dispense with himself for hearing Mass on the Lord-day but he saith not that this will suffice him to acquit himself as he ought of this Precept which commands him to sanctifie this day And how was it possible for him to say that having said immediately before that the intent of God and the Church is that we should not busie our selves in any other thing than his Service Vt in eo tantum divinis cultibus serviamus After Bauny had so well expounded this passage and had made so happy use of it unto his design he joyns the Authority of the Councils to that of the Apostles and S. Austins and he goes on with his discourse in this manner The Councils say as much That of Mayence cap. 17. and of Tours 3. both in the year 813. in the time of Leo III. and of Charles the Great and the 6. of Constantinople in the 8. Chapter in these terms Diei vero Dominici tanta debet esse observantia ut praeter Orationes Missarum solennia ea quae ad vescendum pertinent nihil fiat So great ought the observance of the Lords-day to be that besides prayers and the solemn celebration of Masses nothing should be done but what appertains to dressing of meat It would not be easie to find in the Councils a passage more express than this for condemning Father Bauny and his Brethrens opinion concerning the Sanctification of the Lords-day and yet he produces it and pretends to make use of it as a strong proof for himself Bauny would have handy labour only forbidden on the Lords-day and the Council which he cites forbids us doing any thing on that day but what is necessary for our lives ut praeter ea quae ad vescendum pertinent nihil fiat Bauny maintains that in hearing Mass we satisfie the Precept which commands us to sanctifie the Lords-day and the Council declares that we ought to employ all the day in the actions of Piety and Religion such as are prayers presence at the Mass and divine Service forbidding all other sorts of employments and divertisements ut praeter orationes Missarum solennia nihil fiat Layman speaking of the obligation to sanctifie Festival days expounds it in this manner 1 Alterum quod in Ecclesisstico praecepto de observatione Festorum continetur affirmativum est ut omnes Fideles usum rationis habentes integram Mistam cum attentione audiant Lay-man lib 4. tr 7. cap. 3. num 1. pag. 185. The other part of the Commandment of the Church which regards the observation of Festivals is affirmative and ordains that all the Faithful who have the use of reason should bear the whole Mass with attention If you be concerned to know which Mass ye are obliged to hear he will answer you 2 Non refert ad praecepti hujus adimpletionem utrum Fideles Festo die intersint Missae solemni vel privatae Ibid. num 3. That for fulfilling this Precept it is indifferent whether the Faithful hear on Feast-days an high or low Mass If you represent unto him the obligation they are under to hear the high Mass in their own Parishes he will resolve you this doubt by telling you that there is not an absolute obligation of hearing Mass only in your Parish Neither is there any Church appointed as namely that of your Parish for hearing Mass saith he but in what place soever the Faithful hear it they satisfie the Precept of the Church He will acknowledge indeed that the Bishops and Pastors of the Church ordain that the Faithful hear Mass in their own Parish but he acknowledges not their voice in this point for the voice of the Church and he makes no scruple to say that the Faithful are not obliged to obey them grounding himself upon the Authority of Suarez and Tolet 4 Ubi admonent non obligare praeceptum Episcopi ut subditi Missam audiant in propria Parcchia Ibid. who give to that he speaks of this advice that the Command which the Bishop makes unto those under his Charge to hear Mass every one in his own Parish is not obliging pretending that the Bishops themselves have not power to command this without doubt because they have not received it from Suarez nor Tolet there being no appearance for them to say that they have not received it from Jesus Christ since he hath given them Authority to govern their people and to command them whatsoever they judged profitable to their Salvation and the good of the Church and hath said unto them that whosoever obeyeth them obeyeth him in their persons and that they who despise them despise him himself Besides many Councils have ordained that we should be present at Masses in our Parish who deserve not to be heard according to these Jesuits as having gone beyond their power and made rash Ordinances Tambourin troubles not himself to know whether there be any Ordinance which forbids the hearing of private Masses in Religious houses to the prejudice of the Parochial For he pretends that these Decrees are abolished by custom 5 Quod si textus cap. 2. de Parcchis contrarium dicat jam is est usu consuetudine abrogatus Tambur lib. 1. meth celebr Miss cap. 4. sect 5. num 6. That if the Text de Parochis cap. 2. say the contrary it is at this day