the venting such Books was and how destructive it might be to the consciences and edification of the faithfull he prohibited all those pretended Offices of the Virgin and not only those which were already publish'd but likewise all such as might be publish'd for the future Certainly this Bull of Pius V. had respect only to superstitious and scandalous Offices such as those of which it complains and which gave occasions for it of which sort surely that is not which is contained in the Hours for which I interceded I should not have fail'd to have represented as much very effectually and clearly to the Cardinals if after it had been produc'd to them they would have never so little suspended their judgement and if before publishing the same they had acquainted me with the said Bull as the Rule which they intended to follow and which the Authors of the Hours ought not to have violated But it made such impression upon their minds at the very instant of its proposing that from thence they without hesitating concluded upon the condemnation of the Hours and assoon as they had concluded it the Decree was publisht and fix'd up diligently that between their judgement and its execution there was no room either for reflexion or remonstrance Although this business had such disadvantageous success yet I took care not to be mov'd at it nor to seem abashed yea I conceiv'd my self oblig'd to go thank Cardinal Barberin for the care he testifi'd to me he would take of it For which purpose I went to see him on Sunday July 23. in the forenoon with an aspect sufficiently free and pleasant This was the cause he scarce knew how to answer to the thanks which I rendred him nor whether or no he should tell me that the Hours were comprehended in the said Decree because as he told me afterwards he knew not whether it were publisht and fear'd his conscience would not permit him to tell me so by reason of the secrecy whereunto they are oblig'd under penalty of excommuncation and to which they take a solemn Oath at their Congregation I testifi'd that I was fully inform'd of the business that ever since the Friday before I knew that it was ended nor was I ignorant how it was carry'd The Cardinal reply'd as if to comfort me for the Doom laid upon the Hours That those decrees are not publish'd at Paris he meant such as issue out of the Inquisition as this against the Hours did I answer'd That the Jesuits would not forbear to triumph upon it in all places where they had partakers He remain'd silent for some time without answering to this and then changing the matter he told me suddenly that it behooved him to think of obeying the Bull meaning that of Vrban VIII his Uncle against Jansenius and that till it were obey'd no satisfaction was to be hoped for I reply'd that the Bull had been publish'd at Paris and moreover the Hours had no relation to that Bull. He told me that this was it in which I might see that it was requisite to obey the Bull and that a bad business did wrong to a good one that nothing else was to be hop'd till obedience were yielded thereunto that it behoov'd to begin there I answer'd That I was sorry the affair of the Hours had no better success especially after the hope conceiv'd of the protection which his Eminence promis'd in it but yet I was very glad to be deliver'd from the trouble and disturbance which the difficulties fram'd against them gave me they being on one side favourably voidable and on the other there being some offers to blemish them by a censure that the success held in pain but the determination being concluded as it was I was now free from anxiety and had no more to do but to rest and study till the business of the Five Propositions were stirr'd in and I were advertis'd thereof according to the request made to his Holiness by the Bishops of France whose Letters I presented to him The Cardinal reply'd That I must not sleep in it that it would be requisite for me to visit the Cardinals Roma Spada Ginetti and Cechini to acquaint them with what I had to represent to them touching the matter of the Five Propositions He told me also that I should do well to visit some persons skilfull in those matters and who had order to study them he nam'd to me F. Campanella a reformed Carmelite F. Abbot Hilarion a Bernardin the General of the Chierici minores and a Jesuit nam'd Alziato as I think who he told me was in the ballance with Cardinal Lugo to be promoted to the Cardinalship I answer'd That I was much oblig'd to his Eminence for the good advice he gave me but I cared not to confer with any persons about the grounds of the Doctrine concern'd in the Five Propositions to give any information thereof because I had neither order nor purpose to handle the matter slightly and without seeing how the things which I had to present would be consider'd unless I might also be inform'd of those which our Adversaries alledg'd thereby to discover and make known what is true and what false in their Writings and unless I be assur'd that mine be also communicated to them to oblige them to answer thereto either by refuting or acquiescing in the same M. Cardinal Barberin reply'd That if I would not communicate what I had to say it was to be fear'd there would be further proceeding that there is some times very quick dispatch at Rome That the Tiber moves sometimes very swiftly that there was no person in particular engaged in this affair that it was not a Law-sute That the Pope if he thought good might make a determination without needing to hear any person I answer'd That they might move as fast as they pleas'd that I should not trouble my self for that at all that it was none of my business but the Popes and the Churches that neither my self nor any other concern'd themselves in it but out of this respect That I was come to give the H. See the first notice of one of the most fraudulent designs that ever was projected to surprise and engage it against one of the principal and most important truths of Christian Religion till other persons arriv'd more able then my self to give it greater evidence of the Ambushes laid for it under the Five equivocal Propositions the determination whereof was desir'd of it for that end That if they at Rome would admit the informations and remonstrances which perhaps God had prepared to help the. H. See in this occasion by our means and the cares of the Bishops who sent us they might but it was requisite to be done in such order and manner that we might be perswaded that the same would be consider'd otherwise we had nothing to say The Cardinal reply'd That for this purpose it would be requisite to erect a new Congregation de
Faith concerning the grace of Christians may be said by a special priviledge to be the Faith of the Roman Church 'T is also for this reason that S. Augustin its greatest Doctor and Defender next the Apostle never was oppos'd concerning this matter but the Roman Church ardently undertook his defence and attributed his doctrine to it self as its own and as its peculiar inheritance according as a a In a Discourse which this Pope made in the first Congregation de Auxiliis held before him in the Vatican March 20. 1602. S. Clement VIII speaks And certainly 't is not without ground that the Apostle gave this first Church of the World such sublime instructions of the mysteries of the Grace of Jesus Christ since it is the fruit of his blood the bond of God with men the spirit of Jesus Christ and Christian Religion and that which truly establishes the new Law and the Gospel This Grace is not that which is taught by those who retain only its name to avoid the indignation and scandal of the faithful should they deny it absolutely but 't is that which was in question between S. Augustin on one side fighting in the name of the Church and Pelagius and his followers on the other that as S. Augustin saith writing to Pope Innocent the first b b Epist 95. which the Christian faith teaches and publishes to be proper and peculiar to Christians that c c De gratia Christi cap. 10. which the Catholick Bishops were wont to read in the books of God and to preach to God's people that d d Q. q. contra Jul. cap. 40. which Pelagius ought to acknowledge if he would not only be call'd a Christian but be truly one and lastly that as he saith in another place upon which are supported the principal fundamentals of Faith and Christian Piety which will subsist as long as it stands and be in danger to be overthrown when it is shaken Wherefore when in these last times some have attempted to overthrow the true Grace of Jesus Christ they conceiv'd nothing more expedient to advance their design then to dilacerate as e e Contra collatere in Epist ad Rssinum S. Prosper speaks in dilacerating S. Augustin with outragious words the most learned of all the Fathers in the Doctrine of the Church and the most powerful Defender of the grace of Jesus Christ then to weaken the authority of his Writings which impugn the error of the Pelagians and to despoil him of the belief which he hath in the minds of the faithful they who form'd so unhapdy a design not doubting as the same S. Prosper saith again to be able at length to overthrow all the authorities Which uphold the purity of the doctrine of Grace if they could once beat down with all their Engines of Pelagianism this strong and potent Tower which serves for defence to the truths of Faith This enterprise against the Grace of Jesus Christ hath proceeded so far that in regard of the close union of S. Augustin with S. Paul in what concerns this matter we see that at this day the Enterprizers fear not to attaque them both together by daring to accuse them of having pass'd even into Excesses For at the same time that the five Propositions in question were contriving for the overthrow of S. Augustin's doctrine F. Adam a Jesuite printed a Book in which he flyes out with no less fury against S. Paul himself then against S. Augustin having the boldnesse to maintain therein that either of them leaving themselves to the blind impetuosity of their temper have gone beyond the bounds of the Truth and Faith Is it then to be wonder'd that this Jesuite who treats Apostles and Prophets in this manner has had the boldnesse to declare S. Augustin's doctrine impious and heretical But who can without horror see pronounc'd against this great Saint without any palliation the most outragious Censure that can be imagin'd This Book so injurious to S. Paul and to other Canonical Writers and chiefly to S. Augustin hath been printed publisht with the approbation of their Provincial of Paris and three other Divines of their Society and receiv'd with a publick joy of all the Jesuites in France What then ought not to be fear'd M. H. F. from the enterprises of this Society For if to discredit S. Augustin they dare assail S. Paul because 't is from that Apostle that S. Augustin deriv'd what he writ what remaines but that they rise up against Jesus Christ himself since 't is from him that S. Paul learnt what he teaches us of the mystery of Grace Behold M. H. F. whereunto tends their design who in reference to the belief which ought to be had in Christian Religion touching Grace follow not the traces which are show'd us by the Church but measuring these mysteries by their own sense judge of them rather by conjectures and seeming reasons then by the perpetual and most certain authority of the tradition of the Church 'T is not M. H. F. by vain Imaginations but by invincible proofs that we shall manifest to Your H. this publick Conspiracy of the Jesuites form'd against S. Augustin Behold in my hands above a hundred Propositions against that Saint drawn out of several books made since 50 yeares by the Jesuites which shew that the boldnesse wherewith they assault him encreases daily in such sort that they incessantly charge him with new greater outrages We know M. H. F. that though our Adversaries have and do still testifie to manifest an aversion against S. Augustin yet they make semblance of reverencing his authority and dare commend him even in presence of your H. and boast themselves to be his defenders and disciples But this is onely to put a colour of feigned respect upon their real disdain and carrie it more free from blame 'T is onely to avoid the punishment of the insolence wherewith they outrage him 'T is onely to hide their aversion of his Doctrine under the Commendation of his person 'T is only to dimish the care which in these contests ought to be taken for examining which are the true sentiments of that H. Father and to make it believ'd that the same are not concern'd in the Propositions which have been presented to your H. because they who oppose them make profession of following the Doctrine and revering the authority of that Father that so avoiding the condemnation of their temerity by such feigned and fallacious elogiums of S. Augustin and the obligation of subscribing any thing in this matter by your Holinesses order they and their partisans may reject his authority with more boldnesse then ever condemn his Doctrin and continue to banish it out of their Schools as Calvinistical and dangerous especially if it happen that your H. be led under any pretext to condemn these Propositions because they will not fail afterwards to reflect the censure of them upon S. Augustin as a
Predecessor Innocent 1. And your H. shall find not without wonder that 't is renew'd in such manner that our adversaries both in their manner of proceeding and writing imploy the same atifices and the same deceits of those ancient enemies of Grace of which S. Augustin and S. Prosper incessantly complain The Writing alone which they presented to your H. consisting of sixty passages of S. Augustin fully proves with how great reason and justice we frame so important an accusation against them and your H. will become fully perswaded hereof if you permit us to refute in your presence what they have advanc'd in that Writing Your H. shall see that they suppose therin what no body hath taught that they refute what no body hath disputed that the passages alledg'd out of S. Augustin are maim'd or perverted that they maliciously suppresse those which clearly explain his meaning that they attribute to him a sense wholly contrary to his own as the same passages manifestly show And lastly your H. shall see that they are all either falsely or maliciously or impertinently alledg'd that they act without shame or faith before you in this matter of faith that they approach your Apostolical Throne without any reverence and that no other reason leads them under colour of a false respect to reject and decline the Conference which we desired to have with them but because they well know that they cannot avoid being publickly convinc'd of foul dealing and ignorance And consequently we are assured that as much as your H. loves sincerity candor and justice so much will you be mov'd with most just indignation against them But this assurance M. H. F. wherewith the truth which we conceive we maintain causes us to speak before your H. diminishes nothing of the full and intire submission which we shall alwaies have to the judgement which you shall passe as the boldnesse and confidence wherewith they who before us encounter'd the errors sprung up or reviv'd in the Church before the same were condemn'd attaqu'd their adversaries did not hinder but that they were perfectly submissive to the decisions of the H. See and Councils Now being we have no other aime in this affair but to seek the Truth which alone causes us to speak and since we are deputed to your Holinesse by some Bishops onely out of a design to serve the Truth and the H. See as much as we shall be able our desire shall be accomplisht if your H. judge that the honor of Truth and the H. See obliges you to correct or even condemne somethihg of what we maintain and we not onely submit our selves to your judgement but being glad of being corrected we shall publish the same everywhere with joy But if on the contrary your Holinesse findes that we defend the faith of the Catholick Apostolick and Romane Church and that the Jesuites and Doctors who contrived these Propositions designe by the obscurity of their equivocal words to subvert the true grace of Jesus Christ defended by S. Augustin in the name of the whole Church and to banish it out of the minds of all the Faithful and that they are engaged in pernicious errors we expect from Your Holiness's justice and with as much humility as urgency desire that you condemn their errors and establish the Catholick Faith Neither they nor we ought to be spar'd Truth ought to be strongly upheld against us if it appear that 't is we who injure it it ought to be establisht against us in its whole strength This is that which we avoid not but desire Now if our Adversaries have the same purpose of seeking truth and peace they will have no other wishes nor make other demands and Your Holiness will hear the same words from their mouthes as from ours Let neither we nor those engag'd in the same party with us be consider'd but let regard be had only to the Truth the honour of the Church and the dignity of the H. Apostolick See Thus M. H. F. after having implor'd the assistance of the Holy and Indivisible Trinity we are prepar'd to maintain in Your Holiness's presence this so important point of the Catholick Faith and trusting to that same Grace of Jesus Christ our Saviour to the defence and glory whereof we consecrate all our words and Writings we implore his divine illumination that we may be able rightly to understand and explicate the matter in question And it will be great consolation to us that in speaking before him who is the Oracle of Truth what we shall not be able to comprehend in such difficult questions will not as S. Augustin speaks be imputed to the truth which profitably exercises pious soules even when it is hid from them but to our little light which hinder'd us from being able rightly to comprehend them or well explicate what we comprehended And lastly M. H. F. We here make the protestation which S. Augustin saith is the token of a truly Catholick spirit that if it should be so that the sentiments hitherto held by us be not conformable to the Truth we are ready to renounce the same as soon as it shall be discover'd to us and to submit our selves to your judgement as being that of the Vicar of Jesus Christ and of S. Peter's successor Whilst this Harangue was pronouncing the Pope and whole Assembly heard it with great silence and attention the Pope advancing himself a little out of his Seat which was the ordinary manner of his greater attentivenesse Whenever the Jesuites were mention'd by their names he instantly turn'd his head and cast his eyes upon F. Palavicini's and held them fixt upon him as often as any thing a little more vehemently was spoken against them as if he meant to observe that Jesuites countenance or ask him what he had to answer to the charge The Abbot of Valcroissant had his Oration in his hand as the custome is at Rome to fix his memory the better and though he lookt upon his paper sometimes to follow it yet he pronounc'd it all without need of recurring to it At the end of the Oration we all made a genuflexion together M. Manessier and Angran brought some books with them which they laid upon the end of the Benches whereon the Cardinals sat and I had with me the Writings which we had prepar'd to present to the Pope That which contain'd the hundred and six Propositions extracted out of the books of the Jesuites against S. Augustin's authority I deliver'd into the hands of M. de Valcroissant he also gave me his Oration Assoon as ever it was begun M. Albizzi fell to writing and did the like at several passages especially by what I could observe at such as mention'd submission respect and affection to the H. See No doubt he conceiv'd this Oration would not be seen and fear'd lest those words of grandeur and esteeme for the H. See should escape him After M. de Valcroissant had made a little pause he began a
add their calumnies and foul dealing discover'd and known without having been able to lay any blemish upon the truths which they aim'd to get condemn'd with so great temerity and presumption as that they proclaim'd beforehand and affirm'd publickly in many places that they were condemn'd would be a signal victory for you or rather for the Truth and such as in my judgement may be wisht for in the present disposition of minds and affaires If any thing is to be desir'd further 't would be to get it declar'd that S. Augustin's doctrine touching the matters of Grace and Predestination is the doctrine of the Church and to obtain a prohibition or rather to renew the Churches antient prohibitions of condemning any dogmatical points of that doctrine taught by that H. Doctor I might add further to demand the approbation of the same Doctrine in the book of M. d' Ipre who doth no more but rehearse it as it is in that of S. Augustin but I think this last will be more contested and more difficult to obtain then the former which is very easie if the H. See hath any good will for that great Saint and for the doctrine of Grace and whereof there is no fear of missing the same having been done already many times by several Popes 'T is a question of fact about which there needs no great instruction The decision thereof will be glorious to the Pope and no person of whatever party can be offended with it without making himself odious to all the world by declaring himself an enemy to S. Augustin who is approved by the whole Church To conclude assure your self of me as a person wholly yours and believe that I do not forget you before God but daily represent to him your necessities and affaires as my own Now follow those of the month of June The first is from M Taignier written June 5. Some Molinists with whom I have had conference the second of this month told me that I had bad intelligence since I did not agree with them that the Pope had ordain'd the passing of a Censure they assur'd me that it was perfectly ready and that the Pope would undoubtedly publish it at the feast of Pentecost I askt them whether the Propositions were censur'd They answer'd that some of them were condemn'd as heretical that others had the more gentle modifications though such as blemish'd and overthrew them I told them I wonder'd that after what they had said that it was almost impossilbe to learn the particular circumstances of things transacted in any Congregation at Rome yet themselves seem'd so well inform'd of things relating to the Examen and discussion of the Five Propositions that they must undoubtedly hold correspondence with those who penned the Bull. They made no Reply c. You cannot imagine what good effect the Letters by this Post have produced yet the most advised of our friends are in great anxiety for that the Pope will not grant you a Conference because they conceive that the cause now under debate at Rome is one of the most important causes that ever were treated in the Church Were there no parties in it as his Holiness admits none yet he ought to take the Doctors there of different opinions and hear them upon the questions intended to be examin'd and pronounc'd upon since 't is the course alwayes us'd by the Church in it's decisions Truth becomes more illustrious when it is discuss'd in this manner Thus were Decisions made in the Council of Trent after matters had been disputed by the Doctors as may bee seen in the Acts of that Council in which there were no parties they refusing to appear You must make great complaints about the Bull wherewith you are threatned and you may vigorously represent to his Holinesse how little respect some have for him since at the same time that he in goodness promis'd F. Des-mares and M. Manessier and their Collegues to hear them a report is spread abroad that his Holiness caus'd a Bull to be prepar'd against the Propositions which is a thing of great terror This circumstance well exaggerated with great sweetnesse and respect may make some reasonable impression upon the mind of his Holinesse I am c. The second being from M. de Sainte Beuve dated the same 5th of June contain'd the following lines amongst others The newes of the composition of a Bull continues still to the great delight of the Molinists They threaten us with it upon the notice which they have receiv'd of it from our Confreres their good friends The report of it is much divulg'd c. Satisfie me concerning the present state of the Dominicans and in exchange I shall tell you that the draught of a Bull hath been made at the Colledge of Navarre and in order to be sent to Rome See whether the rumor vented by the Molinists be not founded upon that piece The third is from M. Brousse June 13. Take what of it concerns our common Affair Saturday last I went to see M. Prignon and carry'd him your last Memorial as I had promis'd him After the presentation of your commendations to him and the return of his to you and all your company we had not much discourse together by reason M. de Launoy superven'd and interrupted us M. Prignon thank'd him for the Present he had made him a few dayes before of his book intitled De varia Aristotelis in Academia Parisiensi fortuna in which he derides all the world We went out together and being in the street he askt me whether I knew that M. Hallier was coming back from Rome I told him I did not He reply'd that he heard so from a Bishop the day before who said that he was bringing a great Pancart by which word he meant the Bull. I answer'd that this was a thing more unknown to me then the former Yesterday after Vespers I visited M. Prignon again who receiv'd me with extraordinary courtesy and returning your Memorial told me he had read it twice with extream pleasure and admir'd both the solidity of the matter the pureness of your Italian style I told him of the Audience which you had had of the Pope and shew'd him your Letter concerning it He was joyful beyond what I can express and yet sorry too that his Holinesse appoints not the Conference being unable to imagine any reasonable ground of pretext to deny it to you by saying that you have no Parties or Adversaries He charg'd me to present his commendations to you and to those Messieurs who he said have spoken with so much zeal for defence of the Truth A few days ago an honest Father well-affected to S. Augustin went amongst the Jesuites to enquire news from Rome feigning to be of their Party F. Celot to whom he spoke told him the Jansenists were condemn'd and the Bull ready and upon the point to be publisht when the Sieur Des-mares arriving there by the help of 40000
