July 9. I went in behalf of the Houres to visite Cardinal Ginetti in the moring and Cardinal Roma in the afternoon which last made me new instances upon the scruple about the Translation of the first Commandment touching Images On Tuesday morning I finish'd the Memorial which I presented to their Eminences about this matter I caus'd copies to be made of it and carry'd them in the afternoon to the Cardinals Genetti S. Clement Spada and Barberin Which last further advis'd me to look a little into the Catechisme of the Council of Trent and see how it speaks concerning Images And because the time for their Assembly was neer it being to meet on Wednesday morning and there being no order as I knew of to suspend the publishing of â—he abovemention'd Catalogue I left my Memorial at the Palace of those Cardinals whom I could not meet with to present the same personally In the said Memorial having said something about the drift of the Houres I pass'd thus to the answer of objections brought against it This Book having been receiv'd almost universally by all the world with so great applause that there have been six several Editions of it within lesse then a year it hath stirr'd the jealousie of certain persons who not being able to find any thing considerable in it to gainsay have been reduc'd only to blame it for three slight matters First of neglecting to translate out of the Latine the word Redempteur de tous Redeemer of All as if the translator omitted it out of design and set purpose But the Authors of this work know too well what S. Paul saith in 2 Cor. 5. that Jesus Christ dyed for all and what also is said in the first Epistle of S. John chap. 2. that he is the price and ransome for our sins and not for ours only but also for those of the whole World They acknowledge too well That Jesus Christ our Lord is the Saviour of all to retrench maliciously the word Redempteur de tous or conceal a truth which they own de fide and for which they are ready to shed their blood And indeed the said Authors having been very diligent in the Work to translate the Hymnes verse for verse which is very difficult considering the confinement of the French rimes it may have hapned that it hath been put in the French verse which corresponds to the Latin wherein the said word is by reason of the rime which would not fall right in the course of Poetry but the said word is restor'd in the following verse and hath likewise been inserted in sundry other places where the Latin wants it This is seen particularly in the Hymne Lustris sex qui jam peractis in which these six verses Crux fidelis inter omnes Arbor una nobilis Nulla sylva talem profert Fronde flore germine Dulce lignum dulces clavos Dulce pondus sustinet are thus translated O Croix arbre d' amour de salut de grace Arbre vraiment divin qui tout arbre surpasse En miracles divers O bois plus sacré per ce Corps adorable Tu portes le doux fruit le fruit inestimable QUI GUERIT L' UNIVERS In the Hymne Ad coenam Agni providi Et stolis albis candidi Post transitum maris rubri Christo canamus Principi The Translation runs thus Vaincucurs de la mer rouge eschappés de son onde Allons parés de blanc au festin de l' Agneau Publions dans nos chants du REDEMPTEUR DU MONDE Le triomphe nouveau In the Hymne Veni Creator Spiritus the last verse Gloria Patri Domino Natoque qui a mortuis surrexit is thus translated Gloire a Christ par sa mort DES MORTS LE REDEMPTEUR And in the Te Deum this verse Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem non horruisti virginis uterum is also translated into these words Tu n'as dedaigné pour SAUVER TOUT LE MONDE D' entrer dans l' humble sein d' une vierge feconde Thus in divers places of the Hymnes speaking indefinitely and generally it is said that our Lord Jesus Christ is the hope of the whole Vniverse the price of the world the invaluable fruit hanging on the tree which heals the Vniverse the Redeemer of the world the salvation of men and that he shed his precious blood for the infinite price of the guilty Vniverse That he came to deliver man from his misery to heal all our evills to save the guilty to break thc chaines of sinners to wash the world to purchase the Vniverse that we are purchased by his blood That he came to be born and to dye for us That he dy'd for guilty man And more such manners of speech there are in the French which are not found even in several places of the Latine The second objection made against this Work is that the Cardinal de Berule is put in the Calendar with the title of Bien-heureux blessed To which it is answer'd that this is not the fault of the Author who well knows that it pertaines only to the H. See to declare the Saints and the Blessed but a simple devotion which he who corrected the second impression of the said Book had for that Cardinal And accordingly the Author taking notice of the Corrector's fault blotted out the tittle of Blessed from that Cardinal in the four other Ediitons which have been made since the second The third Objection consists in that the Adversaries pretend that the Translator hath interpreted according to the conceptions of Hereticks that passage of the fifth chapter of Deuteronomie Non facies tibi sculptile neque similitudinem omnium quae in caelo sunt desuper c. But those Censors are greatly mistaken in this particular because the Heretiks aime in that translation is to show that the Church do's ill in the laudable custome which it hath of making and having the Images of Saints for which purpose they leave out the word Idol and the end which is to adore them But the Translator hath faithfully put both into this book making expresse mention of the word Idol and of the end for which it is forbidden to make any namely to adore them The Translation is thus Vous ne ferés point d' Idole ny d' Image taillee ny aucune figure pour les adorer You shall make no Idol nor graven Image nor any figure to adore the same which version is not onely sutable to the text of H. Scripture but also necessary for France and it is found so in all the Catechismes printed for the instruction of children and plaine people And all Curates and such as teach the Catechisme to Children and the vulgar have great care when they expound this commandment to recite it thus to them and to make them take notice of it that so they may know the reason for which God made that prohibition and knowing it may also know that when the Church