abolished by use and custom Dicastillus before him had assured us the same thing 6 Sed ubique quaecunque Missa audiatur satisfit praecepto quidquid aliqui ex antiquis dixerint jam enim certissimum est apud omnes authores antiquum jus consuetudine abrogatum esse Dicastill de Sacr. Miss tract 5. disp 5. dub 4. num 56. Whatsoever may be said by the Ancients it is altogether certain at present saith he according to these Authors that the ancient Law is abrogated by the custom And which is astonishing after he had given unto this custom which is a visible disorder the power of abrogating the Right and Laws of the Church he denies the Bishop the power to destroy this custom by his Ordinances 7 Episcopus non potest praecipere ut quisque audiat Missam in sua Parochis eo ipso quod secundum Ecclesiae usuâ— liberum sit cuique ubique audire num 59. The Bishop saith he cannot order every one to hear Mass in his own Parish because according to the usage of the Church every one is free to hear any where So if you will believe these Divines all the Sanctification of Feasts and Lords-days are reduced to the hearing of a Mass and that a low Mass and to hear that where we please let the Bishops and Councils say what they will 3 Neque etiam certa Ecclesia puta Parochialis pro Missa audienda definita est sed ubicunque Fideles Missam audiant praecepto Ecclesiae satisfaciunt Ibid. But if any one have not devotion and leisure to hear Mass Dicastillus
take a false Oath even before a Judge without perjury ibid. Section II. Rules and Examples of Equivocation taken out of the Books of the Jesuits Escobar Filliutius Sanchez Pag. 55 Section III. When and on what occasions one may make use of Equivocations Sanchez Filliutius Pag. 57 Section IV. The Jesuits Method to frame Equivocations and to use them commodiously Filliutius Pag. 60 Section V. The Method of the same Jesuits to hinder their Equivocations from being ever discovered and that no person may be deprived of his liberty to make use of them Sanchez Pag. 62 The last Article A general proof that the Jesuitical Authors favour and nourish the lust of men in all things and the common principle from which they draw all that they say in favour of it Escobar Amicus Tolet Celot Posa Pag. 65 CHAPTER II. Of Sins in Habit or habitual Sins That there are scarcely any habitual Sins according to the Jesuits and that custom of sinning may make a man uncapable of sinning Sanchez Escobar Filliutius Layman Pag. 72 Chap. III. Of Sins of Ignorance That ignorance excuses sins committed without knowing them and even those which are committed afterwards And that there are properly no sins of ignorance according to the Jesuits Bauny Sanchez Filliutius Amicus Escobar Pag. 75 Chap. IV. Of good and bad Intention Pag. 84 Article I. That the Jesuits teach that we may fulfil the Commandments of God and the Church not only without intention but with an intent contrary and altogether criminal Escobar Lessius Layman Filliutius Celot Bauny ibid. Article II. That according to the Divinity of the Jesuits we sin not if we have not an intention to sin Sa Filliutius Sanchez Bauny Pag. 88 Chap. V. Of the Matter of Sin Pag. 94 Article I. That the Jesuits enhanse and debase as they please the goods of this world which are the usual object or matter of sin and so nourish vice and dispense with the Law of God Bauny Escobar Sa Sanchez ibid. Article II. The consequence and explication of the same subject by two examples and two sequels which the Jesuits draw from their Principles concerning the matter of sin 1. That God can no more than men command or forbid a matter that is in it self slight under the penalty of mortal sin 2. That he that hath a design and will to commit all venial sins if he were able sins only venially Sa Amicus Escobar Pag. 98 The Second Part of the First Book Of the external Principles of Sin THat the Jesuits nourish them that they may gratifie the passions of men and by consequence excite them to sin Pag. 103 Chap. I. Of the Maxims of Reason and humane Authority ibid. Article I. That the Jesuits make profession to follow novel Maxims and to contemn Tradition and Antiquity Posa Maldonat Escobar Azor Filliutius Reginaldus Pag. 104 Article II. Of the Doctrine of Probability Pag. 111 I. Point The principal Maxims of the Jesuits concerning Probability Pag. 112 Section I. The Opinions of Layman and of Azor concerning Probability ibid. Section II. The Opinions of other Jesuits conformable to the preceding for making all things probable and to give liberty to follow all sorts of Opinions Filliutius Escobar Pag. 120 Section III. The Opinion of Sanchez concerning the probability of Opinions Pag. 123 II. Point The pernicious consequences and effects of the Jesuits Doctrine of Probability Pag. 133 Section I. That the Jesuits Doctrine of Probability favours disorderly persons Libertines and Infidels Caramuel Escobar Petrus Michael de Sanroman Sanchez Pag. 134 Section II. That this Doctrine of Probability favours the