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
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
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
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
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
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
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
the Congregation required by me in which case being an irregular unheard-of Condemnation made against all form and equity it would destroy it self and at least in time to come incur the indignation of all persons any thing judicious or equitable Or the said congregation would be granted at our request and the affair examin'd according to form in which case it could not be but that at least a great part of those imploy'd therein would understand which side Truth and Justice are of in regard every one would be necessitated to apply himself to the examination of writings deliver'd him on either side to the discussion of things alledged in conferences held between us in their presence and to the particular study of the matters which they saw in question between us It was not possible likewise but that there would be found in the great City many persons who being awakened by the notoriousness of this examination would have the curiosity and the good hap to inquire thereinto leaving apart their other studies and employments which would be a good fruit of our pains And lastly that it was not possible but the Pope who though little vers'd and skilful in these matters was nevertheless very prudent and circumspect as he lately shew'd when being prevail'd with by the common consent of the Congregation of the H. Office to confirm the pretended censure of the faculty at Paris he chang'd his mind and was staid from doing it by the dissent of a single Cardinal would be more powerfully woo'd with the number of those who should declare to him their being undeceiv'd and better instructed of the truth whereof they were formerly ignorant that these reflections would move him either to abstain from pronouncâ—ng upon this affair any judgement which might be unworthy of the Majesty of the H. See or to pronounce one worthy thereof Whereupon we all three concluded that these considerations oblig'd me to acquit my self of my Commission to deliver my Letters to begin my sollicitations and that the soonest and with the greatest publikness I could I had time left the same day to send for a Tailor to make me a Gown and a furr'd Hood against the next Sunday such as we have in Sorbonne and also for a Cap-maker to make me a Cap with four Corners most of these at Rome having but three and being far less then what we are accustomed to wear at Paris CHAP. II. A visit to Cardinal d' Este who gives me to understand that it is not safe for me to tarry at Rome My immobility at it with divers Visits concerning the cause of my Return Discourse with F. Annat I continued without stirring out of my Chamber till Saturday evening following 17 June when being assur'd all my Equipage would be ready by the next morning I went to salute Cardinal d' Este to whom I conceiv'd I ow'd that respect in the first place both for that there was at that time no Ambassadour at Rome and because he was Protector of France as also out of a design to make him mine as much as I could I presented to him M. d' Angers's Letter sent to me for his Highness and I acquainted him with the occasion of my Return He seem'd much surpris'd to see me in that Country and that partly out of his affection for the Nation and my self and partly out of the danger which he saw I incurr'd for he was present at the Assembly of the H. Office in which I was spoken of before the Pope and knew what had pass'd thereupon After he had read M. d' Angers's letter and as he was reading consider'd what to say to me he profess'd much affection and esteem for M d' Anger 's and told me he conceiv'd I believ'd he had some for me too of either of which he could give no other assurance then by doing for me all that should lie in his power But he asked me whether I had well consâ—der'd of the resolution which I took when I determin'd to come back and that about such matters as these He represented to me that I had spent the four or five months that I was at Rome with honour and success that the affairs for which I return'd thither were very odious and apt to render all persons suspected that meddle therewith but as for me in particular for reasons he had and could not declare to me he desired me to take it well that he told me that there was no person less fit to meddle therewith then I That to advise me as a friend he conceiv'd himself oblig'd to advertise me that I must not appear again but resolve to return back and that with all speed Had I before understood the reason which mov'd Cardinal d' Este to speak in this manner I should have been more surpris'd therewith then I was yet I forbore not to testifie some astonishment to his Highness because on the one side I was glad to find how far he would discover what had pass'd before the Pope of which I still kept my self from seeming to have any light And on the other I was not at all willing to acquiesce in his counsel For though I was sure of the affection sincerity and generosity of him that gave it yet I was also sure that he gave it me without having examin'd things to the bottom and only considering my interest and safety wherefore I told the Cardinal that I had so great respect and yieldance to his sentiments as to submit mine to them readily were the affair occasioning my return particularly my own but it concern'd the most illustrious Bishops of France who intrusted me with it and promising themselves from my submission to their Orders that I would punctually follow them when I had receiv'd them rely'd upon me therein without looking out any other person more capable of discharging the same as they would have done had they not depended upon me and therefore I could not fail in answering their expectation in a business so important as they accounted this which they had committed to me To shew him in what terms they had treated me I drew out of my Pocket the Letters which they writ to me The Cardinal thereupon answer'd That those Prelates in France did not so understand the state of things at Rome as they do who are there and have a clearer insight into those affairs that he would return M. d' Anger 's an answer and would assure him and desire him to assure all the other Bishops of my good will and forwardness and that I had not desisted execuing the Commission they gave me but upon reasons to which it was impossible not to yield I reply'd to the Cardinal That I did not know those reasons that he would oblige me in telling me them if there were any as I doubted not but I could not imagine there were any prevalent enough to countenance such a desisting as his Highness spoke of being convinc'd as I was of
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
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
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
to him the Memorial here subjoyned The forme of those Memorials is thus The sheets of Paper in which they are written are usually so folded as to be about four fingers broad and half a foot long On the outside there is an Inscription at the top containing the Person 's name to whom they are presented and another at the bottome of the substance of the affair concern'd Ours was thus inscribed Beatissimo Patri Jnnocentio Papae X. pro pluribus Galliae Episcopis Doctores Parisienses illorum Oratores The Contents follow BEATISSIME PATER IVxta literas à pluribus Illustrissimis Ecclesiae Gallicanae Antistitibus ad Beatitudinem vestram missas illorum nomine Doctores Parisienses infrascripti sanctitati vestrae humillimè supplicant ut distingui sigillatim examinari jubeat varios sensus quinque Propositionum aequivocarum ad fraudem fictarum quae vestrae Beatitudini exhibitae sunt atque ut de praedictis sensibus prout exiget illorum veritas ac aliorum falsitas sententiam ferre velit partibus prius in Congregatione tum voce tum scripto corà m auditis omnibus illarum scriptis mutuò communicatis sicut postulant negotii magnitudo in similibus occasionibus Ecclesiae consuetudo ipsiusque Sanctae sedis Apostolicae usus non ita pridem à felicis memoriae Clemente VIII Paul V. vestrae Sactitatis praecssoribus observata Confidunt iidem Oratores hoc se beneficium consolationémque istam accepturos à Summa benignitate sapientia aequitate Sanctitatis vestrae quam Dominus gratiae suae praecipuo munere * * Ex Ep. S. Aug. caeterorum Episcoporum Concil Milev ad Innocentium I. in sede Apostolica collocatam praestet per annos plurimos incolumem ac felicem Signed Ego Jacobus Brousse Doctor Theologus Parisiensis Praedicator Consiliarius Regis Christianissimi in Ecclesia Sancti Honorati Parisiensis Canonicus supplico ut suprà Ego Natalis de la Lana Doctor Theologus Parisiensis Abbas B. Mariae de Valleerescente supplico ut suprà Ego Ludovicus de Saint-Amour Doctor Theologus Parisiensis socius Sorbonicus supplico ut suprà Ego Ludovicus Angran Licentiatus Theologus Parisiensis insignis Ecclesiae Trecensis Canonicus supplico ut suprà The said Memorial importeth these words being translated To the most holy Father Pope Innocent X. in the name of sundry Bishops of France the Doctors of Paris their Deputies MOST HOLY FATHER THE Doctors of Paris underwritten most humbly beseech your Holinesse in the name of divers Bishops of the Church of France according to the letters written by them to you that it will please you to cause distinction to be made of the different senses of the five Propositions fram'd equivocally and fraudulently to deceive and surprise the Church which have been presented to your Holinesse and to cause each of those senses to be particularly examin'd to the end your Holinesse may pronounce judgment thereupon according as the truth of the one the falshood of the other shall require after you shall have heard in a Congregation both parties in presence one of the other both by word of mouth and by writings and all the writings of either side shall have been mutually communicated as the importance of this affair the accustome of the Church in like occasions and likewise the practice of the H. Apostolical See observed not long since by your Holines's predecessors Clement VIII and Paul V. of happy memory require The said supplicants hope they shall receive this favour and comfort from the goodnesse wisdome and equity of your Holinesse whom God preserve may years in the H. Apostolical see where he hath establisht you by a singular gift of his grace Signed James Brousse Doctor in Divinity of the Faculty of Paris c. Noel de la Lane Doctor in Divinity of the Faculty of Paris c. Lewis de Saint-Amour Doctor in Divinity of the house and society of Sorbon c. Lewis Angran Licentiate in Divinity of the Faculty of Paris c. In the afternon of the same day the Pope sent for M. Albizzi who repair'd to his Holinesse some friends of ours that saw him when he came away from the Pope told me that his countenance intimated no great satisfaction with his audience After which it is likely he was with the Jesuites who that day had chosen F. Godifridi a Neapolitan for their General They were to have gone forthwith to salute the Pope or at least the next day after that Election But one of their Fathers the next day rais'd a very ridiculous and false Report for the reason of their delay namely that notice was given them to forbear that Visit a while because the Pope parted with us extraordinarily ill pleas'd and they should have no contentment to address to him whilst he was in that bad disposition For the Truth is he gave us none but expressions of Joy Benignity Esteem and good Will We could not conveniently wait upon Cardinal Pamphilio to give account of this audience according to the custom which is observed at Rome till Friday the 26. of this month Nor was he then disposed conveniently to hear us For he was so busie and it was so late that we were forc'd to tell him that it was expedient that we had a little more time to acquaint him with the business of our coming and deputation to his Holiness then he could then afford us He told us that he should be willing to hear us at any time His Eminence would not set the day as we mov'd him but told us that it should be as often as we pleas'd We durst not press him further to assign one in which he might please to be at leisure though it would have been very convenient both for himself and for us and most advantageous for the affair whereof we were to speak But he had so many other and so different from ours in the station wherein he was that its likely he had rather not hear of it at all then suffer himself to be informed thereof CHAP. III. The Verification of the Original of the Memoires of M. Pegna Dean of the Rota touching the Congregations de Auxiliis Sundry things which we did during the rest of January and the beginning of February THe Dominicans had lent me the last Summer with much goodness and confidence the Original of the Writings of M. Pegna sometimes Dean of the Rota under the Papacy of Clement VIII who had had the curiosity to observe dayly what pass'd in the Congregation de Auxiliis I intended faithfully to restore what was so courteously lent me but I was willing to keep a Copy or two compar'd with the Original to have Recourse thereunto in case of need and derive such Light and advantages from the same as it afforded for the cause of Truth the Honour of the H. See and that of the Consultors who had been imploy'd in that Congregation
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