page of the same Book Those who persecuted these Propositions oppos'd them at first absolutely in themselves and he that maintain'd them did it with so great strength and successe that he disarm'd his Adversaries and convinc'd his Judges of the things which he undertook to prove to them But I was told that it was not without great reluctancy which was such in reference to the first Proposition that he became engag'd to maintain a third upon which he made a particular dissertation as well as upon the two other though it was not extracted out of the Sermon namely That all actions perform'd by the sole strength of nature are sins At length the Judges who examin'd the Apologies presented to them in defence of these three Propositions consider'd in themselves became perfectly satisfi'd and convinc'd thereby and the accusers of the Sermon were consequently forc'd to silence and a retreat But being not of the humour to acquiesce so easily against their engagement they devis'd to say that though the Propositions might be maintain'd as they were explicated by him that defended them neverthelesse they are bad in that Sermon and Book because it makes but one body with the Epistle which is before it with reference to which it is just and necessary to consider the two Propositions in question that considering them in this manner they would no doubt be found worthy of censure for that in the said Epistle Jansenius is spoken of with an Elogium being an Author condemn'd by the Bull of Vrban VIII and whose opinions this Preacher hath borrow'd and maintain'd as is evident by the Epistle I was told that they who contriv'd this project had the greater hope of successe because they saw him who maintain'd the Propositions absolutely in themselves as they are in the Sermon wholly out of the businesse he being that Monastical person upon whose faith the Master of the Sacred Palace gave permission for printing it and the Epistle not being mention'd in his License but only the Sermon and he professing openly that he saw none but the Sermon nor heard any thing of the Epistle which was an addition made by M. Hersent purely of his own head without speaking one single word to him of it or his own having the least ground to suspect it Whence they took for certain that the Apologies of the Licenser having been very well receiv'd and he seeing himself deliver'd from all the combustion and honour'd also with the commendations of some of his Judges for the elegancy and solidity which they found in his writings would not care to engage himself in a new labour the successe of which was incertain and not only more dangerous then the first but likely to make him lose all the benefit thereof But this Ecclesiastick deceiv'd them because this new assault giving him the curiosity to search Jansenius upon the subject of these Propositions and finding nothing there but the same Doctrine himself had lately defended and the same Judges before whom he was to maintain it again approved although his interest in no wise engag'd him to the defence of the Propositions interpreted with relation to the said Epistle and the opinions of Jansenius yet he thought himself oblig'd thereunto by the love of truth and by gratitude towards his Judges And for these reasons he became then actually imploy'd therein It was told me that this Monastick was nam'd F. du Four and that he was a very intimate friend of M. the Abbot de Loiac Chamberlain of honour to the Pope and nominated by his Holinesse to the Bishoprick of Toul with whom it was known that I had great commerce there was also some hope given me that by his means I might have a sight of his Writings which I was certifi'd were worthy to be read and very compendious and determinative I had a very great curiosity to see them and to get a Copy of them in regard of the nature of the businesse and the commendations I receiv'd of them Wherefore I had recourse immediately to the Abbot de Loiac who very gladly and willingly brought me to the knowledge of the said Father I found him of a great wit a very agreeable and copious conversation very clear in Doctrine but as prudent too in management as a man of that quality could be after having pass'd almost sixty years in the world whereof the twenty last were spent at Rome I was alwayes very welcome to him when I visited him and receiv'd with very great civility but I found him so close as often as I went to put him upon these matters and he so constantly diverted the discourse thereof that I could not without great rudenesse make the least mention of his Writings because indeed he had been utterly undone should his Judges have known that he communicated them so inviolable will they have the secrecy of all things which they handle There was nothing but M. Hersent that he spoke freely of when he was put upon this subject because the fact was publick and he could not forbear complaining of his not having told him so much as one word about his Epistle having been treated with honour as he was for his Sermon I excus'd M. Hersent a little by the custom in France and likewise in our Faculty of not shewing any thing but the Theses and the Books to the Approbators but adding Epistles and Prefaces according to prudence and discretion But he lik'd not these excuses because the custom was otherwise at Rome which ought to be understood and follow'd and because he said if M. Hersent had shew'd him his Epistle he would have put it in a condition