Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

122 Different Interpretations
CHAP. iv.
to the earlier interpretation, a loss of higher goodness only;
and this difference was followed by a corresponding differ
ence in the punishment attached to it. S. Augustine held
a state of positive evil and pain, and not a privation of
higher happiness only, as the punishment of original sin.
Inclined, at an earlier stage of his theological life, to the
position of a middle state for unbaptized infants, as a con
venient solution of a difficulty, a stronger subsequent view
of the guilt of original sin rejected it ; and in the contro
versy with the Pelagians he not only attacked that position,
but made an argumentative use of the contrary one as
proved from Scripture. The Pelagians adopted the posi
tion of a middle state as fitting in with their own scheme,
which they had constructed upon a mixed ground of their
own peculiar doctrine, and of deference to the general
belief of the Church. Denying original sin altogether, they
could not admit any positive punishment as due to unbap
tized infants, much less a punishment in hell while ; defer
ence to general belief prevented the assignment of heaven.
A middle place, therefore, between heaven and hell, exactly
served their purpose neither ; punishing the innocent being
nor exalting the unbaptized one. But Augustine attacked
this position energetically as one which in effect abolished
original sin itself; arguing forcibly, that only two places
were mentioned in Scripture, heaven and hell, and that,
therefore, a third place, which was neither the one nor the
other, was an unauthorised invention of man. He then
used the scriptural position of only two places as a positive
argument in support of his doctrine of original sin. For
if there were only two places, and those guilty of original
sin were excluded by the general belief of the Church from
heaven, hell only remained for them ; and a punishment in
hell necessarily implied a positive original guilt to deserve it. 1
The position of a middle state then rejected, Augustine
1
Istara nescio quam medietatem renatos ? Dicite ergo hujus infeliquam
conantur quidam parvulis citatis meritum, verbosi et contennon
baptizatis tribuere. De Pecc. tiosi, qui negatis originale pec-
-M-erit. et Rem. 1. 28. An tandem catum. Op. Imp. 2. 113. Qui
aliquando extra regnum Dei infe- velut defensione justitise Dei niteris,
lices futures fatemini parvulos non ut evertas quod de parvulorum non