Augustine of Hippo, Letters

1. Desiring to reply to the letter which I received from you through our holy brother, my co-bishop Boniface, I have sought for it, but have not found it. I have recalled to mind, however, that you asked me in that letter how the magicians of Pharaoh could, after all the water of Egypt had been turned into blood, find any with which to imitate the miracle. There are two ways in which the question is commonly answered: either that it was possible for water to have been brought from the sea, or, which is more credible, that these plagues were not inflicted on the district in which the children of Israel were; for the clear, express statements to this effect in some parts of that scriptural narrative entitle us to assume this in places where the statement is omitted.

2. In your other letter, brought to me by the presbyter Urbanus, a question is proposed, taken from a passage not in the Divine Scriptures, but in one of my own books, namely, that which I wrote on Free Will. On questions of this kind, however, I do not bestow much labour; because even if the statement objected to does not admit of unanswerable vindication, it is mine only; it is not an utterance of that Author whose words it is impiety to reject, even when, through our misapprehension of their meaning, the interpretation which we put on them deserves to be rejected. I freely confess, accordingly, that I endeavour to be one of those who write because they have made some progress, and who, by means of writing, make further progress. If, therefore, through inadvertence or want of knowledge, anything has been stated by me which may with good reason be condemned, not only by others who are able to discover this, but also by myself (for if I am making progress, I ought, at least after it has been pointed out, to see it), such a mistake is not to be regarded with surprise or grief, but rather forgiven, and made the occasion of congratulating me, not, of course, on having erred, but on having renounced an error. For there is an extravagant perversity in the self-love of the man who desires other men to be in error, that the fact of his having erred may not be discovered. How much better and more profitable is it that in the points in which he has erred others should not err, so that he may be delivered from his error by their advice, or, if he refuse this, may at least have no followers in his error. For, if God permit me, as I desire, to gather together and point out, in a work devoted to this express purpose, all the things which most justly displease me in my books, men will then see how far I am from being a partial judge in my own case.

3. As for you, however, who love me warmly, if, in opposing those by whom, whether through malice or ignorance or superior intelligence, I am censured, you maintain the position that I have nowhere in my writings made a mistake, you labour in a hopeless enterprise—you have undertaken a bad cause, in which, even if myself were judge, you must be easily worsted; for it is no pleasure to me that my dearest friends should think me to be such as I am not, since assuredly they love not me, but instead of me another under my name, if they love not what I am, but what I am not; for in so far as they know me, or believe what is true concerning me, I am loved by them; but in so far as they ascribe to me what they do not know to be in me, they love another person, such as they suppose me to be. Cicero, the prince of Roman orators, says of some one, “He never uttered a word which he would wish to recall.” This commendation, though it seems to be the highest possible, is nevertheless more likely to be true of a consummate fool than of a man perfectly wise; for it is true of idiots,1133 Quos vulgo moriones vocant. that the more absurd and foolish they are, and the more their opinions diverge from those universally held, the more likely are they to utter no word which they will wish to recall; for to regret an evil, or foolish, or ill-timed word is characteristic of a wise man. If, however, the words quoted are taken in a good sense, as intended to make us believe that some one was such that, by reason of his speaking all things wisely, he never uttered any word which he would wish to recall,—this we are, in accordance with sound piety, to believe rather concerning men of God, who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, than concerning the man whom Cicero commends. For my part, so far am I from this excellence, that if I have uttered no word which I would wish to recall, it must be because I resemble more the idiot than the wise man. The man whose writings are most worthy of the highest authority is he who has uttered no word, I do not say which it would be his desire, but which it would be his duty to recall. Let him that has not attained to this occupy the second rank through his humility, since he cannot take the first rank through his wisdom. Since he has been unable, with all his care, to exclude every expression whose use may be justly regretted, let him acknowledge his regret for anything which, as he may now have discovered, ought not to have been said.

