where he pleases Because as he saith elswhere God hath the will 's of men more in his power then they have themselves Let them hear S. Prosper in his Poem of Grace chap. 16. where he hath this sense But the Grace of Christ being through Christ all-powerful heals a languishing soul after another manner 't is the spirit and hand of God himself both beginning and accomplishing his divine work Let a man be young or old rich or poor yet when that exerts its activity any time is favorable Nothing withstands its powerful assistance hardnesse of heart do's not stop its course And all the vain power of the second cause yields to his high designes purposed before the foundations of the world Whence this Argument may be fram'd The grace of God which is of such a nature that it can change the most opposite wills of men and convert to good those whom he pleases when he pleases and where he pleases he having alwayes in his power the means of doing that which pleases him without ever being lyable to any retardment from the contrary manners or inclinations of men by any cause or obstacle whatsoever is perfectly free and independent as to its efficacy or any natural disposition whatsoever But the Grace by which God converts the wills of men and which the Church asks of him in her prayers is such according to S. Augustin and S. Prosper and the contrary opinion cannot be held without folly or impiety Therefore the Grace by which God turns the wills of men and which the Church desires in her prayers is perfectly free and independent upon any natural disposition whatsoever and the contrary opinion is impious But moreover we see that the Churches prayers are grounded not only upon God's prescience but upon his vertue and energy which acts upon our will as it pleases him For as is above shewn the Church prayes thus in the Collect of the Holy Altar us'd almost throughout the whole East Lord give us vertue and the meanes to preserve it cause the wicked to become good and uphold the good in their goodnesse For thou art able to do all things and none can withstand thee Thou savest when thou pleasest and no person resists thy pleasure Whereas on the contrary by this Answer of the Molinists the prayers of the Church should not be grounded upon the power but the prescience of God and 't would not be needful to pray for a Grace whereby he may turn our will to himself and fill us with his love but only for a Grace whereby he may know by his prescience that we will turn our selves to him not by the power of a determining and applying grace but by the motion of our own Free-will Whence it would follow that God gives only a grace of Possibility whereof he foresees our will will make good use in such and such circumstances and not the grace to will and to do that is which operates both the will and the action which is the most impious opinion that can be imagin'd Again 't is indubitable that God by his prescience knows all the good works which we are to perform But the ground of his knowing them beforehand is that 't is himself who will do them he sees them before they are done because he ha's prepar'd and predestinated the good works in which he will have us walk See how S. Augustin speaks touching this matter in the book De Praedest Sanctorum cap. 10. That which the Apostle saith speaking of good works That God hath prepar'd them to cause us to walk therein denotes Predestination which cannot be without Prescience as Prescience may be without Predestination For God by his predestination hath foreseen the things which himself is to do Whence it it is said by the Scripture That God doth the things which are not yet come to passe but he can also know these by his Prescience which himself effecteth not as all sins After which he proves that the good works which we perform are not those which God hath barely foreseen but which he hath promis'd and consequently works in us For he promiseth saith he what he is to effect himself and not what men are to effect because though men perform holy actions pertaining to the Worship of God yet 't is God himself who causeth them to perform what he hath commanded them and 't is not they who cause God to accomplish what he hath promis'd otherwise it would follow that the accomplishment of Gods promises depended upon men and not upon God himself and that 't was they who acquitted God towards Abraham of what he had promis'd to Abraham Now that H. Patriarch had no such beleef but giving glory to God he stedfastly believ'd that God was able to do what he had promis'd The Scripture saith not that God could foretell or foresee it For he can foretell and foresee what others will do and not himself but it saith that he could do it denoting thereby that what he promis'd was not what others were to do but what he would do himself From which words of S. Augustin I shall with Your favor M. H. F. form this Argument The prayers which the Church makes to God have no other foundation but Gods very promises But Gods promises are founded only upon his power and not upon his prescience Therefore the Churches prayers are likewise founded only upon God's power This Argument may be propounded after another manner and more convincingly God acts in the hearts of men to work out their salvation in such manner as he ha's promis'd to act therein But God promis'd Abraham the faith and conversion of Idolatrous Nations not because he foresaw that they would believe but because he had power to cause them to believe Therefote he daily acts after the same manner in the heart of man in reference to faith and conversion not because he foresees that man will turne by his grace but because he is able and hath resolv'd to work such consent in his heart But I will concede to our Adversaries that the Church prays to God for no other grace in order to all actions of piety then that which they call Congruous in the sense before explicated and to which he foresees that man will freely consent if he give him the same Yet this very thing is more then sufficient to refute their doctrine and convince their errors For as 't is evident by what I have already said the Church asks no other grace of God for a pious action then that which it believes wholly and absolutely necessary to the doing thereof But the Church for every pious action desires that grace which they term Congruous And consequently believes absolutely and wholly necessary to every pious action Thus they who have not this Grace for a certain action of piety suppose Repentance have not all the grace which is necessary to repent But all whom the Church prays God to turn to himself by
was told by one of the H. Office that he to whom F. Annat's book de Incoacta libertate then under the Presse was committed to read had made his Report of it eight dayes ago that M. Albizzi mov'd there might be given to it not only a Licence for printing but also a kind of Approbation that there was nothing in it contrary to the Faith but the Members of the H. Office considering it was not their Custom M. Albizzi could not bring them to his intended innovation and so the book was only remitted to the Master of the Sacred Palace I went to visit him on Saturday the 19. and represented the Prejudice which the Cause of Grace Effectual by it self would receive by the Approbation which F. Annat endeavour'd to get from the Congregation of the H. Office for the Book he was printing and the advantage which the Jesuites would make of it for the upholding of their Molinistical Grace subject to Free Will which could not be establisht but upon the ruines of many Christian Truths The Master of the Sacred Palace presently agreed with me as to the prejudice which those truths receive from that Molinistical opinion and particularly mention'd many truths that are subverted thereby But he told me that he did not believe F. Annat's book was writ in defence of that opinion That were it so it could not afford any consequence as to the matter of the Doctrine which would not fail to be maintain'd when they came to the Decision but till it were come to that the Pope had prohibited writing of these matters without permission of the Congregation of the H. Office That the said Congregation had given F. Annat such permission and him the Master c. permission to peruse the book and give his consent to the impression That he had done so and could not have done otherwise That those people were Almighty Ognipotenti That he was in an office in which it was necessary to obey By which I saw that we must be contented either to behold that book publisht with whatever advantagious Notes of Approbation it could be authoris'd or else stop its course by our complaint to the Pope against it if we could get audience of him before it came forth CHAP. II. Of the first Audience which we had together of the Pope Jan. 21. 1652. at the end of which we deliver'd to him our first Memorial AT length we obtain'd that so much desired Audience on Sunday Jan. 21. After we had made the usual kneelings at entrance into the Chamber where the Pope was and kiss'd his feet we placed our selves all four before him in a Semicircle and being upon our knees M. Brousse our Senior spoke in Latin to his Holinesse what followeth in the Translation Most Holy Father THE Joy we resent this day is so great that no words are capable to expresse it For what could happen more desirable and more happy to Sons of the Church to Priests and Doctors then to see our selves prostrate before the Common Father of Christians the Visible Head of the Church the Vicar of Jesus Christ and the Successor of S. Peter to kisse his feet and receive a benediction from his hand and mouth So that we doubt not but the sequel of this Year will be favourable to us and the successe of our Commission fortunate since we begin both the one and the other with your Holinesse's benediction Behold us most H. F. at the feet of your Holinesse sent from many most illustrious Bishops of France who excited with an ardent Zeal for the Mysteries and Articles of Faith and animated by their respect to the Holy See and particularly towards your Holinesse have delegated us hither to beseech you in their Name according to the laudable custom of the Church in the like occasions to please to ordain a Congregation for the Examination and Discussion of five Equivocal Propositions fraudulently and subtilly contriv'd and whereof the Authors themselves sollicit a Censure with all kind of artifices to the end that after the Parties shall have been heard in presence one of the other their proofs and reasons reciprocally produc'd subscrib'd and communicated the whole being weigh'd and examin'd as the importance of the matter requireth your Holinesse may pronounce and declare by the supreme authority which you have in the Church what ought to be follow'd and what avoided which is the true sense of those Propositions which we are oblig'd to hold and which the false which we ought to abhorr as we understand by publick and authentick Acts to have been practis'd under Clement VIII and Paul V. of hâ—ppy memory with so great glory to those two great Popes so much lustre of the truth and so great advantage to the H. See Our Confrere here present hath formerly propounded the same more largely to your Holinesse when he had the Honor to present to you the Letters of our LL. the Bishops and therefore I shall not repeat it for fear of being tedious to your Holinesse reserving my self to speak further thereof when your Holinesse shall please to command me For your Holinesse may easily judge by that strength of mind which it hath pleased God to give you of what importance this Suite of ours is for the preservation of truth for unity for peace and for the authority of the Church Forasmuch as the said Propositions being capable of divers senses true and false Catholick and Heretical and having been cunningly fram'd by those who are the Authors of them with design if once they be condemned in general and according to the rigor of the words to attribute to themselves the judgement of such Equivocal Censure and under pretext of defending it to take the Liberty of applying it as they please to all the kinds of senses and so by mingling the true with the false and error with the Catholick faith to excite envy and hatred against many both Bishops and Doctors of very great piety and excellent learning to accuse them to your Holinesse as guilty of spiritual Treason and to traduce them by their injuries and calumnies in the minds of the ignorant common people as they have not been asham'd to do already to the great scandal of all good men In which regard most H. F. there is none but sees how necessary the clearing of those Propositions is for Vnion for peace and for the good of the Church to the end that the parties having been heard on either side all the equivocations and ambiguities of words being unfolded and all the odious cavills dispell'd and rejected falsitie may become sever'd from truth error from the faith and bran from the flower to use S. Gregorie's Words I passe over in silence most H. F. that so I may not abuse the grace which your Holinesse doth me in hearing me that all this dispute concerns the dignity authority and doctrine of S. Augustin whom the supreme Pontifs and the whole Church have alwayes held in so great
you not answer So be it This being suppos'd M. H. F. I demand whether or no an Infidel who resists the Gospel hath a heart to know God whether or no he hath eares to hear whether or no he hath grace which compels him to the faith If he hath all these things to what purpose doth the Church pray for him that he may receive what he already possesses If he hath not then he hath not all the grace which is necessary to him for believing since besides what I have frequently evinc'd that the Church implores no grace of God which is not necessary 't is certain that none can know God unlesse he have receiv'd a heart to know him nor hear his word unless he have receiv'd ears to hear Moreover this Grace being effectual by self since as 't is impossible for a man to know God unless he have receiv'd a heart to know him so neither if he have receiv'd such a heart can he but know him having receiv'd a heart to repent he cannot but repent having receiv'd eares to hear he cannot but hear being impell'd by that motion which causeth to embrace the faith he cannot but embrace the same It followes clearly that the grace which the Church implores of God as necessary every action of piety is effectual by it self In the fourth place the same truth is invincibly manifested by the refutation of the Molinistical grace even in S. Austin's own words speaking in this manner to Vitalis a Semipelagian You say that God as much as lyes in him causes us to Will since he gives us the knowledge of his pleasure but if we will not obey the same 't is we who are the cause that God's operation is fruitlesse to us Which if you affirme you contradict the prayers of the Church Which reasoning of S. Augustin utterly refutes any grace what ever that is subject in its usse to Free Will as being utterly contrary to the prayers of the faithfull This Argument will evince it Whosoever establishes a doctrine from which it follows that he is of an opinion contrary to the prayers of the Church as S. Augustin here judges that of Vitalis he is in an error and alienated from the orthodox belief of the Catholick faith But he who maintains a sufficient Grace subject to Freewill establishes a doctrine from which it followes that he holds an opinion contrary to the prayers of the Church Which is prov'd by S. Augustin in this manner Whosoever saith that we through our resistance and unwillingnesse to obey cause God's operation upon us to become unprofitable manifestly contradicts the Churches prayers But he who maintaines a sufficient Grace subject to Freewill saith that we by resisting such sufficient Grace and by not willing to submit thereunto cause God's operation to become unprofitable Therefore he is in an opinion contrary to that of the Churches prayers and consequently erres and is not in the belief of the Catholick faith Moreover all the thanks rendered to God by the Church prove the same thing or as S. Augustin speaks in his 107. Epistle to Vitalis This truth appears no lesse clearly in thanks-giving then in prayer It appears in the prayer which we put up to God for such as are still unbelievers and it appears in the thanks which we render to him in behalf of those who are become believers For as we ought to pray to him to the end he may accomplish that for which we pray so we ought to render him thanks when he hath accomplisht the same Wherefore from the duty of thanksgiving I draw the 3. following arguments First We render thanks to God not only for what we have been able to do but for what we have been willing to do with piety and accordingly perform'd Thus S. Augustin teaches us in his Epistle to Vitalis where he saith Whence it is that the Apostle requires the same thing of the Ephesians when he saith Moreover having understood what your faith is towards our Lord Jesus Christ and your love to all the Saints I continually give thanks in your behalf but we speak now onely of the first beginning of faith when men who were remote and even averse from God are converted to God and begin to will that which they willed not and to have the faith which they had not for the effecting of which alteration in them it is that we pray for them although themselves pray not because they cannot call upon him in whom they do not believe And when God hath wrought that in them for which we pray'd i. e. when he hath turn'd their hearts we give him thanks in their behalf and themselves do the same But as for the prayers which they make when they are already believers both for themselves and for the other faithfull that God would cause them to proceed in his way and as for the thanks which they render to him when they do accordingly proceed therein I conceive there needs no dispute concerning the same From which words of S. Augustin I most humbly beseech Y. H. to give me leave to forme this argument against the Molinists We give thanks to God for what he hath already wrought in us But there is no pious motion of our will nor any pious action for which we do not give him thanks Therefore there is no pious motion in our will nor any pious action which God doth not work in us And consequently the grace of God necessary to every action of piety is effectual by it self of every pious motion of the will and of every pious action 'T is therefore unprofitably saith S. Augustin in the same Epistle to Vitalis and meerely for fashion rather then really that we render thanks to God with joy when any unbelievers are converted if it be not he who worketh that in them for which we thank him Let us not deceive men I beseech you for as for God we know that we cannot deceive him The second Argument is this The Church doth not give thanks to God for the conversion of any one to faith or repentance unlesse when the is perswaded that he really believes or repents in his heart for his offences The Church therefore doth not believe that God hath wrought the conversion of the sinner and afforded all necessary assistance thereunto when he hath onely granted the grace which gives onely the power as the Molinists hold but then only when he hath inspired the grace by vertue whereof the first conversion undoubtedly follow'd as I said when I spoke concerning prayer This is prov'd evidently by that passage of S. Augustin The Apostle having said that the Law is the strength of sin subjoynes immediately But we give thanks to God who hath caus'd its to overcome through our Lord Jesus Christ And thus the victory whereby we surmount sin is nothing else but a gift of God who in this combate assists our Freewill Upon which account Christ himself saith Watch and pray that
the Master of the sentences understood it And predestination is here taken absolutely not for it effects neither is Free-will therefore destroy'd but operates in its time and place freely meritoriously and without coaction as I speak clearly concerning the same in my said VVriting so farre as the scantnesse of the time permitted Nor do I deny that the goodnesse of God who hath purposed to shew mercy or not to shew mercy as I have noted in my Tract is the cause why God predestinates or reprobates And lastly I do not reject the use of Free-will which serves to the obtaining of sanctifying grace when God gives the same to the predestinate to the end that using it well he may merit glory VVhich being so it may be truely said that predestination depends onely upon the promises which God hath made to us Nor will there be any contradiction in this although predestination should be taken here for its effects which draw their original and their force from the merits of Jesus Christ which grace conferres upon us in consequence of the Promises made to those that believe in him What I say concerning the promises we learn out of the 11th and 36th chapter of Ezekiel the 32d of Jeremiah and many places of S Paul's Epistles and S. Peter teaches us that all things which appertain to life and godliness are promised and given us by the almighty power of God so that good works themselves are part of the promises which God hath made to us I will give you an heart of flesh saith the Prophet and will take away the heart of stone and will cause you to do c. He hath given us a strong assurance of his promises God is become our debtor because he hath pleased to make his promise to us VVe have therefore in the H. Scripture a most ample witnesse of the Divine promises Yet do not these promises destroy Free-will or hinder from concurring meritoriously to good works S. Augustin in the third Treatise upon S. John is of this opinion That life Eternal is given us onely by grace which would be false if S. Augustine's words were not consider'd with reference to the original of this life because they would take away meritorious works And S. Paul Life Eternal is a grace of God and grace for grace VVhich place he understands and expounds as the grace which God hath done us in Electing us to eternal life being the cause of the grace which he doth us in giving us good works which may merit the same This opinion therefore doth not exclude Free-will which as I said before is establish'd in my Treatise much lesse good works but rather includes and requires above all things both Free-will and good VVorks III. PROPOSITION Speaking of the Reprobate that he cannot be saved because he is the Son of perdition as our Saviour saith The Son cannot disclaime the nature which he hath receiv'd from his Father and therefore Jesus Christ saith Ye are of your father the Devil because ye do his works and these are properly they whom God never beholds in Jesus Christ with an eye of mercy ANSWER Our Saviour call's the perfidious and obstinate sons of perdition all that time the Jews were murderers and persecutors of the truth VVhich place I alluded to and called them sons of perdition because our Saviour so term'd them Ye are of your father the Devil because ye do his works I say the same and no more But they who are not destinated simply and properly to eternal life nor written in the book of life although they may appear to be the Children of God neverthelesse they are the Children of the Devil by imitation and not by substance as S. Augustin speaks This I said in reference to their last end of damnation and final impenitence which God foreknows and alwayes foreknew most certainely I said that God never looks upon them with the eye of his mercy though a most just and incomprehensible judgement as I said it was in Judas whom Pope S. Leo in his Sermon of the Lords passion calls an inconvertible man that is one who could not be converted This is the scope at which my words referre not to certain intermediate things not to the justification of the present life in which they may be for some time and during which God sundry times beholds Judas and other reprobates with his eye of mercy namely when they do well and are upright IV. PROPOSITION God doth not elect us onely to relinquish and leave us in the hand of our own Counsels because he well knows into what condition we would soon bâ—ing our selves but in consequence of his election he makes appear in due time all the gifts which were comprehended in his Election ANSWER If I knew sufficiently where the doubt concerning this fourth Proposition lyes perhaps I should better explain my mind My intention was to say that God bestows many gifts upon the Elect who by peculiar love are under the divine care as is seen by the following words where I say that God prepares a right or good will for us according to the testimony of the Apostle 'T is God that works in us to will and to do and the rest which followes to which I referre Therefore God doth not leave his Elect destitute without Grace nor in the hand of their own counsels Nor do I design hereby to contradict the saying of the VVise-man in any wise for it would be ridiculous so to do Deum reliquisse homâ—nem in manu consiliorum suorum But all that I intended to signifie by it is that God leaves not Free-will in his Elect without assisting it by his Grace and that it being assisted thereby happily performes all the things which are enumerated in my Treatise S. Augustin patronizes this opinion in abundance of places And I desire the Reader not to believe that I here make Free-will to be necessitated or compelled for this would be an injury to truth In the same Treatise I dispute against such as follow the false lights of a perverse spirit and reason in the model which they forme to themselves of the holy gift of predestination whilst through negligence and malice they referre the greatest liberty of Free-will assisted by God to a shameful and damnable necessity contrary to the expresse doctrin of all the Doctors and principally of S. Augustin which Father is the most terrible to those kind of people VVherefore I conclude with the truth received in the Church and with the authority of the same S. Augustin That predestination doth not take away Free-will but rather establish it as I have said expressely in my Treatise to which I referre the Reader V. PROPOSITION And in like manner cannot prevaile against the structure built with living stones which is the H. Church and the determinate number of the Elect. ANSWER In this Proposition those things which precede and follow in my Treatise must be considered because otherwise naked and