greater care for that I esteem'd it a Matter above me and as a particular Engagement impos'd on me by the providence of God who is sometimes pleas'd to make use of weak Instruments about the greatest Matters Hence it came to passe that when after my return from Rome I went about to reduce all I had acted and remark'd therein into a Body of History I found I had scarce any thing more to do but to transcribe the Memoires I had formerly prepar'd at Rome and to join together the principal Accounts I had already gvien of this businesse There are I doubt not many Histories more delightful then this for style and variety of matters but perhaps there never was any more exact and faithful I have not writ any thing but what I saw or heard and that while it was fresh in my memory It hath been alwayes my care to speak nothing false or that might be exprobated to me not only before men but far more before God well knowing that if it be pronounc'd Vniversally That we shall be justified or condemn'd by our words it more eminently belongs to words of such importance as these by which a publick Testimony is render'd to the Church of what hath been acted in an Affair wherein she is so highly concern'd Truth then hath been the proper scope I aim'd at in writing which because it is not alwayes seasonable to publish and never unlesse great and weighty considerations require it though many made me desirous to print this Journal assoon as it was finish'd yet others restrain'd me and some made me wish if possibe wholly to suppresse it Several yeares were spent in this Irresolution but at length the Relalations full of falsities which have been offer'd to the world concerning what pass'd at Rome in this Affair and the numerous false rumours spread abroad about it convinc'd me of my Obligation to undeceive the world by giving it a true History thereof The different things which have been spoken about it have made all learned men desirous to know the truth of what hath pass'd and they have thought it serviceable to the Church that a History so conducing to the elucidation of the present Contests should not remain longer in the confusion and obscurity wherein it lay I was confirm'd in this thought by the extreme satisfaction which the Assembly of the Clergy of France in the year 1655. express'd to my Lord the Bishop of Lodeve now Bishop of Mont-pellier with the Relation he made them of what he had learnt from the mouth of Innocent X. about this matter it being so great that they desir'd he would give it them in Writing to the end it might be inserted in the Verbal Proces which they caus'd to be printed a little time after For hence I infer'd that if that Illustrious Assembly was so well pleas'd with that Account in which things are not resumed from the bottom but in grosse and confusedly enough that they judg'd it deserving to be publisht under their name and by their orders there would be other grounds of satisfaction both to the Clergy in general and the rest of Christians to behold distinctly and orderly the particulars contain'd in this Journal touching the same matters which were related but in a word in that Account Moreover the care Pope Innocent X. told the said Bishop of Mont-pellier he had taken to cause all transactions in this Affair to be compil'd in a Volume and deposited in the Archives of S. Peter after he had declar'd the same in the Consistory heâ—d to that purpose this Care I say clearly shewing that Popes desire to preserve to the Church the remembrance and information of all that pass'd in this Affair and the said Volume being not likely to contain other Pieces then what are either intire or sufficiently set down in this Journal I thought I should second his good intentions by presenting the same to the Publick I consider'd further that besides those Pieces there were many things in this Journal which might be verify'd not only by other proofs which I can produce thereof but also by the Testimonies of the considerable Persons whom I call to witnesse by mentioning them divers of which being since the finishing thereof pass'd to another life I fear'd that if I longer defer'd the publishing of it I might one day be reproach'd for attesting only the dead and persons incapable of gainsaying me Wherefore the faithfulnesse I have us'd herein keeping me from fearing that any person might find any thing in it that were not most true I judg'd that the sooner I divulg'd it it would be the better in regard of having the more witnesses of all that I have said and of the sincerity with which I have said it These considerations induc'd me to resolve upon the Impression which I have caus'd to be made this present Year 1662. that so I might consummate the Work of the Commission in which it hath pleas'd God to employ me however incapable and unworthy of it and dye with more quiet having hereby payd the Churuh what I conceiv'd I ow'd to her But because this Journal was written in the end of the Year 1653. and in 1654. I advertise those that shall read it to be mindful thereof lest they be mistaken in some things which should have been express'd otherwise had it been written at the present time Thus by those words M. the Arch-Bishop of Tholouse that dy'd last M. de Marca is not meant but M. de Montchal his predecessor they not being intelligible of any but him when I writ them and likewise when they were printed When I name the Pope Innocent X. must be alwayes understood because it was under his Pontificate that all this Affair was transacted and reduc'd into writing And when I speak of My Lord Ghiggi or M. Cardinal Ghiggi it must alwayes be understood of Pope Alexander VII who sits in S. Peter's Chair at this present because during all the time I was employ'd about this Journal there was no other Cardinal Ghiggi besides him At Paris this 25. of November 1662. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS A JOURNAL of what observations I made of things pass'd at Rome touching the matter of the Five Propositions The Division of the Work THE FIRST PART Containing that which pass'd at Paris in reference to the matter of the Five Propositions particularly in sundry Assemblies of the Faculty of Divinity held during the years 1646. 1647 1648 and 1649 page 1. CHAPTER I. OF what pass'd in the Assembly of the Faculty on the first of October 1646. Of a Speech pronounc'd in the Grand Chamber by M. Omer Talon Advocate General on Fryday the 10th of May 1647. And of the Arrest issued forth on the 15th upon his remonstrances p. 1 Chap. II. Of what pass'd in the Assembly of the Faculty on the first of March 1647. concerning a Scandalous Libel against Petrus Aurelius p. 3 Chap. III. Of what pass'd in the Assemblies of the Faculty on
throughout all his Estates but the King being astonish'd at this request answer'd very wisely That it concern'd things of Doctrine which he understood not that the Doctors were to be consulted about it and if they judg'd that what the Queen desir'd might be done he would do it willingly CHAP. III. The complaint of the Venetians Ill usage of the King's Ambassador His Majesties Letter to the Cardinals in complaint therof Discourse with Cardinal Barberini about the Houres and the Letter of M. de Vabres ABout this time I was told that the Republick of Venice finding it self much exhausted by extraordinary expences so many years together in defending alone the Island of Candie against the Turk without receiving any assistance even from the Pope caus'd him to be advertis'd by her Ambassador in his Audience of the 9. of December that she should at length be constrain'd to abandon that place unlesse the Christian Princes inclin'd otherwise to succor her against the common and so powerfull enemy that the Ambassador had made to his Holinesse great Protestations thereof and as it was added some reproaches But about a fortnight before there hapned a very great quarrel between the Ambassador of France and his Holinesse For the Ambassador having sheltred in his Palace and under his protection certain Neapolitans who had fled thither for refuge in the nights of the 21. and 22. of November there were three of them assassinated by some of themselves and one of the Ambassador's servants going out to see what was the matter was slain The Authors of these murders did not commit the same so secretly as they could have wisht for their own safety The Ambassador whose Maxime it always was as I understood from himself not to shelter any in his lodging but such as were guilty by misfortune and not of enormous crimes nor to maintaine any committed by a man before fled into his house comply'd with the Pope's Justice to deliver to the Sergeants on a day appointed the authors of the murders and also to cause the Sergeants to be assisted by all his own people On Thursday evening notice was given him that the Corses Sergeants c. all the Horse and Foot of the Pope's Guard began to prepare themselves for the taking of the Criminals He answer'd that he comply'd to cause them to be deliver'd to the Sergeant but he would not do it if they came thither with so great an Array Observe that this was to be on Fryday and that the houre of the usual audience which he hath every fortnight of the Pope was appointed to be Fryday morning and that very morning without further notice all these military men came in armes to seise all the avenues of his Palace searcht all the neighboring houses enter'd even into his Court and kept all his gates seis'd The Ambassador seeing this from his windowes sent to bid the Barisel or Provost that led them to come and speak with him The Barisel scrupled it at first apprehending some ill treatment but two Knight of Malta assuring him no hurt should be done him he yeilded to go up staires At the bottome of which he was disarm'd and comming into the Ambassador's presence without armes and bare-headed the Ambassador ask'd him what made him so bold as to enter into his house bidding him take heed what he did and telling him that he was in the house of the King and might one day repent his entring into it The Barisel answer'd that he had receiv'd such order from his Master The Ambassador reply'd that if he pass'd on further he knew how he would use him and how his Master would use his The Barisel witdhrew and caus'd his company to make a halt sent this intelligence to a place from whence order came for all these soldiers to return to their quarters Neverthelesse they made prisoners of some poor men and women dwelling near the place where the murders were committed who should depose what they knew thereof and that they might not return without doing something The Ambassador sent a dispatch forthwith to the Court to give notice of all that had pass'd which the King understanding thought fit to write a circular letter to all the Cardinals then at Rome the tenour whereof was as followeth To my Cousin the Cardinal N. COusin Having been well inform'd of the truth of what hath been done by the Popes Officers who have violated all respect by forcing the Palace of my Ambassador I have commanded him to depart presently out of Rome whilest I examine what course will be fit for me to take for the redressing of so great an injury Hereof I thought good to advertise you not doubting but you will interesse your self in so just a cause which ought to be lookt upon as a common one for that herein the Law of Nations and the Interest of all Princes is violated as my Ambassador will more particularly declare to you to whom referring my self I shall pray God to have you Cousin in his holy keeping Written at Paris 19. December 1650. signed Louis and below De Lomenie Assoon as this Letter was come to Rome the Ambassador went to visite all the sacred Colledge to deliver to every Cardinal that which was for him and to take leave of their Eminences before his departing from Rome and retiring as he did afew days after to Tivoli This action of the Barisel hapned three days after our arrival at Rome and the disgust which the Ambassador signifi'd to me about it making me fear he would not like that any French should go see the Pope at a time wherein he was so little pleas'd with his treatment I thought fit to represent to him what obligations I conceiv'd lay upon me to visit his Holiness having the honor to be a Doctor of Sorbonne and having formerly been well receiv'd by him yet with a purpose to defer my visite till this misunderstanding were over if I found the Ambassador judg'd it fit to forbear Accordingly by what he said to me I understood that this was his mind and I conform'd thereunto though my desire of saluting his Holiness was encreas'd every day by the Letters which were writ to me from Paris and by the things which I was inform'd of at Rome not that I intended being unqualify'd for so doing to speak to him on set purpose of several things whereof I saw it so necessary that he were inform'd and which I presum'd were not come to his knowledge but because I remember'd that in an audience I had formerly of him he had spoken to me of his own accord about divers affaires of this nature which concern'd my profession and therefore I believ'd that the Audience I should now have of him would not passe without his putting me upon such matters and so giving me occasion himself to tell him what I desir'd thereof nor without his discovering to me something about those for which my friends were so solicitous in France and of
condemnation ignominious to the H. Seee and prejudicial to truth and the Church That it was likewise matter of jealousy that the mischeif might afterwards passe further and turn into a custome of condemning the best books when they do not please the Jesuites That the sooner the Evil could be remedied the better and that the more speed there was used to remedy it the more ground there would be to expect a prosperous event of the remedy which should be apply'd thereunto That although perhaps a perfect satisfaction and vigorous protection of S. Augustin's doctrine could not as yet be hop'd for neverthelesse those persons on whom the same may be said principally to depend might be oblig'd in the present state of things at least to be hence forward more circumspect and cautious in their proceeding and to have a greater distrust of the Jesuites accusations and practises That besides the successe is not in our power that indeed we may foresee what men are able to do but we know not what it may please God to bring to passe that we ought always to do our endevor to plead aloud and with respect for truth that it belongs to God to afford this paines and zeal what blessing it pleaseth him but withall in undertaking it it behooved lesse to consult with the wisdom of the flesh and the world then with that of the spirit and the Gospel That amongst the Cardinals as well as all other Orders of the Church Prelats Priests and Monks there are at Rome as well as elsewhere though in small number some who love and know truth and who sigh as well as we for the ill usage she receives every day that we should find these persons favorable to our attempts that being unable to do any good by themselves they would be extreamly glad of the comfort of being able to second us in ours by all ways they can That of others there were three sorts the first absolutely contrary prejudic'd and unlikely to admit any reason repugnant to their preconceptions the second prejudic'd too but yet equitable and capable of hearing what may be represented to them and the third indifferent not very solicitous about these things but like tabulae rasae not having yet receiv'd any impressions concerning them That these last would be awaken'd when they hear the voices of such as undertake to inlighten them that the second would also consider the remonstrances and arguments we shall use and perhaps God will shew mercy to both in opening their understandings and making the same prevalent upon them and as for the first who are our most obstinate adversaries it would be meet not to neglect them because perhaps God might draw some of them out of their darkness and they which resolve to persevere therein in spight of all the light offer'd them may receive that for their confusion which they would not admit of for their edification I had formerly said my first Masse at Loretto and thence taking the way for France came to lye the next day at Senegallia of which Card. Factrinetti was Bishop by whom being entertain'd that night we had converse enough to make me retain an acquaintance of so civil and excellently endow'd a Prelate He arriv'd at Rome whilst I was in these confusions and I going to salute him some days after his arrival he unwillingly both dispell'd and augmented them but with an honest intention and perfect candour For our discourse being fallen upon the subject of our affairs he told me that in some of the visits which he had already made to divers Cardinals some of them told him that they had represented to his Holiness that it was most necessary to set upon their determination to the end to restore peace to the world and take away all ground of division amongst Christians I desire no other thing but that this be done as it ought to be but I fear those Cardinals of whom this spoke were not mov'd to such thoughts by any concernment they had for S. Augustin's doctrine and I scarce doubt but that the same were infus'd into them by the Jesuits to procure the effect of M. de Vebres's Letter it seeming to me that no person could have spoken thereof to their Eminences but by the instigation of those Fathers There was in Rome another person admirably intelligent in these matters extremly prudent and zealous to the higest degree into whose acquaintance I fell very happily and without whose advice I conceiv'd not meet to do or write any thing in this businesse I had already spoken with him twice about it We had discuss'd together pro and con the reasons abovemention'd and had never been of the mind for the Delegation nor could he believe that the difficulties Of the Jesuites great credit Of the prepossession of minds Of the small knowledge of many amongst others of the Pope himself could be overcome but by time and patience wherefore he judg'd it meet to waite for a more favorable Pontificate and a Pope better inform'd and more vers'd in these matters then he that sate at present in S. Peter's chaire I visited this excellent man a third time to see whether he persisted still in the same Mind and besides the reasons above specifi'd which I impugn'd I represented to him afresh the insolence wherewith the Jesuites triumph'd over the H. See the Church the Truth the Doctrine of S. Augustin and the innocence of his disciples the prevailing influence they had at Rome for that no person contradicted their accusations nor discover'd the mischievousnesse of their conduct and the enormities of their pernicious Maximes I askt him whether he did not at length believe that if some one backt with the authority of a considerable delegation should in a fit manner speak against those exorbitances it would not hinder many from following their passions with a servitude so blind as this wherewith they embrac'd the protection of their interests and that if such a delegation had not all the successe it deserv'd it would not at least hinder them from proceeding further whilst they were grapled with and serve to clear many things in order to a through regulation one day when it should please God to afford his Church so great a mercy He acquiesc'd at length approv'd it and moreover desir'd to see it set on foot and besides those foregoing reasons that which most prevail'd with him was that at the worst the Pope who was conscious enough to himself of his little knowledge in these matters seeing himself press'd by two contrary parties would remain undetermin'd and grant nothing to one side in prejudice to the other that in this conflict every one would be stirr'd up to inquire in the subject of the contest and so the truths which the Jesuites endevor to destroy might by this be meanes be maintain'd against their assaults and rescu'd from the extream oppression under which those Fathers reduce them It was but in the end of January 1651.
and to some of the Cardinals of which I shall speak afterwards which were order'd to be deliver'd to none but to my self that I should deliver them according to their directions and beware of rendring them uneffectual by my negligence in an affair of so great importance as this in agitation unlesse I would be responsible for all the evil sequels it might have in case the Letters were not deliver'd through my fault or absence None could write more expressely speaking but in general then I had done from Florence to evince that I ought not to return to Rome at least not all alone nor could more strong and urging termes be us'd then those which obliged me to return without admitting of my deliberation thereon All which notwithstanding was no conviction to me that I ought to return to Rome For how strong soever I had said my reasons were for not returning yet I had not discover'd the main particular I knew it could not be divined and was perswaded that had it been known I had been dealt with in another manner As I was alone upon the Port of Genua ruminating upon these designes that which was intended to be taken with me at Rome and which kept me from returning thither more then any other consideration brought a thought into my mind which suddenly chang'd my inclination and made me slight all other obstacles which might hinder me from so doing I consider'd that God had perhaps preserv'd my liberty against their attempts and artifices who design'd to deprive me of it only that I might employ it for his service for that of the H. See for that of Truth and for that of the whole Church in reference to this Affair after which I concluded that I should be guilty before him of ingratitude and infidelity if I demurr'd longer That seeing he had once protected me against those attempts he could do the same against the like or greater and if it pleas'd his Providence that I should miscarry in the next adventure I ought cheerfully to consecrate to him my liberty and life which I could not do in a better occasion having herein ground to hope from his mercy that I should lose nothing in the sequel but what he would one day restore a hundred fold Thus I resolv'd to return to Rome for those purposes which I shall set down when I come to speak of my actions immediatly upon it but I resolv'd to do it with such conditions and cautions as requir'd to be heeded in such ticklish circumstances as I stood in and expected all things to be at Rome The principal one was not to appear at Rome when I arriv'd there but to return directly back without delivering the Prelates Letters if upon my imparting them and laying forth my commission to that excellent and judicious personage above mention'd who did not approve the so soon beginning to stirre in this businesse he should advise me to retire without appearing or doing any thing As on the contrary in case he consented to my performing what I was charg'd with I conceiv'd I ought to do it with the greatest publicknesse and assurance that I could that so they who contriv'd the former bad designes against my liberty during my stay there might no more have the boldnesse to renew the same I cast my businesse accordingly and projected to arrive at Rome a day or two after Thursday or on Thursday it self that so before another Thursday which is the day for ordinary consultations about things and persons relating to matters of doctrine I might either be upon my way back if it were requisite or make known my quality of Envoy from the Bishops of France which would secure me from all kind of enterprises and violences and render my person sacred and inviolable by the Maximes of the Law of Nations For I consider'd that if on the contrary I should arrive at Rome only a day or too before Thursday and my return should by mishap come to be discover'd before I could publish it with the solemnities requisite I might fear least those who had before spoken to the Pope against me would not let passe the following Assembly withour advertising his Holiness thereof without convincing him that their accusations were well grounded and that my departure from Rome had been onely a meer trick without confounding the Cardinal whose goodness had defended me by shewing him that he was mistaken in his judgment of me and without causing him to look upon me from thence forward as a wilely and suspected person and to consent with themselves to my restraint and that whereas his former pleading had induc'd the Pope to say Let him go his Holinesse after this seeing me return'd might say to M. Albizzi Cause him to be apprehended Which he would have been very glad to execute immediately and to which for certain there would have been no want of his diligence And although the Letters found with me ought in good justice to procure my release the next day yet it was to be fear'd lest they might be suppressed or kept at least til another time the Officers employ'd to arrest me being perswaded that it was for the interest of the H. see that M. de Vabres's letter have its intire successe and that three or four Bishops as M. Albizzi slightingly said to me even after he had seen their Letters by whom I was sent ought no otherwise to be consider'd then enemies to the H. See as well as my self But supposing all the justice I could desire were done me after such my Apprehending and I were restor'd the next day to a full liberty of acting according to the commissions I had receiv'd could I do it with any honour could I have confidence enough to appear in Rome after having been disparag'd by such an ignominy and would not the cause intrusted to me already but too much decry'd receive prejudice thereby would it be fit to commit the same to others who would undertake it after its being thus discredited These were the considerations which oblig'd me to retard my departure from Genua two or three dayes that so I might take post with the Ordinary Courrier of France and arrive together with him at Rome about the end of the week according to his custome But a Gally being to go almost empty from Genuá to Civita Vecchia to fetch home a Resident of this Republick with the Pope after his accomplishing his time who waited onely for the said Gally to carry him back and it being ready to set sail in the afternoon of the Saturday following and experien'd people assuring me that it was morally impossible according to the quality of the time and season for it to be more then two or three dayes in reaching to Civitá Vecchia I took it as an opportunity offer'd me by divine Providence for the seconding of my resolution and voyage intending in case it arriv'd at Civitá Vecchia some dayes before Thursday to stay there till
