is no other way to prevent it as it should seem there is not if the Detractor be ready publickly to charge therewith and that before most grave men either that Religious man or his Religion if he be not kill'd VIII The commandment of the Church to observe Festivall dayes is not obligatory upon pain of mortall sin the case of scandall only excepted if there be nothing of contempt IX There are some who probably maintain that if the child be not yet quick in the mothers womb it is lawfull to procure an abortion to avoid either scandall or death Whence it appears that we must not too easily condemn a wench that compasseth the death of the child within her when the child is not yet quickned out of a fear that being found big she might be put to death or come to discredit X. It is lawfull for a man to entreat a Conjurer to dissolve a charme laid before by another of the same profession if he be willing and ready to do it XI Those who communicate at the Monasteries of the Mendicant Friers about Easter satisfie the commandment of Chuch concerning annuall Communion and are not oblig'd to communicate to their parishes XII When a man hath in his Confession conceal'd some sins out of a fear of brinâ—ing his life into any hazard or out of some other consideration he is not oblig'd to discover them in any Confession afterwardâ— XIII It is not onely lawfull to preserve by a murâ—hering defence the things we are actually in possession of but also those whereto we may make a certain claim or have some interest in and are in hopes to be possessors of hereafter Which doctrine allow'd it is lawfull â—s well for an heir as a Legatee to defend himself in that manner against him who unjustly raises encombrances to hinder his succession to retard the execâ—â—ion of a Will The same course is also allowable in him that hath a right to a Lecturer's place or a Prebendry against another who unjustly disturbs his possession XIV To call God to witnesse to a light inconsiderable Ly is not so great an irreverence as that a man should or might be damn'd for it XV. T is no mortall sin for a man to accept a challenge to maintain his honour and to kill the challenger XVI A man is not oblig'd upon pain of mortall sin to restore what he hath stollen by triviall and inconsiderable thefts what ever the total summ thereof may amount to XVII A person is capable of receiving absolution how palpable soever his ignorance may be of the Mysteries of Faâ—th nay though out of pure negligence he knowes nothing of the mystery of the most Blessed Trinity or of the Incarnation of our Lord JESUS CHRIST ADVERTISEMENTS TO CONFESSORS COnfessors are hereby to take notice that they arâ— not invested with any such power as that of dispâ—ncing with the obligation which lyes upon men to pay thâ—ir debts or to countenance the delay oâ— thâ— payment thereof or exemptiâ—g mâ—n from thâ— obligation of restoring the honour thâ—y have taken away from their Neighbour or making satisfaction for thâ— injuries they have done him They are accordingly to deferre absolution if the Penitents expresse not a â—â—â—â—â—neâ—sâ— to satiâ—fâ—â— wheâ—her it be for their debts or the iâ—juries they have done those câ—ses onâ—ly excepted wherein the Lawes permit it whereoâ— the Conâ—eâ—sors onely arâ— the Intâ—rpreterâ— They are further to be advertis'd that according to the prescription of the Councell of Trent they are not to meddle with reserv'd Cases and consequently that they are not to aâ—â—ume to themselves any poâ—er of absolution therein â—ave onely in extreme necâ—sâ—ity The Judgement Oâ— THE THOLOGAL-FACVLTY OF LOVAINE Consulted by the Arch-bishop of Macchlin to know whether he ought not to enjoyn the Confessors to forbear the practise of the precedent propositions in the direction of mens Consciences THe sâ—cred Theologall Faculty of Lovaine assembled â—n the Hall of the University the 30. of March and 26. of April 1653. hath judged and concluded that the doctrine of these XVII Proposiâ—ions is not to be suffered in the Practick and that the Superiours ought to employ their authority for the prevention thereof It is also the judgement of the same Faculty that the two advertisements subsequent thereto are to be seriously recommended to the Confessors Signed below by THEODORUS LYLVOLTIUS Dean in his own name and that oâ— all the other Doctors THE END The STATIONER to the Reader I had once resolv'd to close up the ADDITIONALS to the MYSTERY of IESVITISME with the solemn Censurâ— passed by the Theologal Faculty of Lovaine upon severall Propositions