Hereticks and nourisheth them in Heresie Celot Sanchez Filliutius Caramuel Pag. 137 Section III. That the Jesuits Doctrine of Probability destroys the Commands of God and the Church and teaches to clude all Laws divine and humane even that which forbids to do unto others that which we would not have done unto our selves Caramuel Escobar Tambourin Mascarenhas Pag. 142 Section IV. That the Jesuits Doctrine of Probability ruines entirely the Authority of the Church of Pastors and Superiors of all sorts Caramuel Pag. 150 Section V. That an opinion probable being once received all the Prelates of the Church and all the men in the World cannot hinder that it should be probable and safe in conscience according to the Jesuits Caramuel Celot Pag. 153 Article III. That the Divinity of the Jesuits is obsequious and mercenary Escobar Filliutius Amicus Celot Pag. 157 Article IV. That the Jesuits Divinity is subject to contradiction and change in opinions Dicastillus Tambourin Pag. 163 Chap. II. Of evil Customs That the Jesuits allow those which corruption hath introduced into all sorts of conditions and make use of them to excuse sins and vices Escobar Bauny Layman Pag. 168 Chap. III. Of the Occasions of Sin That the Jesuits retain men in them and that according to their Maxims there can be no next occasions of sin Sanchez Bauny Layman Escobar Pag. 171 An Abridgment of the Doctrine of the Jesuits about the next occasions of sin Pag. 177 The last Chapter Of the Accessories of Sin Tambourin Pag. 178 The Second Book Of the Inward and Outward Remedies of Sin The First Part. Of the Inward Remedies of Sin CHap. I. Of the Grace of Jesus Christ Pag. 185 Article I. That the Jesuits destroy the Grace of Jesus Christ by their Divinity Celot Amicus Escobar ibid. Article II. That Jesus Christ might have sinned might have been subject unto vices might have fallen into errour and folly according to the Jesuits Divinity Amicus Pag. 189 Chap. II. Of Repentance Pag. 194 Article I. Of Sorrow for Sin That according to the Jesuits we may be justified by the Sacrament of Penance by a natural sorrow and even without any true sorrow for sin Filliutius Amicus Sa Escobar Bauny Pag. 195 The Sum Of the Doctrine of the Jesuits related in this Chapter concerning the sorrow which is necessary to blot out sins in the Sacrament of Penance Pag. 201 Article II. Of Confession and Accusation of Sins That the Jesuits do destroy the integrity thereof Layman Bauny Filliutius Escobar Sa. Pag. 202 Article III. Of Absolution That the Jesuits make it depend on the Opinion and the Will of the Penitent rather than the disposition and judgment of the Confessor Sa Layman Amicus Filliutius Sanchez Bauny Pag. 211 Article IV. Of Satisfaction That the Divinity of the Jesuits destroys this part of Penance Pag. 217 Article V. Rules of Conduct for a Confessor according to the Jesuits Pag. 223 I. Point Rules to examine Penitents according to the Jesuits Bauny Filliutius Dicastillus Tambourin Escobar ibid. II. Point Of the Advice which a Confessor ought to give his Penitent according to the Jesuits Escobar Amicus Filliutius Tambourin Petrus Michael de Sanroman Pag. 225 III. Point Of the inward disposition of the Penitent and of sorrow for sin according to the Jesuits Filliutius Tambourin Sa Bauny Dicastillus Pag. 226
follow that which he believes to be less probable and to prove their opinion he lends them a reason of which he oftentimes made use before in like cases about other matters e Quia nec temere nec imprudenter agit utpote qui ratione probabili ducitur Ibid. n. 46. Because a Judge doth not herein behave himself rashly or imprudently guiding himself as he doth by a probable opinion Which obligeth him to approve the opinion of these Authors though he dares not follow it f Quamvis autem hoc sit probabile probabilius judico eum teneri sententiam serre juxta opinionem probabiliorem Ibid. n. 47. Because though it be probable yet he believes it to be more probable that a Judge is obliged to Judge according to the more probable opinion There are none therefore but Casuists and directors of consciences alone that are absolutely exempt from this obligation It is of them alone that we are to understand that which Filliutius said above g Licitum est sequi opinionem minus probabilem etiamsi minus tuta sit It is lawful to follow the less probable opinion though it be also less safe And it is to them onely that we are to referre all those maximes and conclusions which we have seen him and his fraternity draw from this principle And though in this they favour indeed those of other professions in fixing them more unto truth and Justice and leaving them less liberty to depart from it yet it is not this they regard particularly their principal design is to favour themselves in giving to themselves a power to dispose of the power of Jesus Christ of his ministry of the consciences and Salvation of men according to their fancy and do in the Church whatsoever they please without considering that there