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Reply. Speaking simply and absolutely, it was possible for God to
deliver mankind otherwise than by Christ's passion, even without any
satisfaction; for this would not have been contrary to justice,
because God, who is infinitely above a simple judge, since He has no
superior, decreed that His Son must die and can also forgive the
offense committed against Him, without requiring satisfaction; and
then He acts mercifully and not unjustly. But, supposing God's
foreknowledge and preordination concerning Christ's passion, then
man's liberation from sin was not otherwise possible. The first part
in the argument of this article and the reply to the third objection
correct St. Anselm's extreme view.
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