one may not understand their true sense purposely omitting the modifications and limitations which they use to render them ridiculous or monstrous in their opinions fancying to himself that having cited the places quoted the Books and written some of the Authours words every one will credit him though the Author of the Morall Divinity has been convicted of falsity in the most of the self-same Allegations Do but remember after what manner the Calvinists who have as little truth in their Quotations as they have in their Faith alledge the holy Scripture and Sentences of the holy Fathers that falshood is entailed on Heresie and that the Jansenists have that Character of Errour in their Sect that it is now become a Proverb in many places when one would call one an impudent Liar to say That he over-reaches as much as a Jansenist I know not what I ought to blame most in these men and their writings whether their falseness and impudence in lying or their malice in inventing calumnies or their ignorance in so ill understanding and so ill alledging of Authors and their Opinions or their injustice in forging crimes where there are none or their inveterate hate against the Jesuites whom they set upon by false and unreasonable accusations Fifthly reflect on the manner of this Authors writing who in matters of Divinity of Morall of Cases of Conscience and Salvation uses a taunting foolish stile I will not onely say unworthy of a Divine or an Ecclesiasticall person but even of a Christian who ought not to treat holy Things like a Scoffer or Comedian He calls himself as all of that Sect of his doe Disciple of St. Augustin Let him finde me one place in the writings of that great Doctour where he takes upon him the part of a Jeaster or Buffoon 'T is the spirit of Heresie which has nothing in it of serious but rage and fury if yet notwithstanding men swayed with those passions deserve to be termed serious 'T is the spirit of the ungodly and Blasphemers which is spoken of in Job Imitaris linguam blasphemantium Thou speakest like a Blasphemer the Original bears Irrisorum Thou hast the tongue of Jeasters It is also a kinde of Blasphemy to treat holy things in Rallicry thus the Devils often endeavour by their jeastings to put by the force of Exorcismes speaking like Buffoons to stir up the common people to a loose kinde of Laughter the Enemy of Devotion and the Ruine of Religion Yet 't is the whole advantage this naughty Writer has for having neither solidity nor science nor truth he took his recourse to his best fortâ—sse which is Fooling and that alone it is which gives utterance to his Work although his Work found another way of a facil vent which was that many Copies were distributed at the cost and charges of the whole Party out of the Almes of Jansenisme The Wise man advises us what entertainment we are to give such spirits and writings in the 22. of the Proverbs Ejtâ—e derisorem Drive far from you the Mocker and Buffoon he deserveth nought but disdain both of his Person and his Work but being also a Jansenist we must drive him away with a horrour since that every Jansenist is an Heretique In the sixth place consider the ill reasoning of this malicious Writer who often attributes to the whole Body of the Jesuites that which none of them has said or at most what escaped from some one of their Body notwithstanding that all the rest have written against it Who yet ever saw that from one particular a man could conclude an universal Must we call those the Maximes or the Moral of the Jesuits which were scarce ever said by any one of the Jesuits If Gerson Chancellour of the University of Paris have had some erroneous opinion upon the difference of Venial and Mortall sin must we censure that as the Maxime or the Moral of the Sorbon Richerius had a particular Opinion which was not approved concerning the sovereign Pastour must we therefore blame the whole Faculty If any of the holy Fathers have had some opinion which since his time hath not been approved must we therefore attribute it to all the holy Fathers Had this Authour but one grain of sincerity whilest he accuseth one Jesuit for advancing an opinion which seems not true to him why conceals he that many other Jesuites have taught the contrary This Caveat he might have read in the Reply to the Moral Divinity which we shall be constrained to make him read in the Second Answer which will be made to his Letters to his Falsities and to his malicious Dissimulations I appeal to any judicious man what is properly to be called the Jesuites Doctrine whether that which onely one of that Body shall have said or that which many amongst them have taught to the contrary and if it be not an insupportable injustice and which deserves not to escape unpunished maliciously to impute to a whole Community not what the greatest part have taught but what onely one of them has said Were it not injustice to impeach the whole Colledge of the Apostles for Treason because one of their number betrayed his Master Finally let any man judge whether it be not a loud calumny and grosse foolery to charge the Jesuites as Introducers and first Authors or sole defenders of opinions which were taught for many Ages in all the Universities of Europe before the Order of the Jesuites was established They call Opinions and Maximes of the Jesuites those very assertions which have been and are the opinions of others and which the greatest part of the Iesuites oppose in their Writings as may be seen in the Answer to the Book called Morall Divinity But all that is odious must be cast upon the Iesuites they are used by their enemies such as are commonly Heretiques and the followers of Jansenisme as the Primitive Christians were by the Heathens for as to those it was crime enough to be a Christian so to these 't is enough to be a Iesuite to lie under the lash of every ones censure when there is power and impunity That which is past by in some Writers and which is not so much as a light fault in the Books of others is in the Iesuites a crime an attempt against publique Order an abomination The Authour of the Letters does not reproach the Iesuites with any one Maxime Decision or Answer which is not either falsly alledged by that Impostor or corrupted and disguised or so separated from its own place from its modifications and limitations that it is no more the same If any opinion that seemeth to give scope to Liberty be taught by any of the Society it is opposed by many others of the same body Nay whatsoever any particular person of the Society hath advanced contrary to the sentiments of the rest of his Order that very same hath been formerly taught by many Doctours out of his Order in all Universities and by