take any cognisance of those affaires that every week six or seven hundred Letters came to his hands that fourscore went to one Congregation and forty to another that for his part he was chiefly taken up with things which they call'd Matters of State That when our businesse came to him he would apply himself to it in a fitting manner that till then it was fit for us to have patience that Time serv'd to ripen things and that oftentimes the H. See was willing to let the heat of mens minds abate a little At length he recommended to us to act peaceably pacifica mente and we answer'd him that he should alwayes finde us in that temper through our whole deportment but we could do no less then speak represent the things which we conceiv'd important to our affair And whereas he said he would have great care of it when it came to him we told him we were very glad of it because he would finde that it was very important to the honour of S. Augustin for whom he profess'd so great Devotion We went afterwards to see Cardinal Roma he was at his Palace but was busie about some affaires His Maistre de Chambre told us that his Eminence would be glad to entertain us at leisure and because he was the next day to consecrate Monsignor Litta Arch-bishop of Milan he desir'd us to defer our visit till the Tuesday following We had hitherto defer'd to visit the Bishop of Bethleem we acquitted our selves thereof this day and after divers general Discourses at length falling upon the affaires which brought him to Rome he shew'd us a Memorial which he had to present against a Brief pass'd by Vrban VIII in the year 1632. impowring Commissioners to make processes against Bishops It was an Affair wherewith he was encharged by the Clergy besides the principal which was to obtain Bishops for Portugal On Tuesday June the 25. passing before the Novitiate house of the Jesuites I enter'd into it not knowing that it was so being invited thereunto by the goodliness of the Garden which appear'd to me as I went along the great Gate thereof being open I saw Cardinal Ghiggi there walking between two Jesuites but it did not trouble me nor give me any irksome suspition of him because I had a most firm confidence of his capacity Equity and Benignity towards all the world In the Afternoon we went to Cardinal Roma's Palace and were fortwith admitted to him And whereas amongst other things we complain'd of to him we told him that we were threatned that we should have but one or two Audiences for forme he wonder'd that we could doubt of being heard as much as we could wish in an affair so important to the H. See as this in which it was not only to judge as the good Cardinal said but to be judg'd by all the world because assoon as its Judgement were pronounced every one would take the liberty to examine it and see whether it were pass'd according to justice and truth VVe went from thence to see F. Pascaligo to whom we display'd our affair at length He was very glad and surpris'd to hear it and confirm'd further to us our intelligence concerning the order which was given between two or three years before to certain Divines to write down their opinions and deliver them seal'd up both concerning the Propositions and the false censure of them divulg'd under the name of our Faculty VVhen we had quitted him we went towards the Ambassadors Lodging whether I had purposed to go VVe met our friends coming out thence and a little after F. Malgoires who came after them and told us that he had disputed there for two hours with M. Hallier He told us several things of that Dispute but amongst the rest two more remarkable First That M. Hallier held all these matters so certainly condemn'd by the Council of Trent that he would not so much as hear of St. Augustin Secondly That upon his telling M. Hallier that M. de Valcroissant maintain'd the five Propositions in question only in the sense of Effectual Grace M. Hallier reply'd that the Sieur de Valcroissant durst not subscribe that We were extremly surpris'd at this Discourse being unable to comprehend how it was possible that after so many Declarations made thereof formerly and renew'd upon all occasions and by all means imaginable with the greatest solemness there should yet be found people that durst confidently affirm such malicious calumnies I went to the Ambassadors and found that Card. Barberin was there I told his Maistre de Chambre that we had been at his Eminences Palace to wait upon him He answer'd me that there would be a good opportunity to do it the next day at his return from la Minerve after the Congregation of the H. Office VVhen he was gone the Ambassador took Coach to go abroad to take the Air and I accompanied him He told me there was some likelyhood that a Congregation would be erected not for us to dispute in but wherein we might be heard così così so so I answer'd him that we did not desire to dispute but we earnestly wisht to confer one with the other and that it might be done with all Moderation Civility and Respect possible yet according to the formalities requisite in all sorts of judgements for the full clearing of the thing in contest On VVednesday morning we went to meet Cardinal Barberin at la Minerve and returned to his Palace with him The Abbot of Valcroissant acquainted his Eminence with the same causes of complaint we had of the carriage of M. Hallier and his collegue that he had told Cardinal Spada and Ghiggi and answer'd in like manner their objections and difficulties The Cardinal made a little recapitulation of what the Abbot said and answer'd nothing thereunto saving that if the Pope gave him any Orders about our Affairs he would endeavour to acquit himself thereof with the affection and fidelity which he ow'd to the H. See He added that we ought to be something contented now we had declar'd and continu'd so to do daily that we had no other interest in this Affair but to preserve the Doctrine of Effectual Grace since there was none but admitted and acknowledg'd it was well as our selves M. Angran reply'd to the Cardinal that indeed there was none that declar'd against or durst do so but there were many who admitted only the name and in their hearts deny'd and oppos'd the thing and that the whole invention and structure of the Propositions was set on foot for nothing in the world else but to destroy it In the afternoon I went to see a Person that understood affaires very well He told us that M. Hallier was in concetto nella corte suspected by the Court to do what he did only out of a grudge and that it would be advantageous for us if he continu'd to give the same opinion of himself that he had done hitherto I
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
Assemblies of the Congregation prevail'd with us to resolve upon it wherefore we went thither in the afternoon for that purpose but by that time we got to Monte Cavallo we understood that the Pope was already returned The next morning we went again to his Presence-Chamber that we might omit no occasion in the which we could hope to get our desired audience but 25. or 30. persons were demanding it as well as we though almost none were admitted to it besides Monsignor Fagnani Friday the 13. we accompanied the Ambassador to the Ceremony which is yearly perform'd on the day of S. Jean de Lateran for the rest of the soul of Henry IV. of glorious Memory Passing by Monte Cavallo as we returned we found that the Sermon was newly ended and saw the Cardinals and Prelates coming forth There was one told me that the Preacher who was a Iesuite nam'd F. Olive after he had cited many Canonists about the matter whereof he treated said But some Divine must be cited too and he cited S. Augustin who said he is as I think the Prince of Divines Il quale come io penso a'l Prencipe de' Theologi It was a slight commendation in his judgement who related it that this Jesuite gave S. Augustin before that illustrious Assembly to purge himself in some sort from the esteem which began to be had of them in Rome that their Society were enemies to that H. Doctor The same person that made this Observation told me that he had spoken a day or two before to Cardinal Ghiggi and mentioned certain defects in some of the Consultors in regard whereof an impartial judgement could not be expected from them That he had particulatly spoken of F. Campanella who had been a Jesuite of F. Modeste who was become a perfect Dependant on M. Albizzi upon account of his pretention to the Generalship of his order and M. Albizzi's promise to procure it for him of F. Tartaglia companion in studies with F. Palavicini of this same Jesuite who was said to be of such strong and able parts that he alone could overturn all the world To all which the Cardinals whole answer was that F. Palavicini was so far from being of such abilities that on the contrary the world stopt and checkt him every day The same person told me further that because the General of the Dominicans could not get audience of the Pope himself had advertis'd his Holiness of the Thesis which the Jesuites had caus'd to be maintained in Germany viz. That it was not de fide that Innocent X. was lawful Pope That the Pope was surpris'd and scandaliz'd at it and sent to the General of the Dominicans to demand the said Thesis that he might see and be assured of it by his own eyes In the afternoon I was at the Sermon at la Minervé at the end of which several Dominicans and others of our friends came to me under the Cloister and blam'd me highly for letting all Cardinal Spada's Congregations pass without interposing at all and giving any instruction either to the Cardinals or the Consultors But I endeavoured to satisfie them by assuring them that so soon as the Congregation should be establisht according to our demand and the promise which was given us and proceeded according to such forms as were accustomed and necessaty for the hindring of all sorts of surprises against Truth and Innocence and that it were rightly and duly signified to us that then by Gods help we would not be wanting in any thing which the Cardinals and Consultors could expect from us for their cleat and full instruction in the whole Affair but so long as they proceeded in these Congregations as they had began so that we understood only by chance and by stealth upon what days they were held the delivety of our Adversaries instructions to them and the rest of their actions we should never consider them otherwise then we had done hitherto namely as some Preparatives to the Congregation which we had demanded but not as the Congregation it self That the vast amplitude and extraordinary importance of this Affair as well as the precise commission which we had received from our Bishops did not permit us to go beyond those bounds That if the Pope and Cardinals chosen by him for this Congregation would not forbear to proceed without regarding what we had represented to them and to condemn the equivocal Propositions which were presented to them without distinguishing the different senses whereof they were capable they might put all into confusion in the Church if they thought good and give us the dissatisfaction of not having been able to obtain of them the most just things which we had demanded and which it was incomparably more their interest to grant us then ours to obtain That by denying the same to us they might cause a drop of blood to spring into our faces but it would be such as came from the mortal wound which they would give themselves and the H. See That we wisht we could hinder so dismal a disorder and scandal buc that under the apparent pretext of a hope to hinder it which might prove deceitful we would not put our selves in hazard to see another arrive which might be more prejudicial both to them and to us During this week the Subbibliothecary told me that the Bishop of Angelopolis had obtain'd a Decree against the Jesuites a year ago but could not get it expedited since that time by reason that Cardinal Spada hindered it underhand though himself had been one employ'd in the passing of the said Decree The Agent of the Bishop of Angelopolis who honoured us with a Visit in these Conjunctures testified great grief and resentment to the Subbibliothecary that he was forced thus to consume so much time unprofitably in getting his Decree delivered to him For said he if it be not just do not pass it if it be just do not retain it The Subbibliothecary offer'd the Agent to speak of it and present him to Cardinal Ghiggi in whose probity and sincerity he had more confidence then in his friendship that his Eminence would give contentment to this Agent either by himself or by express order from his Holiness He spoke to the Cardinal and presented the Agent to hâ—m The Cardinal touch'd the knot of the Affair and acknowledg'd the injustice and without making a stir or speaking to Cardinal Spada an express order came from the Pope to those who were to make expedition of the said Decree that they should make the same without delay And accordingly in less then three days it was expedited for the Agent who could not as I said before obtain it in a years time though he sollicited for it with all manner of care and diligence and was a man so intelligent vigorous and undaunted as I believe is not often met with Saturday the 14th I met F. Malgoires in the City who told me that a few days before he had
22. whereof the Copy follows I Received all your Packets in Normandie whether I went about some affairs I have read your two writings one of which is an abridgement the other a Narration at length of all things which have pass'd in the affair of the Five Propositions I find the Narrative very well compos'd saving that it seems to give too much advantage against the Propositions by speaking of them frequently as equivocal I expected to find it extremely high and fear'd it might be a little too vehement by so much of it as you signifi'd to me but it seems extraordinary moderate and the person who you tell me is not spar'd in it hath no reason to complain except perhaps he may believe that you speak not seriously in the commendations which you allow him I am willing to believe that you have done it with knowledge of the cause not to prejudice that of the Truth which you defend by speaking with more smartness of the persons who oppose it and of the violences and artifices wherewith they carry on their opposition I cannot but wholly approve your resolution of declining to proceed further or deliver any new writing till answer and satisfaction be given to what you have already offer'd If the communication of your Adversaries writings be deny'd to you together with the conference viva voce which you have demanded to have with them for representing of your Pleas and Refutations that so things may be laid open before your Judges who cannot otherwise take a right Cognisance of your differences so as to pass judgement and determine them according to Truth and Justice 't is an evident sign that they are not dispos'd as you sometimes believ'd to do justice to you and the cause which you manage This is the universal opinion of all intelligent men concerning their strange proceeding And methinks it obliges you to keep firm and not to advance further by producing new Pieces till reason be done you upon your first productions They would be glad to have you write always and to receive from you as many Requests Informations and other writings as you please provided they be not oblig'd to answer and satisfie you and all those writings would serve for nothing but to give them more liberty to condemn you and the condemnation would be the more dangerous for that it would seem in the world to have been pass'd with cognisance of the cause and after hearing you and receiving all the requests and justifications which you presented to your Iudges c. Another of Decemb 26. was writ to me from Grodna in Poland by M. Fleury the Queens Confessor which though not relating to the manner of the Congregations proceeding yet shew'd that in all places the Iesuites already promis'd themselves an approaching and indubitable condemnation of the Propositions It had this passage A few days ago a Father Iesuite in this Court writ to an Officer of the Queens that which follows If the news from Rome be true before our Return the Truths which I have preached to you will be again confirm'd by the H. See I say again because they are already compris'd in the Council of Trent and some others He to whom this Letter was written made a good answer to it thus I have always believ'd that the Council of Trent would be receiv'd at Rome as it is by all the faithful I will not perplex my self with questions which surpass my capacity VVhen I am taught a Doctrine agreeabie to that of St. Paul and as it is explicated by S. Augustin I shall believe it and not otherwise The Holy sacred Oecumenical Council of Trent confirms me therein and teaches me what I ought to believe I beseech God to give me Grace to be willing and able to practise it 'T is from that Grace alone that I expect my salvation I intreat you reverend Father to pray to God that I may obtain it and that when I have it I may persevere in it He who returned this answer is a wise and prudent person and though no great Book-man yet God hath well instructed him in these Truths of which many who believe and call themselves Divines are very ignorant Decemb. 