To Florus 2.217
Consequently, he destroys the theory of natural sin and teaches that the causes of substance and of will are different. Lest this understanding be attributed more to our ingenuity than to apostolic teaching, let us hear what he added to this passage: ‘But the law came in,’ he says, ‘so that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded beyond it, so that, just as sin reigned into death, grace might reign through righteousness into eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’ (Romans 5:20–21). Maintain, then, how your sin—the sin of inherited transmission—began to abound after the law, and what increase it received after Moses’ ministry.
Latin
Ac per hoc destruit opinionem peccati naturalis et docet alias esse causas substantiae, alias voluntatis; ac ne intellegentia haec nostro magis imputetur ingenio quam apostolico dogmati, ea, quae huic loco addidit, audiamus: Lex autem subintravit - inquit - ut abundaret delictum, ubi autem abundavit peccatum, superabundavit gratia, ut sicut regnavit peccatum in mortem, ita gratia regnet per iustitiam in vitam aeternam per Iesum Christum, Dominum nostrum [n351] . Assere igitur, quemadmodum peccatum tuum id est traducis coeperit abundare post legem, quae post ministerium Moysi incrementa susceperit.
About this text
Julian’s six preserved books to Florus, quoted section by section in Augustine’s unfinished reply. Augustine’s refutations are omitted. Latin of Julian’s words is on each section.
Julian’s own books do not survive as a separate manuscript. English follows his words as Augustine quotes them in the Unfinished Work Against Julian. Augustine’s replies are omitted. We do not restore a Julian text independent of Augustine.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Unfinished Work Against Julian (Latin · Julian’s words as quoted, Books 1–6)
- Checked print Augustinus.it Latin of the Unfinished Work (Latin · Same work)
- Checked print Migne PL 45 (Latin · Hard cases)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.