is no greater misery then to love licence and to be able to do what one will against justice and truth II. POINT The pernicious consequences and effects of the Jesuits Doctrine of probability IF the Tree may be known by its fruit and if a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit as Jesus Christ saith in the Gospel we may confidently affirm that the Doctrine of probability is the most dangerous that ever appeared in the Church and in the world because it overturns all things in them both There is no Chapter in this book that proves not this truth but because it is important and that there are it may be many persons that will hardly believeit and will not easily observe it through the whole extent of this treatise I will represent here some of the principal proofs of the pernicious consequences and unhappy effects of this Doctrine 1. It favours and nurses up weak and disorderly persons in their mistakes and disorders sinners and libertines in their bad courses hereticks in their heresies and Pagans in their infidelity 2. It teaches to elude the Commandments of God and the Church and it overturns Laws Civil Ecclesiastick and Divine 3. It destroys the authority of Princes over their Subjects of Pastors of the Church over the Faithful of Fathers over their children Masters over their Servants of Superiours in Religious Orders over their Inferiours and generally of all Superiours over their Inferiours 4. It introduces independence and leads to irreligion 5. It cannot be destroyed nor hindred from having course in the world if it be once therein received and taught Every one of these points are handled largely enough in diverse places of this Book where may beseen the passages of the Jesuits Authors which I have cited for their verification Wherefore to avoid repetitions I shall often onely give a short touch here as I passe of what they say upon the most part of these points relating upon the rest some other new passages of their Authors I will also recite some out of one of their principal and most faithful disciples and partakers Caramuel by name This is the onely exception to be found in all this work of my design which I have to rehearse onely the Authors of the Society if yet in this it can be said that I depart from my design since it is still onely the Jesuits that speak by the mouth of one of their disciples who doth nothing but deduce and explicate their opinions But if sometimes he seem to be transported and to expatiate too far in the licence of their Doctrine he draws always his conclusions from their Doctrines and he often supports them by their very reasons and in all the liberty of his stile and spirit he advances nothing but what is comprised and contained in the maximes of the Society which I have represented in the preceding Articles It had not been hard for me to have drawn the very same consequences with him But besides that I make some scruple to aggravate or publish the mischief before it appeares and breaks forth of its own accord it goes sometimes to such an excesse that it seems incredible if they themselves who are the Authors thereof did not both own and publish it And this hath caused me to take this disciple of the Jesuits for the interpreter of their opinions as being proper to represent most clearly and most surely the pernicious effects of their Doctrine of probability But because the matter is of great extent I will divide them into several Paragraphs according to the points I even now observed SECT I. That the Jesuits Doctrine of probability favours disorderly persons libertins and infideles 1. IT favours weak and disorderly persons and nuzzles them in their looseness because according to the rules of this probability there is no person of any condition who may not easily be excused of the most part of his duties general and particular continue to live in his disorder and in the abuse which the corruption of the age hath introduced and exempt himself from alms from fasting and from other good works which he may and ought to do according to the order of God and the Church that he might come out of his weaknesses and disorders since these holy exercises are the strength and nourishment of the faithful soul But all these proofs and others also which might be produced upon this point are contained in one sole maxime of the Jesuits Divinity reported by one of their chiefest disciples and defendours a Omnes opiniones probabiles sunt peraeque tutae ac securae benigniores etsi aliquando siut minus probabiles per accidens sunt semper utiliores securiores Caramuel Comment in Reg. S. Bened. l. 1. d. 6. n. 58. Item Theol. fundam p. 134. That all probable opinions are of themselves as safe the one as the other but the more pleasant although they be less probable are always more profitable and more safe by accident That is to say because of their sweetness which renders them more easie more proportionable to the inclinations of men and more favourable to their interest and softness And