as confining my self to what I found in the Cologne-Edition of the PROVINCIALL LETTERS But the two following pieces coming so opportunely to hand and being of so much concernment to all the transactions between the IAN-Senists and the MOLINISTS it would have argued a neglect if not an envy of thy satisfaction to haue slipped the present occasion I had to file them up Besides the IESVITS for their vindication intending to put ouâ— THE APOLOGY FOR THE CASVISTS c. in English to which these are written by way of Answer they may prove an Antidote against the poyson intended the unwary world in that Master-piece of the SOCIETY R. R. FACTVM OR A REMONSTRANCE OF the Curez of Paris Against a Book intituled An Apology for the Casuists against the calumnies of the Jansenists Printed at Paris 1657. As also against those that have been the Authors Printers and dispersers of it THe cause we are engag'd in is that of Christian Morality Our adversaries are the Casuists who corrupt it The concernment we have therein is deriv'd from the tendernesse we ought to have for their consciences who are committed to our charge And the reason of our so earnest appearance against this late Libell is that the conâ—idence of these Casuists growing every day more and more insupportable â—nsomuch that it seems arriv'd to such a height as makes it incapable of addition we conceive our selves oblig'd to have recourse to the utmost remedies and to put up our complaints to all the Tribunals where we imagiâ—e we ought to do it so â—o proseâ—ute without any intermission the censure and condemnation of those pernicious Maâ—imes The better to satisfie the world of the justice of our preteâ—â—ions we need onely give â— naked representation of the whole diâ—ference as it lyes between â—s and an account of the carriage of thâ—se Casuists from the beginning of their enterprises to the publishing of this last â—ook of thâ—â—â—s which is indeed the consummation of all To the end that men having consider'd with what an excâ—sse of patâ—ente they have hitherto been tolâ—rated in â—heir pernicious dâ—signs against the Church may thâ—nce perâ—eive the necessity there is henceforward to proceed with the greatest rigour against them But we think our selves concern'd in the first plaâ—e to make â—ppear wâ—eâ—ein the venome of their mischievouâ—
for a man to have a plurality of prehendaries as he himself acknowledges quod l. 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—niuotur Theologi Theologis Iâ—rist 〈◊〉 Iâ—ristiâ— contraria senâ—ire He therefore puts 〈◊〉 to the question in his Quod. l. 8. arâ— 13. Whether this contrariety of opinions were a sufficient ground for a man to forbeare the having of more then one beâ—ause he could not do it without running himselfe into some danger of sinning Now according to this new mystery of Probability there was not the least occasion to make any such question it being evident that a man might with safety of conscience follow whether he thought good of the two opinions so authorised and that there were not the least danger of shining in either the one or the other But the Divinity of that Saint is far different from this latter and men were haply in his time ignorant of this so commodiouâ—â—n invention of complying with all the worldâ— A mâ—n saith he becomes guilty of â—inne twâ— manner of waiesâ— one by acting agâ—â—nst the Law of God the other by acting against hiâ— own Consciencâ— â— NOW THAT WHICH is DONE AGAINST THE LAW OF GOD is ALWAIES EUILL and is not to be â—xcused though it be according to a man's Conscience When thereâ—â—re therfore two conâ—rary opinions of the same thing is muâ—t necessarily bâ— that one is true and the other falseâ— and consequently either the opinion of those Doctors thaâ— maintainâ— iâ— to be â—â—lawfull to have severall prebends it true and if it be so he WHO ACTS CONTRARY TO THAT TRUE OPINION AND CONSEQUENTLY CONTRARY TO THE LAW OF GODâ— IS NOT TO BE EXEMPTED FROM SINNE THOUGH HE DO NOT THEREIN ACT AGAINST HIS CONSCIENCEâ— But if that opinion be false and thaâ— it were lawfull according to the 〈◊〉 of God to have a plurality of Prâ—bends he that should be perswaded of it should not sinne c. Now we are to represent to your honours that this erroneous confidencâ— in thâ— opinions of men though contrary to tâ—uth which iâ— so formally condemned by Sâ— Thomaâ— after the Fathers and according to the Scripture is now become the maine hindge upon which they pretend that all cases of Conscience ought to be turned about These late writers treat