of Confession and Communion is oftentimes more hurtfull then profitable That the calling on the Name of Jesus is as efficacious as the receiving of the Holy Eucharist These and many other like these are the Maximes of San-Cyran which are Authentically set down in the Information taken of him and to be seen in the Progresse of Jansenisme Now that which gave this unfortunate man credit and made all that he said to be esteemed good and holy was his Exteriour appearance which seemed to breath nothing but Sanctity He was a person of a sad look stern countenance austere carriage and disposition Hypochondriaâ—all which the ignorant people interpreted to be the rigour of Penance attributing that to a profound Sanctity which in him was nothing but either Nature or Hypocrisie The esteem which the world held in him bred in him such a height of pride as made him contemne all that was ordinary His usuall saying was That the ordinary way was for ordinary people For himself he dream't of nothing and talk't of nothing but the Ancient times the Fathers the Primitive fervour of the Church to which he would reduce the World whose universall Darknesse and Errours he did often bemoan presuming himself to be the onely man able to redresse all that was amisse He was so bold as to assever to the Abbot of Prieres that if he would give him Fifteen or Twenty young men who had never received impression from other Masters if they would follow his Instructions in the space of six moneths he would make them compleat Divines And of his Book called Petrus Aurelius he was so vainly conceited that he said It was the best Book that had been made in the Church these six hundred Years past though it be a condemned Book in which among other grosse absurdities he reaches That a Priest loseth his Priest-hood by committing a mortall Sin which is one of Wiclif's Heresies and as great a foolery as if one would teach that a Christian is unchristned by a mortall sin Thus his Austerity which was partly naturall partly affected got him the opinion of Sanctity and that bred in him a pride and arrogance fit for an Arch Heretique All this and much more concerning this Abbot of St. Cyran is to be seen in the Information above-mention'd § 2. Of Jansenius Cornelius Jansenius of whom the late Heresie took its name was by birth a Hollander of Leerdam but Student of the University of Lovain where in the Year 1619. Octob. 24. he proceeded Doctor He was ligued with the Abbot of San-Cyran of whom we have spoken in a most strict amity and kept perpetuall correspondence with him giving him continuall account of his affairs and making him sole Arbiter of all his Thoughts all his Studies and all his Designes He oftentimes visited San-Cyran and conferred with him he both helped San-Cyran in furnishing him with matter for his Aurelius and was also helped himself by him in his Sermons and publique Speeches which San-Cyran as being the abler Preacher sent him out of France upon every occasion All this appears by his Letters to this Abbot which make up a main part of the Book called The Birth of Jansenisme and were found in the Abbots chamber when he was seized on Out of the same Letters it also appears that Jansenius had suck'd in all the poison of that Heretique for he also deâ—piseth School-Divines as Bablers is disgusted with St. Thomas no lesse then St. Cyran and relisheth nothing but Antiquity But above all he hates the Jesuits against whom he laboured almost perpetually writing Libells against the Society that it is not to be wondred if his Disciples follow the same train carping at their Doctrine defending such as apostatized from their Order incensing and exasperating all men against them that possibly he could and lastly not forbearing even to censure the Pope himself for having canonized St. Ignatius and St. Xaverius Furthermore it appears by the same Letters that he had no small inclination to favour Heresie For of Marcus Antonius de Dominis one whom all the world knows of an Arch-bishop of Spalato to have become an Apostata and pernicious enemy of the Church first in Holland and afterwards in England he writeth that his Doctrine was in a manner Catholique save onely where he touched on the oeconomy of the Church and shews how much he was afraid lest the University of Lovain should have required him to write against the said Archbishop Besides he speaketh very favourably of the Synod of Dort where although rigid Calvinisme was established yet he feareth not to pronounce of the Doctrine of that Synod that it was almost all Catholique But that which is most of all remarkable and likewise most apparently discovered in these Letters is the Grand Design concerted betwixt Jansenius and San-Cyran in opposition to the Jesuites to the School-Divines and to the Catholique Church This design was the reproving of those Catholique Tenents which were maintained by the Society and in effect by the whole Church concerning Grace Free-will