in a Collection which he hath made of the principal decisions which are drawn from the principles of the Doctrine of Probability where after he had reported a great quantity according to the order of the Alphabet he declares that there are an infinite of others which he hath not nor can report because that would be very difficult and tedious and the maxims and use of the Rules of Probability extending themselves in a manner unto all sorts of matters there would need an entire Volume wherein to collect and report them simply Operosum id ita est prolixum quippe per omnes fere materias est percurrendum ut integrum merito volnmen exposcat yet I cannot abstain from reporting here also three taken out of this Author which shew an extraordinary and palpable corruption and a very peculiar deprivation of reason in those who are capable to approve or follow them 1. n Probabile est v. c. hoc vectigal injuste esse impositum probabile item esse impositum juste possumne ego bodie quia sum exocto Regius vectigalium exigere ejusmodi vectigal sequendo opinionem asserentem illud juste esse impositum atque adeo licere mihi sine injustiâ—ia illud exigere cras imo etiam hâ—die quia sum Mercator illud occulte defraudare sequendo opinionem asserentem illud à justitia deficere It is probable saith he for example that an Excise is justly established it is probable on the other side that it is unjust may I being at present established by the King to raise this Impost exact it according to the opinion which maintains that it is just and therefore lawfull for me to levy without doing any injustice and to morrow or the same day being I am a Merchant may I secretly defraud this very Impost following the opinion which condemns it of injustice 2. o Secundo probabile rursus est ablationem famae pecunia compensari probabile non compensari Possumne ego bodie infamatus velle ab infamante compensationem in pecunia cras imo bodie ego ipse alium insamans nolle famam proximi à me ablatam compensare pecunia It is probable that the loss of reputation may and may not be compensated with money May I to day being defamed desire satisfaction in money and to morrow or this very day having defamed another not be willing to allow him the same compensation 3. In the third place p Tertio probabile item reo licere aequivocare in judicio probabile non licere Possumne ego reus bodie aequivocare cras vero creatus Judex urgere reum ut non aequivocet Haec innumerabilia ejusdem generis hic in controversiam narrantur In casibus relatis num 1. 2. 3. atque in similibus licitam esse ejusmodi mutationem concedimus Tamb. l. 1. Theol. c. 3. sect 5. num 1. 2. 3. 21. It is probable that a Defendant may use equivocations in Justice May I being this day Defendant use equivocations and to morrow being chosen Judge constrain the Defendants not to make use of them In the process he answers In this case and other such like I grant that it is lawfull to change opinion He believes therefore that these persons may do that justly unto others which they would not have done unto themselves and which they would free themselves from as much as possible and he sees not that this is to overturn the prime Law of Nature and the Gospel which ordains That we should do unto others that which we would they should do unto us and not to do unto others that which we would not they should do unto us and that this is at once to violate all the Commandments of God which are founded on this principle of Nature and all the Law and Prophets which according to Jesus Christ's saying depend upon this rule and all the Holy Scripture which are nothing else but an extension and explication of this same principle SECT IV. That the Jesuits Doctrine of Probability ruines entirely the Authority of the Church of Pastors and Superiors of all sorts TO make this truth appear we must observe that there are four sorts of Principles for ruining the Authority of Superiors 1. By corrupting or destroying the principle of it 2. By bounding it and encroaching upon it 3. By rejecting or weakning its commands 4. By hindring Subjects from obeying The Jesuits by the Doctrine of Probability corrupt the Authority of the Church in the original of it in attributing to it no other than a mere humane power They retrench and destroy it in not consenting that it may prescribe the inward actions of vertue they bound it and encroach upon it by the irregularity of their Priviledges which they abuse to the contempt of the commands and Ordinances of Bishops and invading their Jurisdiction they utterly abolish some of their Laws and they weaken others of them and there are hardly any unto which they have not given some assault by the multitude of inventions they have found out to defeat and elude them These points are entirely verified in the whole process of this Book and some of them in entire Chapters But that which is remarkable and very proper to justifie what I pretend here is this that the means and the armes which they and those who