by changing and blotting out some words for being printed without being lyable to any exceptions or complaints more then the Sermon it self But to return to his Writings I believe he would not have granted the reading of them to M. de Loiac though living with him in the closest friendship and correspondence that can be between two persons of parts honour and piety Such sacred things are secrecy and the Excommunication under penalty whereof they are oblig'd to keep the same in that Congregation in that Country I shall in due place mention what successe follow'd the generous resolution of the F. du Four to defend those two Propositions even considering them with reference to that Epistle and the Doctrine of Jansenius only this exquisitenesse of secrecy call'd to my mind a thing told me by the Ambassador in one or two converses on purpose about M. Hersent's businesse namely that secresie was so religiously observ'd that himself often endeavouring to get some light from Cardinal d' Este who was one of the Congregation concerning the posture wherein that affair stood and whither his Eminence judg'd it might tend that so he might tell M. Hersent something of it who was much in pain about it he could never draw from him the least word or sign whereby to conjecture any thing whatever industry he us'd to
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
THE JOURNAL OF Mons r. de Saint Amour Doctor of SORBONNE CONTAINING A full Account of all the Transactions both in France and at Rome concerning the Five Famous PROPOSITIONS Controverted between the JANSENISTS and the MOLINISTS From the beginning of that Affair till the POPES Decision Faithfully Rendred out of French A like Display of the Romish State Court Interests Policies c. and the mighty influences of the Jesuites in That CHURCH and many other CHRISTIAN STATES being not hitherto extant ACT. IV. Verse XX. Non enim possumus quae vidimus audivimus non loqui LONDON Printed by T. Ratcliff for George Thomason at the Rose and Crown in S. Paul's Church-yard 1664. To the Right Honourable ROBERT Earle of ELGIN Baron of WHORLETON c. MY LORD IF the Greatnesse of the Subject may serve to justify the Inscription of a Book to so Great a Name I may with reason affirme that none ever treated of an Argument of more weight extent and difficulty then This and consequently hope that the Considerableness of the Matter will supply for the little Title which the Translation hath given me in it and upon which I have presumed to present it to your Lordship Fatality and Liberty were disputable Points in all Ages of the World and in all Religions But the Controversies about them have been infinitely multiply'd amongst Christians and scarce any Questions agitated with greater heat both in the Purer and the Vnreformed Church The Hypothesis of Absolute Predestination and Physical Predetermination of all Events hath engaged its Promoters in the defence of sundry Consequent doctrines of very great importance yet no lesse controverted then their foundation Of which no more need here to be mentioned besides those contained in the Five Propositions of late years with incredible subtlety and artifice contested between the Jesuites and Jesuitical Faction on one side and the Jansenists on the other in the Romane Church viz. touching The Possibility of keeping Gods Commandments The Resistibility of Grace The Liberty of the Will The Efficacy of Preventing Grace and The Vniversality of Redemption In these Points the doctrine of the Jansenists is in some respects different from that of the Calvinists yet not so much but their subtle Adversaries took advantage of the Conformity to contrive Five Propositions capable of a double Construction namely both according to the opinions of Jansenius and those of Calvin that by this means they might involve the former in a Censure of the latter which they doubted not to obtain as being equally condemned for heretical by either dissenting Party the Adherents of the Jesuits and the Disciples of Jansenius or as they style themselves of S. Augustin The Intrigues Confederacies and solicitations for the accomplishment of which design are the matter of this Journal as some Manuscript Pieces concerning the same affair are of the adjoyned Collection I know not whether at any time so ample an Account hath been given the world of the manner of Proceeding held by the Roman See in passing a Decision of Doctrine But I perswade my self that whosoever shall impartially peruse This cannot have any great opinion of the Popes Infallibility which yet is the Basis at least of all points held by the Romanists in opposition to the Protestants when he finds that the Pope professeth himself no Divine and the Cardinals pretend to no more but a Prudential Judgment that is such as is requisite to be pass'd in point of interest that the Popes meaning in his Constitution is as much controverted as the Cause it determines while one Party adheres to what he writes and the other to what he speaks and that the Authority of the Church as well as that of the Fathers is made use of to establish Contradictions That I mention not the disparagement of the so much pretended Unity of that Church Nor can any Exception lye against the Relator who was a principal Agent in the Affair and upon all occasions makes as great profession of zeal and affection for the Roman Church as he doth of Truth and sincerity I pretend not my Lord to exhibite your Lordship a Patron of the Cause by dedicating the History of it to your Honorable Name 'T is not more indubitable that the Church of England hath delivered her sense upon these Points with singular prudence caution and moderation then that your Lordship hath been always a most firme Propugner of that Church even in the worst of times And truely the late happy Revolution in which your Lordship was so active as to venture all earthly Interests hath redounded highly to the advantage of the