next as more remote and all the principles thereof c. Hence Jansenius passeth on to shew how many waies the precepts of God may be said to be possible §. 19. How many waies the Precepts of God may be said to be possible and useful without sufficient Grace without asserting such a sufficient Grace So Tom. 3. de Grat. lib. 3. cap. 15 c. That the Possibilitie of Gods commands on which the Libertie of Will and the Reason of sin depends may be more fully explicated it must be observed how many wayes a man may be said to be able c. 1. Most remotely by the flexibilitie of human libertie 2. Somewhat more nearly by faith and love 3. But most compleatly by the Assistance of actual Grace This complete power which actual Grace gives is alwaies joined and that inseparably with an actual will Thus therefore the precepts of God are possible 1. To the just by faith and love 2. To unbelievers by virtue of the flexibilitie of natural libertie neither does the suspension of actual Grace at all excuse their moral impotence of observing the Precepts because this impotence is not antecedent but consequent and voluntary arising from the perverse disposition of the will which by how much the more fixed 't is by so much the more inexcusable 't is so far is it from excusing sin Then cap. 17. Jansenius proves that these Divine Precepts are very useful though impossible to be kept by unbelievers without the vain figment of sufficient Grace and that 1. To discover mens dutie 2. To discover their infirmitie 3. To render them inexcusable 4. As a medium of judicial hardnes 5. But especially as to the Elect these Precepts and Exhortations are useful 1. To teach them 〈◊〉 infirmitie their blindnes and hardnes 〈◊〉 heart c. 2. To make them of 〈◊〉 misse and humble spirits willing to 〈◊〉 saved in Gods way and on termes 〈◊〉 free Grace God commands a duâ—â— beyond our strength thereby to driâ—â— us out of our selves to Christ. 3. Toâ—gether with the Word of Precept 〈◊〉 gives out a word of Power c. Jansenius having discoursed of 〈◊〉 Nature and Necessitie of Efficacious Graâ— he proceeds to treat of the several kinâ— thereof §. 20. The distribution of Grace into Praeventing subsequent operant cooperant excitant adjuvant Thus Tom. 3. lib. 4. de Grâ— cap. 12. to the 19th where having giveâ— the sentiments of Suarez and Vasqueâ— and their defects herein he laies doâ— a division of his own conformable 〈◊〉 the mind of Austin and so distributâ—â— Grace 1. Into Praevenient and subsequeâ— Which names saies he are respeâ—ctive whose terme is not Grace 〈◊〉 though one Grace did precede thâ— other but the acts of the Will Foâ— Grace is said to be praevenient becausâ— it prevents every good motion of thâ— will and subsequent as it follows thâ— foregoing good motion This division had its rise not from the Metaphysick Speculation of the latter Scholemen but from that famous Pelagian Controversie Whether the Will begins the first good moâ—ion so as that Grace follows the good â—otion of the will or whether on the â—â—â—trary Grace praecedes c. Hence Grace operant is the same with praeveâ—ient and Grace co-operant the same with â—bsequent Hence also Grace excitant is â—iled that which begins the first good â—otion in the will and Grace adjuvant is â—hat which assists any good already beâ—un in the will c. Jansenius having finisht his Discourse 〈◊〉 Medicinal Efficacious Grace §. 21. An Virtue consists in love to Goâ— he proâ—eeds to the effect thereof namely to â—irtue which he makes to consist radiâ—ally and principally in Love to God So â—om 3. de Grat. lib. 5. cap. 3 c. Austin saies he teacheth us that the virtue of a Rational creature is no other than love to God Which Doctrine indeed seems very exotick to the Sectators of Aristotles Morals but yet if it be duely weighed it will be found to be most true For mans chiefest gooâ— and virtue consists in adhering to God which is done by love Virtue is nothing else but a rectified will Hencâ— he proves that all the Cardinal Virtueâ— Prudence Temperâ—â—ce Justice Fortitude yea those which they terme supernatural as Faith and Hope have 〈◊〉 their original from Love to God Henâ— also he proves cap. 9. 10. That love 〈◊〉 concupiscence which refers all to self 〈◊〉 respect of God is vitious yet 't is not repugnant to love to God to have an eâ— on the reward for love to God for himself is the only reward of our love to God i. e. consummate love to God is the only reward of our present inchoate love to God Hence Jansenius passeth on to treat of the fear of Hell §. 