senses they have been advanced and maintained to hear the pleadings and arguings of either side thereupon to view all the Books written lately touching the said Propositions to distinguish the true sence of them from the false and ambiguous to inquire carefully into all that hath pass'd in the businesse since the beginning of the dispute and after this to give an account to your Holinesse of all things done and ordained by us in this affair which concerneth matter of Faith that so what were rightly pronounc'd by us about this matter might be confirm'd by your Apostolical Authority But how many artifices may there be to oppresse and overthrow the truth by thus directly addressing to your See before our examining and judging of the cause By what abundance of calumnies may the reputation of our Prelates and Doctors be blemish'd And by how many fallacies may your Holinesse be circumvented and surpris'd in this great affair which concerns points of Faith For on the one side it is visible that they in whose favour our Brethren the Bishops writ to your Holinesse maintain firmly and obstinately that the greatest part of the new Schoole-men is of their opinion and that their Doctrine is most consentaneous to the goodnesse of God and the equity of natural reason On the other side they who adhere to S. Augustin declare not in secret but publickly that the Questions contested about are not now dubious and problematical but that 't is an affair ended and terminated long agoe that they are the received Determinations of antient Councils and Popes whose Decrees are most evident in this matter and especially those of the Council of Trent which they maintain consist almost wholly of the words and maximes of S. Augustine as well as those of the second Council of Orange do Wherefore they professe that instead of fearing either our judgement or yours they have rather reason to desire the same having all ground to promise themselves that your Holinesse being assisted by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost who vouchsafes to guide you when you consult him and to hear you when you pray to him will not in the least thing depart from what hath been determin'd by the H. Fathers that so it may not happen which God forbid that the reputation of the H. Apostolical See fall under the contempt of Hereticks who narrowly observe the least of its actions and words But we have ground to hope that this will never come to passe especially if for retrenching all contest for the future your Holinesse will please by treading in the footsteps of your Predecessors to examine this affair from the bottome and to hear the reasons and defences of either side according to custom Vouchsafe therefore most Holy Father either to let this important dispute which hath lasted divers ages without breach of the Catholick Vnity continue still a little longer or to decide all the Questions by observing the legitimate forms of Ecclesiastical Judgements And we beseech your Holinesse that you will please to imploy all your care and zeal that the interests of the Church intrusted to your Government be not any wise injur'd in this Cause God accumulate many years prosperity and happinesse upon your Holinesse We are Most Holy Father Your Holinesse's most humble Sons and Servants in Christ Jesus Signed thus in several Copies In one Lewis Henry de Gondrin Archbishop of Sens. B. Delbene Bishop of Agen. Gilbert Bishop of Comenge Le Beron Bishop of Valence and Die A. Delbene Bishop of Orleans Bernard Bishop of S. Papoul J. Henry de Salette Bishop of Lescar in Bearn Felix Bishop and C. of Châlons In another Francis Bishop of Amiens In a third Henry Bishop of Angiers In a fourth Nicholas Bishop and C. of Beauvais The friend whom I intreated to come to me accordingly repair'd to the lodging I had taken We consider'd the above mention'd Letters and having discours'd largely of all things I desir'd him to go and confer thereupon with the other person who could not so well come abroad and who did not think meet the delegation should be hastened and to assure him that if the present posture of things at Rome would not bear the prosecution of my affair I was for my own part ready to return back the next morning to Civitá Vecchia and so to Genua by the Gally in which I came and which was to return thither within a few days I entrusted my Letters to this friend who accordingly carried them to that other person and after having confer'd together upon them came again to me the same day I conceive that in case things had been still intire and not yet medled with we three should have agreed to leave them so for some time and wait till mens minds were better prepar'd then at present to receive our Remonstrances and consider the truths which we were to defend in the Sequel of this affair if the first Justice desir'd by us were granted of which there seem'd not to be any doubt being su'd for by persons so eminent among their brethren as those Bishops of France who subscrib'd the letter whereof I was bearer But for that it was not absolutely in our power to act so directly against their orders and intentions without having reasons evidently convincing and perfectly indubitable for so doing and also for that although there were very strong ones to perswade it expedient not to hasten so much the producing of my Letters and beginning the prosecution enjoyn'd me yet there were others too no less powerfull to evince such prosecution both beneficial and necessary We all three judg'd that it ought to be begun we consider'd that the business was in very evident danger whatsoever course were taken and that unless I stir'd in it the ill success would infallibly be attributed to so irregular a managment as mine would be That such ill success was almost inevitable there being already a Congregation establisht which secretly carri'd on the affair and which receiving neither opposition nor information contrary to the conceptions begotten in them by M. de Vabres's Letter subscribed by so many Bishops and other persons who conspir'd and solicited the condemnation aim'd at in writing it would not fall to follow those prepossessions and conclude upon the condemnation That by the high credit and great authority of the persons who interested themselves in the prosecution of the same and in whose power it would be to make such application and use of it as they pleas'd it would cause as much mischief and have as evil consequences in what manner soever it were concluded as if it were so notwithstanding the letters I should deliver and the remonstrances I could make Besides those letters and remonstrances in whatsoever manner they were received and whatsoever regard were had of them might always hinder some of those ill effects and grievous consequences For either the condemnation would be proceeded to notwithstanding my letters and remonstrances and without granting
they had writen to his Holiness concerning an affair of high consequence the effect of which they charg'd me to solicite with all the care and diligence it deser'vd That it was touching the Five Propositions contriv'd and fram'd in obscure ambiguous and equivocal words so as to be capable of several very contrary senses according to the different interpretations which may be put upon them That some of those senses are evidently Heretical others most certainly Catholick and containing the chief Truths of Faith and Christian Religion That the Authors of those Propositions fram'd them in this manner that so under pretext of those bad senses they may get a downright absolute condemnation of them and apply the same afterwards to the Catholick Senses and Orthodox Truths which they include That they did thus because they are possess'd with Sentiments contrary to those Truths and seeing the same so firmly establisht that there is no likelyhood of impeaching them with success should they openly declare against them they had devis'd and fram'd those Propositions to overthrow the said Truths by involving them in one and the same condemnation with the errors contain'd in the said Propositions That M. Cornet was the man that first broacht them proposing them to the Faculty almost two years ago to get them censur'd but a great number of Doctors presently understanding the Artifice and discovering the dangerous consequences thereof both to the publick by some Books publisht against that Attempt and to the Court of Parliament by two Petitions which they were constrain'd to present for stopping its coutse It incur'd the indignation of all sincere and equitable persons that heard of it and was repress'd by an Arrest of the Court which prohibited M. Cornet and all others to pursue it That having miss'd of their design in the Faculty in the year 1649 M. Cornet and such as joyn'd with him conceiv'd the Assembly of the Clergy held the year after might be a favourable opportunity to revive it because the Bishop of Vabres who was ingag'd therein with them and was to be of the Assembly might use such practices as were necessary for it with my Lords his brethren But many of them which were also of the Assembly having well understood the business the memory of which was still fresh and abhorr'd and M. de Vabres having apprehended that if he made the least opening of it there would never be wanting some or other to represent to the Assembly how great and fruitless a stir it caus'd the year preceding how remote it was judg'd from sincerity and honour and consequently how unworthy it would be of their company and so his Proposal would certainly have no effect he durst not attempt to make it Wherefore the business having fail'd in the Faculty and being not thought fit to be set afoot amongst the Clergy for fear of the same success they resolv'd to venture it to the H. See conceiving all the particularities of its odiousness would not be represented there and that no person would set forth to his Holiness what a plot there was upon him to engage the Apostolical Authority in a Censure intended to serve for the upholding of error That they were the more confident of drawing the H. See to such a Determination though it cannot but be shameful to it in the end and beget confusion and greater Disputes in the Church which yet is the only refuge they have in the miserable cause wherein they are ingaged for that they presume the H. See not having any suspition or distrust of those whic◠sollicite it being persons who have ever professed a singular devotion to its interests and service But this as I conceiv'd would cause in the Pope and their Eminences greater indignation against the Enterprise when they should find that its Authors made use of that outside false zeal for the H. See to circumvent it and bring it more easily into the Ambushes which they have prepared against it That they cover'd the same with the authority of some Bishops which they have inveigled thereinto by sundry plausible motives and specious considerations fitted to every one's gust thereby engaging each of them to subscribe a Letter address'd to the Pope for his Holiness's judgment upon the Propositions That the fear of those by whose order I was return'd lest this authority and recommendation of their Brethern should prevail upon the Pope's mind and lest the promoters of this Enterprise should abuse their Letter against their intentions induc'd them to write another to his Holiness by which they advertise him of the prejudicial consequences likely to insue upon his Decision in case he make it before fully examining all the circumstances of the business and throughly searching the bottom of the matter in question Which they conceiving not to be done but in a solemn Congregation in which all the Divines divided about these matters may be heard both vivâ voce and by writing in presence of either side to represent all their reasons and answer those of their Adversaries their just care to prevent the troubles likely to arise in the Church and their affection for the service and interests of the H. See hath mov'd them to beseech the Pope to erect and establish such a Congregation That they hop'd this Request would be well-pleasing to his Holinesse because without such a Congregation it is not possible either to settle a firme peace amongst the Catholick Divines whose concord is so necessary to the Edification of the whole Church or to clear and maintain Truth the defending and supporting of which are the prime duties and most essential obligations of the H. See or to preserve the respect due to its Decrees the authoriry of which ought to be render'd inviolable by using all circumspection and diligence possible in the making thereof I added that what I represented to his Eminence was more largely and clearly set forth in the Letters which I had to deliver to the Pope from my LL. the Bishops who oblig'd me to return and moreover because it was requisite to adde many things by word of mouth for the more ample deducing both to his Holinesse and their Eminences all the particulars and considerations fit to be represented in so great and important an affair one man being not sufficient to performe the same fully and perfectly they would likewise send at Autumne following some Doctors or other Divines that so nothing might be omitted which they conceiv'd they owe to the H. See and the Church in this occasion That nevertheless in the mean time their fear lest this affair might be too much hastned at Rome before the arrival of those whom they intended to send thither and lest his Holiness not being advertis'd of the danger there is in decreeing any thing in it before it be throughly examin'd might grant some Decree upon the Instances made to him for it understanding that I was still in those parts and accustom'd to the heats which are
oftimes so prejudicial to new-commers they oblig'd me to come and give him this first advertisment thereof I deliver'd the Cardinal a Letter written particularly to himself by M. d' Anger 's in recommendation of me to him and of the affair which I was to follow and I beseecht him to countenance the prosecutions I should use with his Authority and to believe that next the service of God of Truth and of the Church which principally induc'd me to return to Rome in obedience to persons of so Eminent worth and dignity who oblig'd me thereto notwithstanding my particular desire and interest to go home into France I became ingaged to do so by the affection which I have for the service of the H. See which his Eminence would at length find more concern'd in this affair then any other I found a great difference as indeed there was reason between Cardinal Spada's deportment in this visite and in another which I made to him of civility in the Lent preceding for he was as reserved in this as he was communicative in the former he heard all that I said to him just as I have since experienc'd to be the usual way in Italy in all audiences with great silence attention and gravity He receiv'd the Letters which I had for him and after signifying some testimonies of his esteem of the Bishops of France and particularly of him whose Letter I presented he told me He hop'd the Pope would not fail to take such course in this affair as was necessary for its succeeding to the honour of God and his Church to which end for his own part should his Holiness employ him in it he should contribute his utmost care and endeavor I arose up from the chair set for me at my entrance right against that of his Eminence in order to depart and himself arose also to conduct me which he did from the chamber wherein he receiv'd me till we came into the Dining room where he left me although between it and his chamber there were two Anti-chambers to passe through When he had quitted me I was saluted by some of his Court who accompany'd me to the doore This I take notice of not as an extraordinary thing but to intimate to such as know it not in what manner these audiences use to be given it being very civil and convenient for the Visitant is receiv'd alone and hath time to deduce at length and at his pleasure what he mindeth to represent At my departing from Cardinal Spada I went to wait upon Cardinal Barberin and I was likewise so fortunate as to find him at his Palace and to declare my mind to him as much as I desir'd the same day I shall not recite here or elsewhere what I then said to his Eminence touching my return For in all the visites which I made to speak of this busines it was nothing but a continual repetition sometimes amplifi'd more or lesse according to occasion both of I what I said to Cardinal Spada and of what I have formerly related to have been done ar Paris and at Rome about the Propositions And as for what pass'd at Rome sometimes I met with people who hearing me speak thereof and thereby conceiving me better inform'd then indeed I was not onely confirmed to me what I knew before but also instructed me in some particulars of which I was ignorant by which means I came to understand things so well as not to fear to assure the Pope even in Papers signed with our hands of the truth of all those which I have above related But to return to Cardinal Barberin I told him all that I had said to Cardinal Spada though not altogether in the same order and without interruption For the great familiarity wherewith Cardinal Barberin us'd me in all the entertainments which I had with him during my residence at Rome the foregoing winter and his more exact knowledge of all the things and persons of whom I spoke caus'd him sometimes to interpose answers and interrogations to me concerning what I said I was oblig'd to continue my discourse according to the matter and leisure which he afforded me but I constantly resum'd the series of my affair and omitted nothing at all in giving him account of what I had said to Cardinal Spada Besides which I spoke something concerning another business namely about the Houres touching which I formerly had some discourse with him and they were now recommended to me by the Bishop of Anger 's to take care of and maintain and justify as much as I could against the prosecutions and accusations which he understood were made against them Cardinal Barberin answer'd that it was a long while since he heard any speech of them that he conceiv'd they were thought of no more that the Bishop of Anger 's had recommended them to him by a Letter which he receiv'd from him some dayes ago and that he hop'd the answer which he intended to return thererunto the next day would give M. d' Anger 's content I do not at present remember the particulars thereof which he was pleas'd to impart to me nor can I find what I then writ down in my Notes but I remember that according to what his Eminence then said I Judg'd the Houres out of danger and wholly secure from calumny CHAP. III. Visites made in the end of June and beginning of the moneth of July wherein I discover'd the objections made against the Houres Notice of putting me into the Inquisition I spent Monday the 17th of June in answering the Letters I receiv'd at my arrival and I advertis'd the Prelates who writ the same to me of what had pass'd since in the visites which I made about the affair wherewith they did me the honour to charge me I spent Tuesday the 18th in providing me a Lodging in the society of the French Priests which are at S. Lewis that so I might be in a place more sutable to my condition and employment then I could be in an ordinary Inne such persons as it was requisite for me to addresse to for the obtaining of the said Lodging I acquainted with the occasion of my return amongst others M. du Noiset Dean of the Rota on whom it absolutely depended as being the superior of the said Society On Wednesday I went to Tivoly where M. le Bailly de Valancey the King's Ambassador to the Pope was still retir'd to salute him and inform him also according as I was oblig'd of the Commission I had the honour to be charg'd with He made me a very courteous reception and promis'd to do what he could at that distance to facilitate and hasten my audience of the Pope whereunto I signifi'd to him my great desire to be admitted without delay in regard of the importance there was in the Pope's being speedily advertised of the nature of the affair whereof I was to speak that so surprisals and circumventions might be prevented which were otherwise much
that came to passe long after He told me two of that kind One that there would likewise come to Rome Doctors of the contrary parties and the other that the Pope would dispatch this affair after he had heard either side in one or two Congregations Which inclines me the more willingly to believe a third which he told me of a thing then past though I could get no more light of it since viz. that their Letter so he call'd that of the Bishop of Vabres arrvi'd at Rome the first time subscrib'd by seventy two Bishops and that several others had subscribed it since so that the number amounted to fourescore and three After F. le Maire had left me I went again to Cardinal Barberin and acquainted him with new Letters which I had receiv'd for the Pope whereof one was from the Archbishop of Tholouse last deceas'd and the other from the Bishop of Grasse who join'd their prayers to those of the other Bishops who desir'd of the Pope a solemn Congregation for the affair of the five Propositions before decreeing any thing therein This motion of a Congregation seem'd to this Cardinal so distant from the inclinations of the Pope and the Court of Rome that the very thought of it seem'd to his Eminence altogether uncouth and unseasonable But to shew him that it was not a thing so unreasonable I told him that I conceiv'd the order which as his Eminence inform'd me the Pope gave to some Divines and likewise to some of the Cardinals to study the Propositions was the beginning of one The Cardinal then advisd me to go to those Cardinals whom he had nominated before to me and tell them that they became insensibly engag'd in the businesse I answer'd that there was no need for me to go to them again for that end till the arrival of the Divines that were to follow me But said he take heed lest they be not staid for to determine it I reply'd thar I had rather leave all to be done as it was now understood then presse it on to no purpose After this he ask'd me whether I had acquainted Cardinal Spada with what pass'd between M. Albizzi and me I answer'd that I had and that that Cardinal bid me not be troubled about it for he had no voice in judging But yet you see said Cardinal Barberin that the Houres are put into the Catalogue of prohibited books I reply'd that that was of a little importance Here the Cardinal instantly reflecting upon what he had said added That he did not mean directly that M. Albizzi was the cause of it and though it were so yet he was oblig'd to secrecy After this discourse he carry'd me abroad to take the aire with him where we discoursed of many things amongst others touching M. Hallier in whose praises he was very copious and of whom he said as an excellence that it could not be deny'd that he was very pliant and obedient when our Promenade was done his Eminence did me the honour to bring me back to S. Lewis where I lodg'd On Sunday morning August 6. I went to see a good French Fryer of the order of the Carmelites who told me that he learnt the day before how M. Hallier had written several things against us and the good Father mention'd them to me But I remembred onely two whereof one was that if the Pope did not hasten to condemn the Jansenists so he call'd us the face of the Church would soon be wholly changed for proof of which falsity he alledged most of the lying rumors spread abroad on purpose to calumniate us The second thing was that he was confident that if the Pope sent any decree against us into France which proceeded as from the person of his Holinesse and not from the Tribunal of the Inquisition that such decree would be receiv'd by the King by the Bishops and by the Parliament After this I went to waite upon the Ambassador and gave him notice of the new Letters which I had receiv'd from the Bishops of Tholouse and Grasse to deliver to the Pope and other particular ones written to me by some other Bishops by which they charged me anew to urge the erection of a Congregation as the only way which they judg'd convenient for the clearing of Truth and procuring peace in the Church The Ambassador very well receiv'd what I said to him and with great civility offer'd to get me audience of the Pope that so I might make my remonstrances to him assoon as the posture of his affairs permitted In the afternoon I visited Cardinal Spada to whom I told in few words besides some other things related above in the last conference which I had with Cardinal Barberin that the Bishops who sent me enjoin'd me by their last Letters not to fail to send them an account in what condition the affair was wherewith I was encharg'd but all things which concern'd the same were so obscure and secret that all I could signifie to them was that a month a go I deliver'd their Letters to the Pope and could discover nothing since of certainty to send them That indeed I had some conjectures which made me think that there was a Congregation ordained but I knew neither the the Cardinals nor the Consultors that were appointed to be of it that I saw nothing at all to write to them saving that I conceiv'd they might send the Divines whom they intended In the sequel of my discourse I twice insinuated to his Eminence the extreme necessity of hearing both parties for the clearing of the truth and setling peace among Divines But all that I could observe in the Cardinals answer was that he told me with a very low voice that he would remember what I had said to him On Tuesday the 8. of August I went in the afternoon to visite Cardinal Roma upon the subject abovemention'd and amongst other things which I said to him I acquainted him with the extreme dispatch that a Jesuite who came to see me viz. F. le Maire made account that the Determination would be pass'd to wit after giving us one or two Audiences The Cardinal answer'd that that Jesuite must needs be a Frenchman for they did not move so fast at Rome That I should not trouble my self that our affaires should not want for time That there was no person but saw how just and necessary it was to hear the Divines of different opinions as I required before pronouncing any thing upon these matters But should all the world neglect so just a demand himself would prosecute it and make it his own businesse This he inculcated to me with so much care and certainty that he seem'd to be somewhat troubled lest I should not be perfectly perswaded of the truth of it So that I was oblig'd to tell his Eminence that after the assurance which he gave me I should for the future relye upon his authority and his care We enter'd a little into
and the other to peace On Thursday Sept. 28. I learnt two excellent stories from a learned Dominican whom I visited that morning I shall relate but one of them as the most appertaining to the matter whereof I am writing He told me that Clement VIII was at first very ill bent against the Doctrine of Grace by reason of many complaints made to him by the Jesuites against the Dominicans because these Monks said the Jesuits ceas'd not to give them continual vexation upon the account of School disputes That at length the Pope importun'd by their continual sollicitations and fearing the arising of greater divisions one day as he was in this impatience and apprehension he sent to the General of the Dominicans who was gone out of the City upon a Visit to return to Rome without delay That the said General being return'd and appearing at his Holinesses feet who had him in great esteem in regard of his great capacity and exemplary life the Pope said to him Come good Father you must give me satisfaction in one thing you must employ all your authority in it and if it suffice not I will joyn all mine You see how the Coat of Jesus Christ is rent England Germany so many Hugonots in France so many divisions and schismes on all sides Is it so that what is left in the Church cannot live in peace Take some order speedily and absolutely and see that the Religious of your Order do not molest the Jesuites Extinguish these Scholastick Quarrels for fear lest they prove one day the cause of greater mischief The General was astonisht at this discourse but he answer'd to it with as much vigour as respect saying H. Father if your Holinesse hath had hitherto any confidence in me you are not mistaken and I would sooner lose my life then tell your Holinesse a thing that were not true But I assure you with as great protestation as I am able that it is not an interest of the School that is in question 'T is the Cause of Faith that is concern'd If the opinion which the Jesuites introduce into the Church be suffer'd in it 't is a depriving God of his Crown 't is no longer he that gives us Paradise he is no longer master of his benefits and his graces c. This discourse and the rest which the General added to it so affected Clement VIII that he was desirous to hear the General another time to learn more particularities about this matter then he could tell him at this audience and from that time forward Clement VIII was earnest to see this General many times in a week and receiv'd from him little Memoires which serv'd him to inform himself therein At length when this General had given Clement VIII the first tinctures of this matter the Pope lik'd well a request which he made to his Holinesse namely that he might present to him some other Divines of his own Order with whom he might conferr as agreeably and as profitably as with him and that himself in the mean time might better discharge the numerous affairs attending his Generalship I shall not fear to tell who was the Dominican from whom I learnt these particularities adding here that a few dayes before he told me this Pope Innocent X. who sits at this day upon the throne of S. Peter sending for him about a certain affair and acquainting him with some of his regrets said to him That if it were well known what the Papacy is there would not be so much seeking for it as there is That he had so many incumbrances to satisfie all the world so many things to set right with Crownes c. That he was now threescore and eighteen years old That he was not master of one hours time in the day to take a little rest and many other such things And also speaking to him of M. Hersent's Sermon he told him that indeed there was nothing atall in it that deserv'd any Censure This Dominican was the same upon whose relation and approbation the Master of the Sacred Palace gave the Imprimatur to that Sermon in one word it was F. du Four On Sunday morning Octob. 1. I visited a Religious Minime whom upon occasion I acquainted with our readinesse to yield submission to the Decision which should be pass d upon these matters as I had done to the Ambassador To which the Father Minime nam'd F. du Plantet having told me that the Pope needed not for the making of such Decision to stand upon all these formalities which I demanded I pray'd him to tell me the reasons that might hinder the Pope from erecting such a Congregation and legal Examen because I saw a thousand why he should do it and none why he should not He told me three very pitiful ones The first was That to hear parties would very much protract matters in length The second that it might exasperate both things and persons And the third that the subtilty of such as should argue against the truth might be so great as to dazle the minds of the Judges and circumvent them In the afternoon I visited the Ambassador and went abroad with him to take the air After several discourses and amongst the rest about what I learnt concerning Clement VIII which I have newly related he told me that he had conferr'd with the Pope about our affair and that to all that he said to him the Pope answer'd That there were Bulls enough already he was in the right That he the Ambassador reply'd that indeed there were already very many but every one drew them to his own side that one was desired from him plain expresse decisive that might clear the contests and bring the Divines and all the Faithfull to peace The Ambassador was in the right too On Wednesday Octob. 4. afternoon I went to deliver Card. Spada a Letter from M. d' Anger 's He read it through by himself and all the answer that he made to it then was to tell me that he was full of esteem for M. d' Anger 's and should alwayes make great account of his Letters After which I told Cardinal Spada that F. Mulard styl'd himself Deputy from the Faculty that I knew M. Hallier the Syndic of it had encharged him with some Letters but could not make him such and that if the Faculty were advertis'd of it they would not be well pleas'd nor suffer this enterprise of M. Hallier's That I was inform'd that the Nuntio had sent to M. Albizzi some new Piece printed against the Five Propositions which was pretended to be a Censure made by the Faculty but I assur'd his Eminence the Faculty never made any That I knew many impostures and falsities were set on foot by clandestine suggestion but no notice was given to me thereof and that this was not the way to be satisfied therein and to know the truth That if they were unwilling to do it I did not desire to have the
