of peace the stalking-horse of their most insupportable violences thâ—s have the false friends of peace consented to the oppression of the truths of Religion and the Saints by whom they were maintained Upoâ— these grounds was it that St. Aâ—hanasius Stâ— Hilary and other holy Bishops in their times were treated as rebellious factiouâ— obstinate men and enemies to peace and union that they were deposed banished and foâ—saken in a manner by all the faithful who misinterpreted for a breach of peace the zeal they had for the truth Hence came it that the holy and famous Monk Stephen was charged as a disâ—urber of the Church's tranquility by the 330. Bishops who would needs have the Images removed out of the Churches which certainly was a point not of the greatest consequence to salvation And yet because men ought not to shrink from the least truths under pretence of peace that holy Religioâ—s man publickly opposed them and it was upon that ground that he was at last condemned as may be seen in the Annals of Baronius Ann. 754. Thus also were the holy Patriarchs and Prophets charged as Eliah was to be troublers of the tranquillity of Israel and that the Apostles nay J. Christ himself were condemned as the Authors of disturbance and dissention because they declared a saving hostility against the corrupt passions and the fatal extravagances of the Hypocritical Pharisees and insolent Priests of the synagogue And lastly all this is no more then the Scripture gives â—s a general representation of when entertaining uâ— with a character of these false Teachers who call by the name of divine those things that are diabolical as these Casuiâ—ts do at this day in their Morality it sayes Wisdome chap. 14. that they also give the name of peace to the most deplorable desolation The extravagance of men saith the wise man is come to â—â—t height that they give the incommunicable name of the Divinity to that which hath not the essence thereof to flatâ—er the inclinations of mâ—n and to shew their complyance with the humours of Kings and Princes And being not content to be so mistaken in things divine and to live in that errour which is a true war they give the name of peace to a condition full of trouble and disorder In magno viventes inscientiae bello tot tanta mala pacem appellant It is therefore a principal truth of our Religion thâ—t there are certain timeâ— wherein it is necessary to trouble the possession of errour which the wicked call peace and this is a thing no way to be doubted of after the confirmation of so many Authorities Now if ever there was â—n indispensable occasion and necessity to do it let us examine whether there could be a greater or more pressing then there is at this day We finde the most numerous and most powerful bâ—dy of men â—n the whole Church that which hath the disposal of the consciences of all the greatest bandying together and conspiring in the maintenance of the most horrid maximes that ever the Church groaned under We find them notwithstanding all the charitable admonitions that have been given them both privately and publickly obstinately countenancing Revenge Avarice gluttony vain glory sâ—lf-love and all the exorbitancies of coâ—â—upt nature the profanatioâ— of the Sacraments contempt of the ministeries of the Church and the disparâ—gement of the Antient Fathers that they might introduce into their stead such Authors of their own as are most remarkable for their ignorance and temerity And yet though we cannot but see the Church ready to be oâ—ewhelmed with this deluge of corruption we must not presume for fear of disturbing the peaâ—e to call out to those that â—re enâ—rusted with the conduct thereof save us we perish The most inconsiderable truths of Religion have been maintained even to the death and yet 't is expected we should quietly let go the most essential points of our Religion and the maximes that are most important and oâ— greatest necessity in order to the salvation of men because it is the pleasure not of 300. Bishops nor indeed of so much as one nor of the Popeâ— but only of the society of the Iesuits to overturn them as thâ—y please We desire say they to be at peace even with those whâ— are unwilling to have any Strange preserveâ—s of peace who never yet suffered the least writing to come out against their Morality which they have not worried with their bloody Answers and yet still writing the last they will needs have us to sit quiet while they remain in possession of their unjust pretentions We thought it not amiss to be the more large in the reâ—utation of this reproach because there is not any they seem so much to insist upon against us For though there may be few persons whom they can pâ—rswade that the Casuists are holy Authors yet is it not impossible but they may meet with some whom they may cajol into a belief that we are nevâ—rtheless veâ—y much to blame for disturbing the peace oâ— the Church by our opposition For the satisfaction therefore of such have we thought fit to drâ—ss up this discourse to give them to understand that there are not two questions to be made upon this occasion but only one and that it is impossible it should at the same time be true both that the Morality of the Casuists is abhominable â— and thâ—t we are blame-worâ—hy to disturb their deceitfâ—l peace in opposing it Let it not therefore be expected that we should ever forsake the cause of Christian Morality no we have a greater tenderness for the truth then to be guilty