§22#2si ergo imperatum est nobis, ut faciamus arborem aut bonam aut malam, nostrum est eligere, quid uelimus.
If, therefore, we are commanded to make the tree either good or bad, it is ours to choose what we wish.
de isto ergo peccato hominis et de ista consuetudine animae facta cum carne apostolus dicit: nemo uos seducat: omnis creatura, quae a deo facta est, bona est. dicit idem apostolus, quem tu ipse commemorasti: sicuti per unius inobaudientiam peccatores constituti sunt multi, sic et per unius dicto audientiam iusti constituentur multi, quoniam per hominem mors et per hominem resurrectio mortuorum.
Therefore, concerning that sin of man and that habit of the soul made with the flesh, the Apostle says: "Let no one deceive you: every creature that has been made by God is good." The same Apostle, whom you yourself mentioned, says: "Just as by the disobedience of one many were made sinners, so also by the obedience of one many will be made righteous," since through man came death and through man the resurrection of the dead.
quamdiu ergo portamus imaginem terreni hominis, id est quamdiu secundum carnem uiuimus, qui uetus etiam homo nominatur, habemus necessitatem consuetudinis nostrae, ut non quod uolumus faciamus.
Therefore, as long as we bear the image of the earthly man, that is, as long as we live according to the flesh, who is also called the "old man", we have the necessity of our habit, so that we do not do what we wish.
cum autem gratia dei amorem nobis diuinum inspirauerit et nos suae uoluntati subditos fecerit, quibus dictum est: uos in libertatem uocati estis, et: gratia dei liberauit me a lege peccati et mortis — lex autem peccati est. ut quicumque peccat. moriatur — ab ista lege liberamur, cum iusti esse coeperimus.
But when the grace of God has inspired divine love in us and made us subject to His will—we to whom it was said: "You have been called to liberty," and: "The grace of God has freed me from the law of sin and death"—now the law of sin is that whoever sins shall die—we are freed from this law when we begin to be righteous.
lex mortis est, qua dictum est homini: terra es et in terram ibis. ex ipso enim omnes sic nascimur. quia terra sumus, et in terram ibimus propter meritum peccati primi hominis.
The law of death is that by which it was said to man: "Dust you are, and to dust you shall go." For from him we are all born in this way, because we are dust, and to dust we shall go on account of the desert of the sin of the first man.
propter autem gratiam dei, quae nos liberat a lege peccati et mortis, ad iustitiam conuersi liberamur: ut postea eadem ipsa caro, quae nos poenis torsit in peccatis manentes, subiciatur nobis in resurrectione et nulla aduersitate nos quatiat, quominus legem et diuina praecepta seruemus.
But on account of the grace of God, which frees us from the law of sin and death, we, having turned to righteousness, are freed: so that afterwards that very same flesh, which tormented us with punishments while we remained in sins, may be subjected to us in the resurrection and shake us with no adversity to prevent us from keeping the law and the divine commandments.
unde quoniam ego respondi tuis, dignare tu respondere illud, quod desidero, quemadmodum fieri possit, ut. si est deo natura contraria, nobis inputetur peccatum. qui in illam naturam non uoluntate, sed ab ipso deo, cui noceri nihil poterat, missi sumus.
Therefore, since I have answered your points, deign to answer that which I desire: how it can be that, if there is a nature contrary to God, sin is imputed to us, who were sent into that nature not by our will, but by God Himself, who could in no way be harmed.
FORT. dixit: Hoc genere, quemadmodum et dominus dixit discipulis suis: ecce mitto uos sicut oues in medio luporum. hinc sciendum est, quod non inimica mente saluator noster agnos suos, id est discipulos suos in medio luporum dirigere uoluit. nisi esset aliqua contrarietas, quae in similitudine luporum eam deponeret, ubi et discipulos suos miserat, ut quae forte in medio luporum animae possent decipi, ad propriam substantiam reuocarentur.
Fortunatus said: "In this manner, just as the Lord also said to His disciples: 'Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves.' From this it must be known that our Savior did not wish with a hostile mind to direct His lambs, that is, His disciples, into the midst of wolves, unless there were some contrariety which would place it in the likeness of wolves, where He had also sent His disciples, so that the souls which might happen to be deceived in the midst of wolves might be recalled to their own substance.
hinc ergo paret antiquitas temporum nostrorum, quam repetimus, et annorum nostrorum ante mundi constitutionem hoc more missas esse animas contra contrariam naturam. ut eandem sua passione subicientes uictoria deo redderetur.
Therefore, from this it is clear that the antiquity of our times, which we trace back, and of our years before the constitution of the world, that in this manner souls were sent against the contrary nature, so that by subjecting it by their own passion, victory might be returned to God.
nam dixit idem apostolus, quod non solum esset luctatio contra carnem et sanguinem, sed et contra principes et potestates et spiritalia nequitiae et dominationem tenebrarum.
For the same Apostle said that there is a struggle not only against flesh and blood, but also against principalities and powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness, and the dominion of darkness.
si ergo utrobique mala conuersantur et nequitiae habentur. iam non solum est malum in nostris corporibus. sed in toto mundo, ubi uidentur uersari animae. quae sub caelo isto uersantur et inplicatae sunt.
If, therefore, in both places evil things are active and wickednesses are maintained, then evil is no longer only in our bodies, but in the whole world, where the souls which are active under this heaven and are implicated seem to be active."