4. Since, therefore, the words spoken by me which I would if I could recall, are not, as my very dear friends suppose, few or none, but perhaps even more than my enemies imagine, I am not gratified by such commendation as Cicero’s sentence, “He never uttered a word which he would wish to recall,” but I am deeply distressed by the saying of Horace, “The word once uttered cannot be recalled.”1134 Nescit vox missa reverti. This is the reason why I keep beside me, longer than you wish or patiently bear, the books which I have written on difficult and important questions on the book of Genesis and the doctrine of the Trinity, hoping that, if it be impossible to avoid having some things which may deservedly be found fault with, the number of these may at least be smaller than it might have been, if, through impatient haste, the works had been published without due deliberation; for you, as your letters indicate (our holy brother and co-bishop Florentius having written me to this effect), are urgent for the publication of these works now, in order that they may be defended in my own lifetime by myself, when, perhaps, they may begin to be assailed in some particulars, either through the cavilling of enemies or the misapprehensions of friends. You say this doubtless because you think there is nothing in them which might with justice be censured, otherwise you would not exhort me to publish the books, but rather to revise them more carefully. But I fix my eye rather on those who are true judges, sternly impartial, between whom and myself I wish, in the first place, to make sure of my ground, so that the only faults coming to be censured by them may be those which it was impossible for me to observe, though using the most diligent scrutiny.

5. Notwithstanding what I have just said, I am prepared to defend the sentence in the third book of my treatise on Free Will, in which, discoursing on the rational substance, I have expressed my opinion in these words: “The soul, appointed to occupy a body inferior in nature to itself after the entrance of sin, governs its own body, not absolutely according to its free will, but only in so far as the laws of the universe permit.” I bespeak the particular attention of those who think that I have here fixed and defined, as ascertained concerning the human soul, either that it comes by propagation from the parents, or that it has, through sins committed in a higher celestial life, incurred the penalty of being shut up in a corruptible body. Let them, I say, observe that the words in question have been so carefully weighed by me, that while they hold fast what I regard as certain, namely, that after the sin of the first man, all other men have been born and continue to be born in that sinful flesh, for the healing of which “the likeness of sinful flesh”1135 Rom. viii. 3. came in the person of the Lord, they are also so chosen as not to pronounce upon any one of those four opinions which I have in the sequel expounded and distinguished—not attempting to establish any one of them as preferable to the others, but disposing in the meantime of the matter under discussion, and reserving the consideration of these opinions, so that whichever of them may be true, praise should unhesitatingly be given to God.

6. For whether all souls are derived by propagation from the first, or are in the case of each individual specially created, or being created apart from the body are sent into it, or introduce themselves into it of their own accord, without doubt this creature endowed with reason, namely, the human soul—appointed to occupy an inferior, that is, an earthly body—after the entrance of sin, does not govern its own body absolutely according to its free will.1136 The text here obscure, we have followed the Mss., which omit the words, “interim quod constat peccatum primi hominis.” For I did not say, “after his sin,” or “after he sinned,” but after the entrance of sin, that whatever might afterwards, if possible, be determined by reason as to the question whether the sin was his own or the sin of the first parent of mankind, it might be perceived that in saying that “the soul, appointed, after the entrance of sin, to occupy an inferior body, does not govern its body absolutely according to its own free will,” I stated what is true; for “the flesh lusteth against the spirit,1137 Gal. v. 17. and in this we groan, being burdened,”1138 2 Cor. v. 4. and “the corruptible body weighs down the soul,”1139 Wisd. ix. 15.—in short, who can enumerate all the evils arising from the infirmity of the flesh, which shall assuredly cease when “this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,” so that “that which is mortal shall be swallowed up of life”?1140 1 Cor. xv. 53. In that future condition, therefore, the soul shall govern its spiritual body with absolute freedom of will; but in the meantime its freedom is not absolute, but conditioned by the laws of the universe, according to which it is fixed, that bodies having experienced birth experience death, and having grown to maturity decline in old age. For the soul of the first man did, before the entrance of sin, govern his body with perfect freedom of will, although that body was not yet spiritual, but animal; but after the entrance of sin, that is, after sin had been committed in that flesh from which sinful flesh was thenceforward to be propagated, the reasonable soul is so appointed to occupy an inferior body, that it does not govern its body with absolute freedom of will. That infant children, even before they have committed any sin of their own, are partakers of sinful flesh, is, in my opinion, proved by their requiring to have it healed in them also, by the application in their baptism of the remedy provided in Him who came in the likeness of sinful flesh. But even those who do not acquiesce in this view have no just ground for taking offence at the sentence quoted from my book; for it is certain, if I am not mistaken, that even if the infirmity be the consequence not of sin, but of nature, it was at all events only after the entrance of sin that bodies having this infirmity began to be produced; for Adam was not created thus, and he did not beget any offspring before he sinned.

