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
who have not taken notice of the discourses and reports concerning Jansenisme from the Neighbour Kingdom of France To some it may be it is a murmur which they know not well what to make of nor what is intended by it Others in general conceive it to be an expression of some differences in Religion but of what nature importance or tendency how or by whom agitated or maintained they know not But whereas it comes under a double consideration there are two sorts of Persons who judge themselves concerned to obtain an acquaintance with it For it is not only considerable as a Controversie in Religion on which account contemplative persons or men of Learning professing the Truth of the Gospel esteem themselves obliged to inquire into it to the utmost but also as it hath an influence into the Civil affairs of that Kingdom and may have so into those of the whole Papal World in which respect men that are or should be Politically wise and Counsellors do suppose that the knowledge of the true state of it is not to be neglected by them But certain it is that hitherto neither of these sorts could in any competent measure attain their ends without such an expence of time pains and diligence as very few have either will leisure or ability to be at For as the Theological part of this Controversie is by thâ— industry of engaged persons diffuseâ— through Writings and Books man of them bulkie and voluminous almost innumerable the greateâ— number of them written in the Frencâ— Tongue whereunto the generality 〈◊〉 Scholars amongst us are strangersâ— that very few have been able 〈◊〉 make that accurate enquiry inâ—â— them as is necessary to give a juâ— comprehension of the whole matteâ— under debate so the Political transâ—actions wherein it hath been conâ—cerned having been in the Court of Princes forreign and remote from us in Assemblies of Prelates in Aâ—cademical Disputations and Processes it is no common or ordinary worâ— for any to obtain an acquaintancâ— with them Now I am greatly miâ—staken if both Divines and Politicians will not find themselves mucâ— relieved assisted and directed iâ— their inquest by the ensuing Historical narration as well as others who had hitherto but a slender and uncertain report of this matter will find themselves brought out into the clear light of such an apprehension of it as to have in readiness a just measure of those future reports or Discourses concerning it that they may meet withal Now whereas any long account of the matter treated of in this place would but prevent the Reader in what he will meet withal in the Discourse it self I shall only add some such remarks upon the whole as may manifest what hath been before discoursed concerning the unity of Doctrine in the Papal Church and their Artifices to preserve a pretence thereof to be exactly exemplified in this one Instance of Jansenisme The System of Doctrines concerning the Grace of God and the wills of men which now goes under the name of Jansenisme as it is in general agreeablâ— unto the Scripture so it had firmed it self in the common profession oâ— Christians by the Writings of some excellent persons especially Augustin and those who followed him unto such a general acceptation as that the belief and profession of it could never be utterly rooted out from the minds of men in the Roman Church it self For although it was variously depraved vitiated obscured and opposed in and by the Writings of many of the School-Men yet alwayes in every Age some or other Persons of signal Learning and ability stood up and pleaded for its vindication and confirmation as to the substance of it Amongst whom our Renowned Bradwardine who with singular diligence and scholastick ability opposed the spreading of Pelagianisme in and over the Roman Church which by various degrees had been for a long season insinuating it self thereinto and insensibly invading the remaining vitals of its Doctrine deserves on all occasions a peculiar mention Moreover one whole Order of their Fryers out of zeal for the Doctrine of Thomas who was less averse from the Sentiments of the Antients in this matter than the most of that litigious crew of Disputers whom they call Schoolmen did retain some of the most material Principles of this Doctrine however not a little vitiated with various intermixtures of their own Not a full Age since as will appear in the ensuing account after the lesser attempts of some more private persons Jansenius a Bishop in Flanders undertakes the explication and the vindication of the whole Doctrine of the Effectual Grace of God with the annexed Articleâ— principally out of the works of Aâ—â—stin This honest endeavour of hâ— being well resented accepted anâ— approved by very many Learnâ— Persons in Flanders and Franâ— especially and looked on by otherâ— as an inroad made into the Kingdoâ— of Darkness and Error which migâ— open a way to further light an knowledge among the Papists themâ—selves was immediately violentâ— and virulently impugned by the Jesuits and those of their Party anâ— Faction But whereas in theiâ— wonted manner they contented nâ— themselves to oppose the Opinions 〈◊〉 Jansenius and his Followers whâ— knowing the small Reputation 〈◊〉 Truth and the Scripture now in 〈◊〉 Papacy durst not so much as avoâ— them but chose to shelter themselveâ— under the name of Augustin and 〈◊〉 call themselves his Disciples inâ— Theological or Scholastical