of that baseness But to let them know wiâ—hal how far we are also lovers of peace we open them the gate of it as wâ—de as we can and declare that we are ready to eâ—tertain them into our very hearts assoon as they shall have abjured the pernâ—cious maximes of their Morality cited by us in our Factum and in our Extracts read in and taken out of their Authors in their own words and assoon as they shall sincerely renounce the pernicâ—oâ—s APOLOGY FOR THE CASUISTS and the mischievouâ— treatises of Divinity of Escobar Molinâ— Sanchez Lessius Hurtadâ— Bauny Amicus Mascarenâ—as and all books of that nature which out Lords the Bishops call the Plague of consciences And thus stands the case between us For here is not any thing to do as they would maliciously make the world believe concerning the differences which the Curez may have with the Religious The quesâ—ion now is not about any contestation concerning the priviledges of the Iesuitâ— or of opposing their continual usurpations upon the authority of the Curez Though their books are â—ull of mischievous maximes as to that particular yet did we purposely forbear all notice thereof in the Extracts we preâ—ented to the Assembly of the Clergy because we would not bring in any thing into the general cause of the Church that should concern us in
that they should not for the future either in their publick Lectures or otherwise treat of any such propositions with an injunction to the Superiours to be very watchfull that there should not in any of their houses things of that nature be advanced and in the meane that F. Hereau should remaine secured in their Colledge till some furâ—her order should be taken about him by his Majestyâ— The noise and stir which thoâ—e pernicious propositions of Father Hereau's did at that time raiâ—e about Paris and particularly those that concerned the killing of evil speakers revived the curiosity of a mâ—ny very leâ—rned and judicious persons to look more narrowly into the doctrine of the Casuisâ—s The Authors of the bookes written at that time in defence of the Vniverâ—ity against the designes and attempts of the Jesuits drew up a Catalogue of a many dangerous propositions which may be found princâ—pally in two Bookes whereof one is instituted Academicall Truths and the other The Answer of the Vniversity of Paris to the Apologiâ— for the Jesuits written by Father Causinus But much about this very time as also since there have been published severall larger collections wherein are rallyed together abundance of abhominable proposâ—tions which are in the said Collections attributed to the Casuists and those the most eminent of that quâ—lity This was it also may it please your Grace that gave us occasion to examine with the greatest care we could whether there were to be found in the bookes of those Authors Doctrines so pernicious â—s those that were cited in the Collections The charge of Pastors which we exercise in the Church under your Authority and the obligation that lyes upon us to prevent the Soules committed to our charge from being infected by this contagion and the Priests who administer the Sacrament of Penance in our severall pâ—rishes from taking for a râ—le these dâ—ngerous maximes and put them in practise in our Confession Seats have engâ—ged us to joine together in this designe and we have with the same spirit and sâ—me heart consulted the bookes we could meet with wherein we have â—ound a great number of erroneous dangerous and detestable propositions and have drâ—wn up true coâ—ies of the same which we present to your Greatnesse accordingly to obtaine the censure thereof And whereas this evill hath spread it self so far that it cannot any longer be either concealed or dissembled it may be thought high time to hinder its further progresse by some effectuall remedy For things are come to that passe that unlesse Episcopall Authority interpose it selfe and â—ise up to condemn these lewd propositions such of the people as are acquainted therewith might be erroneously perswaded that these opinions being taught by Catholick Doctors and tolerated iâ— the Church are not corrupt and that they may be followed with safety of conscience which if some sudden provision be not made against it may produce very deplorable effects For those that have but any thing more then ordinary inclinations to piety will still be scandalized at it the more dissolute will thence take occasion to some with more insolence and encouragement and hereticks will be sure to make their advantages of it that is think it a just ground publickly to discredit the Catholick Church by laying at her doore these pernicious maximes as hath been done heretofore by the Minister Du Moulin in his book Oâ— Traditions where he reproaches the Church of Rome with the pestilent opinions of some of our Casuists It is on the other side to be considered that there never was so much necessity to abate the confidence of these newly-illuminated Divines whereof we find the latter still adding something to the extravagances of their predecessors which it were no hard matter to make appeare by diverse notorious examples that will deserve notice should be taken thereof So that if some course be not taken to suppresse a temerity so prejudiciall to the Churchâ— it 's to be feared that Time may hereafâ—er soâ— bring things about that men may take for sound doctâ—inâ—s and undeniable Truth abundance of dangerous propositions which the more â—eare-conscienced Casuists have