The journal of Monsr. de Saint Amour doctor of Sorbonne,: containing a full account of all the transactions both in France and at Rome, concerning the five famous propositions controverted between the Jansenists and the Molinists, from the beginning of that affair till the Popes decision. / Faithfully rendred out of French. ; A like display of the Romish state, court, interests, policies, &c. and the mighty influences of the Jesuites in that church, and many other Christian states, being not hitherto extant.

V. PROPOSITION.

And in like manner cannot prevaile against the stru∣cture built with living stones which is the H. Church and the determinate number of the Elect.

ANSWER.

In this Proposition those things which precede and follow in my Treatise, must be considered, be∣cause otherwise naked and mutilated clauses beget obscurity. In confirmation of Predestination and its strength, I cited the divine authority of S. Paul to the Ephesians, where that instrument of the H. Ghost layes open all the benefits which God hath prepared for the Predestinate. His words are clear, and gave me occasion to say (as I did) that Satan cannot prevaile against the structure built with living stones, which Edifice is the H. Church and the determinate number of the Elect. And what I said herein is grounded upon the Parable ta∣ken out of the mouth of Truth it self. Who knows not (as S. Paul saith) that the Devil hath no power against God's Elect? Neverthelesse 'tis not to be deny'd that the Devil sometimes prevails against the Elect; for indeed he often prevails through their negligence and corruption. But what is this to my expression which hath reference to that oracle of S. John, chapter 10. My sheep shall never perish; My Father which gave them me is greater then all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my hand: Therefore, against these Predestinate, who are the Subject of my Treatise, I said Satan cannot prevail in that manner which our Saviour and other holy and Catholick Authors understand; yet do I not therefore inferre any necessity or compulsion upon the Free-will, as if it acted no more then a piece of wood or a stone. I onely toucht this mat∣ter by the way, and could not speak more largely off it in so little time; which was the cause that speaking of this Edifice built with living stones, I called it the Church and the determinate number of the Elect, yet not excluding the Universal Church, (which would have been the discouse of an extravagant and senseless person denying the clear∣nesse of divine light) since we are oblig'd to ac∣knowledge and believe firmely the H. Catholick Church diffused throughout the whole world under one Head in Heaven, Jesus Christ (as S. Paul saith) and under his lawfull Vicar, who is another Head on the Earth of the same Universal Church. But I thus term'd the H. Church, the structure built with living stones, because it may be so call'd, although this Church be invisible; since S. Augustin calls it so in the fifth book against the Donatists, and S. Bernard upon the Canticles, chap. 23. and 68. The Elect are gather'd into this Church by faith, charity, and the Sacraments, as in the visible and militant Church the Elect and the other Faithfull are united by the same bonds; and although some of them depart from charity, yet if they fall not from the Catholick faith, they cease not to be and to remain in the same Church.