without thorough consideration But as for the Cardinals that I spoke of he profess'd to me that either he gave no such order or did not remember it At least he would not own to me that he had given any such I reply'd that I had formerly declar'd to him that we had no design to do any prejudice neither to the Bull of Vrban VIII nor those of Pius V. and Gregory XIII As for the matter de auxiliis the Pope had spoken thereof to me with such aversion and I knew otherwise that hewas so loth to apply himself thereunto that I durst not tell him that Then he must not enter into the examination of the Propositions which had been presented to him because each of them was a necessary dependance thereon and inseparable from it in the sense wherein we affirm'd them to be Catholick for fear lest speaking to the Pope in that manner I might put an invincible obstacle to all the solicitations which I was to make for obtaining the erection of the solemn Congregation which seem'd so necessary to the full discussion and decision of the Controversies which were in the Church between Divines about these matters Wherefore without using the term de Auxiliis I told the Pope that since we had been accus'd to his Holinesse of maintaining the five Propositions presented to him under equivocal terms which afforded different senses whereof onewas Catholick and the other Heretical it was agreeable to justice and tended to the satisfaction of his Holinesse to know that we abhorr'd the Heretical and maintain'd the Catholick and that those senses being distinguisht the condemnation which follow'd would be clear and distinct and could not be attributed to the sense which we maintain'd to be the doctrine and faith of the Church as it was the design of the Authors of those Propositions to do if they obtain'd a Censure befoe the said senfes were cleared and distinguisht Which since it could not be done but in a Congregation establisht for the purpose this induc'd the Bishops for whom I appear'd to desire the same of his Holiness by their Letters and to encharge me with sollicitations to procure the effect thereof The Pope scarce allow'd me time to end this discourse but he told me that after Clement VIII had caus'd this matter to be debated in his presence for a long time by the most excellent men whom he summoned from several places after he had studied them himself with very great care so that as he remember'd some took occasion thereby to say that Clement VIII began very old to study Divinity yet he could not at last decide any thing therein but was fain to impose a perpetual silence both to the one side and the other Imposuit omnibus perpetuum silentium wherefore it behoved to acquiesce in that order and live in peace and that every one in the mean time pray to God for grace to serve him well I answer'd the Pope that Clement VIII notwithstanding all the care he took to examine that matter could not indeed decide it but he had the design to do it and it was only death wherewith God suffer'd him to be overtaken that hinder'd him from deciding it in favour of our side and that the said decision not having been then publisht our adversaries take so great advantage thereof at this day that they do not dissemble that they attempt to overthrow the doctrine of S. Augustin which is also that of the Church The Pope assented to this truth that the Doctrine of S. Augustin was that of the Church but he said We understood S. Augustin one way and our adversaries another I answer'd that greater wrong could not be done to S. Augustin and all the holy Popes who proposed his doctrine to the Faithful as their own then to pretend as our adversaries do that it cannot be known to which doctrine theirs or ours that of S. Augustin is conformable The Pope reply'd that they drew him to their side and we maintain'd him on ours That this was it that was to be judg'd but the discussion of it was a matter of much paines it requiring much labour and time that it was therefore requisite to hold to what Clement VIII had ordained therein namely to remain in silence I answer'd that our Adversaries did not keep it and ceas'd not every day to undermine the faith of the Church insensibly which if they were suffer'd still to do they would utterly ruine it at length That truly it was difficult for me to take the boldnesse to speak thereof with so great instance to his Holinesse but his setvice and that of truth oblig'd me thereunto And if his Holinesse pleas'd but to peruse a little Italian Writing of about two Pages or more which I had made purposely to shew him in particular and almost at one view the evident coherence which those five Propositions taken in the sense which we maintain'd had with Grace Effectual by it self he would clearly discern the ambushes laid for him in presenting those Propositions to him and would remain convinc'd of the importance of this Affair The Pope reply'd that he would not look upon that writing how short soever it were because after having seen that he must see another and then another and so he should by degrees become engag'd in the matter unawares I told him that I had not prepar'd that Writing to discusse the matter but onely to let him know in what manner our Adversaries had acted towards his Holinesse in this affair but the Pope would by no means hearken to what I propounded to him because he still profess'd that he fear'd it would engage him further and oblige him to too great toyles as he knew the discussion of this matter requir'd even of such as had apply'd themselves to that study all their time but much more pains must it cost him then others poi said he to me they are his own words non è la mia Professione oltra che son vecchio non ho mai studiato in Theologia Because said he it is not my Profession besides that I am old I have never studied Divinity Which I beseech those that shall read to take in the same sense that his Holinesse spoke it and wherein I write it that is That he had not studyed Divinity comparatively to the study of the Canon Law upon which he had bestow'd all his time laying Divinity apart as many do at Rome where it seems the several employments which are follow'd and by which advancement is attained require rather a Canonist then a Divine I reply'd then to the Pope that I should be very loth to cause any inquietude to him or engage him to any pains that were not agreeable to his Holinesse but I was oblig'd to make him the instances which I now did because Monsignor Albizzi had told certain persons from whom I understood it that his Holinesse would within a little time passe a Decree upon those Propositions and
Gentleman of great worth whom I had mention'd to him that we might go abroad to take the air or repair to his Library according as to the time should permit On Saturday the 25th as I was going accordingly with the said M. de Balagni to wait upon the Cardinal Barberin I receiv'd very sad newes but thanks be to God it prov'd untrue It was that the Deputies whom I waited for were taken at Sea by the Pirates M. de Valeran Master of the French Couriers to Rome came purposely to tell it me with all the circumspection and condolence accustomed in such cases as having receiv'd the same from Florence and esteeming it true though not altogether certain I was not dismay'd at it and it did not hinder me from going to Cardinal Barberin and spending the rest of the day with him and M. de Balagni in entertainments upon indifferent matters I was blam'd the next day for having been so cold and negligent after the receipt of the above-mention'd newes and for not going the same day which was that on which Letters are dispatcht from all Italy to advertise the Ambassador of it and beseech him to write by that Poste to Constantinople for the procuring of my Collegues their liberty or at least some comfort in their captivity But I clear'd my self by alledging that I did not judge M. de Valeran's intelligence very true and that I conceiv'd it was fitting to be sure of the truth before I took the allarm and communicated it to the Ambassador And accordingly I found that I had taken the best course for I receiv'd Letters from them on Sunday the 26th in the afternoon by which I understood not only that M. de Valeran's newes could not be true but also that they would probably be at Rome within a very few dayes and so they were as I shall relate in the following Chapter but I shall first observe here two or three things which come into my mind and whereof I have made no mention in my Notes of this time The first is that hapning occasionally since my return to Rome to be in the Profess'd House of the Jesuites under the Cloister or Gallery which is at the entrance there pass'd by one of those Fathers whose hand was very white and when he was gone my friend that was with me a Roman Citizen told me it was F. Santarel This put me in mind of his book and made me desirous to buy it if it were to be sold At my comming away from the Jesuits I went purposely towards the Quarter of Pasquin where are the most Book-sellers and the first of whom I inquir'd for it sold it me at a very ordinary price I admir'd that that book was so commonly to be had at Rome after having been censured by all the Universities of France with so unanimous and universal consent and it containing such pernicious doctrine that the Author wanting more solid foundations for it was forc'd to corrupt the H. Scripture so openly that he retrencht a Negative particle out of the sacred Text to make it speak quite the contrary to what it speaks of it self 'T is in that passage where S. Paul speaking of the Spiritual power which Jesus Christ gave to his Apostles for the Edification of the Faithfull he saith they received it ad aedificationem non in destructionem For their edification and instruction and not for their destruction and ruine But this Jesuite on the contrary applying the said passage to the pretended Temporal power of the Pope over Monarchies to make it beleev'd that God hath given it to him as well to ruine and overturn them as to edifie them he takes the Non out of the place and cites it thus Ad aedificationem in destructionem Notwithstanding all which I found that the book was stâ—…l in great applause and free sale at Rome The second thing which I remember but did not set down was that in my visites to Cardinal Spada I us'd one argument which I conceiv'd would have been most prevalent at Rome I told him that one way to fix in the minds of the world a great opinion of the Equity of the H. See would be to grant us the equitable things which we requested and to make a Decision favorable to our cause in case they found that that we defended the truth Because by that meanes pronouncing in favour of persons which had been represented very suspected and odious to them and had no support in the world but their learning and virtue against others that had a very great credit and were recommended by all the Princes of Europe and openly profes'd an absolute dependance on the Pope every body would be oblig'd to acknowledge that the H. See had no other rule in its Decision but Truth it self I added further that should it consider onely the interests it self hath to keep within their duty those persons that were the most dependant on it and boasted themselves the most devoted to it it ought in this occasion to humble the Authors of those Propositions and of that whole Designe because indeed they had forgotten the respect and fidelity which they ought to preserve towards it forasmuch as they had fram'd the same Propositions so capable of equivocatious and full of ambiguities onely to circumvent the H. See and engage it in the scandalous protection of their pernicious doctrine and their vaine reputation which they saw they could no longer uphold but by sacrificing that of the H. See for that end I told him also that they would find the truth and sincerity of the submission and respect which the said persons pretended for the H. See when it was not favorable to them The Cardinal heard this discourse which I renew'd and urg'd to him several times as he heard all the rest which I said to him without answering any thing in particular I represented the same also upon occasion to others but more or lesse largely according as it was expedient The third and last thing which I have to adde here of all that were observable during the six months that I spent alone at Rome in giving the Pope and his Ministers the first adviso's of this great affaire concernes another which hath almost no affinity with it but yet is very considerable in it self It is touching the violent persecutions which the Jesuites have practis'd for this long time against a learned and pious Bishop of America who made a representation of them to the Pope in a letter written to his Holinesse in the beginning of the year 1649. M. Cosimo Ricciardi gave me a Copy of it a little after my returning to Rome and in many of the visites which I made to him frequently and familiarly he alwayes mention'd it with just indgnation He got the Copy of it from that Bishops Agent who brought it to Rome and deliver'd it to the Pope He had a great desire to have it printed that all the world might be
was told by one of the H. Office that he to whom F. Annat's book de Incoacta libertate then under the Presse was committed to read had made his Report of it eight dayes ago that M. Albizzi mov'd there might be given to it not only a Licence for printing but also a kind of Approbation that there was nothing in it contrary to the Faith but the Members of the H. Office considering it was not their Custom M. Albizzi could not bring them to his intended innovation and so the book was only remitted to the Master of the Sacred Palace I went to visit him on Saturday the 19. and represented the Prejudice which the Cause of Grace Effectual by it self would receive by the Approbation which F. Annat endeavour'd to get from the Congregation of the H. Office for the Book he was printing and the advantage which the Jesuites would make of it for the upholding of their Molinistical Grace subject to Free Will which could not be establisht but upon the ruines of many Christian Truths The Master of the Sacred Palace presently agreed with me as to the prejudice which those truths receive from that Molinistical opinion and particularly mention'd many truths that are subverted thereby But he told me that he did not believe F. Annat's book was writ in defence of that opinion That were it so it could not afford any consequence as to the matter of the Doctrine which would not fail to be maintain'd when they came to the Decision but till it were come to that the Pope had prohibited writing of these matters without permission of the Congregation of the H. Office That the said Congregation had given F. Annat such permission and him the Master c. permission to peruse the book and give his consent to the impression That he had done so and could not have done otherwise That those people were Almighty Ognipotenti That he was in an office in which it was necessary to obey By which I saw that we must be contented either to behold that book publisht with whatever advantagious Notes of Approbation it could be authoris'd or else stop its course by our complaint to the Pope against it if we could get audience of him before it came forth CHAP. II. Of the first Audience which we had together of the Pope Jan. 21. 1652. at the end of which we deliver'd to him our first Memorial AT length we obtain'd that so much desired Audience on Sunday Jan. 21. After we had made the usual kneelings at entrance into the Chamber where the Pope was and kiss'd his feet we placed our selves all four before him in a Semicircle and being upon our knees M. Brousse our Senior spoke in Latin to his Holinesse what followeth in the Translation Most Holy Father THE Joy we resent this day is so great that no words are capable to expresse it For what could happen more desirable and more happy to Sons of the Church to Priests and Doctors then to see our selves prostrate before the Common Father of Christians the Visible Head of the Church the Vicar of Jesus Christ and the Successor of S. Peter to kisse his feet and receive a benediction from his hand and mouth So that we doubt not but the sequel of this Year will be favourable to us and the successe of our Commission fortunate since we begin both the one and the other with your Holinesse's benediction Behold us most H. F. at the feet of your Holinesse sent from many most illustrious Bishops of France who excited with an ardent Zeal for the Mysteries and Articles of Faith and animated by their respect to the Holy See and particularly towards your Holinesse have delegated us hither to beseech you in their Name according to the laudable custom of the Church in the like occasions to please to ordain a Congregation for the Examination and Discussion of five Equivocal Propositions fraudulently and subtilly contriv'd and whereof the Authors themselves sollicit a Censure with all kind of artifices to the end that after the Parties shall have been heard in presence one of the other their proofs and reasons reciprocally produc'd subscrib'd and communicated the whole being weigh'd and examin'd as the importance of the matter requireth your Holinesse may pronounce and declare by the supreme authority which you have in the Church what ought to be follow'd and what avoided which is the true sense of those Propositions which we are oblig'd to hold and which the false which we ought to abhorr as we understand by publick and authentick Acts to have been practis'd under Clement VIII and Paul V. of hâ—ppy memory with so great glory to those two great Popes so much lustre of the truth and so great advantage to the H. See Our Confrere here present hath formerly propounded the same more largely to your Holinesse when he had the Honor to present to you the Letters of our LL. the Bishops and therefore I shall not repeat it for fear of being tedious to your Holinesse reserving my self to speak further thereof when your Holinesse shall please to command me For your Holinesse may easily judge by that strength of mind which it hath pleased God to give you of what importance this Suite of ours is for the preservation of truth for unity for peace and for the authority of the Church Forasmuch as the said Propositions being capable of divers senses true and false Catholick and Heretical and having been cunningly fram'd by those who are the Authors of them with design if once they be condemned in general and according to the rigor of the words to attribute to themselves the judgement of such Equivocal Censure and under pretext of defending it to take the Liberty of applying it as they please to all the kinds of senses and so by mingling the true with the false and error with the Catholick faith to excite envy and hatred against many both Bishops and Doctors of very great piety and excellent learning to accuse them to your Holinesse as guilty of spiritual Treason and to traduce them by their injuries and calumnies in the minds of the ignorant common people as they have not been asham'd to do already to the great scandal of all good men In which regard most H. F. there is none but sees how necessary the clearing of those Propositions is for Vnion for peace and for the good of the Church to the end that the parties having been heard on either side all the equivocations and ambiguities of words being unfolded and all the odious cavills dispell'd and rejected falsitie may become sever'd from truth error from the faith and bran from the flower to use S. Gregorie's Words I passe over in silence most H. F. that so I may not abuse the grace which your Holinesse doth me in hearing me that all this dispute concerns the dignity authority and doctrine of S. Augustin whom the supreme Pontifs and the whole Church have alwayes held in so great
is in Jansenius's book Ptopositions condemned by Jansenius that is to be understood as they were condemn'd by the Pope and not otherwise but amongst those which he there condemnes there are some excepted and it was not said that those which were excepted were not the same that Jansenius taught So that the difference not having been made by the H. See there was reason to forbid the book and the reading of it by provision till it were made But yet all that was in it might be true to the least line and yet the said Bull have its full and intire execution Thus this learned Monastick engag'd us to speak much of Jansenius but before we parted we told him let the affaires of that Bishop go as they would it was nothing to us who had nothing to propound either for his defence or against the Bull and that we stuck onely to the affair of the five Propositions in question Of which we gave him the reasons namely the Catholick sense concerning Effectual Grace included in them which we explicated to him He was well pleas'd therewith and acknowledg'd every one for Catholick which we mention'd telling us he believ'd they could be in no danger as to that sense And at last he invited us to come the fourth sunday of Lent to see those rare and precious Reliques which are in that House whereof he is Superior The same day Fryday the 16th we went to visite Cardinal Rapaccioli according as we were advised He professd much desire to be instructed concerning our affair whereof we inform'd him punctually enough and when we told him we were not come for the defence of Jansenius's book but onely for the clearing of the different senses which might be given those Propositions he answer'd that we did prudently because Jansenius malè audiebat Romae That in this affair he should be set aside and the Propositions examin'd without taking notice of him To which we reply'd as we had done in former visites That when the senses of those Propositions were distingush'd and cleared and the Pope had pass'd a particular judgment of them it would be easy to find whether the doctrine of Jansenius upon this subject were Catholick or Heretical onely by comparing those senses so cleared and judged with what is contain'd in the book of that Bishop We also visited Cardinal Ludovisio who heard our account of this affair with great civility Besides the general things which we represented every where else we testifi'd to him that notwithstanding the necessity of it yet we were very backward to bring this new incumbrance upon the Pope besides those which molested him already To which he answer'd that the Pope was not a temporal Prince but by accident that God had not establisht him such but as for matters of Faith and Truth they ought to be his first care We beseecht him to remember the justice of our sute for a Congregation for the discussion of this affair and to favour this sute with his approbation and recommendation in such occasions as he might have to do it He told us that by what we had said he sufficiently understood the importance of it but the same would be more apparent when the Pope had appointed Judges to examine it and if he were of the number he would do all in his power in behalf of truth and justice The Procurator General of the Augustines receiv'd the next visite from us we instructed him soundly and amply of our intentions and confirm'd to him altogether what I had formerly acquainted him with alone The same day I endevor'd to speak with Monsignor Ghiggi but was told some other houre in the day would be more proper then the Evening yet I could not obtain to have one expressely assign'd me because Monsignor they said was not at his own dispose I durst not go thither again on Saturday in regard of the Dispatches for Italy but I design'd that day for some particular visites amongst which one was to F. Dinel the Jesuite we talked much more of the ancient acquaintance which he and I had at Court while he was the late King's Confessor and of the singular good will which he acknowledg'd his Majesty had for me then of the affairs of the time saving that we spoke something about my return and my Commission to Rome of which he acknowledg'd with me the fruit could not be but advantageous to all the world On Sunday the 18th after we had been to accompany the Ambassador to Chappel I went to Monsignor Ghiggi's house but not finding him I return'd thither in the afternoon and stay'd to speak with him till six a clock at night I told him we were constrain'd to have recourse to him for our Memorial by reason of the difficulty and delay of audience from the Pope and the fear lest the book should come forth in the mean time He said it was a matter that did not belong to him yet he had spoken of it to the Pope who told him he had given order that the book should not come forth without having been first well perus'd c. I did not think fit to give Monsignor Ghiggi such an answer as would have been more material then that which I made him I ought to have told him that it was difficult to weigh the consequences of the impression of that book without having first examin'd things to the bottome as we desir'd they might be and the parties heard But having thank'd him for his good office I onely said That with what ever care it might be perused we had to do with people that had many wiles and subterfuges that explicated their writings on way to the Examiners before printing and afterwards understood them another and made what use of them they pleas'd That for instance they took this course to draw the Dominicans into the same complotment with themselves perswading them that they both defended the same kind of Grace which they call sufficient though they knew very well that that which the Dominicans hold besides which learned Divines maintain that there is requisite Effectual Grace to determine the Will to a good action is wholly different from their own which they so subject to the Will as to make the good or bad use of it wholly to depend upon that Faculty Monsignor Ghiggi fell upon the Political reason that there was not to permit either side to print such sort of books and that it was requisite to forbid all the world equally so to do I answer'd that it would be good in the interim but at length it was requisite to manifest which side had reason which defended the Truth and the Faith and so come to a solemn decision which would bring all parties to accord He made great difficulties as to this in regard he saw that while the H. See remembred and consider'd that Clement VIII Paul V. had labour'd so much in these matters without determining any thing it would be loth to reassemble