Church as to these very Doctrines Since whatever Ecclesiastical Government might have been established during our Distractions no Termes of Communion could be more rigid and unreasonable as to these Points then those required by the two most prevalent Factions of those Times as appears by the publisht Confessions of Faith of the Assembly and the Congregations Should I here take occasion to mention your Lordships indefatigable Industry and Assiduity Fidelity and Disinteressedness in the Service of the State certainly no man could be more justly accused of a superfluous undertaking since I should speak no more then what is already most perfectly known to the whole Nation at least in its Representative Nor is it to be doubted but that being now in a higher sphere your influences will be as great for the Publick Good since you are still accompanyed with the same Vertues which rendered you a Peer of both Kingdomes by Merit before you were so by Inheritance Nor shall I attempt to give a Character of your Lordships personal accomplishments as an Extraordinary Measure both of Divine and Humane Learning Perfection in the Moderne and ancient Languages together with singular Generosity and Beneficence of which a more illustrious proof could not be given then your late vigorous actings for relief of the Sufferers by the late times It may suffice me to say that I have found particular effects of your Lordships goodness and that I should but little care to own the Translation of this work so publickly did it not give me so fair an opportunity to declare the honour I have to be MY LORD Your Lordships most humble obedient and obliged servant G. HAVERS THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE Giving an Account of the publishing of this JOURNAL THe Affair of the Five Propositions being become by its Consequences so considerable that it is at present the principal part of the Church-History of this Age those very consequences which were soon foreseen and by divers of the most eminent Bishops of the Gallicane Church committed to me to represent to the H. See caus'd me alwayes to consider it as of very great importance and the exact Account I conceiv'd I ought alwayes to be ready to render to those Bishops and the Church of all that I had done and could observe had pass'd therein oblig'd me to apply my self about it with so much
Arrests of this Court confirming the same That moreover the Petitioners aime at nothing but the preservation of the honour and peace of the said Faculty which the said Mulot Cornet and their Adherents go about to violate May it please you to admit the Petitioners as Appellants against the abuse of the said pretended Conclusion of the first of July last past and of what follow'd thereupon to allow the said Appeal for valid to permit the Petitioners to cause the said Cornet and Mulot to be cited and su'd in this Court by their proper and ordinary names together with all others concern'd to the end to proceed upon the said Opposition and Appeal against Abuses and to ordain that the Parties shall come and plead thereunto on what day it shall please the Court and in the mean time to prohibit further proceeding or reading again and registring the said pretended Conclusion of the first of July or any other Act made by the pretended Deputies and their Adherents or passing on in any other manner till this Court shall have determin'd concerning the matter And you shall do well c. This Petition was answer'd on the 12. of August and transmitted to the Attorney General who put thereunto his own conclusions conformable to those which we had taken M. Broussel undertook to make report thereof to the Court a few dayes after M. Molé at present Keeper of the Seals then first President and who is alwayes meant when I barely mention the first President in this Relation was prepossess'd by our Adversaries Our Petition soon made a great noise in Paris before M. Broussel spoke of it in the Grand Chamber For on one side the Considerations I mention'd having been seen by many inquisitive persons of all qualities and on the other the great number of Doctors that oppos'd the design amongst whom divers were Curées of Paris made this affair very notorious Hereupon as soon as M. Broussel open'd his mouth to make his report of our Petition the first President was prepar'd to stop it and without giving him time to set forth the grounds of our Appeal and the aimes of our Petition he cut him off and said It was an affair to be examin'd more at leasure before any thing were ordained in it that we were people that said Jesus Christ did not dye for the whole world that God's Commandements are impossible to justifi'd persons all which requir'd narrowly to be lookt into Thus the first President by the great Authority he had in the Court caus'd them to passe instantly to another affair without giving M. Broussel time to reply to him as he desir'd which he could not do though he endeavour'd it once or twice M. the first President falling to speak as soon as M. Broussel utter'd two words in answer to him Of this my self was witnesse the door of the Grand Chamber on the side of the Clerk's Table being for some time half open and I hapning to come thither at the same moment A day or two after to wit on the 20. of August M. Chastellain writ to me at eight a clock at night that he understood the first President had sent for him to come to him at six a clock but the appointed hour being pass'd that day he resolv'd to wait upon him the next immediately after dinner and being it was a time when many might be there he thought fit that I and some other Doctors whom he mention'd should accompany him thither But we were of opinion that M. Chastellain having been sent for alone should go alone inasmuch as we were not certain that it was about our affaires that the first President had sent for him Accordingly M. Chastellain went thither alone the next day being the twenty