not presumed yet to advance otherwise then as questionable and hardly probable Your Grace having taken all these things into your serious consideration We are further most humble Suitors to your Grandeur that you would be pleased to employ that Authority and that truly-Episcopall zeale which you have to weed these cuâ—sed â—ares out of the Field of the Church and to make way for the purity of Christian Morality to thrive therein by rooting out these unhappy doctrines by a Censurâ— worthy your selfe that is such as no doubt will encourage and engage other prelates to do the same thing in their Diocesses whereof what can be the consequence but that the spouse of JESUS CHRIST being found incorruptible and without spot as well in her Manners as in her doctrine must put her enemies to silence and inviolably preserve her selfe and persever in that purity which her divine spouse hath merited for her by his Blood And whereas M. Iohn Brisacier calling himselâ—e Rector of your Episcopal Colledge hath some dayes since presented to your Grandeur a Petition full of injurious expressions and calumnies against the person of M. Charles du Four Abbot of Aulney Treasurer of your Cathedral Church and Cure of the parish of Sâ— Maclou in which petition he treats the said du Four in no other termes then those of Temerarious Seditious refractory abettor of heresy and Detractor and charges him with a many other scandalous and reviling characters meerly for having preached with zeale and earnestness against these dangerous doctrines once in your presence and before all your Clergy and another time in his owne parish explaining to the people the commandements of God and the wholsome Maximes of the Gospell yet without the least derogation or injury to the Iesuits And whereâ—s the maine designe of the said Brisacier in the Petition he hath presented to you by way of complaint is to stop the mouths of the Pastors and to hinder us from instructing the People committed to our charge in the purity of Christian Morality and opposing those errours wherewith some do so much endeavour to corrupt it it is the humble â—uit of your Petitionersâ— That it may please your Grace to enjoyn and order him to make the said du Four reparation for the horrid calumnies and afâ—ronts contained in his said Petition and oblige the said Brisâ—cier sincerely to disclaime and retract â—s well by writing as by word those detestable opinions And in case you shall think fit to admit him the said Brisacier to plead for himself that so there may be a legall proceeding in the businesse that you would be pleased to order that before any priviledge be allowed him he be engaged to clear himself canonically of the character and Censure paâ—sed and published against him by the late Archbishop of Paris and withall to cause him
of the Casuists for that these being of a much later date then the Lawes it cannot be thought that their opinionâ— should be expresly condemned thereby Ibid. pag. 549. X. That the inconveniences and dangerous consequences attendant on probable opinionsâ— do not any way hinder but that they are still probable as ever Ibid. XI That Logick must be brought to a reformation beâ—â—use that which hath been hitherto taught is not sufficiently consistent with the doctrine of probability Ibid. p. 550. XII The use of the Doctrine of Probability in order to the authorization of the most mischievous decisions that may be Ibid. p. 552. p. 550. XIII That the civill Magistrate as for instance a Judge cannot condemn those that have followed a probable opinion such a one for example as hath killed another in the defence of his honour and that as concerning Excommunication the case is the same Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 202. Et in Commentario in Regâ—l S. Benâ—dicâ—â— l. 1. â— 65. XIV That those that follow the most gentle thâ—t is to say the most licentious oâ— all the probable opinions such as are those that are approved by Diana oâ—ght to be called not onely generous Souldiers but also Virgins because those opinions do enable men to behave themselves in all the precepts of the Church with such purity that they do not commit hereby so much as â— venâ—all sinne Carâ—muel in epistola ad Ant. Diaâ—â—â— pag. 24. XV. That with the assistance of probable opinions a man do his duty as to what concerns the divine office without so much as a veniall sinne what distraction soever he may be guilty of in the performance thereof nay and that voluntary too because a man hath no more to do in such a case but to have a probable confidence that the Church obliges him not any further then to an externall recitation of it and expects noâ— any internall attention thereto Caramuel the more to recommend â—he advantages of this invention declares openly speaking of himself that he never so much as once in the year confesâ—'d himself guilty oâ— the least veniall sinne in saying over his Breâ—laâ—y nay on the contrary that he might safely swear that he hâ—d not committed any though he knew himself chargeâ—ble with many distractions and those voluntary Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 134. XVI That of two probable opinions that are contrarieâ— the same person may as his humour leads him one while make use of the one and immediâ—tely aâ—ter put the other in practise what inconvenience soever may hâ—ppen thereby to his neighbour it matters not Thâ—t this doctrine is true what mischief soever may he the consequence thereof nay