present having been introduc'd at the same time about another businesse In the afternoon I accompanied M. Brousse to Cardinal Barberin to take his leave as accordingly he did after a long discourse of sundry things not necessary to be related in this place Sunday the 24th we were at the ceremony of Palmes and receiv'd some from his Holines's hand Monday the 25. the Abbot of S. Peter in vinclis made an Oration upon the sanctity of that season in an assembly of an eminent Academy composed of many Ingenious and Learned persons whereof the Gallâ—cane Prince was one of the principal members if not the chief The Abbot did us the honour to invite us to his Oration We repaired thither and before it began Cardinal Rondanini's brother and one of Cardinal S. Clement's nephews came to us to entertaine themselves with us and promote our acquiantance formely contracted which we mutually promis'd to augment when the Festivals were past On Tuesday morning I accompain'd M. Brousse in his visitation of the four Churches In the morning we went to those of S. Marie Maggiore S. John de Lateran and S. Paul When he went in the afternoon to that of S. Peter he left me at la Minerve where I entertain'd at length F. Capisucci a Monk of that Order and Professor in Divinity with what had pass'd in the affair for which we were at Rome F. du Plantet a Minime very zealous against the sentiments of S. Augustin which he did not understand and much devoted to F. Annat and the Court of Cardinal Spada who was protector of the Minimes had given this Dominican for a full instruction in this affair a Copy of M. de Vabres's letter at the bottome of which were these words Subscripserunt aut suo nomine subscribi voluerunt hi qui sequuntur Leonorius Destampes Archiepiscopus Dux Remensis aliquot mensibus ante obitum De Grignan Archepiscopus Arelatensis Henricus de Bethune Archiepiscopus Burdigalensis Annas de Vanladour Archiepiscopus Pisuricensis Henricus a Sabaudiâ nominatus Archiepiscopus Remensis Sunt alii numero 64. Episcopi I met in the City M. Michel Angelo Recci who told me that F. Pascaligio an able Divine of the same house of S. Andrew de la Val whereof F. Delbene was desir'd to come and see us but seeing that good Father much troubled with the Goute he took the liberty to tell him that he would advertise us of it and we should prevent him I omitted mention that we spent all Saturday the 23. with Signor Pien Cottuen Notary of the Rota and Andreas Albercius and Franciscus Pignocatus expert Jurates for comparing and verifying writings in a most exquisite comparing two Copies which we had caus'd to be made of M. Pegna's history And we were so exact therein that each of those Copies was as usefull and Authentick as the Original it self Our Memorial against F. Annat's book which we no longer thought of after it was declar'd to us that neither the Pope nor the H. Office took part in it had its effect the same day that we compos'd the papers of F. Pegna M. Albizzi sent to the Printer by the Pope's Order to command him to bring to the Palace of the H. Office where M. Albizzi lodg'd where also are the Prisons call'd the Inquisition all the copies of sheets that he had printed of that work with prohibition to distribute any to any person The Letter was in these words Signor Ignatio de' Lazaris Stampatore in Roma In virtù della presente doverà V. S. recare al S. Offitio è consignare à me infrascritto tutti gli essempi dell ' Opera che con licenza della sacra Congregatione del santo Offitio ha fatto Stampatore il Padre Anato della compagnia di Giesù senza darne ad altri alcun essemplare sotto pena arbitraria alla medesima Congregatione Perche così ha ordinato è commandato la sanctità di nostro signore per ordine dato mi à bocca Dato nel Palazzo del S. Offitio questo di 28. di Marzo 1652. Signed Fran. dalli Albizzi The Prâ—er let passe H. Fryday without obeying this Order but on Saturday he carried M. Albizzi all that he had printed of that book and took his Receipt The same day five Jewes and one Turk were baptis'd at S. John de Lateran The Marquis of Bréauté was Godfather to one of those Jewes and I to another to whom I gave the nâ—me of Paul M. Hostier Bishop of Béthleem arriv'd on H. Tuesday at Rome whether he was sent from the Assembly of the Clergy of France to obtain of the Pope that he would fill the vacant Sees of the Church of Portugal with those persons which the King of Portugâ—l had nominated CHAP. VII Of a little Volume of the principal Works of S. Augustin against the Pelagians and Semipelagians which we put to printing after Easter and of the Obstructions rais'd against the Impression SHortly after we gave that poor Printer a better businesse then that of which we had been the cause that he was depriv'd There remained but a few more sheets to print for the finishing of F. Annat's book and we hir'd him to print for us the principal works of S. Augustin against the Pelagians and Semipelagians It was a thing that we had design'd some time a go because we found nothing so proper not only for justifying our pretensions to all Rome and making known the truth of the doctrine which we defended as well to the principal judges with whom we had to do as to a great number of persons whom we found little enough intelligent therein but very desirous to be instructed but also to confirme to our interests which were no other then those of truth many other persons whom we had also found inform'd enough to consider them as their own We had purposed to make several smal volumes one after another according as occasion should permit in the sequel of time but we had already chosen wherewith to make up one first as the most necessary urgent with the greatest diligence we could The Pieces which we intended to put into it were the book De Gratia Jesu Christi that De perfectione Justitiae the 107. Epistle ad Vitalem the 105. Epistle ad Sixtum the book De Gratia Libero arbitrio the 46. and 47. Epistles ad Valentinum the book De Emendatione Gratia the Epistle of S. Prosper and that of Hilarie to S. Augustin the books De Praedestinatione Sanctorum De dono Perseverantiae the Epistle of Pope S. Celestin I. to some Bishops of France the Synodical Epistle of the African Bishops which were banisht into the Island of Sardinia the second Council of Orange and the Letter of Pope Boniface II. for confirmation of that Council On Easter Tuesday the second of April I askt permission of the Vicegerent of Rome to print them and after him of the Master of the sacred Palace who both
Pope and that they had no other conditions to request but what the Pope should appoint That in what manner soever the Pope declar'd they should not be troubled because he was the Judge both of Doctrine and of the Conditions wherewith he would decide it But I said to him Do not you conceive that the Congregation which we have demanded is to be wisht for in reference to the greater satisfaction of all the world Will not you help us in the assistances which we are oblig'd to make for it M. Hallier answer'd that they would not hinder us from making such instances but as for themselves they had in charge to desire of the Pope barely a Decision without being sollicitous concerning the Conditions He did not yet speak clearly enough wherefore seeing him hesitate in what he said I let slip these words You see they seek only a Judgement made in secret such as it may be and without the antecedent discussion of things M. Hallier finding himself a little pinch'd with this Reproach went about to avoid it by saying that there was no need of a Congregation or Examination because the question was about things already decided and that they had order to act thus The Abbat of Valcroissant interpos'd and said it was not true that they had order to act thus because the Letter upon which he could ground this pretence was publick and testify'd the contrary And as for what M. Hallier said that these things were already decided M. de Valcroissant told him that it was abundantly visible what they design'd That upon this supposition they would not only be contented with demanding a decision but hinder to their utmost its being made with the requisite solemnities and hearing of the Parties That we would not according to this intelligence which be gave us of their purposes oppose the same as much as possibly we could That besides we maintain'd and that with more reason then he that the matters we were to defend were decided and judg'd in our favour as we should shew him but this was it that was to be examin'd whether he had reason to affirm the same or no whereas according to his mind there was no need of a Congregation to hear the parties and lesse of any examination because things already judg'd us'd not to be examin'd and this was it undoubtedly at which they aym'd namely to hinder all hearing and all examination That on the contrary for our parts it was that we should endeavour to obtain according to the order which had been given us and the necessity we saw so to do That we hop'd to effect it too because it never hapned in the Church that considerable persons such Bishops as commission'd us requir'd the hearing of Parties and it was deny'd either by the H. See or in Councils But M. Hallier reply'd that it never hapned in the Church that Parties were heard upon matters already judg'd and decided and that it could not and ought not to be done Assoon as M. Hallier had thus opened his mind M. Joysel and Lagault testify'd that they were dissatisfy'd with it M. Joysel who sat next M. Hallier pusht him several times to hold his peace and M. Lagault who was separated from him by M. Joysel made signes to him with his eyes and hands to speak no further The Ambassador also endeavor'd to divert this Discourse and said that it made such ado about the manner of being heard in that Congregation there was danger lest at Rome where they are very scrupulous this demand might be interpreted as if we meant to give Law to them by prescribing to them the wayes of acting and the order which they ought to hold and as if we pretended to instruct them undrr the pretext of being heard That the matter ought to be contracted as much as possible That the King who hitherto was but young beginning to grow up would end these Disputes and perfectly redresse them The Abbot of Valcroissant answer'd the Ambassador that we wish't nothing more then this were done the most spedily that could be but yet to that speed other conditions and precautions were to be attended to in order to do it well And that our demanding to have it done in a regular and solemn Congregation wherein the Parties might be heard according to the usage of the Church and all Tribunals both Ecclesiastical and Secular was no prescribing of Law to any person But we demanded as a thing just and advantageous and perhaps necessary in the present conjunctures for the disentangling and clearing of all the difficulties wherein Truth was endeavour'd to be oppress'd That moreover we could with as little reason be reproacht that we pretended to instruct the people at Rome by being heard in a Congregation that the same might be retorted upon all parties that demanded of their Judges time and convenience to inform them who for all that do not thence infer that their parties account themselves wiser then they That when in Councils and particularly in that of Trent Divines had contested and disputed in presence of the Council for the clearing of things those Divines did not thereby presume to be more knowing then all those Bishops nor to instruct an Oecumenical Council wherein the Pope precided by his Legats and the H. Spirit invisibly by its assistance But whereas M. Hallihr Joysel and Lagault declar'd that they would not concur to a thing so just and which would be so advantageous to themselves as well as to us if they were in the right it shew'd that they distrusted their own cause and would continue to hold the truth in unrighteousnesse That we doubted not after this declaration of theirs in his presence and before us but they would do their utmost to hinder so great a Good But this should not hinder us from doing all that possibly we could to procure it M. Hallier was in some kind of little confusion for having declar'd himself so much in behalf of a thing so unjust and so unheard of to make amends for which he said that as for themselves they were come to Rome to declare to his Holinesse that they were ready to acquiesce in his orders howsoever they were pass'd the decision effected That the Pope had several wayes to do it and that he might do it of his own proper motion without hearing any person That he might consult the Universities to have their sentiments in the matter and know what judgements were made of it by all Europe before he pass'd his own That he might erect a Congregation if he thought good That he might hear us apart one side after the other or publickly in presence of either Party vivâ voce only or only by writing either one way or the other That they were ready for all and should be pleas'd with any But at length falling to his former strain he said that yet they were oblig'd to follow their orders That the Bishops who sent them had no
me a Letter for the General of the Capucines to whom I went to deliver the same in the afternoon and discoursing with him I found that M. Hallier and his Collegues had been with him to beseech him that upon occasion of his visiting several of the Cardinals by reason of a journey he was shortly to take into France he would tell their Eminences how in his first journey he had found that the Jansenists were multiply'd in all parts and how necessary it was to discredit and exterminate them by cutting up their root before they could multiply further Thus sincerely did this good Father declare the whole project to me I did not disagree from him that thanks be to God those whom those Gentlemen branded with the name of Jansenists were sufficiently multiply'd but I told him it were to be wisht that there were no persons in France or any where else but such as were decry'd under that name because there were not in the world better Servants of God and the King of the Church and the H. See We spent the Forenoon of Sunday the 14th in the Pope's Presence-Chamber expecting audience but it was was wholly taken up by Cardinal Corrado Monday the 15th we writ a common Letter to all the Archbishops and Bishops who had encharged us with theirs to the Pope and in whose name we acted at Rome We sent them word that at length we had obtain'd the Congregation which they wisht and we had sollicited by their order Take the Copy of the Letter as it follows My Lords ALL that we have done hitherto at Rome having been onely to sollicite the Pope and Cardinals for the Congregation which your Lordships demanded of his Holinesse by your Letters concerning the Five Propositions we conceiv'd it sufficient to give account to such of your Lordships as were at Paris how things proceeded here And till we had receiv'd his Holynesse's answer and orders concerning your Letters we did not think it expedient to write to your Lordships in general We presume your Lordships have understood what favourable reception his Holinesse made us in our audience at our first arrival how we represented to him the state of the affair concerning which you writ to him and the necessity of pronouncing a Solemn Judgement in the Case and establishing fpr examination of the Propositions a Congregation in which the Divines of different opinions might be heard Your Lordships have also seen the Memorial which we deliver'd to his Holinesse according to the custome to give him a compendious account of your demand and been informed that his Holiness after professions of his great esteem of your zeal for the Faith the service of the H. See and the peace of the Church of France told us that he would maturely consider the importance of this affair and the demand we made to him in your name that he would see what would be most expedient for the good of the Church and acquaint us with his Pleasure After that my Lords we took care to inform the Sacred Colledge of the whole affair and remonstrate to their Eminences how profitable it would be that his Holiness establisht the Congregation which you required for the examination and decision of the Propositions We have seen what great esteem their Eminences have of the Prelates of France and we are not able sufficiently to represent to your Lordships the honour they do and the favourable audiences they give us upon that account They have all acknowledged the importance of the affair and profess'd with much zeal that they will contribute all that lyes on their part for the interest of Truth and the peace of the Church In brief my Lords his Holinesse who watches in behalf of the Church with a most pure intention and most exact prudence hath given us to understand his pleasure by the mouth of my Lord the Card. Roma Dean of the Sacred Colledge On Wednesday last we were advertised to repaire to his Palace that we might hear from his Eminence what his Holinesse had ordained upon your Letters and the demand made by us to him in your Names We repaired thither at the hour appointed His Eminence told us that whereas we were come to that Court to demand of his Holiness in the Name of the Bishops of France by whom we were sent a Congregation for the examining and deciding of the five Propositions concerning Grace his Holiness having our Suit had granted the said Congregation and that the Cardinals design'd for it were my LL. Spada Ginetti Cechini Ghiggi and himself that if we would begin to inform their Eminences in particular we might visit them and when we were ready to argue in full Congregation we might give them notice and they would take care to assemble We signified to his Eminence our obligations to his Holiness for having thus provided for this important affair and told him we hop'd it would have a good issue to the clearing of truth the glory of the H. See and the peace of the whole Church and that when your Lordships writ to his Holiness you had no other design then to keep S. Austin 's Doctrine received and approved by all the Church and particularly by the H. See from being crush'd and oppress'd upon occasion of certain Propositions invented to impugne the same as we should make appear in the Congregation After which we took leave of his Eminence with great sentiments of joy for having understood the so just and so advantagious resolution of his Holiness Thus my Lords you have some effect of our solicitude and a testimony of his Holinesses vigilance and wisdome in the government of the Vniversal Church We cannot but ascribe it to a manifest Providence of God who always watches over the H. See that all the sollicitations to his Holiness for a long time have been fruitless and that whatever instances have been us'd to induce him to a Judgement disadvantagious to the Propositions under pretext of the evil senses whereof they are capable his Holiness hath always declin'd it and at length ordain'd a Congregation in which we may be heard both by word of mouth and writing Without question all my Lords the Prelates of France will be extremely well pleas'd to hear that his Holiness hath taken this course since in the present case of the contest about the matter of Grace no way can be more expedient then this for the clearing of truth and our establishing peace in the Church And although divers other Prelates have desired of his Holiness by their Letter only a bare decision upon the Propositions yet certainly they had no other intention then your Lordships though they did not so expresly declare it and the persons who have pretended that those Prelates desir'd not that his Holiness would grant the Congregation which your Lordships demanded have no doubt acted contrary to their intention This we have easily justifi'd in some occasions by representing that if those very Prelates were to
take cognizance in a Council of the Questions upon which they desire a Judgement from the Pope and if the Doctors should desire them that they would hear them first and consider their Reasons and Remonstrances upon the matters to be decided they would grant them that favour and appoint the Divines to appear that so they might hear what they had to say from whence we concluded that in demanding his Holiness's Judgement they could not but approve that he should first hear the parties who presented themselves according to your request We shall endeavour my Lords to contribute what lies in us to the advancing of so important an affair protesting to your Lordships that in imitating your zeal and following your orders we aim at nothing in this Controversie besides the clearing of truth in one of the principal mysteries of Faith and Christian Piety besides the peace of the Church and the defence of S. Austin 's Authority and Doctrine which hath always been in so great Veneration in all the Church of France which found its first Defenders there in S. Prosper and S. Hilary which being afterwards impugned hath been maintained by Caesarius Archbishop of Arles and by all the Fathers of the Council of Orange by Avitus Archbishop of Vienne and by all the Holy Fathers who liv'd at that time in fine which hath had for its Protectors in the nineth Age the SS Remigius Florius Prudentius and so many other Saints and in general all the Fathers of the Councils of Valence Langres and Toul assembled from the greatest part of the Provinces of France We read in S. Prudentius Bishop of Troy who was so famous in his Generation for Learning and Piety one of the fairest testimonies of all Antiquity for the Authority of S. Austin's Doctrine touching the matter of Grace wherein that H. Prelate seems to address to all the Bishops of France at this day what he then writ to Hincmarus and Pardulus Hoc primum saith that H. Father praecipuéque vestram sinceritatem monens postulans ut doctrinam Beatissimi Patris Augustini omnium absque ulla dubietate undequaque doctissimi Sanctarum Scripturarum autoritati in omnibus concordissimam quippe nullus Doctorum abstrusa earum scrupulosiùs rimatus diligentiùs exquisierit veriùs invenerit veraciùs protulerit luculentiùs enodaverit fideliùs tenuerit robustiùs defenderit fusiùs disseminaverit vestri Pontificatus tempore commento quolibet impugnari non permittatis quando tanto coelestis gratiae munere donata existit ut nullo cujusquam conamine ullatenùs evelli possit cùm eam Apostolicae sedis sublimitas totius Ecclesiae Catholicae unitas auctoritate concordissimâ approbarint ac roborarint adeo ut nullus ei singulariter verum Vniversitati Ecclesiae Catholicae cum ea in ea queat anniti Si enim adversam fidei Orthodoxae in quoquā conspiceret nequaquam eam Romanae Ecclesiae Antistes Venerabilis Innocentius cum totius Orbis Episcopis suscepisset neque praedictum Patrem memorabilem suarum Epistolarum communiter privatimque officiis affecisset neque successor ejus Zozimus eodem tramite concurrisset neque Bonifacius ejusdem Apostolicae sedis Praesul Epistolas Pelagianorum sibi delatas ei ad respondendum misisset aut responsionem ejus quatuor libris editam probabiliter atque honorabiliter suscepisset Coelestinus quoque memoratae Urbis Episcopus quid contra Gallorum insaniam super eo ejusque doctrina senserit ex auctoritate Apostolica Decretorum suorum scita declarant Can it be doubted then my Lords but the H. See will in its Judgement upon the five Propositions concerning Grace confirm the Authority and follow the doctrine of great S. Austin approv'd and receiv'd by all the Popes that have spoken of it and which we find at this day at Rome in general esteem and most high Veneration Ought we not to pray to God that Innocent the Tenth may at this time happily terminate what Innocent the First so well began touching the Authority and Doctrine of the same S. Austin and ought we not my Lords to hope that all the Faithful who shall understand that things are preparing thereunto by the establishment of a Congregation will with a spirit of truth submission and peace await the Oracle of the H. See and that the troubles excited amongst them about those Questions will be calmed by degrees to the edification of the Church for the good and honour whereof we beseech God to preserve your Lordships with all the respect and esteem which we ought to have for your Sacred Persons My Lords Your Lordships most humble and most obedient Servants De Latane Abbot of Valcroissant De Saint-Amour Angran Rome July 15. 1652. On Tuesday the 16th I had occasion to go to our Printer and as I return'd I went to F. Guerin whom M. Hallier and his Collegues had visited that very morning Among other things M. Joysel had complain'd to him that I reported them to be the Emissaries of the Jesuites I never had such a thought themselves had done it more then I but I would fain know what they were else considering the confederacy and perpetual correspondence they had with those Fathers of which I had at my departure from this visit a fair proof from the Bishop of Bethleem who came the same morning to see us for he told us he had visited those Gentlemen before his coming to us and found them all three with three Jesuites at their lodging laying their heads together But to go on with what F. Guerin inform'd me he told me M. Hallier had said to him all would have been as well as possible could be if we would have forborn as himself did to drive the Jesuites upon the matter of Moral Theology That it was highly advantagious to himself towards the justification of his present actings that he had formerly been the sworn Enemy of those Fathers That speaking of M. Arnauld he said he had taken the liberty to set forth divers Positions in his book of Frequent Communion whereof he was afterwards oblig'd to make explications of which he gave two instances First That Satisfaction is necessary before Absolution And secondly That Priests have power as well to bind sinners as to loose them Now to judge what reason M. Hallier had to make these complaints it is good to observe here by the way that M. Arnauld never thought of the first and the second is very true Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueritis retenta sunt in the Gospel of S. John Chap. 20. v. 23. F. Mariana din'd this day with us He told us M. Hallier complain'd that he found many Jansenists at Rome so he call'd all such as gave not a blind belief to his discourses and had a sound and serious respect for S. Augustin's Doctrine and truly all Rome was full of this sort of Jansenists This afternoon we went to the Palaces of the Cardinals Spada Ginetti and Cechini to