as ignorant all those that are not of their opinions â—GNORANTIAE INVIDENTI CONDOLEAS sayes Caramâ—â—l upon that occasion â—ay they are so far from any feare of the dreadfull consequences of this irreclaâ—meable liberty they take to reduce all things to the predicament of Probabilities â— that they â—onceive it to be an extraordinary service done the Church to multiply them as much as they can They out-vy one the other who shall invent most and the greateâ—t panegyricks they make one the other is grounded upon their introduction into the world of the greatest number of new probabilities I have a reverence sâ—ies Caramuel for the ingenuâ—â—y of the learned Diana He must needs be an envious person who does not acknowledge that by his iâ—dustry many opinions are grown probable which were not such before him and consequently that those who follow them sinne not though they had sinned before 'T is by the meanes of this infinite multitude oâ— different probable opinions whereof some are trueâ— others false that they so presumptâ—oâ—sly give out themselves that they have found severall wayes to go to heaven such as extreamly facilitate the salvation of mankind for that if there were no other then the path of Truth which is upon every point the same and indivisible men would find it too great a difficulâ—y to travell in it and one would be forced to jostle the other out of his way We cannot without horrour shame entertaine your honours with these extravaganâ—es but they are such only in their own principle since they are but too too formally inferred from it For if it be true that the Authority of these Casuists can make opinions probable and that it must be supposed that all probable opinions may safely be followed as to matter of conscience though they permit a man to do that which is evill in it selfe and conâ—rary to the eternall trâ—th they have very much reason to conclude thence that the whole Church is extremely obliged to them for that they have made Salvation a thing so easy for her children to attaine to by the multitude of probable opinions which they make it so much their boast that they have lately found out But do they not with all give us just ground to complaine with the learned and pious Guigues Generall of the Carthusians O Apostolâ—rum tempora infelicissima O viros illos ignorantiae tenebris involutos A omni miserâ—tione dignissimos â— quiâ—ut aâ—â— vitam pertingerenâ— propter verba labioruâ— Dei â—am dâ—râ—â— viâ—â— custodiebanâ— hac nostra compendia nesciebant O how unhappy were the Apostles in their times O how did those that lived then grope in deplorable darknesse How were they to be â—emoanâ—d that they were not acquainted with any other way to go to heaven then those rough and austere ones which were chalked thâ—m by the word of Godâ— and were ignorant of all these shifts and compendious methods of Probable opinions never found out till this age of ours We doubt not but your honours are sufficiently satisfyed of the strangenesse oâ— this doctrine in it selfe and to what dreâ—dfull extravagaâ—ces it may open a gap and give encouragement All errourâ— in matter of Morality are very dangerous because they corrupt the Judgement which discernes between good and evillâ— and is the originall of all actions But this principle of Probability is much more dangerous in so much that it may be called the generall poison of those enâ—eâ—â—med sources which communicates to them a particular infection far grâ—ater then that which they have of themsâ—lves For instance it must certainly be a dâ—mnable extravagance of opinion to maintaine â—s F. Amicus and Caramuelâ— do that men that havâ— devoted their selveâ— to a Religious kind of life and thereâ—ore with much moâ—â— reason those that are of the world may kill those that intend to calumniâ—te them But the feare of damnation for following these â—asuists might haply stop their hands who were inclin'd thereto if at the same time it were not demonstrated according to the generaâ—l doctrine of probability that of two probable opinâ—ons it is as sâ—se to follow one as the other aâ—d consequâ—ntlyâ— that there is as litle danger of offending God by kâ—llingâ— as there is in noâ— killing It were therefore but to little purpose for the Church to condemne the paâ—ticular â—allyes of Licentiousnesse which these late Câ—suisâ—â— are guilty of if your honours do not also take away thâ—â— rooâ— whence they all deâ—ivâ— life and growth All the â—cknowledgement they will make of your Censure shall be to confesse that your sentimentâ— are probable but that they hinder noâ— but thâ—t theirâ— are so tooâ— Of thiâ— evasion of theirâ— your honours hâ—vâ— dayly experiâ—nce in
