of peace the stalking-horse of their most insupportable violences thâ—s have the false friends of peace consented to the oppression of the truths of Religion and the Saints by whom they were maintained Upoâ— these grounds was it that St. Aâ—hanasius Stâ— Hilary and other holy Bishops in their times were treated as rebellious factiouâ— obstinate men and enemies to peace and union that they were deposed banished and foâ—saken in a manner by all the faithful who misinterpreted for a breach of peace the zeal they had for the truth Hence came it that the holy and famous Monk Stephen was charged as a disâ—urber of the Church's tranquility by the 330. Bishops who would needs have the Images removed out of the Churches which certainly was a point not of the greatest consequence to salvation And yet because men ought not to shrink from the least truths under pretence of peace that holy Religioâ—s man publickly opposed them and it was upon that ground that he was at last condemned as may be seen in the Annals of Baronius Ann. 754. Thus also were the holy Patriarchs and Prophets charged as Eliah was to be troublers of the tranquillity of Israel and that the Apostles nay J. Christ himself were condemned as the Authors of disturbance and dissention because they declared a saving hostility against the corrupt passions and the fatal extravagances of the Hypocritical Pharisees and insolent Priests of the synagogue And lastly all this is no more then the Scripture gives â—s a general representation of when entertaining uâ— with a character of these false Teachers who call by the name of divine those things that are diabolical as these Casuiâ—ts do at this day in their Morality it sayes Wisdome chap. 14. that they also give the name of peace to the most deplorable desolation The extravagance of men saith the wise man is come to â—â—t height that they give the incommunicable name of the Divinity to that which hath not the essence thereof to flatâ—er the inclinations of mâ—n and to shew their complyance with the humours of Kings and Princes And being not content to be so mistaken in things divine and to live in that errour which is a true war they give the name of peace to a condition full of trouble and disorder In magno viventes inscientiae bello tot tanta mala pacem appellant It is therefore a principal truth of our Religion thâ—t there are certain timeâ— wherein it is necessary to trouble the possession of errour which the wicked call peace and this is a thing no way to be doubted of after the confirmation of so many Authorities Now if ever there was â—n indispensable occasion and necessity to do it let us examine whether there could be a greater or more pressing then there is at this day We finde the most numerous and most powerful bâ—dy of men â—n the whole Church that which hath the disposal of the consciences of all the greatest bandying together and conspiring in the maintenance of the most horrid maximes that ever the Church groaned under We find them notwithstanding all the charitable admonitions that have been given them both privately and publickly obstinately countenancing Revenge Avarice gluttony vain glory sâ—lf-love and all the exorbitancies of coâ—â—upt nature the profanatioâ— of the Sacraments contempt of the ministeries of the Church and the disparâ—gement of the Antient Fathers that they might introduce into their stead such Authors of their own as are most remarkable for their ignorance and temerity And yet though we cannot but see the Church ready to be oâ—ewhelmed with this deluge of corruption we must not presume for fear of disturbing the peaâ—e to call out to those that â—re enâ—rusted with the conduct thereof save us we perish The most inconsiderable truths of Religion have been maintained even to the death and yet 't is expected we should quietly let go the most essential points of our Religion and the maximes that are most important and oâ— greatest necessity in order to the salvation of men because it is the pleasure not of 300. Bishops nor indeed of so much as one nor of the Popeâ— but only of the society of the Iesuits to overturn them as thâ—y please We desire say they to be at peace even with those whâ— are unwilling to have any Strange preserveâ—s of peace who never yet suffered the least writing to come out against their Morality which they have not worried with their bloody Answers and yet still writing the last they will needs have us to sit quiet while they remain in possession of their unjust pretentions We thought it not amiss to be the more large in the reâ—utation of this reproach because there is not any they seem so much to insist upon against us For though there may be few persons whom they can pâ—rswade that the Casuists are holy Authors yet is it not impossible but they may meet with some whom they may cajol into a belief that we are nevâ—rtheless veâ—y much to blame for disturbing the peace oâ— the Church by our opposition For the satisfaction therefore of such have we thought fit to drâ—ss up this discourse to give them to understand that there are not two questions to be made upon this