Predestition c. To compasse this design 't is manifest that from the year wherein he proceeded Doctour even to his dying day this man made it his study to read St. Augustin and interpret the many hard places of this great Saint in such manner as to make St. Augustin teach his own private Heresies He knew well enough that his Work would never please the Pope as he oftentimes hinteth in his Letters wherefore his chief labour was first to keep it secret fearing that if it were discovered it might be choaked in the womb and never come to see light And secondly to dispose mens mindes so by himself and by his Friend San-Cyrans means that it might finde some great Persons of Authority or Interest who should favour and maintain it And in effect they got what they aimed at For their secret was not discovered and whereas Jansonius died before his Work was printed being taken away by the Plague in the second year of his Bishoprique at Ipres on the 7. of May 1638. his Book notwithstanding found many Patrons both in Flaunders and in France In Flaunders many of the University of Lovain the Archbishop of Machelen the Bishop of Gaunt and divers others stood stifly for defence of this new Augustinus for so he called his book In France some Bishops also many Gurez a very considerable part of the Sorbon with divers of the Oratorian Priests of Cardinalll Berull's Institution did the same The reasons why these Persons engaged so far against the Truth I will not here dive into I believe many were deceived by the very Title of the Work For he calling his Book Augustinus they imagined that a Doctour of Lovain and Bishop of the Catholique Church would not give any thing for St. Augustius Doctrine but what was truly his But it is also known that not a few of these Defenders of Jansenius had a tooth against the Order of the Jesuites so as
the whole Body Every one knows that in Morall Theology as in other Sciences which are taught in the Schools there are two sorts of Maximes The one in which all Casuists generally agree because either Holy Scriptures or consent of Fathers and Doctours have made them certain and evident The other onely probable and such as may fall under dispute and in which opinions of Authors are divided For what concerns the first sort of Maximes no man can deny them without temerity and commonly there are none that disagree with the Iesuites in them but Heretiques As to the second 't is lawful for any one to pick and chuse out of those severall different opinions which Divines teach that which squares best with himself supposing it be probable that is that it be accompanied with these four conditions which Suarez a Iesuit hath a Suarez Disp 12. de Bonitat Malit Sect. 6. given us The first is that it doth not strike at those Truths which are universally received in the Church The second that it doth not wound common sense The third that it be grounded on reason and maintained by some irreproachable Authority The fourth that if it hath not the generall vote of the Doctours at least it be not generally condemned This is the Doctrine of Probable Opinions This that which the Jansenist calls The Source of Irregularities This the Stumbling-block of this Brain-sick Man He is astonished that in questions of Morals our Authours should be divided in their Opinions and that they are so often of contrary Sentiments in the resolution of Doubts We must cure this his Disease with the words of St. Antonine whom one would deem to have foreseen his Malady a Quod sint contrariae opiniones inter Doctores sanctitate scientiâ maximos in materiá morali aliquando etiam necessariâ ad salutem patet per exempla Nam Beatus Thomas in quarto tenet quod post laâ—sum in mortale non oportet aliquem statim consiteri sub praecepto habitâ copiâ Confessoris nisi in paucissimis casibus qui ibi ponuntur Dist 17. Et cum co tenet Richardus sed Hugo de Sancto Victore Beatus Bonaventura sunt in hoc contrariae opinionis sanctitas autem magnitudo scientiae ipsorum nota est omni Ecclesiae Neutra tamen illorum opinio reprobatur et si Beati Thomae opinio communius teneatur quae tamen minûs tuta videtur Raimundus Decretista in Summâ tenet quod participare cum excommunicutis majori in loquelâ cibo hujusmodi in casu non concesso sit mortale universaliter Sed Beatus Thomas Johannes Andreas Archidiaconus tenent contrarium illud contrarium communiter tenetur Et sic exempla innumera possent poni D. Antonin part 1. Tit. 3. cap. 10. de Conscientiâ §. 10. fol. 63. p. 1. col 2. 'T is evident sayes this Father by examples that in the Questions of Morals even those sometimes which are necessary to salvation the opinions of such Doctors as are most eminent both for sanctity and knowledge fall out to be contrary For St. Thâ—mas in the fourth Book upon the Master of Sentences holdeth That a man fallen into mortal Sin is not obliged by any precept to go to Confession so soon as he hath opportunity except in some very few cases which he hath there set down Dist 17. Richardus also is of the same opinion yet Hugo of St. Victor and St. Bonaventure in that very thing are of a contrary opinion and yet their Sanctity and profound Learning is esteemed through the whole Church And we know neither one nor other of these opinions are rejected although that of St. Thomas which appears least secure is nevertheless the most common St. Raimundus Doctor and Canonist in his Summe doth maintain that generally speaking 't is a mortall Sin to hold commerce with any one excommunicated with the greater Excommunication whether it be in speaking or eating with him or any such other action which is not permitted But St. Thomas Iohannes Andreas and Archidiaconus teach the contrary and their opinion is most generally received Thus we might bring infinite like examples I am confident our Censurer in reading this will accuse himself