the same to the Faculty in the Assembly following which was to be on the first of July M. Guillebert perform'd his Charge and on that day presented to the Faculty a Paper in which he had reduc'd what he found worthy of Censure in the said Libel to three principal Heads The first of which contain'd what F. Veron had there written to destroy Confession The second what he had urg'd against Pennance And the third what he maintained against the authority of Councils M. Cornet made himself likewise in this Assembly F. Veron's Protector as he had done in the former He took upon him to justifie F. Veron in that he oppos'd the Propositions of the Bishop of Ipre which he maintained it would also be necessary to examine if this Libel were examin'd although that which M. Guillebert reprehended therein had no affinity with those Propositions Which also he formally made a request for for fear if the Faculty should examine and disallow the Libel alone it might be a kind of Fore-judgement in favour of those against whom it was written Hereupon M. Pereyret failing not to represent at large as he had done in the foregoing year the length of time and greatnesse of pains it would be requisite to spend in that examination insomuch said he that to do it well Jansenius S. Augustin and sundry other Books must be read from one end to the other and after ten years imploy'd therein there will be no great Progress made The Faculty concluded that for the interest of peace it was fit to forbear examining both F. Veron's Libel and the Propositions opposed I have lightly passed over this affair omitting sundry very considerable Circumstances that I might not stay upon any thing but what makes to my purpose yet Two there are which I cannot passe in silence One that M. Cornet drew up the said Conclusion on the first of July 1648. as he liked himself and when it was read on the first of August following M. Guillebert moved the Assembly that the same might be corrected as being neither true nor correspondent to what he had represented to the Faculty touching the Libel Yet this was hindred by the artifices and slights of M. Cornet The other is a clause annex'd to the said Conclusion importing that if notwithstanding the difficulties which render'd the examination so laborious at that time that it was not to be thought on it should please God to inspire any one to present to the Faculty any Propositions to be examined and decided by them it should be free for him to do so after two months In which besides the manifest contradiction appearing in the thoughts of these people who make semblance of being lovers of the tranquillity of the Faculty and neverthelesse are ready to disturbe the same within two months who at this present judge an examination so difficult which yet they are at the same instant dispos'd to undertake two months after It is visible that they had already in their breasts a setled purpose of attempting the Five Propositions the performance of which they deferr'd till July in the following year only by reason of the broyles of Paris For when the proposal thereof was made in Sorbonne on that day M. the Abbot de l' Isle Marivault Doctor of Navarre told one of his friends from whom I learnt it that M. the Bishop of Rhodez had told him before the Kings departure from Paris on the day of the Three Kings 1649. that the said Propositions had been already shewn him to be censur'd on the first day by the Faculty CHAP. IV. Of sundry things which pass'd in several Assemblies of the Faculty in the same year 1648. touching the number of such of the Mendicant Orders as might be admitted into Licenses and Assemblies IN the same Assembly of the second of May 1648. wherein complaint was made of F. Veron's Libel another seed of division brake forth which was of much longer continuance Almost all the Religious Mendicants Doctors of the Faculty were so link'd to M. Cornet and Pereyret that they had no other rule of judgement in any matter under debate but the opinion of the said two Doctors insomuch that their Suffrages were almost alwayes conceiv'd in these terms Sequor sententiam Domini Pereyret Idem cum Domino Pereyret In acknowledgment of which good offices and to multiply voyces they were so well assur'd of these Doctors conspir'd with such other Secular Doctors as they could draw to their party to get receiv'd into Licenses and advanc'd to the degree of Doctor as many Religious Mendicants as they could introduce above the number prescrib'd by the Statutes of the Faculty and Arrests of Parliament In this Assembly two Jacobins desir'd to be receiv'd as Supernumeraries besides three Cordeliers and another Jacobin who had been already receiv'd as such I signified to the Assembly the Statute which hindred us from doing them this favour and declar'd that if they proceeded to effect it I would oppose it neverthelesse it was carri'd by the plurality of voyces I oppos'd the Conclusion and M. de Roux Doctor of the house and society of Sorbonne joyn'd with me in the opposition We presented our Petition to the Parliament and an Arrest pass'd thereupon whereby the parties that pretended to take benefit of the said Conclusion were summoned to the Court on the first day and in the mean time prohibited to make use of it This Arrest was signified to the Faculty on the third of June and all the Secular Doctors excepting perhaps M. Cornet and his intimates who had consented to do that favour to the said Religious Mendicants only out of complyance and had not been instructed in the matter follow'd joyfully with one voyce the judgement of M. Messier which was That the Arrest was to be obey'd leaving the Religious to present themselves if they thought good before the Kings Ministers and represent to them their reasons if they had any The four Mendicant Orders interpos'd in behalf of their Batchelors who were concern'd in the cause which was pleaded on the eleventh of August The said Arrest was confirm'd and besides it was enacted That without regard to our Petition but in justice according to the Arguments of the Kings Attorney General the Arrests of the year 1626. whereby conformably to the Statutes and other Arrests the number of Mendicant Doctors that might be admitted into our Assemblies is restrain'd to two of each Order should be read every year on the first day of October in our Assembly to the end the memory and performance of the same may be perpetual with injunction to the Dean and Syndic to see to the observation of the same as they would answer the contrary at their peril The University having heard the report of this Processe and consider'd the importance of it concluded on June 13. to interpose therein if need were but the Arrest pass'd without mention made of their interposing or concerning themselves in the
up thereupon and soon after Printed It shall suffice to signify that M. de Heu Curé of S. Severin M. Chastellain M. Copin M. de Mincé M. Rousse M. Bachelier and M. Brousse joyned with me in the opposition whâ—ch I made against the said election M. Hallier employ'd divers of his friends to the end we might enter into some accommodement with him and we on our part were as desirous thereof as himself so far as the nature and circumstances of the matter permitted and provided we might have sufficient assurance that such accommodement tended to the honour and publick peace of the Faculty as well as to the satisfaction of the parties concern'd The first time he gave me occasion to speak thereof was the 12. of October by a Doctor much his friend and mine who came to me as we were going from a Doctor 's Act that day and told me M. Hallier was prodigiously incens'd against me for that he understood I intended to prosecute in Parliament the opposition I had made against his election to the office of Syndic That M. Hallier had enjoyn'd him to assure me that he was absolutely dispos'd to live in peace with me and to do his utmost for that of the Faculty That he desir'd nothing more then to stifle the divisions arisen upon M. Cornet's enterprise to reconcile the different opinions touching the prepositions made the first of July and to reduce the most exasperated minds to a just temper and mutual concord That he promised in the word of an honest man to use his authority to these ends and to deport himself towards us in his Syndical so well that we should have cause to be glad of him if we would but leave him in quiet and liberty to perform the duties of his place That should he be brought before the Parlament upon the accusation fram'd by me against him we ought to expect from him I particularly all such treatments as are to be fear'd from a man justly provok'd and offended in his honour which was dear to him and which he resolv'd to maintain with the hazard of all other things That we knew well what correspondence and credit he had at Rome to obtain or stop a Bull there against us That he would interest the Pope and the Nuncio in his business That he would stirre up the Clergy of France whose Agent he had been in the last Assembly of the year 1645. That all this put together against the Parliament might be able to balance its authority and make good his attempts That as for me he would destroy me and that informations were promis'd him already against me I could hardly believe all these things did I not take them out of a letter which I writ the next day while they were yet fresh in my memory to one of our common friends whom I thought fit to advertise thereof And here take the very words of my answer to the menaces of M. Hallier I answer'd in summe that I desir'd peace as much as he and had always desir'd it that whatever should happen I would always act my utmost for it but I wish'd a good one safe and honorable That I was not a man to betray weakly the cause of God and the King for a counterfeit peace That all the powers wherewith he threatned me terrifi'd me not in asmuch as I hop'd the justice of my cause and proceeding being known to them they would approve my doings and there would be no division for this cause between them and our Lords of the Court of Parliament That I was sorry that he engag'd in this business but private intorests are nothing to me when the publick are concern'd That whatever he could say or do I would omit nothing of my duty and of what was in my power for the sevice of God and the King and for the defence of Truth and Justice Some dayes after came the festival of S. Vrsula for the solemnising of which all the Doctors of Sorbonne not absent in remote Provinces resort thither together M. the Archbishop of Ambrun was to preach there this year and the Queen was to come thither My chamber was chosen for the said Archbishop to retire into before and after his preaching and accordingly he came thither about nine a clock in the morning Soon after his comming he began to speak to me of the foresaid agreement in a manner something more gentle then that of the above mentioned message and to invite me thereunto by reasons not only relating to particular Doctors and all the Faculty but also to the whole body of the Sate This Prelate may remember that he found it no hard matter to convince me thereof because I was perfectly prepar'd thereunto not only for publick considerations and the desire which he said the Queen had for the agreement to be made but also for that I had my self as great a desire of it as could be imagin'd Neverthelesse all the conference the Archbishop and I had about this matter was terminated in general discourses and we spoke not of any conditions that might be made to that end neither at that time nor in two or three other converses wherein he spoke to me of it again that day There was likewise another person of the Colledge much devoted to M. Hallier call'd M. Segures who spoke to me about it in the same manner too without specifying any conditions thereof and who knew also how desirous I was of it but I did not find that an accommodation was any thing advanc'd by the discourse of either of them whilst they remained within those termes Wherefore the time urging either to conclude it if M. Hallier were dispos'd to do such things as were necessary in order to it or to pursue my opposition before the Parliament in the few days that remain'd thereof to the end to get a Rule of Court therein before our ensuing Assembly of the 4. of November if the publick interests could not consist with the particular aimes of M. Hallier I resolv'd to go the next day to M. Segures to tell him as much and desire him to advertise M. Hallier thereof and withall to propound to him what I desired of him to the end I might have ground to desist from the prosecution I should otherwise be oblig'd to use agninst him and to know after he had spoken with him whether he lik'd the conditions propos'd to him or not M. Segure made several visits to M. Hallier within two or three days during which all prosecutions against him were suspended about the expedients and conditions which were to be taken in order to concluding the said agreement I shall not mention the same here because they are to be set down in a Liste whereof I shall insert a Copy in due place It shall suffice to say that M. Hallier made no difficulty to close with them and to give all the verbal assurances thereof that could be desir'd before persons of honour
throughout all his Estates but the King being astonish'd at this request answer'd very wisely That it concern'd things of Doctrine which he understood not that the Doctors were to be consulted about it and if they judg'd that what the Queen desir'd might be done he would do it willingly CHAP. III. The complaint of the Venetians Ill usage of the King's Ambassador His Majesties Letter to the Cardinals in complaint therof Discourse with Cardinal Barberini about the Houres and the Letter of M. de Vabres ABout this time I was told that the Republick of Venice finding it self much exhausted by extraordinary expences so many years together in defending alone the Island of Candie against the Turk without receiving any assistance even from the Pope caus'd him to be advertis'd by her Ambassador in his Audience of the 9. of December that she should at length be constrain'd to abandon that place unlesse the Christian Princes inclin'd otherwise to succor her against the common and so powerfull enemy that the Ambassador had made to his Holinesse great Protestations thereof and as it was added some reproaches But about a fortnight before there hapned a very great quarrel between the Ambassador of France and his Holinesse For the Ambassador having sheltred in his Palace and under his protection certain Neapolitans who had fled thither for refuge in the nights of the 21. and 22. of November there were three of them assassinated by some of themselves and one of the Ambassador's servants going out to see what was the matter was slain The Authors of these murders did not commit the same so secretly as they could have wisht for their own safety The Ambassador whose Maxime it always was as I understood from himself not to shelter any in his lodging but such as were guilty by misfortune and not of enormous crimes nor to maintaine any committed by a man before fled into his house comply'd with the Pope's Justice to deliver to the Sergeants on a day appointed the authors of the murders and also to cause the Sergeants to be assisted by all his own people On Thursday evening notice was given him that the Corses Sergeants c. all the Horse and Foot of the Pope's Guard began to prepare themselves for the taking of the Criminals He answer'd that he comply'd to cause them to be deliver'd to the Sergeant but he would not do it if they came thither with so great an Array Observe that this was to be on Fryday and that the houre of the usual audience which he hath every fortnight of the Pope was appointed to be Fryday morning and that very morning without further notice all these military men came in armes to seise all the avenues of his Palace searcht all the neighboring houses enter'd even into his Court and kept all his gates seis'd The Ambassador seeing this from his windowes sent to bid the Barisel or Provost that led them to come and speak with him The Barisel scrupled it at first apprehending some ill treatment but two Knight of Malta assuring him no hurt should be done him he yeilded to go up staires At the bottome of which he was disarm'd and comming into the Ambassador's presence without armes and bare-headed the Ambassador ask'd him what made him so bold as to enter into his house bidding him take heed what he did and telling him that he was in the house of the King and might one day repent his entring into it The Barisel answer'd that he had receiv'd such order from his Master The Ambassador reply'd that if he pass'd on further he knew how he would use him and how his Master would use his The Barisel witdhrew and caus'd his company to make a halt sent this intelligence to a place from whence order came for all these soldiers to return to their quarters Neverthelesse they made prisoners of some poor men and women dwelling near the place where the murders were committed who should depose what they knew thereof and that they might not return without doing something The Ambassador sent a dispatch forthwith to the Court to give notice of all that had pass'd which the King understanding thought fit to write a circular letter to all the Cardinals then at Rome the tenour whereof was as followeth To my Cousin the Cardinal N. COusin Having been well inform'd of the truth of what hath been done by the Popes Officers who have violated all respect by forcing the Palace of my Ambassador I have commanded him to depart presently out of Rome whilest I examine what course will be fit for me to take for the redressing of so great an injury Hereof I thought good to advertise you not doubting but you will interesse your self in so just a cause which ought to be lookt upon as a common one for that herein the Law of Nations and the Interest of all Princes is violated as my Ambassador will more particularly declare to you to whom referring my self I shall pray God to have you Cousin in his holy keeping Written at Paris 19. December 1650. signed Louis and below De Lomenie Assoon as this Letter was come to Rome the Ambassador went to visite all the sacred Colledge to deliver to every Cardinal that which was for him and to take leave of their Eminences before his departing from Rome and retiring as he did afew days after to Tivoli This action of the Barisel hapned three days after our arrival at Rome and the disgust which the Ambassador signifi'd to me about it making me fear he would not like that any French should go see the Pope at a time wherein he was so little pleas'd with his treatment I thought fit to represent to him what obligations I conceiv'd lay upon me to visit his Holiness having the honor to be a Doctor of Sorbonne and having formerly been well receiv'd by him yet with a purpose to defer my visite till this misunderstanding were over if I found the Ambassador judg'd it fit to forbear Accordingly by what he said to me I understood that this was his mind and I conform'd thereunto though my desire of saluting his Holiness was encreas'd every day by the Letters which were writ to me from Paris and by the things which I was inform'd of at Rome not that I intended being unqualify'd for so doing to speak to him on set purpose of several things whereof I saw it so necessary that he were inform'd and which I presum'd were not come to his knowledge but because I remember'd that in an audience I had formerly of him he had spoken to me of his own accord about divers affaires of this nature which concern'd my profession and therefore I believ'd that the Audience I should now have of him would not passe without his putting me upon such matters and so giving me occasion himself to tell him what I desir'd thereof nor without his discovering to me something about those for which my friends were so solicitous in France and of
