To Florus 2.228
But this gave occasion for the same question he had explained above: someone might object that people freed from the law, which threatened wrath, could safely sin under the kindness of God’s grace. He therefore immediately added: ‘What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Far from it! Or do you not know that when you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one you obey, whether of sin or of obedience to righteousness?’ (Romans 6:15–16). Do we now believe him about the kind of sin he has been discussing? When you present yourselves, he says, as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that one, whether of sin or righteousness. Where, then, does the apostle indicate here that sin which is imagined to have flown over the very seed before the time of willing, before the activity of obedience, before the age of knowledge and conscience? Such a thing certainly can be found only in Manichaean books.
Latin
Verum quia eiusdem quam supra exposuerat quaestionis incurrebat occasio, ut opponeretur videlicet liberatos a lege, quae intendebat iram, securos posse sub gratiae Dei benignitate peccare, subdidit protinus: Quid ergo? Peccabimus, quoniam non sumus sub lege, sed sub gratia? Absit! An ignoratis, quoniam cui exhibetis vos servos ad oboediendum, servi estis eius, cui oboedistis, sive peccati sive oboeditionis iustitiae? [n391] Iamne ei credimus, de cuius disseruerit hactenus conditione peccati? Cui, inquit, exhibetis vos servos ad oboediendum, eius servi estis, sive peccati, sive iustitiae. Ubi hic ergo indicatur ab Apostolo peccatum illud, quod ante voluntatis tempora, ante oboedientium studium, ante scientiae et conscientiae aetatem ipsis fingitur supervolasse seminibus? Quod certe nisi in Manichaeorum libris inveniri non potest.
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.