22. Of 〈◊〉 fear oâ— Hell its causes effects c. its causes properties and effects So Tom. 3. de Grat lib. 5. cap. 21. c. where he shews that the fear of Hell considered in its self is lawfull and profitable because it is an avoiding of evil yea it may be subordinate to our last end And whereas some stick or acquiesce in this fear as 〈◊〉 the term or center this is the fault 〈◊〉 him that fears not of the fear He â—en distinguisheth 'twixt ordinate and â—ordinate fear of Hell Ordinate is that whereby the fault is more feared than the punishment inordinate when the punishment is feared more than the fault which some call servile fear Thence he leads us to the Spring-head of this fear of Hell shewing how it springs not from a spirit of Adoption which inspires coelestial suavities into the heart but from the spirit of bondage or a certain general Grace of of God Yet addes he this fear of Hell is attributed to the Grace of God because 1. It proceeds from a Legal faith of Gods Eternal Judgement which is a gift of God 2. God followes this apprehension of future Judgement with comminations threats and commotions of Conscience c. 3. God works this fear by softening the heart and that either by the immission of temporal tribulations or by the ablation of carnal delights which harden Conscience Thence he shews cap. 25. that this fear of Hell is not from the special grace of Christ 1. Because it produceth a Legal Righteousness 2. It does not sever the heart from sin because the sinner flies not from sin but from punishment he abhors sin not as sin but as dolorifick or painfull there remains still in such a depraved will which is chained by fear of Hell but not mortified or extinguisht Hence cap. 35. he proceeds to Explicate the good effects of this legal fear in order to a thorough conversion and so he concludes that this servile fear of hell as 't is fear so 't is good but as servile so 't is evil Jansenius having discoursed at large of medicinal Grace §. 23. Of Free-will its nature c. its nature and effects he returns again to the
THE TRUE IDEA OF Jansenisme BOTH HISTORICK AND DOGMATICK By T. G. LONDON Printed for E. Calvert at the West End of St. Pauls and G. Widdows at the Maiden-Head in Aldersgate-Street 1669. THE PREFACE Christian Reader THERE is not any thing which those of the Roman Church do more commonly and constantly boast of as there are many things which they boast of to little purpose and with less truth than the Vnity and Agreement in Doctrines which they have among themselves and the most superlatively excellent way that they enjoy for the preservation and continuance thereof This Story wit◠a tragical exaggeration of differences amongst Protestants serves constantly to fill up many Pages in their Writings and is the principal subject of their Popular Declamations where they have opportunity to vent them And they have told this Tale so often that many of them especially those of the common sort seem to believe it Verùm ad Populum phaleras Those who are wise amongst them cannot but know the vanity and falshood of this pretence It hath been already demonstrated and may be again if need require that there is not one point in which they differ from Protestants wherein they are agreed among themselves However it cannot be denyed but that they industriously improve all imaginable artifices to conceal at least to give a colourable pretence unto their intestine wranglings and debates being herein as to their design wiser than the children of Light though the means whereby they pursue it are remote enough both from wisdom and honesty Where different Opinions and contradictory Assertions have already been vented and have firmed their station in the Writings of the Doctors of their Church as multitudes have done and that in and about Articles of great importance they are ready with their Plea that these differences as managed by their Catholick Masters are not of Faith or do not impugn it which way soever they are determined As though the Faith of their Church were comprehensive of gross contradictions in and about the principal Articles of Religion and those some of them such as that for Opinions of less importance they are ready to brand others for Hereticks and to endeavour their extirpation from the face of the earth This is the whole of what can be pretended for what is past and therefore remediless How destitute of truth and modesty their plea herein is hath been declared by many If any single Person or lesser number of Men among them begin at any time to apprehend and divulge sentiments different from what is