"You know very little about the matter," returned he."So far are they from being united in sentiment that some of them are diametrically opposed to each other.But, being all united in the design to ruin M.Arnauld, they have resolved to agree on this term proximate, which both parties might use indiscriminately, though they understand it diversely, that thus, by a similarity of language and an apparent conformity, they may form a large body and get up a majority to crush him with the greater certainty."This reply filled me with amazement; but, without imbibing these impressions of the malicious designs of the Molinists, which I am unwilling to believe on his word, and with which I have no concern, I set myself simply to ascertain the various senses which they give to that mysterious word proximate."I would enlighten you on the subject with all my heart," he said; "but you would discover in it such a mass of contrariety and contradiction that you would hardly believe me.You would suspect me.To make sure of the matter, you had better learn it from some of themselves; and I shall give you some of their addresses.You have only to make a separate visit to one called M.le Moine and to Father Nicolai.""I have no acquaintance with any of these persons," said I.
"Let me see, then," he replied, "if you know any of those whom Ishall name to you; they all agree in sentiment with M.le Moine."I happened, in fact, to know some of them.
"Well, let us see if you are acquainted with any of the Dominicans whom they call the 'New Thomists,' for they are all the same with Father Nicolai."I knew some of them also whom he named; and, resolved to profit by this council and to investigate the matter, I took my leave of him and went immediately to one of the disciples of M.le Moine.I begged him to inform me what it was to have the proximate power of doing a thing.
"It is easy to tell you that, " he replied; "it is merely to have all that is necessary for doing it in such a manner that nothing is wanting to performance.""And so," said I, "to have the proximate power of crossing a river, for example, is to have a boat, boatmen, oars, and all the rest, so that nothing is wanting?""Exactly so," said the monk.
"And to have the proximate power of seeing," continued I, "must be to have good eyes and the light of day; for a person with good sight in the dark would not have the proximate power of seeing, according to you, as he would want the light, without which one cannot see?""Precisely," said he.
"And consequently," returned I, "when you say that all the righteous have the proximate power of observing the commandments of God, you mean that they have always all the grace necessary for observing them, so that nothing is wanting to them on the part of God.""Stay there," he replied; "they have always all that is necessary for observing the commandments, or at least for asking it of God.""I understand you," said I; "they have all that is necessary for praying to God to assist them, without requiring any new grace from God to enable them to pray.""You have it now," he rejoined.
"But is it not necessary that they have an efficacious grace, in order to pray to God?""No," said he; "not according to M.le Moine."To lose no time, I went to the Jacobins, and requested an interview with some whom I knew to be New Thomists, and I begged them to tell me what proximate power was."Is it not," said I, "that power to which nothing is wanting in order to act?""No," said they.
"Indeed! fathers," said I; "if anything is wanting to that power, do you call it proximate? Would you say, for instance, that a man in the night-time, and without any light, had the proximate power of seeing?""Yes, indeed, he would have it, in our opinion, if he is not blind.""I grant that," said I; "but M.le Moine understands it in a different manner.""Very true," they replied; "but so it is that we understand it.""I have no objections to that," I said; "for I never quarrel about a name, provided I am apprised of the sense in which it is understood.
