Tractates on the Gospel of John
TRACTATE 3 85
12. If, then, he who would fulfill is missing, how does he not fulfill? Because he has been born with the transmission of sin and death/* Born of Adam, he came bringing with him what was conceived there. The first man fell; and all who were born of him came bringing from him the concupiscence of the flesh. It was necessary that another man be born who came bringing no concupiscence. A man, and a man; a man for death, and a man for life. So says the Apostle, "For indeed by a man [came] death, and by a man the resurrection of the dead."^"^ By what man death and by what man the resurrection of the dead? Don't rush! He continues and says, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive."^^ Who belong to Adam? All who have been born of Adam. Who belong to Christ? All who have been born through Christ. Why are all in sin? Because no one has been born apart from Adam.
(2) But that they be born from Adam pertains to necessity; coming from condemnation to be born through Christ pertains to the will and grace. Men are not compelled to be born through Christ. It was not because they willed it that men have been born from Adam; nonetheless all who are from Adam are sinners with sin. All who are through Christ are justified and just, not in themselves but in him. For in themselves, if you should ask, they are born of Adam; in him, if you should ask, they are born of Christ. Why? Because that man, the head, our Lord Jesus Christ, came not with the transmission of sin, though he still came with mortal flesh.
13. Death was the punishment for sins. In the Lord, it was the gift of mercy, not the punishment of sin. For the Lord did
44. The Latin text has cum traduce. Although Augustine is not discussing here the origin of the soul itself, the word tradux suggests a dispute then ongoing about this question: whether the soul originated from the human souls of the parents by material generation (Traducianism) or from the souls of the parents by a spiritual and creative generation (Generationism) or whether God created each human soul individually (Creationism) or whether the soul preexisted the human body (Preexistentism). Augustine favored the generationist position {Epistula 190.4.15, PL 33.861 -862; CSEL 57.140141; and FOTC 30.297-280). See P. Bilaniuk, "Traducianism," NCE 14.230, or "Traducianism," ODCC'^, 1389. 45. Cf. 1 Cor 15.21. 46. Cf. 1 Cor 15.22.