generation originally derived from Adam, i.e. who are descended from
him through seminal power; for the seminal power is nothing else than
the active power of generation. But if anyone were to be formed by
God out of human flesh, it is evident that the active power would not
be derived from Adam. Consequently he would not contract original
sin: even as a hand would have no part in a human sin, if it were
moved, not by the man's will, but by some external power.

Reply Obj. 1: Adam was not in the place of exile until after his sin.
Consequently it is not on account of the place of exile, but on
account of the sin, that original sin is transmitted to those to whom
his active generation extends.

Reply Obj. 2: The flesh does not corrupt the soul, except in so far
as it is the active principle in generation, as we have stated.

Reply Obj. 3: If a man were to be formed from human flesh, he would
have been in Adam, "by way of bodily substance" [*The expression is
St. Augustine's (Gen. ad lit. x). Cf. Summa Theologica, III, Q. 31,
A. 6, Reply to First Objection.], but not according to seminal
virtue, as stated above. Therefore he would not contract original sin.
________________________

FIFTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 81, Art. 5]

Whether If Eve, and Not Adam, Had Sinned, Their Children Would Have
Contracted Original Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that if Eve, and not Adam, had sinned,
their children would have contracted original sin. Because we
contract original sin from our parents, in so far as we were once in
them, according to the word of the Apostle (Rom. 5:12): "In whom all
have sinned." Now a man pre-exists in his mother as well as in his
father. Therefore a man would have contracted original sin from his
mother's sin as well as from his father's.

Obj. 2: Further, if Eve, and not Adam, had sinned, their children
would have been born liable to suffering and death, since it is "the
mother" that "provides the matter in generation" as the Philosopher
states (De Gener. Animal. ii, 1, 4), when death and liability to
suffering are the necessary results of matter. Now liability to
suffering and the necessity of dying are punishments of original sin.
Therefore if Eve, and not Adam, had sinned, their children would
contract original sin.

Obj. 3: Further, Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 3) that "the Holy
Ghost came upon the Virgin," (of whom Christ was to be born without
original sin) "purifying her." But this purific