Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

g 2 The Pelagian Controversy. CHAP. m.
pain and misery in the world. How was this to be accounted
for ? It could not be accounted for on the ground of men s
actual sins, because it was evidently a part of the present
constitution of nature, and in the case of infants preceded
actual sin. Anyhow, then, we were in a difficulty with
the doctrine
respect to the Divine justice ; for if we gave up
of original sin, there was nothing to account for this fact,
and the charge of injustice could be brought against God
for an undeserved infliction of pain. 1
The argument, however, which infers sin from pain,
should be used with caution we do not know ;
enough of
the whole scheme of things to decide whether, distinct from
judicial grounds, pain may not be necessary simply as a
preparation and training for a higher state of existence.
That kind of pain which is involved in effort and the over
coming of difficulty we do not naturally regard as at all of
necessity judicial; and S. Augustine exceeds the limits of
a common sense judgment, when he appeals to the slow
and gradual growth of the understanding in man, the im
becility of infancy, and the difficulties which accompany
2
the progress of education, as evidences of the Divine wrath.
But pain of the positive and acute kind certainly suggests
1 S. Augustine, in Op. Imp. 1.1.
2 Sed illi parvuli nee flerent in
c, 92., 1. 2. c. 89. 104. 116. 124. 139. paradise, nee muti essent, nee ali-
144., 1. 3. c. 7. 48. 89. 95. 154. 198., quando uti ratione non possent, nee
1. 5. c. 1., 1. 6. c. 7- 9., and passim, morbis affligerentur, nee a bestiis
refers to the general fact of human laederentur .... nee surgentes in
misery as a proof of original sin : pueritiam domarentur verberibus,
Teste ipsa generis humani miseria aut erudirentur laboribus. Op. Imp.
peccatum originale monstratur. 1. 3. c. 198. Omnibus cogenita est
L. 3. c. 89. Constat mala hujus qusedam tarditas mentis, qua et hi
vitae quibus plenus est mundus qui appellantur ingeniosi, non sine
Manichaeos cum Catholicisconfiteri : aliqua laboris serumna, vel quassed
undo sint haec non utrosque idem cunque artes, vel eas etiam quas
dicere : quod ea Manichaei tribuunt liberales nuncupant discunt ....
alienee naturae malae, Catholici vero Si in paradiso aliquid disceretur,
et bonae et nostrae ; sed peccato quod illi vitas esset utile scire, sine
vitiatse, meritoque punitae. L. 6. c. ullo labore aut dolore id assequere-
14. Si parvuli sine ullius peccati tur beata natura, vel Deo docente
meritopremunturgravijugo,iniquus vel
seipsa. Unde quis non intelligat
est Deus. L. 2. c. 124. Si ergo in hac vita etiam tormenta discennulum
esset in parvulis ex origine tium ad miserias hujus sasculi, quod
meritum malum, quicquid mail pati- ex uno in condemnationem propaga-
nntnr esset injustum. L. 3 L c. 204. turn est, pertinere. L. 6. c. 9.