7. Let my critics, therefore, seek other passages to censure, not only in my other more hastily published works, but also in these books of mine on Free Will. For I by no means deny that they may in this search discover opportunities of conferring a benefit on me; for if the books, having passed into so many hands, cannot now be corrected, I myself may, being still alive. Those words, however, so carefully selected by me to avoid committing myself to any one of the four opinions or theories regarding the soul’s origin, are liable to censure only from those who think that my hesitation as to any definite view in a matter so obscure is blameworthy; against whom I do not defend myself by saying that I think it right to pronounce no opinion whatever on the subject, seeing that I have no doubt either that the soul is immortal—not in the same sense in which God is immortal, who alone hath immortality,1141 1 Tim. vi. 16. but in a certain way peculiar to itself—or that the soul is a creature and not a part of the substance of the Creator, or as to any other thing which I regard as most certain concerning its nature. But seeing that the obscurity of this most mysterious subject, the origin of the soul, compels me to do as I have done, let them rather stretch out a friendly hand to me, confessing my ignorance, and desiring to know whatever is the truth on the subject; and let them, if they can, teach or demonstrate to me what they may either have learned by the exercise of sound reason, or have believed on indisputably plain testimony of the divine oracles. For if reason be found contradicting the authority of Divine Scriptures, it only deceives by a semblance of truth, however acute it be, for its deductions cannot in that case be true. On the other hand, if, against the most manifest and reliable testimony of reason, anything be set up claiming to have the authority of the Holy Scriptures, he who does this does it through a misapprehension of what he has read, and is setting up against the truth not the real meaning of Scripture, which he has failed to discover, but an opinion of his own; he alleges not what he has found in the Scriptures, but what he has found in himself as their interpreter.

8. Let me give an example, to which I solicit your earnest attention. In a passage near the end of Ecclesiastes, where the author is speaking of man’s dissolution through death separating the soul from the body, it is written, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”1142 Eccles. xii. 7. A statement having the authority on which this one is based is true beyond all dispute, and is not intended to deceive any one; yet if any one wishes to put upon it such an interpretation as may help him in attempting to support the theory of the propagation of souls, according to which all other souls are derived from that one which God gave to the first man, what is there said concerning the body under the name of “dust” (for obviously nothing else than body and soul are to be understood by “dust” and “spirit” in this passage) seems to favour his view; for he may affirm that the soul is said to return to God because of its being derived from the original stock of that soul which God gave to the first man, in the same way as the body is said to return to the dust because of its being derived from the original stock of that body which was made of dust in the first man and therefore may argue that, from what we know perfectly as to the body, we ought to believe what is hidden from our observation as to the soul; for there is no difference of opinion as to the original stock of the body, but there is as to the original stock of the soul. In the text thus brought forward as a proof, statements are made concerning both, as if the manner of the return of each to its original was precisely similar in both,—the body, on the one hand, returning to the earth as it was, for thence was it taken when the first man was formed; the soul, on the other hand, returning to God, for He gave it when He breathed into the nostrils of the man whom He had formed the breath of life, and he became a living soul,1143 Gen. ii. 7. so that thenceforward the propagation of each part should go on from the corresponding part in the parent.

