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AND THEIR REFUTATION. 319
sin. Jansenius himself admits that it is not opposed to his
Omnipotence ; neither is it to any other attribute, for in that
state, as St. Augustin (6) teaches, all that is due by right to
man s natural condition, as reason, liberty, and the other faculties
necessary for his preservation, and the accomplishment of the
object for which he was created, would be given to him by God.
Besides, all Theologians, as Jansenius himself confesses in those
works in which he speaks of pure nature, are agreed in admit
ting the possibility of this state, that is considering the right of
the creature alone, and this is precisely the doctrine of the
Prince of Schoolmen, St. Thomas. He teaches (7), that man
might be created without consideration to the Beatific Vision.
" He : says Carentia Divino visionis competeret ei qui in solis
naturalibus esset etiam absque He peccato." likewise, in another
passage (8), teaches that man might be created with that con
cupiscence which rebels against reason :
"
Ilia subjectio
inferio
rum virium ad rationem non erat naturalis." Several Theo
logians, therefore, admit the possibility of the state of pure
nature, as Estius, Ferrarensis, the Salmanticenses, Vega, and
several others. Bellarmin (9), especially, says he does not know
how any one can doubt of this opinion.
13. We have now to answer the objections of our adversaries.
"
The first is objection on the score of Beatitude." St. Augustin,
according to Jansenius, teaches in several places that God
could not, without injustice, deny eternal glory to man in a state
of innocence :
"
Qua justitia quaeso a Regno
Dei alienatur
imago Dei in nullo transgressu legem
Augustin s words (10). We answer that the Holy Father in this
Dei." These are St.
passage was opposing the Pelagians, according to man s present
ordination of man to a
state, that is, supposing the gratuitous
supernatural end : according to that supposition, he said that it
would be unjust to deprive man of the kingdom of God if he had
not sinned. Neither is it of any consequence that St. Thomas (11)
says that man s desires can find no rest except in the vision of
(6) St. August. /. 3, de lib. arb. (9) Bellarm. /. de Grat. primi horn.
c. 20, 22, 23. cap. 5.
(7) St. Thorn, qu. 4, de Malo. a. 1. (10) St. August. /. 3, contra Julian,
(8) Idem in Sumiiia. 1, p. q. 95, cap. 12.
art. 1. (11) St. Thorn. 1. 4, contra Gentes,
c. 50.