put the case of things as well as you can desire and in better than there is hopes of seeing them For leaving you to find Persons capable to propose manifest and maintain the truth befittingly in a regular Conference I think you will not be backward to confesse that there is not the least likelyhood of finding Judges sufficiently intelligent in these matters sufficiently well affected to Truth and sufficiently proof against all sorts of interests to pronounce in its favour when they have discover'd it And if they were truly such undoubtedly one of the Parties would except against them or elude and prevent their Judgement These matters have been agitated examin'd and determin'd too in in abundance of the most important questions and difficulties by the authority and oft time in the presence of two great Popes very learned and of upright intentions And you know what hath been the issue of those Conferences which lasted many years You are far from seeing your affairs in so fair a way and if you promise your self a better issue thereof I attribute it to your zeal and the affection you have for the cause you manage which makes you build too much and ground the hopes of your justly desired successe upon the good reception that hath been shewn you and the fair words and promises which are given you Yov will permit me to mind you that that coyne is very current in the world and more in the place where you are than in any other 't is that wherewith all payment is ordinarily made and many times where there is least will and power to give the promises are largest VVe have a very fresh example hereof and in the same affair that you are solliciting at present in M. Sinnic and M. Bourgeois who prosecuted the same before you All the world knows how they were receiv'd well heard courteously how they had sundry audiences of the Pope who receiv'd their requests and remonstrances by word of mouth and by writing who gave them good words and made them still hope from his Holinesse all that could be hop'd from a common Father of all the Faithfull M. Sinnic was invited and treated magnificently by Cardinal Barberin who made him the goodliest promises in the world at what time in all probability the design of remanding him home was already projected and accordingly was effected shortly after All the Proposals of accommodation made to you touching the B. of Ipre's book the Doctrine it contains and the Bull that hath been made to fulminate against it seem to me as suspitious as the promises that are given you and are of much more dangerous consequence You know Sir by experience in some general and particular Assemblies of the Faculty in which you were present how all people easily hearken to such accommodations how it is easie to be inveigled to remit something of the interest of truth in such cases either by surprize or by weakness cover'd with the pretext of peace and how such accommodations and modifications are prejudicial to the truth These are wounds which prove afterwards irremediable because they are made by those who profess to defend it and in this they injure it more then they who openly impugne it and are its greatest Enemies I confesse to you I could never read without pity and I speak it too without any indignation the Objections and Proposals made to you about the B. of Ipre's book and the Bull and that which most amazes me is that they who made those Objections and Proposals pass for persons very intelligent and well-affected towards the truths of Grace For to reply that M. d' Ipre intending to justifie some Propositions of S. Augustin's found among those of Balus which have been condemned and desirous to reconcile the Authority of the H. See and of the Bull which seems to condemn them saith Haereo 't is but to quarrel with that great Lover and Defender of S. Augustin and Indict him for a word and for a word very well spoken and which shews his great moderation amidst his great knowledge and the incomparable zeal he had for the truth How frequently doth S. Augustin use the same manner of speech or like it in his works when he meets with some difficulty even against the most important mysteries and certain principles of Faith How often hath he remain'd in such dubitation while he enquires the manner and way how original sin is contracted not to mention abundance of other difficulties in which he scruples not to declare his perplexities and his modesty goes sometimes so far as to acknowledge and confess his ignorance in certain cases If it be demanded how the Eternal Father begets his Son how Jesus Christ gives us his Body in the Eucharist how that Body can be the Life and Food of our Souls If abundance of other questions be put touching our Mystery touching the Articles of Faith touching the difficult places of Scripture to reconcile passages together which seem contrary one to another who is there of the Doctors Antient and Modern that continuing firm in what the Faith teacheth us concerning those Questions not only saith not as M. d' Ipre Haereo but confesseth not that he cannot render a true reason of what he believes and remains all his life in that ignorance And shall it then be taken ill that in a very difficult and intricate Question or Fact in which some unskilful or ill-meaning persons have gone about to set the Authority of the Pope against that of S. Augustin pretending to subject some Propositions of this Doctor of the Church to the censure of the H. See M. d' Ipre who hath labour'd with as much and more diligence and fidelity then any one whatever upon this point upholding S. Augustin's Doctrine without injuring the authority and respect which is due to the H. See should say at the first view of this affair so intricate and so difficult to disintangle Haereo They who frame these complaints against that great Prelate and they who wonder and suffer themselves to be over-aw'd when they hear them shew they have no great understanding in the Doctrine of the Church and S. Augustin nor much stedfastness in what they know thereof And though they cover their accusations with the Authority of the H. See yet I can tell you with assurance that they have not or at least their proceedings argue not so much zeal nor so pure and disinteressed respect for the Head of the Church or the Church it self as M. d' Ipre hath had and testifi'd in sundry important occasions both by his actions and by his writings Other particulars wherewith he is charg'd flow from the same Fountain and are no less unjust then groundless If he hath written concerning the matters of Grace since a prohibition of the H. See he is not the only man that hath done so but 't is he alone that hath written in that manner that he hath done having only reported the
considerable persons touching the Doctrine of Grace A week ago the Queen said before a great company that we should shortly be condemned at Rome The Jesuites say as much to their Confidents and some of them proclaim the same with as great a certainty as if it were in their own disposal Though I know very well that it is impossible for Truth to be condemned by the H. See and though I See not that that which we defend is subject to censure since no person can justifie that the Proposions are held by any Disciple of St. Augustin yet I confess I am something afraid that considering the manner of proceeding held by the Assembly instituted for their examen we may receive some displeasure from it What can we expect from a Consultor who being a profess'd Jesuite is by obligation engag'd to act as our formal Adversary VVhat ought we not to fear from an Assembly in which he who hath fomented the Divisions of Divines hitherto by declaring himself of a party and a Solicitour by the very confession of M. Hallier in our Faculty holds the pen and hath the Office of Secretary And lastly what likelyhood is there that an Affair can be well understood when no hearing is granted to the Parties and when the Communication of their Adversaries Productions is deny'd How can any one know what they would have how judge of their defences But the worst of all is this something will be decreed which shall make nothing to the decision of the present controversie and shall nevertheless be made use of by the Sectators of Molina as a strong determination against effectual Grace Thus Truth will suffer and those who defend it will be persecuted and the Churches troubles continued VVhereas were your writings reciprocally communicated and you allowed audience it would be known wherein all the difficulty consists And as your Memorial is a great overture to Peace since by it you declare that the Propositions are not ours but are equivocally and maliciously fram'd on purpose to involve a good Doctrine in the condemnation of a bad and since you demand only that the several senses may be distinguished with protestation of submission to the Judgement which shall then be pass'd it were an easie thing to resolve peace to the Church by doing justice to those who sue for it All things therefore being consider'd my advice is that you complain to the Pope of that Consultor and that the Secretary and absolutely except against them Also that you request his Holiness to ordain that all which hath been and shall be done till you be heard in presence one side of the other and have had communication of eithers productions be declar'd null as being against all order of justice If you obtain not that which you demand I conceive you may crave his Holinesses benediction and depart as having nothing to do in a place where audience is not afforded you in an affair for which alone you went thither You may come back into France and expect what shall be determined at Rome But since they cannot hurt us without doing extreme wrong to the grace of Jesus Christ if we suffer any thing we will comfort our selves tanquam digni habiti pro nomine Jesu contumeliam pati The interest which we have is common to us with the Disciples of S. Thomas and no less with the H. See whose Doctrine we defend VVe have been wanting neither to Truth nor the H. See and therefore we hope likewise that the H. See will be wanting neither to us nor Truth whereof it is the defence It behooves us to pray very earnestly and expect all from the H. Spirit I am c. Eight days after M. de S. Beuve writ another letter to me which is here subjoyn'd to the foregoing SIR I Do with great reluctancy give credit to the words which the Ambassador said to you since his sentiments can be no other then those of him who sent him which we every day understand to be not advantageous to the cause for which you are at the Popes feet By the last Post I told you what the Queen said before a great presence and since that I hear that the King hath also said that four Propositions of the Jansenists are already condemn'd I can scarce believe that their Majesties spoke this except from the Ambassadors Letters For which reason I must desire you not to trust to what that Lord shall say to you M. the the Official told me he hath learnt from a Jesuite that there are two condemned viz. that concerning the Possibility of the Commandments and that concerning the death of Jesus Christ I answer'd him and all such as have spoken to me as affrighted with these rumors That it behoved to expect the Bull which I was certain would be advantageous to us For either his Holiness will distinguish the senses and then our opinion will be approv'd it not being possible for the Doctrine of the Effectualness of Grace to be condemn'd or else he will not distinguish them and then he will pronounce nothing against us since we hold them good but in one sense alone and not absolutely VVhether by writing or by speaking In the name of God let it be declar'd 1. That we are not the Authors of them 2. That being fabricated of equivocal and captious terms they include sundry senses which we detest 3. That we do not and never did pretend to maintain them saving in the sense of Effectual Grace necessary to to every good action I know not how what M. Hallier hath said to you can agree with what he writes hither He spoke to you about taking a new lodging and yet hath given notice to M. de S. Malo that he is upon his departure and shall speedily come back into France His arrogance do's not surprise me I have known him too long to be scandalized at it I pray God reform him yet more within then without M. le Moine gives out here that F. Annat hath left him his Memoires upon the Five Propositions and so you see he is the Truckler under that good Father I am gald the Dominicans bethink themselves of stirring it is their duty It shall be a secret amongst us till you allow us to speak of it I am not far from your conjecture touching the Popes designs in this affair Is it true that the examination of M. d' Ipre's book is taken in hand at Rome If so it were to be wisht that the Doctors of Lovain would make haste I have sent you the right Title of F. Annats Book and without doubt it is the same which you obstructed there There is nothing to be done as from the Parliament touching the permission for its Printing The discourse about the retractation of M. d' Amiens at his death is ridiculous I am c. Another particular friend of mine who was likewise Doctor of Sorbonne and was at that time in Normandie writ one to me December
Opinions Dominicans Iesuites c. had been caus'd to come thither That besides so much had been written and printed on either side touching this matter that it was not possible to be ignorant of any thing that could be said therein That the very writings which we had composed were to passe through so many different hands both of Consultors and Copists that they could not but reciprocally come into the hands of either party and that this gave power enough to each side sufficiently to answer thereunto The Abbot of Valcroissant reply'd that although very much had been written upon this matter yet it might be said that the Propositions had not yet been written upon as was requisite that they had been least of all medled with that besides this matter was so vast so intangled so subject to ambiguities and equivocations that it was more needfull to discuss the same in the presence of the parties than any other whatsoever That for want of so doing great broyles and occasions of division and scandal might arise as it was easie to foresee by the professions of Pelagius and Caelestius which were received as Catholick whilst they were not opposed by Adversaries who understood and discovered the doubleness of their hearts and words I know not how Cardinal Spada constru'd those acts of Pelagius and Caelestius but he told us that our Adversaries had more reason to complain of those equivocations than we but however that it was one thing to say that it would be expedient to hear the parties in that manner if the Pope pleas'd and another to speak of it as a thing necessary and he added one word more to give us to understand that it was unprofitable harping upon the same string to speak of it so much as we did Nevertheless I forebore not to speak two things to the Cardinal which we had hitherto let passe without answering One was touching his repeating this day a question which he had made to us in a former conference namely How we would have done if no Doctors had come of the contrary party Whereunto I answered 1. That they were come and we acted with them as being there 2. That turning over my Papers some dayes before I observed that in a visite which I made to his Eminence Aug. 1. 1651. after I had spoken to him of the hope I had of the establishment of the Congregation and the purpose of the Bishops who sent me to send other Doctors the Autumn following he askt me whether there would also come Doctors of the contrary party and that I answer'd him that it was not necessary for any to come to the end we might have Adversaries because they were already upon the place namely the Jesuites 3. That the affair deserv'd the designing of a time in which the Congregation should begin and in the mean while that notice of it were given in all parts by the Nuntio's which his Holinesse had resident with Christian Princes to the end such learned men as found themselves interessed therein were minded to engage in it might repair to Rome by that time and there represent their reasons their interests The second thing was in reference to the Cardinal 's saying That they knew well that we resorted to inform the Consultors on either side and I told him that we had not visited any of them in that quality That that which occasion'd my visiting them incontinently after my return to Rome was this being come to advertise the H. See of the shamefull and dangerous surprize intended to be put upon it I conceived that after advertising his Holiness and their Eminences of it it was fitting that I advertis'd all persons whom I could understand were usually imploy'd at Rome in affairs of Doctrine by that means to obstruct such surprize as much as I could and make others as diffident as possible who might be tempted for the future by the same people whom I knew to be the Authors of this That in my Visits to them having met with divers able persons and commended them to my Collegues they became desirous of knowing them and thus we afterwards visited them sometimes and were reciprocally visited by some of them who repay'd our visites but we never visited them in the quality of Consultors of our Congregation nor to give them any Information That we had not yet made any upon the Propositions nor produced others besides the two writings and their Summary which we had presented to him and to the Cardinals Ginetti Cechini and Ghiggi in the month of September and to the Pope about ten or twelve dayes before During the course of this audience Cardinal Spada's Maistre de chambre came to advertise him aloud in all likelihood on purpose to hasten us away that several persons attended for him neverthelesse we took no notice of it but continu'd what we had to say and at length as we parted we told the Cardinal that as to the manner of our demanding the communication of Writings and publick audience in presence of our Adversaries we conceiv'd that we did it with all due decorum and respect to the H. See The same day we visited Cardinal Ginetti and gave him account of the contents of our Memorials for which he thank'd us Thursday January 2. we visited Cardinal Barberin before he went to Monte Cavallo He fell to speak concerning books upon which occasion I mention'd that which F. Annat had printed at Paris the Cardinal excused it as if it had been no great matter to have caus'd it to be printed at Paris Stampato in Parigi notwithstanding the orders which the Pope had given that it should be suppress'd at Rome VVe also said something to his Eminence concerning the two Memorials which we had presented to the Pope as well against that Book as for the communication of our Writings But the hour of going to Monte Cavallo being come our conference was broken off In the afternoon we went to see Cardinal Cechini We acquainted him with our two Memorials but had scarce told him the summe of the first but he interrupted us with some compassion telling us that we did not come any thing near the matter which was to be consider'd That he had read all the writings which we had given him from one end to the other but they did not touch the point in question Nolunt said he considerare quid actum est vogliono cercare la verità abstrahendo c. They will not consider what hath been acted in reference to the Propositions but seek the truth nakedly and by abstraction determine them according to the terms whereof they consist and I would to God added he I might tell you with what care intention and sincerity the work is carried on I answered the Cardinal that the affair was of greater importance then their Eminences apprehended That the Propositions which they examin'd were only the occasion but not the principal motive of our comming to Rome That
to him taken from the nature of the affair The Cardinal constru'd all those reasons contrarily to what we hop'd for he consider'd them as if thereby we pretended to give Law to the Pope in a thing whereof he was the Master The like he judged of the certainty wherewith we spoke of the indubitable truth of our opinions and the falshood of the others whom we opposed as if this great confidence was a defect of submission to the Decision which might be made thereof by the H. See On the contrary we gave him what verbal assurances could be given that we had in our hearts as true a submission as this confidence was great and we told him that his Eminence could not consider those two qualities as opposite to one another because they were both natural and ordinary to the defenders of truth as on the contrary they who impugned it wanted both or had the same but falsly and in appearance After which the Cardinal advised us to be short in the Writings we intended to deliver and to explicate our designs and pretensions briefly and yet more than we had done in the summary of the two first Writings which we had presented He also said that we should do well to repair to Cardinal Spada between that time and eight dayes after and make our instances to him if we desir'd to be heard in presence of our Adversaries because he believ'd our VVritings would be receiv'd and audience given us but he gave us to understand that it would be severally one side after the other He ask'd us also whether we had visited Cardinal Pamphilio and testified some desire that we would not fail to go and inform him VVe answered that as for that particular we had done all that we could after we understood that the Pope had made him of the Congregation but our affairs could be only transiently explicated that as often as we had been at Cardinal Pampbilio's house we found it so full of people expecting audience of his Eminence that we were oblig'd to return without demanding any and that we were loath to accost him in his multitude of incumbrances with the least overture of our affair But we had desir'd his Maistre de chambre to procure some time for us in which we might speak with him in a fitting manner that he had given us hope of such an opportunity but not yet effected it though he had seen us often in his Anti-chamber whither we repaired to put him in mind of it Indeed we had been four times at Cardinal Pamphilio's house since the next day after Epiphany and could never find him in a condition fit to be informed But in the mean time we caused a Book of our writings like that which we had presented to the Pope to be transcrib'd intending to present the same to his Eminence either when we should speak to him about our affairs in case the Book were ready when that good hap should arrive or some time after we had entertain'd him therewith if we saw his Eminence first We acquainted Cardinal Ghiggi with all this and he was glad of it having some suspition that we neglected to visit Cardinal Pamphilio probably because he conceiv'd that we did not think him much skill'd in these matters nor much at leisure to be instructed therein At last we acquainted Cardinal Ghiggi with the notorious falshood in M. Hallier's writings of which I had told the Ambassador The Cardinal askt us pleasantly whether the falsity was in those which M. Hallier had given in facto or in those which he had given in jure for he told us instantly that that Doctor had given none but in jure and besides added he they were indeed de communi and little serviceable to the Congregation When we went from Cardinal Ghiggi we repair'd to Signor Eugenio our Advocate to acquaint him with the odde estate of our negotiation and to desire him to visite our Cardinals in our name and beseech them to deliver us from the tediousness and perplexity of those importune and extraordinary solicitations VVe did not meet with him but being return'd home we were told that a Laquay had been there from Cardinal Spada to tell me that his Eminence desir'd to speak with me the next morning CHAP. II. Cardinal Spada 's offer to us in the end of January to hear us in the Congregation held at his House and our Answer that we were ready to appear there when justice was done us upon the conditions demanded by us The Letter which I writ thereupon to the Bishops who deputed us I Failed not to go to him the next morning and because all that he said to me in this visit and two others one in the afternoon of the same day and the other on Thursday the 23d before he went to the Pope was of consequence enough to be signifi'd punctually to my LL. the Bishops who sent us I shall not relate it otherwise than by inserting the Letter though very long which I writ to them thereupon on the Monday following being the 27th I directed the same to the two above-mentioned who were then at Paris and it contain'd these words My Lords VVIthin these eight dayes a thing hath pass'd in our affair of which we conceiv'd our selves oblig'd to give you notice without delay and I am charg'd to do it because I acted most therein and MM. de Valcroissant and Angran being imploy'd about other things which presse us referr'd this care to me They conceive that nothing is to be neglected amongst all the things which I have to acquaint you with and therefore I shall endeavour rather to represent the same exactly to you then in few words VVe hold it our duty to give you account of the least particularities that you may the better understand the main leaving it to your prudence to make relation thereof to my LL. your Confreres according as you shall judge expedient for their satisfaction and the good of the affaire which you have committed unto us On Tuesday last returning to our Lodging in the Evening we were told that one from Cardinal Spada had left word there that his Eminence desired to speak with me Which Order I failed not to obey the next morning and being introduced into his Chamber he told me that he had Order without specifying from whom tengo ordine were his words to let me and my Collegues know that if we had any thing to propound to the Congregation held at his House and would appear there we should be admitted and if we were ready it might be on Monday That the Doctors our Adversaries might be admitted afterwards upon Wednesday and they should be treated in the same manner as we That thus things would be transacted calmly and nothing innovated in the ordinary practice according to which they proceeded I answered the Cardinal that he told me very acceptable news in telling me that the time vvas come in which vve might appear in
matters if they save themselves from Censure This is the Order Sir which is to be held and not departed from If our Adversaries have carri'd their Complaint to the H. See we shall also carry ours They could not find Propositions in our Books worthy of Censure our Doctrine is so Orthodox and therefore they fram'd some of their own invention but we have drawn such out of their Books as they can neither disown or defend This no doubt they foresee and therefore endeavour their utmost not to appear in a Disputation which you must insist upon and take the advantage of this Congregation M. Hallier is to return after Easter and go directly to S. Malo without comming to Paris as I understand by the Almoner of the Bishop of S. Malo And if so you judge right that he desires to decline all dispute He has written to M. Amyot that he shall shortly have the Propositions condemn'd that he has been heard in the Congregation and that you stand off and dare not appear there His Letter was publisht in the Sacristie of S. Maderic and read in the seats of the Sorbonne by him to whom it was directed This vain boasting confirmes me in the same conceit besides that understanding persons have inferr'd the same namely that it is false that any Proposition is as yet condemn'd seeing the Parties have not been heard To think that judgment shall be pronounced without hearing you as you demand is to think an impossibility For how can they pronounce upon our sense if they know not what it is which they cannot but by our selves To say that they will pronounce without distinguishing the senses is ridiculous For besides that nothing would be pronounc'd in this case upon the present controversy which is not touching the Propositions but touching the different senses which they have the Thomists would become involv'd in such an absolute condemnation So that there 's no more to be done but to keep in the same mind We will send you help to the end that in case of sicknesse the Congregation may continue He will set forth I hope the first week of Lent c. The third of those Letters was written to me by order of my LL. the Bishops to whom I had address'd mine of Jan. 27. And the Copy is here subjoyn'd Febr. 21. 1653. The answer to the Letter of Jan. 27. SIR I Have communicated your Letter to my Lords who were much surpris'd at your being sent for by Cardinal Spada to appear before an other Congregation then that which it pleas'd the Pope to grant you upon your sute They remember very well that his Holinesse cans'd the late Cardinal Roma to signifye to you that having regard to the Letters and Memorial which you presented to him he granted you the Congregation of Five Cardinals namely Roma Spada Cechini Ginetti and Ghiggi for the discussion and examination of the five Propositions Since that time my LL. alwayes rely'd upon the establishment of that Congregation and perswaded themselves that the judgment of the Five Propositions would be pass'd according to all the formes of Ecclesiastical justice that you should be heard in presence of your Adversaries the Writing communicated all causes of exception against the declar'd opposers of your cause admitted and finally that the Pope would decide the questions in such manner as the like have alwayes been decided by his Predecessors in Councils and particular Congregations When they were most at quiet your Letter comes and gives them notice of another Congregation to which you were summoned this amaz'd them neverthelesse your judicious answer to that summons comforted them they extremely approve the same and injoyn you to insist upon it and not go beyond it M. Hallier will do any thing that he pleases My Lords pray you to continue in the termes of your answer hoping that the Pope being just will have regard thereto and lastly they recommend themselves to you and beseech God to fill you with blessings By Command of my Lords N. After the departure of the Post my Lords condering the present posture of our affair and fearing the ill consequences which they foresaw conceiv'd it befitting their Episcopal care to indeavor the prevention of the same wherefore those who were then at Paris writ forthwith a new Letter to the Pope which came not from them till eight dayes after and was deliver'd to us at Rome in its due time The French translation of it is here inserted the Original Latin in the Collection ensuing Being directed To the most H. F. Pope Innocent X. it proceeded thus MOST H. FATHER BIshops highly affectionate to truth and the Churches peace could not receive more welcome newes then the assurance given us last Summer that your Holines's paternal affection and Apostolical care had induc'd you to establish that Congregation so much desir'd by us Assoon as we receiv'd this intelligence from the Doctors who sollicite this great affair at Rome in our name we rejoyc'd to understand that they had succeeded happily that the supreme See of the Church approv'd and profess'd to embrace that meanes which may be in some manner term'd the only one likely to re-establish publick tranquillity From that time we conceiv'd a firme hope M.H.F. that the clouds of calumnies and humane artifices being dispell'd Truth hitherto outrage'd and oppress'd by its enemies would finde as many protectors as judges and that being an Ecclesiastical Judgment was likely to be pass'd for deciding such important questions relating to the Faith according as has been alwayes practis'd we ought to remain quiet in expectation of what so solemn a Congregation should produce For the Jesuites having caus'd these five Famous Propositions to be contriv'd at pleasuere by persons devoted to them the structure whereof is so artificial and the sense so equivocal thereby to overthrow S. Augustin's authority and make the novel opinion of Lowis Molina triumph over the sentiments of the Congregation of Rome the consent of so many Ages and the Orthodox doctrine of ancient Divines we could not doubt but the esteem and reputation of that H. Doctor of Grace would be in safety when it should be examin'd before that supreme Tribunal which has made him so renown'd in all the earth by the glorious elogies which it hath given him But M. H. F. as much as we rejoyc'd then at the newes of that Cogregation so much have we since been surpris'd with the astonishment of the suddain change of which the Divines deputed by us to your Holinesse have inform'd us by their last Letters to wit that the proceeding in this grand affair is become very different from what we believ'd and that this Congregation is not as was promis'd them a Congregation in which the parties are heard in presence vivâ voce and their Writings respectively communicated for taking away all suspition of fraud but that a course is held wholly different from what they had informed us that they had obtain'd of