their attempts against the Hierarchy â—or wheâ— tâ—ey would maintainâ— for insâ—â—â—ce that the Regulars of any Religiouâ— Ordeâ— â—ay witâ—â— saâ—e conscience mâ—ke use of those prâ—â—iledges whâ—â—◠〈◊〉 expressely â—evoâ—â—ed by the Councell of Trâ—nâ— â—haâ— having presented themselves before you though you had refused to approve them they have neverthelâ—â—â—â— â—â— defiance oâ— your Authority a power to heare Confessâ—onâ— and lastlyâ— that having been once â—pprov'd they cannot be aâ—terâ—â—â—ds revoked upon what do they ground all these so illegall pretentions◠〈…〉 Sanchâ—â— one Rodrigâ—â—â— â— one Villalobos one Portellus one Diana and others of the same moâ—tâ—ll which are much more then needs to make an opinion probable And if you should oppose your Decrees to the tâ—merity of these Casuisâ—â— all the advantage you shall make of it will be that you shall also make your opinion probableâ— your honours shall be cited aâ— Maintainers of the negative and Escobar shall discourse thus upon the whole Regulares POSSUNT ET NON POSSUNT in foro consâ—ientia suiâ— vti privilegisâ— quost sunâ— expresse pâ—r Tridenâ—inum revocataâ— Lib. 6â— Probl. 16â— p. 192. SUFFICIT ET NON SUFFICIT peâ—ere â—pprobationem uâ— Regularis si injustâ— ei denegâ—turâ— â—ensâ—aâ—ur jure approbatus Lib. 7. Probl. 30. pâ— 269. That is to say in a word some hold the affirmative others the Negative you may believeâ— and you may do what you thinke good your selfe Nor is it any more difficulty for your honours to imagine what confusion and what distâ—rbanceâ— this principle of Probability may ocâ—asion in the sâ—ate â— and what a bane it may prove to civill Societyâ— wheâ— it shall be joined with their other maxiâ—eâ—â— Pâ—â— the â—ases that Judges have any inclinationâ— to â—avour their Friends or to be revenged of their enemies what encouragement will they not find to pervert all justice with safety of conscience in this maxime of Escobar and foure other Casuiâ—ts namely That they are not obliged to follow the more probable opinionâ— but that they may give sentence for him who seeme to have lesse right of his sideâ— and whose 〈◊〉 is made good by lesse probable reasone In like manâ—eâ— if the people fall into an humour of Rebellion what pretences may they not find to colour their defection in that other maxime of the same Author viz That they may without any cause shâ—wne choose whether they will submit or no 〈◊〉 to â—he ordinances of their â—rinces though after a legall publication thereof If they have no mind to payâ— Taxes shall they ever be to seek for a lawfull excuse to be exempted since that to effect it there needs no more according to these Casuists then a litle probability even though they cannot deny but that their Prince hath as much if not more reason to impose a Contribution upon them then they have to deny the payment thereof But we shall noâ— trouble your honours with any more as to that point Whaâ— we have and might say of it we think two horrid to expresse We have only said a word or too at the beginning of our Extract of Probability which is enough to satisâ—y all those who have any affection for their Princeâ— aâ— God obligeâ— them to have oâ— what consequence this doctrine is and how likely it is to receive â—n such emergenciesâ— as cannot be foresâ—ene but ought alwayes to be feared the detestable maximes of a great number of these Caâ—uists contrary to the saâ—ety of their persons and the soveraigne power which they derive onely from God himselfe They may seeme to be suppâ—essed buâ— they will never be absolutely extinguished while they flatter men with an assurance that they do not sinne when they follow these lâ—te Authors and that even when what they teach is in effect contraryâ— to the Law of God These things well considered who cannot 〈◊〉 admire the strange confidence of some persons who would have the complaints we have put up to your honours against these seditious maximes to be looked on no otherwise then as an attempt prejudiciall to â—he well fare of the state But our comfort is that those who make it their businesse with so much zeale to promote the security and aggâ—andization thereof are but too well assured of our perâ—ect and inviolable fidelity thereto ever to give any entertainment to those bad impressions which some would have raised in them of us It is well knowne that in the Assemblâ—es where we are wont to meet