generally received unless it be to make some advance in the furtherance and promotion of their own Secular Interest and advantages as all the late inventions and bold attempts of the Jesuits both in their Mystical and Moral Divinity openly and plainly do they have wayes in readiness to cast them and their Opinions out of all notice and consideration where they must lye untill the Earth give up its dead and disclose the bloud that is secretly poured into its womb They seem indeed at present signally resolved to obviate all progression in Opinions true or false unless they have a direct tendency to the establishment or adoreing of their Papal Omnipotency and the increase of their own Interest in the Consciences and over the outward concerns of men And herein are they so blindly zealous as to endeavour at this day to fix and gild the Weather-Cock of Papal Personal Infallibility yea in matters of Fact on the top of that Tower the visible rottenness of whose Foundations threatens them with a downfall every moment Some of their present differences as was observed they know are fixed beyond all possibility of reconciliation or hopes of removal Such are those contradictory Opinions which are the inseparable adjuncts of some of their Religious Orders which as they more and more discover themselves to be irreconcileable so the relinquishment of any of them by their respective Assertors is so remote from all expectation that an Age scarce produceth an Instance of any one individual Person renouncing the Opinions of his own and entertaining those of another Order and if any such should be found he would be looked upon as a Fugitive if not an Apostate The sense I confess of these differences seems to be taken from them by their commonness and certainty It passes for granted amongst them that in some things wherein both sides esteem Religion deeply concerned the Jesuits must be of one Opinion and the Dominicans must be of another so must it be in other matters between the Dominicans and Franciscans the Hildebrandine Jesuits and the Sorbonists also They must believe contradictory assertions and propositions in Religion and write and preach contradictions and confute the Opinions of one another and on that account endlesly pursue mutual feuds and quarrels among themselves and yet they are all at perfect agreement But the relief herein is that these Orders being confirmed and established all of them by the Pope let them differ and contend whilst they please so they fall not into excesses evidently beyond the tedder of former strifes their contentions are to pass for agreements and a part of that unity of Faith which they boast in But yet notwithstanding all palliating pretences and the use of their utmost diligence their differences sometimes arise to such an height being animated with strong and vigorous spirits as if forcibly shut up too long may threaten thei◠whole Church State with an Earthquake that they are necessitated t◠forego their ordinary Artifices an◠Excuses and to bring their batta◠ad Triarios by venturing to seek fo◠relief from the Papal See This usually is done by one of the Parties litigant yet not untill they find o◠the one hand their own weakness◠or that of their cause not to b◠maintained against the impression◠of their Adversaries and on th◠other are sufficiently prepared to manifest that upon the consideration of the Persons engaged of th◠state of all things in the places where the Controversies are agitated and the Opinions themselves whose confirmation they endeavour that the determination of the points in difference according to their desire is not only suitable unto and compliant with the present Interest of the See and Court of Rome but lyes also in a handsome tendency to the enlargement of its Authority and Reputation little or no danger being to be feared from the dis-satisfactions of the Adverse Party These are the things which upon any such address the Court of Rome doth heedfully and scrupulously enquire into Nor will it engage towards a decision of any controverted points untill it hath received full and ample satisfaction that the determination of them hath an evident consistency with its honour interest and advantage Vntill it can come to a Resolution herein a thousand tergiversations delayes pretences of avocation and diversions by more important occasions difficulties about the things themselves shall be pretended and pleaded In the