Auxilium sufficiens fuit necessarium in natura integra in natura lapsa non datur 3. Omnia opera humano modo facta ab homine existente in peccato mortali sunt peccata mortalia 4. Non datur libertas quoad indifferentiam actus sed quod coactionem 5. Christus mortuus est solum pro praedestinatis I do not remember whether I shew'd this Paper to the Ambassador but I remember well that he told me he could not believe what I said concerning those new Propositions but I Answered that I was well assured of what I spoke having receiv'd them from a most veracious person to whom a Consultor communicated them to intreat him to help him to reduce his judgment upon them into Writing On H. Saturday F. Lezzana sent me a Copy like the foregoing and desir'd me to furnish him with some Writing touching the matters if we had any The next morning I went to him and askt him what was the design of broaching these new Propositions He told me that he himself did not understand it but he had barely receiv'd order to set down his judgment of them in Writing before the end of the Festivals I apprehended that the time of the end of the Festivals extended to a fortnight after Easter but he told me 't was no more then the two Holidays of Monday and Tuesday and that the satisfaction which he should give to the person who lay'd that taske upon him might be of some importance to our affair I gave intelligence hereof to M. de Sainte-Beuve by the next Port April 7. I spoke but obscurely to him of the manner how I came by them telling him that they dropt out of a Consultos pocket least speaking more clearly and my letter coming to be intercepted the Consultor who gave them to my friend whose assistance he desir'd might believe himself and the whole secret of the privacy between him and my friend discover'd M. de Sainte-Beuve's answer was as followes SIR A Second information in facto is not thought of here every one says you have all the Memoires for it and that 't is a piece whch requires your care As for the Answer to F. Annat's book I shall tell you that 't is under so good a hand in Flanders that that Good Father will have no great cause to please himself in the excellency of his work The Answer is begun to be printed here I think you will be as well satisfi'd with it as I am but you must have a little patience for the work is long Were we capable of being astonisht at the reports of the Molinists we should be quite disheartned with these which are dispers'd here The most moderate amongst them affirme that they shall speedily have a Bull by which all the Propositions will be absolutely condemn'd and that the Pope is resolv'd upon it This discourse was made in Sorbonne and is dispers'd by the Jesuites The Bishop of Rennes tells me he heard it from them but the braggadocioes adde that the Ambassador has forbidden you to stirre out of your house that the Pope accounts you unworthy of his audience and that you have in vain offer'd the Pope 400000. Crownes to suspend his Judgment This talk comes from Lyons by a Letter of a Fueillant To speak ingenuously to you I never saw any thing like their discourses nor more resolution then there is in the minds of ours If some are in fear because the Pope has held so many Congregations in so little time others rejoyce at it considering that being himself takes such paines t is a sign that he will be fully inform'd of the affair which is the only thing we wish For it is fit that truth be manifested and the whole Church see that M. Cornet maliciously fram'd the five Propositions to raise an universal disturbance amongst Catholicks I pray God make him understand the greatnesse of his fault which is such that I know not a greater I cannot tell whether you have contracted an obscurity by contagion of the place of your residence or whether you affect it but I assure you there is a great deal in your Letter in part of which you tell me of the note which contains the Propositions dropt from a Consultors pocket What think you is the design of them Are they to be substituted in stead of the former If so 't will be easy for you to come off For as for the first there needs no more to be said but that we conceive that the Repugnancy by reason of which humane nature cannot be created without supernatural gifts proceeds not from the Omnipotence but from the Goodnesse Providence and Justice of God As for the second we say that the sufficient aide such as was in uncorrupted nature is not an aide which is granted to our corrupted Nature for that aide was subject to the Will The third Proposition is an Heresy As also the fourth and fifth We all subscribe to this sentence if there be no more in question but this I am c. Four Congregations were held before the Pope in the seven first dayes of this moneth each of which lasted about foure whole houres namely Tuesday Thursday and Saturday of the Passion week and H. Monday I heard on H. Tuesday that in that of the day preceding there was great contest among the Consultors Of the other four and the six foregoing in the three weeks before that of the Passion we could discover no more then what is above related which is almost nothing CHAP. XV. The arrival of F. Desâ—mares and M. Manassier at Rome A notable Change of a zealous disciple of Molina who became an ardent one of S. Augustin by reading the little volume which I gave him of the twelve principal Maximes of the Christian Faith touching Grace which he reduc'd into as many Latin Disticks A calumnious Memorial dispers'd in Rome and all Italie as presented to the Pope by the Clergy of France about this affair Another Writing of our Adversaries fram'd to delude the Dominicans and full of impostures ON H. Wednesday we were much comforted by the arrival of F. Des-mares and M. Manassier at Rome whom our Bishops sent to share with us in the paines which we foresaw this affair was likely to require in the progress of its examen and which M. de Valcroissant Angran and I could never have undergone alone without sinking under them for the examen was not yet begun and we were already overcharg'd This re-enforcement and succour was as acceptable to us as necessary and the more because we had long desir'd it and been much troubled to obtain it But in truth we could not by any means have been without it had the affair been carri'd as it ought to have been especially considering the various dispositions of those with whom we had to do all agreeing this point to drive on that affair with unimaginable speed for which purpose it was rumor'd that we aim'd at nothing
what pass'd at Rome but are onely reflexions upon the course held there in our affair and testimonies both of the triumphs which our A dersaries made already every where for the Censure of the Propositions whereof they were confident and of the Christian moderation and constancy wherewith we continu'd to pursue the examen of it and to hope in the divine protection nevertheless they seem to me so fit to justifie to the Publick and Posterity the innocency both of our Doctrin and Deportment that I cannot forbear to insert some of the principal here I receiv'd some from M. de Sainte Beuve every Post and in regard of his quality and ability so well known in the world and because he alwayes spoke directly to the substance of the affaire with great sincerity I shall produce his first and almost alone This he writ to me April 4. SIR YOur concise stile tells me more things then when you are diffuse Even your silence speaks and inasmuch as you sent me no intelligence you thereby inform'd me that you were much employ'd and were not without fear For my part Sir I forthwith regretted your dejection yet could not apprehend that the event of the Congregation to be held before his Holinesse would be disadvantagious to us The power of Truth the assistance of the H. Ghost upon the Pope his Holiness's greatnesse of mind the learning and the generosity of the principal Consultors the interest which the Dominicans have in ours and the multitude of knowing persons of our opinion keep me from fearing any thing and put me in great hope in case they proceed to a definition You cannot imagine how much our Adversaries dread the intervention of the Dominicans They tell some that they are sure the General of the Jacobines will not enter into the Cause but will be contented if he be promis'd that an insertion shall be put into the Bull that the Pope pretends not to prejudice the Doctrin of S. Thomas by it Which discourse was made by a Jesuite nam'd F. le Cointes Companion of F. Paulin the Kings Confessor But whil'st they speak thus their Predicators preach in disparagement of effectual Grace as one F. Mimbourg at S. German del ' Auxerrois and F. Lingendes at S. Gervais They tell others that the Dominicans do not accord with us and this is talk't in Sorbonne and comes from Rome M. Lagault writes to M. Duval as one high in hopes and that which makes them considerable is that 't is said that generally what he sends word is to come to passe by a set time comes to passe accordingly witness the prayers appointed by his Holinesse M. Duval above a fortnight before the last inform'd us that the Pope would appoint prayers and then pronounce without hearing parties and that in France he should be obey'd But all this do's not much trouble me Let his Holiness pronounce if he please he must distinguish the senses unlesse he meanes to adde Oyle to the fire for 't will be a new contest more violent then the first in what sense the Propositions are condemn'd If he does distinguish them our Adversaries must of necessity fall For our sense cannot receive any impeachment being no other but that of effectual Grace What I am charg'd to accquaint you with Sir is this that if it comes to passe that a Bull be pass'd in condemnation of the Propositions without distinguishing and securing the sense of effectuall Grace you must make all possible instances and suit to get the Pope to explain himselfe and leave no seed of division in the affair M. LL. the Bishops command me to write this to you earnestly and particularly that you joyn your selves as much as may be withall the disciples of S. Thomas For it shall not be said that we are injustly opress'd that after the malicious contrivance of Propositions to blacken us this imposture is Crown'd with an ambiguous Bull and that we hold our peace I am c. The same day M. Brousse Writ to me that which followes Paris April 4. 1653. SIR My dear friend I Did not writ to you on Friday last because I had nothing new to tell you and was so engag'd in business that I did not think of the Post day till it was too late Our Adversaries are more insolent then ever and those words of the Scripture may be liberally apply'd to them superbia corum qui te oderunt ascendit semper You will see by a Letter written to me from Lyons what they preach in that City in these parts 't is worse yet F. Mimbourg made at S. Germain de l' Auxerrois a continu'd Satyre against S. Augustine and his disciples who are alwayes those new Hereticks He drawes the world after him by his insolencies as F. Nouel sometimes did against the Book of Frequent Communion Last week he was all about the Oeconomie of Grace and Predestination he speaks such things as Pelagius never thought of so that he laid for a foundation and principle in matter of Religion and Faith that we ought to stick firm to what our sences and reason demonstrate to us because they are the two Lights which God ha's given us for our direction The Concierge of the Hostel de Villeroy who receives and distributes M. Hallier's letters told a friend of mine lately that M. Hallier's servant sent him word that these Jansenists were worse then ever Calvin was that they put them to so many troubles and shifts was not credible The Sieur Lagault writes to a Kinsman of his that he shall return very speedily having no more to do in that Country I salute all our dear Brethren and good friends and am with all my heart c. The person who freequently writ to me in Latin sent me this of April 4. touching the state of things at Rome QUid ex posterioribus tuis colligere debeam non certè scio Quamquam enim causam hanc seminari optandum est tamen ut de aliorum relatione audio non finiendae controversiae ratio initur quae omnino aequa videri possit In consilium admittuntur si quibusdam credimus solum ii qui cum Palavicino sentiunt Albisio caeteri jubentur ex scripto sententiam dicere Brevitas imperatur ne omnia dicere liceat Tui non audisti Dominicani non admittuntur qui tardè tandem rebus suis doctrinae providere in animum induxerunt Fortè istis satisfactum putabunt qui maximè illorum odere sententiam si declarent nolle se quicquam praejudicare Thomistarum opinionibus hac clausula ambiguitate verborum se tegent Dum Jesuitae in omnes adversarios gratiae Molinisticae pronuntiatum esse contendent at certè nihil est ejusmodi aequivocatione iis indignius iis qui se doctrinae fidei Moderatores supremos apud omnes haberi velint Clarè pronuntiandum est Veritas lucem amat neque unquam apud majores nostros primos Ecclesiae fundatores in
Augustin but after the contest wherein they were engag'd for defence of Molina's book and doctrin to the end it might be free for all their Fathers to oppose that of S. Augustin uphold their Confrere Molina who attaqu'd him first and in whose defence they unhappily conceiv'd the honor and reputation of their society concern'd they retrencht out of the succeeding edition of the said Book all that I have cited out of the first in favour of the doctrin of the gratuitous Predestination of S. Augustin whom they acknowledged to have taught it We shew'd that their boldnesse had increased ever since and that the latest of their Authors were still more heinously injurous against S. Augustin That since this enterprise of the Propositions F. Adam F. Annat F. Martinon and F. Labbe had rose up against that H. Doctor and that these three last appear'd even since the complaints which we had made thereof to the H. See That none of of their Confreres had been displeased with them for this enormity but on the contrary seem'd to esteem them the more that they every where cry'd up their rare merits and advanc'd them to the prime charges and most considerable employments of their Order That after this it was not possible to imagine a greater violence a more obstinate contumacy a more audacious impudence or a more offensive outrage against S. Augustin and the H. See it self Wherefore we concluded that since it was requisite to judge rather by these their exorbitances against S. Augustin and their designes to ruine his doctrin then by vain words of respect towards him utter'd with the lips we had reason and necessity to summon them as we did and had already summon'd M. Hallier and his Collegues by our first writing de gestis to acknowledge by an authentick writing for true and indubitable the six Propositions which are at the end of that writing in favour of that H. Father's doctrine and which were again inserted at the end of this new one After which we added also that if they made the least difficulty of doing it we produc'd against them once more that of S. Augustin's authority which we had pretended for the same effect against M. Hallier and his Collegues The second of the Five was a Compendious distinction of the several Catholick Heretical senses whereof the Propositions were capable concerning which I shall speak no further here as well because it is already printed as for that I shall insert it at length hereafter for a reason which the Reader shall then understand The third was intitled To our H. F. Pope Innocent 10. To my L. L. the most Eminent Cardinals Spada Ginetti Pamphilio Cechini and Ghiggi and to the other Divines deputed or to be deputed for the Congregation concerning the affair of the five Propositions de gratia For M. M. Noel de la Lane Doctor of Paris Toussaint Des-mares Priest of the Orators Lewis de Saint Amour and Nicolas Manessier Doctors also of Paris and Lewis Angran Licentiate in the same Faculty Against M. M. Francis Hallier Francis Joysel and Jerome Lagault Doctors of the same Faculty The second information touching Right I shall also omit to speak any thing of the Preface to this Writing in which we set forth the reasons which oblig'd us to begin this Examen and the proof the Propositions as we understood them by examining and proving the necessity of a Grace Effectual by it self generally for all the good motions and actions of Christian piety and in which we show'd likewise in few words the evident connexion which every of those Propositions taken and understood in our sense hath with that capital point of the Churches doctrine because I find it requisite to insert the said Preface at length after the abovesaid distinction of sences Something I must say of the body of this Writing not seeing any fitter place then this and 't is the least I can do to set down in grosse what they all contain since their too great length and number rendring them capable of making a just volume alone they cannot be commodiously inserted into this Journal Now this third was divided into four parts The first contained sixteen principal arguments by every of which we prov'd that Grace effectual by it self necessary to all actions of Christian piety is the true Grace of Jesus Christ which the Catholick Faith obliges us to confesse against the Errors of the Pelagians and Semipelagians if we will as S. Augustin saith not only be call'd and appear Christians but be such indeed When I say this Part contain'd sixteen Arguments each of which was capable to prove this Truth invincibly I do not mean sixteen Syllogisms or Demonstrations consisting of three Propositions but sixteen Sources or Places fruitful of solid proofs upon which we establisht this Truth as upon so many unmoveable foundations each of which was able alone to uphold it All the prayers of the Church all the Truths which they discover to us all the consequences which we can draw from them made together but the first of those sixteen Arguments S. Augustin's whole Book de gratia Jesu Christi and all the Maximes spread through it made but the second The third was taken from the difference which there is between the Grace of simple Possibility and that which gives the good will and the good action The fourth from the difference between the Grace of the state of Innocence such as Adam had and that of Nature corrupted and disorder'd by sin such as we have at present and so of the rest The fifth was taken from all the objections made by the Pelagians and Semipelagians against the Grace which S. Austin defended And the last from all the answers which S. Austin made to those objections The second part of this Writing was in a manner only a Table of the Popes Councils H. Fathers and eminent Divines from S. Augustine's dayes to the present who had written of this matter whom we maintain'd to have taught that very Grace as the Faith of the Church and we offer'd undertook to convince our Adversaries before the Pope that the sentiments of all those Popes Councils H. Fathers and Divines which we cited and of every one in particular were such as we affirm'd and we gave them the choyce to dispute about that or those of these Popes Councils Fathers and Divines whom they believ'd less favourable to this Doctrine Amongst those whom we cited were the Master of the sentences S. Thomas S. Bernard the Council of Trent and Clement VIII .. The third part contain'd nothing but the Judgments and Decisions which were made against the Jesuites in the Congregation de Auxiliis under the Popes Clement VIII Paul V. extracted out of the originals The fourth contain'd a very great number of Errors blasphemies or impieties which we deduc'd by necessary consequence from the doctrine opposite to the Effectual Grace which we held namely from that which Molina and
may spread no further 't is requisite to apply the Iron and the Fire to this sore For what can be more wicked and heathenish more remote from our holy Religion and more opposite to the first of Christianity Is there any thing more deadly to souls more apt to thrust them into a precipice and more likely to expose them to all kind of dangers They thereby highly declare themselves themselves enemies of the Catholick faith they publish their ingratitude for the benefits which they have receiv'd from God and care not to be worthy of our Communion since they have polluted it by publishing such errors They have absolutely abandon'd our Religion For there is nothing whereunto our profession more obliges us and all our daily prayers to God tending only to implore his mercy how can we endure them who teach such errors What strange error is that which blinds them Do not they deserve to be plung'd as they are in such grosse darknesses 'T is fit to root them out of the midst of us they are to be driven far from the Church that the evil may be kept from taking more root in our bowels and by spreading further become incurable What this Gangrene hath corrupted is to be cut off from what remains sound in the body of the Church to the end the strength of so dangerous a poyson reach not to the parts which are not yet sick and that the flock may remain sound by the separation of the sheep infected with this cruel pestilence Now wherefore M. H. F. doth this great Pope speak with so much heat against those Hereticks unlesse because they dared to affirm that men have no need of Effectual Grace for the performing of Righteousnesse overcoming of sin and observing of Gods Commandments For he accuses them throughout the said Letter of denying that assistance of God which we pray for and consequently of taking away the necessity of prayer But the succour which we ask and obtain by prayer is effectual by it self and cannot be understood after any other manner as I have most clearly prov'd Consequently the cause of his condemning them as Hereticks and declar'd enemies of the faith and Christian piety is because they affirm'd that we have no need of the grace of God effectual by it self for the accomplishing the Commandments surmounting temptations Now this is the very same which the Molinists teach and maintain at this day whilst they hold their sufficient Grace subject to Free-will and I shall further presse them with this Argument which shall be the conclusion of all that I have hitherto spoken The cause why S. Augustin the Fathers of the Council of Carthage Pope Innocent I. and the whole Church condemn'd the doctrine of the Pelagians as impious heretical sacrilegious is for that it follows from thence that the Grace which the Church begs of God by her prayers is not necessary in order to doing good Whence it appears that every Doctrine from whence the same consequence may be drawn is likewise heretical sacrilegious and worthy to be strucken with Anathema But it follows from the Molinistical doctrine of sufficient Grace subject to Free-will as to its use that the grace which the Church asks of God by her prayers is not necessary in order to doing good since as I have shewn by invincible proofs the Grace implor'd by the Churches prayers is effectual by it self and it followes from the doctrine of sufficient Grace subject to Free-will is not necessary to doing good Therefore it follows from the doctrine of Molinistical grace that the Grace implor'd by the Churches prayers is not necessary to doing good and thus by manifest consequence the doctrine of Molinistical grace subject to Free-will ought according to the judgement of S. Augustin all the other Bishops of Africk Pope Innocent I. and the universal Church to be accounted heretical sacrilegious and worthy to be struck with Anathema I purposed M. H. F. here to end this so long Dispute at this time for fear of being tedious to Your Holinesse but judging by the gentlenesse and extream goodnesse wherewith You do me the honour to hear me that You give me full liberty of speaking and will not be displeas'd that I employ what remains of this day in bringing new proofs I shall endeavor to show by a second testimony of S. Augustin the truth of the same Proposition which I have undertaken to prove and which is the subject of all the present Contest namely that Grace effectual by it self is necessary to all actions of piety 'T is the subject which that great Saint handles in the book De Gratia Christi wherein he represents so clearly and with such lively colours what is the true Grace of Jesus Christ to the end that the same may be distinguisht from that false Grace which Pelagius endeavor'd to establish by his disguisements and artifices But that the testimony of this great Light of the Church may have as much weight and authority upon Your Holiness's mind as it deserves I conceive requisite to give Your Holinesse a brief account of the occasion of S. Augustin's writing that Book 'T is therefore to be observ'd as Ecclesiastical History and that Book it self teach us that Albinus Pinianus and Melanius so Illustrious among the Romans for their birth quality and piety that none surpass'd them in Nobility Dignity and Riches going out of devotion into Palestine and there finding Pelagius exhorted him to condemn in writing the evil opinions whereof he was accus'd whereunto he scrupled not to condescend in hope that by pronouncing a false Anathema upon them and making a disguis'd and artificial profession of faith he might attract to himself persons of so great authority and cause all the world to judge him innocent not only of the crime but likewise of the suspition of Heresie See the words which he writ I anathematise those who affirm or believe that the grace whereby Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners is not necessary not only in all places of the earth but also in every moment and in all our actions And I acknowledge that all they who endeavor to abolish or oppose it fall into eternal condemnation Assoon as Albinus and Pinianus had this confession of Pelagius's faith in their hands they sent it to S. Augustin and desir'd him to send them his judgement upon it He answer'd them that Pelagius spoke like a Catholick and yet was much to be distrusted because he hid his poison under the ambiguity of the word Grace thereby the more easily to deceive such as took not the more heed thereunto And upon this occasion he expresly writ a whole Book concerning the grace of Jesus Christ and sent the same to them wherein he descries all Pelagius's artifices unfolds all the ambiguities of his words teaches what is to be understood by the words Jesus Christs Grace and what Grace that is which Pelagius ought to confesse necessary to