9. If, however, the true account of the soul’s origin be, that God gives to each individual man a soul, not propagated from that first soul, but created in some other way, the statement that the “spirit returns to God who gave it,” is equally consistent with this view. The two other opinions regarding the soul’s origin are, then, the only ones which seem to be excluded by this text. For in the first place, as to the opinion that every man’s soul is made separately within him at the time of his creation, it is supposed that, if this were the case, the soul should have been spoken of as returning, not to God who gave it, but to God who made it; for the word “gave” seems to imply that that which could be given had already a separate existence. The words “returneth to God” are further insisted upon by some, who say, How could it return to a place where it had never been before? Accordingly they maintain that, if the soul is to be believed to have never been with God before, the words should have been “it goes,” or “goes on,” or “goes away,” rather than it “returns” to God. In like manner, as to the opinion that each soul glides of its own accord into its body, it is not easy to explain how this theory is reconcilable with the statement that God gave it. The words of this scriptural passage are consequently somewhat adverse to these two opinions, namely, the one which supposes each soul to be created in its own body, and the one which supposes each soul to introduce itself into its own body spontaneously. But there is no difficulty in showing that the words are consistent with either of the other two opinions, namely, that all souls are derived by propagation from the one first created, or that, having been created and kept in readiness with God, they are given to each body as required.

10. Nevertheless, even if the theory that each soul is created in its own body may not be wholly excluded by this text,—for if its advocates affirm that God is here said to have given the spirit (or the soul) in the same way as He is said to have given us eyes, ears, hands, or other such members, which were not made elsewhere by Him, and kept in store that He might give them, i.e. add and join them to our bodies, but are made by Him in that body to which He is said to have given them,—I do not see what could be said in reply, unless, perchance, the opinion could be refuted, either by other passages of Scripture, or by valid reasoning. In like manner, those who think that each soul flows of its own accord into its body take the words “God gave it” in the sense in which it is said, “He gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts.”1144 Rom. i. 24. Only one word, therefore, remains apparently irreconcilable with the theory that each soul is made in its own body, namely, the word “returneth,” in the expression “returneth to God;” for in what sense can the soul return to Him with whom it has not formerly been? By this one word alone are the supporters of this one of the four opinions embarrassed. And yet I do not think that this opinion ought to be held as refuted by this one word, for it may be possible to show that in the ordinary style of scriptural language it may be quite correct to use the word “return,” as signifying the spirit created by God returns to Him not because of its having been with Him before its union with the body, but because of its having received being from His creative power.

11. I have written these things in order to show that whoever is disposed to maintain and vindicate any one of these four theories of the soul’s origin, must bring forward, either from the Scriptures received into ecclesiastical authority, passages which do not admit of any other interpretation,—as the statement that God made man,—or reasonings founded on premises so obviously true that to call them in question would be madness, such as the statement that none but the living are capable of knowledge or of error; for a statement like this does not require the authority of Scripture to prove its truth, as if the common sense of mankind did not of itself announce its truth with such transparent cogency of reason, that whoever contradicts it must be held to be hopelessly mad. If any one is able to produce such arguments in discussing the very obscure question of the soul’s origin, let him help me in my ignorance; but if he cannot do this, let him forbear from blaming my hesitation on the question.

12. As to the virginity of the Holy Mary, if what I have written on this subject does not suffice to prove that it was possible, we must refuse to believe every record of anything miraculous having taken place in the body of any. If, however, the objection to believing this miracle is, that it happened only once, ask the friend who is still perplexed by this, whether instances may not be quoted from secular literature of events which were, like this one, unique, and which, nevertheless, are believed, not merely as fables are believed by the simple, but with that faith with which the history of facts is received—ask him, I beseech you, this question. For if he says that nothing of this kind is to be found in these writings, he ought to have such instances pointed out to him; if he admits this, the question is decided by his admission.

EPISTOLA CXLIII . Paucis respondet ad quaestionem ex divinis Libris propositam a Marcellino. Tum explicat locum taxatum ex libris suis de Libero Arbitrio; declarans in primis quantum suis scriptis tribui velit: eademque occasione varias de animarum origine quaestiones perstringens. Postremo rejicit cujusdam (puta Volusiani) dubitationem, qui ideo non credebat Mariam virginem peperisse, quod id nunquam alias factum sit.

Domino eximio, et merito insigni, multumque charissimo filio MARCELLINO, AUGUSTINUS, in Domino salutem.