the importance of the affair intrusted to me That besides I did not fear being blam'd for it at Rome when it was once consider'd being certain that the H. See is more interested therein then any and that in the prosecution I was to make the service of that is more concern'd then of the Prelates who oblig'd me to return The Cardinal seeing me so firm bid me do as I would but he said I had best take heed That for his own part he was convinc'd of the necessity of the advice he gave me That he exhorted me again as a friend to follow it and before my departure to speak with the Cardinals Spada and Barberin whom he believ'd well affected towards me and to see what their Eminencies would say to me I answer'd that I would wait upon my LL. the Cardinals Spada and Barberin but not in order to change my purpose for were I so minded it should be upon what his Highness had said to me wherefore intending not to fail to present to his Holiness the Letters which my LL. the Bishops had sent to him I beseecht his Highness to procure for me assoon as possible an audience for that end I perceiv'd for certain that my remaining so firm in my resolution troubled the Cardinal d' Este that he lookt upon me as one that was going to sacrifice himself that he heartily wisht he could prevent the unhappiness I was ready to fall into and that he conceiv'd as he told me that did I know what mov'd him to give me such counsel I would take it of my self without needing any reason to perswade me of its necessity But the Excommunication under penalty of which he was oblig'd to such religious secrecy as he us'd to the H. Office made him rather consent to my unhappiness which he believ'd inevitable notwithstanding his affection to me then to violate the same by telling me a word though my deliverance depended thereupon Wherefore he promis'd me that in case I met with the least difficulty or delay of the audience which I desir'd to have of his Holiness he would recommend me to some Officers in whom he had an interest who should accelerate the same but he said he did not believe the recommendation necessary considering the acquaintance I had lately by his mediation with those very Officers which t' was likely they had not yet forgotten As for the Prelates who sign'd the Letters which I had to present he askt me what number there was of them I avoided telling him by answering that their Letters were seal'd as indeed they were all at that time And this I did because I had not yet receiv'd them from all that were to send them I hop'd they would arrive before I could obtain audience of the Pope and I was willing their names should be all known together that so the first apprehension which would be had from their number might not be disadvantageous to the business in a Country where I knew many things are measur'd by the outside and the show At length I took my leave more satisfied with this visit in regard of the affection testified to me by this Cardinal in his hearty endeavouring to perswade me from proceeding further in this business then he was with my resolution which I signified to him of driving it on to the utmost in regard of the danger which his Highness believ'd I incur'd On the Sunday morning June 18 I presented my self in the Pope's Presence-Chamber in my Gown Cap and Furr'd-hood to have audience of him I heard his Mass and spent all the forenoon there but audience there was none for me Cardinal Gueva who took leave that day of his Holiness to go to his Bishoprick in Spain ingross'd it all Also all the Jesuites Assistants waited for it to give the Pope notice of the decease of theâ—r General who dy'd the day before When I saw audience desperate for me that day I resolv'd to return home to my lodging yet I thought fit before my going to accost and salute F. Annat who was with all those other Assistants and with whom I had contracted some slight acquaintance I conceiv'd it fit to do so to that Father out of good manners and civility and withal necessary too to take from them all the thought of new Intrigues against me by letting them see yet without affectation that I shew'd my self boldly and had no fear being sent as I was for a publick cause and by persons so considerable in the Church I told F. Annat after my saluting him that he did not think at my departure of seeing me so soon nor I him but I had been stop'd by the way and oblig'd to return to present the Pope a Letter from some Bishops of France who knowing of my being in that Country chose rather to charge me therewith then to send some other person thither on purpose When he heard me speak of a Letter from Bishops they are the words of the Letter which I writ the next day touching the discourse I had with him he apprehended that it was concerning the Five Propositions and I did not at all dissemble it He answer'd That it was very well done that both the one side and the other had recourse to the Oracle He told me nothing could be more civil then what was desired by those who writ on the other side as I remember he us'd these words Who writ for us namely a plain judgement without speaking either Pro or Con. I reply'd That they by whose Order I was return'd desir'd not much more to wit That the Divines be first heard for the distinguishing of the several senses of the Propositions that so the censure may fall only upon that which is bad and which all the world acknowledges such but the Catholick sense may be safe and exempted from the Censure that so both sides having been heard each may receive his Holines's judgement with respect without stir and without having cause to complain of not having been heard and to make new Remonstrances which would renew the Quarrel He deemed all this just and yet could not dissemble the design they had of getting the Propositions condemn'd absolutely For he added that notwithstanding the Propositions were capable of a Catholick sense yet if absolutely and in themselves they have an Heretical sense 't is fit they be condemned in themselves Without seeming to take notice of his meaning and to avoid disputing in that place I only said That the Heretical sense ought to be absolutely condemned and the Catholick absolutely sav'd after which I took leave of him and separated civilly In the afternoon I went to visit Cardinal Spada in the same habit which I wore in the morning in the Popes-Presence-Chamber I told him that being at Genua upon the point to return into France I receiv'd some Letters from my LL. the Bishops of that kingdom which oblig'd me to come back to Rome to present one to the Pope which
pretext of the heretical sense they endeavour to obtain a Censure that they may afterwards apply the same to the Catholick sense which would cause great disturbances and have very dangerous consequences That the Bishops by whose order I was return'd beseecht his Holinesse that in case it pleas'd him to make any new determination touching those Propositions it might not be without having first heard the persons who were to follow me and who would declare and manifest to his Holinesse that there was neither Bishop nor Doctor nor Priest that maintained the said Propositions in their bad sense and moreover clearly shew him certain and invincible proofs upon which the Catholick sense which they defend and whereof the Propositions are capable is founded That this Request was the most just that could be made to his Holiness by Ecclesiastical persons and that if we are oblig'd in all things providere bona non tantùm coram Deo sed etiam coram hominibus 't is chiefly when the question is to shew the Church and the Vicar of Jesus Christ that the Faith is intire and sincere in our hearts and that we are not infected with any thought contrary thereunto As for his Holinesse that he could not but have great satisfaction in finding the same by the example of S. John who saith in one of his Epistles Majorem horum non habeo gratiam quà m ut sciam filios meos in veritate ambulare I durst not at that time speak more openly of the Congregation whose election I was to sollicit nor use so much as the word Congregation at first for fear of crossing the Pope's spirit in any thing who I was assured was very averse from entring into any discussion of these matters Assoon as I had done speaking the passage newly mention'd the Pope smil'd at the application which I made of it and told me the Bishops of France needed not to be sollicitous about letting him know their devotednesse to the H. See and the sincerity of their sentiments that he had abundant proofs thereof in the voyage he made thither in the legation of Cardinal Barberin and he recounted to me at length all the Civilities which they receiv'd from them in the Dioceses through which they pass'd and that were shew'd by the Body of the Clergy to M. the Legat comming to bid him adieu before his departure and to wish him a good voyage to the number of fifty six As for the Propositions if they were contain'd in the Bull of Vrban VIII or rather of Pius V. that the same was pass'd with too much knowledge of the cause to afford any thing that might be gainsaid or gloss'd upon If they were any new thing all should be examin'd with care and leisure That he had nothing so much at his heart as to do things with all the prudence and circumspection that can be desir'd That this was all the answer he could make me at present before having seen what the Letters imported which I had deliver'd to him I told the Pope that as for the Bull of Vrban VIII it had been receiv'd and publish'd by the Archbishop of Paris and that of the Five Propositions in question not any was contain'd therein that four of them especially had no relation to the said Bull that one of them indeed seem'd like one of those which are in the same but yet was many wayes different from them that his Holinesse knew well that there needs but one word to make great alterations The Pope told me that a point or a dash is enough for that I added that the Bishops who sent me had no design to invalidate that Bull but only to keep his Holinesse from being possess'd or surpriz'd in reference to the Five Propositions and from passing in regard of the bad sense whereof they are capable such a Censure as may be apply'd to the Catholick sense according to which they may be understood That the inventors of them spoke in France of the Censure which they expected from Rome as if they had his Holinesses Tongue in their mouthes and his Pen in their hands The Pope reply'd hereunto by shewing me a Crucifix which he said was his counsel in such affairs as these and that having heard what would be represented to him by such as argued therein he kneel'd down before that Crucifix to take at the feet thereof his resolution according to the inspiration given to him by the H. Spirit whose assistance was promised to him and could not fail him In this addresse the Pope spoke to me several times to rise up which I out of respect being unwilling to do he commanded me to arise and told me he would thereby shew me what account he made of me It was requisite to obey his Holinesse and towards the end of his discourse he bid me repair to M. Albizzi I durst not then tell the Pope how much we esteem'd M. Albizzi prepossess'd by the Jesuites and opposite to all affairs not approv'd by those Fathers But I took occasion to tell him that I had a very humble sute to make to his Holinesse namely that he would not give credit to all the ill reports which might be made against me and all those whom some endeavor'd to bring into ill esteem with him because we had to do with people very full of artifice and exceeding bold in forging calumnies Amongst other testimonies which I might have given his Holinesse of the liberty of Detraction taken by our Adversaries I instanc'd one to him which concerned my self in the time wherein I had the honour to be Rector of the University I told him that the Jesuites in the end of the year 1642. attempting to invade its Priviledges I became oblig'd to write thereof to Pope Vrban VIII to hinder them from obtaining of him by surprise some Brief which might favour their designes unlesse he were preadvertis'd thereof That the Letter which I writ to him being fram'd in such respectfull terms as the person to whom and the subject of which I was to write required the Jesuites in an Apology which they caus'd to be printed a little while after in behalf of their Society took occasion therein to complain of my Letter as if I had injur'd the service of the King and the interests of the State by writing it and that they might have wherewith to triumph against me they falsly alledg'd in their book such words of it as were not contain'd in any place of my said Letter either together or asunder Wherefore I beseecht his Holinesse to consider to what exorbitance of calumnies they are likely to proceed in secret since they are not asham'd and make no scruple to divulge publickly such high things against a person who being in a Charge very considerable in Paris was able to complain of the injury in all places and so easily to convince them before all the world of the falsenesse of their accusation The Pope answer'd that I had reason and
Auxiliis and that the H. See was not at this time dispos'd to decide that matter I told him that then it could not pronounce any thing upon the said Propositions because it was wholly comprehended and involved therein He proceeded to ask me whether it were not our intention that nothing should be done against the prevalence and efficacy of Grace I answer'd That provided that point were established we desir'd nothing more and that we reduc'd all our thoughts and pretensions thereto because all the rest of our sentiments were dependant on and insepareble from it He told me that perhaps the H. See was not dispos'd to establish any thing about it and he askt me whether it were not enough that nothing were done against it and that too without destroying the sufficient Grace of the Jesuits I answer'd That the H. See could not preserve or spare the sufficient grace of the Jesuits without doing wrong to effectual Grace That they are two things so opposite and contradictory that the one or the other must needs fall to the ground that there is no mean between them and that we could not consent that the H. See admit or suffer as probable a Maxime which it hath always condemned and which is diametrically opposite to another which it hath always establisht and mantain'd as de fide and as that of the whole Church Then we fell upon St. Augustin and the Cardinal spoke of him as if his sentiments were difficult to be known and as if some of his works were favourable to the Maximes of Grace which we defended and in others there were principles conformable to the opinions of the Jesuites To which I answer'd That the Doctrine of St. Augustine touching Grace was clear and uniform That I was so certain of it that if but one of his works where he handles the ground of this matter could be shew'd me in which his sense could be presum'd conformable to the sufficient grace of the Jesuites I offer'd to yield the cause and on the contrary if the effectual Grace in behalf of which I was to speak was not generally receiv'd in all his works written upon this subject and in every one of them particularly I would renounce the prosecutions which I purpos'd to make for the establishing of it I know not how he fell to tell me of Paludanus who writ in Flanders very advantageously for the Bull though he was not of the Jesuites opinion and he told me that if such a man as he should write to his Holinesse in behalf of the present affair of the Propositions it would be of great moment and produce a good effect At length I told the Cardinal what cause I had to complain of the treatment which M. Albizzi shew'd me and what little confidence I could have that any thing offer'd by me was likely to make any impression upon his mind in as much as he looking upon us as he did as people of ill designes against the Church and the H. See though we profess'd none he could not receive any thing whatever I should say to him but on the contrary must needs esteem it suspected and slight it through the belief which he will alwayes have that it is spoken unsincerely and out of a bad design Cardinal Barberin reply'd that this was considerable and that I might represent the same to the Pope and to my LL. the Cardinals CHAP. VI. Several Visits in the end of July and the beginning of August chiefly to the Cardinals Spada Roma Barberini and M. the Ambassador who was come back to Rome from Tivoli AFter this Affair was thus ended I apply'd all my cares to that for which I was sent for which I saw but two things that I could do One was to visit all persons to whom I could have accesse and who might upon occasion contribute to the manifesting of the Design of the framers of the Five Propositions after my informing them of what had pass'd in France about them and of the Contents of the Bishops Letters which I deliver'd to his Holinesse The second was to renew from time to time my visits to such Cardinals as I perceiv'd capable of procuring in this businesse such delay as was requisite for its thorough examination by considering all that the Divines whom I expected and others that might come had to represent by word of mouth or by writing in this occasion M. le Bailly de Valencey the King's Ambassador at Rome having spent above Six Moneths at Tivoli return'd thither on Monday July 17. upon the instances made to him for that purpose from the Pope by the Venetian Ambassador who mediated for the accommoding of his difference with his Holinesse On Tuesday morning he went incognito to see the Pope and I had the honour to accompany him in that visit at the end of which I recall'd to his memory all that I had said to him at Tivoli where he was at my comming to Rome and I made him a summary recital of all that I had done since my last seeing him On the 25th I visited M. Michel Angelo Ricci a very wise and studious Roman Gentleman in whose converse I observ'd this particularity That having by him the works of Petrus Aurelius printed by order of the Clergy of France he lent them to me and told me that as for himself he durst not read them because of a Decree of the Inquisition made March 19. 1633. and publisht at Rome Febr. 16. 1642. by which that Tribunal forbad all books made on either side in the contests arisen concerning the Bishop of Calcedon and upon the businesse of the books of the English Jesuites which were censur'd by the Divinity Faculty of Paris and by the Clergy of France I thank'd this Gentleman for his favour in lending me that famous Author though it was then uselesse to him not daring to read it but I said nothing to him how that Decree was receiv'd and treated in France where the Bishops in the year 1643. having renew'd their Censures against the books of England with the true names of the Jesuites who were the Authors of them did also censure a new a book written in its defence by one of those Fathers What further concerns this matter I shall not here relate but I shall referr the principal Pieces about it to the choice ones plac'd at the end of this Journal On the 26th I went to acquaint a person very illustrious both for dignity and knowledge with what haste Cardinal Barbâ—rin had given me cause to fear this affair would be terminated This excellent Personage answer'd thereunto in these words Se fanno una definitione precipitâ—sa so quel ch' ho da far La Chiesa sarà la mia regâ—… bisâ—gnerà veder chi havrà ragione o di questâ—â—…pa o de gli aliri If they make a precipitated definition I know what I have to do The Church shall be my rule it will be needfull to see who hath reason
condemned by Pius V. it was ground enough for saying so that there was one found to be such at the first inspection of the book But it was not expressd in that Decree whether those condemn'd Propositions which were in the Catechism were any of those which Pius V. had condem'd as Heretical or temerarious or as offending Christian ears which might be so in the time of Pius V. and not so now but however those Propositions having been once condemn'd and that condemnation neither revers'd nor interpreted nor the prohibition of teaching and maintaining them remov'd he was too blame that advanc'd and publisht them and there was reason to complain as well of his writing of these matters contrary to the Prohibition ' as of his reviving those condemned Propositions F. Hilarion and I were three full houres in this conference and it was far in the night before we broke it off On Saturday morning the 19th we did nothing but went to the Ambassador who expected a visite from one of the new Cardinals And in the afternoon I learnt nothing but that a new Tome of Suarez was lately printed at Lyons touching the matter de Auxiliis notwithstanding it had been formerly deny'd permission at Rome and that the Jesuites caus'd it to be sold there This intelligence was given us that we might complain of it but we were loth to take new affairs and employments upon our selves without necessity being scarce able to manage all those in which we were engag'd already On Sunday the 17th in the morning we went to accompany the Ambassador to the Pope's Chappel From thence we went to Giesu to see the ceremonies which the Jesuites made after the election of their General which we found plain and modest We spent almost the whole afternoon at the Ambassador's house in reference to the visite which Cardinal Aldobrandino was to make to him On Tuesday we went to see that Cardinal with whom we found Cardinal Trivultio We waited till this latter was gone and then were admitted to Cardinal Aldobrandino We found him sufficiently informed of many circumstances of our affair which we layd open to him at leisure We spoke much of the famous Congregation held under Clement VIII of whose family this Cardinal was and who dying as he intimated in our discourse as he was upon the point to publish his Bull of condemnation against the Jesuites his death was by those Fathers imputed to a Miracle In the afternoon we visited Cardinal Sachetti who apprehended our intentions and demands very just and answer'd us very handsomely and ingenuously He said among other things that the wiles and jugglings which we shew'd him had been recurr'd to in this affair were no good arms for defending a just cause and that they who made use of them gave ground to believe that they were diffident of their good right The same Afternoon we went to Cardinal Maidalcini who was the youngest of the Cardinals and thence to Monsignor Paolucci who was the ancientest Prelate in Rome M. Brousse declar'd the affair in Italian to Cardinal Maidalcini and the Abbot of Valcroissant to M. Paolucci who answer'd us as one that still well remembred all that he had seen formerly transacted under Clement VIII between the Dominicans and the Jesuites and who had since that time spent part of his own in the reading of S. Augustin There remain'd none of all the sacred Colledg to be visited but Cardinal Cherubin We went to him on Wednesday March 20. and acquainted him as we had done the rest what had pass'd and what we pretended to in this affair We learnt the same day that a Memorial was presented in the morning to the Congregation of the H. Office against the book of Suarez and those who dispers'd it Monsignor Spada Patriarch of Constantinople was the last we visited of the Consultors and Qualificators of the H. Office for he had that Title which depress'd him infinitely below the lowest Cardinal which seem'd very strange to us in the person of a Patriarch of the second See of the Church and who since the second Oecumenical Council always held the first place after the Pope We went to him on Thursday the 21. and after he had heard what we said to him he wonder'd that we seem'd to doubt whether the Congregation and audience of Parties would be granted in which we plac'd the certain carrying of the Cause and the indubitable triumph of truth against our common adversaries He intimated with a clear inclination to our good designes that things were in suspence that order would be taken about them and that preparations were making for them In fine he answer'd us very judiciously gravely and courteously And he acknowledg'd as all other persons who we visited together and whom I had visited before when I was alone at Rome acknowledged in our common visites though I have not menion'd it in every occasion to avoid too frequent repetitions that I had never addres'd to him but as one sent by some of my LL. the Bps. of France Our visites being ended and we finding by experience during the whole winter that the aire of Rome was very unsutable with M. Brousse's health and conceiving that the heat of the approching Summer might be more prejudicial to it then the winter during which he had a continual head-ake and defluxion in his breast which constrain'd him to be blooded largely five times and to drink nothing but Ptisane He pray'd us to give way that he prepar'd himself to return to his native aire after Easter assoon as he was able to travel to the place of his ordinary residence Whereunto we consented according to the condiscension of the Bishops who deputed us to whom in the end of January last we had signifi'd the case of his indisposition which seised upon him assoon as he came to Rome and continu'd to molest him ever since Wherefore he and I went the same evening to advertise the Ambassador of it and to beseech him to acquainr the Pope therewith the next day at his usual audience to the end M. Brousse might salute his Holiness and receive his benediction before his departure which was to be assoon as the Festivals and Ceremonies of Easter were over The Ambassador promis'd to do him this office the next day if he could or some day of the H. Week The next day Fryday the 22th we attended the Ambassador to his ordinary audience He caus'd M. Brousse to be call'd in who being introduc'd and the Ambassador going to speak some thing of him to the Pope by way of recommendation His Holinesse interrupted him with these familiar and obliging words Lo conesco è mio grand amico I know him he is my great friend M. Brousse made â—his complement to him in few words and signifi'd how his health necessitated his return The Pope wisht him a good journey and gave him his benediction and indulgences Besides the Ambassador the Corrector of the French Minimes was
