For you said that you do not wish to promise the kingdom of heaven to unbaptized infants because the Lord's decree is clear: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. There you did not notice, when Nicodemus asked how these things could happen, that is, how a man could be reborn, how he could be born again; since indeed he cannot enter into his mother's womb again and be born again; what did he hear from the Lord, what did he hear from the good teacher, what did he hear error from the truth?
Among other things, showing how it is done, he also provided a comparison. But first he said: No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven. He was on earth and said that he was in heaven; and what is greater, in heaven was the Son of Man: to show one person in both natures, and in that he was the Son of God equal to the Father, the Word of God in the beginning God with God, and in that he was the son of man, taking on a human soul and human flesh, and clothed as a man, coming out to humans: because in these two there are not two Christs, nor two sons of God but one person, one Christ the Son of God, and the same one Christ, not another, the son of man; but the Son of God according to divinity, the son of man according to the flesh. But which of us, who are little observant, or with little wisdom, would not prefer to distinguish that way, the Son of God in heaven, and the Son of Man on earth? But lest we divide that way, and thus by dividing introduce two persons: No one ascends into heaven, he says, except he who descended from heaven the Son of Man. Therefore the Son of Man descended from heaven. Was not the son of man made on earth? was not the son of man made through Mary? But, oh man, he says, do not separate whom I wish to unite. It is little that the Son of Man descended (for Christ descended, and the same son of man who is the Son of God); he walks on earth who sits in heaven. He was in heaven, because Christ is everywhere, and the same Christ is both the Son of God and the son of man. Because of the unity of the person, on earth the Son of God, because of the same unity of the person we have proved in heaven the son of man, from these words of the Lord: the Son of Man, he says, who is in heaven. Because of the unity of person, is it not on earth and seen that Peter says: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God?
Only Christ ascended into heaven. The members of Christ with the head are one Christ.
Therefore, let Nicodemus learn how that happens, which seemed incredible and almost impossible to him, who understands less: No one ascends into heaven except the one who descended from heaven.
All those who are reborn, indeed, ascend into heaven: none of the others at all. And all who are reborn, through the grace of God ascend into heaven: and no one ascends into heaven, except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven. Whence this? Because all who are reborn become members of him; and Christ alone born of Mary is the one Christ, and with his body the head is one Christ. Therefore, he wished to say this: No one ascends, except he who descended. Therefore, no one ascends, except Christ. If you wish to ascend, be in the body of Christ: if you wish to ascend, be a member of Christ. For as in one body we have many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body; so also is Christ: because the head and body are Christ. And how this happens, let us still seek. The question lies hidden, that depth is exalted.
How we become members of Christ. Faith in Christ is necessary for salvation.
Christ does not have sin, neither did He derive original sin, nor did He add His own: He came without the pleasure of carnal lust, there was no marital embrace: from the body of the Virgin, He did not assume a wound, but a remedy; He did not assume what He would heal, but from where He would heal: as far as sin is concerned, I say. Therefore, He alone is without sin: how will His members be, none of whom are without sin? How? Hear the likeness that follows: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe in Him may not perish but have eternal life. Whence it did not seem to you that sinful men could become members of Christ, that is, of Him who would have no sin at all? You were moved by the serpent's bite: therefore, Christ is crucified, therefore Christ sheds His blood for the remission of sins; because of sin, that is, the serpent's venom: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, from which those who were bitten by serpents in that desert might be healed, and they were commanded to look upon that lifted up one, and whosoever would look upon it, would be healed; so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who believe in Him, that is, who look upon Him lifted up, who are not ashamed of the crucified, who glory in the cross of Christ, may not perish but have eternal life. May not perish, from what? By believing in Him. From what will they not perish? By looking upon the lifted up one: otherwise, they would have perished. For this is the meaning: Whoever believes in Him, may not perish but have eternal life.
Help is given by another's faith to little ones wounded by the deeds of others.