for his too rash Criticisme and will be sorry to have so lightly condemned the Doctrine of following probable Opinions he will be ashamed to have reprehended that diversity of Opinions in lesuites in questions of Morality which St. Antonixe approves of in St. Thomas in St. Bonaventure in St. Raymund and in very many famous Doctors out of whom he sayes might be brought an infinite number of examples He will blush at his having reproached the Society with permitting that liberty to her Authors which the Church gives to all Catholique Doctors of maintaining their own opinions and of contradicting one the other in such points as she hath not yet decided reserving to her self the power of censuring those Propositions which she judges dangerous In fine he will be astonished at his own phantasticalnesse seeing that which he calleth the Source of their Disorders and the Basis of their Irregularities is an innocent practice permitted by the Church and observed by all those Universities which exercise the best Wits form the wisest Directours and render them capable of governing Consciences An Advertisement to the Jansenists It can be no disorder to hold with Divines the Doctrine of Probable Opinions but 't is a crime to hold with the Iansenists the Doctrine of Heresies That 's the Source of Irregularities of which I am constrained to minde you You are convinced to have left the infallible rule of Faith and instead of repenting of your errour you would fain blame the Society for holding diversity of Opinions in Moral Doctrine Thus did Wicleffe finding his errours and cheats discovered set upon the Doctours of the Canon Law a Decretales cpistolae sunt Apocryphae seducunt à Christi side Clerici sunt stulti qui student eas Haec Propositio suit damnata in Concilio Constantinensi Sess 8. Propos 38. calling all those Fools that studied the Decretals as being Apocryphal and made to divert Souls from the Faith of Jesus Christ Thus did Calvin feeling himself struck with the Thunder-bolts of the Church set upon the Holy Fathers the Councils and particularly upon the Divinity Schools stuffing his Letters and scandalous Writings with what Faults soever either true or false he could pick out of the works of Divines Thus did Jansenius imitating those two infamous Arch-heretiques say b Vnde sactum est ut quemadmodum in Theoricls limites rerum verè divinarum transeundo non semel in chimaericas abstractiones inciderunt ita in practicis Morales regulas agendorum simplices relinquendo quas simplex genuina ratio Antiqui patres praescripserunt tam laxas effecêre conscientias sub praetextu accommodandi sese infirmitatibus hominum ut nibil opus sit nisi secleratiores
been approved by Catholique Doctors and the ordinaâ—â— conduct of the Church from which an affectation of singularity has unfortunately separated you The fourth Imposture French 23. THâ—t Father Bauny viliâ—iâ—s the Dignity â—f Priesthood because he teaches When the Penitent follows a Probable Opinion the Confessour is bound to absolve him though his judgement be contrary to that of his Penitent aâ—d that to deny Absolution to a Penitent who walks according to a Probable Opinion is a sin in its own nature mortall citing to confirme this Opinion Suarez Vasquez and Sanchez Letter 5. Engl. Edit pag. 97 Answer Father Bauny might if he had pleased have cited for the same opinion six and fourty Authors alledged by Sancius who is no Jesuit but a very learned Master of Morall Divinity He after having proved by so great a number of Divines That a Confessour ougâ—t to follow the opinion of the Penitent after having heard the secret of his sins addes that he is astonished why Sanchez the Jesuit assures us that very many of these Authors agree onely in this point That 't is lawfull for the Confessour to fellow the opinion of the Penitent although it be contrary to his own and that he cites but few who teach that he is obliged to it since that all those he does alledge excepting Rodriguez and Sa a Jesuit maintain both the one and the other and though they do not expresse it in formall â—erms yet the reasons by which they shew hâ— may do it prove also that he ought a Quoâ—ies Confessarius potest licitè beneficium Absolution is impendere ad illud exigendum habet jus justitiae Poenitens expressè ad id obligari arbitror sub Mortali side Mortalibus fit facta Confessio Nam onus grave esset poeniteâ—tem obligare ad sua detegenda crimina alii Confessario absque necessitate Docet Sancius lib. 1. c. 9. num 29. Quamvis solum venialitèr delinquere Confessarium non proprium existiment Vasquez Salas Sayrus Montesinus at constringi Confessarium Absolvere poenitentem contra propriam Sententiam five sit proprius Parochus sive alienus certum reor Sancius Disp Select disp 33. n. 34. p. 286 287. 〈…〉 As often as it is lawfull for a Câ—nfâ—ssâ—ur to give Absolution the Pâ—nitent has in justice a right to demand it And for my own part I think he is obliged under pain of Mortall Sin if the Penitent have confessed any sins which are Mortall since that it cannot be but a very great burthen to him to be obliged to declare again the same Sins to another Confessour without any necessity Sancius teaches this in his first Book chap. 9. num 29. although Vasquez and Salas Jesuites and Sayrus and Montesinus assure uâ— he sins but venially if he be only delegated But I am certainly perswaded that every Confessour whether he be Ordinary or Delegate is bound against his own judgement to absolve the Penitent Judge by this of the Ability and Truth of the Jansenist who imputes as a Crime to Father Bauny the inventing of an Opinion which forty six Authors amongst whom St. Antonine has the first place have taught before him If he do know this Opinion to be so common and so ancient in the Schools where is his Truth If he do not where are those imaginary