Apostolus noluit sileri quod voluit scribi That S. Augustin had observ'd that it was in his Epistle to the Romans principally that this Apostle had unfolded this Mystery to the end that the knowledge thereof being convey'd to that Great City whose Dominion extended over all the Nations of the World the same might from thence be diffus'd through the whole earth as flowing from the Head to all the Members De cujus praedicatione maximè ad Romanos Apostolica Epistola loquitur ut iude se praedicatio ejus velut à capite orbis toto orbe diffunderet That it would be a very strange thing for those wholesom waters which ought to flow from that Source into all Christendom deriving a happy fecundity upon it to be stopt up and retain'd in that Source by a continual silence which must needs cause everywhere a sad drought and sterility That one day God who said to his Apostles Go preach the truths of my Gospel throughout the world might reproach their Successors for having kept those Truths captive and extinguisht them in the very center of their safest Sanctuarie as they would be if instead of protecting them against the assaults of their enemies the H. See condemn'd them to a perpetual silence Wherefore there is no apparence to say that such silence was impos'd or if it was there would be a necessity and evident obligation to break it As for that which Cardinal Cechini said to us of not entring into the matter de Auxiliis we answered That we would not meddle with the same further than the things to be examin'd should engage us But we could not dissemble to his Eminence that if they would not have those matters enter'd into then neither could any examen or discussion of the Propositions be taken in hand because we maintaining the same only by reason of the connexion which they had with Effectual Grace whereof they were consequences and necessary dependances when reduc'd to the sence in which we intended to defend them and so nothing could be establisht judg'd or pronounc'd upon them one way or other but the whole matter must at the same time be decided one way or other likewise That there was so great a concatenation between all the Maxims that could be advanc'd on one side or other in this matter that one single point being once granted on either part it was easie to reduce all the rest thereunto by necessary and evident consequences Non habet aliud summa quà m p rtio That it had been the artifice of the Jesuites and their Confederates in this last affair to hide the Catholick truths of this mystery of Grace under the ambiguous terms whereof the Propositions were compos'd thereby to involve some one of those truths under the condemnation which they might obtain of the Propositions extend the condemnation of a Proposition to that truth conclude evidently from the condemnation of this the condemnation of all the rest and from their condemnation pretend afterwards that their sentiments which are diametricaliy opposite thereunto were authoriz'd and establisht for Orthodox by the H. See That nothing but the evidence and importance of the Mischiefs likely to ensue from such a surprize as they would have put upon the H. See had mov'd the Prelates by whom we were deputed to send us hither to give notice thereof That it belonged to the Pope and their Eminences upon whom his Holiness rely'd to take heed thereto and that if we had some small interest therein though our affection to the H. See and the part which that affection caus'd us to take in an affair which so highly concern'd it the Pope and their Eminences were far more highly engag'd and interested therein than we The Cardinal heard this discourse with great attention he seem'd to us affected with it and whereas he had been hitherto little accustomed to such language the Sentin eâ—t which he exprest to us upon it made us conceive that he was one of those that consider'd the consequence of the things which we represented to him and would to his power doe us justice therein On Sunday the 6th we went again to Cardinal Spada's house to whom we deliver'd our little Memorial and told him that we had addrest the same to all the Cardinals of the Congregation because when we requested him the first time that he would please to ordain the communication of our Writings he had answered us that it was requisite to make the same request to the others and they would all together take order therein Whereunto he returned that he would make report thereof and it should be consider'd what was expedient The same day I visited Monsignor Sacrista who told me that the Jesuites were resolv'd to defend their Panegyrick of the Colledge of Hungary against the Decree of the Master of the Sacred Palace and that they said that as to what they advanc'd therein viz. that the Pope favoured Heresie it was a figure of Rhetorick whereby they put abstractum pro concreto and that generally in Rome the common sentiment was that the Pope knew them well and that he had them not in gran concetto that he made no great account of them that he lov'd them not overmuch Monday the 7th F. Mulard was again upon the point to return into France and he acquained me with sundry small news amongst the rest That the year foregoing he had presented to the Pope and the Cardinals Roma and Spada the Writing above mention'd intitl'd An sit sopienda c. That F. Annat was Author of that intitl'd Jansenius à Thomistis damnatus And upon my saying that it was a great shame that M. Hallier was so miserably become the Colporteur the Pamphlet-venter of the Jesuites in that he receiv'd of them the Writings which they put into his hands without so much as examining them and went about to present them to the Cardinals he took upon him to defend his good Cousin from this reproach telling me that he had made another since And when I press'd him to tell me what it was he answered me that it was only a collection of passages out of S. Augustin I believ'd he receiv'd the same from the Jesuites as well as the rest but F. Mulard added that M. Joysel and M. Lagault had also undertaken to compose something upon this Subject but that what they had written was worth nothing at all Lastly He told me that F. Annat was likewise about to return into France and that those three Doctors us'd all their endeavours to perswade him not to depart from Rome so long as themselves were there We did not go out of our Lodging on the forenoon of Tuesday the 8th But in the afternoon I visited F. Vbaldino who congratulated me for the good success of our Cause in our Congregation and for that the whole Assembly had agreed to all that we had demanded in behalf of S. Augustin I remonstrated to him that it was not
to expect any good from him in reference to our cause for he was imbu'd with the same Principles of Molinisme that F. Palavicini had suck'd in and that in the whole Order of Carmelites it would be hard to find a Molinist like him That once his Superiours taking occasion of a slight indisposition which he had sent him into the country under colour of taking the air but indeed to remove him from his Profession of Divinity because he taught Opinions contrary to those of S. Thomas that nevertheless after a years interruption he was restor'd to the exercise of his charge after promise of Reformation but he always returned to his first sentiments and taught according to the same principles of Molinisme Sunday the 17th we return'd again to get Audience of the Pope but it began so late and was likely to be so short by reason he was to go abroad to take the ayr in the afternoon that we determin'd not to wait for it Tuesday the 19th we went again but there was such a multitude and amongst others Cardinal Sforza who ingrost almost all the time that we despair'd of having any Audience that day In the afternoon I visited F. Pascaligo who told me that F. Celestin had taught Scientia Media as well as F. Tartaglia and that in print We went to see the Ambassador who desir'd us to dine with him the next day We went thither and both at dinner and after the discourse was concerning the pains we took to get our writings communicated for during those sollicitations there was no speech of being heard in presence Whereupon the Ambassador told us that we need not trouble our selves about it for without doubt it would be granted us when things were in a condition to permit it that it was practis'd in all Processes of the Rota and consequently would not fail to be allow'd in a general and important affair as ours was That in the Rota they sometimes made ten and twenty Decisions before they pass'd Sentence that the same would certainly be done in our affair and instead of ten we should have thirty That we must not be impatient but walk abroad and divert our selves that we must calmely spend our time in studying and clearing up our selves because whenever we testify'd the least impatience it would be taken for obstinacy and disobedience We answer'd him that we were willing to do all this so long as it caus'd no prejudice to our affair He told us that the Pope had signify'd to him that there should be two Congregatons in a week We answer'd that they might make as many or as few as they pleas'd that it did not move us That while they were such as the present as we could not hinder them so we had no regard to them That this was not after the manner that we demanded and that was promis'd us He told us likewise that the King would procure both for us and our Adversaries to be heard and to represent as much as we pleas'd the justice of our cause And upon our saying that we had gone a fortnight together to all the Audiences of the Pope to present the Book of our Writings to him he did us the favour to offer us to introduce us on Fryday following when himself was to go or else to take at Audience for us for the Sunday insuing Thursday the twenty first I was in the Pope's Presence-chamber during the Congregation of the L. Office and came down from thence with the General of the Augustines who askt me where M. Hallier's lodging was that he might go to restore him the Writings which he had had of him Friday the 22d we went to the Ambassador's house to accompany him to the Popes Palace He told us that we were down in his Note and we desir'd him to procure us audience for Sunday next because we should then have more time to speak to the Pope then if we did it in his presence Yet because we were not sure whether it would be desir'd till Sunday or whether we might not be call'd whilst the Ambassador was there we tarri'd in the Presence-chamber expecting the issue A quarter of an hour after the Ambassador had been at audience he came forth unexpectedly and with some commotion in his countenance as I observ'd N. Piques Secretary of the Ambassy had in his hand the Memorâ—als of Affairs whereof his Master was to speak to the Pope ready to deliver to his Holines 's Maistre de Chambre at his coming forth according to custome But as he drew near to present them I perceiv'd the Ambassador made a signe to him with his head not to deliver them We let him depart and stay'd in the Presence-chamber The Ambassador of Venice who was to have audience next him was not yet come M. Angran who had not observ'd as I did the countenance and commotion of our Ambassador conceiv'd this interval a fit opportunity for presenting our Book to the Pope and therefore motion'd that we might desire the Maistre de chambre to introduce us I told him and M. de Valcroissant that assuredly the Pope and the Ambassador had had some brush but I entreated them not to speak of it because I knew not whether any besides my self took notice of it The Ambassador went down to Cardinal Pamphilio where he was three quarters of an hour at audience I went thiâ—her likewise and learn't that the day before a Gentleman arriv'd by Post from Monsignor Corsini who was going Nunâ—io into France to advertise the Pope that he was stay'd at Marseilles and could not passe further In the afternoon I went to see the Ambassador Assoon as he saw me he told me that he could not speak to the Pope about us and I answer'd that I perceiv'd as much at his coming forth from the Audience He reply'd that indeed it was not difficult to perceive for said he we were at big words this morning I went abroad with him to take the ayre where he told me that a Cardinal Bishop in Marca Anconitana had sent to desire him by a Gentleman to procure for him all the Writings that were made touching the Propositions Saturday the 23d I met the Bishop of Bethleem who told me that M. Hallier inform'd him the day before that the Bishop of Amiens was dead and before his death made abjuration of Jansenism in the presence of VVitnesses He told me also that he had receiv'd order from the Clergy to make no new Demand to the Pope touching les causes majeures and that the Clergy would continue firm in the practice of the ancient Canons I had not ended with the Bishop of Bethleem when a certain Ecclesiastick came to me and tol me that he had visited F. Hilarion that week about our affaires and that speaking to him of M. Albizzi's extraordinary partiality the Father told him that it was true that M. Albizzi was very hot in the businesse and that he had added some words of
from the King of Poland I writ thereupon to M. Fleury the Queen of Poland's Confessor from whom I received the following Answer From Grodna in Lituania January 17 1653. SIR I Read to the Queen the Contents of your Letter of the last of November She was amaz'd when she heard that you were assured that the King of Poland had written in favour of the Fathers and to press the conclusion of our affair and that his Majesty fear'd that doctrine might spread in his Kingdom Two dayes after the Queen told me in presence of her first Physitian a good Friend of the Fathers that he had spoken to the King about it and the King affirmed that he had not written He said indeed that he had been much press'd to do it and that within three or four dayes but alwayes refus'd to write and would leave the cause to be judg'd without medling in it that it was not an affair for a King but for the H. See and the Pope This Sir I thought good to write to you that you may be confirm'd in the knowledge you have otherwise that the good Fathers employ other weapons than Study and Prayer for advancing their designs and for the judgement of an Affair wholly Ecclesiastical c. 'T is clear by this Letter that the King of Poland had not written about this matter Yet the assurances given me at Rome of the receit of his Letters there were very express and that which the Pope himself said to me was a very evident confirmation of it So that it seems doubtfull whether amongst the Arms made use of by the good Fathers to promote theit designs there was not a supposititious Letter of the King of Poland as there had been a False Censure of the Faculty of Divinity of Paris Their false Deputy F. Mulard was at Chartres the same Month where upon the Eye of the King he visited M. Feron Doctor of the Society of Sorbonne and Abbot of S. Laumer and told him that he was come from Rome and should return thither suddenly with good tackle against the Thomists That the H. F. would shortly pronounce upon the controverted Propositions and according to all probability in favour of the Molinists This notice was given by the said Sieur Peron the next day in a Letter to an intimate Friend of his Doctor of Sorbonue M. Brousse sent me word by one of the 24th That a Friend of his a considerable Officer of the Queen's told him that he was present on Monday before when the Bishop of S. Malo told her Majesty no doubt upon the Letters which he had receiv'd from M. Hallier that three of the Propositions were already condemn'd and the rest would be so suddenly That these reports were dispersed abroad and occasioned many persons of Quality to resort to him for information of the truth In fine I learnt by the Letters of this Month that as Orders were given and extraordinary endeavours used to pluck M. Cordon out of the Colledge of Montaigu and M. Monassier out of his Chair of Divinity in the University of Caën so the like had been employ'd to hinder two Fathers of the Oratory from preaching ar Paris in the two Churches where they were retain'd That M. Argentier went to the Marguilliers of S. Bennet to tell them from the Queen that her Majesty would not have F. Des Mares preach there and that a Letter under the Privy-Seal was sent from the King to F. le Boulx to forbid him comming to Paris where he was also to preach in another Church CHAP. V. Containing what pass'd in the first dayes of February particularly concerning a Memorial prepared by the General of the Augustines touching the Five Propositions Of a Letter which we writ to our Bishops informing them that the Congregation appointed for us by the Pope took the style of the Congregation of the H. Office And of a Writing of M. Halliers which came by chance to my hands THe first of February I visited Cardinal Altieri who was about to return me the Book of Prevailing Grace which we had lent him and the first Chapter of our Writing concerning S. Augustin's authority which he had caus'd to be transcrib'd being to return to his Bishoprick the Monday following He told me that he thought the Pope had intended to adde him to our Congregation but for certain respects because he must have added others too it was not done and that his Holiness was willing that when he took his leave again in the last Consistory their long Discourse should make the world believe that they had many affairs but they had none at all and all that they said was only familiar and indifferent things I know not whether I was mistaken in my suspition that the cause of the Pope's declining to adde this Cardinal to the Congregation was his having open'd his mind too freely to others about the necessity and justice of hearing the Parties as we demanded and seriously sifting the whole matter de Auxiliis before any thing could be reasonably pronounced upon the Propositions But so it was we were depriv'd of his protection and bore his absence with the same submission to God's good pleasure which we used in all other difficultâ—es opposite to our desires of seeing his Truth triumph over all those who assaulted and oppress'd it so unworthily The same morning I went to la Minerve where I learnt that F. Barellier and F. Reginald went the day before to the Ambassador by their Genera'ls order to beseech him to allow them to intervene in the affair of the Propositions against the Jesuites and that the Ambassador answer'd them that their intervention would be no wise displeasing to the King whose whole interest in the affair was to have it decided with the greatest diligence possible Sunday Feb. 2. the day of the Purification having first accompany'd the Ambassador to the Pope's Chappel and according to my weak measure perform'd the duties of pyety required by that Festival I went to our Advocate who told me that being with Cardinal Spada at the end of a Congregation held at his House and speaking to him about our affair his Eminence told him strange things cose stupende which yet our Advocate did not explain to me exactly That as for our demands the Cardinal said the Pope had given order to treat this affair in the manner wherein they acted and till his Holiness appointed otherwise they could not alter it That it was not in their power but if we would obtain more than was hitherto done we must address to the Pope Touching the persons against whom we excepted our Advocate told me further that we could not accomplish our desire that he advis'd us to desist from it otherwise we should make so many persons our Enemies to no purpose That in conclusion he ask'd the Cardinal how the affair stood then in the Congregation who answer'd him that it was under examination whether the Propositions were any of those which