occasion but only one and that it is impossible it should at the same time be true both that the Morality of the Casuists is abhominable â— and thâ—t we are blame-worâ—hy to disturb their deceitfâ—l peace in opposing it Let it not therefore be expected that we should ever forsake the cause of Christian Morality no we have a greater tenderness for the truth then to be guilty of that baseness But to let them know wiâ—hal how far we are also lovers of peace we open them the gate of it as wâ—de as we can and declare that we are ready to eâ—tertain them into our very hearts assoon as they shall have abjured the pernâ—cious maximes of their Morality cited by us in our Factum and in our Extracts read in and taken out of their Authors in their own words and assoon as they shall sincerely renounce the pernicâ—oâ—s APOLOGY FOR THE CASUISTS and the mischievouâ— treatises of Divinity of Escobar Molinâ— Sanchez Lessius Hurtadâ— Bauny Amicus Mascarenâ—as and all books of that nature which out Lords the Bishops call the Plague of consciences And thus stands the case between us For here is not any thing to do as they would maliciously make the world believe concerning the differences which the Curez may have with the Religious The quesâ—ion now is not about any contestation concerning the priviledges of the Iesuitâ— or of opposing their continual usurpations upon the authority of the Curez Though their books are â—ull of mischievous maximes as to that particular yet did we purposely forbear all notice thereof in the Extracts we preâ—ented to the Assembly of the Clergy because we would not bring in any thing into the general cause of the Church that should concern us in
that they should not for the future either in their publick Lectures or otherwise treat of any such propositions with an injunction to the Superiours to be very watchfull that there should not in any of their houses things of that nature be advanced and in the meane that F. Hereau should remaine secured in their Colledge till some furâ—her order should be taken about him by his Majestyâ— The noise and stir which thoâ—e pernicious propositions of Father Hereau's did at that time raiâ—e about Paris and particularly those that concerned the killing of evil speakers revived the curiosity of a mâ—ny very leâ—rned and judicious persons to look more narrowly into the doctrine of the Casuisâ—s The Authors of the bookes written at that time in defence of the Vniverâ—ity against the designes and attempts of the Jesuits drew up a Catalogue of a many dangerous propositions which may be found princâ—pally in two Bookes whereof one is instituted Academicall Truths and the other The Answer of the Vniversity of Paris to the Apologiâ— for the Jesuits written by Father Causinus But much about this very time as also since there have been published severall larger collections wherein are rallyed together abundance of abhominable proposâ—tions which are in the said Collections attributed to the Casuists and those the most eminent of that quâ—lity This was it also may it please your Grace that gave us occasion to examine with the greatest care we could whether there were to be found in the bookes of those Authors Doctrines so pernicious â—s those that were cited in the Collections The charge of Pastors which we exercise in the Church under your Authority and the obligation that lyes upon us to prevent the Soules committed to our charge from being infected by this contagion and the Priests who administer the Sacrament of Penance in our severall pâ—rishes from taking for a râ—le these dâ—ngerous maximes and put them in practise in our Confession Seats have engâ—ged us to joine together in this designe and we have with the same spirit and sâ—me heart consulted the bookes we could meet with wherein we have â—ound a great number of erroneous dangerous and detestable propositions and have drâ—wn up true coâ—ies of the same which we present to your Greatnesse accordingly to obtaine the censure thereof And whereas this evill hath spread it self so far that it cannot any longer be either concealed or dissembled it may be thought high time to hinder its further progresse by some effectuall remedy For things are come to that passe that unlesse Episcopall Authority interpose it selfe and â—ise up to condemn these lewd propositions such of the people as are acquainted therewith might be erroneously perswaded that these opinions being taught by Catholick Doctors and tolerated iâ— the Church are not corrupt and that they may be followed with safety of conscience which if some sudden provision be not made against it may produce very deplorable effects For those that have but any thing more then ordinary inclinations to piety will still be scandalized at it the more dissolute will thence take occasion to some with more insolence and encouragement and hereticks will be sure to make their advantages of it that is think it a just ground publickly to discredit the Catholick Church by laying at her doore these pernicious maximes as hath been done heretofore by the Minister Du Moulin in his book Oâ— Traditions where he