27. M. de Sainte Beuve writ a large letter to me again from Paris in which he gave me a particular account of what had pass'd in the affair of M. de Chavigny which the Jesuites spread abroad at Rome as an authentick proof of the confederacy and Cabal of the Directors of Port-Royal but was really an illustrious proof of their unconcernedness and evangelical vigour for the salvation of the great as well as the small whom God in Mercy committed to their safe guidance After M. de St. Beuve had ended this story in his letter he spoke thus to me touching our affairs I consent with you that an affair of Doctrine ought not to be brought into negotiation You must keep firm and insist upon the pronouncing of a decisive judgement None but such as defend a lye desire accommodations and say with the Harlot before Solomon Non mihi nec tibi sed dividatur The furthest we can go is in case the Propositions be condemned to require that it be exprest in the Bull that they are not ours and we neither do nor ever did pretend to maintain them otherwise then in the sense of the necessity of Effectual Grace As also that it be added That nothing shall be inferr'd from such condemnation against this Doctrine And at the end of a Letter of the same date he writ these words to the Abbot of Valcroissant I have signifi'd to you or M. de S. Amour that my advice was that in case you could obtain neither the communication of Writings nor a hearing in the Congregation you ought to withdraw M. de Chaalons is not of the same mind but thinks it best that you remain firm and stay for a definition which cannot be disadvantageous to us since the necessity of Effectual Grace cannot be condemn'd But now follows the Letter which was writ to us Novemb. 28. by the two Bishops above mentioned and the Answer which we returneâ— thereunto Decemb. 30. A Messieurs Messieurs de la Lane de S. Amour and Angran Doctors of the sacred Faculty of Paris and our Deputies at Rome ALthough by continual experience testimonies we find that the most important affairs may be safely entrusted to your fidelity learning and courage and nothing appears in your Conduct below either the judgement which we made of you or the esteem which you have publickly acquired in the world nevertheless as we have deputed you to the H. See with our Letters recommendation and authority so the cause of the whole Church now in agitation leads us to animate you frequently by our exhortations and remonstrances VVe have with satisfaction understood and the first labours which you underwent in this contest have manifested to us how careful you have been in the beginning this
shock for him because besides that he saw his eldest son whom he had by his first wife depriv'd of his imployment he had several others of an age which required providing for by his second wife Wherefore when he receiv'd the news of this disgrace he complain'd at first very high in the Popes Presence-Chamber but some of his friends minding him not to shew any resentment as well in respect of the Pope as not to injure his Children further and for the consideration of his reputation in regard of the Publick and particularly of his Envyers who would be the more joyful for his sensibility he alter'd his Note and fell to say that the Pope was Master of his own places which it was not expedient to leave always in the same hands that his Son was yet young enough and that indeed no other reason ought to be inquir'd of what was done then the pleasure of him who did it VVednesday the 15. I went in the afternoon to see some book in the Library of Car. Barberin but finding no body there I went to the Ambassador whom I accompani'd in a Visit which he was going to make being returned from which he took me into his Chamber to discourse about the state of our Affair I told him we could not recede from the demand we made in the beginning for a Conference and reciprocal Communication of writings with our Adversaries for the reason whereof I alledg'd the importance of preserving in the Church that custome and liberty because it was ever judg'd the most facile and sure recourse of those who defended the faith against the errors of its opposers which I confirm'd by the example of S. Hilary the History of whom he had read the day preceding in his Breviary The Ambassador was mov'd with it but attempted to find some difference between that case and ours because S. Hilary made that offer and demand before the Emperor who was not instructed in those matters and could not judge of them and that we were before the Pope who had authority to judge of them and whom we ought to presuppose instructed in those things were there nothing but the light and assistance which he receiv'd from the H. Spirit I answer'd the Ambassador that the difference of these circumstances was nothing to the substance of the example which I brought because it was only to let him see that the confidence wherewith a single man well instructed in the verity of the Faith demanded to confer publickly with an Army of its Opposers suffic'd to maintain it and confound them But to take away the foundation of this difference I produc'd to him the example of the Council of Trent which though it had no less authority to judge nor light then the Pope and though the assistance of the H. Spirit was no less promised to it then to the Pope yet conceiv'd a Conference between the opposite parties about a matter to be so useful and proper for clearing it that it always practis'd it before it pass'd decrees Then I proceeded to the reasons which render'd it more necessary and shew'd that it was much more due to the suit which we made for it both in our names and in those of the Bishops who sent us being of a Degree in the Church considerable enough to oblige the Pope not to deny what they demanded with so great instance and respect since had they appointed it themselves in their own Diocesses they had Authority so to do We discours'd long about this point and at last coming to speak of the Concernment which the King took in this business I represented to the Ambassador that it was not his Majesties interest to have a huddled Decree made at Rome which might excite trouble in the Church and his Kingdom and give him a pretext to persecute his Subjects who though render'd suspected were most affectionate to him but that his true interest was to procure the passing of one against which there might lie no cause of blame according to the accustomed forms of Ecclesiastical judgements and which might produce Peace amongst Divines by a solid clearing of the Truth That I conceiv'd also that the King ought to beware of rendring himself so easily the Minister of a Decree obtain'd by surprise of which the Obtainers might make use for the oppressing of the Truth and its Defenders because though the Calumnies disperst of them at the Court and the false Impressions given of them to their Majesties had inclin'd them to look upon those people as the Object of their Aversion yet other occasions might come to pass in which Decrees might be made not so agreeable and advantageous to the service and contentment of their Majesties as this appear'd to them and to the execution whereof it would be pretended at Rome that they were no less oblig'd and whereunto perhaps they would be necessitated by extraordinary ways of which there were but too many examples The Ambassador told me that most of the world held all this affair to be nothing on our side but a Cabal I answer'd that this might indeed be said of us as it might have been of S. Hilary and those twelve or fourteen Bishops who retir'd half a days Journey from Rimini to a little Town which at this day bears the name of la Catolica the Catholick after so great a number of other Bishops had subscrib'd a Confession of Faith which destroy'd the Faith of the Church and that if the H. See came to pass a judgement in our favour as I doubted not it would if it examin'd things and decided them it would be manifested that it was no Cabal The Ambassador reply'd that there was a suspition of us at Court and that it was believ'd that we only sought protractions to the end that while the affair remain'd undecided the number of our Partisans might still increase and our party be strengthned Hereupon I laid open to the Ambassador as well as I could our sincere Intentions and particular interests that things were handled and dispatcht the most speedily that could be Yet I told him there was this difference between our Adversaries and us that they desir'd to hasten the Decision for the confounding of all things by precipitating them under the pretext of the blame which they charg'd upon us of seeking to retard them but for our parts we were so desirous to promote them in such manner that the speed used therein might not hinder their being examin'd with convenient leisure and attention I likewise told the Ambassador the whole contents of our two Memorials of which there was nothing but he judg'd reasonable I spoke in general of the notorious falshood I had observ'd in the Writings M. Hallier presented to the Consultors touching Pelagius's Confession of Faith which he cited knowingly as a work of S. Augustin or at least relying upon the honesty of the Jesuites from whom he receiv'd and presented them without troubling himself so much as to
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
to refuse it since they promis'd to hear us as largely as we pleas'd instead of one hour three days and to receive as many VVritings as we were minded to present two Reams of Paper if we would and that they assur'd us nothing should be done till every thing were first most exactly weigh'd and discuss'd As for the Consultors whom we refus'd he could assure us as he had done formerly that since the establishment of the Congregation no Jesuites nor any other from them had spoken to him concerning these affairs That if we refus'd those whom we mentioned our adversaries might likewise refuse others That we ought not to have any ombrage concerning these Divines since they had no decisive voice Audimus said he illos disserentes as we shall hear you That were Prelates there with their Eminences they should have no decisive voice but after hearing the Arguments of either side their Eminences were to consider the whole make report thereof to his Holiness and all to be judg'd and regulated according as Justice and Truth and the Obligation incumbent on the H. See to provide for the needs of the Church and the Faithful requir'd As for the Secretary that his Office was very small and little important in those Congregations that he had no power at all that all he did there was after the Divnes had spoken an hour more or less when they came to conclude and say Sum igitur in voto c. to writ down the words dictated to him by the speaker which were also written down by others who had so much curiosity This my Lords is the substance of the Answer which Cardinal Spada made to us If himself had dictated it no doubt it would have been better digested and express'd then I am able to relate it 'T is a very difficult thing to represent in writing the discourse of any one whatsoever but more one of so great and high a Genius as is that of Cardinal Spada wherefore when you read what I was able to collect I beseech you to supply with your imagination the force and vivacity wherewith his Eminence spoke it Towards the end of his Discourse he fell upon the principal point of our demand viz. to have our Adversaries present and we stood so much upon it that the rest were no more spoken of VVherefore having urg'd to us again that the presence of Adversaries and the disputation which we demanded was not the use of the H. Office VVhen he had done speaking we reply'd to him that our intention was not in any wise to cause any alteration in the Laws and practices of the H. Office but his Eminence was also to consider that we had not recourse to it That we had recurr'd to the Pope as the Vicar of Jesus Christ and head of the Church to whom in the name of the Bishops who sent us we had represented the intended surprise of his Holiness entreated him to beware of it and considering the combustion caus'd amongst Catholicks by these contests most humbly desir'd him to establish a Congregation like that held under Clement VIII and Paul V. in which the parties were heard viva voce and by writing in presence one of the other That the Letters which we first presented were most expresly to this effect That the Memorial which we deliver'd after those Letters contain'd the same also most evidently That all our remonstrances by speech touching this affair both to his Holinesse and their Eminences for a whole year together before the Congregation was declar'd to us were only to obtain the same in that form That at length the Congregation was declared to us without any restriction that we had given notice thereof to the Bishops who sent us that the report of it was spread over all the world that we had acted till the present in that confidence and could not but be a little amaz'd at the difficulty which we found in the performance I think my Lords we had not gone much further in this reply when Cardinal Spada interpos'd and told us that we ought to consider what he had told us already several times to wit that when this affair was in agitation under Pius V. there were no parties heard nor in the time of Gregory XIII nor afterwards under Vrban VIII and lastly under the present Papacy things were not handled otherwise and that it was resolved not to alter the course VVe inserted in his Discourse that between the times of those Popes newly mentioned there was Clement VIII and Paul V. under whom the proceedings were in the manner which we demanded His Eminence continuing his Discourse answer'd that it was true but that it was not intended now to bring upon the Stage again the matters agitated in that time that the Question was only about qualifying precisely Five Propositions what they were in themselves according to the very words in which they were comprised That this might be done by the single inspection of them as they lay without considering what had been acted or hearing the Parties contradictorily We told his Eminence that we could not enough wonder how any could pretend to decide the Propositions without medling with the matter De Auxiliis That it was very easie to prove evidently that none of them could be touch'd but the whole matter De Auxiliis must be decided and carry'd one way or other by most certain consequences His Eminence answer'd that this was our pretension that our Adversaries had another and took themselves to be as well grounded in theirs as we in ours That they conceiv'd it very easie to separate the Propositions from the matter De Auxiliis as certainly as we believ'd the contrary And lastly that vve ought not to doubt but the Persons employed to determine them vvould consider all their consequences and dependences and therefore there vvas no need of such a contradictory conference as vve demanded We reply'd to his Eminence that this Matter was of it self so difficult so subject to equivocations so embroyl'd and obscur'd by our Adversaries that a reciprocal Conference could not but be very advantageous for the dis-intangling of it and exposing it naked to the eyes of the Congregation As for vvhat he said concerning determining the Propositions in the manner he mention'd it vvas not at all the design either of the Bishops vvho sent us to Rome nor ours that vve very little car'd vvhat value vvas set upon a vvord subject to divers interpretations or hovv far it might be extended that had nothing but this been in question the Bishops vvho sent us vvould not so much as have set pen to paper nor we have come out of our Closets but the ground of their sollicitude and ours vvere the Catholick truths contain'd in those Propositions vvhich vvere taught us by Jesus Christ and deriv'd dovvn to us by the Holy Scriptures and by the continu'd Tradition of Popes H. Fathers and Councils which we observed were endeavoured to be overthrown