parts with the which he flatters himself But whether he do know it or he do not where is his judgâ—ment Ought he to expose himself thus for a laughing-stock through his rash censures to learned men who so easily discover the pride of his heart An Advertisement to the Jansenists 'T is no debasing the office of a Priest to oblige him to cure the wounds of a sick Person that casts himself into his hands then when he both can and ought The yoke of Confession is no insupportable yoke and the government which Jesus Christ has given Confessours is no Tyrannicall government It is a government of Love establisht in Mercy and which subsists in Sweetnesse But to say as you do is to annihilate it wholly b Clarissimum est Episcopum peccatorem resurgere non posse per media statui propria cum hoc ipso quo peccator est statum amittat ex primario jure nec ampliâ—s in co sit Vindiciae p. 296. Quâ—libet vinculi Castitatis in fractione perimitur Sacerdotium pag. 319. edit Anno 1646. That one onely Mortall Sin destroyes the office of Bishop and Priest c This is one of the secret Maximes of the Abbot of St. Cyran that the words of Absolution are not operative but declarative onely of their effect Letter of my Lord the Bishop of Langres to my Lord S. Malo concerning the Maximes of the Abbot of St. Cyran That the Sentence of the Priest is onely a simple declaration of the pardon which the Sinner hath obtained of Heaven That 't is an inviolable Law that one ought to defer Absolution till after the fulfilling of the Penance and that the contrary practice d Frequent Communion p. 628 favoureth the generall impenitence of the world The fruit of these wicked Maximes can be no other but a distaste of the Sacraments such as those women finde who abandon themselves to your direction and such as Mother Agnes of St. Paul Abbesse of Port-Royall hath expressed in one of her Letters in these terms e This Letter maketh one piece of the Processe against the Abbot of St. Cyran See the Progresse of Jansenisme p. 81. I think my heart is hardened having no feeling of Conâ—rition nor Humiliation to see my self deprived of the Sacraments and I could passe my life thus without being troubled at it We are at present in the time of the Confessions of our young Schollers I remember a good Priest who you told me heareth Confession after the manner of the Ancient Church I know not whether we may may get him for these yong ones and for some Siâ—â—ers There are some who have not been at Confession these fifteen moneths This would amaze a Confessour who demandeth onely words and not dispositions The fifth Imposture French 8. THat the Jesuites take away the rigour of Fasting by unlawfull Dispensations a The Minister du Moulin casteth a world of reproaches upon the Church about Fasting pag. 343. which Modesty will not suffer me to publish because Filiucius proposeth this Question One who hath over-wearied himself about any thing as for example in satisfying a Wench is he obliged to fast Not at all But how if he have thus over-wearied himself on purpose to be thereby dispensed from Fasting Shall he yet be obliged to fast Although he have made such a formall design yet would he be not obliged to fast Letter 5. p. 89. Answer This lascivious Beast resolves to be merry at Filiucius his charge and darts at him the blame of these two things to have asked an ill question and to have answered it ill For what concerneth the first accusation
not a sufficient Disposition the Sacrament of Penance could be no longer Sacramentum mortuorum the Sacrament of the dead nor the power of Priests to speak properly the power of the Keys but onely a declarative power of the remission of siâ—s which is one of the secret Maximâ—s of the Jansenists This manner then of speaking cannot â—ffend any wise man nor is it more strange to say That the Contrition which prâ—cedes the Sacrament of Penance hinders it from producing its principall â—ffâ—ct obâ—â—at quò minùs sequatur effectus then to say That Contrition justifies the sinner and restores him life For 't is the same thing as if he should say the fiâ—st Physick which recovers a sick person hinders the second from restoring health and saving him from the danger out of which he is already happily delivered The Jansenist will wonder that Fagondez and Granado should dare to say That Contrition is not necessary in the point of death because if Attrition with the Sacrament were not sufficient at the hour of death it would follow that Attrition were not sufficient with the Sacrament But he speaks not truly These Authors do nâ—t say absolutely That Contrition is not necessary even at a mans death They say indeed with Monsiâ—ur Du Vall whom I cite to sweeten that gall which lies in hiâ— heart d Primus casus quando quis in evidenti periculo versatur conscius sibi est alicujus peccati mortalis si desint Confessarii tenetur concipere Contritionâ—m quae quidem â—ontinet vel virtualitèr vel formalitèr amoâ—em Dâ—i super omnia Subdit post alâ—â—tâ—m rationem Dixi Si non adsit copia Confessatii Quia si adsit cum sufficiat Attritio cum Sacramento Attritio autâ—m tantum exigat secundum multos displicentiam peccati prout reatuâ— damnationis aterâ—ae aut jacturam regni coelestis inducit non necessario exigit amorem Dâ—i super omnia Du Vallius Tract de Charitate q. 20. pag. 687. col 1. That Contrition is necessary at ones death if a man be in mortall sin and cannot have a Priest to confesse to But if a man can have one thâ—n Attrition being sufficient with the Sacrament and on the other side it being not necassary according to the opinion of very many that it should be grounded on other motives then the fear of pains or the losse of heaven it does not binde a man necessarily to produce an act of the Love of God by preferring â—im before all things I know well enough that Monsieur Gamasche