first The first President caress'd him and with a smiling countenance yet accompani'd with his accustom'd gravity ask'd him Whether there was any means of accommoding this affair adding That the division in our Body was much disrelish'd and made a great noise in Paris That great inconveniences might arise therefrom That he had said as much to our Adversaries and found them inclin'd to peace and ready either wholly to desist from their enterprise or at least to respite it for three or four months without doing more then what was already done That during that space the distemper of minds might be asswaged and the means of a solid agreement sought out for which good end the said terme might be prolong'd after the expiration of those three or four months in case they should not be sufficient M. Chastellain testifi'd to the first President That we were as much inclin'd to peace as our Adversaries That it was not on our part that the disturbance arose but on theirs That for the quieting all it was necessary that they renounce the cause of it That their pretended Deputation be no longer accounted valid and in a word That all things be restor'd to the posture they were in before the first of July and that in order thereunto at the new reading on 1 September following the Conclusion which was not read again in the Assembly of the second of August the same be done without making mention of any thing but the ordinary Supplicates That he could give his word for nothing before he made us acquainted with all this but that he doubted not that upon those conditions we would be very glad to live peaceably in the exercise of our usual employments These things M. Chastellain came and acquainted us with We agreed thereunto He return'd to give the first President his word in our behalf who also gave him his own in behalf of our Adversaries Indeed we something wonder'd at the three or four months Truce which was offer'd us and suspected the design of it to be only to relaxe our prosecutions and make use of our silence and desisting against our selves but we did not as yet comprehend the mystery of it as we found afterwards and I shall relate in due place It shall suffice to observe here that we were given to understand that it was meant only to let the memory of this attempt fairly bury it self and become wholly lost by time without obliging our Adversaries to renounce the same on a sudden whilest they were still in their first heat But time likewise taught us that indeed it was to get means in the interval of prosecuting with the Pope the censure of the Propositions after its miscarriage in the Faculty They were not ignorant that at Rome they are very jealous of maintaining the Authority of the Decrees which issue from thence and that this Consideration obliges the makers of them to look very well to the facility and compliance that may be expected in their execution before they passe any at all They intended to offer to the Pope a Censure made by the Deputies of the Faculty as own'd and authoriz'd by the whole Body that so they might obtain the like from his Holinesse They
Navarrico Ludovico Bail Propoenitentiario Parisiensi Fr. Joanni Nicholaï Primario Regenti in Theologia apud Fratres Praedicatores Martino Grandin Professori Theologiae Moralis in Sorbona Deputatis in Sacra Facultate in Comitiis generalibus prima mensis Julii 1649. ad examen praedictarum Propositionum Having well consider'd this piece and the flying Paper which M. Pereyret formerly deliver'd to the Nuntio and which was sufficient to draw after it the Decree and Censure of the Inquisition above-mention'd we certainly believ'd that they did not contrive this Censure only to make it run about France where the Form of the Facultie's Censure is sufficiently known but that they intended to make use of it at Rome for the purpose I noted Yet we knew nothing certain thereof and this was but our naked conjecture However we thought that it was not to be neglected but that it was necessary for us to have recourse to the Parliament as well for provision against the dispersing and authors of this pretended Censure as against the main of M. Cornet's Enterprise against which we had already presented a Petition Toward the end of this moneth we presented a Second which we put into the hands of M. Broussel who receiv'd the former and annex'd a Copy of the Censure thereunto wherein after representation of what had pass'd between the Framers of the Propositions and our selves since the first we complain'd that they had not only publisht this Censure in France but perhaps also sent it out of the Kingdom and we concluded with desires for right to be done us upon our first Petition and that the said M. Nicolas Cornet Syndic M. James Pereyret Morel and the rest under whose names the pretended Censure runne might be summonod before the Court to acknowledge own or disown the said pretended Censure to the end that upon their declaration further resolutions might be taken by us CHAP. XII Of the Arrest which interven'd upon those two Petitions and Of what pass'd in the Parliament touching that matter THere hapned a very Considerable Incident on the first of October in the election of M. Hallier to the office of Syndic but because it had many sequels that I may not interrupt what concerns this Censure and the Petitions upon which the Arrest interven'd the fifth day of the same moneth I shall forbear speaking of the affair of M. Hallier till I have spoken of the said Arrest and what preceded it and hath connexion with the things I last treated of I cannot passe over in silence the desire and care which MM. Tristan Julien Guerin le Fevré le Blond of Sorbonne de Sainte Helvine and Mesnidré had the first and fourth dayes of this moneth to partake in the procurement of these Arrests For they took an Act on those dayes before Notaries that the appeals against Abuses interpos'd both by me and the other Doctors nam'd in the