sense according to which we defended and our Adversaries in their hearts oppos'd them but visible consequences from that Capital Principle and Essential Point of this matter without first judging of the truth or falshood of that principle Wherefore though we found the Pope purpos'd to decide the Propositions without touching the matter yet it did not stop us because we hop'd that in the progress of the affair the Pope would discover the error and defect of that purpose which had been suggested to him by M. Albizzi or some other I had scarce nam'd M. Albizzi but the Cardinal interruptâ—d me in anger and said This it is all is lay'd upon M. Albizzi They of Flanders said M. Albizzi had falsifi'd the Bull of Vrban VIII yet he the Cardinal had shew'd them that 't was not so After which he added some words which I heard not plainly but conjectur'd by these two words istos pervicaces pertinaces meaning I suppose as well us as the Doctors of Flanders that their sense was that there was no way to reduce those obstinate persons to reason I took no notice of all this but continuing what I was speaking added that indeed we doubted not but M. Albizzi and perhaps others with him had perswaded the Pope that he had impos'd perpetual silence touching the matter De Auxiliis and that this was the cause why the Pope would not engage upon an unprofitable and superfluous labour which would terribly wrack him and whereof he could not hope to see any issue for himself or fruit for the Church That it could never be prov'd that such a silence was impos'd either by Clement VIII or Paul V. That if it had we could shew the Pope and their Eminences that that Ordinance ought to be revok'd and that it could never be upon any occasion so necessary as this of the Propositions by reason of their indissoluble affinity with that matter in the true and orthodox senses for which alone their Authors prosecuted their Condemnation and we endeavour'd to hinder it The Cardinal suffer'd me not to make an end of what I was speaking concerning the connexion of the Propositions with Effectual Grace but acknowledg'd that it was true that they perceiv'd it well and that this gave them most trouble That they consider'd all this and that I ought not to doubt of it I observ'd in this Conference that the Cardinal offer'd twice or thrice to end it and about this place he turn'd towards the door for we were walking all this while whetefore I resolv'd to say nothing at all more to him but suffer him to speak while he pleas'd I was so dissatisfi'd during the whole discourse that I believe some sight of it appear'd in my countenance which I conceiv'd not unfitting to be observed by the Cardinal When he had done I suffer'd my self to be reconducted by his Eminence without speaking a word He continu'd still to set forth to me though not without some sticking what care they took to effect some suitable and fitting order in this affair concluding that they desir'd that we would contribute thereunto on our part instead of obstructing them as we did desideraremus manus adjutrices non impugnatrices After which perhaps a little to temper the bitterness of these words he added when he was come to the place of parting that we ought on either side to pray to God for his assistance in this affair Oremus Deum c. I said nothing more at all to his Eminence but made him a most humble and serious reverence which might intimate to him as much my dissatisfaction as respect CHAP. VIII Of the two Memorials which our Advocate presented to the Pope in our behalf in an audience which he had of him February 17. HAving in vain endeavour'd to give the Ambassador a Visit and an account of our affairs I went alone to F. Luca Vadingo who restor'd me our Writings De Gestis and said he wisht all the Cardinals had seen it He told me of the Jesuites reproaches cast upon us by reason of the two stories of the frantick sick man and the loose woman He told me that we were accus'd of causing disturbance everywhere because we would not let our Penitents dispose of a penny but by our order as appear'd by the story of M. Charigny By all which I perceiv'd that these goodly fictions were spread amongst the Consultors of our Congregation as well as amongst the rest of the world In brief this good Father inform'd me That their cares were so throng'd with these vain reproaches that in all their Congregations there was not so much as one word spoken concerning our Writings Saturday the 15th one came from Cardinal Barberin to invite us to dine with his Eminence the next day Which we did and amongst sundry Discourses in the afternoon he friendly blam'd us that he had not yet seen any of our Writings Which oblig'd me to carry him a Copy a few dayes after He shew'd us several curiosities and rarities in his House amongst others a very goodly sute of Tapistry given him by the late King whilst we was Legate in France He carry'd us abroad for a while to take the air and return'd us home The continual difficulties and troubles which we suffered for fout months in pursuing the communication of our Writings and the little hope Cardinal Ghiggi's late repulses left us of obtaining it caus'd us to take a resolution to employ our Advocate thence forward in solliciting it to try whether he could be more happy in it then we wherefore before our going to dine with Cardinal Barberin I went to acquaint him at large with the reasons of our demand and the objections made against it that so he might be prepar'd to make good the one and answer the other when he should addresse to the Pope and Cardinals And least he should forget any thing of what I said to him I left an Abstract thereof with him which I shall here insert translated out of Italian I intended it only for the use of our Advocate but as it seemes it pass'd from his hands into those of the Pope as I shall shew afterward Reasons in behalf of the demand made by the Doctors of Paris defenders of St. Augustin for a Conference 1. 'T is an affair upon which the eyes of the whole world are fix'd and whose successe every one attends as well in regard of the substance of the things in question as of the manner of proceeding 2. The Hereticks also are in great expectation concerning it 3. A report is already dispers'd into all places that the Congregation demanded by these Doctors was granted and signify'd to them without any restriction by the deceased Cardinal Roma of pious memory according to the order which his Eminence receiv'd from the Pope 4. That although it had not been so yet their demand is just and consentaneous to the usage of the Church The Council of Trent practis'd the same towards
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
H. See since we accounted it a visible effect of the divine vigilance that it pleas'd God to inspire the Bishops of France with the thought and care to advertise his Holinesse of the conspiracy which was made against the Doctrine of S. Augustin and the Church which we undertook to justify before his Holinesse in presence of our adversaries by unreproachable witnesses and invincible proofs That if it pleased his Holinesse to bring it to the tryall we hop'd he should understand our sincerity and their foule dealing that this might be known by the sole reading of the sixty passages of S. Augustin which they produc'd against the first Proposition whereof there was not one but was a proof either of their ignorance or unfaithfulness some being alledg'd impertinently others misconstructed and some mutilated and corrupted as we were ready to demonstrate in presence of our Adversaries and to convince them thereof before the H. See You alwayes suppose said the Pope that you have adversaries to encounter 't is not so The other Doctors who are here to have judgement upon the five Propositions call not themselves your parties nor desire to be heard contradictorily We answer'd they must needs be our parties because they produce objections against the Doctrin which we maintain to be Catholick But besides your Holinesse will give us leave to say that we account all such our Adversaries and parties who impugne S. Augustin's authority and Doctrin Now these are visibly impugn'd and that by the Doctors who forg'd the five Propositions by those who prosecute their Censure with them but principally by the Jesuites whose books printed with the approbation of superiors and publick declamations tend utterly to ruine the Establisht authority and Orthodox Doctrin of that great Saint 'T is no wonder if our adversaries demand not of your Holinesse to be heard contradictorily in presence of S. Augustin's disciples they fear to be convinc'd of subverting a Doctrin whose defenders have so often found a sanctuary in the H. See which hath Canonis'd it by its Decrees Hence it is than employ at this day all their artifices and intrigues to keep your Holinesse from obliging them to defend themselves before you from the just accusations which we have to charge upon them and their pernicious Doctrin But reply'd the H. F. there 's no need of entring into disputation with those you call your parties 't is no Law-Processe that is in debate but the determining of Propositions This suffices to produce peace to the Church and we hope the Contests rais'd about these five will cease as soon as the H. See shall have spoken as it hapened in the Controvesie touching the authority of S. Peter and S. Paul Should I appoint such a conference as you ask disputes would be infinite Divines would come here from all parts I will speedily end this business without noise After using all the diligences I think necessary to understand it throughly 't is not to be doubted but the H. Ghost will communicate such light to me as I shall need to judge thereof according to truth Here we took the Liberty to say We most humbly beseech your Holinesse to adde one diligence to all those which you have us'd namely the establishment of a a solemn Congregation wherein the important truths in question may be clear'd and confirm'd The Orthodox doctrin of S. Augustin is at this day in contest our adversaries imagine the same by the bad sense which they put upon the five Propositions whose Censure they presse and sollicite to the end to disparage by the conseqences which they shall draw from thence the authority Catholick sentiments of that H. Doctor of grace We have many things to represent to your Holiness against our Adversaries both matters of fact and upon the several senses of the Propositions This cannot be well done but in their presence when they may contradict us and reflect the falshood if we alledge any and we also make good exactly and without exception all that we have to produce against them We shall shew in that Congregation that the belief of the Jesuites touching the five Propositions tends to overthrow the foundations of Christian Religion The demand which we reiterate to your Holiness in the name of our L. L. the Bishops to be heard contradictorily is legal conformable to the practice of the Church authoriz'd by the H. Fathers and allow'd by the Predecessors of your Holinesse What will the Faithful say when they see the H. Father deny the Sons of the Church all S. Augustin's disciples a thing most just not wont to be deny'd to any person not even to Hereticks And what will Posterity say when it shall know that Bishops of France could not obtain of the H. See after long and urgent sollicitations that which ordinary Priests have obtain'd without difficulty The Pope answer'd that all these considerations had been represented to him already that 't was to no purpose to repeat the same things that 't was our part onely to consider whether we would be heard before him without our adversaries and without disputes or no that in case we would he offer'd to receive our writings and hear us with patience and benignity as much as we pleas'd quanto vorrete We reply'd again that we were loath to be importune to his Holinesse but the affair committed to us being of extream importance oblig'd us to reiterate our most humble instances for obtaining a means which we conceiv'd necessary for the right treating of it In fine perceiving the Pope press'd us to answer precisely we thought it our duty to say to him H. Father we desire withall our hearts and most humbly demand the audiences which your Holinesse offers us but we demand them alwaies with the just and legal conditions which we have expressed and which are imported by our Commission the limits whereof we may not exceed Whereupon finding our H. Father not disposed to grant us a conference and that neverthelesse he pressed us to appear before him to represent the things whereof we desir'd to informe him we insisted no further but pray'd him to permit us to report to our Collegues what it pleas'd his Holiness to propose to us to the end we might all together testifie the submission and respect which had for his Orders In this disposition my Lords we left his Holinesse The same Evening we had certain notice of the draught of a Bull upon the five Propositions we know not whether it be to condemn them in general or in particular or whether it be onely to deprive the parties of Liberty to dispute of them by imposing silence to both yet 't is most likely to be for condemning them in some manner However it be all consider'd we have conceiv'd my Lords that we are oblig'd to appear before the Pope when it should please his Holinesse to send for us and hear us in presence of our adversaries In the first place to the end to