follow their opinion make use of to fight against the Authority of the Church in all these manners are the maxims of their Doctrine of Probability The Authority of the Church is of it self assured and uncontroulable being supported by the firm rock of Gods Word For this cause there cannot be found a means more ready or more infallible to ruine or weaken it than to undermine its foundation and to make it depend on humane reason and authority submitting its Jurisdiction and its power to the disputes and contests of the Schools and rendring in that manner every thing probable that respects its power that they may afterwards become the Arbitrators and Masters thereof It is not needfull here to repeat all that is found in the body of this Book to prove this truth it is sufficient only to report some passages of their Authors and their Disciples in which they avow themselves that the Doctrine of Probability doth absolutely ruine the Authority of the Church and of all sorts of Superiors and they make it so clear in the examples that they produce that after they are read it seems not that any person can doubt thereof Hereof see one manifest proof in the case which Caramouel propounds in these terms q Petrus secutus opinionem benignam probabilem non satissacit mandato sui Abbatis in casu in quo probabiliter non tenetur obedire probabilius tenebatur Praelatus supscribens sententiae severiori judicat illum debuisse obedire proinde peccasse Petitur an possit contra illum procedere punire tanquam inobedientem Caram in com in reg S. Bened. l. 1. n.
Probabiliter ergo tam suscipiens quam conferens Ordinem ante ordinandi Confi mationem venialiter deliquit Ibid. that it is then probable that both he who confers and he who receives Orders before Confirmation sin only Venially This is sufficiently to despise the Sacrament of Confirmation not to vouchsafe to take the pains to receive it for preparation to holy Orders then when it may so easily be given by the same Bishop who confers the Orders But this it also a greater contempt of the order of the Church of the Authority of an Oecumenick Council and of all Ecclesiastick Tradition and Discipline not to fear at least to violate it by a voluntary withdrawing from and neglect of these so formal words of the Council of Trent Primâ Tonsurâ non initientur qui Sacramentum Confirmationis non susceperint As if these words did not contain an Ordinance but only a counsel and simple proposition Which is a very easie way to overthrow all the Decrees of Councils and the Church and to render them entirely unprofitable Here we must take notice of the spirit of these Divines and the licence which they take to play with Sacraments and Consciences They debase Confirmation as much as they can and carry themselves with visible passion to the diminishing of the vertue of this Sacrament which is the accomplishment of Baptism without which the grace of Baptism continues imperfect and Christians are not such but only imperfectly according to the Fathers and on the other hand we see them carry indifferently all the world to confession and the Communion with so much ardour and importunity that they make it the head point of their direction as the greater part of those who follow their conduct make it the principal part of their devotion Which thing is so much the more considerable for that if we pre-suppose even with them that there is no command which obliges us to receive Confirmation so also neither is there any that obliges us to confess ofther then once a year and this precept of Confession is not at all for Venial sins which notwithstanding are the matter of the Confessions which they reiterate and cause to be reiterated so often by devout persons and those who defire to live Christian-like and nevertheless if they knew any one who should divert Penitents from their Tribunals or who should only say to them that it was not necessary for them to confess so often when they have only Venial sins which may be blotted out by other ways they would doubtless condemn him and hold him more to blame then if he had committed some great crime and yet they make no scruple to turn away all the faithful indifferently from Confirmation by this reason only although a false one that there is no obligation nor necessity on them to receive it But if any will say that the custom of confessing and communicating frequently is received in the Church and those who make a special Profession of Piety ought to follow it and cannot neglect it without testifying that they contemn it with pride we must confess by this reason that we are much more obliged to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and we cannot neglect the opportunities thereof without discovering greater pride and contempt against this Sacrament since it is manifest that the order custom and use of receiving it is much more ancient more authorized and more generally and religiously observed in the Church than that of frequent Confession of venial sins this