis,

where the woman was created out of the side of

the man, and was brought to him, and he said: "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." Our opponent thinks that "Adam ought to have said, 'Soul of my soul, or spirit of my spirit,' if this, too, had been derived from him." But, in fact, they who maintain the opinion of the propagation of souls feel that they possess a more impregnable defence of their position in the fact that in the Scripture narrative which informs us that God took a rib out of the man's side and formed it into a woman, it is not added that He breathed into her face the breath of life; for this

1

reason, as they say, because she had already been ensouled from the man. If, indeed, she had not, they say, the sacred Scripture would certainly not have kept us in ignorance of the circumstance. With regard to the fact that Adam says, "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh," without adding, Spirit or soul, from my spirit or soul, they may answer, just as it has been already shown, that the expression, "my flesh and bone," may be understood as indicating the whole by a part, only that the portion that was taken out of man was not dead, but ensouled; for no good ground for denying that the Almighty was able to do all this is furnished by the circumstance that not a human being could be found capable of cutting off a part of a man's flesh along with the soul. Adam went on, however, to say, "She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man."2 Now, why does he not rather say (and thus confirm the opinion of our opponents), "Since her flesh was taken out of man"? As the case stands, indeed, they who hold the opposite view may well contend, from the fact that it is written, not woman's flesh, but the woman herself was taken out of man, that she must be considered in her entire nature endued with soul and spirit. For although the soul is undistinguished by sex, yet when women are mentioned it is not necessary to regard them apart from the soul. On no other principle would they be thus admonished with respect to self-adornment. "Not with

braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but which (says the apostle) becometh women professing godliness with a good conversation." 3 Now, "godliness," of course, is an inner principle in the soul or spirit; and yet they are called women, although the ornamentation concerns

CHAP. 30

THE DANGER OF ARGUING FROM SI-
LENCE.

with one another in alternate argument, I so
Now, while the disputants are thus contending
judge between them that they must not rely on
uncertain evidence; nor make bold assertions
on points of which they are ignorant. For if
the Scripture had said, "God breathed into the
woman's face the breath of life, and she became
a living soul," it would not have followed even
then that the human soul is not derived by prop-
agation from parents, except the same state-
ment were likewise made concerning their son.
For it might have been that whilst an unen-
souled member taken from the body might re-
quire to be ensouled, yet that the soul of the
son might be derived from the father, transfused
by propagation through the mother. There is,
however, an absolute silence on the point; it is
entirely concealed from our view. Nothing is
denied, but at the same time nothing is affirmed.
And thus, if in any place the Scripture is possi-
bly not quite silent, the point requires to be sup-
ported by clearer proofs. Whence it follows,
that neither they who maintain the propagation
of souls receive any assistance from the circum-
stance that God did not breathe into the
woman's face; nor ought they, who deny this
doctrine on the ground that Adam did not say,
"This is soul of my soul," to persuade them-
selves to believe what they know nothing of.
For just as it has been possible for the Scripture
robustent on the point of the woman's having
received her soul, like the man, by the inbreath-
ing of God, without the question before us being
solved, but, on the contrary, remaining open; so
has it been possible for the same question to re-
main open and unsolved, notwithstanding the
silence of Scripture, as to whether or not Adam
said, This is soul of my soul. And hence, if
the soul of the first woman comes from the man,
"This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of
a part signifies the whole in his exclamation,
my flesh;" inasmuch as not her flesh alone, but
the entire woman, was taken out of man. If,
however, it is not from the man, but came by
God's inbreathing it into her, as at first into the
man, then the whole signifies a part in the pas-
sage, "She was taken out of the man;" since
on the supposition it was not her whole self, but
her flesh that was taken.

CHAP. 31. THE ARGUMENT OF THE APOLLINARI

ANS TO PROVE THAT CHRIST WAS WITHOUT THE
HUMAN SOUL OF THIS SAME SORT.

Although, then, this question remains unsolved
4 Animari," or endued with the "anima," or soul.

2.321

CHAP. 34.
THE MISTAKES WHICH MUST BE lengths; and I would like, if the Lord be willing,
AVOIDED BY THOSE WHO SAY THAT MEN'S SOULS to write even to himself something on the sub-
ARE NOT DERIVED FROM THEIR PARENTS, BUT ject of his books; and probably I shall point
ARE AFRESH INBREATHED BY GOD IN EVERY them all out to him, or a good many of them
if I should be unable to notice all.

INSTANCE.

CHAP. 35 [xx.]

CONCLUSION.