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
strength and vertue of Grace is nothing else according as S. Augustin showes and teaches in many places against the Pelagians but a certain celestial sweetnesse and delectation of love or an infusion of charity into our hearts by the Holy Ghost causing us to perform with a holy love the good which we know For as our own experience teaches us as well as S. Augustin that which hinders us from doing an action of piety is either our not knowing good or not being affected with and delighted in it at least not so much as we ought So that to accomplish a pious action it is requisite that what is hid from us be discover'd to us and what doth not please us be made agreeable to us The first is effected by the Law and instructions which dispel the darknesse of our ignorance a a Lib. de Grat. Christi and the second by Grace which cures our weaknesse or to speak better both the one and the other are given by Grace which for this reason S. Augustin terms an Aid added to Nature and to instruction by the inspiration of a most pure and fervent Charity Thus when Ged will have us love and do some good work what doth he in us He inspires into our heart saith S. Augustin an ardor of love and charity the pleasure whereof surpasses the delight of sin and its Celestial sweetnesse causes that what he commands us pleases us more then what withdrawes us from obeying him And it is call'd Effectual Grace inasmuch as the delight and spiritual allurement wherewith it is accompany'd surpassing the pleasures of the flesh and the World infallibly and invincibly causes us to will because b b In Ep. ad Gal. saith S. Augustin 'T is impossible for us not to act according to that which pleases us most Your Holiness may judge by what I have newly said how excellent clear and true this way of S. Augustin's reasoning is since among all the advantages which make truth esteem'd the principal is that it is no sooner explicated then acknowledg'd and needs no other proof but a plain and naked Exposition On the contrary They who maintain the Indifferent and Molinistical Grace say 'T is a certain illumination of the Understanding and a pious motion in the Will indeliberate and not free by meanes whereof a man may will and do some good but Effectual willing depends upon his Free-will which according as it lists sometimes willeth and sometimes willeth not turning now one way and anon anothet Thus according to their sentiments this kind of Grace never produces Effectually by it self the free consent of the Will but is term'd Effectual or ineffectual by a certain external denomination according as it pleases Man's Will to use or not use it Whence it sufficiently appears that the Question between us is Whether Grace rules over the will or the will over Grace whether Grace subdue Free-will to it self or Free-will Grace Now we affirm that Grace is victorious over Free-will and is necessary to every pious action to prove which we draw our first Argument from the prayers of the Church as S. Augustin alwayes did And truly M. H. F. it cannot be but an admirable Providence of God that the first day of Rogations in which the Church offers publick prayers to God for obtaining his Grace is the day whereon we begin to prove the necessity of the same Grace by those very prayers which the Church uses to obtain it they being not only a powerful meanes for obtaining but also a most clear proof for evincing the same Now the Argument is this The Grace which the Church begs of God for all actions of piety is simply and absolutely necessary for performing the same But Grace Effectual by it self is that which the Church begs of God for every action of piety Therefore Grace Effectual by it self is simply and absolutely necessary to the doing of them The Major of this Argument cannot be deny'd without wounding the Faith For one of these three things must be said Either that the Grace which the Church begs for all actions of Piety is no wayes necessary towards the doing of them or that it is only necessary for their more easie and certain performance or lastly that it is absolutely necessary so that no man can do good without it He that should affirm the first mocks God as S. Augustin saith By asking of him what he hath no need of For what is more ridiculous then to pray for that to be granted to us which is in our own power He that maintains the second falls into Pelagianism For no other reason made Pelagius passe for an heretick in the present Question but that he affirm'd That Men pray for the grace of God through Jesus Christ and God gives it to them only that they may the more easily do that by Grace which they are able to do by their own Free-will Whereupon S. Augustin tells Pelagius Blot out the Word more easily and your sense will be Catholick It remains therefore that the third be granted which is That the grace which the Church desires of God for all sort of pious actions is absolutely necessary towards the performance of the same Now to prove the Minor in which lyes all the difficulty and all the strength of my Argument namely But Grace Effectual by it self is that which the Church begs for all pious actions I prove it thus We do not only pray for a Grace which gives the power to do well but for a Grace which besides giving that power causes also by its effectual vertue that the action is accomplish'd and that in every pious action Or to speak better we pray to God to give us the very will and the very action as for example To give us faith it self repentance continence perseverance and other Gifts belonging to piety and salvation For see how S. Augustin speaks to Vitalis who deny'd that God works all these things in us Turn all your disputes against the prayers of the Church and when you hear the Priest at the Altar exhort the people of God to pray for unbelievers that he would convert them to the faith for the Catechumeni that he would inspire into them the desire of regeneration and for the faithful that they may persevere as they have begun then scoffe at so holy an exhortation and say that for your part you do not do that whereunto he exhorts you that you do not pray God to make the Infidels believers because you conceive the coversion of Infidels is not a benefit of God's mercy but an effect of man's will Now what is this Perseverance which we ask of God that I may not insist upon the other graces which we receive from him or rather that we may judge of them by this See how S. Augustin explicates it in the book De Cor. Grat. cap. 12. The Saints who are predestinated to the kingdom of God by Grace do not
ye fall not into temptation and thus all who stirre against their concupiscence-ought to pray that they enter not into temptation that is that it may not captivate and prevail over them But we fall not into temptation when by a right will we surmount an evil lust These last words of S. Augustin are very much to be observ'd as whereby he clearly teaches that he who doth not overcome temptation but on the contrary is overcome by it hath not had that grace which the faithfull implore of God when they pray him not to suffer them to enter into temptation Whence it evidently followes that the grace necessary for overcomming all kind of temptations which the faithfull beg of God in their prayers and for which they thank him when they have receiv'd it is not onely a grace of possibility dependant upon Free-will but a grace of possibilty of will and of action and consequently effectual by it self The third Argument is this If God's grace affords onely a possibility and worketh not the very consent that is a right or good will by its own strength then we ought to thank God for giving us the faculty to will aright or do well but not for what we have done well and co-operated with his grace According to Molina's principles we ought to thank him for giving us a grace which he foresaw we would use well and co-operate therewith But to speak according to truth we could not thank him for that we had us'd that grace well and co-operated therewith since this use and co-operation would not be given us by God but left to our Free-will which cannot be so much as thought of without impiety I conceive M. H. F. that Y. H. clearly sees how strong and invincible this Argument drawn from the prayers and thanksgiving of the Church is to prove that Grace effectual by it self is necessary to all actions of piety Which caus'd S. Augustin to say with so great reason in the seventh chapter de Dono Perseverantie Had we no other instructions but this the Lord Prayer were more then sufficient to uphold the cause of Grace which we defend And in the 23d Chapter As the Church was from its first rise instructed in those Prayers so she hath been instructed and educated in this faith and is every day more and more confirm'd therein And in the 95. Epistle to Pope Innocent I. Prayer it self is a most clear proof of Grace And Pope Celestine in the 10. Chap. of his Epistle to the Bishops of France The manner according to which we ought to pray teaches us also what we ought to believe Wherefore 't is no wonder if S. Augustin in all his Works and all the H. Fathers who together with him so stoutly maintain'd the true grace of Jesus Christ against the Pelagians have shewn the tradition and constant and perpetual doctrine of this grace effectual by it self in the prayers which the Church hath offer'd to God from the beginning of her establishment and which she will continue to offer to him till the end of the world For the Church hath alwayes dayly implor'd of God the actual believing and conversion of the hearts of all Infidels whose wills are remote from and contrary to him and in behalf of the faithfull who believe in him with the heart and confesse him with the mouth perseverance and victory in temptations and for all there gifts the incessantly renders thanks to him Having therefore most clearly prov'd M. H. F. that there two principles are of the Catholick faith first that the Grace which the Church asks of God in her prayers is necessary and secondly that it is effectuall by it self and that we cannot imagine that the Church prays for any other Wherefore it irrefragably followes from those prayers of the Church that Grace effectual by it self is necessary to all actions of piety and that consequently whoso denies manifestly subverts all the Churches prayers Your Holinesse M. H. F. may hence very easily judge what opinion you ought to have of this new doctrine of a Grace subject to our Free-will and I dare boldly affirme in your presence for a conclusion of this first point of our dispute that this doctrine of Molina is no lesse pernicious and sacrilegious then the very doctrine of Pelagius For the Fathers of the Council of Carthage in their Epistle to Pope Innocent which is the 90th amongst those of S. Augustin declare that the opinions of the Pelagians are sacrilegious and pernicious to asmuch as it necessarily follows from their doctrin that we ought not to pray to God not to leave us to fall into temptation and that it seems a vain thing that the Church implores of him in behalf of his people what the prays for to the end they may please him by living in his love fear Now he who maintains an opinion from whence such things follow however his words be different from those of Pelagius and whatever other grace he admit yet he also embraces a pernicious deadly and sacrilegious doctrine and what he adds concerning the necessity of a sufficient Grace subject to Free-will hinders nor but that he is in an error because they who hold this Grace can as little as the Pelagians avoid contradicting the prayers thanksgivings of the Church as I have prov'd and declaring themselves enemies of that Grace of God which the prayers of the Saints prove so evidently that is to say Grace effectual by it self All this Doctrine of the Fathers of the Carthaginian Council confirm'd also by that of Milevis was approv'd by Pope Innocent I. in the Epistle he writ to them which is the 91. amongst those of S. Augustin We see not saith he any thing to be added to what you have done because we see not that you have omitted or forgotten any thing fur the perfect refutation of those Errors and the convincing of such as maintain them It appears also by the whole Epistle that the principal cause why that great Pope detested the Pelagian Error was for that it takes away the necessity of Prayer Pelagius saith he and Celestius are so presumptuous as to endeavour to perswade us that we ought to implore God's aid and have no need of it although all the Saints affirm that without it we can do nothing And afterwards there being nothing whereunto our profession more obliges us and all our daily prayers tending only to implore Gods mercy how can we endure them who teach these Errors But see the thundring words wherwith that most H. Pope strikes the Pelagians Being arm'd saith he in their discourses with false subtilties they cover themselves with the vail of the Catholick and Orthodox faith and exhaling a mortal poyson to infect the hearts of those who hold the sound doctrine and cause them to embrace error they endeavor to overthrow the whole belief of the true faith Wherefore the course of so dangerous a poyson requires to be checkt to the end it
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