is of a contrary opinion as well as Suarez Sanchez and Comitolus Jesuites and that he teaches with them That although Attrition be sufficient with the Sacrament neverthelesse a man is obliged at that definitive moment on which depends an Eternity to make his salvation certain by all means not onely necessary but possible and consequently to force ones self â—ervently to produce acts of sincere Contrition if it be onely sayes he e Gamachaus loco jam citato to arrive at a true Attrition which many times is onely imaginary in great sinners Yet if this Divine hath the knowledge of a Doctour to maintain his opinion he has not the rashnesse of a Jansenist to condemn that of others and contents himself to reason like a Schollar without jesting like a Buffoon to bring solid proofs without any Vizards or Impostures to oppose vigorously to defend himself skilfully yea and to conquer with a modesty but far from insulting with an insolency to hide the shame of his being overcome The Jansenist will think it strange to find Casuists that hold Attrition may be holy and sufficient for the Sacrament although it be not supernaturall He is a little too hot in his â—eal I am confident he would be more moderate had he but read Leander and Monsicur Gamascâ—e fâ—â— they would have taught him That it is not the opinion of those whom he thinks he fights against but of f Citantur pro hâ—c opinione Dominicus Soto Navarrus à Gamachaeo Tract de Poenitent Sacrament cap. 9. Citantur reliqut à Leandro Tom. 1. Tract 5. de Sacrament Poenit. Disp 1. â— 47. * Suaâ—ez disp 20. sect 2. num 8. Molina in Concordia â—isp 14. in fine Granados disp 3. num 4. Vasquâ—z q. 92. a. 2. de unico Ciâ—antur hi omnes alii plures á Leandro loco supâ—a citato Dominicus Soto of Navarr of Bona ina of Canus of Ledesma of Victoria of Caprcolus of Richardus of Cajâ—tan of Sylvester which * Suarez a Jâ—suit refutes which Vasquez a Jesuit disapproves which Father L' Amy a Jesuit condemns even in that very place which his Calumniatour alledges which Granado a Jesuit rejects which Molina a Jesuite judges not safe in Faith and in effect which does not come under the common approbation of Divines if it be not explicated of that Attrition which is naturall in its self and supernaturall in its principle and in its circumstances forasmuch as it proceeds from the movings of an interiour Grace aâ—d that it is accompanied with Hope with the fear of God and with Faith In fine the Jansenist will scarce be able to suffer that the Abbot of Boisic should call the obligation which he would lay on us even at this time to make an act of perfect Contrition as a disposition to the Sacrament of Penance a burthensome and difficult obligation I will entreat him to listen to an ancient Doctour of the Sorbon g Tartarctus Dâ—ctâ—r Parisiensis in â— dist â— quaest ult §. deinde Doctor I put the case sayes he that a man have committed ten sins and that some while after acknowledging his fault he should say I have sinned and should begin to detest his sins but with so little fervour that the detestation were not meritorious even in the least proportion but that he should have a regret though but a weak one for having so offended I ask in this case whether his sins be forgiven him in regard of that detestation And I answer No they are not â— because it is not in that degree of intention which God has ordained for that effect After this suppose this man meet a Priest and go to Confession then we must not say his sins are not forgiven him quia hoc esset nimis durum in side because to say so would be too hard in Faith and therefore I say his sins are pardoned because the power of the Sacrament and of the Keys do supply what is wanting in that interiour moving It is in the sense this Doctour speaks that the Abbot of Boisic has said That notwithstanding there is nothing more usefull nor more tending to Salvation then the practice of Contrition yet the act being one of the most difficult which charity can practice unum ex difficillimis quae Charitas praestare potest as Jansenius himself confesses it would be very h Jansen Tom. 3. lib. 5. Cap. 33.
burthensome to oblige us to it under pain of Damnation when ever we confesse and to make that Disposition necessary to the Sacrament of Penance which is contrary to the Declaration of the Councell of Trent the Censure of Sorbon and the common opinion of Divines either Ancient or Modern as Monsieur Gamasche tells us An Advertisement to the Jansenist Since you continue so constant in telling us That perfect Contrition is absolutely necessary to the Sacrament of Penance and that Attrition is not sufficient notwithstanding that the Proposition in the judgement of the Sorbon is both rash and erroneous tell me also if you be resolved to defend those other Maximes of your Sect concerning this Sacrament Do you agree with the Abbot of St. Cyran in the opinion i Monsieur de Langres witnesseth as much in the Letter he writ touching the Doctrine of this Abbot That this Sacrament does not remit Sins That Absolution is not operative but meerly declarative of the pardon granted That Veniall sins are not sufficient matter for the Sacrament of Penance Do you believe with Monsieur Arnauld k In his Book of Frequent Communion pag. 326 327. ibid. pag. 521. That the Absolution of the Priest is then onely reall when it follows the sentence of the invisible Judge That we ought not to lose any by our Pastorall Authority but those whom our Master has raised up by a quickâ—â—ing Grace That sometimes exteriour Penances may be so great that they may supply the want of inward Repentance Are you of the same opinion with Monsieur Maignard who was once Curate of St. Croix in Roven and Disciple of the Abbot of St. Cyran l In a Letter which he writ to the Abbot of St. Cyran which is in the Memorandums that were