went to rhe Sub-Bibliothecary at the end of his grand Mass to tell him that I heard that Cardinal Ghiggi had said that the Propositions might be condemn'd without touching S. Augustine or Grace Effectual by it self and to beseech him to advertise his Eminence of it that he might take heed what wrong this report might do to his reputation He told me he would seek occasion to speak to him about it but in the mean time he advis'd us to frame a handsome Memoral to represent to the Pope that the usage of the Church had been in such Cases as this to assemble Councils either General or Provincial and that it was free for all the Faithful to enter into such Councils and represent to the Church so assembled what every one thought fit to represent in defence of the Catholick Faith That the Tribunal of the H. Office was establisht for the punishment of Criminals who subverted the Maxims of the Faith but not to make Canons and Decisions This Consideration of the Tribunal of the H. Office the style whereof was transferr'd to our Congregation troubled us much and oblig'd us to write another Letter upon the tenth of this Month to our Bishops and give them account of some particulars touching the said Congregation not signify'd to them by my Letter of the 27th of January and especially to know of them what we should do if all the difficulties we had made of appearing were redressed and there were only this that hinder'd us The Letter follows My Lords HAving review'd the Letter which was written to you a fortnight since concerning the offer made us by Cardinal Spada to appear if we would in the Coogregation held at his Palace and our answer thereunto we found it not so exact but there remain some circumstances which deserve to be signify'd to you Though we had refus'd to appear for the reasons therein mention'd to you yet we understood a day or two after that it was appointed to be held on Monday and that M. Hallier Lagault and Joysel were expected to be there alone without Adversaries We were told that the Tickets customarily fixt upon the Gares of the Cardinals belonging to it run thus Eminentissime Reverendissime Domine Die Lunae 27. Januarii 1653. erit Congregatio S. Officii in Palatio Eminentissimi Reverendissimi Domini Cardinalis Spadae horâ 21. And upon â—nquiry we found it to be so But having thereby the more curiosity to know whether the abovesaid Doctors appear'd there we sent a man at the time appointed to see them enter in case they should come thither which accordingly they did Afterwards we understood a remarkable observation made of their deportment whilst they were in the house The Cardinals were in the usual Chamber of their retirement expecting till all their Eminences were come the Consultors in another and M. Hallier with his Collegues in a third When all their Eminences were arriv'd they went into the Chamber where the Consultors were to begin the Congregation F. Palavicini the Jesuite was noâ— yet come and his absence probably was the cause of deferring the admission of those Doctors For there pass'd a considerable time about a quarter of an hour during which they who were without the place of the Assembly wonder'd at the delay of introducing these Gentlemen Themselves shew'd some signs of impatience by their cariage but at length it was perfectly visible for they left the Chamber where they were being near the place of the Assembly they passed into the Out-room went down the stairs so that it could not be known whether they were going away in good earnest or not But F. Palavicini being come and meeting them upon the stairs the cause of their impatience was clearly known For after such a salutation as uses to be between persons of perfect correspondence the Doctors turn'd short and came up again with that Father and assoon as they were returned to the place where they were at first they were all four introduced into the Assembly VVhat several reflections were made hereupon my Lords is not needfull to tell you but we cannot omit the intimate correspondence of these Doctors with that Father 'T is believ'd their introducing was not deferr'd till that Fathers comming without some very particular reason Nor that it would have been so had any other Consultor then he been absent since at other times immediately upon the arrival of the Cardinals the Congregation begins though some other Person of the Congregation be not come and especially this which we are told is sometimes held in the absence of one of their Eminences Another thing which a little amaz'd us is that these Doctors appear'd there though the Congregation taking the Title of the H. Office is a Jurisdiction however venerable in the places where it it is receiv'd not own'd in France and consequently to which French-men cannot have recourse about an affair risen in France and which concerns in some manner the whole Gallicane Church As for our selves my Lords had we had no other consideration but this to hinder us from appearing this would have greatly troubled us and we durst not have done it without first consulting the Ambassador to know whether neither the King nor his Estate nor the Gallicane Church would be prejudiced thereby Perhaps these Doctors inquir'd thus about it but conceiving they did not we beseech you my Lords to resolve us what we shall do in a like case namely supposing all the other difficulties which have hitherto kept us from entring into that Congregation were remov'd and there remain'd no more but this We conceive those others will not be redressed so suddenly but we may have your answer hereupon before-hand But to the end you may judge thereof with more certainty we think our selves oblig'd to represent to you in few words some circumstances on either side which you cannot comprehend there so well as we do here What may be said to induce us to appear in this Congregation though under the title of the H. Office is that though the affair be handled there yet perhaps no mention will be made thereof in the Pope's Constitution but it will be drawn in form of a Brief or ordinary Bull. 2. That the Pope being to be assisted with information in this affair his Holiness is free to take whom he please for that purpose That had he appointed but three persons only to be inform'd by us concerning what we had to represent to his Holiness he relying upon those persons we should have had nothing to say Wherefore his Holiness having chosen Cardinals the most imploy'd and vers'd in matters of Doctrine and added to them thirty of the most experienc'd Divines in Rome we ought to be satisfied with this establishment 3. That though all the Cardinals design'd for our Congregation and most of the Divines imploy'd in it are Officers of the H. Office yet some are not and so it cannot absolutely be said to be that
Auxilium sufficiens fuit necessarium in natura integra in natura lapsa non datur 3. Omnia opera humano modo facta ab homine existente in peccato mortali sunt peccata mortalia 4. Non datur libertas quoad indifferentiam actus sed quod coactionem 5. Christus mortuus est solum pro praedestinatis I do not remember whether I shew'd this Paper to the Ambassador but I remember well that he told me he could not believe what I said concerning those new Propositions but I Answered that I was well assured of what I spoke having receiv'd them from a most veracious person to whom a Consultor communicated them to intreat him to help him to reduce his judgment upon them into Writing On H. Saturday F. Lezzana sent me a Copy like the foregoing and desir'd me to furnish him with some Writing touching the matters if we had any The next morning I went to him and askt him what was the design of broaching these new Propositions He told me that he himself did not understand it but he had barely receiv'd order to set down his judgment of them in Writing before the end of the Festivals I apprehended that the time of the end of the Festivals extended to a fortnight after Easter but he told me 't was no more then the two Holidays of Monday and Tuesday and that the satisfaction which he should give to the person who lay'd that taske upon him might be of some importance to our affair I gave intelligence hereof to M. de Sainte-Beuve by the next Port April 7. I spoke but obscurely to him of the manner how I came by them telling him that they dropt out of a Consultos pocket least speaking more clearly and my letter coming to be intercepted the Consultor who gave them to my friend whose assistance he desir'd might believe himself and the whole secret of the privacy between him and my friend discover'd M. de Sainte-Beuve's answer was as followes SIR A Second information in facto is not thought of here every one says you have all the Memoires for it and that 't is a piece whch requires your care As for the Answer to F. Annat's book I shall tell you that 't is under so good a hand in Flanders that that Good Father will have no great cause to please himself in the excellency of his work The Answer is begun to be printed here I think you will be as well satisfi'd with it as I am but you must have a little patience for the work is long Were we capable of being astonisht at the reports of the Molinists we should be quite disheartned with these which are dispers'd here The most moderate amongst them affirme that they shall speedily have a Bull by which all the Propositions will be absolutely condemn'd and that the Pope is resolv'd upon it This discourse was made in Sorbonne and is dispers'd by the Jesuites The Bishop of Rennes tells me he heard it from them but the braggadocioes adde that the Ambassador has forbidden you to stirre out of your house that the Pope accounts you unworthy of his audience and that you have in vain offer'd the Pope 400000. Crownes to suspend his Judgment This talk comes from Lyons by a Letter of a Fueillant To speak ingenuously to you I never saw any thing like their discourses nor more resolution then there is in the minds of ours If some are in fear because the Pope has held so many Congregations in so little time others rejoyce at it considering that being himself takes such paines t is a sign that he will be fully inform'd of the affair which is the only thing we wish For it is fit that truth be manifested and the whole Church see that M. Cornet maliciously fram'd the five Propositions to raise an universal disturbance amongst Catholicks I pray God make him understand the greatnesse of his fault which is such that I know not a greater I cannot tell whether you have contracted an obscurity by contagion of the place of your residence or whether you affect it but I assure you there is a great deal in your Letter in part of which you tell me of the note which contains the Propositions dropt from a Consultors pocket What think you is the design of them Are they to be substituted in stead of the former If so 't will be easy for you to come off For as for the first there needs no more to be said but that we conceive that the Repugnancy by reason of which humane nature cannot be created without supernatural gifts proceeds not from the Omnipotence but from the Goodnesse Providence and Justice of God As for the second we say that the sufficient aide such as was in uncorrupted nature is not an aide which is granted to our corrupted Nature for that aide was subject to the Will The third Proposition is an Heresy As also the fourth and fifth We all subscribe to this sentence if there be no more in question but this I am c. Four Congregations were held before the Pope in the seven first dayes of this moneth each of which lasted about foure whole houres namely Tuesday Thursday and Saturday of the Passion week and H. Monday I heard on H. Tuesday that in that of the day preceding there was great contest among the Consultors Of the other four and the six foregoing in the three weeks before that of the Passion we could discover no more then what is above related which is almost nothing CHAP. XV. The arrival of F. Desâ—mares and M. Manassier at Rome A notable Change of a zealous disciple of Molina who became an ardent one of S. Augustin by reading the little volume which I gave him of the twelve principal Maximes of the Christian Faith touching Grace which he reduc'd into as many Latin Disticks A calumnious Memorial dispers'd in Rome and all Italie as presented to the Pope by the Clergy of France about this affair Another Writing of our Adversaries fram'd to delude the Dominicans and full of impostures ON H. Wednesday we were much comforted by the arrival of F. Des-mares and M. Manassier at Rome whom our Bishops sent to share with us in the paines which we foresaw this affair was likely to require in the progress of its examen and which M. de Valcroissant Angran and I could never have undergone alone without sinking under them for the examen was not yet begun and we were already overcharg'd This re-enforcement and succour was as acceptable to us as necessary and the more because we had long desir'd it and been much troubled to obtain it But in truth we could not by any means have been without it had the affair been carri'd as it ought to have been especially considering the various dispositions of those with whom we had to do all agreeing this point to drive on that affair with unimaginable speed for which purpose it was rumor'd that we aim'd at nothing
strength and vertue of Grace is nothing else according as S. Augustin showes and teaches in many places against the Pelagians but a certain celestial sweetnesse and delectation of love or an infusion of charity into our hearts by the Holy Ghost causing us to perform with a holy love the good which we know For as our own experience teaches us as well as S. Augustin that which hinders us from doing an action of piety is either our not knowing good or not being affected with and delighted in it at least not so much as we ought So that to accomplish a pious action it is requisite that what is hid from us be discover'd to us and what doth not please us be made agreeable to us The first is effected by the Law and instructions which dispel the darknesse of our ignorance a a Lib. de Grat. Christi and the second by Grace which cures our weaknesse or to speak better both the one and the other are given by Grace which for this reason S. Augustin terms an Aid added to Nature and to instruction by the inspiration of a most pure and fervent Charity Thus when Ged will have us love and do some good work what doth he in us He inspires into our heart saith S. Augustin an ardor of love and charity the pleasure whereof surpasses the delight of sin and its Celestial sweetnesse causes that what he commands us pleases us more then what withdrawes us from obeying him And it is call'd Effectual Grace inasmuch as the delight and spiritual allurement wherewith it is accompany'd surpassing the pleasures of the flesh and the World infallibly and invincibly causes us to will because b b In Ep. ad Gal. saith S. Augustin 'T is impossible for us not to act according to that which pleases us most Your Holiness may judge by what I have newly said how excellent clear and true this way of S. Augustin's reasoning is since among all the advantages which make truth esteem'd the principal is that it is no sooner explicated then acknowledg'd and needs no other proof but a plain and naked Exposition On the contrary They who maintain the Indifferent and Molinistical Grace say 'T is a certain illumination of the Understanding and a pious motion in the Will indeliberate and not free by meanes whereof a man may will and do some good but Effectual willing depends upon his Free-will which according as it lists sometimes willeth and sometimes willeth not turning now one way and anon anothet Thus according to their sentiments this kind of Grace never produces Effectually by it self the free consent of the Will but is term'd Effectual or ineffectual by a certain external denomination according as it pleases Man's Will to use or not use it Whence it sufficiently appears that the Question between us is Whether Grace rules over the will or the will over Grace whether Grace subdue Free-will to it self or Free-will Grace Now we affirm that Grace is victorious over Free-will and is necessary to every pious action to prove which we draw our first Argument from the prayers of the Church as S. Augustin alwayes did And truly M. H. F. it cannot be but an admirable Providence of God that the first day of Rogations in which the Church offers publick prayers to God for obtaining his Grace is the day whereon we begin to prove the necessity of the same Grace by those very prayers which the Church uses to obtain it they being not only a powerful meanes for obtaining but also a most clear proof for evincing the same Now the Argument is this The Grace which the Church begs of God for all actions of piety is simply and absolutely necessary for performing the same But Grace Effectual by it self is that which the Church begs of God for every action of piety Therefore Grace Effectual by it self is simply and absolutely necessary to the doing of them The Major of this Argument cannot be deny'd without wounding the Faith For one of these three things must be said Either that the Grace which the Church begs for all actions of Piety is no wayes necessary towards the doing of them or that it is only necessary for their more easie and certain performance or lastly that it is absolutely necessary so that no man can do good without it He that should affirm the first mocks God as S. Augustin saith By asking of him what he hath no need of For what is more ridiculous then to pray for that to be granted to us which is in our own power He that maintains the second falls into Pelagianism For no other reason made Pelagius passe for an heretick in the present Question but that he affirm'd That Men pray for the grace of God through Jesus Christ and God gives it to them only that they may the more easily do that by Grace which they are able to do by their own Free-will Whereupon S. Augustin tells Pelagius Blot out the Word more easily and your sense will be Catholick It remains therefore that the third be granted which is That the grace which the Church desires of God for all sort of pious actions is absolutely necessary towards the performance of the same Now to prove the Minor in which lyes all the difficulty and all the strength of my Argument namely But Grace Effectual by it self is that which the Church begs for all pious actions I prove it thus We do not only pray for a Grace which gives the power to do well but for a Grace which besides giving that power causes also by its effectual vertue that the action is accomplish'd and that in every pious action Or to speak better we pray to God to give us the very will and the very action as for example To give us faith it self repentance continence perseverance and other Gifts belonging to piety and salvation For see how S. Augustin speaks to Vitalis who deny'd that God works all these things in us Turn all your disputes against the prayers of the Church and when you hear the Priest at the Altar exhort the people of God to pray for unbelievers that he would convert them to the faith for the Catechumeni that he would inspire into them the desire of regeneration and for the faithful that they may persevere as they have begun then scoffe at so holy an exhortation and say that for your part you do not do that whereunto he exhorts you that you do not pray God to make the Infidels believers because you conceive the coversion of Infidels is not a benefit of God's mercy but an effect of man's will Now what is this Perseverance which we ask of God that I may not insist upon the other graces which we receive from him or rather that we may judge of them by this See how S. Augustin explicates it in the book De Cor. Grat. cap. 12. The Saints who are predestinated to the kingdom of God by Grace do not
those who resist and oppose What do we ask then but that they may be so chang'd as to will that which they were unwilling to to approve that which they disapprov'd and to love that which they withstood Because as the Eastern Church speaks He saves when it pleases him and none resists his will Because as S. Augustin saith Lib. de Cor. Grat. cap. 14. He hath an omnipotent power to lead the hearts of men whether he pleaseth and because as he saith in another place Who is he that can resist God to hinder him from doing what pleaseth him After so many proofs M. H. F. who sees not that this manner of praying consecrated by the universal consent of the Church and confirm'd by the authentick testimony of S. Augustin can in no wise consist with the doctrine of Molina and his indifferent Grace Whatever his Partisans can say or do and whatever subtilties thy may have recourse to they will never avoid the just reproach of having endeavor'd to overthrow all the prayers of the Church Whereof the reason is evident The Church asks nothing of God but what he doth effect Now by their principles God operates nothing in us but the possibility of willng and acting and the encreasing of that possibility But according to the same principles of theirs God operates not in us the very being willing the very determination and application of the will to will faith it self repentance and the effect of love towards God inasmuch as all these are other things then power For accordding to them God works not willingnesse in us but so far as he gives the power and sollicites this power in such sort that we perform all these things by using as seems good to us the grace which is once given us Whence it clearly followes that they wholly destroy the Churches prayers whereby she asks of God not only the Faculty and the power of willing and doing good but besides this she precisely asks of him the will to do it and the action it self which is the effect thereof Will the Molinists say that besides this grace of possibility we have need of some supernatural concourse by which God acting with us operates all actions of piety and that 't is this singular grace which the Church prayes for when she demands power and willingnesse to accomplish what God commands us But being that according to their opinion this concourse how supernatural soever it may be is wholly in our own power by meanes of that sufficient grace above-mention'd just as natural concourse is in our own power in using our natural strength which hath all that is necessary to it to render us capable of doing good What can be more extravagant as S. Augustin speaks that to pray that we may be caus'd to do that which we have already pawer to do and to ask for that to be given us which we possesse already This concourse therefore is not the grace which the Apostle so highly esteems which the Church so importunately implores in its prayers Which may be invincibly prov'd by this one Argument That grace which by the meanes of sufficient grace is intirely in our own power so that we may as we list use or not use it and and which can never be withheld from us by God is not the Grace which the Church implores when she prayes God to take away this heart of stone and give us one of flesh in its stead and to cause that we may will that which we will not consent to what we reject and love what we formerly oppos'd But this concourse of the Molinists how supernatural soever it may be is such as may be made use of or not at pleasure Therefore it cannot be taken for the Grace so ardently pray'd for by the Church Perhaps our Adversaries will say That that which the Church asks of God in her prayers is not the ability to do good or that supernatural concourse which is in our power by meanes thereof but that she prayes him to grant her that ability in times places temper of the body and other circumstances of second causes by means of which he foresees that we will freely consent to his Grace And 't is in this temper that they ordinarily place the efficacy of that grace which they hold But if by this manner of speaking they meant nothing else but that the efficacy of Gods grace consists in a certain degree of love towards God that is to say in a charity greater then cupidity by meanes of which God begins to appear to us desirable and good works for his sake so that we take more pleasure in doing what he commands us then in not doing what he forbids us they would agree with us and there would be no longer dispute between us touching this matter For what else is the effectual and medicinal grace of Jesus Christ according to S. Augustin but a victorious pleasure a sweetnesse and ravishment of divine love which surmounts all the allurements of the flesh and an ardor of charity over-mastering and subduing cupidity But because our Adversaries place not the efficacy of Gods grace in the victory of charity over cupidity but in a certain temperament accompany'd with the circumstances above-mention'd whence it follows that such efficacy is still subject to Free-will and that 't is necessary for God first to sound the heart of his creature that he may see what it will do in such circumstances before he ordain any thing of its conversion This is that which we reject and condemn as profane and maintain it to be in no wise that Grace which the Church prayes for For she prayes God to shed into our hearts such charity the delectation whereof surmounts the delectati-of sin she prayes him to fortifie our souls by his H. Spirit and to ground and root us in charity she begs of him such medicinal grace as may heal our infirmities and give us inward strength she prays him to co convert us to him in whatever estate we be either of prosperity or adversity joy or sadnesse she desires of him to give us the strength never to consent to sin by leaving our selves to be overcome by afflictions allurements or threatnings and lastly she prayes to be enaled with great charity and patience to surmount bll the difficulties and accidents which occur in the acourse of our lives What relation M. H. F. have all these things to the Temper or Constitution whereof we speak Do's he who prayes to God in the manner I have set forth believe that his omnipotent vertue and charity cannot operate conversion in mans heart unlesse by causing those circumstances of times and places to meet with the will of man Let them who are of this mind hear what S. Augustin saith Who is so void of sense and so impious as to say that God cannot change the perverse wills of men and convert those to good which he pleases when he pleases and
