Ps 50:5

“Celsus has not explained how error accompanies the "becoming," or product of generation; nor has he expressed himself with sufficient clearness to enable us to compare his ideas with ours, and to pass judgment on them. But the prophets, who have given some wise suggestions on the subject of things produced by generation, tell us that a sacrifice for sin was offered even for new-born infants, as not being free from sin. They say, "I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me;" also, "They are estranged from the womb;" which is followed by the singular expression, "They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies."”

“But we, according to the epistle of James, "all stumble in many things," and "no one is pure from sin, no not if his life is but a day long." For who will boast "that he has a clean heart? or who will be sure that he is pure from sin?" And we are held guilty after the likeness of Adam's transgression. Hence David says, "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." And the blessed Job, "Even if I were righteous, my mouth will speak wickedness; even if I were perfect, I will be found guilty. If I wash myself with soap and make my hands ever so clean, yet you will plunge me in the ditch, and even my own clothes will abhor me."”

“I need not go through the lives of the saints or call attention to the moles and blemishes that mark the fairest skins. Many of our writers, it is true, unwisely take this course; however, a few sentences of Scripture will dispose alike of the heretics and the philosophers. What does Paul say? "For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all"; and in another place, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The preacher also who is the mouthpiece of the divine Wisdom freely protests and says, "There is not a just person on earth, that does good and sins not," and again, "When your people sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin," and "who can say, I have made my heart clean?" and "none is clean from stain, not even if his life on earth has been but for one day." David insists on the same thing when he says, "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me"; and in another psalm, "in your sight shall no man living be justified." This last passage they try to explain away from motives of reverence, arguing that the meaning is that no human being is perfect in comparison with God. Yet the Scripture does not say, "in comparison with you no one living shall be justified" but "in your sight no one living shall be justified." And when it says "in your sight" it means that those who seem holy to people are by no means holy to God in his fuller knowledge. For "man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." But if in the sight of God who sees all things and to whom the secrets of the heart lie open no one is just; then these heretics, instead of adding to human dignity, clearly take away from God's power. I might bring together many other passages of Scripture of the same import; but were I to do so, I should exceed the limits not of a letter but of a volume.”

“"For, behold, in iniquities I was conceived" [Psalm 51:5]. As though he were saying, They are conquered that have done what thou, David, hast done: for this is not a little evil and little sin, to wit, adultery and man-slaying. What of them that from the day that they were born of their mother's womb, have done no such thing? Even to them do you ascribe some sins, in order that He may conquer all men when He begins to be judged. David has taken upon him the person of mankind, and has heeded the bonds of all men, has considered the offspring of death, has adverted to the origin of iniquity, and he says, "For, behold, in iniquities I was conceived." Was David born of adultery; being born of Jesse, [1 Samuel 16:18] a righteous man, and his own wife? What is it that he says himself to have been in iniquity conceived, except that iniquity is drawn from Adam? Even the very bond of death, with iniquity itself is engrained? No man is born without bringing punishment, bringing desert of punishment. A Prophet says also in another place, "No one is clean in Your sight, not even an infant, whose life is of one day upon earth." For we know both by the Baptism of Christ that sins are loosed, and that the Baptism of Christ avails the remission of sins. If infants are every way innocent, why do mothers run with them when sick to the Church? What by that Baptism, what by that remission is put away? An innocent one I see that rather weeps than is angry. What does Baptism wash off? What does that Grace loose? There is loosed the offspring of sin. For if that infant could speak to you, it would say, and if it had the understanding which David had, it would answer you, Why do you heed me, an infant? Thou dost not indeed see my actions: but I in iniquity have been conceived, "And in sins has my mother nourished me in the womb." Apart from this bond of mortal concupiscence was Christ born without a male, of a virgin conceiving by the Holy Ghost. He cannot be said to have been conceived in iniquity, it cannot be said, In sins His mother nourished Him in the womb, to whom was said, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the Virtue of the Highest shall overshadow you." [Luke 1:35] It is not therefore because it is sin to have to do with wives that men are conceived in iniquity, and in sins nourished in the womb by their mother; but because that which is made is surely made of flesh deserving punishment. For the punishment of the flesh is death, and surely there is in it liability to death itself. Whence the Apostle spoke not of the body as if to die, but as if dead: "The body indeed is dead," he says, "because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." [Romans 8:10] How then without bond of sin is born that which is conceived and sown of a body dead because of sin? This chaste operation in a married person has not sin, but the origin of sin draws with it condign punishment. For there is no husband that, because he is an husband, is not subject to death, or that is subject to death for any other reason but because of sin. For even the Lord was subject to death, but not on account of sin: He took upon Him our punishment, and so looses our guilt. With reason then, "In Adam all die, but in Christ shall all be made alive." [1 Corinthians 15:22] For, "Through one man," says the Apostle, "sin has entered into this world, and through sin death, and so has passed unto all men, in that all have sinned." [Romans 5:12] Definite is the sentence: "In Adam," he says, "all have sinned." Alone then could such an infant be innocent, as has not been born of the work of Adam.”

“So it is because of this quite unique innocence that the psalm says, "Against you alone have I sinned and done what is evil in your presence, that you may be justified in your words and may overcome when you are judged," because he could find not a hint of evil in you [Jesus Christ]. Why could he find it in you, though, O human race? Because it goes on to say, "For I myself was conceived in iniquity, and in sins did my mother conceive me." It is David saying this. Inquire how David was born; you will discover that it was of a lawful wife, not of adultery. So in terms of what sort of propagation does he say "I was conceived in iniquity"? It can only be that there is here a kind of propagation or transmission of death, which every person contracts who is born of the union of man and woman.”

“"Behold indeed." Here he sets forth the root of the guilt. The root of all actual guilt is original sin, which is contracted from parents infected with that sin; this infection was in the father of David and in his mother. As to the father, he says, "in iniquities I was conceived" -- not actual iniquities, because he was not born of adultery, but of marriage and from holy Jesse, as is said in the last chapter of Ruth -- but in original sin; for in this sin all are born. Rom. 5: "Through one man sin entered into this world." But since original sin is one, why does he say "in iniquities," etc.? It must be said that original sin is one in essence, so to speak, but many in power, because it provides the occasion for all other sins. Rom. 7: "Sin which is in my flesh works." And this diminishes the guilt; as if to say: it is not surprising that I sin, because I was conceived in these things. As to the mother, he says, "and in sins did my mother conceive me." But were not the parents of David cleansed from original sin through circumcision? It must be said that Baptism and circumcision cleanse the soul from the guilt of original sin, but the tinder of sin still remains, and circumcision was performed on the flesh, and a person begets carnal children according to the flesh; and therefore it was necessary that the son born be circumcised again. So now one born of baptized parents is baptized. Another text has, "my mother nourished me." And this is referred to actual sins, because even in children disordered movements are found, as Augustine says in Confessions 6. Another text has, "she bore me," etc. And so, because some are sanctified in the womb, but all except Christ are conceived in original sin, he says that he was not sanctified in the womb but born in original sin.”