Sovereintie and Efficacie of Divinâ— Grace with other Articles appendenâ— thereto In so much that at last theâ— were 78. Propositions collected out of 〈◊〉 works which tending to the Advancâ— of Free Grace and Degrading of Frâ— Will were condemned by a Bull 〈◊〉 Pius 5th an 1570. and afterward by aâ—nother Bull of Gregorie 13th an 157â— And moreover Francis Tolet the Jesuitâ— was sent by the said Pope to Louvain 〈◊〉 settle the Vniversitie by whose endeaâ—vors Michael Baius was induced to râ—â—tract and that by a solemne recantatioâ— the said condemned Propositions yet so as that he still continued his privatâ— persuasions touching the same whicâ— he ceased not to infuse into the Spirit of his Disciples c. Cornelius Janseniâ— as 't is said received the first impression of his Doctrine touching â—fficaciouâ— Grace from Jac. Jansonius an Adherent of this Baius who is thence made to be the first Founder of Jansenisme Concerning Baius's 78. Propositions for the Vindication of Efficacious Grace and the corruption of Human Nature and their symbolization with Jansenius his Doctrine See Lud. Bail Articul de Grat. Part. 1 Art 1. c. The immediate Parent of Jansenisme was Cornelius Jansenius Bishop of Ipre in the Low Countries borne at Leerdam §. 3. Cornelius Jansenius his Original and formation of Jansenisme an obscure Town amongst the Dutch who having spent his first studies in Humanitie at Vtrecht acquired his Philosophie and Theologie at Louvain from Jacobus Jansonius a stiffe defender of Baius's opinions Cornelius Jansenius having been throughly principled with Baius's Principles at Louvain he was made Moderator of the College of Baion where having contracted a friendship with John Vergerius then Canon of Baion and afterward Abbot of San Cyran they enter into a strict Confederation for the confirming and propagating the revived Doctrine of Efficacious Grace now called Jansenisme Jansenius returning again to Louvain was made Prefect of S. Pulchers College and soon after Professor for the explication of the Sacred Scriptures Abouâ— which time also he writ a Book stiled Mars Gallicus in favor of the Spanish Interest which they say was the ground of his being preferred to the Bishoprick of Ipre He writ also three Books containing the bodie of Jansenisme collected out of Austins works wherein he was incomparably verst For as 't is said he read over the whole of Austin ten times and his Books of Grace thirty times And indeed his design seems to be no other than that of Austin for the depressing of Corrupt Nature and advancing of efficacious Grace whence he stiles his Book Augustinus which he thought not meet to publish in his life time but left it to his followers dying as his adversaries avouch of the Plague in the fifty eighth year of his Age greatly esteemed and beloved by the more serious Papists The great imputation the Jesuits cast upon Jansenius is his symbolizing with Calvin wherefore to purge himself he writ with some sharpnes against the Presbyterian Discipline which Voctius has answered in his Desperata Causa Papatus His adversaries say * Les Provinciales lettres let 16. pag. 32. Edit Coloâ— 1657. it is a most certain truth that for the hatching of Jansenisme the Port Royal a Covent in Paris formed a Cabal in private for thirty years space whereof John Vergerius Abbot of San Cyran and Corn. Jansenius Bishop of Ipre were the Heads And it is apparent that Jansenius had a very great assâ—stance for the forming and perfecting of his Augustine perswasions from San Cyran These having brought their design to some ripenes began to publish their opinions first at Paris about 1637. both in Latin and French thereby to awaken and inâ—orme not only the learned but also Vulgar Capacities wherein they proved very successful for in some few years a great part of France as well Ecclesiasticks as others was levened with Jansenisme In the Preface to Jansenius's works we find this account of him Cornelius Jansenius was borne an 1585. at Leerdam a small Town of the Netherlands When he entered on the Studie of Theologie he was brought into the Câ—â—lege of Adrian 6. at Louvain by Jaâ— Jansonius the Moderator After sharpe aâ— assiduous studies for some years he 〈◊〉 into a consumtion and danger of his lifâ— whence by the advice of Physicians 〈◊〉 purposed for change of Air to go inâ—â— France He first went to Paris wheâ— he instructed some youth He thenâ— went into Cantabria now called Biscaâ— in Spain where by conversation wiâ— learned men and familiar communicâ—â—tion of Studies he made great Progrâ— in the understanding of the Fatherâ— especially of St. Austin Being afterwards recalled to Louvaiâ— he was made Prefect of