though that by this change of opinion a man exempts himself from the observation of the commandments of the Church The reason whereofâ— is that those commandments are very ancient and these compendious subtilties of a very late date and consequently that the Church having noâ— foreseen them cannot be thought to have â—orbiddâ—n them Ibid. p. 143. XVII One example of thâ— precedent doctrinâ— produc'd by him is that a person having heard the clock strikâ— twelve between Saturday night and Sunday morningâ— and thereupon eaten a good meals meat of Flesh if after he hath so eaten it strike twelve again by some other clockâ— he may communicate the next day as havinâ—â—ot broken his fast at all The reason whereof is that these two clocks are to be look'd upon as two probable opinions and consequently that according to the former it was lawfull for a man to eat flesh as being already Sunday morning and that accordinâ— to the latter he might imagine himself not to have eaten on the Sunday but onely on the Saterday Ibid. p. 139. XVIII A second example is thisâ— that an Ecclesiastick taking ship and having brought with him onely his Diurnal according to the opinion of Sanchez who affirms that a man performs his duty as to the saying of the divine office by saying onely what is in the Diurnall may when he is upon the Seâ— choose whether he will say any thing of his Office at allâ— by chanâ—inâ— his opinion and following that of Saâ—cius who sayeâ— that a man does not perform his duty if he say nothing but what is in the Diurnall and consequently he who hath only a Diurnall about him is not oblig'd to any thing Ibid. p. 138â— 13â— XIX That it may be inferâ—'d from the doctrine of Probability by a sound â—nd logicall consequence that the Church can neither command nor prohibit any action that is done in secret and consequently that a man should not commit any sinne in eating flesh on Fridayes so it be done secretly or in not saying over his Breviary provided no body knew not any thing of it c. That these consequences are improbable and that neverthelesse they are dialectically drawn from the from the doctrine of Probable Opinions So that this doctrine may produce in the Schooles a heresie not unlike that of the Independents in England Caramuel pag. 205. XX. Certain ridiculous consequences though necessary drawn by Caramuel from an opinion maintain'd by above eight Casuists and consequently probable according to their Maximes 1. Consequence which Caramuel approves in the place hereafter mentioned as most probable is this that a man confessing his sinnes and thereupon receiving the communion at Easter satisfies the precept of the Church for two years the precedent and the subsequent 2. Consequence is that if a man say Mattins and Lands but once towards the evening he may satisfie the precept of saying them for that day and the next ibid. 3. Consequence which he does not approve but engages himself is rightly drawn from the same opinion is That 24. Monkes who should say at the same time every one a Lesson and an answer of Matins would all acquit themselves of the obligation that lyes upon them concerning the Lessons and the Answers ibid. p 225. 4. Consequence is that when two persons say over their Breviaries at the same time they may repeat each of them his verse at the same time not troubling themselves about any thing of attention to what they do because it is not any way necessary 5. Consequence is that it is sufficient to say onely once whatever is to be repeated in severall parts of the Office as the Pater noster Deus in adjutorium c. This opinion seems probable to him 6. Consequence is that a man satisfies the obligation that lyes upon him to say the Rosary by saying onely one Pater and one Ave. XXI An impious objection grounded on the Doctrine of Probability tending to prove that a man may be saved in any sect or heresie proposed by Caramuel under the name of a Lutheran without any answer brought by him thereto pag. 472. THE CENSURE Of the books of CARAMOVEL BY The late Archbishop of MAECHLINâ— WHEREIN The toleration of the new Probable Opinions is particularly condemned JAMES by the provâ—dence of God
doctrines doth principally consist as a thing which the greatest pâ—rt of the world does not sufficiently reflect upon That which is most highly pernicious in â—hâ—se new doctrines it that their main design is not onely to corrupt good manners but to introduce corruption into the very rule of Morality which is â— businesse of â—arre greater considerâ—â—ion and consequence For it is much a lesse dangerous and generall inconvenience to introduce â—rregularity and dissolution yet with a supposall of the vigour and existence of the Laws whereby they are forbidden them to pervert those Laws and to justifie those irregularities The reason thereof is that as the nature of man is even from its first being perpetually inclin'd to evil and that the onely thing which prevents him from falling thereinto is ordinarily the feare he may be in of the Law so it happens that when he hath once shaken off that bridle he runs at random into all excesses of concupiscence so that there is no difference between making all vices lawfull and all men vicious And thence it comes that the Church hath never endeâ—voured any thing so much as an inviolable conservation of the rules of Morality even in the midst of their disorders whom shee could not prevent from a violation thereof So that when time hath produced Christians of