used in the Processe of that Abbot That in the Sacrament of Penance it is not necessary to confesse the number of Mortall Sins nor those Circumstances which change the nature of the Sin supposing the Contrition to be such as is required Do you believe with Monsieur D' Andilly in the Christian and Spirituall Letters which he published under the name of the Abbot of Saint Cyran m See the first Edition That we cannot make an available Confession of our Sins if the Soul hath not first been renewed by Grace pag. 228. Lett. 26. That the Confession of Veniall Sins came into common practice in the Church but very lately forasmuch as during the first thousand years and more for the wiping out of Veniall Sins those just persons who committed them thought it sufficient to chuse of themselves some light Penances before they went to assist at the Holy Sacrafice of the Masse pag. 265. Let. 32. That Confession was the last remedy which was practised in the Church for the washing away of Veniall Sins all the others being more ancient pag. 769. Let. 92. Do you believe with the Translatour of the Book of Holy Virginity Disciple of the Abbot of St. Cyran pag. 134. n Censura Sorbonae Haec doctrinâ— quâ ait ex ordine natur â rei requiri quod sit publica confessio est nova falsa periculosa Censura Sorbonae jam citata Quae tradit de Attritionis insufficieutiâ Contrittionis ex perfect â charitate absolut â necessitate ad recipiendum Sacramentum Poenitentiae quae addit approbat de Absolutione quòd â—ihil aliud sit quà m declaratio Juridica peccati jam remissi damnavit quoque facultas â—â—nsuit has propositiones esse quiâ—tis animarum perturbativâ—s communi omnino tutae praxi Ecclesiâ— contrarias efficaciae Sacramenti Poenitentiae imminutivas insuper temerarias â—rroneas That both the order and nature of the thing requires that Sacramentall Penance should be performed in publique And pag. 129 130. That whosoever should say Absolution is nothing but a judiciall Act by which the Priest doth onely declare not simply but with the Authority and in the place of Jesus Christ that the Sins are forgiven he would propose nothing neither against the Councell nor against Ancient Divines And in page 129. That true Contrition which is an act of Charity is absolutely necessary for the obtaining the Grace of the Sacrament of Penance and that it being certain this sort of Charity reconciles a man with God and puts him in his grace and favour before he hath received the Sacrament in effect there resteth nothing for Absolution to do In â—ine do you believe that the Abbot of St. Cyran had any great Contrition for his Sins and that he was perfectly disposed when he confest himself to a Priest onely to oblige him to a secrecy in those wicked Maximes he had told him which he laught at afterwards telling it to the Abbot of Prieres Here follows the sincere Deposition of that Abbot who is yet living in a very high opinion both for his Knowledge and Honesty After that the said St. Cyran told him a certain story which he said past betwixt him and another Ecclesiasticall Person to whom he had also discovered the foresaid Maximes And that fearing lest the said Ecclesiastique should relate them to the Bishop of Poitiers or to some other he stopt him presently upon the way where they were talking of these matters and desired him to hear his Confession even in that very place and time to which the said Ecclesiastique consented though declaring his astonishment at the suddennesse of the resolution He made his Confession and declared in it That he acknowledged he â—ad offended in proposing the said Maximes and then demanded his Absolution the which he said he did to oblige the said Ecclesiastique to keep the said Maximes as a secret under the seal of Confession which otherwise he could not have been secret in When he told this he laught so heartily that the Deponent never saw him laugh so much before at which was present Barcos his Nephew who likewise laught at the same story I do not know whether this be the joy Penance brings to your solitary Persons But I dare assure you it is not that which the true Conversion of Sinners causes in Heaven Mediâ—ate of this seriously and do not think so much of others as to forget your selves An ANSWER to those Letters in which the JANSENIST endeavoureth to clear himself from the precedent IMPOSTURES A Word to the Reader concerning the Subject of the following Letters AFter that the Authour of the Provinciall Letters had vented his malice against the Jesuites and run through their Moral in his fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth and tenth Letters the Jesuites laid open to the world in the precedent Impostures his grosse ignorance his falsenesse in alleadging Authours and his groundlesse Calumnies and withall taxed him and his party of many Enormities and especially of Heresie Vpon this the Authour of the Provincial Letters as it behoved him undertook to make good what he had writ and to clear himself and his Party from