and which are authorised not only by the custome and approbation of our Arch-Bishops but also by the Letters which it hath pleased his Majesty to send us to that purpose there is not the least discourse had concerning the publick affaires no our employment is about other things Our thoughts are taken up only with the concernments of our Parishes and the spirituall good of the Soules committed to our charge because that is the maine designe of our Functions Nor is it any other interest then that of those Soules so precious in the account of â—ESUS CHRIST that obliges us to addresse our selves to your honours to beseech you by the exercise of your Authority to prevent the further establishment of these strange corruptions now so much in vogue to the dishonour of Câ—tholicks and the scandall of hereticks The Censure you shall passe upon them must needâ— be of extraordinay advantage to the Church â—â—y even to those that are the mâ—intainers and publishers of them for if they acknowledge and submit to your Decrees they will retâ—rne into the way of Tâ—â—th out of which they had so strangely wandredâ— and if they oppose them as it is their ordinary course to do it will be with this disadvantage to them that they shall lose that erroneous beliefe whence they derive a power to deceive Souâ—es and which is as well in regard of themselves as of others of all misfortunes the most deplorable How ere it happen you will deliver your own souleâ— according to the â—angâ—â—ge of the Scripâ—â—re and the sentence of publick condemnation which you shall passe upon these pernicious opinions shall prove your vindication before the tribunall of JESUS CHRIST who will require a strict account of the Pastors of his Church for all the abuses and all the disorders which they shall not have endeavoured to suppresse But for our parts who are only called to the participation of a small glimpse of that power whereof your honours shine in the meridiâ—n lustre all that it lyes in our power to do is to let you know how earnestly we disire and pray for the reestablishment of Christian Mortality in its purenesse and perfection and by crying down these unhappy maximes among the people committed to our charge preserve neverthelesse union and peace even with those that maintaine them according to these excellent words of St. Augustine Quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigeâ—e non potest salvo paciâ— vâ—nculo excludit vel quod salvo pacis
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
a Priest who should every day say the Office proper to Easter without any reason for so doing should be guilty only of a veniall sinne and that if he had any reason to do so he should not sinne at all Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 520. XXXVII That he who hath a will to commit all the veniall sinnes that are doth not sinne mortally Granados Diana Mucha cited by Escobar Theol. Moral l. 3. p. 83. XXXVIII That it is a scruple very much to be blamed for a man to say in his Confession that he hath committed a fault being satisfied in himselfe that he did ill Bauny tr 4. de Poenit. q. 15. p. 138. XXXIX That it is no injury done to the paternall power a man hath over his children for another to perswade his daughter to run away with him in order to a clandestine marriage against her Fathers consent Bauny Theol. Moral tr 12. de impedimento rapiûs p. 721. XL. That it is probable by Authority and certaine in reason that a husband may without any sinne kill his wife surprised in Adultery and a Father his daughter And that the Lawes of the Church which condemne that action oblige only Ecclesiasticks who cannot have wives or daughters and not secular persons Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 737. XLI That it is lawfull for a man in order to the preservation of his voice to make himselfe an Eunuch contrary to all civill and canonicall Lawes which expressely forbid it What good opinions these Casuists have one of another Caramuel Theol. Fundam p. 555. and 556. XLII That if an Jnfidell find any thing of probability in his own false Religion he is not obliged to embrace the Christiâ—n Faith proposed to him though he find himselfe more inclined to believe the latter unlesse it be at the point of death according to some nay he â—s not obliged even at the point of death according to others Thomas Sanchez Sancius and Diana cited by Escobar Theol. Moral p. â—9 XLIII That there is no necessity that a man ready to dy should in order to the receiving of the remission of his â—iâ—nes