evill lives it is to be observed at the same time that there were holy Lawes that condemned them and were purposely made for their reduction Nor indeed was it ever known before the starting of these Casuists that any one acknowledging himselfe to be of the Church did publickly endeavour to destroy the purity of her rules This it seems was an attempt reserved for these last times which the clergy of France calls the dregs and dotage of the last dayes wherein these new Divines instead of making the lives of men consonant to the precepts of Jesus Christ make it their businesse to levell the precepts and rules of Jesus Christ to the concernments passionâ— and pleasures of men It is by this horrid overturning of things that some who go by the names of Doctors and Divines have introduced instead of true Morality which ought to have no other principle then divine Authority nor other end theâ— that of charity a Morality that 's purely humane such as proceeds â—rom no other principle then that of reason nor hath other end then concupiscence and the passions most irregulâ—r in nâ—ture And this is no more then what they declare themselves with an incredible presumption as may be seen by these few maximes which are most ordinary among them An action say they is probable and may be done with a safe consciâ—nce if it be grounded on a raâ—ionall reason ratione rationabili or upon the authority of some grave Authors nay of one alone or if it be directed to an allowable object Now what they mean by an allowable object may be seen by the examples they give of it It is lawful say they for us to kill him that hath done us any injuâ—yâ— provided it proceed from a motive of gaining esteem among men ad captandam hominum aestimationem A man may go to the place appointed with a design â—o â—ight a duel provided he do it to avoid the aspersion of a hen-hearted fellow and to gain the reputation of a man of meâ—â—al vir â—t noâ— gallina A man may give money for a Beneâ—ice provided it be â—one out of no other reflection then that of the temporal advantages accrewing thereby and not out of any thoughts of making a comparison between a temporal and spiritual thing A woman may dress her self gorgeously what inconvenience soever may happen thereby provided she do it meerly out oâ— the naâ—ural inclination she hath to be vain oâ— naturalem fasâ—us inclinationem A man may eat and drink aâ— much as he please so it be done purely out of vanity and without prejudice to his health because the natural appeâ—ite may endeavour its enjoyments in those actions which are proper theretoâ— Licite poâ—est appetitus naturalis suis actibus frui From these few words may a man give a great guess aâ— the designs of these Casuists and how that while they destroy the rules of pieâ—y they inâ—roduce instead of the precepts of the Scripâ—ure which oblige us to do all things with an humble complyance to the will of God a brutal permission to make all our actions absolutely referrible to our selves That is to say whereas Jesus Christ came to mortifie in us the concupiscences of the old man and to settle the empire of charity in the new man these on the contrary are come to revive the concupiscences and to smother the love of God from which they give men a liberal dispensation and declare it to be sufficient if they hate him not This this is that carnal kinde of Morality which they have furnished the world with such as hath its dependance only on the arm of flesh as the Scripture speaks and whereof they assign no other ground then the authority of Sanchez Molina Escobar Azor Soâ—us c. who it seems think it rational whence they conclude that it may be followed with the greatest safety of conscience and without running the least hazard of damnation It is erâ—ainly a thing deserves our greatest astonishment to see the presumption of some men come to this height But this is done insensibly and by degrees that to most are imperceptible in this manner These accommodating or complying opinions were not at their first start guilty of the excess they are at the present but seeming not so horrid and being advanced only as things doubtful and problematical â—hey immediately gained some strength by the number of their mainâ—ainers whose maximes are of this quality that they dayly tend more and more to dissolution and libertinisme So that there being a considerable body of Casuists thaâ— sâ—ifly maintained them the Ministers of the Church somewhat backward to engage against that great number and hoping withall that mildness and reason might reduce those wandring persons into their right way again have suffered these disorders with a patience which the event hath discovered to be not only ineffectual as to what was expected might be the issue of it but also prejudicial For they assuming thence a liberty to write have in a short time spent their venome into so many volumes that the Church does at this day groan under the monstrous burthen thereof The licentiousness of their opinions which must be proportionable to the multitude of theiâ— Books is such as does not only hurry them into pernicious tenents but gives them withall a confidence to propose them to the world Thus the maximes which they had at first only scattered abroad as simple senâ—iâ—â—ents were not long after advanced into the predicament of probability thence into the number of such as might be followed with all safety and serenity of consciâ—â—ce nay at last declared to be as safe as the contrary