Petition being communicated to them they adher'd thereunto became appellants as well as we against all that had been done and pass'd in the assembly of the first of July and against all that follow'd upon the same they made M. Cornet and Mulot defendants as we had done and purpos'd to have all the prosecutions requisite and necessary to this affair transacted in their names as well as ours M. Broussel having on the 4 of October 1649. spoken in the Chamber of Vacations concerning our two Petitions and the project of the Censure above inserted a Copy whereof was annex'd to our second Petition it was ordain'd that he should cause notice to be given to MM. Cornet and Pereyret and such other as he thought fit of those whose names were subscrib'd to that Censure with some also of them who complain'd thereof that either side might appear the next day at the Palais at seven a clock of the morning in the said Chamber to be heard there I went to see M. Broussel at his coming forth of the Palais He told me this and that he thought it convenient to summon with MM. Cornet and Pereyret M. Hennequin who was the antientest of those that had subscribed I made some scruple thereof at first and represented to him that we had not made M. Hennequin a Defendant nor did he meddle in this enterprise but that the authors of it caus'd him to be nam'd in regard of some dislikes which they knew he had against the truths they struck at and were willing on the one side to cover what they could their Conspiracy and Cabal with the good repute of that antient Doctor 's name who was not to be suspected thereof and on the other to have him favourable to their designs by the inclination of his sentiments That his candour made me concern'd for him and I fear'd it would trouble him to think himself persecuted by us in case he should be sent for to the Parliament This Consideration caus'd M. Broussel to consent to summon only MM. Pereyret and Cornet Afterwards having bethought my self that the Court could not be better and more truly inform'd of the things that had pass'd then by the mouth of one who would speak thereof with plainnesse and ingenuity as I knew M. Hennequin would do and that I might acquaint him privately that it was for no other end that he was sent for I return'd to M. Broussel to tell him this He approv'd of it and follow'd his first purpose and I assur'd him that on our part M. de Mincé and my self would not fail to appear MM. Pereyret and Cornet were the next day more diligent then we Assoon as they were come an Usher advertis'd the Court thereof and they were presently introduc'd upon a conceit as I imagine that both sides were there They had the advantage of speaking alone to the Court about a quarter of an hour and a possibility of prepossessing it without our being there to observe what they said and I did not otherwse come to know the things that pass'd during that quarter of an hour but by M. the President Coigneux who was in office that week and told us tâ—e same assoon as M. de Mincé and I were introduc'd He spoke to us very near in these words The Court before it pronounce any thing upon the Petitions presented by you hath thought fit to hear both the one side and the other to the end to bring you to agreement and to oblige you to live peaceably You complain of a certain Manuscript Censure which runs through the world under the name of some Doctors that style themselves Deputies of the Faculty for examining certain Propositions Your Adversaries here say they have not given order to any person to publish the same That it is against their mind that it is publish'd That they gave it not to any nor spoke to any to give Copies of it That they disown all such as have done it Desire you any thing more in order to being satisfy'd and living with good understanding together M. de Mincé began to
who was as zealous for the same as was necessary and withall as submissive and respectfull to those from whom these orders were transmitted to me Yet I could not but signifie the little probability I saw of well acquitting my self thereof being newly arriv'd in a place where I had little correspondence where I was likely to be something suspected where my steps might be watcht where I had other engagements hindring me from being master of my self and where the affaires for which I was desir'd to concern my self were very odious However I promis'd to do my best therein and to neglect no opportunities And accordingly I set my self to it as much as all those circumstances and a weak unrepaired health permitted but for all my diligence till the end of this year I could discover nothing concerning the Houres and as for the Letter I only learnt that it had been sent already and that the F. Richeome the Jesuit one of the French Penitentiaries at S. Peters boasted that it was subscribed by fifty Bishops He that told me this was well seen in those affaires and in the whole managery of the persons upon whom the same depended amongst the things he told me upon this subject I observ'd these two principal One that he believ'd this Letter could not produce any thing new against Jansenius because these persons now mention'd knew well that too much had been done already but as for any thing that came from those who were lookt upon as his followers they would find no mercy being ill gusted in this Court insomuch that when nothing could be discover'd ill in any writing of theirs that may of it self deserve to be condemned yet it is enough for its condemnation that it proceedeth from suspected persons This Maxime made me cease to wonder at the condemnation pronounc'd against the Catechisme of Grace concerning which one had also written particularly to me complaining that in that condemnation the little Book was accus'd of containing the Propositions condemned by the Bulls of Pius V. and Gregory XIII though indeed there was none such in it whereas it but slightly prohibited the