the end these Copies might be as authentiâ—as so many Originals we subscrib'd them all and ratify'd them with our accustomed Seals Câ—dinal Cechini told us he was sorry that he could 〈◊〉 be present at our audience and in reference the Propositions which had been advanc'd agâ—ist S. Augustin concerning which we spoke to â—m he told us that that was it which touch'd hiâ— and gave him the greatest trouble Est id saâ—he quod me auget me urget maximè We â—nswer'd him that we hop'd shortly to present hiâ— all our Writings having demanded I permission 〈◊〉 print them but as for M de Velcroissant's speâ—…h being it was not to be printed with our Writiâ—… is we presented him a copy of it which he râ—…eiv'd with many expressions of satisfaction From this Visit we went to Cardinal Rapaccioli to whom we â—elated the passages of our audience he thankt us and told us that his being at Rome was only accâ—…ental that he had studied there matters only so 〈◊〉 as to satisfie his curiosity and not to judge of thâ—m and nevertheless to tell us what he thought of â—he Propositions he said he accounted them he those pictures which represented on one side an â—ngel on the other a Devil which are lovely if bâ—…eld one way and affrighting if consider'd anotâ—er That the same might be said of these Propoâ—…ions by reason of their good and bad senses Thâ—t we had the unhappinesse that although we hâ—d not their bad senses yet people that held them â—ere join'd with us and in case those people prâ—v'd the cause that the Propositions were condemn'd by reason of such bad senses yet we who disâ—…en'd the holding of them should not be condemn'd I diverted this Cardinal as much as I could from thâ—s belief and assur'd him that what he newly spoke was a mere calumny an artifice imploy'd by our adversaries for the more easy obtaining of the condemnation of the Propositions to the end they might make what use thereof they pleas'd that in truth no Catholick in France held the Propositions otherwise then we did He told us our Adversaries having been lately with him complain'd to him that Women began to alledge in confession that they had not power to resist a temptation We answer'd him that this was another calumny contriv'd to render a holy doctrine odious and ridiculous that yet were this abuse of it as true as it was false neverthelesse the doctrine and the truth ought not and could not receive any prejudice from it Whence we took occasion to tell him that all these â—…ings evinc'd the necessity of establishing such Congregation as we demanded wherein the aâ—â—gations of either party against the other in preâ—ce of them both might be carefully examined aâ— neither of them venture to speak things in â—…e air which could turn onely to their own coâ—sion when the other had full liberty to deferâ— themselves according to the ordinary way of â—stice and nothing might be admitted upon wil and calumnious suggestions but onely what sâ—…uld be justifi'd by good proofs The Cardinalâ—â—d such a Congregation was a thing much to be vâ—…t but he fell still upon his first conceit namely the bad senses of the Propositions procur'd their â—ondemnation the same would in no wise huâ—…us who maintain'd them not Whereupon we â—ere fain to reiterate to him three or four several â—nes that there was no ground to speak of a conâ—mnation in this affair by reason of the bad senses â—not onely because the Propositions were advanâ— by the Prosecutors of their condemnation puâ—osely to make advantage thereof against the tâ—th and for that these bad senses were not held I 〈◊〉 any Catholick but also because it was requisitâ— to consider the truths whereof they were caâ—ble and which were hidden obscur'd and imâ—gned under them He also mention'd a projeâ— for the H. See to find out a medium in which â—e parties might agree Whereunto we answeâ—d that indeed 't was a good thing to bring parts to a just temper and to reduce them thereunto â—om vicious extremes but when but one of them 〈◊〉 in such vicious extreme and the other is alreadâ— in the middle the latter must be left in its plâ—e and only the other reduc'd For example if â—here be two men the one covetous and the otâ—er prodigal they ought both of them to be reduâ—… to the moderation and middle management oâ— the Liberal but when one is liberal and the otâ—er covetous we must not talk of reclaiming both of them to a medium but leave the liberal in his station since he is already in the middle and râ—uce the covetous to it who is remote from it That thus since by God's mercy we have been so â—…ppy as to hold the middle wherein the Catholiciâ— faith is found which we defend against declar'd hâ—reticks as well as against the Jesuites 't is a gooâ— work to compare the one with the one with the other and endevor to reduce each of them to tâ—e middle wherein we are but if we be compaâ—d with either of them a medium between us cannot in justice be propounded Upon which occasion we did not forget that excellent passage of S. Augustin in his second book ad Bonifacium cap. 2. touching the reproaches which the Pelagians oâ—â—st upon the Catholicks of being Manichees which we apply'd to the Jesuites and the Calvinists by changing the names Desinant itaque Pelagiani Catholicis objectare good non sunt nec ideo si velint hâ—beri amabiles quia odioso Manichaeorum alversantur errori sed merito se agnoscant odibiles quia suum non aversantur ererrorem Possunt enim duo errores inter se esse contrarii sed ambo sunt detestandi quia sunt ambo contrarii veritati Nam si propterea sunt diligendi Pelagiani quia oderunt Manichaeos diligendi sunt Manichaei quia oderunt Pelagianos Sed absit ut Catholica mater Ecclesia propter alterorum odium alteros eligat amare cum monente at que adjuvante Domino debeat utrosque vitare cupiat utrosque sanare In the course of the Visites which we made since our audience we had been twice or thrice to wait upon Card. Ginetti without effect On Sunday May 25. we went again and found him with Card. Colonia He was to go abroad as soon as he had reconducted this Cardinal and therefore when he departed we presented our selves below to Cardinal Ginetti to give him our thanks But he would not speak with us till we were gone up and sealed in the ordinary way We had no sooner begun our thanks but he told us it was his part to thank us That he should be glad to hear us a hundred times that we spoke with vivacity ingenuity clearnesse and freedome Li sentirci volentieri cento volte hanno parlato con vivacità con spirito con chiarezza con franchezza Whereto he added some other obliging termes which I did not remember We presented
add their calumnies and foul dealing discover'd and known without having been able to lay any blemish upon the truths which they aim'd to get condemn'd with so great temerity and presumption as that they proclaim'd beforehand and affirm'd publickly in many places that they were condemn'd would be a signal victory for you or rather for the Truth and such as in my judgement may be wisht for in the present disposition of minds and affaires If any thing is to be desir'd further 't would be to get it declar'd that S. Augustin's doctrine touching the matters of Grace and Predestination is the doctrine of the Church and to obtain a prohibition or rather to renew the Churches antient prohibitions of condemning any dogmatical points of that doctrine taught by that H. Doctor I might add further to demand the approbation of the same Doctrine in the book of M. d' Ipre who doth no more but rehearse it as it is in that of S. Augustin but I think this last will be more contested and more difficult to obtain then the former which is very easie if the H. See hath any good will for that great Saint and for the doctrine of Grace and whereof there is no fear of missing the same having been done already many times by several Popes 'T is a question of fact about which there needs no great instruction The decision thereof will be glorious to the Pope and no person of whatever party can be offended with it without making himself odious to all the world by declaring himself an enemy to S. Augustin who is approved by the whole Church To conclude assure your self of me as a person wholly yours and believe that I do not forget you before God but daily represent to him your necessities and affaires as my own Now follow those of the month of June The first is from M Taignier written June 5. Some Molinists with whom I have had conference the second of this month told me that I had bad intelligence since I did not agree with them that the Pope had ordain'd the passing of a Censure they assur'd me that it was perfectly ready and that the Pope would undoubtedly publish it at the feast of Pentecost I askt them whether the Propositions were censur'd They answer'd that some of them were condemn'd as heretical that others had the more gentle modifications though such as blemish'd and overthrew them I told them I wonder'd that after what they had said that it was almost impossilbe to learn the particular circumstances of things transacted in any Congregation at Rome yet themselves seem'd so well inform'd of things relating to the Examen and discussion of the Five Propositions that they must undoubtedly hold correspondence with those who penned the Bull. They made no Reply c. You cannot imagine what good effect the Letters by this Post have produced yet the most advised of our friends are in great anxiety for that the Pope will not grant you a Conference because they conceive that the cause now under debate at Rome is one of the most important causes that ever were treated in the Church Were there no parties in it as his Holiness admits none yet he ought to take the Doctors there of different opinions and hear them upon the questions intended to be examin'd and pronounc'd upon since 't is the course alwayes us'd by the Church in it's decisions Truth becomes more illustrious when it is discuss'd in this manner Thus were Decisions made in the Council of Trent after matters had been disputed by the Doctors as may bee seen in the Acts of that Council in which there were no parties they refusing to appear You must make great complaints about the Bull wherewith you are threatned and you may vigorously represent to his Holinesse how little respect some have for him since at the same time that he in goodness promis'd F. Des-mares and M. Manessier and their Collegues to hear them a report is spread abroad that his Holiness caus'd a Bull to be prepar'd against the Propositions which is a thing of great terror This circumstance well exaggerated with great sweetnesse and respect may make some reasonable impression upon the mind of his Holinesse I am c. The second being from M. de Sainte Beuve dated the same 5th of June contain'd the following lines amongst others The newes of the composition of a Bull continues still to the great delight of the Molinists They threaten us with it upon the notice which they have receiv'd of it from our Confreres their good friends The report of it is much divulg'd c. Satisfie me concerning the present state of the Dominicans and in exchange I shall tell you that the draught of a Bull hath been made at the Colledge of Navarre and in order to be sent to Rome See whether the rumor vented by the Molinists be not founded upon that piece The third is from M. Brousse June 13. Take what of it concerns our common Affair Saturday last I went to see M. Prignon and carry'd him your last Memorial as I had promis'd him After the presentation of your commendations to him and the return of his to you and all your company we had not much discourse together by reason M. de Launoy superven'd and interrupted us M. Prignon thank'd him for the Present he had made him a few dayes before of his book intitled De varia Aristotelis in Academia Parisiensi fortuna in which he derides all the world We went out together and being in the street he askt me whether I knew that M. Hallier was coming back from Rome I told him I did not He reply'd that he heard so from a Bishop the day before who said that he was bringing a great Pancart by which word he meant the Bull. I answer'd that this was a thing more unknown to me then the former Yesterday after Vespers I visited M. Prignon again who receiv'd me with extraordinary courtesy and returning your Memorial told me he had read it twice with extream pleasure and admir'd both the solidity of the matter the pureness of your Italian style I told him of the Audience which you had had of the Pope and shew'd him your Letter concerning it He was joyful beyond what I can express and yet sorry too that his Holinesse appoints not the Conference being unable to imagine any reasonable ground of pretext to deny it to you by saying that you have no Parties or Adversaries He charg'd me to present his commendations to you and to those Messieurs who he said have spoken with so much zeal for defence of the Truth A few days ago an honest Father well-affected to S. Augustin went amongst the Jesuites to enquire news from Rome feigning to be of their Party F. Celot to whom he spoke told him the Jansenists were condemn'd and the Bull ready and upon the point to be publisht when the Sieur Des-mares arriving there by the help of 40000
S. Augustin were true or no as he would not fail to have done if he had doubted of it since 't was the particular point of the Contest which we manag'd against Molina's disciples For in the same Audience we granted as it hath been alwayes declar'd in all the French Writings publisht and printed at Paris upon this subject before the Affair was brought to Rome that if the Propositions were consider'd only in general and without applying any distinction to them they were susceptible of heretical senses and might accordingly be condemn'd of heresie in this universality as they were censur'd by all S. Augustin's disciples who writ upon them And being his Holinesse gave us this Audience that he might understand the truth of our Sentiments from our own mouths and by the writing of Distinction of Senses which we presented to him afterwards he found that they were so different from the heretical senses which the Propositions generally taken might receive and that they were so reduc'd to Grace Effectual by it self which is the Catholick truth maintain'd invincibly by S. Augustin in the name of the whole Church that he thought not fit to assemble the Consultors again because he intended to pronounce only upon the Propositions as taken generally and not upon this particular point of Grace Effectual by it self in which all the Catholick explications of the Propositions meet as in their Centre and which would need a long Examen and many Assemblies and Conferences like those which were held under the two great Popes Clement VIII Paul V. who undertook to discuss them throughly and for this purpose caus'd them all to be particularly examin'd in the publick disputations of both parties and in their own presence after having declar'd That S. Augustin's doctrine was the Rule by which they would decide this Controversie and regulate their judgements And therefore since the Pope hath declar'd his Constitution that he hath caus'd these Five Propositions to be examin'd by the Consultors the Censure falls only upon the Propositions in general which the Consultors examin'd in general and which we acknowledg'd in our first and only Audience to be susceptible of heretical senses and cannot fall upon the particular explications which we propos'd and establisht in presence of his Holinesse by our Discourse and our Writing since his Holinesse hath judg'd them so Catholick that he made no scruple at all about them nor assembl'd the Consultors so much as once to have their advice concerning the same as an obscure and dubious thing as he did in reference to the Propositions in general but found by his own judgement that they were free from all Censure which he also testify'd to us in the last Audience which it pleas'd him to give us since his Decree inasmuch as he not only reprehended nothing of all that we said and maintain'd in his presence but also declar'd to us as we have already related that he had present in memory all that we had argu'd and approv'd the same in as advantageous and honourable terms as we could hope for And which is yet more he made to us this so favorable declaration not before his Decree when it might be said that his Holiness was not yet fully inform'd and convinc'd of every thing and was not to discover the secret of his Sentiments and intentions which all Judges usually suppress before their sentences but even after his Judgement and his Decree which was the time wherein he was perfectly free and conceiv'd himself oblig'd to declare the same to us with all the sincerity of a successor of S. Peter and of a Vicar of Jesus Christ who is Truth it self You see My Lords by all these eonsiderations that his Holinesse's Censure falls not upon the Five Propositions but inasmuch as they are consider'd according to the bad sense which may be put upon them according to which S. Augustin's disciples rejected them three or four years ago as vehemently as we did in the writing which we presented to the Pope and distributed in this City the next day after our Audience to divers Cardinals and other persons of Note It remains now to observe to you My Lords whence it came to passe that these Five Propositions were consider'd according to the heretical sense that so they might be condemn'd in general which we take one of the most important points and a kind of secret of the Affair 'T was because the Consultors and Cardinals were made to believe that we spoke otherwise at Rome then they did in France where there were persons who held the Propositions in their bad sense and therein publisht a new Heresie condemn'd by the Council of Trent with the errors of Luther and Calvin Cardinal Rapaccioli whom we visited after our publick Audience and carry'd him the Distinction of Senses presented to his Holiness told us among other things concerning this matter That our thoughts and intentions were good and commendable but we had this unhappinesse that many of those who were united with us held the Propositions in the bad senses wherein we profess'd to condemn them that instead of receiving help from those persons they did us great â—hurt and would be the cause of the condemnation of the Propositions but should have this advantage that that condemnation would fall only upon those persons and not upon us We knew My Lords that the Doctors who came hither against us had visited this Cardinal one or two days before and so we had cause to believe that they had infus'd this falsity into him as a most certain truth Wherefore we answer'd him that it was a most malicious fiction and device of our Adversaries the better to obtain their designed Censure and that we could assure him there was no Catholick in France who held the Propositions in any other sense then we do But this conceit was so far imprinted upon his mind as if it had been a certain truth that we cannot think that we have remov'd it although in our Conference we twice or thrice made him the abovesaid answer Whereupon we had propos'd to our selves to undeceive this illustrious Cardinal and with him many other persons according as occasion should have been presented if this Affair had had a longer course as we and almost all Rome besides believ'd it would We hop'd also My Lords to evidence clearly to the Pope the falshood of this conceit in the following Audiences which we expected not being longer sollicitous to disswade him from it in reference to our selves after our first publick Audience at the end of which we have understood since that his Holinesse said These Doctors are not Heretecks as I was inform'd But our Adversaries who fear'd nothing more then these Audiences and durst not appear in our presence to declare their Sentiments plainly as we did ours with the greatest sincerity and clearnesse and to maintain in publick before the Pope the falshoods and fictions which they dispers'd in secret set all their