You offer me a little child, and you order that it look up, whom you deny has the poison of the serpent. Actually, if you favor him, if his innocence in his own life moves you, do not deny some trace of guilt from the first life, not his own, but of his first parent. Do not deny; confess the poison, so that you may seek the remedy: otherwise, he is not healed. Or why do you tell him to believe? For this is what the one carrying the little child responds. He is healed by the words of another, because he is wounded by the deed of another. Is he asked, does he believe in Jesus Christ? The question is posed: it is answered, he believes. For the one who is not speaking, for the silent one, for the crying one, and crying in a way praying to be helped, it is responded, and it avails. Or does that serpent even try to persuade because it does not avail? May it be far from the hearts of any Christians. Therefore, it is responded, and it avails. The spirit communicates by a certain conspiracy; he believes in another, because he sinned in another. Or indeed, does he find the life of this present age, whom weakness gave birth to; and does he not find the life of the future age, whom charity gave birth to?
The bronze serpent lifted up is a figure of Christ crucified in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Therefore, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone bitten by the serpent would look at it lifted up and be healed: so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone poisoned by the serpent looks at Him lifted up and is healed. The first Adam received the serpent's bite with venom. Therefore, born in the flesh of sin, he is saved in Christ through the likeness of the flesh of sin.
For God sent His Son, not in the flesh of sin; but, as he who wrote followed up, in the likeness of the flesh of sin; because it was not from marital union, but from a virginal womb. He sent Him in the likeness of the flesh of sin: why so? So that sin might be condemned in the flesh by sin: sin from sin, serpent from serpent. For who doubts that sin is called by the name serpent? Therefore, sin from sin, serpent from serpent: but from likeness, because there is no sin in Christ, only the likeness of the flesh of sin. Therefore, the serpent was lifted up, but made of bronze; the likeness of the flesh of sin was lifted up, so that the origin of sin might be healed. Because God sent His Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin. Not in the likeness of flesh; for it is true flesh, but in the likeness of the flesh of sin; because it is mortal flesh without any sin at all. So that by sin, on account of the likeness, He might condemn sin in the flesh, on account of true iniquity. There was no true iniquity in Christ: but there was mortality in Him. He did not take on sin, but He took on the punishment of sin. By taking on the punishment without guilt, He healed both the punishment and the guilt. Behold how these things are done. Which Nicodemus, amazed, had said: How can these things be? For thus we are healed, not because we deserve it. Behold how these things are done. Now where do you place little ones for me? Do you now say: They were struck by no poison. Take them away from the sight of the lifted serpent. But if you do not take them away, you say they need healing, you confess they are poisoned.
Whoever does not believe in Christ is condemned. Judgment for condemnation. Infants called faithful. Sin of origin.
Then the Lord himself in the same discourse to Nicodemus—did you not hear what he said when the same reading was read today? He who believes in him is not judged; but he who does not believe has already been judged. And here you seek a middle ground, man of mediation, and you dispute, and you listen attentively, yet you do not pay attention: He who believes in him is not judged; but he who does not believe has already been judged. What does it mean: Has already been judged? He is condemned. For you know that judgment is often used to mean condemnation: the scriptures testify to this, especially in that one most clear testimony, which no one contradicts. When the Lord spoke of the resurrection: Those who have done good, he says, to the resurrection of life; those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment: certainly, he used judgment to mean condemnation. And do you dare to discuss or believe otherwise? He who does not believe has already been judged. In another place: He who believes in the Son has eternal life: which you promised to infants who were not baptized. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. But he says, even the non-believing infant, although he does not have the kingdom of God, has it. But see what follows: But he who is disobedient to the Son will not see life; but the wrath of God remains on him. Where do you place the baptized infants? Surely among the number of the faithful. For this reason, by the ancient, canonical, and well-founded custom of the Church, baptized infants are called faithful. And thus we inquire about them: Is this infant a Christian? The answer is: Christian. Catechumen or faithful? Faithful; surely from faith, and faith from believing. Therefore, you will reckon baptized infants among the believers: nor will you dare to judge otherwise in any way if you do not wish to be a manifest heretic. Therefore, they have eternal life because he who believes in the Son has eternal life.