1. Epistolam tuam, quam per sanctum fratrem et coepiscopum meum Bonifacium accepi, quaesivi, cum rescriberem, nec inveni. Recolui tamen te in ea quaesisse quomodo invenerint magi Pharaonis, conversa in sanguinem tota aqua Aegypti, unde simile aliquid facerent. Quae duobus modis solvi quaestio solet: sive quod marina aqua potuerit offerri; sive, quod est credibilius, quia in ea regione, in qua erant filii Israel, istae plagae non fiebant. Hoc enim quibusdam Scripturae illius locis apertissime expressum admonet, etiam ubi non dictum est, quid intelligi debeat.

2. Illae autem litterae tuae, quas presbyter Urbanus attulit, habent quaestionem mihi propositam ex libris non divinis, sed meis, quos scripsi de Libero Arbitrio. In talibus autem quaestionibus non multum laboro: quia etsi defendi sententia mea liquida ratione non potest, mea est; non ejus auctoris cujus sensum improbare fas non est, etiam cum, eo non intellecto, hoc inde sentitur quod improbandum est. Ego proinde fateor me ex eorum numero esse conari, qui proficiendo scribunt, et scribendo proficiunt. Unde si aliquid vel incautius, vel indoctius a me positum est, quod non solum ab aliis qui videre id possunt, merito reprehendatur, verum etiam a meipso, quia et ego saltem postea videre debeo, si proficio; nec mirandum est, nec dolendum: sed potius ignoscendum 0586 atque gratulandum; non quia erratum est, sed quia improbatum. Nam nimis perverse seipsum amat qui et alios vult errare, ut error suus lateat. Quanto enim melius et utilius, ut ubi ipse erravit, alii non errent, quorum admonitu errore careat! quod si noluerit, saltem comites erroris non habeat. Si enim mihi Deus quod volo praestiterit, ut omnium librorum meorum quaecumque mihi rectissime displicent, opere aliquo ad hoc ipsum instituto, colligam atque demonstrem; tunc videbunt homines quam non sim acceptor personae meae.

3. Vos autem qui me multum diligitis, si talem asseritis adversus eos quorum malitia, vel imperitia, vel intelligentia reprehendor, ut me nusquam scriptorum meorum errasse dicatis; frustra laboratis, non bonam causam suscepistis, facile in ea me ipso judice superamini. Quoniam non mihi placet, cum a charissimis meis talis esse existimor, qualis non sum. Profecto enim non me, sed pro me alium sub meo nomine diligunt, si non quod sum, sed quod non sum diligunt. Nam in quantum me noverunt, vel de me verum credunt, ego ab eis diligor: in quantum autem mihi tribuunt quod in me non cognoscunt, alium talem qualem me putant, pro me diligunt . Romani maximus auctor Tullius eloquii, Nullum unquam verbum, inquit de quodam, quod revocare vellet, emisit. Quae quidem laus, quamvis praeclarissima videatur, tamen credibilior est de nimium fatuo, quam de sapiente perfecto. Nam et illi quos vulgo moriones vocant, quanto magis a sensu communi dissonant, magisque absurdi et insulsi sunt, tanto magis nullum verbum emittunt quod revocare velint; quia dicti mali, vel stulti, vel incommodi poenitere, utique cordatorum est. Sed si in bonam partem accipiatur, ut quempiam talem fuisse credamus, qui cum sapienter omnia loqueretur, nullum unquam verbum quod revocare vellet, emisit; hoc potius de hominibus Dei, qui Spiritu sancto acri locuti sunt, quam de illo quem sic Cicero laudat, saluberrima pietate credendum est. Ab hac ego excellentia tam longe absum, ut si nullum verbum quod revocare vellem protulero, fatuo sim quam sapienti similior. Illius quippe scripta summa sunt auctoritate dignissima, qui nullum verbum, non quod revocare vellet, sed quod revocare deberet, emisit. Hoc quisquis nondum est assecutus, secundas habeat partes modestiae, quia primas non potuit habere sapientiae: quia non valuit omnia non poenitenda diligenter dixisse, poeniteat quae cognoverit dicenda non fuisse.