he gave order to one to collect the Titles of all Books lately written by those Messieurs whom they call Jansenists saying he would answer them all This word a Father of the Oratory who heard it from Rome writ to me from Lions September 12. in which Letter he likewise tells me that a Bookseller of Lions told him that a certain person assur'd him that he had seen some leaves of this fantastical Book which never was not even in Idea saving in the head of those who invented this Calumny A few dayes after viz. October 4. the Pope held a Consistory in which we acquainted the whole sacred Colledge with this new Constitution and the submission and reverence wherewith he heard it was receiv'd in all parts excepting Flanders and particularly in France and his Holiness testifi'd great satisfaction thereupon All the Cardinals excepting foure or five who spoke not a word congratulated the Pope for the contentment which he took therein and gave great applauses to his Holinesse A little while after viz. Octob. 17. I heard some newes from Rome which I shall insert by the by The Agent of the Bishop of Angelopolis desir'd me to get the Brief which he had obtain'd against the Jesuites printed in some work wherein it might be inserted for publick view because these Fathers had bought most of the Copies at the Apostolical Printing-house purposely to abolish the memory of it Moreover this Agent hapned one day to walk in the vineyard of the Augustines where all those Fathers wisht all sort of benedictions upon all the defenders of S. Augustin's doctrine And lastly F. Campanella seeing divers of the Consultors who had been of the Congregation for the Five Propositions rewarded with preferments for their pains as F. Celestin who was lately gone to his Bishoprick of Boiano which the Pope had given him in the Kingdome of Naples presented a Memorial to his Holinesse that he might have one likewise in the same Kingdome F. Nolano an able and ancient Dominican was treated after another sort Nov. 8. no doubt by the procurement of some persons who charg'd some great crime upon him M. Albizzi went to la Minerve about 8. a clock at night with other Officers of the H. Office and enter'd into this Father's Chamber to seise upon him and his Papers There being a Writing upon his Table in the Portuguese language which some body intended to print and this Father was perusing at the request of the Master of the sacred Palace M. Albizzi askt him whether that were the Book which he had made against the Pope's authority F. Nolano answer'd him that he had been prisoner three several times amongst hereticks for defence of that authority and he believ'd this would be the fourth M. Albizzi took away all his papers with those which he had of F. Lemos and carri'd him to the prison del Borgo Whence some dayes after he was remov'd to the prison of the Inquisition and the good Priest who sent me this newes by a letter of Nov. 24. added that no body could imagine what might be the cause of this imprisonment that it could be attributed to nothing but an absolute persecution of the enemies of Christ's Grace who had cunningly suggested to the Pope by the intervention of some Cardinals that this Father talkt and writ against his authority which not being found true 't was believ'd this falshood would be blown away and the contrary manifested since this Father in all his discourses and writings testifi'd greater respect then any other person to the H. See and to the person who fills it Which caus'd a Cardinal to tell F. Fani that their Eminences already perceiv'd that they had committed a great error which neverthelesse would perhaps be continu'd upon reason of State but it was hop'd God would protect the innocent and make the authors of this surprisal sensible of their fault Our common Adversaries fail'd not to impute this imprisonmen to the zeal of this good Father in defence of our common doctrine of S. Augustin and S. Thomas touching the necessity of Grace effectual by it self to every act of Christian piety M. Hallier alledged that it was for that he had distributed some Copies of our writing of the Distinction of senses to discredit this heavenly doctrine and all its defenders by terrifying simple spirits with what treatment they saw we receiv'd at Rome But besides the grounds that there are to hope that the sequel will destroy the foundations of all these artificial calumnies and manifest that these were the sole causes of his consinement Two or three occurrences at Rome about the same time evidence that it was not this doctrin which drew this disgrace upon this Father for the same person who writ this newes to me tells me in the same letter of a Sermon which himself preacht the day before viz. on Sonday the 23d a fortnight after F. Nolano's imprisonment in which he spoke in defence of this Grace and against the opposite error as openly and with as much vigour as 't is possible to imagine His Letter run's thus translated Yesterday saith he immediately after the foregoing newes of F. Nolano I preacht at the Oratory and upon that place of the Gospel Cum videritis Abominationem c. When you shall see the Abomination of desolution in the midst of the holy place c. I shew'd that this abomination is the pernicious and proud doctrine of Pelagius the forerunner of Antichrist for as when he shall sit in the temple of God he will have himself acknowledged as if he were God himself so the Pelagian Dogma would have it self acknowledg'd as if it were God since it makes our Free-will not onely God of it self but also God of God himself in that it will have his Divine Majesty and power subordinate to and dependant upon its pleasure and that to sow this error there are already come Antichrists and false Prophets who by the prodigious and surprising things which they do indeavor to lead even the Elect into error for instead of teaching litle children the Catechisme they infuse into them the grounds of the Pelagian heresie as they have lately done at Spoleto This Discourse saith he pleas'd the auditory I know not whether it will be acceptable to the Molinists and I fear least they contrive and raise some greater persecution against me then that of F. Nolano but let his Divine Majesty dispose how he pleases of my person for his honour and glory Now to satisfy the Reader what this Preacher meant by those false Prophets who instead of teaching Children the Catechisme infuse into them the grounds of the Pelagian heresie as they had done lately at Spolelo I must advertise him that it being the humour of the Jesuites to make ostentation to the people of every thing they were not contented to give to children whō they taught the Catechisme the titles of the Emperor but to do it with great pomp and fantastical
Letter of the twentieth of April 1654. which contains an Answer to two of mine in which after a most sincere Declaration that I condemn'd the Five Propositions condemn'd by Pope Innocent X. and that all our Friends did the same I declar'd to him no lesse clearly that I was perswaded Jansenius was not the Author or Assertor of them and that the reading of a little Tract made against F. Aunat's Cavilli Jansenianorum had fully convinc'd me thereof I sent him two of those Books and desir'd him to communicate them to Cardinal Spada and Cardinal Ghiggi now Pope Alexander VII Cardinal Barberin's Answer was this Sir LAst week your letter of the 6. of March was deliver'd to me and this week I have receiv'd another of the 20 th Both of them are so full of goodness and civility towards me and so lively expresse your remembrance and affection to me that I owe you a thousand thanks for them As for the particularities in the former I cannot but much commend your pious sentiments touching our H. F. and the resolutions which you take highly esteeming the confidence which you professe to have in truths deliberated with mature consideration And I am glad to understand by the other letter the issue of the last Assembly remaining in expectation to know the passages of the next In the mean time I shall willingly read one of the two copies which you pleased to send me and shew them to the persons you desire Moreover I hope that as you are liberal to me of your favours you will be so likewise of your commands which I entreat you to be assuring you that they will be most acceptable to me since I particularly desire to let you know how much I am Sir Yours most affectionate Cardinal Barberin Rome April 20. 1654. The mention of F. Annat's book intitled Cavilli Jansenianorum puts me in mind of the witnesse which he renders to the truth of two or three considerable passages in my Journal For he acknowledges 1 That the Constitution was already drawn when we had our grand audience of the Pope jam concepta definitione p. 37. 2. That after that Audience no Congregation was held to examin either what we had spoken or the Writings which we had presented nulla deinceps habita est Congregatio p. 37. 3. That we only huddled over the matter not speaking directly to the Propositions but altogether concerning Effectual Grace Nam cum dicturi essent de quinque Propositionibus coeperunt dicere de Jesuitis Satyram illam excepit effusa in commendationem S. Augustini gratiae per seipsam efficacis oratio de quibus nulla erat controversia post longa quatuor circiter horarum fastidia compertum est nondum coepisse dicere de tribus capellis p. 35. Wherefore these important mattes of fact can no longer be question'd even by the most injust adversaries after so publick an attestation by him who had the best meanes to be informed of them and the most interest not to acknowledge them I had here ended this Addition but that as I was closing up my papers I cast my eyes upon a Decree of the Inquisition of Rome touching the Pope's Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the temporal territory of Kings and other Soveraignes And finding that it was made about the same time of the preceding letter and seem'd worthy of the publick curiosity and view I thought fit to insert the following translation of it A DECREE Of the sacred Congregation of the Supreme and universal Inquisition specially deputed by the H. See against Heresie in the whole Christian Commonwealth Thursday 15. January 1654. IN this City and perhaps in other places a Manuscript in Spanish hath been publisht beginning with these words His Excellence hath receiv'd a letter by the hand of the Nuncio and ends with this which is most agreable to the service of God the good of soules and upright justice The Author of which according to publick fame is BENOIST DE TREGLIES collateral of the Counsel or Regent of the Chancery of Naples And amongst other temerarious and scandalous Propositions it contains the following The Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction belonging to his Holinesse as Pope out of his own temporal territory concernes Causes and Persons and is restrain'd to Determinate Causes and Persons in whom alone it may be exercis'd Wherefore the Territory belongs onely to the King and as he who exercises jurisdiction in a strangers territory is to demand the good leave of the Lord of the Jurisdiction of that Territory So when the Pope having no Jurisdiction in a Territory intends to exercise any in that of the King over causes and Persons in what concerns him he ought to let his Writs be examin'd by the Temporal Prince that so it may be known whether the Causes and persons contained therein be of his Jurisdiction Which Proposition having been examin'd and weigh'd by the Qualificators of the supreme and universal Inquisition according to the expresse command of our H. F. Pope Innocent X. the said Qualificators with unanimous consent adjudge the same Heretical and Schismatical Wherefore least the Faithfull should be infected and corrupted with pernicious opinions and heresies by the reading of the abovesaid Manuscript The Congregation of the supreme and Universal Inquisition absolutely forbids and condemnes the said Manuscript whether it be disperst in the Spanish or any other language whatsoever under the penalties and Censures contain'd in the Table of prohibited books And let the Author know that he shall be punisht with Censures and other Ecclesiastick paines unlesse he purge himself speedily John Ant. Thomasi Notary of the H. and Universal Inquisition of Rome One thing I forgot to mention in my Journal which is that during our residence at Rome one of my Collegues got sundry original pieces of the Congregation de Auxiliis which are kept in the Library of the Augustines carefully transcrib'd and compar'd He also recover'd the Original writings of F. Lemos touching the disputes of that Congregation in which volume the same writings are sign'd by the hands of Clement VIII and Paul V. A SECOND ADDITION Made to this Journal on S. Martins day 1662. THe Relation given to the Assembly of the Clergy anno 1655. by the Bishop of Lodeve now of Montpellier of what Pope Innocent X. told him was done at Rome in the affair of the five Propositions deduces things with so little clearnesse and exactnesse as to order and time that when it came to my view first about a year ago I thought it might serve in some sort to prove the substance of what is related in my Journal and in requital my Journal might make it better understood And this Relation having been so well approv'd by the Assembly that they desir'd the said Bishop to give it them in writing to the end it might be inserted in the Verbal Processe which they caus'd to be printed I presume all those who have read that alone will be more
his Mother as he acknowledg'd by appearing at the Assembly of the University answering to the Questons propounded to him and submitting himself under his hand to what the University should ordain Though indeed his bad example makes him more culpable then the rest IV. The Rector and the University having an undoubted jurisdiction in reference to discipline they might exercise the same in matter purely of discipline For though the Declaration of the Irish concern matters of doctrine yet the University judg'd of their Fact and their Declaration without out pronouncing upon the doctrine as it declares by its Decree of May 31. Facile intelligi ex verbis dicti Decreti nihil statutum de veritate aut falsitate quinque propositionum in dicta Hibernorum Declaratione contentarum atque in eare DD. Deputatos secutos Academiae mentem V. Nothing was done in this case but what was done lately in a like case without the dislike of any particular person of the University For M. Francis Veron having libell'd the University and spoken new injuries viva voce in its Assembly whether he was cited M. Godefroy Hermant then Rector and now Doctor of Sorbonne concluded by the advice of the Deans and Proctors Sept. 14. 1647. that he should be depriv'd of all degrees rights priviledges and prerogatives of the same University that his Letters of Master of Arts should be torn and cancell'd in the General Assembly of the University at the Mathurines Which was executed without any contradiction VI. The authority of the University cannot be contested without countervening that solemn Arrest given at S. Germanien Laye July 8. 1651 for maintaining its priviledge in jurisdiction And as for judging of doctrine we may say that the cognisance thereof belongs rather to the University then to the Faculty the former having power to hear witnesses cite the subscribers receive their depositions c. which the latter cannot practise but with extreme difficulties Besides all the offenders except one Doctor were of the Faculty of Arts and consequently the cognisance of the cause belong'd more particularly to the Rector and Proctors of Nations then to any other VII But the rise and progresse of this affair will manifest the justice of the University The Rector receiv'd complaints of the Irish Declaration and oft their Conventicles and thereupon apprehending the pernicious consequences of the same prohibited the Irish to passe any judgment of doctrine which most just and easy command they disobey'd and proceeded to sign their Declaration Notice whereof being given to the Rector together with Copies of it could he without betraying his trust the cause of God his Church the King the Parliament and also of the Theologal Faculty look upon this enterprise with indifferent eyes and not remedy such a publick disorder VI. That the Rector and that University acted herein with much prudence and moderation THis assertion will easily be manifested by the bare narration of the affair Notice is given to the Rector of Assemblies held in the Colledges of the University for making new Declarations about points of doctrine and particularly of one held at the Chamber of M. Nicholas Poerus The Rector sends the grand Bedle of the Nation of France thither to forbid such assembling and declaring They dissolve yet afterwise sign their Declaration contrary to the said expresse prohibition The Rector is inform'd of this and a copy of the Declaration brought to him All this while he remaines very patient and is loâ—h to use all his authority so long as he conceives more gentle wayes may serve In this spirit of moderation and prudence he sends for the Irish to inquire the truth in which work he spends almost a whole moneth He acquaints the cheif of the University with the business who all agree to check the enterprise and punish this disobedience At the ordinary Assembly of the University the Irish are interrogated their depositions writ down and four or five hours spent in consultation about them At length after an exact discussion of the affair all the Deans and Proctors are of advice to make an exemplary Decree In all which proceeding what can the most severe Censors find to reprehend They who complain that an affair of this consequence is determind in one single assembly consider not that the Rector was a month in preparing it and the depositions were all heard that the fact was evident as well as the dangerous consequence of it But 't will be said that the Irish submitted to what the University should ordain in reference to their action and why then should they be punish'd with such severity These Objectors may be answer'd that 't was in the power of the Irish to free themselves from this pretended severity after they had receiv'd the judgment of it For being obligd thereby only to revoke their signatures and no punishment inflcted but in case of refusal let them acquit themselves of their promises and they are subject to no penalty Now this comminatory punishment was only to engage them to performance of their word and thence forward they could not break it without doubly meriting punishment both for disobeying the lawes of the University and violating their promise But the truth is they did not submit as they promis'd but instead thereof recurr'd to the Parliament and the Faculty VII The Conclusion NO doubt the Parliament judges the enterprise of the Irish an insolent action and the conspiracy of the Syndic and many Doctors with them against the Rector and the University an effect of blind passion deserving to be repell'd by the publick authority of Justice If 't is a crime in the Rector and the University to have perform'd their office to have had respect for the Arrests of Parliament and lawes of the Realm to have hinder'd conspirators against the Churches peace and the King 's rights 't is so goodly a crime that 't is honorable to be accus'd of it and glorious to be punisht for it But the Court ordains not punishments for actions which it hath alwayes honour'd with praises and there 's reason to hope that if it have condemnations to pronounce 't is against those who favor an enterprise wholly unjust and who tend by this publick division to ruin one of the most ancient works of our Kings the Mother of all good learning and one of the rarest ornaments of the State and Gallicane Church But if they are so in just as to pretend that this Decree is the cause of all this trouble let them look back and see whether the University were not in peace before the Doctrinal Declaration of the Irish The unreasonablenesse of requiring the connivance of the University as it is sufficiently shown already They are the authors of the trouble who thus complain But 't is not credible that the Parliament will countenance their pretences but authorise a Decree made for maintainning the discipline of the University The honour of the Faculty of Divinity the policy of the