Catechisme publish'd by the Jesuits against the former under the name of a Doctor of Doway only for that it treated of the matter of Grace though indeed it contain'd sundry direct Heresies This prejudice of the Court of Rome against such as were there accounted Jansenists much abated my desire of representing to some that might impart it to the Masters of the Censures how unreasonably they suffer'd themselves to be guided by the byas of the Jesuits being desir'd so to do by one of my friends to the end this might make them more reserv'd for the future and bring about the revocation of the said Decree if it were possible But this person gave me to understand that it was not to be hop'd for and this was the second thing I observ'd in his discourse because the Tribunal from whence that Condemnation issu'd knew not what it was to retract or look backwards being fix'd and immutable in its resolutions and that when once it hath pass'd any thing it is never to be brought by any motive in the world to alter it As for M. Hersent he was escap'd from Rome before my arrival there I was told that when it was known abroad the stir and speech about him ceas'd as if no more had been aim'd at but to constrain him to flye because otherwise there was both a necessity and a resolution to clap him in prison And M. the Bailly of Valencai then the King's Ambassador at Rome a person of great gentlenesse and civility speaking to me one day thereof said that M. Hersent had several times profess'd while he was in his house that were it not for that fear he would willingly have appear'd before the Judges of the Inquisition to defend every thing in the Sermon he had printed and for which he was in trouble That himself had at M. Hersent's request several times desir'd of the Pope liberty and security of hâ—s person for that purpose which the Pope would never admit of giving no other answer to his importunities but Vedremo Vedremo We will see We will see That he conceiv'd the reason was for that the Pope was very close in these matters and would not have any speech thereof at all That himself had often press'd him from the Queen for an answer to some Questions which he propounded to him by his Majestie 's order but could never bring his Holinesse to declare himself nor draw one word concerning the same from him whatever urgent solicitation he had us'd to him That the Pope acted in all cases with the same reservednesse and had treated the Capuchines in the same manner amongst others F. Joseph de Morlaie who being at Rome desir'd for quiet of their consciences to propose to him two difficulties before their departure of which they could never procure any answer or satisfaction That therefore he did not wonder at the Pope's refusing to grant M. Hersent the liberty he desir'd to speak of such matters But others told me that this was not the thing which most exasperated the Pope's mind against him but his seeming in his Epistle to blame his Holinesse of negligence touching the doctrine of Grace his vaunting of his particular fidelity which he said was so well known to the Pope and his praising Jansenius but above all the answer he made when instead of delivering of the printed Copies of his Epistle and Sermon he told those that demanded them that he had already sent them into France This boasting his fidelity towards the H. See was undoubtedly founded upon the Book of Optatus Gallus de cavendo Schismate which he had written by contrivance with the Nuntio to shew that the late Cardinal Richelieu tended to make a Schism in France by which he put himself in danger of being infallibly ruin'd in case he had been discover'd so that 't is strange a person that had hazarded himself so far for the interests of the Court of Rome should be so ill dealt with and for so little cause But usually nothing is more hatefull to Grandees then to be upbraided with the services done them and they had rather ruine a man then confess thâ—mselves beholding to him for any thing especially if himself go about to bring them to such acknowledgement There was a Dominican that suffer'd a back-blow by the disgust taken at the printing of the said Book namely he upon whose report the Master of the Palace gave permission for it for he was confin'd in the Covent of Minerva till he should give account how deep he had been in the businesse and there he remain'd a long time though it seem'd wholly laid asleep From Spain I heard that the Jesuits who alwaies govern'd the new Queen had prevail'd with her to desire for her first request to the King her Husband that the Bull against Jansenius might be commanded to be receiv'd
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
same be said of those of the Pope and the Sub-Datary And whereas Mascambrun pretended that his hand was counterfeited because in the date of the Petition anno octavo was written with the last O wholly clos'd which he never us'd to close but half as octavo M. Joachim shew'd the Governour many Petitions dated by Mascambrun's hand where the O was perfectly clos'd which evidenc'd that he sometimes clos'd it sometimes not Thirdly That if a sheet of Paper of the same sort with that of the Petition in question were compar'd therewith the sheet of the Petition would be found shorter then the other two or three fingers Whereby it was easie to perceive that this Petition had been presented to the Pope with the Summary of an ordinary grace which after the Popes signing was cut off and another written down correspondent to the body of the Petition by which means the paper of the Petition became shorter Fourthly That there were a great number of graces signed truly by the Popes hand which yet were very extraordinary and which he would never have granted had they been askt of him M. Joachim shew'd the Governour a Note of many such graces which the Pope had frequently declar'd that he would not grant and yet they were pass'd and sign'd with the Pope's own