4. Cum ergo, non sicut quidam charissimi mei putant, nulla vel pauca, sed potius plura fortasse quam etiam maledici opinantur verba dixerim, quae mallem revocare, si possem; non mihi Tulliana illa blanditur sententia, qua dictum est, Nullum unquam verbum quod revocare vellet, emisit: sed angit me plane Horatiana sententia, Nescit vox missa reverti. Hinc est quod periculosissimarum quaestionum libros, de Genesi 0587 scilicet, et de Trinitate, diutius teneo quam vultis et fertis; ut si non potuerint nisi habere aliqua quae merito reprehendantur, saltem pauciora sint quam esse possent, si praecipiti festinatione inconsultius ederentur. Vos enim, ut vestrae indicant litterae (nam hoc mihi etiam sanctus frater et coepiscopus meus scripsit Florentius), ideo ut edantur urgetis, quo possint a me, dum in hac carne vivo, defendi, cum vel ab inimicis mordentibus, vel etiam ab amicis parum intelligentibus, fortasse in quibusdam coeperint accusari. Quod utique propterea dicitis, quia non putatis esse in eis aliquid, quod vera possit ratione culpari: alioquin non me ad eorum editionem, sed ad diligentiorem emendationem potius hortaremini. Ego autem judices veros, et veritate severos magis intueor, inter quos et meipsum primitus constituere volo; ut ad illos ea tantum reprehendenda perveniant, quae a me, quamvis sedulo perscrutante, minime videri potuerunt.

5. Quae cum ita sint, hoc tamen quod in tertio libro de Libero Arbitrio, cum de substantia rationali agerem, sic a me positum est ut dicerem, In corporibus autem inferioribus anima post peccatum ordinata regit corpus suum, non omni modo pro arbitrio, sed sicut leges universitatis sinunt: diligenter advertant qui putant me aliquid de anima humana velut certum statuisse atque fixisse, quod vel ex parentibus per propaginem veniat, vel in actibus vitae superioris atque coelestis peccaverit, ut corruptibili carne mereretur includi; et videant sic a me verba fuisse perpensa, ut retento eo quod certum habeo; post peccatum primi hominis natos esse atque nasci caeteros homines in carne peccati, cui sanandae venit in Domino similitudo carnis peccati, ita omnia sonarent, ut nulli praejudicarent opinioni quatuor illarum, quas postea digessi atque distinxi, non confirmans aliquam, sed interim quod agebam sequestrata illarum discussione determinans, ut quaecumque illarum vera esset, Deus sine dubio laudaretur.

6. Sive enim ex illa una omnes animae propagentur, sive singillatim in singulis fiant, sive extra creatae mittantur, sive in corpora sponte mergantur; procul dubio creatura ista rationalis, id est humanae animae natura, in corporibus inferioribus, hoc est terrenis, post peccatum ordinata regit corpus suum, non omni modo pro arbitrio, interim quod constat peccatum primi hominis . Non enim dictum est, Post peccatum suum, aut, Posteaquam peccavit; sed dictum est, Post peccatum: ut quodlibet postea, si fieri posset, discussa ratio declararet, sive peccatum ejus, sive peccatum parentis carnis ejus, recte dictum intelligeretur quod dictum est, Post peccatum in inferioribus corporibus ordinata regit corpus suum, non omni modo pro arbitrio, quia et caro concupiscit adversus spiritum (Galat. V, 17), et ingemiscimus gravati (II 0588 Cor. V, 4), et corpus quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam (Sap. IX, 15): et quis omnia enarret carnalis infirmitatis incommoda? quae utique non erunt, cum corruptibile hoc induerit incorruptionem (I Cor. XV, 53), ut absorbeatur mortale a vita. Tunc itaque spirituale corpus reget omni modo pro arbitrio; nunc vero non omni modo, sed sicut leges universitatis sinunt, per quas constitutum est ut corpora orta occidant, et aucta senescant. Nam illius primi hominis anima, ante peccatum etiamsi nondum spirituale corpus, sed animale, tamen pro arbitrio regebat. Post peccatum autem, id est posteaquam peccatum in illa carne commissum esset, ex qua deinceps propagaretur caro peccati, anima rationalis sic est in inferioribus corporibus ordinata, ut non omni modo pro arbitrio regat corpus suum. Quod si nondum acquiescunt in parvulis, qui nulla adhuc peccata propria commiserunt, jam tamen esse carnem peccati, quia et huic sanandae, cum baptizantur, necessaria est medicina, similitudo illa carnis peccati; nec sic istis verbis nostris habent quod succenseant. Constat quippe, nisi fallor, eamdem carnem, etiamsi non vitio, sed natura infirma est, tamen post peccatum coepisse nasci: quia neque ita creatus est Adam, neque aliquem genuit ante peccatum.