in the second we summarily layd open the tradition of the whole Church or the sentiment of all the Councils H. Fathers and principal Divines since S. Augustin to the present age for confirmation of the same truth That in the third were contain'd the Decisions pass'd contradictorily by the Congregation de Auxiliis in presence of the Popes Clement VIII and Paul V. by whom Molina's doctrine of sufficient Grace was declar'd heretical and Pelagian and the contrary sentiment of Grace effectual by it self judg'd the constant doctrine of S. Augustin and the certain faith of the whole Church That we were ready to make good this truth by the acts of the Congregation whereof we had seen the Originals and extracted from them what we alledg'd Lastly that in the fourth Article were contain'd sixty and three heresies or impieties deduc'd by necessary consequence from Molina's sufficient Grace whereby it appear'd that this new novel opinion overthrows the principal grounds of faith and Christian piety the authority of the H. See and the Council of Trent the validity of Tradition and the perpetual subsistence of one and the same faith in the Church and is fit onely to supply advantages to hereticks to oppose the Romane Church After this the Father explicated what we understand by Grace effectual by it self and by sufficient Grace subject to Free-will Then he began the first argument drawn from the prayers of Church and told his Holinesse it was a great Providence of God which had caus'd him to choose the day of Rogations a day consecrated by the Church particularly to prayer for our justifying before him the faith of effectual Grace or the truth of Jesus Christ by the prayers of the Church He handled this argument with as great plainnesse and force as could be wish'd and concluded with a necessary consequence drawn from what he had proved that according to the expresse words of the Council of Carthage and Pope Innocent I. the dogma of Molina's suffcient grace is sacrilegious impious pestiferous execrable and worthy of all kinds of anathema Sacrilegum impium pestiferum exitiale omni anathemate dignum as you will see my Lords by reading that argument in the Writing of Effectual Grace Moreover he more forceably encounter'd the common opinion of the Jesuites For after the reciting of those terrible words of Innocent I. against the Pelagians out of his Epistle to the Council of Carthage he apply'd them by a necessary consequence which he had before demonstrated by several invincible arguments to the defenders of Molina's sufficient Grace And 't is a thing my Lords very worthy of remark that before his Holiness in a publick Congregation and a Jesuite being present the doctrine of that society was so vigorously and resolutely impeach'd and so plainly accus'd of so many heresies and that after this was done vivâ voce we left the same with his Holinesse in writing persisting to require that those Fathers might be oblig'd to appear and answer and that yet after all this they remain'd without reply and silent We doubt not my Lords but these Fathers would immediatly have sought to purge themselves to the Pope of so capital an accusation and pursued against us the reparation of this extreme injury were they not conscious to themselves of holding a new doctrine which they cannot justifie if they should be obliged to acknowledge S. Augustin for their Judge as they cannot refuse him before the H. See and were they not perswaded that all which we spoke against them is very true and easy to be made good they ought for the sake of injur'd truth and their Societie's reputation of which they are so jealous to have made some defence were it not that they fear'd to be publickly convinc'd and to draw upon themselves a new condemnation of their errors after that of the Congregation de Auxiliis But however so long as they appear not to defend themselves it will be a great blame upon their Molinistical opinions and an ignominy which they will never wipe off before intelligent and equitable persons From this argument drawn from the prayers of the Church the Fathers proceeded to the second taken out of S. Augustin's book De Gratia Christi and especially from these words in chap. 10. Hanc debet Pelagius gratiam confiteri si vult non solum vocari verum etiam esse Christianus He shew'd by sundry passages of that book that by this Grace no other can be understood besides that which is effectual by it self Whence he concluded that Molina and our Adversaries impugne that Grace which is necessary according to S. Augustin to be confess'd by him that would be truely a Christian Night came and constrain'd him to break off He spoke about an hour and half so that this audience lasted about four houres His Holinesse was so extremely attentive all the while that certainly God encreased his strength in so great an age and enabled him to preserve so great a presence of mind for so long together And indeed we were much encourag'd thereby to represent to him what we had to say Their Eminences were likewise very attentive The Divines seem'd all to take carefull notice of every thing All the while we were speaking his Holinesse said not a word to us but suffer'd us to proceed without asking any question or any wise gainsaying what we alledg'd Having ended we went to kisse the Pope's feet and present our five Writings to him The first contain'd a hundred Propositions of the Jesuites against S. Augustin The second is that of the Distinction of senses The third is that of Effectual Grace The fourth is touching the first Proposition The fifth is an answer to sixty Testimonies of S. Augustin which M. Hallier and his Collegues presented in reference to the first Proposition By this answer we convinc'd them of having alledg'd all those Testimonies either falsly and unfaithfully or impertinently and perversly and we draw all our answers from the same places whence the Testimonies themselves are taken We send you My Lords a Copy of all these Writings In the last place we desir'd his Holiness's permission for printing a limited number of them here only for the conveniency of examination His Holinesse answer'd us that he would consider of this Request and see whether it were expedient After which we askt his Holinesse when it pleas'd him that we should appear again to continue the handling of what we had enter'd upon in this first Audience He answer'd us that he had not yet thought of it but he would consider upon it We reply'd that however we beseecht his Holinesse to remember the assurance we gave him that we were ready to continue what we had begun and to do any thing that he should appoint in order thereunto and after receiving his benediction we withdrew half an hour within night You see My Lords how we have manag'd the matter in this first Audience and with what sincerity we have acted in
Crowns which he gave the Ambassador to procure him Audience deferr'd the publication of it but they expected it by the next Post This hath some correspondence with the Pancart whereof M. de Luanoy told me and shews the spirit of those forgers of newes As I was ending this Letter seven or eight persons of quality came to see me among whom was that good Carthusian a great disciple of S. Augustin and who has suffer'd persecution for being so he told us that he was the person that had been with the Jesuites to enquire news from Rome and receiv'd the above-mention'd answer from a Jesuite namely that The coming of P. Des-mares and 40000 Crowns given to the Ambassador to procure a hearing had defer'd the publishing of the Bull of condemnation and that 't was a very notable sum for an Ambassador only to obtain so short a respite You may make what use of this intelligence you please at least you may assure your self it is true And it was so indeed this ridiculous and calumnious discourse having been made by a Jesuite to the abovesaid Carthusian but the ground thereof namely that we sought that short respite or gave 40000 Crowns to the Ambassador to obtain it was as little true as infinite other stories invented and publish'd by those Fathers every day We never had the least thought of making any sort of Present either to the Ambassador or others for the defence of the Truth which we held We were alwayes God be praised too well perswaded of its perfectly divine and invincible strength to have recourse to such carnal and shameful Remedies in order to uphold it And I am very confident that had we been of such mean servile spirits to have admitted such unworthy thoughts the Ambassador had too much generosity and magnanimity to comply therewith If he did us some good Offices as I acknowledge he did in the manner above related he did them upon the account of the justice which he found in what we demanded whereunto there needed no other motive to oblige him then his ordinary principles of equity and goodnesse The fourth of the Letters of this Moneth was from M. de Sainte Beuve dated June 13. in these words We are very glad to understand that the Pope has given you a favourable Audience but our joy will not be complete till we hear that this Audience has produc'd a Conference For till then we have great reason to fear that the designe in hearing you is onely that it may be said that we are condemn'd according to form The Discourses of the Molinists encrease this fear they say that this Audience must be judg'd of by its sequels and they assur'd it will have none to our advantage Another reason of our fear is the denying Audience to the General of the Dominicans so long together Another that the Letters which we see here intimate that the Pope will shortly decide the Affair And the last That hitherto all the civilities have been shewn to our Adversaries but to us all the severities to say no worse Albizzi Palavicini Modeste Tartaglia are plain proofs of this That which I writ is not mine own only but the sense of many others I cannot but attribute the Voyage of F. Des-mares and M. Manessier to a particular providence of God in behalf of his Truth since that Father hath spoken so nervously and defended the cause of Jesus Christs Grace with so great vigor and majesty The Effects are in Gods hands the resolution thereof must be expected from him but whatever they be we shall alwayes have this comfort that the Truth could not be better defended then it was Acquaint him with this our joy and assure him that M. and M. de Liencour have more then they yet expresse The little Writing presented to the Pope on the 19th of the last Moneth was very necessary The Impression shall shortly be taken in hand I could have wish'd it had been thought sufficient to set this Title over the heretical Senses Sensus haereticus qui malignè affingi potest without the rest The rest he means was quem tamen legitimè sumpta non habet and his reason was because the Propositions were not ours and inasmuch as in the rigor of their terms taken literally they were capable of being condemn'd for their bad senses it seem'd to him that by these words legitimè sumpta c. taken legitimately we affirm'd that the Propositions had not these bad senses in their proper and natural sense making no difference between their proper and natural sense and taken legitimately But this was not our meaning For as is noted before we signify'd by the sense which the Propositions have being taken legitimately not their proper and natural sense according to the bare terms but that which they have upon their relation either to Jansenius to whom we knew our Adversaries attributed them in all their secret Writings or in reference to our selves who interpos'd to hinder their condemnation because we conceiv'd Equity requir'd them to be taken after this manner in this Contest This was one of the reasons which I represented to my Collegues to encline them to add the abovesaid words in this Writing but there was another which seem'd to me very important namely that we might upon occasion give the Pope and Cardinals the most advantageous impression of the Propositions that we could to the end to put the more obstacles to the inclinations and engagements which they might have to condemn them and also to avoid the ill sequels which such condemnation might have and the abuse that might be made of it And indeed had they been such as we could have maintain'd absolutely and undertaken their defence only and without restriction there is all reason to believe so far as I can judge that the Pope would have never resolv'd to condemn them since being even such as they were I hold for certain that if we had defended them in this sort he would not have undertaken to condemn them and that the thing which gave him the greatest confidence to do it was that we our selves who endeavor'd to hinder their condemnation by reason of the ill consequences we foresaw it woud have always spoke of them in our Writings and Discourses as of Equivocal Propositions fram'd purposely to surprize him and capable of bad senses But it behoov'd us to speak of them as they were really and besides it we conceiv'd that all that we spoke ought to have suffic'd for obtaining a thing so just and profitable as that which we demanded seem'd to us The fifth Letter was from M. Taignier June 13. whereof take one clause The Molinists affirm everywhere that the Censure pass'd and that nothing else was staid for but their Audience that so the judgement might be contradictory This Of all the Letters writ to me from Paris during these two Moneths These are they which I conceiv'd most fit to acquaint the Reader with the true
satisfi'd with it by reading it after this Journal An Extract of the said Verbal Processe Fryday 14. March 1656. The Archbishop of Narbonne being President THe ancient Agents continu'd their report and speaking of spiritual affaires related all that had pass'd in the reception of the Constitution of our H. F. Pope Innocent X. touching the five Propositions condemn'd by his Holinesse as also what order they had receiv'd from my L. L. the Prelates extraordinarily assembled to this purpose to write to the Bishop of Lodeve then at Rome concerning it Whereupon the said M. de Lodeve said That whilst he was at Rome he was commanded by the Assembly of Prelates held at Paris to present to the deceased Pope Innocent X. the letters which they writ to his Holinesse about the publication of his Bull which oblig'd him to represent to the Assembly what pass'd at Rome concerning this matter during his being there and that if the Assembly thought good he would begin with the things which preceded the sending of that letter The Assembly having approv'd this proposal the said M. de Lodeve proceeded and reported That in the first audience which he had of Pope Innocent X. of happy memory 2. Jan. 1654. his Holinesse did him the honour to tell him that he was oblig'd to the Bishops of France and had them written in his heart for having been the first in acknowledging the authority of the H. See in the affair of the Jansenists That these were his Holinesses very words and that what he was about to speak further was very near the same language which he us'd to him he having put it into writing at the end of his audience That his Holinesse further told him That the Question of the five Propositions being presented to the Bishops of France they refus'd to take cognisance of it and said to the Presenters Go to the Pope to whom it belongs to decide causes of Faith That many Bishops had written to him That Doctors of either side came to Rome That his Holinesse having ask'd Doctor Hallier whether he had any thing to say he answer'd that he came to Rome only to understand his Holinesses sentiments and to know the truth from his own mouth touching the Five Propositions and he would respectfully and submissively receive what he should decide as an Oracle of Faith That the other Doctors demanded a Hearing and liberty to answer to what the adverse party would alledge At which word party his Holinesse told them there was no party in this affair and that the inquiry was onely to finde the truth That then one of these Doctors made a discourse full of Invectives against the Jesuites which his Holinesse heard with patience and charity though it was nothing to the matter in question That after this speech another made a long Predication which he could not finish because night superven'd and he read in a Paper but he said that all which they had to offer was contain'd in eight quires of paper which he presented to his Holinesse and desir'd permission to print to the end their adversaries might answer thereunto in print and themselves aftewards reply That his Holinesse receiv'd these papers and put them with all other Acts relating to this affair into the hands of some Cardinals of whom he nam'd Pamphilio and Chisi In the mean time his Holinesse made prayers to God to be illuminated with his H. Spirit and appointed prayers to be made in the City of Rome especially by such persons as he knew to be of great piety And having afterwards Assembled a Congregation of divers Cardinals Prelates Doctors and learned Priests he heard them many several times discourse and give their opinions upon the matter That God gave him the will and strength to be present at all the sittings with great patience without weariness or trouble That himself who before being Pope had addicted himself to the Law to the judgement of Processes and to the management of publick affaires yet affirm'd in truth and sincerity that he receiv'd from God so great an opening of mind that aperuit sensum scripturarum that he understood all the subtleties and difficulties even to the most intricate Schoole-termes and he receiv'd so great pleasure in these Congregations that when night approacht he was sorry he could not attend them longer The Cardinals oftentimes told him that he took too much paines and that this over great assiduity would do his Holinesse hurt and he answer'd that it was no trouble to him but he pitied the good old Doctors who were standing all the time That in fine having throughly examin'd and recommended this affair divers times to God he one day call'd Cardinal Chisi then secretary to his Holinesse and now Alexander VII happily sitting in S. Peter's chaire and having bidden him take paper and write he dictated his Constitution to him in the same words wherein it was publish'd That the matters were so present and clear in his mind that it was no trouble to him to dictate it and that he could repeat it word for word as accordingly his Holinesse did part of it His Holinesse also assur'd him that the matter was transacted in this manner and that he had added nothing since to his Constitution but the last Clause which saith that his Holinesse intends not by this condemnation to approve the other opinions contained in the book of Jansenius That the Pope had publish'd this Constitution and caus'd all that had been done in this affair to be compil'd into one Volume in the front whereof are plac'd The Letters of the Bishops of France to serve for a testimony to Posterity of their respect towards the H. See That he had caus'd this Volume to be deposited in the Archives of S. Peter after he had made an Act of Declaration in a Consistory held for that purpose That he had sent his Bull to the King of France and to other Princes and Bishops That those of France had receiv'd it with honour as also those of other Kingdomes by their example That even the Bishops of Malines and Grant who shew'd some tergiversation at the beginning having understood its reception by the French Bishops receiv'd and subscrib'd it That this was an obligation which his Holinesse had to the Bishops of France and should preserve as long as he liv'd That he charg'd him the Relator to acquaint them therewith at his return Which injunction he the Relator now discharges by most punctually relating to this illustrious Assembly the discourse which his Holinesse held to him in this first Audience The Assembly gave the Bishop of Lodeve thanks and was so satisfied with his Relation that they desir'd him to put it into writing to the end it might be inserted in the present Verbal Processe Which was done accordingly as is above mention'd FINIS A CATALOGUE Of the Pieces contain'd in the Collection according to the same order wherein they are mention'd in the Journal THe Conditions presented to
the Master of the sentences understood it And predestination is here taken absolutely not for it effects neither is Free-will therefore destroy'd but operates in its time and place freely meritoriously and without coaction as I speak clearly concerning the same in my said VVriting so farre as the scantnesse of the time permitted Nor do I deny that the goodnesse of God who hath purposed to shew mercy or not to shew mercy as I have noted in my Tract is the cause why God predestinates or reprobates And lastly I do not reject the use of Free-will which serves to the obtaining of sanctifying grace when God gives the same to the predestinate to the end that using it well he may merit glory VVhich being so it may be truely said that predestination depends onely upon the promises which God hath made to us Nor will there be any contradiction in this although predestination should be taken here for its effects which draw their original and their force from the merits of Jesus Christ which grace conferres upon us in consequence of the Promises made to those that believe in him What I say concerning the promises we learn out of the 11th and 36th chapter of Ezekiel the 32d of Jeremiah and many places of S Paul's Epistles and S. Peter teaches us that all things which appertain to life and godliness are promised and given us by the almighty power of God so that good works themselves are part of the promises which God hath made to us I will give you an heart of flesh saith the Prophet and will take away the heart of stone and will cause you to do c. He hath given us a strong assurance of his promises God is become our debtor because he hath pleased to make his promise to us VVe have therefore in the H. Scripture a most ample witnesse of the Divine promises Yet do not these promises destroy Free-will or hinder from concurring meritoriously to good works S. Augustin in the third Treatise upon S. John is of this opinion That life Eternal is given us onely by grace which would be false if S. Augustine's words were not consider'd with reference to the original of this life because they would take away meritorious works And S. Paul Life Eternal is a grace of God and grace for grace VVhich place he understands and expounds as the grace which God hath done us in Electing us to eternal life being the cause of the grace which he doth us in giving us good works which may merit the same This opinion therefore doth not exclude Free-will which as I said before is establish'd in my Treatise much lesse good works but rather includes and requires above all things both Free-will and good VVorks III. PROPOSITION Speaking of the Reprobate that he cannot be saved because he is the Son of perdition as our Saviour saith The Son cannot disclaime the nature which he hath receiv'd from his Father and therefore Jesus Christ saith Ye are of your father the Devil because ye do his works and these are properly they whom God never beholds in Jesus Christ with an eye of mercy ANSWER Our Saviour call's the perfidious and obstinate sons of perdition all that time the Jews were murderers and persecutors of the truth VVhich place I alluded to and called them sons of perdition because our Saviour so term'd them Ye are of your father the Devil because ye do his works I say the same and no more But they who are not destinated simply and properly to eternal life nor written in the book of life although they may appear to be the Children of God neverthelesse they are the Children of the Devil by imitation and not by substance as S. Augustin speaks This I said in reference to their last end of damnation and final impenitence which God foreknows and alwayes foreknew most certainely I said that God never looks upon them with the eye of his mercy though a most just and incomprehensible judgement as I said it was in Judas whom Pope S. Leo in his Sermon of the Lords passion calls an inconvertible man that is one who could not be converted This is the scope at which my words referre not to certain intermediate things not to the justification of the present life in which they may be for some time and during which God sundry times beholds Judas and other reprobates with his eye of mercy namely when they do well and are upright IV. PROPOSITION God doth not elect us onely to relinquish and leave us in the hand of our own Counsels because he well knows into what condition we would soon bâ—ing our selves but in consequence of his election he makes appear in due time all the gifts which were comprehended in his Election ANSWER If I knew sufficiently where the doubt concerning this fourth Proposition lyes perhaps I should better explain my mind My intention was to say that God bestows many gifts upon the Elect who by peculiar love are under the divine care as is seen by the following words where I say that God prepares a right or good will for us according to the testimony of the Apostle 'T is God that works in us to will and to do and the rest which followes to which I referre Therefore God doth not leave his Elect destitute without Grace nor in the hand of their own counsels Nor do I design hereby to contradict the saying of the VVise-man in any wise for it would be ridiculous so to do Deum reliquisse homâ—nem in manu consiliorum suorum But all that I intended to signifie by it is that God leaves not Free-will in his Elect without assisting it by his Grace and that it being assisted thereby happily performes all the things which are enumerated in my Treatise S. Augustin patronizes this opinion in abundance of places And I desire the Reader not to believe that I here make Free-will to be necessitated or compelled for this would be an injury to truth In the same Treatise I dispute against such as follow the false lights of a perverse spirit and reason in the model which they forme to themselves of the holy gift of predestination whilst through negligence and malice they referre the greatest liberty of Free-will assisted by God to a shameful and damnable necessity contrary to the expresse doctrin of all the Doctors and principally of S. Augustin which Father is the most terrible to those kind of people VVherefore I conclude with the truth received in the Church and with the authority of the same S. Augustin That predestination doth not take away Free-will but rather establish it as I have said expressely in my Treatise to which I referre the Reader V. PROPOSITION And in like manner cannot prevaile against the structure built with living stones which is the H. Church and the determinate number of the Elect. ANSWER In this Proposition those things which precede and follow in my Treatise must be considered because otherwise naked and