reproaches the Church of Rome with the pestilent opinions of some of our Casuists It is on the other side to be considered that there never was so much necessity to abate the confidence of these newly-illuminated Divines whereof we find the latter still adding something to the extravagances of their predecessors which it were no hard matter to make appeare by diverse notorious examples that will deserve notice should be taken thereof So that if some course be not taken to suppresse a temerity so prejudiciall to the Churchâ— it 's to be feared that Time may hereafâ—er soâ— bring things about that men may take for sound doctâ—inâ—s and undeniable Truth abundance of dangerous propositions which the more â—eare-conscienced Casuists have not presumed yet to advance otherwise then as questionable and hardly probable Your Grace having taken all these things into your serious consideration We are further most humble Suitors to your Grandeur that you would be pleased to employ that Authority and that truly-Episcopall zeale which you have to weed these cuâ—sed â—ares out of the Field of the Church and to make way for the purity of Christian Morality to thrive therein by rooting out these unhappy doctrines by a Censurâ— worthy your selfe that is such as no doubt will encourage and engage other prelates to do the same thing in their Diocesses whereof what can be the consequence but that the spouse of JESUS CHRIST being found incorruptible and without spot as well in her Manners as in her doctrine must put her enemies to silence and inviolably preserve her selfe and persever in that purity which her divine spouse hath merited for her by his Blood And whereas M. Iohn Brisacier calling himselâ—e Rector of your Episcopal Colledge hath some dayes since presented to your Grandeur a Petition full of injurious expressions and calumnies against the person of M. Charles du Four Abbot of Aulney Treasurer of your Cathedral Church and Cure of the parish of Sâ— Maclou in which petition he treats the said du Four in no other termes then those of Temerarious Seditious refractory abettor of heresy and Detractor and charges him with a many other scandalous and reviling characters meerly for having preached with zeale and earnestness against these dangerous doctrines once in your presence and before all your Clergy and another time in his owne parish explaining to the people the commandements of God and the wholsome Maximes of the Gospell yet without the least derogation or injury to the Iesuits And whereâ—s the maine designe of the said Brisacier in the Petition he hath presented to you by way of complaint is to stop the mouths of the Pastors and to hinder us from instructing the People committed to our charge in the purity of Christian Morality and opposing those errours wherewith some do so much endeavour to corrupt it it is the humble â—uit of your Petitionersâ— That it may please your Grace to enjoyn and order him to make the said du Four reparation for the horrid calumnies and afâ—ronts contained in his said Petition and oblige the said Brisâ—cier sincerely to disclaime and retract â—s well by writing as by word those detestable opinions And in case you shall think fit to admit him the said Brisacier to plead for himself that so there may be a legall proceeding in the businesse that you would be pleased to order that before any priviledge be allowed him he be engaged to clear himself canonically of the character and Censure paâ—sed and published against him by the late Archbishop of Paris and withall to cause him
to be acknowledged by his Superiours in all his complaints and pleas and to submit in all thisâ— prosecution to your Tribunall and Iâ—risdiction and further to declare from article to article whether he approves or disapproves the Propositions which the Curé of S. Maclou hath publickly cry'd down in hisâ— Sermons whereof there is a catalogue hereunto annexed and so that once done joyn issue and after all things have been fairly debated to stand to your judgement upon the whole matter And for our parts who are your Petitioners and call upon you as our judge and Father we humbly desire your grace will be pleased to continue us in your protection together with the said Curé of St. Maclou whose case we all make our own and by condemning these pernicious doctrines keep those quâ—et and silent who would divert us from opposing the same and discovering to the people the dangerous consequences thereof And we beseech you further to consider how insupportable it must be to the Pastors and Curez of your Metropolis to see that some particular persons among the Jesuits should make it their business to stop their mouthâ— and to divert them from preaching the truth of sound doctrine and to oppose the extravagances of an erroneous Morality while it is suffered that those very particular personâ— should publickly countenance and maintain them as is done dayly by the said Father Brisacier as well by writing as discourse as we shall finde it no hard matter to prove if he dares deny itâ— Nor does he do this himself but as if his example were contagious