way but endeavoured by artifices to reproach their persons and to render them odious and greatly to be suspected by the Church and State they on the other side were necessitated in their own defence to make a discovery of the Arts Treacheries immoralities Errors Frauds Lying Calumniations practised and defended by the Fathers of that Society to the great satisfaction and indeed benefit of the Christian World The Jesuits hereby enraged endeavour yet farther by false insinuations complaints Libels and suspicious Tales managed principally by the Confessors of Kings Queens and great Princes most of their Society in a manner all of their Party and Faction to oppress their Adversaries and to enrage the Powers of the Kingdom against them This work going slowly on as being obstructed by some disputations with Conferencâ— in and among Assemblies of thâ— Clergie the matter was devolved 〈◊〉 the Court of Rome How the whoâ— cause was there transacted how deâ—termined on what motives groundsâ— Reasons and considerations the Popâ— and Conclave proceeded with whaâ— cunning and caution as to the seâ—curing of their own secular inteâ— rest are exactly reported and pubâ—lished by Monsieur St. Amour thâ— Jansenist in the Journal he hatâ— written of his own and their proceedings in that cause How thâ— Jesuits have since pursued their success by what wayes and stratagemâ— they have managed their tottering cause and Interest as also of other things before mentioned the Reader will have a faithful account in the following Narration composed by the Judicious Author enabled thereunto by all sorts of
be said to be some seminal dispositions naturally implanted in human nature whence sprang those heroick acts of the Romans c. But addes he this Office of virtue is but as the matter or corps 't is the End that is the Forme or soul of virtue Then he concludes that this opinion of the seeâ—s of virtue inherent in human nature was traduced by the Semipelagians from the Gentile Philosophers viz. the Peripateticks Stoicks c. whose opinion Tullie lib. 5. de â—inib thus relates Nature induced the elements of virtue but she only begins virtue and no more These Philosophick opinions of the seeds of virtue addes he the Pelagians Semipelagians and Scholemen have brought into the Christian Scholes whence also the Scholemen distinguish virtue into Natural and supernatural which is a distinction not known to former Ages Jansenius having demonstrated the Impossibilitie of Free Will to good §. 9. Necessitie of sin excludes not human libertie neither is Indifference essential thereto with the necessitie of sinning in lapsed nature he goes on to remove that common Pelagian objection viz. that this necessitie of sin destroyes human Libertie For the full solution hereof he gives us an exact Idea of the Libertie of the Will and its combination with some necessitie Thus Tom. 2. lib. 4. cap. 24. Where he proves at large That Libertie includes not in its formal reason or nature Indifference to good and evil He shewes that this false Idea of Libertie was taken up by the Pelagians from the institution of Gentile Philosophers who fancying nothing more as requisite to good but the meer office or naked matter asserted an Indifference to good and evil in all wherein they placed Libertie as the Pelagians and Scholemen after them But that Indifference to good and evil is not essential or necessary to Libertie Jansenius proves 1. From the Devils who are determined to evil yet freely 2. From the good Angels who are determined to good yet freely 3. From the cognation 'twixt Libertie and Voluntarinesse For as an act of the Will may be voluntary so also free though immobile and necessarily determined and that according to the confession of the Scholes which grant that a desultori us mobilitie or mutabilitie of will is not of the essâ—nce of Libertie but its imperfection He farther proves that Libertie is the same with voluntarines yea the same with the will it self which ceaseth not to be most free when 't is most fixed and necessary Yea this firmitie and necessitie which ariseth from the wills own natural vehemence or voluntary tendence is so far from prejudicing its Libertie as that it does greatly corroborateâ— and confirme the same He tells us also that these false â—dea's of human libertie were derived from Aristotle who measured every thing by his own reason Whereas others of the Ancients had morâ— Orthodoxe notions of human libertie making it the same with rational spontaneitie or voluntarines c. of these things Jansenius discourseth at large in what follows chap. 25. also in his Tom. 3â— lib. 6. cap. 3. 5. 10 25 35 37 c. The Molinists to maintain their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 §. 10. Against a state of pure Nature or great Diana of free will invented a middle state which they call 〈◊〉 state of pure Nature without sin or Grace This Jansenius greatly opposeth as thaâ— which was greatly derogâ—tory to the Wisdome and Grace of God So in his Tom. 2. 