practice becoming common only of late times and that of Confirmation having been generally received and holily observed from the beginning of the Church and in all latter Ages so that there hath never been found any one Saint pious Person or Christian living Christian-like who hath dared to reject it or who hath withdrawn himself voluntarily from it until our times wherein the Jesuits have begun to introduce this new Doctrine and new Practice of Devotion But it is easie to see by the Spirit and ordinary Carriage of the Jesuits that that which carries them on to aggravate with so great care the obligation and necessity of Confession and of the Communion and on the contrary to diminish that of Confirmation to push on Christians indifferently to these two first Sacraments and to keep them at distance from the last is thi◠that they are not Bishops to confirm men as well as they are Priests to confess and communicate and that in recommending with so much importunity Confession and the Communion they make themselves necessary and in diverting the Faithful from Confirmation they advance the design which they have to make Bishops unuseful and to withdraw the people from their guidance that they may be their Masters therein and reign in the Church without any hindrance ARTICLE II. Of the Eucharist and Penance What sort of Dispositions the Jesuits demand for these two Sacraments and that they teach men to prophane them by Sacriledge AS the Jesuits incline all sorts of persons indifferently to confess and communicate it behoves them that they may bring them on thereunto to make the practice and use of these two Sacraments very easie We have already seen in the Chapter of Penance that they have so sweetned the yoke of Confession that to confess well there needs in a manner nothing but to know how to speak and declare ones sins though in many cases they give liberty also to conceal one part and though one do accuse himself in general without specifying any in particular they oblige him not absolutely to repeat his Confession And as for their Penitents who confess frequently they permit them almost any thing even to deceive them and lye in Confession without believing they commit any great fault provided it be only in a matter of venial sin that if they have committed mortal sins which they are ashamed to discover they may by the advice of these directors confess them to other Priests to preserve their reputation with their ordinary Confessor They will also make their Penance as easie as their Confession if they please For if they be not in a humour to perform it that they may give them neither trouble nor scruple they will impose it on them only by way of counsel or without prescribing them any thing in particular they are content to say unto them Impono tibi pro poenitentia quiequid hodie vel hac hebdomada boni feceris vel mali passus fueris I impose upon you for Penance whatsoever good you shall do or evil you shall suffer this day or this week If a person over-run with crimes address himself to them and be troubled to make known the bottom of his Conscience and to discover the corruption of his Heart by declaring his wicked inclinations and habits they will not press on him in this point no more then to tell them in particular the number of his wicked desires impurities and secret crimes which move in his
serve him and to gain eternal wealth which he hath promised to those that serve him even so the people of the world serve the world and labour for advancement in the world and to get temporal wealth Finally he saith r Uno verbo coque hierarchico dividuas distinctasque vitas imaginationes illi permissas admonet that to conclude all in one word but which is hierarchique and holy God hath permitted them to lead a life divided and distracted parting their minds and thoughts towards a multitude of different objects I am not astonished at all that he declares so openly that he who is no profest Religious may divide his minde and life betwixt God and the world that is to say that he may love the world as well as God This saying is worthy him but not holy nor hierarchique as he assures us This is rather a profane speech and unworthy of a Christian and opposite to the hierarchy being it is contrary to the order and commandment of God who ordaines us a Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo Nolite diligere mundum neque ea quae in mundo sunt 1. Joan. 2. v. 15. to love him with all our heart and forbids us to love the world and all that is in the world Nevertheless he forbears not to take Saint Chrysostome for warrant of this saying as if he could cover an errour by an imposture He makes this great Saint to say or rather he saith for him against his will and contrary to his thoughts and expresse words that it is lawful for a secular person to lead a life wholly divided and severed parting his affections and thoughts on many different objects Which agrees not with what he himself hath related of this Saint that a Christian