S. Pulchers Coâ—â—lege which he greatly adorned and aâ—â—vanced Afterwards finding the care 〈◊〉 youth to hinder his studies he retired 〈◊〉 a private life admitting only the societâ— of a familiar Doctor He thence was calâ—led to be Regius Professor of the Sacreâ— Scriptures which he performed witâ— great learning and profit as it appeaâ— by his Commentaries But his Magnanimitie appeared most after his being made Bishop of Ipre in his Meditation and attemts to Reforme the Bishoprick which undoubtedly he had perfected had not he been taken away by a contagious death with in one years space after his being Bishop an 1638. He was of a most sharpe acute ingenie a most profound judgement and capacious memorie He had somewhat of a subtile Choler which he was wont pleasantly to compare to cornes of Gunpowder which in one and the same moment are inflamed and expired To these endowments of Nature he added an immense desire of Truth and Indefatigable Studie Being asked by a companion what Attribute of God he most adored he answered his Truth In the beginning of his Theologick Studies he mixed with the Scholemen the Lecture of the Fathers especially of S. Austin whence he learnt how much the Scholemen erred from Austin in the head points of Grace and Free Will. He told his familiars he had read Austin's Works diligently ten times over and has Books against the Pelagians thirty times He said that next to God and the Scriptures Aâ—stin was to him instar omnium He strugled for many years with 〈◊〉 old opinions before he could reach thâ— intimate sense of S. Austin He said 〈◊〉 depended upon that one first principlâ—â—â—ouching Grace And he added therâ— could be no truly spiritual life formedâ— but according to this Doctrine of Gracâ— taught by Austin and that Christian huâ—â—militie was in a more particular regarâ— founded hereon Whence he oft consulted souls spiritual and truly humble touching their sentiments of Divine Adjutorie the infirmitie of Free Will and the necessitie of Divine assistance to every good Act. He affirmed that no one could be truly humble without the like Opinions of Divine Grace He ended the last period of his Book with his life as though he had been borne for that design He was not superstitious or scrupulous but burned with masculine pietie
France §. 16. An. 1662. Endeavors foâ— Accommodation 'twixt the Jansenists and Molinists and the Pope the Molinists begin to incline to terms of accommodement with the Jansenists neither were there wanting some moderate Bishops well-wishers to the Jansenists who were very zelous in the prosecution of this design who also received a Commission from the King to transact this affair and bring it to some issue The Prelats who had part in this Conference were Mr. the Bishop of Comenge Mr. the Archbishop of Paris and Mr. the Bishop of Laon. The Agents in behalf of the Jansenists who named themselves the Disciples of St. Austin were the Sieurs de Lalane Girard c. Arnauld the Head of the Jansenists refused to ingage in this Conference as 't is conjectured from a Prâ—vision he had of its little successe In the behalf of the Molinists there appeared none but P. Ferrier the Jesuit who was notwithstanding as 't is said influenced and acted by his Chronie P. Annat on whom the whole societie of the Jesuits repose the main stresse of their designs and affairs against Jansenisme The chief of the Prelats that were Mediators in this Treatie was Monsieur de Comenge who sent from Tolouze a writing thus titled A Project for Accommodement between those whom we call Jansenists Against Signature and Formularie and those who are named Molinists debated betwixt the Bishop de Comenge and P. Ferrier the Jesuit The chief point this Project or Writing contained in favor of the Jansenists was that it should not be exacted from them any signature touching the matter of fact viz. Refutat dâ— P. Ferrier chap. 2. p. 13. whether these five Propositions were in Jansenius and condemned in his sense nor yet touching the formularie but only a respectuous silence For the Jansenists would not engage in this Treatie of Accommodement till there was a Promise given them that they would not speak either of signature or of formularie and moreover that the peace of the Church should not be made to depend on a question of Fact This Preliminary Article which the Molinists yielded unto gave the Jansenists after the Treatie was broken off great occasion of scandal In that say they this whole Treatie was on their part viz. the Jesuits no other than one continued perfidie seeing that they have since avowed that they alwaies meant they should condemne the sense of Jansenius that is to say that they should acknowledge that the Doctrine condemned in the five Propositions had been taught by Jansenius This direction of the intention or mental reservation in the Molinists made the Jansenists accuse them of Collusion c. This Treatie began about February 18. §. 