of the inconveniences may arrive Does he not know that the circumstances and dangerous consequences of an Action are sufficient to render it criminall before God when in its own object it were not really so What consequences can one imagine more dangerous and more capable to corrupt an action and render it mortall then those which Lessius brings to reject the practice of this that is the infinity of unjust murthers which it would cause in the State This opinion sayes he ought not to be permitted in the practique for the inconveniences which may follow Men would easily perswade themselves that they were accused out of Calumny and that they have no way to clear themselves but by the death of the Calumniatour And so many unjust murthers would be committed in a State Will you acknowledge the true Doctrine of this Father which you have supprest and are you not sufficiently convinced of that falsenesse by these so manifest proofs The fourth Imposture concerns Filiucius who is reprehended by this Writer for maintaining that Doctrine of the Jesuites which forbids killing not for opprobrious words onely but even for the most hainous Calumnies and most unjust Accusations He alledges for a reason That one may be punished by the hand of Justice for killing people upon that account I would gladly know what â—ffence that Father had committed if he should have made use of that reason Does the Jansenâ—st believe Judges never punish Murtherers but on Politique accâ—unts and not upon Maximes of Conscience and Religion â—s not the Law of God thought on at the Bar Have not the â—udges of life and death the Commandments of God before their eyes Is the Râ—ligion of their Court so suspicious that he judges the Iesuites to be criminall for having grounded their opinion on the legall Sentences Let me entreat him once more to tell me why he has added this Raillery to the former I told you Father that all you can do will amount to nothing if you have not the Judges on your side Does he think these Fathers hold it dishonourable to regulate their conduct by the justice of Laws and the sentences of the Court But that which is yet more ridiculous in this passage is that in the place he cites Filiucius indeed speaks of the penalties which the Iudges order against Murthers but sayes nothing of Murthers which are committed for Calumnies 'T is in the following Number that he treats of it and where he brings two reasons wholly different from those which this Iansenist attributes to him I put them in the margin that all the world may see how God confounds Calumniatours and how he suffers them whilest they attaâ—que the reputation of others so to blinde themselves that they become a reproach and laughing-stock to the whole world We must hold says c Practicè contrarium est sequendum tum quia si fama sublata est non recuperatur per mortem detractoris Si non est sublata ferè semper aliis modis impediri potest tum quia aperiretur via caedibus major a mala sequerentur in Republicâ ut fatetur Lessius 1. 11. 82. Filiucius Tract 29. c. 3. n. 52. Filiucius the contrary opinion in the Practique because if the Calumniatour have already taken away your reputation you cannot restore it by taking away his life if he have not yet done it there are commonly many other wayes to preserve it And besides all this 't would open a gap to Murthers and greater evils would happen by it in the State An Advertisement to the Jansenists I cannot tell why you should be so offended with the Iudges or what reason you finde to dislike the Iesuites sticking to their sentences in the Decision of the Morals For indeed they have hitherto been very indulgent towards you and with a great deal of patience suffer'd your disorders What ever it be you must take away the scandall which you have given to the publique in saying falsly That the Iesuites finde it lawfull in conscience to kill a man for opprobrious words onely and that they forbid it meerly for politique respects and to have the Iudges on their side Whereas I do assure all Catholiques there is not any one Divine whether Iesuit or other that will suffer one to kill another for simple Calumnies 'T is true some famous Authours who are no Iesuites have thought it lawfull to kill a Calumniatouâ— when he seâ—s upon both honour and lâ—â—â— with such powerful and unjust inventions that there is no way of escaping but by his death 'T is the opinion of Bannes of Maior of Peter de Navarr of Monsieur Du Val that ornament of the Sorbon and of Cardinall Richelieu as you may perceive by Father Caussins Answer to the Morall Divinity and by another Answer of a Divine of the Society But this is so extraordinary a case that it scarce ever happens Notwithstanding the most knowing Authours that are amongst the Jesuits as Suarez Vasquez Lessius Reginaldus Filiucius c. do unanimously oppose this Doctrine because of the dangerous consequences which it would draw after it and if in opposing it they use a modesty 't is because that opinion has not yet been condemned by the Pope nor by the Church who have power to do it and that although they do not approve the opinion of these famous Doctors yet they know the respect which they owe to their persons For your part who unjustly condemn this proceeding and who would render them criminall because they are not so heady as those of your party nor so insolent as to attribute to themselves the Authority of the Pope and of the Church you ought rather to study to correct the wicked Doctrine of the Abbot of St. Cyran who was so bold as to dare to teach a man may kill his neighbour when the inward Spirit moveth him to it although the outward Law forbid it When you please you may see both the proof and the practice in the second page of the Information that was given against him by the command of the late King in the Year 1638. The Original is in the Colledge of Clermont The two and twentieth Imposture French 3. THat the Jesuits encourage Banquerupts because Lessius affirmeth A man that turns Banquerupt may with a safe conscience retain as much of his own goods as is requisite to maintain his Family in an honourable manner nè indecorè vivat notwithstanding that it was gotten unjustly and by manifest crimes Letter 8. pag. 168. Answer This Disciple of the Calvinists learnt this reproach in the Traditions of his Master page 334. a Du Moulin casteth the same reproach on the Church pag. 334. A man saith he that had taken by force or fraudulently anothers goods is not obliged to restitution if be cannot do it but by prejudicing his honour Navarr Consil lib. 3. de Statu Monach. Consil 3. onely changing the name of Navarr into Lessius But he hath put on it such