7. Quaerant ergo alia quae recte reprehendant, non solum in aliis festinantius editis, verum etiam in his ipsis libris meis de Libero Arbitrio. Neque enim eos inventuros nego unde mihi beneficium conferant; quoniam si illi, quod jam in multorum manus exierunt, corrigi non possunt, ego certe quoniam vivo adhuc, possum. Haec autem verba tam caute a me posita, ut nulli de animae exortu quatuor illarum opinioni rationive praescriberem, hi tantum reprehendant, qui reprehendendam putant eamdem ipsam de re tam obscura cunctationem meam: contra quos me non defendo, quod recte faciam in hac quaestione cunctari, cum omnino non dubitem et immortalem esse animam, non ita ut Deus, qui solus habet immortalitatem (I Tim. VI, 16), sed modo quodam sui generis; et eam esse creaturam, non substantiam Creatoris, et si quid aliud de natura ejus certissimum teneo. Sed quia hoc me facere compellit de animae exortu caliginosissimae quaestionis obscuritas, manum potius porrigant confitenti, et quidquid illud est nosse cupienti; et doceant, si possunt, vel ostendant, si quid de hac re vel certa ratione didicerunt, vel apertissimo divino eloquio crediderunt. Si enim ratio contra divinarum Scripturarum auctoritatem redditur, quamlibet acuta sit, fallit veri similitudine; nam vera esse non potest. Rursus si manifestissimae certaeque rationi velut Scripturarum sanctarum objicitur auctoritas; non intelligit qui hoc facit, et non Scripturarum illarum sensum, ad quem penetrare non potuit, sed suum potius objicit veritati, nec quod in eis, sed quod in seipso velut pro eis invenit, opponit.

8. Exempli gratia: diligenter attende quod dicam. Scriptum est prope finem libri qui vocatur Ecclesiastes, cum de solutione hominis, quae fit per mortem 0589 istam qua dirimitur anima a corpore, Scriptura loqueretur: Et convertatur pulvis in terram, sicut fuit; et spiritus revertatur ad Deum qui dedit eum (Eccle. XII, 7). Sententia hujus auctoritatis procul dubio certa est, nec quemquam decipit falsitate: sed si quispiam voluerit eam sic interpretari, ut inde animarum propaginem, quod ex illa una quam Deus primo homini dedit, omnes caeterae veniant, conetur adstruere; videtur illi suffragari quod ibi de carne dictum est pulveris nomine (nam utique pulvis et spiritus nihil aliud hoc loco quam anima et caro intelligitur), ut eo modo affirmet animam reverti ad Deum, quod sit de traduce illius animae quam primo homini dedit Deus, quemadmodum convertitur caro in terram, cum sit etiam ipsa de traduce illius carnis quae in primo homine de terra facta est: ac sic contendat ex hoc quod de carne notissimum est, debere nos credere illud quod de anima occultum est. De traduce quippe carnis non ambigitur, sed de animae ambigitur. Utrumque autem ita positum est in hoc testimonio, velut singula singulis parili ratione reddantur: caro scilicet convertatur in terram, sicut fuit; inde enim sumpta est, quando factus est primus homo: et spiritus revertatur ad Deum, qui dedit eum quando insufflavit in faciem hominis quem finxerat, flatum vitae, et factus est homo in animam vivam (Gen. II, 7), ut deinceps ex utraque re utriusque rei propago decurreret.