who liveth in the world is obliged to the same things with a professed Religious excepting the usage of marriage Omnia aequaliter sicut Monachi agere debet unless he pretends that it is lawful also for the Monks and Religious as well as seculars to part their lives betwixt God and the world After he had thus abused the authority of the Saints he abuseth also their example to support his false principle and to establish ambition usury and the love of this world and the goods of this world amongst Ecclesiastiques and the Ministers of Jesus Christ as well as amongst the seculars For he is bold to assure us that the greatest personages of antiquity as Saint Basil have suffered themselves to breake out into passions like those he allows the people of the world and have appeared vehemently concerned in occasions so important as are the elections and ordinations of the Pastors of the Church See how he discourses b Magnis etiam viris humanas rationes scimus non rarò ejusmodi parentum aut amicorum ordinationes persuasisse Et à Sancto Basilio Ecclesiastiâ—ae narrat historia Zazinis vili ac despecto oppido erectam Episcopatus Sedem ut in ea constitutus Gregorius Nazianz nus amici sui partes adversus Anthemium secundae Cappadaciae Metropolitanum tueretur Quo in facto si unicam Dei spectasset gloriam neque terreni desiderii quidquam admiscuisset facilius sine dubio cessisset Basilio Gregorius Celot p. 947. We know that humane reasons have often transported the greatest persons to seek to advance their kindred and their friends to the orders and charges of the Church and the Ecclesiastical History relates that Saint Basil erected an Episcopali Seat at Zazime which was but a despicable and poor Town that he might establish Gregory Nazianzen there to the end he might make use of him as his friend against Anthemius Metropolitan of the second Province of Cappadocia In which if he had considered the glory of God alone and had not mingled therewith some Earthly desire St. Gregory had more readily and with lesse resistance yielded himself to the will of Saint Basil He is not contented unjustly to condemn Saint Basil he makes Saint Gregory to condemn him also supposing falsely that he had opposed him because he discovered some worldly desire in his design But by this rule we must say that all the Saints who at the first resisted other Saints or the Church or God himself when they were called to Ecclesiastique Offices and sometimes by miracle have observed some humane and terrestrial concern in the conduct and vocation of the Church the Saints and God himself upon which they grounded their refusal and resistance After that Celot had imposed this infirmity and defect upon Saint Basil he makes application thereof to his design which is to authorize Lust by the example of so great a Saint drawing thence this consequence c Potuit ergo S. Basilius ut Ecclesiae suae Metropolitanae dignitatem ampliflcaret novos Episcopos sibi subditos quos suffraganeos appellamus constituere Saint Basil then might create and establish under him new Bishops whom they call Suffragans to augment the dignity and authority of his Metropolitan Church d Non poterit Sanctus alius simili ex causa veteri Episcopatui fratrem consanguineum suum aut amicum fidelissimum praesicere Ibid. May not another Saint upon like occasion give unto his Brother his Kinsman his faithful Friend the conduct of an ancient Bishoprick 1. We may observe in this discourse first of all the rashness wherewith he imposes upon Saint Basil without any ground to have acted humanely and to have been carried by interest and a carnal desire to make St. Gregory a Bishop 2. The consequence he draws from this supposed fact saying that by the example of Saint Basil others may choose their kindred and friends for interest and humane consideration to succeed them in their charges of their Churches 3. The conclusion and end of this reasoning and this example which is onely to make use of it to authorize and justify the love of the world and the goods of this world and consequently to let loose the reins to lust and to give men the liberty to follow it without difficulty and without remorse of conscience Poza proceeds farther unto a greater excesse in this same subject attributing even to Jesus Christ himself this manner of acting altogether humane and altogether from flesh and blood in two the most Holy and Divine functions which he hath exercized which are the distribution of his grace and vocation to an Apostleship For in that Saint John Baptist was sanctified from the wombe of his Mother he argues that by stronger reason Jesus Christ hath done the same favour to Saint Joachim and Saint Anne Because that Saint Joachim and Saint Anne were his Grandfather and Grand-mother whereas Saint John was but his cousin See here his words speaking of Jesus Christ * Ut Mariae adblandtretur absque originaria macula concipiendae illius parentem adhuc velocius quà m Joannem à macula haereditaria liberavit Neque video quare