reply'd that it should be when his Holiness pleas'd but we conceiv'd it our duty to testify to him that we should be always ready to appear as often as it pleas'd his Holinesse to summon us As I presented our Writings to the Pope which contain'd between five and six quires of paper he offer'd to take them with his own hand and Cardinal Spada arose from his seat and came to ease the Pope of that trouble but at the same time I laid them upon a little seat on the Pope's right hand and Cardinal Spada onely helpt me to place them better yet by this advance he got a more commodious situation for hearing what we said to the Pope for being very near him we spoke sufficiently low In giving him these Writings I told his Holinesse it would be needful to let them be seen by my Lords the Cardinals the Divines then present and such other as his Holinesse pleas'd that several Copies of them were requisite which it was impossible to supply by the help of Scribes who committed a thousand faults that to prevent all these inconveniences we had presented a Memorial to the Master of the sacred Palace to desire his permission for their printing only ad hunc effectum that our Request seem'd to him equitable enough but that it being an Affair wherein his Holinesse himself was employ'd the Master of the sacred Palace thought not fit to do any thing in it unlesse his Holinesse were first consulted and that it were done by his privity and order that the Master of the sacred Palace was there present that if it pleas'd his Holinesse to signifie his allowance thereof and tell him that it might be done with the conditions propos'd by us which we conceiv'd just we should be much bound to his Holinesse for the favor The Pope answer'd us that he would think upon it and let us know what he should judge expedient We reply'd that we should attend his orders and be ready to obey him in this and all other things We kiss'd his feet he gave us his benediction and we withdrew The Copy of this last Memorial which we presented to the Pope with our five new Writings here follows together with that which we presented to the Master of the sacred Palace To our H. Father Pope Innocent X. A Catalogue of all the Writings which were hitherto presented here in the Affair of the five Propositions by the Doctors defenders of S. Augustin MOST HOLY FATHER T Is some moneths ago that we presented to Your Holinesse two Writings with their Abridgement The first of which is the first Information in reference to fact against M. Hallier and his Collegues and it concerns what pass'd touching the businesse of the Five Propositions from July 1. 1649. to July 11. 1652. where we discover a great multitude of the foul dealings and ambushes of our Adversaries The second Writing is the first Information touching matter of Right against the same Adversaries and it concerns the authority of S. Augustin which we prove by the whole Tradition of the Church At this day M. H. F. we present five other Writings to Your Holinesse The first is the first part of the second Information as to matter of fact against the Jesuites and it contains above a hundred Propositions against the authority of S. Augustin drawn out of their books The second comprizes in few words the distinction of the several senses whereof the Five Propositions are capable and the clear and true sentiment of our Adversaries of the Calvinists and Lutherans and also our own touching the same matter The third contains the second Information as to matter of Right namely that which concerns Grace Effectual by it self which is the point whereunto this whole Controversie is reduc'd and we shew that Catholicks can in no wise question this grace principally upon this sole consideration that 't is impossible to deny it without establishing at the same time that which is contradictorily opposite to it to wit the Molinistical Grace subject to Free-will and without approving by consequence sixty either Errors or Heresies which necessarily follow from it The fourth contains the third Information as to matter of Right and concerns the first Proposition now in contest which we shew is firmly establisht upon the holy Scripture the Councils and Fathers and particularly upon S. Augustin and S. Thomas The fifth contains the fourth Information as to matter of Right and the explication of about sixty testimonies of S. Augustin which we found to have been employ'd in a namelesse Writing by M. Hallier and his Collegues against the first Proposition And in the refutation of the said Writing we convince them of having advanc'd nothing at all that makes against us but many things unfaithfully and without ground We heartily submit all these Writings M. H. F. to the correction of the H. Roman Catholick and Apostolick Church and to the iudgement of Your Holinesse and we most humbly beseech Your Holinesse that they may be communicated to our Adversaries when you shall think fit namely to the Society of Jesuites and to MM. Hallier Lagault and Joysel as also to the most learned Divines when Your Holiness hath already heard us speak touching the five Propositions and to all others to whom Your Holiness shall think good to shew them to the end that if the one or the other conceive that there is in our words or writings any thing either worthy of correction or false or obscure or dubious it may be shew'd to us in presence of your Holiness and that it may be permitted us either to explicate the same or prove it by competent reasons or else amend it according as Your Holiness shall think fit that so Your Holiness may be fully assured of the truth or falshood of the thing and of its importance We most heartily wish to Your Holiness all kind of prosperitie and that God may prolong the course of your yeares by giving you even some of ours Signed Noel de la Lane Doctor of Paris c. and Abbot of Valcroissant Toussaint Des-mares Priest of the Congregation of the Oratory Louis de S. Amour Doctor of Sorbon Nicolas Manessier Doctor of Sorbon Louis Angran Licentiate of the same sacred Faculty of Paris c. The Memorial presented by us to the Master of the sacred Palace for obtaining permission to print our Writings speaks thus in the Translation THe most R. F. Master of the sacred Palace is most humbly petition'd by the French Doctors defenders of S. Augustin to consider that the prohibitions of printing any thing touching the matter de Auxiliis concern books and other works intended to be expos'd to sale and publish'd indifferently to all the world but they extend not to Writings which are to be presented in private to the Pope Cardinals and other Divines to whom his Holiness shall think fit to have them communicated for their instruction in an Affair which is to be examined before his presence
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
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
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
house of the Cureé of S. Germain de l' Auxerrois where they should receive the King's orders To the appointed place they obediently repaire'd to the number of thirty from whence they were conducted to the Louvre by the said Sieur Saintot Where being carried into the Queen's Presence-chamber M. le Tellier came to them and askt who were the Syndics and the Sieur de Saint Roch senior Syndic stepping forth M. le Tellier told him both now and at several goings to and from the King and his Counsil that the King was not well-pleas'd with the Assembly of Cureés of Munday last that his Majesty complain'd of their treating and deliberating therein concerning some affair of State and of their concluding yea and executing their conclusion to have recourse to the Nuntio That it was a crime to treat of such an affair and to give a visite to forreign Ambassadors without the King's leave That the Cureés and others might indeed recurre to the Nuncio in reference to the spiritual part of his charge and the Court of Rome but in affairs temporal and of State he was no other then the Ambassador of a forreign Prince That therefore the Cureés had incurr'd a great fault in deputing persons to him and were askt what reason they would give for it to the King For answer whereunto the said Sieur de Saint Roch having first made a Narration of what pass'd in the Assembly and follow'd thereupon in reference to the Nuntio said That in regard of the complaint and opposition they intended to make against the Bull 't was a thing purely spiritual and belonging to their charges and functions for which they believ'd his Majesty would not be offended since it was lawful to address to the Nuntio about a spiritual Affair and such as concerns the Ecclesiastical Court of Rome As for the confinement and enlargement of the Card. de Rets That the Cureés having spoken only concerning the publick and private Prayers in the form and according to the appointment of the Archbishop well known to the Kings Court and everywhere else without any offence taken thereat before they conceiv'd hitherto that their Conclusion for renewing and recommending the said Prayers to the people was a piece of administration purely spiritual and that to exercise the same was not to treat or meddle with affaires of State That as to the having given charge to their Deputies after they should have spoken to the Bull to congratulate the Nuntio occasionally and thank him for his Negotiation for the liberty of Cardinal de Rets and testifie to him the joy they receiv'd from the hope he gave that his Majesty would shortly restore the said Cardinal to his Holinesse they conceiv'd this Congratulation Consolation not to concern affairs of State or cause any prejudice to his Majesties services As for M. le Tellier's question what reason they would give for it to the King the said Sieur De S. Roch told him That if after the foregoing relation according to the Truth and for justification of their Innocence his Majesty desir'd any other reason they should return their Answer with all respect when they understood what he desir'd which Answer the said Sieur le Tellier accounted reasonable After he had understood from the King in his Council what was desir'd of the Cureés he came back He told them that the King requir'd them to ask pardon of him for their Assembly and depute some persons to tell the Nuntio that it was not their intention to have recourse to him nor by him to his Holinesse for the enlargement of Cardinal de Rets Whereunto the said M. de S. Roch answer'd That forasmuch as his Office of Syndic empower'd him only to propound things in their Company to whom it pertain'd to conclude what answer was fit to be return'd to his Majesty they most humbly beseecht him to give them time to consider about it Which Reply being again found reasonable M. le Tellier went to know the Kings pleasure concerning it and returning to the said Curees told them That his Majesty requir'd their answer presently and that in order to consult thereof among themselves they might retire either to S. Germani de l' Auxerrois or into the Chamber of Marshal de Villeroy near the Queens Presence-Chamber According to which order for time and place the said Cureés withdrew into M. de Villeroy's Chamber M. le Tellier came thither to tell them worse news to wit that his Majesty was just then inform'd that the Cureés had signinify'd to the Nuntio that they would write to the Pope for the liberty of Cardinal de Rets and complain to his Holinesse for not sending forth Excommunications by reason of the confinement of the said Cardinal as some Popes his Predecessors had done in like case That they desir'd the Nuntio to further their complaint with his Holinesse but the Nuntio much dislik'd these Propositions and said That more gentle courses were to be taken That instead of taking this counsel the Cureés answer'd That if the Pope would not do them reason upon their complaint of the Cardinals confinement they would addresse to the Parliament and preach vehemently and loudly against it Whereupon the Nuntio thrust the Deputies out of his Chamber by head and shoulders To all this it was answer'd by the Curé of S. Bartholmew who was the Spokesman to the Nuntio that these Reports were nothing but absolute calumny as they could make good to his Majesty The Sieur de Tellier said he would go and give this account to the King In the mean time it being taken into consideration what answer to return to his Majesty especially concerning the last Relation as also who should be the Speaker it was agreed that an Account should be given to the King as well of the Assembly of Monday last as of the Deputation to the Nuntio and M. de S. Roch was pitcht upon for Speaker At length M. le Tellier return'd to the Chamber and understanding the conclusion of the Company to go to the King and that the said Sieur de S. Roch was deputed to be Speaker He askt the Sieur de S. Roch what he had to say to the King Whereunto being answer'd That the Company would give his Majesty contentment they were introduc'd by M. Saintat into the Queens Chamber where either of their Majesties were seated in Chaires the Dukes of Anjou Guise the Chancellor the Keeper of the Seales M. de l' Hospital and le Tellier and some others of the Privy-Council standing by The Cureés made a low Reverence to them and the Chancellor told them that the King was not well pleas'd with their Assembly of Monday last Whereupon the said Sieur de S. Roch after a reverence to their Majesties spoke as follows or very near for his Speech being not premeditated nor written beforehand it would be hard to make a relation of it word for word Sir The Cureés of your good City of Paris your Majesties most
singular courtesie and esteem But at the same time he seem'd so averse from condescending to this Motion we found during the whole course of this Affair that he had so great a repugnance to it partly through his own dispositions and partly through the false suggestions of persons about him and in whom he hath confidence and we perceiv'd so many reasons which your Lordships know of and so many others which we have still to tell you that we had no hope left of any effect notwithstanding all the advantages and urgent reasons we had to make it and consequently none of us judg'd it expedient However My Lords since his Holinesse hath declin'd neither to examine or define what is in contest between the Catholicks which was necessary to be done for the glory of Truth the peace of the Faithful and the honour of the Church we cannot but tell you that if you think it fit to renew your instances upon this matter we are still ready to go represent them to the Pope again For the strengthning of of which if the Body of the Clergy or the King himself or both together would interpose their Authority for obtaining a solemn and regular Congregation in which all things might be done according to formes accustomed in the Church We are prepar'd to maintaain again before the H. See against any opposer whatever the indubitable truth of the Five Propositions conceiv'd in the terms into which we reduc'd them and defended them which are free from all equivocation and obscurity assoon as such a Congregation shall be establish'd with the conditions we demanded at first so just and necessary in the whole course of the Affair But so far as we are able to judge of things we perceive not that it is easie to obtain such a congregation of the Pope without new and earnest instances from the King and the Clergy Neverthelesse My Lords being unwilling to omit any thing in our power which may contribute to the good of peace between Catholicks and to the clearing of Truth we resolve My Lords not to stir out of Italy before we receive your Orders in this business that so in case you finde any likelyhood in the proposal we make to you we may be in readiness to put the same in execution and may further testifie to you our obedience and zeal We hope My Lords to hear from you within five weeks according to the directions we send to him who delivers you this Letter We shall punctually obey you in whatever you shall prescribe to us In the mean time we shall continue our Voyage by little and little towards France in expectation of your Orders which whether