the same thing hâ—th been done and that with more scandal and danger by Father de Bois Regent in Divinity in your Archi-episcopal Colledge who not thinking it enough that he had beaten down and endeavoured to destroy as he hath done this last year that point of Ecclesiastical and Hierarchical discipline that is the best established in your Diocess as having made several set discourses to his Scholers who are in a manner all Priests well known and respected in our parishes against the obligation of hearing parochial Masses and against the Authority which the Prelates have to oblige the people thereto hath within this moneth forborn his ordinary Lectures out of a design to excuse nay indeed to maintain the pernicious doctrin of the most disallowed Casuists of his Order as having among others undertaken to justifie that book of Father Bauny's entituled The Summary of Sins and to make his doctrin pass â—or sound and innocent though that very book had been censured at Rome as also by our Lords the Bishops in a general Assembly It was also with the same excess of confidence that the said Father de Bois hath presumed to vindicate Father Amicus a divine of his Socieâ—y upon the subject of Murther to be committed on those who either calumniate or threaten to calumniate Priests or Religious men evâ—n to that height as that in the last Lectures he read to his Schollers within these few dayes he hath clearly maintained that it was lawful for Priests and Religious men to defend etlam cum morte invaâ—oris the reputation they have acquired by their vertue and prudence when there is no other course to be taken to divert the detractor All which when your grace hath taken into serious consideration we humbly desire you will be pleased to order the said Regent publickly to retract and disclaim the propositions he hath advanced as well against good manners as against the order and discipline of your Diocess and that of the whole Church and that a prohibition be issued out that he may not for the future spread abroad any such scandalous doctrines upon pain of those canonical chastisements incurrible by the contrary And in the mean time we shall pray unto God who is the great Master of all good and wholsome doctrine that he would preserve your grace to â—he end that puriâ—ie may be reestablished in his Church and prosper yâ—u in all your undertakings And at the boâ—tome were their Seals with the names ensuing â—iz Turgis Dean of Chrisâ—endome and Curé of St. Vivian Du Tour Cuâ—é of St. Maclou Du Perroy Curé of St. Stephen Les Tonneliers Sancier Cuâ—é of St. Deny's Voisin Curé of Stâ— Michael's Thierry Curé of St. John's Chretien Cuâ—é of St. Patrick's Le Clerc Curé of St. Andrew's Picquais Curé of St. Saviour's Lorrain Curé of St. Martin le pont Avice Cuâ—é of St. Lo. De Sahurs Curé of St. Peter's du chastel Le Febure Curé of St. Vincent's De La Vigne Curé of St. Peter's le Portier Nicolas Tallebot Curé of St. Andrew's pres Canchoise De La Fosse Dean and Curé of our Lady'â— Church dela Ronde De La Haye Curé of St. Amand. Marâ— Curé of St. Martin sur Renelle Tirel Curé of the Holy Cross des Pelletiers Le Prevost Curé of St Herbeland's Artus Curé of St. Vigor Gueroult Curé of St. Nicalse Des Marets Curé of the Holy Cross St. Owen's Cotteret Curé of St. Candus the younger De Fieux Curé of St. Laurence's Teveneau Curé of St. Stephen's the great Church Le Cuiller Curé of St. Mary's the Lesser Faucillon Curé of St. Nicholuâ—â— The said Petition was communicated to the Procâ—or according to the order of his â—race the Arch-Bishop of Roven made at his Archi-episcopal Palace of Gâ—lllon August 28 1656. A CATALOGUE of the PROPOSITIONS Contained in an Extract made of some of the most dangerous Propositions of diverse late Casuists in point of MORALITY faithfully taken out of their Works I. SAint Thomas Aquinas having â— clearly taughtâ— Quodlib 8. a. 13. and Quodlib 3. â— 10. that the opinionâ— of Doâ—â—ors hinder not but that a man may be guilty of Sin when he acts against the law of God these Casuists on the contrary teach that an Opinion is probable when it is maintained only by one grave Doctor and that a man may be confident he does not sin though he quit an opinion which he knows to be true and is the more safe to follow that which is contrary thereto and consequently less probable and less safe This is affirmed by FILLIUCIUS a Jesuit Mor. Qu. tr 21. c. 4. n. 128. TANNERUS a Jes. Theol Schol. Tom. 2. disp 2. q. 6. dub 2. SANCHEZ Jes. in Sum. l. 1. c. 9. n. 7. LAYMAN Jes. Theol. Mor. l. 1. tr 1. c. 5. Sect. 2. n 6. II. Of a strange imagination which these Casuists have that their opinions being supposed probable do make that which was sin before not to be such any longer CARAMUEL in Epist. ad Ant. Dianam III. That the Casuists are at liberty to answer according to the opinions of otherâ— though they thinkâ— them erroneous when they are likely to prove more acceptable to those that consulâ— them that is to say they may answer one while according to one man's judgement and another according to another's though contrary theretoâ— LAYMAN â—es Theol. Mâ—râ— l. 1. tr 1. c. 5. Sect.