All, therefore, who wish to maintain that new souls are rightly said to be breathed into persons at their birth, and not derived from their As for this present treatise, which I have parents, must by all means be cautious on each thought it proper to address to no other person of the four points which I have already men- in preference to yourself, who have taken a tioned. That is to say, do not let them affirm kindly and true interest both in our common that souls become sinful by another's original faith and my character, as a true catholic and a sin; do not let them affirm that infants who good friend, you will give it to be read or copied died unbaptized can possibly reach eternal life by any persons you may be able to find interand the kingdom of heaven by the remission of ested in the subject, or may deem worthy to be original sin in any other way whatever; do not trusted. In it I have thought proper to repress let them affirm that souls had sinned in some and confute the presumption of this young man, other place previous to their incarnation, and in such a way, however, as to show that I love that on this account they were forcibly intro- him, wishing him to be amended rather than duced into sinful flesh; nor let them affirm that condemned, and to make such progress in the the sins which were not actually found in them great house which is the catholic Church, whither were, because they were foreknown, deservedly the divine compassion has conducted him, that punished, although they were never permitted to he may be therein "a vessel unto honour, sancreach that life where they could be committed. tified, and meet for the Master's use, and preProvided that they affirm none of these points, pared unto every good work," both by holy because each of them is simply false and impi- living and sound teaching. But I have this ous, they may, if they can, produce any conclu- further to say: if it behoves me to bestow my sive testimonies of the Holy Scriptures on this love upon him, as I sincerely do, how much question; and they may maintain their own more ought I to love you, my brother, whose opinion, not only without any prohibition from affection towards me and whose catholic faith me, but even with my approbation and best I have found by the best of proofs to be cautious thanks. If, however, they fail to discover any and sober! The result of your loyalty has been, very decided authority on the point in the divine that you have, with a brother's real love and oracles, and are obliged to propound any one of duty, taken care to have the books, which disthe four opinions by reason of their failure, let pleased you, and wherein you found my name them restrain their imagination, lest they should treated in a way which ran counter to your liking, be driven in their difficulty to enunciate the now copied out and forwarded to me. Now, I am damnable and very recently condemned heresy so far from feeling offended at this charitable of Pelagius, to the effect that the souls of infants act of yours, because you did it, that I think I have not original sin. It is, indeed, better for should have had a right, on the true claims of a man to confess his ignorance of what he friendship, to have been angry with you if you knows nothing about, than either to run into had not done it. I therefore give you my most heresy which has been already condemned, or earnest thanks. Moreover, I have afforded a to found some new heresy, while recklessly dar- still plainer indication of the spirit in which I ing to defend over and over again opinions which have accepted your service, by instantly composonly display his ignorance. This man has made ing this treatise for your consideration, as soon some other absurb mistakes, indeed many, in as I had read those books of his. which he has wandered out of the beaten track of truth, without going, however, to dangerous

1 2 Tim. ii. 21.

BOOK II.

IN THE SHAPE OF A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE PRESBYTER peter.

HE ADVISES PETER NOT TO INCUR THE IMPUTATION OF HAVING APPROVED OF THE BOOKS WHICH HAD BEEN ADDRESSED TO HIM BY VICTOR ON THE ORIGIN OF THE SOUL, BY ANY USE HE MIGHT MAKE OF THEM, NOR TO TAKE AS CATHOLIC DOCTRINES THAT PERSON'S RASH UTTERANCES CONTRARY TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. VICTOR'S VARIOUS ERRORS, AND THOSE, TOO, OF A VERY SERIOUS CHARACTER, HE POINTS OUT AND BRIEFLY CONFUTES; AND HE CONCLUDES WITH ADVISING PETER HIMSELF TO TRY TO PERSUADE VICTOR TO AMEND HIS ERRORS.

To his Lordship, my dearly beloved brother | me what was the truth which you received and fellow-presbyter Peter, Augustin, bishop, through him. I should, therefore, be glad if sendeth greeting in the Lord. you would show me, in your answer to this letter, what it was he taught you. Be it far from me CHAP. I [1.]- DEPRAVED ELOQUENCE AN INJURI- to be ashamed to learn from a presbyter, since

OUS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

There have reached me the two books of Vincentius Victor, which he addressed in writing to your Holiness; they have been forwarded to me by our brother Renatus, a layman indeed, but a person who has a prudent and religious

you did not blush to be instructed by a layman, in proclaiming and imitating your humble conduct, if the lessons were only true in which you received instruction.

CHAP. 2 [II.] — HE

ASKS WHAT THE GREAT KNOWLEDGE IS THAT VICTOR IMPARTS.

care about the faith both of himself and of all he loves. On reading these books, I saw that Therefore, brother greatly beloved, I desire their author was a man of great resources in to know what you learned of him, in order that, speech, of which he had enough, and more than if I have already possessed the knowledge, I enough; but that on the subjects of which he may participate in your joy; but if I happen to wished to teach, he was as yet insufficiently be ignorant, I may be instructed by you. Did instructed. If, however, by the gracious gift of you not then understand that there are two the Lord this qualification were also conferred somethings, soul and spirit, according as it is upon him, he would be serviceable to many. said in Scripture, "Thou wilt separate my soul For he possesses in no slight degree the faculty from my spirit"? And that both of them perof explaining and beautifying what he thinks; all tain to man's nature, so that the whole man conthat is wanted is, that he should first take care sists of spirit, and soul, and body? Sometimes, to think rightly. Depraved eloquence is a hurt- however, these two are combined together under ful accomplishment; for to persons of inadequate the designation of soul; for instance, in the information it always carries the appearance of passage, "And man became a living soul."2 truth in its readiness of speech. I know not, Now, in this place the spirit is implied. Simiindeed, how you received his books; but if I am larly in sundry passages the two are described correctly informed, you are said, after reading under the name of spirit, as when it is written, them, to have been so greatly overjoyed, that" And He bowed His head and gave up the you (though an elderly man and a presbyter) kissed the face of this youthful layman, and thanked him for having taught you what you had been previously ignorant of. Now, in this conduct of yours I do not disapprove of your humility; indeed, I rather commend it; for it was not the man whom you praised, but the truth itself which deigned to speak to you through him only I wish you were able to point out to

spirit; "3 in which passage it is the soul that
must also be understood. And that the two are
of one and the same substance? I suppose
that you already knew all this. But if you did
not, then you may as well know that you have
not acquired any great knowledge, the ignorance
of which would be attended with much danger.

* Job vii. 14. Απαλλάξεις ἀπὸ πνεύματός μου την ψυχήν μου,
2 Gen. ii. 7.
3 John xix. 30.

Sept."