The Literal Meaning of Genesis
sinful flesh coming from original sin, they may live upright lives and, with the grace of God, bring carnal concupiscence under control, and thus gain merit whereby they may be transformed to a better state with these very bodies at the time of the resurrection and may live in Christ with the angels forever.
But since souls are mysteriously united to earthly and mortal members, especially members propagated by sinful flesh, they say that to be able first to give the body life and afterwards, with its coming of age, to rule it, these souls must be overcome by a state of forgetfulness.5* If this condition were irreversible, God the Creator would be considered responsible. But the soul, gradually recovering from this listless state of forgetfulness (according to this theory), is able, first by the devout affection of its conversion and then by its perseverance in keeping the commandments, to turn to its God and to merit His mercy and truth. What harm, then, comes to it from being plunged into a kind of sleep for a short time when it can gradually awaken to the light of intelligence, for which the rational soul has been made, and through a good will choose a good life? But this it will not be able to do unless it will be aided by the grace of God conferred through the Mediator. If a man neglects this aid, he will be Adam not only according to the flesh but also according to the spirit. If he is solicitous about his state, he will be Adam according to the flesh only; but living a holy life according to the spirit, even the flesh which he inherited from Adam tainted by sin he will deserve to receive back purified from the stain of sin by that transformation which the resurrection promises to the saints.
25. But before he attains the age at which he can live according to the spirit, he must have the sacrament of the Mediator so that what he cannot yet do by his faith may be done for him by the faith of those who love him.°° By this sacrament, indeed, the penalty of original sin is wiped out even in the age of infancy; but unless one is helped by this sacrament, one will not gain control over carnal concupiscence even as a young adult. Furthermore, when this concupiscence is mastered, he will not obtain the merit of eternal life except by the grace of Him whom he seeks to win. Hence, even an infant as long as he is alive