betrayed themselves by their own complaints and expostulation they are wounded by their own weapons Sagittae â—orum factae sunt plagae corum Psal. 63. And they were the only men who Satanically zealous to maintaine these doctrines and to shew thâ—mselves in a manner the Patronizers of Homicides Simonies and other the like crimes have made all the noise and raised that tempest which is likely to â—â—ll so heavy upon them Besides we cannot be said to have presented to our Lords of the Assembly any petition or other piece to bring them into trouble there it being certaine that it is only the Arch-Bishop him selfe that hath by his Grand Vicar presented them and consequently this Jesuiticall Secretary does Notoriously derogate from his Authority and is not afraid in his Libell to be a little too peremptory with him and to traduce him under the name of the Curez of Roven The next thing he quarrells at is that we are guilty of a frivolous busying of our selves to weed out the corruptions that may be found in bookes while they grow and thrive in mens soules whence we should endeavour to root them up This is an indeterminate charge of our idleness and want of courage in our Functions but without the least consideration that these Lesbian Maximes purposely sorewed up to a complyance with sinners whereof we find the bookes of the Casuâ—sts but too full are the fatall seeds of so many corruptions and â—candalls as are predominant in this unhappy age and that our time cannot haply be better employed then in endeavouring to smother them and to prevent them from growing out of those Books into mens consciences which are of themselves inclinable enough to entertaine any thing that cherishes the passions and complyes with the vergency of corrupt nature Then he tells us that it were a far better employment for our Assemblies to review the Houres of Port Royal and addes that the Faithfull committed to our charge do to this day repeat at the feet of our Altars those very prayers that are contained in that book to the reproach of Faith and scandall of the Church We never had yet the least acquaintance with the Authors of those Houres and therefore cannot be said to countenance them and it is a prerogative of God only to judge of the intentions of their hearts But it 's to be hoped this censorious Libeller will not think it much we should give them a charitable interprâ—tation and should avoid upon this occasion that reproachable waxinesse of naâ—ure as he observes himself that is so easily wrought upon at to hearken to and countenance calumny though he himself hath not much endeavoured to avoid it heere Some more knowing and better Divines then he differ very much from his opinion of those Houres because they are not prepossessed against them as he is who supposes that the son of God is therein degraded from the title of the Redeemer of all men because it is not there expressed in the Version of certaine Hymnes though the same thing be found in severall other places and particularly in the 7th ver of the Te Dum. And we would gladly referre him to the Hymnes of the Romane Breviary corrected by Vrban VIII of blessed memory That methinks were enough to give a check to his sinistrous judgement of the persons that composed them as to what concernes that article And for the other where he alledgeâ— that they have therein followed the version of Marâ—t in the 17. ver of the 138th Psalme to take away the Invocation of Saints he betrayes his want of consicience in imposing that drift upon them since he is not ignorant that though that Version be not the more ordinary yet is it approved by above ten moderne Jnterpreters Jesuits and others men very learned and of unsuspected faith who stick close to the Hebrew text Besides that in the Hymnes Litanies and Prayers of these Hours the intercession of the Saints is therein very often insisted upon What probability is there then that if some of our Parishoners make use of them it must needs he to the great reproach of Faith and scandall of the Church He would â—urther put us into an alarme against the memory of the late Abbot of Sâ— Cyran whom he charges with the reviving of certaine propositions of Wiclef which blast the dignity of our character But let him take good heed that this accusation which he advances to put a flurre upon him proceed not either from want of diligence in the reading of his works or an excesse of passion against that great man inclining him â—o disparage them As there is not hardly any one that is unaquainted with his excellent and glorious endeavours for the defence of the Priesthood of Iesus Christ so methinks should it be heard for any one to imagine that he had any designe to blast it in his Lettters which are all most Christian and full of piety For in a word not to medle with the two last propositions since our Divine hath noâ— thought to cite the places out of a prudent feare that in case we should examine them we might discover his foule play in falsifying and distorting of them he hath suppressed out of the first a word that is essentiall and of