17. 1663. New Stile That which was first proposed by the Bishop of Comenge Refut de P. Ferrier cap. 6. as the most proper expedient to reconcile the two parties was that the Jansenists to free themselves from all suspicion should declare That they had no other sentiment about this matter save what was taught by the Thomists The main Article required of the Jansenists is that they conform to the Thomists But inasmuch as there is a difference amongst the Thomists and that for example the manner of speech used by Gregory Ariminensis Estius and many others is different from that of Alvarez the Molinists demanded that the Jansenists should reduce themselves to the forme of speech used by Alvarez and others who writ according to his sentiment And the reason they alleaged of their demand was that Alvarez having assisted at the Congregations de Auxiliis there is a grand apparence that he and those others who writ at the same time and since took up this mode of speech to salve Libertie according to the movements and sentiments which the Popes Clement 8. and Paul 5th had albeit they made no Decree on this matter It was added that if the Jansenists would determine in this all contestations would end because the opinion of these Thomists being taught as Orthodox there remained not betwixt the Jansenists and the Molinists any more than the Contestation which has for a long time been between the Sâ—hole of the Dominicans and that of the Jesuits which has not made any rupture of communion nor yet of charitie between these two Orders And in this their hearts would be entirely reunited albeit their Scholes were not The Jansenists answer to this Proposition contained these two parts §. 18. The Jansenists Reply touching their conformity to the Thomists 1. That they had refused and that not without reason to tie themselves up generally by a publick engagement to all the expressions of Alvarez because he was not the rule of the Church or measure of their faith Yea many famous Divines and entire Faculties as those of Lovain and Doway serve not themselves of all his expressions 2. The other part of their replie was a Declaration at the same time that there was in the explication of their sentiments which they were disposed to give on the five Propositions that which was conforme not only to the Doctrine but also to the expressions of these New Thomists The Disciples of St. Austin adde they have alwaies said Refutat du P. Ferrier cap. 6. that the Doctrine of Jansenius on the five Propositions seemed not to them different from that of the Thomists And farther to vindicate Jansenius from the imputation cast upon him touching his opposition to the Thomists they adde 1. That the design of Jansenius was not directly to render himself conforme to the Thomists 2. That yet in the chief of those points wherein the error of Jansenius is made to consist his Doctrine is not only by consequence but formally conforme to that of the Thomists 3. That the most part of those general and indefinite Propositions by reason of which they would fain perswade the world that Jansenius was opposite to the Thomists he himself in other parts of his Book does so restrain and limit as that 't is evident he intended nothing lesse than Non-conformitie to the Thomists And whereas it might be objected that the Author des Lettres au Provincial which is called the Mysterie of Jesuitisme in his second Letter complains sadly against the Thomists for not publishing fully what they understood by sufficient Grace the answer hereunto is That the said ingenious Author used and that not without reason somewhat more than ordinary warmth and indignation against some particular persons of the Order of S. Dominick who being joined to the Molinists by a Spirit of Cabal and of faction served themselves of the equivocate term of Sufficient Grace thereby to deceive the world as though they were agreed In fine the Jansenists declared That the Doctrine of Jansenius touching the five Propositions seemed to them nothing different from that of the Thomists and to give a specimen hereof they instanced in the point of Efficacious Grace which said they as it is explicated by the defenders of