Do not promise eternal life to them without this faith, and without the sacrament of this faith. However, he who does not believe in the Son, and he who does not believe in the Son, does not have life, but the wrath of God remains upon him. He did not say: It will come upon him; but, it remains upon him. He looked to the origin when he said: The wrath of God remains upon him. The Apostle, looking to this, said: We were by nature children of wrath at one time. We do not accuse nature. The author of nature is God. Nature was established good by God; but by evil will from the serpent, it was corrupted. Therefore, what was in Adam of guilt, not of nature, has become nature to us, his descendants. From this vice of nature, with which man is born, none can liberate except him who was born without vice. From this flesh of sin, none can liberate except him who was born without sin in the likeness of the flesh of sin. From this poison of the serpent, none can liberate except the exaltation of the serpent. What do you say to these things? Is this enough?
The evasion of the Pelagians when pressed by the words of the Apostle about original sin. Not the first example of sinning, but the sin of origin is signified there.
Pay close attention to a certain very sharp argument that they bring forward. When they begin to be pressed by the words of the Apostle who says: Through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death; and thus death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned. I do not know who does not understand these words; in which words I do not know whether anyone requires an expositor: they try to reply and say it was said by the Apostle because Adam sinned first, and those who sinned afterward sinned by imitating him. What is this other than trying to cast darkness over the open light? Sin entered through one man and through sin death; and thus it passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned. You say it is because of imitation, because Adam sinned first.
I respond absolutely: Adam did not sin first. If you seek the first sinner, look at the devil. But the Apostle, wishing to show the human race contaminated from the origin, hence laid down from where we were born, not whom we had imitated. Your father is indeed also called, whom you would imitate: My children, he says, whom I travail with again. He likewise says: Be imitators of me. And on account of that very imitation it is said to the impious: You are from your father, the devil. For it is clear in the catholic faith that the devil neither begot our nature nor created it: there is only in him the seduction of the former, imitation of the latter. Finally, as it is said of Adam: In whom all have sinned; let it be read to me somewhere, All have sinned in the devil. It is one thing to sin with him preceding and seducing, another to sin in him. Because according to the propagation of the flesh we were all in him before we were born, just as in a parent, just as in a root we were there: thus this tree is poisoned, where we were. For since origin does not pertain to the devil, that is, the prince of sin, and truly the first sinner, but imitation; when Scripture spoke of him: By the envy of the devil, death entered the world: however, those who are from his side imitate him. By imitating him, they become from his side. Has it ever been said, They sinned in him? But when it was said of Adam, because of the origin, because of the posterity, because of the propagation of the entrails: In whom all have sinned, he says. For if Adam was therefore established first because he sinned first, as if he were an example, not in origin; why after such a long time, after such extended ages, is Christ sought against Adam? If all sinners pertain to Adam because he was the first sinner, all just ones ought to have pertained to Abel because he was the first just one. Why is Christ sought? Wake up, brother. Why is Christ sought, if not because in Adam the generation is condemned, in Christ regeneration is sought?
The objection of the Pelagians against original sin, Why is a person not born just after being baptized.