you will permit us to re-enter there or command us back to Rome we beseech you to send us as speedily as may be especially if you recall us into France and to continue to us the honour of being esteem'd My Lords Your most humble and obedient Servants De la Lane Abbot of Valcroissant Des-mares Priest of the Oratory De Saint Amour Manessier Angran F Guerin did us the favour at Rome to take upon him the care of selling our moveables of which we could not have acquitted our selves in so short a time and to agree with the Owner of the House on what conditions he should take it again Therefore after the above-mentioned Letter I writ to F. Guerin to desire him to defer both those good Offices till he heard further from us VVe came to Florence on the 22d of June and the same day being S. John's day saw the great ceremony of that Festival VVe departed from thence on the 27th to Bologne whether we reach'd the next day VNe intended to have staid and rested a little there but the excessive heat which we found there on the 29th caus'd us to go from thence towards evening and we took boat at Francolin upon the Poe to go down to Venice the next day but the rain and the contrary winds forc'd us to lye one night in our boat upon the Channels which are between the Poe and the Marshes of Venice and having staid a day or two at Chiosa till the fair weather return'd again we set forth for Venice and arriv'd there on Friday the fourth of July On Sunday the 6th we went to pay our respects to M. d' Argenson who was the Ambassador for the King to this Republick He did us the honour to send to invite us to dinner with him on Tuesday following as also to visite us himself on Thursday and during all our stay at Venice he gave us upon all occasion testimonies of singular goodnesse and courtesie He saw also in several free Converses which we had the honour to have with him how frankly we acquiesc'd in the condemnation made of the Propositions by the Popes Constitution and in what manner we were perswaded that this Constitution did not prejudice the opinions which we maintain'd and had maintain'd before the H. See So that he told us once that he had written as much to M. Coqueret and assur'd him that we did in no wise take our selves to be condemned by it nor yet the Doctrine which we hid defended The day before he came to see us we were visited by one M. Du Puy a Frenchman of good age who had dwelt at Venice almost all his life after he had quitted the employments he had had in the Affaires of France a man of learning and parts but he had the unhappy engagement to make profession of the pretendedly Reform'd Religion In this Visit we had much Discourse with him concerning the unity of the Church and the obligation never to break the same what cause and pretext soever a man may think he hath to do it F. Des-mares spoke so vigorously of this matter though with all the familiarity of a private Visit that the honest man was touch'd therewith insomuch that tears were sundry times seen in his eyes Nevertheless he plausibly stoutly defended himself from the charitable reproach which we made to those of his Religion agreeing with us as to the strict Obligation to preserve that sacred Unity but maintaining that 't was not themselves that broke it but those who would not receive them into their Communion upon conditions essential and sufficient thereunto but exacted others which were not requisite To which F. Des-mares reply'd that although there might be abuses in the Church yet most of the things which the pretended Reformers of the Church had taken for causes of their separation were not abuses but the ancient practise of the Church as Invocation of Saints veneration of their Reliques and other like things And moreover that without entring into these contests it suffic'd to tell them generally that all the pretexts that could be alledg'd for breaking the unity of the Church were not justifyable before God since there is no just one for it according to the Fathers Praescindendae Vnitatis nulla est necessitas as the Prophets
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
editorum evulgatam non aliud intendisse quam confirmare Bullam Pii V. a Gregorio XIII pridem confirmatam secundo se cavisse ne ista sua Bulla seu Constitutione ullus in particulari sugillaretur cum expressione nominis tertio non fuisse intentionis suae per istam Bullam seu Constitutionem procreate ullum praejudicium doctrinae B. Augustini eos qui contrarium asserere praesumerent compescendos esse Cumque D. Comparens ad secundum replicasset mirum esse quomodo nomen Jansenii irrepserit in Bullam contra praedictam cautelam a sua Sanctitate adhibitam sanctissimus D. respondit agendum esse de ea re cum D. Praelato Albisio compilatore Bullae Insuper idem D. Comparens similiter affirmavit mediante juramento asseveravit se die vigesima octava Aprilis millesimi sexcentesimi quadragesimi quarti auditum fuisse personaliter verbaliter cum praenominato clarissimo D. Papio a tribus Eminentissimis S. R. E. Cardinalibus Spada Pamphilio Falconerio assistenâ—ibus praefato Praelato Albisio Abbate S. Crucis in Hierusalem nomine Hilarione ibique inter alia multa dixisse se paratum esse sub beneplacito sanctissimi D. Papae Eminentiarum suarum ostendere imprimis omnia puncta doctrinae de gratia libero arbitrio inter Jansenium ipsius aemulos modo controversa coincidere cum punctis olim inter Augustinum ejusque aemulos controversis secundo argumenta quibus Jansenii doctrina modo ab aemulis impetitur coincidere argumentis quibus Pelagiani eorum asseclae olim in Augustini doctrinam arietarunt tertio calumnias quas modo ab aemulis Jansenius patitur coincidere cum iis quas olim in vita post obitum passus fuerat Augustinus Paratum praeterea se esse ad comburendum publice in campo Florae librum Iansenii in eventum quo in praedictorum probatione defecerit Addidit postremo idem D. Comparens sub juramento similiter asseveravit se haec eadem in substantia repetiisse coram sanctissimo D. nostro Innocentio X. ad Pontificatum jam evecto idque die quinta Novembris ejusdem anni millesimi sexcentesimi quadragesimi quarti in prima audientia ab eodem obtenta in porticu palalatii Vaticani ubi cum ipso ultra mediam horam deambulans circa horam tertiam pomeridianam prolixe super praemissis disseruit Acta sunt haec anno indictione Pontificatu mense die quibus supra praesentibus in majori Collegio Theologorum Lovanii Dominis Magistris Ioanne Cuvelier Iacobo Bodart Presbyteris Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureis formatis testibus ad praemissa vocatis atque rogatis Minutae hujus subscripsit idem eximius D. Comparens juxta signaturam meii Notarii And below was written Quod attestor ad praemissa Notarius Signed thus VValt Vander VVaterfort Notarius publicus with a Knot The MANVSCRIPT concerning the affair of Monsi'r GRIMANI Patriarch of Aquileia The more I have read this Manuscript the more considerable I have found it for the clearing of the matters at this day controverted in the Church VVherefore not doubting but they who shall read what I say of it in Chap. 9. Part 4. of the Iournal will be contented to read it at length I have thought fit to place it at the end of this Collection The affair of the most illustrious and Reverend Grimani Patriarch of Aquileia judg'd in his favour in the Sacred Council of Trent under the Pontificate of our H. F. Pope Pius 4. Septemb. 18. 1653. touching a letter written by the said Patriarch to the Vicar of Oudene The Patriarch's Letter REVEREND VICAR You write me word that the Preacher of the Collegiate Church of Oudene hath preach'd as a constant maxime that He whom God hath predestinated cannot in any manner be damned though it come to passe that he falls into sin because how great soever his fall be God rescues him from his sin in such sort that he must needs be saved and in like manner he whom God hath reprobated must needs be damned VVhereunto you adde these former words That upon this there arose a great scandal and disturbance among the people and in your self as if he had altogether deny'd our Free-will whilst he establisht Gods Election and Predestination And being you tell me that you were unwilling to do any thing for redressing this scandal without first knowing what I judg'd of it therefore to satisfie what my place requires of me I find my self now oblig'd to acquaint you withall that God hath given me to know touching this subject by Reading the Holy Scriptures that so I may supply you with what contentment and consolation I can in this case To bear testimony therefore to truth I am oblig'd to acknowledge that the Proposition advanced by the Preacher and wherewith the people is scandalized is true Catholick namely that the Predestinated cannot be damn'd nor the Reprobate sav'd Of which Proposition that I may the more commodiously bring you the proofes my purpose is to demonstrate to you in the first place by authority of the Scripture that Predestination and Reprobation depend upon God alone Next I shall shew you that it cannot be hindered neither by God's will nor by the Devil nor by our selves nor consequently by any whomsoever this I shall evince to you as well by the authority of the Scriptures as by evident reasons and the Doctrine of S. Augustin protesting to you that through want of time and memory I cannot set down the thousand part of the truths whereby this Catholick truth may be establisht But before all things it must be confessed that if S Paul that vessel full of the Holy Ghost writing to the Romans concerning Election and Reprobation after recitall of sundry testimonies touching that matter cryes out at Length O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! 't is very just and necessary that we all make the same exclamation with him and give glory to God which we are the more oblig'd to do inasmuch as we are farre from having such light as that great Apostle But because our Lord Jesus Christ according to truth of his unchangeable promises hath never left his Church deprived of the illumination of the Holy Spirit to the end this same Spirit might guide us into the knowledge of all truth and accordingly we having left to us who are his members the seed of his Grace lest without it we should remain barren and worse then the Children of Sodom he hath preserved the Holy Ghost for our consolation against errors and the enemies of Grace 'T is a firme truth which I now confesse namely that the predestinated whom God hath chosen according to the good pleasure of his will cannot be damned and in like manner that the Reprobated and Rejected cannot be sav'd And to make you see that this is true S. Paul inspir'd by God teaches the Church of the Romans
Jesus Christ defends and maintaines it with his blood besides that himself saith in the 17. chapter of S. John speaking of all his Disciples I pray not for the world but for them whom thou hast given me If then the power of the Son be equal to that of the Father and if the Father never deny'd him any thing because he alwayes found in him the object of his aquiescence or complacencies who can say that there is any who can condemn the Children of God The Devil indeed may torment them persecute them and sometimes too reduce them almost to Death but they perish not because God put his hand under them and raises them up But our Lord speaking of Judas who was a reprobate saith in the same place None of them is lest but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture to wit the prophecy in the 109th Psalm might be fulfilled Certainly if the Scripture must be fulfilled then 't is necessary that the Reprobate cannot be sav'd because he is the Son of perdition and the Son can never vary from the nature he receiv'd from his Father To which purpose our Saviour saith Ye are of your father the Devil because ye do his works These are properly they whom God never looks upon in Jesus Christ with an eye of divine mercy such was Judas but not S. Peter for our Saviour lookt upon him to the end he might not dispair after he had so lamentably renounc'd his Master It remaines now that I show that Predestination cannot be hinder'd or frustrated on our part of which this is the reason Because when God elects and predestinates us in Jesus Christ he doth it without being necessitated thereunto but by his own and free pleasure to which none makes resistance as 't is said by the Prophet Lord who shall resist the heat of tsty countenance Moreover he elects us miserable men and not happy poor and not rich sinners and not righteous naked and not cloathed And because all this is done by Divine goodnesse with a great and infinite love he doth not elect us barely to abandon us afterwards and leave us free in the hands of our own counsels because he well knows that if he should leave us we should presently return to our first state but in consequence of his Divine election he gives us in time all the graces which were included in that election First he prepares our wills that they may be fit to recieve divine inspirations he comforts and strengthens us in temptations that we fall not into perdition he give us faith hope and charity to the end that with these weapons we may encounter overcome our enemies and in a word he furnishes us with all his benefits Towards those whom Gods receives for his children he deporteth himself as a Master would do who seeing a poor miserable man destitute of all relief knockt down in the high way wounded and disserted by all the world would be stirr'd by natural compassion to take him up and make him his beloved and faithful servant It cannot be said that it is enough for this miserable person that man has done him the favour to choose him for his servant because for all this he might remain in the high-way as much as ever exposed to his former miseries Certainly if he meanes to give him any true testimony of his affection he must not think it enough that he has chosen him for his servant but he must carry him into his house cause his wounds to be dressed give him clothes and do him new favours But God's love is much more powerful then man's natural affection for this can expresse it self onely in outward benefits but God not onely gives us corporal goods most plentifully but also lifts us up even above heaven with the spiritual gifts which he is able to bestow upon us to the end that being cloathed with a new spirit we may appear in Gods eyes honorable servants not ungrateful for the numerous benefits which we receive And this is the cause that these servants who acknowledge themselves to be of the number of his children work alwayes with love and not with fear By these Reasons it is evinc'd that we cannot withstand God's Election Heare the authorityes of Scripture which confirm the same thing S. Paul in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians speaks in this manner Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before hâ—m in love Havâ—ng predestinated us into the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdome and prudence Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself c. This authority alone heard with the ear of the mind and not with that of the flesh is sufficient to resolve and clear all the doubt which can arise from the Proposition advanc'd by their Preacher in truth every one of these words since they are so many words of the H. Ghost ought to be more valuable to us then a thousand worlds because we see appear in them so illustriously the greatnesse goodnesse compassion and mercy of God towards us and particularly because thy give us to know to our great comfort that those who are predestinated and the children of God can never perish in regard they are elected in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world Therefore he that is Elected is founded upon Jesus Christ and who is founded upon Jesus Christ can never fall because Jesus Christ is the rock and unmoveable foundation against which the power of the Devil cannot prevaile as neither can it prevaile against the structure built up of living stones which is the Holy Church and the determinate number of the Elect. This is further manifested by the Parable of the House built upon the sand which falls at the least blast of wind and that which is built upon a rock which cannot in any manner be shaken by the most impetuous storms Moreover S. Paul addeth and saith that God hath chosen us in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love You see that Predestination regards as its proportionate object the good and holy works which God prepares for us that we may walk therein to enable us whereunto he hath left in the Church his Holy Spirit which as a hidden but strong fire burnes up all that it findes impure and superfluous and
