Theoldtheistsweremoreanxiousabouttheirfaith。Theytried，ifnottodemonstrateit，atleasttorenderitreasonable，feelingsure，unliketheirsuccessors，thatthereisneitherdignitynorrestforthebelieverexceptincertainty。
TheFathersoftheChurchthenansweredtheincredulousthatevilisonlydeprivationofagreatergood，andthatthosewhoalwaysreasonaboutthebetterlackapointofsupportuponwhichtoestablishthemselves，whichleadsstraighttoabsurdity。Infact，everycreaturebeingnecessarilyconfinedandimperfect，God，byhisinfinitepower，cancontinuallyaddtohisperfections：inthisrespectthereisalways，insomedegree，adeprivationofgoodinthecreature。Reciprocally，howeverimperfectandconfinedthecreatureissupposedtobe，fromthemomentthatitexistsitenjoysacertaindegreeofgood，betterforitthanannihilation。Therefore，thoughitisarulethatmanisconsideredgoodonlysofarasheaccomplishesallthegoodthathecan，itisnotthesamewithGod，sincetheobligationtodogoodinfinitelyiscontradictorytotheveryfacultyofcreation，perfectionandcreaturebeingtwotermsthatnecessarilyexcludeeachother。
God，then，wassolejudgeofthedegreeofperfectionwhichitwaspropertogivetoeachcreature：topreferachargeagainsthimunderthisheadistoslanderhisjustice。
Asforsin，——thatis，moralevil，——theFathers，toreplytotheobjectionsoftheatheists，hadthetheoriesoffreewill，redemption，justification，andgrace，tothediscussionofwhichweneednotreturn。
Ihavenoknowledgethattheatheistshaverepliedcategoricallytothistheoryoftheessentialimperfectionofthecreature，atheoryreproducedwithbrilliancybyM。deLamennaisinhis“Esquisse。”Itwasimpossible，indeed，forthemtoreplytoit；for，reasoningfromafalseconceptionofevilandoffreewill，andinprofoundignoranceofthelawsofhumanity，theywereequallywithoutreasonsbywhicheithertotriumphovertheirowndoubtsortorefutethebelievers。