Therefore, let no one deceive us: Scripture is clear, authority is well-established, faith is most catholic. Everyone who is born is condemned: no one is liberated unless they are reborn. Hence also you, now instructed, respond to their other cunning arguments, dear ones, when they say, and disturb infants, "If sinners are born of sinners, why are the just not born from the baptized who are already faithful, to whom all sins have been forgiven?" Quickly respond: For this reason the just are not born from the baptized, because he does not generate from what he was regenerated, but from what he was generated. It was said of Christ: "Put to death in the flesh, made alive by the Spirit": thus it can be said of man, "Decomposed in flesh, justified in spirit." That which is born of the flesh is flesh. You ask that the just be born from the just, when you see that being just is impossible without being reborn. Nor do you consider the Lord's declaration, which you yourself have on your lips: "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit." I think this did not happen in intercourse. You wonder why a sinner is born from the seed of a just man: does it not delight you to wonder why an olive tree sprout comes from the seed of an olive tree? Receive another analogy. Place a baptized just man as a purified grain: do you not see that from the purified grain, wheat with chaff is born, without which it is sown. Moreover, since the generation of those who are born is carnal, and the generation of those who are reborn is spiritual, do you want the baptized to be born from the baptized, when you see that the circumcised are not born from the circumcised? This generation is certainly carnal, and circumcision is carnal, and yet the circumcised are not born from the circumcised: thus, therefore, the baptized cannot be born from the baptized; because no one is reborn before they are born.
Another mockery of the same is exploded. Christ benefits nothing to those who do not believe. Christ benefits baptized infants. Baptized infants are truly believing through the faith of others. Infants believe by the faith of their parents.
Another of their arguments seems very sharp: but what sharpness is not blunted by the shield of truth? Another thing they say, see what kind. If Adam, they say, harms those who have not sinned; therefore, Christ ought to benefit even those who have not believed. You certainly see how sharp this is against the truth: hear how much it helps the truth. For he who says this says nothing else except that Christ benefits nothing to unbelievers. This is true. Who would not accept it? Who would not agree that Christ is of no benefit to unbelievers, but is beneficial to believers? But tell me, I beg you, does Christ benefit baptized infants in any way, or not at all? It is necessary to say that He benefits them: they are pressed by the weight of Mother Church. Indeed, they would perhaps want to say this; for their arguments seem to compel them to it: but they are restrained by the authority of the Church, lest I should say they are overwhelmed not just by the spit of men, but carried off as if by a stream by the tears of the infants themselves. For if they say that Christ benefits baptized infants nothing at all; they say nothing other than, Infants are baptized in vain. However, that they are not baptized in vain, since they do not dare to say this, they confess that Christ benefits baptized infants.
If it benefits the baptized, I ask whom it benefits, believers or unbelievers? Let them choose what they wish. If they say, Unbelievers: where then is what you were slandering, because Christ cannot benefit unbelievers? Behold, you confess that it benefits infants, who are not yet believers. It benefits for any purpose: do you not believe for eternal life, do you not believe for eternal salvation: to receive the kingdom of heaven itself, Christ certainly benefits baptized infants. Does it therefore benefit unbelievers? But far be it, that I should say infants are unbelievers. I have already discussed above, one believes through another, who has sinned through another: it is said, He believes; and it is valid, and he is counted among the faithful baptized. This has the authority of Mother Church, this canon founded on truth prevails: against this strength, against this impregnable wall, whoever strikes, he himself is broken. Therefore Christ benefits the baptized infants in something; and just as I say, and just as the whole Church with me says, it benefits believers, it benefits the faithful: choose what you wish. Indeed, I want you to choose what is truer; so that you may say with us that it benefits believers. But if you say, It benefits unbelievers; you have spoken against yourself. If you say, It benefits believers; you have spoken with me. Choose, whether you will speak falsely against yourself, or speak truly with me. For a little while ago, you were saying that Christ benefits nothing to unbelievers, wishing to make it so because just as Adam harmed nothing to those who did not sin, just as Christ benefits nothing to unbelievers. Behold, you now confess that Christ benefits baptized infants who are not yet believers. But if you say it benefits believers, you speak well, you speak with me, infants also believe.
From where do they believe? How do they believe? By the faith of the parents. If they are cleansed by the faith of the parents, they were defiled by the sin of the parents. The body of death in the first parents begot them as sinners: the spirit of life in the later parents regenerated them as faithful. You give faith to him who does not answer, and I give sin to him who does nothing.
Against original sin the Apostle is improperly cited. There are many ways of sanctification.