importance purposely to give it a wrong sence and to make it odious 'T is not our businesse to write a panegyrick for Monsieur de S. Cyrian but only to beare witnesse to the truth and the Author of the Pamphlet must give me leave to tell him that his way of proceeding is not justifiable In the 93. Letter which he cites we find that the Church hath a power to take a course with Priests of ill lives and to cut them off from any relation to her if she think it fit and that if she do it they are no longer to be reputed Priests but to be looked on as secular persons This faithfull Secretary hath left out the word reputed which is to be seen in all the latter editions of those Letters and was omitted onely in the first printed at Paris through the Printers negligence and is accordingly put upon his score among the other Errata at the beginning of the Book Let him then but restore that word to the passage fore-recited and he will find the Doctrine of that Letter to be the same with what is taught us by the Church in her Canons that is to say that Priests degraded and such as for their lewd lives and notoâ—ious crimes have been deprived of Tonsure and the long robe which are the honourable badges of the Sacerdotall Function are not to be looked upon or reputed as Priests â—â—t such as are reduced to a seculâ—r qualification though all this supposed they do not lose the divine Character of their Ordination The case being thus â—airely cleared up we are content the Author himselfe should be judge in the difference appealing from himselfe mis-informed to himselfe better informed or lesse
whereby they might be exempted from the dependance they have on their Prelates For your Honours may be pleas'd to consider that they could not upon any occasion betray a more groundlesse pretence of their detraction since that ever since the first breaking forth of this business to the present we have not done any thing but what discovers the respect we have for your sacred dignity The Reverend Clergy of Rouen who first set this businesse on foot and made the first complaints about it brought it before their Arch-bishop all the end that we had in countenancing and furthering what they did was onely to make a joynt addresse to your Assembly and when we sollicited the Curez of the other Diocesses to joyn also with us we were very far from thinking it should be done wiâ—h any derogation from their Bishops Your honours will we hope have that opinion of us that we are not to learn the obligations that ly upon us or the limits of our duty We thought it a breach thereof to continue any longer silent when we see the Church over-grown with a poysonous Morality more corrupt then that of Pagans themselves nor are we ignorant on the other side that we are excusable in the sight of God by discovering the horrour we conceive thereat in our endeavours to raise an impression of it in all the souls committed to our charge and in addressing our selves to the Princes of the Church to represent unto them the pernicious consequences thereof It lyes upon your honours to prevent the â—urther progresse thereof by a legall and authentick condemnation since it is to your Authority that God hath particularly committed the discernment of sound and corrupt doctrine and the care of being guides to the people of God by rules that are wholly divine according to the word of the greaâ— Pope Innocent I. to a certain Arch-bishop of France Disciplinâ— deificâ— populum â—rudiâ—â— debâ—mus And that which is added by the same Pope in the place before mentionedâ— vizâ— that it is to be feared that the silence of the Bishopâ— be not taken for their consent to the dissolution of Morality Ne â—ilentio nostro existâ—â—â—â—mur his prâ—bâ—â—e consâ—nsum dicente Domino Videbas â—urem uâ— cuâ—reâ—â—â— cum â—o is at this time more considerable then even For the extravagance of these writers is come to thaâ— height that making their advantages of the lenity of the Church in poinâ— of toleration they presuâ—e to affirm it openly that she coâ—ntenanceâ— their irrâ—gâ—lâ—rities because she suffers them This is no more then what hath already been made appear tâ— your honours out of F. Baunâ— a Jesuite and what may be seen yet further in another of the same Society whose name is Mascarennas who being equally dâ—â—â—â—ouâ— in F. Baâ—ny to establish this extravagâ—nt pâ—opositioâ— Thâ—t it is sufficient so as to fulfill the precepâ— of hearing Masse if a man heareâ—â—wo halves at the same 〈◊〉 from severall Priests imagines it excellently well maintain'd by this erroneous and dangerous principle That the Church without any opposition suffering that opinion should be published is an argument that sheâ— approues iâ— Thiâ— Maxime which carries within it wiâ—hout exception all the Eâ—rourâ— which thâ—se Câ—suisâ—â— have publish'd must needâ— oblige your honourâ— to find out some speedy remedy against evils that grow daily morâ— and more predominantâ— and which those that introduce them endâ—avour to establish by principes that make them incapable of any remedy For their temerity iâ— come to that pâ—tâ—â— â—s to