more and more enflames the hearts of his elect with holy and chast desires so that they remain wholy cleansed when they are washt from the pollutions of this world There is none but may and ought to acknowledge this Predestination of the Saints whereof no other reason can be given but the good pleasure of God's will which S. Paul expresses in the abovecited place and S. Peter in the first chapter of the first of his Epistles and all the Prophets both of the old and new Testament have likewise acknowledged this gift in the Elect insomuch that the light of the Sun is not more bright then that of these divine testimonies Let there be no mention therefore of those false pitiful and forc't consequences by which some pretend as is above observ'd that Free-will is destroyed by God's gratuitions election and that man remaines like a stock or a stone as S. Paul witnesses it fell out in his time that what he preached for the advantage of Grace was construed to establish the liberty of the flesh as if it had been lawfull for every one to do evil that Grace might become more abundant which is a damnable inference These are the consequences drawn by those who are unwilling to give God all the honour which is due to him or would share halfe of what belongs to Christ alone and who know not the exceeding mercy which hath been shewn to us by the death of the Son of God who willing to manifest to us the deep misery of our bondage exemplifyed in himself what is the true liberty of his Children and afterwards taught the same with his own mouth when he saith If the Son make you free you shall be free indeed Wherefore we ought to know that Predestination does not deprive the Elect of their Free-will but gives procures and preserves the same to them it does not force or use violence to any man but he causes the VVill to incline it self to good and voluntarily and sweetly VVhence we see by experience that there is nothing in the world more free or whose power is greater than that of a good Christian since his liberty extends over all things even to the death of sin and his own and that nothing can do any prejudice to him provided as S. Paul speaks Christian liberty be not turn'd into a Carnal liberty and if it happen sometimes that he falls into sin he finds that saying of the Scripture verifyed in himself that all things even sins too turn to the advantage of those that love God Now this I speak after S. Augustin and it must be taken in this sense that the sins whereinto a Predestinated man hath suffered himself to fall serve him for an occasion to recurre unto God whom he hath deserted to deplore and repent of his sin and to become better by it continually alwayes knowing more and more the death which arises from sin and the life which Jesus Christ gives 'T is true indeed in the Reprobate Free-will is not at all serviceable towards the attaining of eternal life as S. Augustin writing to Simplician saith liberum arbitrium plurimum valet imo vere qu idem sed in venundatis sub peccato quid valet And in a few lines after the same Father saith Praecipitur ut recte vivamus sed quis potest recte vivere nisi justificatus ex fide You see this holy man did not conceive as some doe at this day that 't is a horrible thing to affirme that Freewill is not sufficient to bring us to salvation he is so far from it that he wholly condemnes Free-will without Grace in reference to merit and justification as plainly appears throughout all his works Let us likewise forsake that fleshly Presumption which makes it strange that our Salvation is not in the power of our own Free-will because those are happy whose salvation is in the Hands of God and they most unhappy who depend upon themselves This is what S. Paul teaches us from that passage in the 33d chapter of Exodus I will be gratious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Wherefore 't is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Yet must it not be said that the Apostle in this place denyes and impugnes the cooperation of our Will but he referrs all the glory to God who powerfully sollicites and invites the wills of those that believe Whence it is that he complaines by the Prophet of that hardned people which would not obey the voice of God who called them and desired to draw them to himself and gather them under his wings as a Hen gathereth her Chickens T is true that as no other cause can be given of Predestination and Reprobation but God's will guided by his ineffable justice as S. Augustin speaks so 't is our faults and iniquities which are the cause of our damnation and this is what the Scripture saith in those words Thy destruction is from thy self O Israel but thy salvation is of me You understand all that I have written to confirme the first Proposition whereat you took scandal That the Predestinated cannot be damn'd nor the Reprobate sav'd and I could not doe it better then by the word of God which divides the spirit from the soul But to the end that you and every one else may be assured that I have cited the Holy Scriptures faithfully I shall hereunto add the sentiment of S. Augustin that pillar of the Church taken out of Sundry places of his works concerning this matter And in the first place to let you see that 't is his opinion that the Predestinated cannot be damn'd nor the Reprobate sav'd see what he saith in the Third Tome in his book De fide ad Petrum cap. 25. Firmissime tene nullatenus dubites omnes quos vasa misericordiae gratuita bonitate Deus fecit ante mundi constitutionem in adoptionem filiorum Dei praedestinatos a Deo neque perire posse aliquem eorum quos Deus praedestinavit ad regnum caelorum nec quemquam eorum quos non praedestinavit ad vitam ulla posse ratione salvari Praedestinatio illa gratuita donationis est praeparatio qua nos Apostolus ait praedestinatos in adoptionem filiorum Dei per Jesum Christum in ipsum See now whether this H. Doctor did not understand the above cited passage of the Epist to the Ephesians as I do confesse that what is contain'd therein is not the imagination of any man but a truth dictated by the H. Ghost Therefore the H. Doctor doth not hesitate in the matter but saith Firmissime tene He confirmes the same thing in his commentary upon the 69. Psalme at the 28. verse where it said Let them be blotted out of the book of the living And in another place writting against Julian he hath these express words Absit enim ut praedestinatus ad vitam
Patriarch VVe have the more hope that he will do this because we speak of the Patriarchal See of Aquileia which the Soveraine Pontifs his H. Predecessors stile the first after the See of Rome He will not therefore suffer a member so important so considerable and so neer himself to remaine injured by the malignity of the times if this member be found alive and innocent since were it languid or infirme he would not faile to comfort heal and recover it as God commands him by his Prophet To conclude most Serene Prince we have judg'd this way the most easie and ordinary and that which may put an happy end to our distresses and the many mischiefs wherewith we are threatned Because the Soveraine Pontifs as S. Gregory that great Pope oftentimes did whose judgements are inviolable Laws in the Church to defend the innocence and estimation of good Prelates or else to condemn the scandalous who would live contrary to the H. rules have from time to time convok'd Councils by authority whereof they have maintain'd their innocence and reputation of good Prelates and chastised the temerity of bad stopping the mouths of all the world And if our H. Fathers have assembled Councils to this end the same thing will be done more easily without any inconvenience to the Church now the most general and perfect Council is assembled that ever was since that of Nice It being equitable both in regard to the nature of the affair which was not brought upon the stage at this time without some mysterie and in consideration of the interests of your Serenity and lastly in respect of the particulat qualities of the most R. Patriarch and his family that his cause be examin'd and terminated by the judgement and authority of our H. Father and the H. Council VVhich if it be not done in this favourable occasion former examples tell us that we must look to remaine to our damage in a perpetual pernicious irresolution worthy of compassion in it self and of the H. Council's favour to which in Case of need we are willing to repair in order to manifest our faith our charity and our necessity and that of our whole Province and we hope to find there by the help of your Sublimity all the favour and assistane which shall be needfull to so just and honest a cause as ours As for our selves most Serene Prince being we have perform'd this duty with the utmost integrity and with singular belief and firme hope that God will from above blesse our endeavours we beseech you to accept of our Zeal and humility and to favour our humble requests which imply nothing but affection and respect to the most R. Patriarch our Pastor and well beloved Father with the same judgement and Charity wherewith your Serenety hath continually and unanimously cherished him and declared him worthy of all favour and of the greatest dignities which you will the rather do because we imitate our Prince in our good desires and laudable intentions whilst we embrace what you have first solemnly approv'd by your most grave and wise judgement We have no intent in all this to defend the cause of our Patriarch which is known to you and all the world as if it needed our defence We agree with what S. Augustin saith that the best cause is that which is approv'd without needing to be defended that the best establisht justice is that which is not supported by words but by the strength of Truth Nor do we aime to deliver him from oppression this belongs to God and to Princes whom he hath particularly commanded to deliver the oppressed But the onely scope of all this discourse and writing is to render an eternal testimony of our respect to your Serenity besides all that hath been spoken more amply and prudently by our Collegue After which we have no more to do but to recommend our Pastor our Country the safety of it people and our selves to the Clemency of your Serenity whom we pray God to preserve in perpetual felicity The last day of July MDLXIII The most Illustrious and Reverend Legats and Presidents of the Sacred Council of Trent have by Apostolical authority chosen the Fathers under written to deliberate with them concerning the abovesaid Letters and Apologie namely whether the same be heretical or supected of heresie or so explicated scandalous to the end they may give their judgements thereof The most illustrious Cardinal the Cardinal of Loraine and Cardinal Madrutio The most illustrious Ambassadors the Arch-Bishop of Prague The Bishop of Five-Kirke the Bishop of Primistelot and the Bishop of Auxbourg The Arch-Bishops of Granada Brague and Rege The Bishops of Eureux Sees Conimbra Segovia Modena Livia Arras Campagna Theano Ipre Namur Leon Tortosa The Abots of Clacivaux Auxbourg The General of the Augustines All which Fathers diligently examin'd the said Letters and Apologie and gave their opinions thereof The Sentence of the most Illustrious Cardinal of Lorraine touching the abovesaid Letter given to the most illustrious and Reverend Legats of the Council I Have read the Letter of M. John Grimani Patriarch of Aquileia dated the 17th of April 1549. to his Vicar of Oudenay in the Church of Oudenay and his Answers touching certain Propositions extracted out of the same Leter which your most illustrious and Reverend Lordships caused to be deliver'd to me in your own presence by the Notary of the Council And having first invok'd the name of Jesus Christ and taken the Counsel of some very learned persons French Divines and particularly of those whom the most Christian King sent to this H. Council to the end that might be assisted and helpt by their learning in so weigh y a cause And having after hearing them diligently examin'd the Writtings of the said Patriarch I declare that I have found nothing in the above mention'd Letter which is heretical erroneous or scandalous or suspected of heresie or error That if some thing of obscu ity be found therein which may give suspition to such as are not sufficiently skill'd in these matters the same may be all clear'd and resolv'd by reading the answer of the said Patriarch as accordingly I conceive it clear'd and resolv'd Wherefore I judge the said Patriarch free from all suspition of heresie error or scandal The same Cardinals Letter to the Pope Most H. Father I VVas lately call'd by M. M. the Prelates with twenty five most learned and grave Fathers chosen out of all Nations to be present at the judgment of the Patriarch of Aquileia concerning the accusation charg'd upon him touching matter of faith upon occasion of a certain letter which he writ to his Vicar of Oudenay Although the Question were very difficult yet after a diligent examination made thereof it was found to be clear not onely of heresie error or scandal but also of suspition and consequently the most R. Grimani was adjudg'd innocent by general consent and without the contrary sentence of any person
Commissary was gone to fetch a book to shew me some passage He came back and read his passage to me and propos'd his argument to me again before M. Albizzi and he did it with a rude and fierce tone but when M. Albizzi had left us he friendly told me that it behov'd him for certain reasons to speak in that manner before him M. de Valcroissant had the patience to wait for me all this time and when I had found him again we went together to Cardinal S. Clement who confirm'd to us most of the things which are above mention'd to have pass'd in M. Hallier's visit to him and particularly that in reciting the first Proposition he suppress'd the words secundum praesentes quas habent vires and they demanded a pure and absoluâ—… condemnation of the Propositions without distinction of sences examination or Congregation On Tuesday June 11th I went to see F. Hilarion who told me that M. Hallier and his Collegues had been with him but he declar'd to them presently that there was no need for them to give themselves that trouble because he was not of the Congregation That they had no long discourse with him but amongst other things they told him that the Propositions being matters already decided and determin'd they came with a belief that this affair would soon be dispatcht The Father added that we were not to fear that but we needed to deliver a Memorial to the Pope to beseech him that we might be heard that nothing would be done without it and that he had heard that it was resolv'd upon On Thursday the 13th I was in the Pope's Presence-Chamber at the end of the Congregation of the H. Office whence I saw all the Cardinals come forth excepting Cardinal Spada who stay'd with his Holâ—ness M. Albizzi follow'd Cardinal Ghiggi to his apartment I sent a Laquay thither to bring me word when M. Albizzi was gone from thence and immediately went to wait upon this Cardinal but assoon as I had spoken three words to him concerning M. Hallier and his Collegues he told me that he had seen them he said Yesterday but it was upon Tuesday He gave me to underâ—…and that the Pope would consider of the Congregation we deâ—anded and probably would erect it and assoon as it was establisht it would set upon two things to examine First whether it were expedient to make any Definition upon the Propositions because the Pope was not oblig'd to make any upon every occasion and all matters propounded to him Secondly to examine the grounds of the matters upon which such Dâ—…inition was to be made in case it were resolv'd upon And he seem'd to intimate as if M. Hallier and his Collegues had had audience of the Pope and were inclin'd to consent to the Congregation Whereupon I told his Eminence that there was no great likelyhood that this was the inclination of those Gentlemen because themselves had testifi'd to us that they aim'd at a pure and simple condemnation without hearing Parties as if the matters were already determin'd and because we knew also that they sollicited to that purpose The Cardinal reply'd That if they were formerly defin'd they were not to be examin'd again but that this vvas the thing in question that their vvord vvould not be taken for it and that nothing vvould be done in this affair but by a Congregation vvhich should first examine all things exactly I answer'd that provided this course were taken we should be perfectly contented but in the mean time they diverted the Contest elsewhere and drew it to things which had no affinity with that which was in question He reply'd that these sorts of sollicitations were not much regarded at Rome and that they were but lost words and he ask'd me where and how they held such D. scourses I told him that they had been with all the Cardinals Consultors and Qualificators whereat he seem'd something to wonder as of a thing of little consequence I told him I fear'd I should be tedious to his Eminence if I should acquaint him with the grounds upon which they sounded their reproaches and that we had nothing else to answer thereunto but that what they said would not be found true but supposing it were and there were as much more yet it was nothing to the main business in question which ought solely to be regarded And thereupon I fell insensibly to lay forth particularly the principal points of the accusations and reproaches which they fram'd against us I told him the grounds thereof namely M. Hallier's Syndicship the business of Santaret the design of accomplishing of M. Cornet's enterprise the Religious Mendicants the Decree of the University against the Irish in what manner M. Hallier impos'd the Minister of Groning's Book upon the Faculty I summ'd up all this in very few words and confusedly enough considering the matter Yet Cardinal Ghiggi apprehended all well enough and told me We ought not to be troubled about their suggestions that they signifi'd nothing and in reference to the Minister of Groning he said scoffingly that it was to alledge a testimony ex ore mendacis He added that all sollicitations to other persons besides those which were nam'd for the business were lost labours and even to those who perhaps would be Cardinals perhaps Consultors and perhaps others all those Prefaces and Discourses would be useless and superfluous That the ground of things that could be alledg'd on either side should be drawn up in writing as compendiously as possible and reciprocally deliverer'd to each part that so either might see what they were to encounter with and without so doing all was to no purpose and we might remain satisfi'd with this and that nothing would be done at Rome in respect to what one party or the other affirms or denies Finding by the Cardinals discourse that what we had demanded was like to be granted I askt him whether he had seen our Memorial He askt me when it was delivered I told him on the first of January He answered that he had not seen it VVhereupon acknowledging the equitablenesse of his Sentiment that what we had su'd for to the Pope was sitting to be granted I told him the substance of the Memorial almost in its own words but I added that I would bring his Eminence a Copy of it and professed to him how great submission we and all the world with us should have for a Decision made in that manner As I was about to take my leave I told him we fear'd least M. Hallier and his Collegues had a design to carry matters to some imposition of silence or some other remedy of that nature which would produce nothing but mischief that they would never be brought to a conference but with regret as partly in respect of the difficulty they would find to defend so bad a Cause well and partly because M. Hallier as able a man as he might be in other things was certainly little vers'd
in the doctrine of Saint Augustin whom he had not read He told me that I ought not to fear and that their wishes or wills would be in no consideration at all After this I withdrew but I remember that in the course of this conference I told Cardinal Ghiggi of the approbation which M. Hallier had given not two years since whilst he was Syndic to the first and third Proposition taken in the sences in which alone we held them and after that approbation so freshly and solemnly given new interests having made him change his mind he now prosecuted the condemnation thereof I remember also that one told me in the Pope's Presence-chamber that M. Hallier and his Collegues were gone that day to wait upon Cardinal Spada that before their parting from him they had spoken something to him in private wherefore reflecting upon his staying with the Pope after the Congregation of the H. Office it seem'd not improbable but he stay'd so in reference to them and the affair about which they came On Friday June 14. I carri'd Cardinal Ghiggi the Copy of our Memorial which he told me he would gladly see lo vedrò volontieri and in the afternoon we went to la Minerve to see the Procurator General of the Dominicans whom we found to be a very intelligent and resolute man We visited also the F. Prior of the Covent who receiv'd us in the Sacristy whilst M. Hallier and his Collegues were under the Cloyster with F. Molano whom they were come to visit After they had left him F. Molano told us that M. Halier had assur'd him that they would maintain Effectual Grace and F. Fani whom we met told us also that they had declar'd the same thing to the Master of the Sacred Palace He profess'd that he did not otherwise impeach the Propositions than in Calvin's sence and that this was correspondent to the discourses which he had held upon the way in divers places amongst others at Lyons where he said That he was not going to Rome to dispute but only to let the Pope know that the Doctrin contrary to that of the Propositions was the Doctrine of the Church which could not be opposed without Error and that they who contradicted it were guilty of as pernicious tenents as those of Calvin as he said he would prove to his Holinesse by the Book of the Minister Maresius which he carri'd with him and made a great stirre with everywhere All this is out of a Letter written to me from Paris May the 10th upon the testimony of People of Honor who heard him discourse in that manner and sent the Intelligence from Lyons thither On Saturday the 15th I went to see F. Luca Vadingo I put him to speak of M. Hallier and his Collegues He said he would not tell me what they had spoken to him as neither would he tell them what we should speak to him but he would serve both the one and the other alike That he had profess'd to them how just our Demands were And upon my urging him to speak by saying that theirs did not agree with ours he told me at length though with some hesitation that they had affirm'd to him that there was danger lest we might embroyle and perplex things in a Congregation whereunto he had answered That men were as quick-sighted at Rome as in any place of the world Tanto oculati quanto si voglia in altro luogo and that there was one thing there which was not anywhere else namely the infallibility of the Pope by the assistance of the H. Spirit From thence I went to the Master of the Sacred Palace where I saw his Companion who told me that M. Hallier and his Collegues spread a report that we were all enemies to those of Religious Orders that we set upon the Jesuites to ruine them by doctrine because none but they were able to resist us and when we had once pull'd down the Jesuites we would soon dispatch the rest I had no need to satisfie him concerning these accusations because he was so already but he told me it were good that we remov'd such evil Impressions out of the minds of others more credulous We purpos'd to demand Audience of the Pope the next day to speak to his Holiness concerning these new Comers and to renew the Requests which we had formerly made to him I went to his Presence-Chamber ro facilitate the procuring thereof but I was advis'd in the afternoon to defer these instances till there were greater necessity In the afternoon I went to Cardinal Roma I complain'd to him 1. what false things and remote from the business M. Hallier and his Collegues as we understood spread every against us 2. What their profess'd design was namely to get a pure and simple condemnation for that the things in question were already determined The Cardinal answer'd And where are they so we must see how I told him that perhaps they believ'd their word would be sufficient and that if they saw they could not compass a condemnation of that nature we fear'd they would then aim at an Imposition of silence which would be unprofitable and prejudicial rather then come to a Congregation He reply'd that every one doth his utmost for the accomplishment of his designes I answer'd that we all ought to have but one and the same to wit the clearing of truth the establishment of Peace amonst Divines and that sutably to the honor and dignity of the H. See The Cardinal reply'd that the clearing of Truth included all the rest I answer'd that what he said was very true but a Congregation was necessary for that clearing of Truth He reply'd that it was a thing already resolv'd and decree'd I profess'd my joy for it We arose up and I askt him what persons were of it that we might visit them He told me this was not yet to be known and that it was fit that they were visited before-hand I know not whether M. Hallier had got some inkling hereof elsewhere but the Cardinal said that they were not altogether Strangers to it when they came to him and that they had spoken very reasonably Mi pare said he che parlano molto a justamente I did not certainly understand that they had had audience of the Pope till Thursday the 17th but then I learnt that it was very short and that there could not have been many things spoken of I learnt also that they were displeased at the Lodgeing where they were and had seen another which had likt them better that they had agreed about the price but the difference between them and the owner was that they would take it but for three Months and the Owner would not let it except for a year and that it was at length compounded by a Friend of theirs who perswaded them to take it for six Months Tuesday in the afternoon I went to see a Discalceated Carmelite Professor in Theology a Person of great