9. Verumtamen si illud est verum, quod animas non ex illa una propagatas, sed alibi creatas singulis singulas Deus dat, etiam huic sententiae congruit quod dictum est, Spiritus revertatur ad Deum qui dedit eum. Solae ergo reliquae duae opiniones videntur excludi; quia si fierent in singulis hominibus animae propriae, cum creantur, non putatur dici debuisse, Spiritus revertatur ad Deum qui dedit eum, sed ad Deum qui fecit eum: Dedit enim veluti sic sonat, quasi jam extra fuerit quod dari posset. Deinde quod dictum est, revertatur ad Deum, urgent verbo et premunt, dicentes: Quomodo revertetur, ubi nunquam antea fuerit? Potius enim dici debuisse asserunt, Et ad Deum vel pergat, vel vadat ad Deum, quam, Revertatur ad Deum, si nunquam illic antea spiritus iste fuisse credendus est. Item quomodo animae sponte labantur in corpus, cum scriptum sit, dedit eum, non tam in promptu est explicare. Ac per hoc, ut dixi, duae istae opiniones sub verbis hujus testimonii laborant: una, qua putantur singulae quaeque animae in singulis suis corporibus fieri; alia, qua putantur in corpora sponte demergi. Duabus autem illis, sive de traduce illius unius veniant, sive antea jam creatae et apud Deum constitutae, singulis corporibus dentur, sine labore verba ista coaptantur.

10. Et tamen si assertores ejus sententiae qua creduntur animae in suis singulis corporibus fieri, affirment ita esse dictum de spiritu, qui pro anima positus est, Deus dedit eum, quemadmodum recte dicitur dedisse nobis oculos, vel aures, vel manus, vel quodlibet aliud; quae membra utique non extra jam 0590 fecerat, et alicubi reposita habebat, quae cum opus esset, daret, hoc est, adderet et adjungeret; sed illic ea fecit in corpore, cui dedisse illa dicitur: quid ei respondeatur non video; nisi forte alia vel testimonia proferantur, vel certa ratio unde ista opinio refellatur. Itemque illi qui putant animas in corpora sponte defluere, sic accipiunt dictum, Deus dedit eum, quomodo dictum est, Tradidit illos Deus in concupiscentiam cordis eorum (Rom. I, 24). Proinde unum verbum relinquitur, quod dictum est, revertatur ad Deum, quo pacto accipi possit reverti, ubi ante non fuit, si animae in suis quaeque corporibus fiunt; quo solo verbo una illarum quatuor angustatur opinio. Sed neque propter hoc unum verbum temere existimo illam sententiam esse refutandam, ne forte possit ostendi aliquo genere locutionis, quo sancta Scriptura uti solet, hoc quoque recte dici potuisse, ut reverti intelligatur ad Deum spiritus creatus, tanquam ad auctorem a quo creatus est, non tanquam ad eum apud quem primitus fuit.

11. Haec ideo scripsi, ut quisquis illarum quatuor de anima sententiarum aliquam voluerit adstruere atque defendere, talia proferat, vel de Scripturis in auctoritatem ecclesiasticam receptis, quae non possint aliter accipi; sicuti est, quod Deus hominem fecit: vel rationem tam certam, ut contradictio aut nulla existat, aut insaniae similis merito judicetur; velut si quisquam dicat, nec veritatem cognoscere, nec falli quemquam posse nisi viventem. Neque enim ut videamus quam hoc sit verum, Scripturarum auctoritas necessaria est, ac non sensus ipse communis ita verum esse perspicua ratione proclamat, ut quisquis contradixerit, dementissimus habeatur. Hoc si in ista obscurissima quaestione quae de anima est, praestare aliquis potest, adjuvet imperitiam meam: quod si non potest, non culpet cunctationem meam.

12. De virginitate autem sanctae Mariae, si hoc quod scripsi non persuadet fieri potuisse, neganda sunt omnia quae mirabiliter in corporibus acciderunt. Quod si propterea non creditur, quia semel factum est, quaere ab amico quem hoc adhuc movet, utrum nihil inveniatur in litteris saecularibus quod et semel factum sit, et tamen creditum non fabulosa vanitate, sed, sicut existimant, historica fide; quaere, obsecro te. Si enim tale aliquid in illis litteris inveniri negaverit, admonendus est; si autem fassus fuerit, soluta quaestio est.