of God have a true desire to reforme his liâ—e if God should spare it him a while and that he may obtaine it by the absolution of the Priest though he be in such a disposition as to matter of repentance that if he were but confident he should live any longer he would neither confesse noâ— quit his sinneâ— at all Pâ—â—rus Mâ—châ—el de San Roman Jesuâ—t Expediâ— spirâ—â—ualium Sociâ—â— Iesu. l. 3. câ— 7. p. 78. A LETTER Written by the Reverend Father in God IAMES BOONEN Arch-Bishop of Maechlin To their Eminences the Cardiâ—als of the Inquisition at Rome to whom the Iesuits had appealed from his Ordinances Faithfully translated out of the Latine into French and out of French into English ARGUMENT Complaint being made to the Arch-Bishop of Maechlin of the remisness of certain Confessors he causeth an Extract to be madâ— of certain Arâ—icles or Propositions maintained and practised by some which who would not renounce the practise of were not to be admitted to hear Confessions The Jesuits not oâ—ly dispute but mâ—intain them whereupon they are denied approbation they appeal to the Cardinals of the Inquisition at Rome who write to the said Arch-Bishop to approve them which gave occasion of the ensuing LETTER MAY IT PLEASE YOVR EMINENCES ON the 21. of May came to my hands the Letter which your sacred Congregation was pleased to write to me of the 18. of April whereby you give me to understand thâ—t desirous to satiâ—fie in some measure the Rector of the Iesuiâ—s Colledge at Louuaine which is within this Diocess you have thought fit to enjoyn me not to deny such Priests of that Colledge as shall have been examined and approved a permission to hear the confessions of secular persons unless it were that meeting with any thing I should be troubled at in so doing I did within three moneths represent unto your sacred Congregation the just causes that hindred me from granting that permission in which case if I neglect to give you satisfaction some other Bishop should be empowered to examine and approve them This your Eminences may well imagine must needs be no small affliction to me nay that I cannot but be much more troubled at it then I am well able to express since that being come to the extremities of old age and upon the point of my departure hence to go and give an account to the supream Judge of my administration I finde that not only the world is already full of malice but also that it degenerates dayly more and more into wickedness because charity waxeth cold Desirous to finde out some reason thereof I have often both observed it my self and have it from the information and judgement of several persons whose integrity zeal experience and learning I am well satisfied of that the principal cause of this deplorable degeneration and disorder proceeds from the over indulgence of many confessours who are ready enough to open trap-doors to let men into dissolution and Libertinisme taking for security â—or their so doing some new opinions of certain divines who instead of measuring their proceedings by the practise of Evangelical Truths and the rules of good life which have been left us by the holy Fathers make it their main business to finde out new excuses to confirm those which sinners themselves are wont to alledge to palliate their sins and to cover with the cloak of Probability the ignominy and shamefulness of their crimes It is of such persons as these that the Prophet Ezechiel hath said in the Scripture Wo unto thosâ— that sow cushions under the elbows of men and lay pillows under their heads that they might deceive them These perniâ—ious extravagances are now come to that heighâ— that â—here were requisite not a Letter but whole volumes if a man should make but a simple extract out of some of their books and practises of all those unheardâ— of paradoxes whereby they at this day elude the precepts of the Church concerning the observation of Fasting Fesâ—ival dayes and the recitation of the Canonical Hours whereby they palliate Simonies private Revenges Lyes and Perjuries whereby they eâ—eâ—vate and bring in a manner to nothing the obligation which lies upon men to avoid the occasions of falling into sin and in fine those paradoxes whereby they expose to an evident danger of nullity the efficaciousness and power of the Sacraments Now as it is in a manner natural to men to approve those dissolute maximes which any way flatter their irregular apprehensions so must it needs happen that those who are the Authors thereof taking it for granted by the easie entertainment they meet with in the world that they had done a very considerable service therein cannot but presumptuouâ—ly imagine in themselves that they dayly more and more enlarge the way to Heaven by the means of their Probability that is to say
