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AND THEIR REFUTATION. 387
modo, quibus Deus ipse in fidelium cordibus, et animo inaliena-
bilia jura sua exercuisset." Now the extravagance of this
doctrine is only equalled by the confused manner in which it is
stated. It would appear that he admits that true believers can
be found professing mere natural religion alone, which, according
to him, has, in a certain way, its own faith, and its own revela
tion. Then in mere natural religion there must be^a faith and
revelation with which God is satisfied. But, says Berruyer s
friend, he intends this a mere hypothesis ; but this does not
render it less objectionable, for it would lead us to believe that
God would be satisfied with a religion purely natural, without
faith in the merits of Jesus Christ, and sufficient to save its pro
fessors. St. Paul answers this, however, for he says :
" Then
Christ died in vain" (Gal. ii, 21.) If natural religion be sufficient
to save those who neither believe nor hope in Jesus Christ, then
he died in vain, for man s salvation. St. Peter, on the contrary,
be obtained in Christ: "Neither
says that salvation can only
is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name
under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved" (Acts,
iv, 12). If any infidels, either under the New or Old Law have
been saved, it has only been because they knew the Grace of the
Redeemer, and hence St. Augustin says that it was granted to no
person to live according to God, and save his soul, to whom Jesus
Christ has not been revealed, either as promised or already
"
Divinitas autem provisum fuisse non dubito, ut ex hoc
come :
uno scircmus etiam per alias Gentes esse potuisse, qui secundum
Deum vixerunt, eique placuerunt, pertinentes ad spiritualem
Jerusalem : quod nemini concessum fuisse credendum est, nisi
cui divinitus revelatus est unus Mediatur Dei, et hominum homo
Christus Jesus, qui venturus in carne sic antiquis Sanctis pra3-
nunciabatur, quemadmodum nobis venisse nuntiatus est" (1).
49. This is the faith required
for the just man to live always
"
united with God : The just man liveth by faith," says the
Apostle :
"
But that in the law no man is
justified with God it is
manifest, because the just man liveth by faith" (Gal. iii, 11). No
one, says St. Paul, can render himself just in the sight of God,
by the law alone, which imposes commandments, but gives no
(1) St. Aug. /. 18deC,.D. c. 47.