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
we knew who they were As for the Doctors our Adversaries they had presented Writings three moneths ago and profess'd that whether there were any communication of them or not they should be contented That all they demanded was that they might be treated as we were and that our writings might be communicated to them if theirs were to us That since so long time that they were compos'd it was not possible but either side must have seen the others writings and that they were by this time in France too That in fine we might visit the persons whom he had nam'd Much might have been reply'd to Cardinal Spada and he left us time to do it though it was very late but we did it not conceiving we had obtain'd enough of him that he permitted us to renew our sollicitations to the others Tuesday the 29th in the morning I met the F. General of the Capucines who stopt me though I was in a Coach to ask me what news of our Congregation I spoke very coldly thereof to him as one that had no news of them nor was the least concern'd for any He told me that that which was to be held that morning was deferr'd to the next day in the afternoon of which I learnt the reason the same day in the Antichambre of Cardinal Ghiggi whom we visited and it was for that there was that morning an examination of Bishops VVe told Cardinal Ghiggi that we came to put him in mind of the little Memorial which we left with him about the communication of writings He askt us whether we had presented the same to the other Cardinals VVe answer'd that we had but did not tell him that we had yet once been with Cardinal Spada about it Cardinal Ghiggi told us that the Congregation had been interrupted since the presenting of our Memorial by reason it was the time of being in the country and taking a little fresh ayr after the great heats of Summer that therefore it had not yet been spoken of but the Congregation would begin again the next day and then perhaps it would be mention'd The Abbot of Valcroissant answer'd that we had many strong reasons which evinc'd the necessity of such communication and he intended to repeat the same which he had alledg'd to Cardinal Spada but he scarce toucht upon those concerning the calumnies and false suppositions of our Adversaries as well in reference to Facts as Opinions but Cardinal Ghiggi reply'd That as for all those calumnies and falsities no regard would be had of them that the chief and only business would be to give a succinct and clear account of the reasons of what we held that it was not yet resolved whether or no to make of this affair a Process una lite that if a day were set to enter into so publick discussions of it between parties it would cause much noise and bustle That as we were already three and three out of France there might come three others out of Spain three from Flanders three from another place c. The Abbot of Valcroissant answer'd that all which his Eminence said did not hinder but that the reciprocal communication of our writings was necessary since if for example we should not see the writings of our Adversaries we could not defend our selves from what falsities and calumnies they might alledge therein both against our persons and the truth nor represent the same to their Eminences The Cardinal askt us whether we certainly knew that they had presented any writings added that perhaps they had not yet presented any But however said he ending as he began we have not yet spoken of your Memorial perhaps we will speak of it to morrow and you shall understand our resolution It was a thing not unpleasant to be observ'd that he inform'd us that they had not yet spoken of it and Cardinal Spada told us as a thing already determin'd amongst them that there would be no such communication The two last days of this moneth I learn'd nothing at Rome but the very great correspondences and confederacies which Cardinal Spada had with Cardinal Barberin whereof I was told in two converses which I had about that matter with a Banquier of very great Note intelligence and freedome CHAP. XII Of the Letters which were writ to us from Paris during the Moneth of October touching the manner of proceeding in the Congregation ABout this time all places were full of news concerning what was doing at Rome and what the Iesuites with M. Hallier and his Collegues expected and boasted was in hand to their advantage for the consummation of their Enterprise against the Propositions without their being oblig'd ever to appear before the Congregation in our presence and these news daily more and more astonish'd our friends and the Bishops who sent us VVhereupon almost all the Letters written to us during the whole moneth of October were nothing but a continual renewing of former injunctions not to recede from the conditions wherewith the Bishops had given us charge to demand a Congregation of the Pope and wherewith the Pope had caus'd the same to be promis'd to us by the late Cardinal Roma without any modification or restriction The difficulty about communication of writings was not yet known in France on the contrary we were enjoyn'd not to suffer our selves to be circumvented in such sort that our affair might be made a simple Process in writing but we were oblig'd never to separate the communication of our writings from the obligation which should be laid upon our Adversaries to be heard in our presence and we in theirs vivâ voce in the Congregation touching all that by either side should be presented in writing as also to have a care that all which they and we should speak there might be written down Moreover we were prescrib'd not to present any writing after those which we had deliver'd already but according to the forms us'd under Clement VIII and Paul V. till after we had declar'd vivâ voce what we were to leave there in writing and till we were assur'd that the consequence thereof would be the communication of the same to our Adversaries It would be tedious to relate all the Letters here which were written to us during this moneth about this matter but it will not be impertinent to insert two or three which will teach the Reader some other particularities concerning this affair which might otherwise remain unknown to him The first was dated October 8. from Chalons in Champagne and was thus directed A Messieurs Messieurs de la Lane de Saint Amour Angran Docteurs de la Faculte nos Deputez a Rome The contents follow Messieurs ALL good men rejoyce with us for the blessing which God hath given to your sollicitations and cares which joy was particularly grounded upon the assurance given you that the establisht Congregation would proceed according to the forms practis'd from all time in the Church
and in a like case under Clement VIII and Paul V. and without which it seems not possible for the truth to be perfectly clear'd I know that M. Hallier hath written to Paris that he would hinder your being heard yet I cannot doubt but Providence which hath taken so particular care of this affair will dissipate all his intrigues that the H. Father will do us Justice that he will grant what he hath had the goodness to promise and that he will take the same course in this cause that his Predecessors did since it is so worthy of the honour of the H. See and so necessary for the re-establishment of peace in the Church Wherefore all my LL. the Prelates for whom you act conjure you to remain firm that is never to speak but in presence and to deliver no writings saving in the forms observ'd in the Congregations de Auxiliis under the Popes above-mention'd They relye upon your accustom'd prudence and courage and I remain ever MESSIEURS Your most humble and most affectionate Servant F. E. C. de Chaalons He who us'd to write to us in the name of all my said Lords when they did not do it themselves in his letter of October 11th set down this clause My Lords were glad of the Resolution which you have taken to speak high They desire you not to relax in any thing for it is highly important to the cause which you desir'd They are very certain M. Hallier will use all means to obstruct an exact discussion of it He is a man that intends no conference whatever shew he makes He conceives the Dispute would not be advantageous to him because he hath confess'd to many persons that he never read St. Augustin Write as little as you can in explication of the Five Propositions for you ought to fear that M. Hallier will perplex the Affair in proceedings by Writing And in a Letter of the 18. from the same person there was this clause touching the same matter The Molinists in these parts hold for certain that you will not be admiteed to speak in presence of your Adversaries before the congregation alledging that the Question is only about Five Propositions which may easily be judg'd by all those that have never so little understanding and any tincture of Divinity They boast that in the first congregation held at Cardinal Spada's house the first Proposition was determined My Lords have confidence in God and hope he will destroy all their designs who go about to dishonour his Truth Above all they rocommend to you to be stedfast and undaunted in extremities I received one dated the same day from a Doctor my particular friend who liv'd in Sorbonne and always writ to me in Latin He comforted me for the news of Cardinal Roma's death and profess'd the more sorrow for it because instead of a most equitable Dean of our Congregation whom we had lost there remain'd another very partial and highly animated against us His Letter was in these terms A diebus aliquot resciveramus mortem Eminentissimi Cardinalis Roma cum litteras has accepimus Certè non potuimus non lugere viri optimi amantissimi aequitatis inopinatum exitum dolorque noster eo major extitit quod tibi causaeque vestrae adversarium esse accepimus Cardinalem Spada Scriptum enim mihi est è Flandria non potuisse cum ipso convenire D. Sinnich ita durum se ipsi praebuit Jactare vulgo se habere argumentum cui Jansenista sic enim loquitur nullus respondeat Idque dixisse olim P. Courvaisier minimo Burgundo Addidisse etiam se etiamsi Cardinales caeteri in doctrinam illam consentirent aut certè mitiùs habere vellent solum se adversus omnes pugnaturum Haec te monendum censui I find after this one from M. de Sainte Beuve of the 25th of this month which deserves more then any other to be here inserted at length as well for that he speakes touching the same necessity of being heard in presenee as because a more illustrious Testimony cannot be brought how he and I were always affected to the H. See and how we always consider'd the Propositions which were at length condemned by it The Letter was particular to my self and contained that which follows SIR WE are here troubled at the News that the congregation is begun since Cardinal Roma's death in which Cardinal Spada is President a Jesuite is a Consultor and M. Albizzi Secretary and that it is held without your being called to it Though we could not imagine things to be so as is boasted in these parts and that it seems your Letters assure us of the contrary since by your last you signifie that you were solliciting their Eminences to ordain the communication of your Writings to our Adversaries and that it would please them to set the day of the first congregation yet I cannot dissemble to you that the manner after which they talke here makes us fear that there is something of Truth in their Discourse and that perhaps our Adversaries are plotting something according to their usual slights and artifices This is it which troubles us and whereof we entreat you to give us some light And in the first place I am to signifie to you that you must urge the carrying on of things in order and that they be not done in secret The Prelates who sent you did not put you upon that journey to demand a secret Assembly of his Holiness but a publick and solemn congregation like that de Auxiliis in which the parties might he heard in presence one of the other both viva voce and by Writing The Pope granted the same to you as being a thing very just and which cannot displease any but those who hold a Doctrine of Darkness Wherefore prosecute the Execution of his Holinesses Order But now Sir Was there ever any thing more remote from Equity then to make our Enemies Judges for is it not in some manner so while a Jesuite is a Consultor Who knows not that they are our right Adversaries As for M. Albizzi there is as little reason that he should be Secretary since it is notorious that he hath had inimate communication with M. Hallier about the Affair in question before the said Sieur Hallier went out of France When the Faculty was assembled to be surpris'd by the Nuncio's means who sent to demand whether it had deputed you to his Holiness about this Affair M. Hallier whom I accus'd of having sent F. Mulard the Cordelier in quality of the Faculties Deputy and encharg'd him with Letters subscrib'd by himself as Syndic which Letters Mulard carried open to F. Diuet to be sealed by him M. Hallier I say confess'd before the whole Faculty that he had written to Rome to M. Albizzi but he added that it was only in answer to a Letter from him touchong the present controversies All the Faculty can testifie whether M. Hallier had the confidence to