l. 31. r. Lawfull p. 103. l. 18. dele that p. 106. l. 35. for of r. by p. 112. l. 2. for to r. in p. 116. l. 34. for them r. then p. 127. l. penult r. shop p. 134. l. 1â—â—or the r. their Books written by D. Hammond A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New-Testament by H. Hamond D. D. in fol. the second Edition now in the Presse 2. The Practicall Catâ—chisme with all other English Treatises in two volumes in 4. 3. Dissertationes quatuor quibus Episcopaâ—us Iura ex S. Scripturis Primâ—va Antiquitate adstruuntur conâ—ra sententiam D. Blondelli aliorum in 4. 4. A Letter of Resolution of six Queries in 12. 5. Oâ— Schisme A defence of the Church of England against the exceptions of the Romanists in 12. 6. Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to practice in 12. 7. Paranesis or a seasonable exhortation to all true sons of the Church of England in 12. 8. A Collection of severall Replies and Vindâ—cationâ— Published of late most of them in defence of the Church of England now put together in three Volumes Newly published in 4. 9. A Review or the Paraphrase and Annotations on all the Books of the New-Testament with some additions and alterations in 8. Books and Sermons written by Jer. Taylor D. D. ENlaâ—â—os A Course of Sermonâ— for all the Sundayes of the Year together with a discourse of the Divine Institution Necessity Sacrednesse and Separation of the Office Ministeriall in fol. 2. The history of the Life and Death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ third Edition in fol. 3. The Rule and Exercises of holy living in 12. 4. The Rule and Exercises of holy dying in 12. 5. The Golden Grove or A Manuall of daily Prayers fitted to the dayes of the week together with a short Method of Peace and Holiness in 12. 6. The Doctrine and Practice of Repentance rescued from popular Errours in a largâ— 8. Newly published 7. A Collection of Polemicall and Morall discourses in fol. 8. A Discourse of the Nature Offices and Measure of Friendship in 12. New 9. A Collection of Offices or forms of prayer fitted to the needâ— of all Christians together with the Psalter or Psalms of â—â—â—id after the Kings Translations in a large octavo newly published Books written by Mr. Tho. Pierce Rector of Brington THe Sinner impleaded in his own Court wherein are represented the great discourâ—gements from sinning which the Sinner receiveth from Sin it self 2. Correct Copy of some notes concerning Gods Decrees especiallâ— oâ— Reprobation The third Edition with some Additionals in 4. 3. The Divine Philanthropie defended iâ— answer to Mr. Barlee in 4.2 Edition 4. The Self revenger to which is added an appendage touching the judgement of the late L. Primate of Armagh in 4. new 5. The Divine Purity defended in answer to Dr. Reynolds in 4. new 6. The Self-Revenger exemplified by Mr. William Barlee To which is added an Appendage touching the judgement of the right Honourable and right Reverend Father in God Iames Lord Primate of Armagh and Metropolitan of Ireland irrefragably attested by the certificates of Dr. Walton Mr. Thorndicke and Mr. Gunning sent in a Letter to Doctor Bernard The Law of Laws or the excellency of the Civil Law above all other humane Laws whatsoever shewing of how great use and necessity the Civil Law is to this Nation By Robert Wiseman Dr. of the Civil Law Sold by R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane The Grand conspiracy by Master Iohn Challington in 12. The History of the Church of Scotlâ—nd by Dr. Spâ—tishwood Archbishop of S. Andrews in fol. Etymologicum parvum in 8. by Mr. Gregory School-Master of Westminster The contemplation of heaven with a descant on the prayer in the garden in 12. The Magistrates Authority a Sermon by Master Lyford in 4. The Quakers wild questions objected against the Ministers of the Gospel by Master Richard Sherlock in 4. The Communicants Guide by Master Grove in 8. The Plain mans sense exercised by Master William Lyford in 4. Anglicisms Sattiniz'd by Mr. Willis in 8. The persecuted Minister written by Master Langly in 4. Lyfords Legacy in 12. The Catechism of the Church of England paraphrased by Richard Sherlock 2. Edition An Apology for the Ministery by William Lyford The Examination of Tilenus before the Triers in Vtopia in 12. newly published The end of the Catalogue