〈◊〉 spends two or three whole Books in disproving this state of pure Nature 1. Hâ— tells us that such a state of pure Nature was altogether unknown to Austin and the Primitive Church it having been obtruded upon us by the Gentile Philosophers and Christian Hereticks the Pelagians c. so fol. 278. Then he passeth l. 1. c. 1. fol. 279. to what the latter Scholemen mean by this their state of pure nature viz. a Negative Puritie wherein they suppose a man to be created without Sin or Grace I presume the same with Aristotles rasa tabula which he likened the soul unto Now that there cannot be such a state of pure nature Jansenius proves 1. From the order or regard a rational creature has unto God as his first princâ—ple and last end or good For saies he 't is impossible that a rational creature should be produced by God in a connatural manner without some regard to his last and most connatural end So cap. 3. fol. 282. For the reason of Divine Providence and the connatural order of things require that as things proceed from a first principle so they tend to some last end Yea this flows from the very Institution of Human Nature and is founded in its very Essence that it adhere to God as its supreme principle and last end Which not to do is sin 2. Seeing a rational creature cannot be made without a will regularly inclined to God as Creator hence followeth a necessitie of Grace to inspire this will whereby the possibilitie of a state of pure nature is overturned c. 3. All love terminates either on the creature and so 't is concupiscence or on God and so 't is Divine Charitie or love c. Whence it follows there can be no middle state 'twixt sin and Grace because the will alwayes adheres to God or the creature Hence Jansenius proceeds to demonstrate §. 11. Love to God in the state of Innocence both natural and supernatural That Love to God was in the state of Innocence a gift naturally due to humane Nature and yet of Grace given to it So Tom. 2. de Pur. Nat. l. 1. c. 15. If saies he a rational creature cannot be created without love to God then hence occurs a weighty difficultie whether this love may be stiled natural or supernatural a debt or Grace To which he replies thus It seems to me that both may be affirmed without a contradiction That this love is supernatural is beyond controversie amongst all Catholicks for as eternal blisse so the Love of God which is the way thereto is in like manner supernatural for though one and t'other be the action of a creature yet neither flows from the principles of nature or natural faculties and force This love to God may be called also natural not only as consentaneous unto Nature but 1. On the part oâ— reason as the natural light of reason dictates that God is to be beloved above all and that by the most natural strict and universal obligation than which nothing is more moral essential and eternally obliging to human Nature c. 2. This love of God may be said to be natural in regard of the will as God is the most natural end of its choice according to that of Scotus God is the natural end of man although not to be obtained naturally Whence he starts another difficultie cap. Whether this love to God be a debt to human Nature 17. fol. 312. Whether this love to God be a debt due to human
they allow not any Grace to be sufficient but what is also efficacious So Refutat du P. Ferrier c. 11. pag. 64. Because say they this word Grace sufficient is not to be found either in the Scripture or in the Councils or in the Fathers c. therefore no Jesuit has right to oblige us to make use of it farther than we please And to shew their dislike of this sufficient Grace which the Mâ—linists do so much Idolize the Jansenists a while since in a Shew at Paris framed a Chariot wherein sat two Virgins the one with fair and beautiful fruit in her hands without use which they called sufficient Grace the other with fruit useful and nourishing which they stiled Grace Efficacious See their sentiments of Sufficient Grace Part 1. 4. The Jansenists as Jansenius and St. Cyran their heads Of Justifiâ—ation by â—aith â—one seem good friends to Justification by Free Grace and Faith in the blood of Christ without any regard to human merits as abused in the Popish sense 'T is true they make use of the name merit but in no other sense than it was used by Austin without any approbation of the thing as the ground of Justification This is manifest not only from their Books but also by their Practice It was the usual method of Jansenius for the comforting of afflicted consciences to send them to the blood of Christ alone and Mr. St Cyran seems mighty warme and pressing on this point The like instances I have had touching others of this persuasion in France who being to deal with dying persons insisted much upon pressing them to have recourse to the blood of Christ. Neither indeed are the Jansenists verst only in speculative and notional §. 29. Their practical Theologie but also in practick and active Theologie especially the chief of them Jansenius and St. Cyran seem to have had a very deep broad spiritual light and insight into the Mysteries of the Gospel and true Godlines and I am apt to persuade my self they had some feeling apprehensions and inward acquaintance with those choice Gospel truths they commend to others They talk much of studying the Scriptures and acquainting our selves with the mind and Spirit of God therein they presse with some affectionate importunitie to the renouncing our own righteousnesse strength wisdom wills c. They greatly commend to us spiritual povertie soul-humilitie heart-mortification self-emptinesse and abjection c. These things they insist upon not according to the Monkish mode of external mortification but in a Gospel strain with so much meeknesse of wisdom and yet with so much spiritual passion and warmth as if their words were but sparks or ideas of that Divine fire which