‘Sappho, I think it is we that must pay forfeits to Mademoiselle, not she to us, for she has vindicated herself in the most spirituel manner in the world,’ says Cléodamas.
‘Let her lay a task on each of us that must be performed within five minutes,’ suggests Philoxène.
‘Mademoiselle, what labours of Hercules are you going to impose on us?’ asks Sappho, smiling at Madeleine. Madeleine thinks for a moment and then says:—
‘Each of you must compose a Proposition Galante on the model of one of the Five.’
The company is delighted with the idea, and Théodamas writes out the five original Propositions that the company may have their models before them, and proceeds to read them out:—
(1) Some of God’s commandments it is impossible for the Just to obey owing to the present state of their powers, in spite of the desire of doing so, and in spite of great efforts: and the Grace by which they might obey these commandments is lacking.
(2) That in the state of fallen nature, one never resists the interior grace.
(3) That to merit and demerit in the state of fallen nature, it is not necessary that man should have liberty opposed to necessity (to will), but that it suffices that he should have liberty opposed to constraint.
(4) That the Semi-Pelagians admitted the necessity of the inward grace preceding every action, even the inception of Faith, but that they were heretics in so far as they held that grace to be of such a nature that the will of man could either resist it or obey it.
(5) That it is a Semi-Pelagian error to say that the Founder of our faith died and shed His blood universally, for all men.