The Literal Meaning of Genesis (continued)
from these, since St. Paul says "all" and also since they are saved by baptism, this is understandably the position of those who think that souls are transmitted from the soul of Adam, unless they are refuted by some clear argument from reason that does not contradict Holy Scripture or by some positive testimony of Scripture itself.©°
CHAPTER 17
The meaning of Wisdom 8.19-20.
30. Let us examine, then, as far as the scope of this work allows, the meaning of the text which we quoted and then put aside a short time ago."° The author of the Book of Wisdom has written, As a child I was well endowed, and a good soul fell to my lot; and being good above the common, I came to a body undefiled."
This text seems to support those who hold that souls are not created from the souls of parents but come or descend to the body when God sends them. But it is also opposed to their theory in so far as it says, A good soul fell to my lot, since they undoubtedly believe that souls trickle, as it were, like brooks from one spring, or that the souls which God sends into bodies are made equal by nature and that there are not some good or better and others not good or less good. For on what basis are souls good or better, or on the other hand not good or less good, except by their manner of life adopted by the free choice of the will or by variations in the disposition of their bodies, since some are more weighed down, some less, by the body, which is corrupted and burdensome to the soul??? But there was no action of individual souls by which their manner of life could be distinguished before they came into bodies; and it could not have been because of a body less burdensome that the author declared his soul good when he said, A good soul fell to my lot; and being good above the common, I came to a body undefiled. For he says that he came to the goodness by which he was good, obtaining by lot a good soul, so that he also came to a body undefiled. He