pretend that thâ— Authorâ—ty of the Bishops cannot give them â—ny check They have made no difficulty to maintain 〈◊〉 you may perceive by the Extractâ— which we now present you with of a new dâ—â—â—â—eâ— That thâ— Bishopâ— cannot prohibit thâ— Books of the Casuists such as are those of Diana one of the most extravagant that ever were otherwise then as Marchandises or at the worst but as prejudiciall by accident and not condemn them as evill in themselves and that when four or five of these Authours agree in the same opinion it is so far probable and safe in point of conscience that unlesse the Church mukes the contrary thereto an Article of Faith it can no more cease so bâ— such then foure can cease to be foure Thus is it may it please your honours that these writers do at the same time invest simple private men with a pernicious power to overturn at their pleasure all Chrisâ—ian Morality and would devest the Successors of the Apostles of the right which IESUS CHRIST hath endu'd them with to prevent the extravagances of man's wit from corrupting the truth of his Gospel But this also considered must needs engage you the more to make them feel the weight of that Authority which they would deprive you of and receive to the advantage of the whole Church the examples of your Predecessors and your own It is not unknown to your honours how that in the beginning of the Ninth age the Church of France did by the severity of her Canons put a stop to a licentiousnesse much less considerable then that which is now so prevalent There started up of a sudden a many triviall writers who put out a sort of books called Penitentials to regulate as they thought fit the penance to be inflicted on Penitents according to the diversity of sins But having by that erroneous indulgence deviated very much from the regulations specified in the Canons the Bishops of France assembled in the II. Councell of Chaâ—lons upon Sâ—one and in the VI. of Parls ordered That all Priests should forbear making â—ny account of those Penitentiall Bookâ— as also that they should be absolutely abolished nay burnt to the end they might not prove an occasion to deceive the Priâ—sts that read them and consequently the people Whereas there are many Priests sayes the Councell of Paris Can. 32. who either out of negligence or ignorance inflict penances on those that confesse their sinnes otherwise then it is provided by the Canonicall Constitutions making use to that purpose of certain writings which they call Penitentialls contrary to the holy Canons and by that means cure not the wounds made by sinne but cherish and continue sinners therein by an over-indulgent dressing thereof drawing upon themselves that malediction of the Prophet Woe unto those that sowe pillowes to all Elbowes and make cushions for the heads of men to seduce them we have ordered by a generall consent that every Bishop shall within his Diocesse cause strict search to be made after those erroneous writings and having found them shall cause them to be burnt to the end that such priests as are ignorant may not any longer make use thereof to the deâ—â—â—uction of souls Now we humbly intreaâ— your honours to consider what comparison there is between the excesses against which these holy Bishops your Predecessors have acted with so much zeale and those whereof we now humbly begge the suppression It was not layd to the
a Priest who should every day say the Office proper to Easter without any reason for so doing should be guilty only of a veniall sinne and that if he had any reason to do so he should not sinne at all Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 520. XXXVII That he who hath a will to commit all the veniall sinnes that are doth not sinne mortally Granados Diana Mucha cited by Escobar Theol. Moral l. 3. p. 83. XXXVIII That it is a scruple very much to be blamed for a man to say in his Confession that he hath committed a fault being satisfied in himselfe that he did ill Bauny tr 4. de Poenit. q. 15. p. 138. XXXIX That it is no injury done to the paternall power a man hath over his children for another to perswade his daughter to run away with him in order to a clandestine marriage against her Fathers consent Bauny Theol. Moral tr 12. de impedimento rapiûs p. 721. XL. That it is probable by Authority and certaine in reason that a husband may without any sinne kill his wife surprised in Adultery and a Father his daughter And that the Lawes of the Church which condemne that action oblige only Ecclesiasticks who cannot have wives or daughters and not secular persons Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 737. XLI That it is lawfull for a man in order to the preservation of his voice to make himselfe an Eunuch contrary to all civill and canonicall Lawes which expressely forbid it What good opinions these Casuists have one of another Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 555. and 556. XLII That if an Jnfidell find any thing of probability in his own false Religion he is not obliged to embrace the Christiâ—n Faith proposed to him though he find himselfe more inclined