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.

VI. PROPOSITION.

And to enable us to do it, he hath left his H. Spi∣rit in the Church, which with a secreet but powerfull fire burnes up what ever it findes impure and superflu∣ous, and more and more enflames the hearts of his E∣lect with holy and chast desires, so that they become most purified when they are cleansed from the pollutions of this world.

ANSWER.

I proceeded in declaring the blessings and favours of God upon the Elect, since the H. Spirit is given to them for the purging away of their sins, and infla∣ming their minds with pure thoughts, which are the source of the good works which flow forth to the sanctifying of God, so that they become most pu∣rified. Which truth is not to be understood of all the Predestinate: but we must believe that this is effe∣cted in some who may become most pure according to the state of the present life, & may advance hap∣pily from vertue to vertue, as S. Paul notes in his Epistles. S. Augustin useth the same word in his first book de Trinitate when he saith that the most purifi'd minds [purgatissimae mentes] are able to be∣hold the Supreame Good. I say most purifi'd as to the affections of the will, and not onely as to the thoughts of the mind [quantum ad affectum, non se∣lum ad intellectum] as S. Bonaventure expounds it. But to conclude how I might say this, S. Thomas must be consulted in scripto quarto super quartum sententiarum, where he speaks of Purgatory, and explaines what it is to build upon the foundation wood and stubble; he that compares the works of the perfect with those of the imperfect, and saith

that venial sins are burned by the favour of charity, and that we must not say that these sins are the wood and stubble built upon the foundation, because they remain not habitually in them; adding that they are secure, and their remaines nothing to be purged in them. Now this my opinion does injury to no body, because 'tis delivered with a condition, and comprehends not all the Elect, as appears mani∣festly by the sequel and explication of the word; and should it comprehend them all (though I have not affirm'd so) what hinders but that I may say that the Elect may become most purified, in the same sense that S. Paul saith there remaines no condem∣nation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and when he requires of a man who would be a perfect Christi∣an to put off the old man with all its lusts?