burned in their hearts This I have particularly observed in Mr. St. Cyrans Epistles in reading whereof and comparing his expressions with the Character and Idea I have of his Spirit and life I must confesse I have been much recreated But thus much of their Doctrine The Jansenists begin also to have very moderate and favorable persuasions about Church Discipline Their principles of Church Discipline as it appears by these particulars 1. They are come now generally to disavow 1. That there is no human infallible Judge in matters of Faith not only the Popes but all human Infallibilitie This is one of the last refuges they have made use of against their adversaries as it appears by a Paper of theirs lately publisht titled Abregé d'un Traicté intitulé l'Illusion Theologique The summe whereof they comprise in this Syllogisme One ought not to hold for Hereticks any but such as resist an Infallible Authoritie in matters of faith Now its certain the Pope has not such an Autoritie Therefore c. The second Proposition adde they is clear as well as the first for an Infallible Autoritie iâ— Soverein in its kind and acknowledgeth no superior c. 2. Hence they also hold 2. That the definition of Dogmes belongs to the Word and the definition of facts to the Church to which we owe only a submission of respect not of Faith that the Definition of Dogmes and submission of faith thereto belongs only to the Word of God which they make to be the measure of faith and seat of all Church-Power So the Bishop of Comenge in his Letter to the King an 1664. touching the Jansenists speaks thus of them It is true Sire that they place not in the same rank the submission which they render to the Definition of Dogmes and that which they render to the Definition of particular facts because the one is a submission of faith and the other a submission of respect and of Discipline The truth Sire of things revealed by God may not enter into comparison with those not revealed thâ— Dogmes are revealed and not particular facts We ought therefore to separate the Dogmes and fact decided in the Constitutions receiveâ— by the whole Church to the enâ— that we submit to the one with 〈◊〉 submission of faith and to the other with a submission of pure respect Thus also the Jansenists themselves in their La simple verité à Paris 1664. The common light of reason say they shews even to the most grosse that two things that are essentially separate as a particular fact and a Doctrine of faith may be also separate in the creance of believers c. Hence also the Jansenists assert 3. That the Church has only a Declarative power and that as to matters of fact and Discipline i. e. Ministerial only and subordinate unto that of Christ. This is evident by their La simple Verité pag. 60. In the state of this life the Church demands of her children nothing but love and accord and the obedience she requires of them touching the facts which she decides is nothing but modestie and peace not a creance or belief She commands them to believe nothing but what she has learnt of Jesus Christ. She declares to them his Word not her own leaving to them as other things so also that libertie which he has given unto them provided that they loose not that respect which they owe to their Mother and trouble not the union of her children Thus the Jansenists of the Churches Power and Discipline 4. Hence also 4. Libertie of Conscience as it naturally follows the Jansenists allow yea contend for a Libertie of Conscience as to matters of fact and Ecclesiastick determinations about things indifferent or things not clearly revealed This evidently appears by and flows from what was lastly mentioned of them where all that they require to the Churches definitions is only a submission of respect and in case of difference in persuasions a respectuous silence so far as the Churches Peace and Vnity requireâ— it c. 5. Hence also we see what Vniformitie 5. What Uniformitie is requisite and Obedience they require as to Church determinations about matters of fact which is the alone object of her power namely a submission of respect or in case of differences a respectuous silence only not a submission of faith 6. Hence as to Church Censures they hold 6. Of Censures La simple Verité pag. 58. that Excommunication implies a penal death of the soul and seeing this death is the last of punishments which the Church can impose she ought not to ordain it but conformably to the Scripture and holy Decrees which are those of the Spirit of God for undubitable crimes and worthy of death against those who are convicted 7. Touching Schisme 7. Of Schisme they hold that be is the Schismatick who treats others more Catholick than himself as guilty of Schisme As for Heresie they say 8. Of Herâ—sie 1. 'T is an Heresie to judge of Heresies without the Word of God 2. That 't is an Heresie to believe that all those who have a spice of Heresie are Hereticks They make Heresie to consist mostly in the affection as in their La simple Verité pag. 50. FINIS ERRATA PAge 9. line 24. for works read Augustinus p. 15. l. 11. for au r. at p. 16. l. 22. r. Gautruche p. 20. â— 22. r. Jansenius's Augustinus l. 25. for against r. from p. 23. l. 27. after besides adde that p. 53. l. 26. r. drew p. 66. l. 19. for nos r. nobis p. 78. l. 10. for was r. has p. 81. l. 2. for it r. there p. 87. l. 24. r. Heretical p. 93. l. 23. r. rest p. 139. l. 22. for by r. to p. 148. l. ult for compleasant r. pleasant