to believe the latter unlesse it be at the point of death according to some nay he â—s not obliged even at the point of death according to others Thomas Sanchez Sancius and Diana cited by Escobar Theol. Moral p. â—9 XLIII That there is no necessity that a man ready to dy should in order to the receiving of the remission of his â—iâ—nes of God have a true desire to reforme his liâ—e if God should spare it him a while and that he may obtaine it by the absolution of the Priest though he be in such a disposition as to matter of repentance that if he were but confident he should live any longer he would neither confesse noâ— quit his sinneâ— at all Pâ—â—rus Mâ—châ—el de San Roman Jesuâ—t Expediâ— spirâ—â—ualium Sociâ—â— Iesu. l. 3. câ— 7. p. 78. A LETTER Written by the Reverend Father in God IAMES BOONEN Arch-Bishop of Maechlin To their Eminences the Cardiâ—als of the Inquisition at Rome to whom the Iesuits had appealed from his Ordinances Faithfully translated out of the Latine into French and out of French into English ARGUMENT Complaint being made to the Arch-Bishop of Maechlin of the remisness of certain Confessors he causeth an Extract to be madâ— of certain Arâ—icles or Propositions maintained and practised by some which who would not renounce the practise of were not to be admitted to hear Confessions The Jesuits not oâ—ly dispute but mâ—intain them whereupon they are denied approbation they appeal to the Cardinals of the Inquisition at Rome who write to the said Arch-Bishop to approve them which gave occasion of the ensuing LETTER MAY IT PLEASE YOVR EMINENCES ON the 21. of May came to my hands the Letter which your sacred Congregation was pleased to write to me of the 18. of April whereby you give me to understand thâ—t desirous to satiâ—fie in some measure the Rector of the Iesuiâ—s Colledge at Louuaine which is within this Diocess you have thought fit to enjoyn me not to deny such Priests of that Colledge as shall have been examined and approved a permission to hear the confessions of secular persons unless it were that meeting with any thing I should be troubled at in so doing I did within three moneths represent unto your sacred Congregation the just causes that hindred me from granting that permission in which case if I neglect to give you satisfaction some other Bishop should be empowered to examine and approve them This your Eminences may well imagine must needs be no small affliction to me nay that I cannot but be much more troubled at it then I am well able to express since that being come to the extremities of old age and upon the point of my departure hence to go and give an account to the supream Judge of my administration I finde that not only the world is already full of malice but also that it degenerates dayly more and more into wickedness because charity waxeth cold Desirous to finde out some reason thereof I have often both observed it my self and have it from the information and judgement of several persons whose integrity zeal experience and learning I am well satisfied of that the principal cause of this deplorable degeneration and disorder proceeds from the over indulgence of many confessours who are ready enough to open trap-doors to let men into dissolution and Libertinisme taking for security â—or their so doing some new opinions of certain divines who instead of measuring their proceedings by the practise of Evangelical Truths and the rules of good life which have been left us by the holy Fathers make it their main business to finde out new excuses to confirm those which sinners themselves are wont to alledge to palliate their sins and to cover with the cloak of Probability the ignominy and shamefulness of their crimes It is of such persons as these that the Prophet Ezechiel hath said in the Scripture Wo unto thosâ— that sow cushions under the elbows of men and lay pillows under their heads that they might deceive them These perniâ—ious extravagances are now come to that heighâ— that â—here were requisite not a Letter but whole volumes if a man should make but a simple extract out of some of their books and practises of all those unheardâ— of paradoxes whereby they at this day elude the precepts of the Church concerning the observation of Fasting Fesâ—ival dayes and the recitation of the Canonical Hours whereby they palliate Simonies private Revenges Lyes and Perjuries whereby they eâ—eâ—vate and bring in a manner to nothing the obligation which lies upon men to avoid the occasions of falling into sin and in fine those paradoxes whereby they expose to an evident danger of nullity the efficaciousness and power of the Sacraments Now as it is in a manner natural to men to approve those dissolute maximes which any way flatter their irregular apprehensions so must it needs happen that those who are the Authors thereof taking it for granted by the easie entertainment they meet with in the world that they had done a very considerable service therein cannot but presumptuouâ—ly imagine in themselves that they dayly more and more enlarge the way to Heaven by the means of their Probability that is to say