hand by the ministry of the Sub-Datary who had carri'd them to him to signe That consequently the same judgment was to be made of the Petition in question as of them and that as the Pope was deceiv'd when he was made to signe them so in this Petition of Portugal his Holiness had one thing impos'd upon him instead of another and by that means was brought to signe it All these conjectures and reflections much astonisht the Governor who till then had suffer'd himself to be perswaded that the Pope's hand was counterfeited and led him to two resolutions Frst to take the cognisance of the cause from Rugolo which he promis'd M. Joachim he would do that so justice might have place Secondly the next day which was that of his ordinary audience to acquaint the Pope with all this story and induce him to send for M. Joachim to hear the same from his own mouth and get some greater light from him if he could And he did accordingly The same day Wednesday January 17. the Governour caus'd Rugolo to bring to him the Original of the Petition which was in his hands He compared it with another sheet of Paper of the same kind and found that it was shorter by two fingers He consider'd the hand of the Pope and that of Mascambrun which were wholly like the signatures of other Petitions and looking more narrowly upon it he observ'd that there was dust of gold upon that of the Pope whereupon being otherwise very distrustfull he told Rugolo that they who counterfeited the Pope's hand must have been very cunning in putting the dust of gold upon it knowing that the Pope uses no other Rugolo answered that those people were sly and subtle as Devills that they knew every thing and had not fail'd to get that dust of Gold that they might render the thing more likely This answer increas'd the Governor's suspition of this Judge and confirm'd him in his purpose to take from him the cognisance of the cause with which when he acquainted the Pope his Holinesse approv'd it He also caus'd M. Joachim to be advertis'd that the Pope would hear from himself all that he had spoken to him the day before On Thursday morning January 18. M. Joachim went to the Pope who heard him with great satisfaction for one houre and half together He lay'd upon the table above a hundred several graces which the Pope averr'd he never would grant and yet were expedited and signed with his hand He discover'd to him in what manner he had been deceived first by the flying Summaries and after the prohibition of those upon complaint made by him against them by other false Summaries wh ch were cut off after his Holinesse had signed the Petitions He told him that undoubtedly this concerning Portugal in reference whereunto a proces was preparing had been sign'd in that manner and that Monsig Mascambrun to escape being convinc'd that he had caus'd his Holinesse to signe extraordinary graces falsely and against his intention was about to destroy divers innocent persons by suborn'd witnesses who had depos'd that his Holiness's hand was counterfeited When he had ended all that he had to say touching this matter he motion'd to the Pope that since onely the fidelity he ow'd his Holinesse the honour of the H. See and the desire to rescue the innocent prisoners had oblig'd him to make these discoveries his Holinesse would please to keep the thing secret because it was much more easy to Monsignor Mascambrum to get him assassinated if he had notice of what he had done then to justifie himself of the informations presented to his Holinesse against him The Pope having testifi'd to M. Joachim his acknowledgment of his fidelity and recommended to him to have an eye over what should passe in the Datary he promised him that till the person of Mascambrun were in custody none in the world besides the Governour should know what had passed between them too And because all the Datary knew that he was at audience with the Pope and every one would be curious to learn the businesse and particularly Mascambrun who was vigilant to discover all that pass'd and had great jealousie of the first Revisor who had often opposed his designes in things relating to his place the Pope bid him give out that he was sent for to conser with the Pope concerning some course to be taken that Summaries might be alwayes correspondent to the Petitions so that he might no more be deceiv'd The same day continuing his diligence for Mascambrun's interests he caus'd the wife and the sister of Brignardel to be arrested and made prisoners and to take away the scruple about the gold-dust which the Governor spoke of to him he gave order to a Serjeant to carry some in a little dust-box and when he went into the house to fling it upon a bed or a chair and then at his going away feigning to search everywhere what they could find to take up the same dust-box in presence of his companions which was accordingly done In the evening Rugolo went to the Governour carry'd the gold-dust to him and told him it was no wonder that he found such dust upon the Popes writing since there was a box-full of it found at Brignardel's house which the Officers had brought to him The Governour suspecting the fraud of this wicked Judge answer'd him that it was true that they found it there because himself had caus'd it to be carried thither and so he forbid him medling from thence forward in any manner with this affair Saturday following January 20. Rugolo was commanded to depart from Rome which he did forthwith The same day
Commissary was gone to fetch a book to shew me some passage He came back and read his passage to me and propos'd his argument to me again before M. Albizzi and he did it with a rude and fierce tone but when M. Albizzi had left us he friendly told me that it behov'd him for certain reasons to speak in that manner before him M. de Valcroissant had the patience to wait for me all this time and when I had found him again we went together to Cardinal S. Clement who confirm'd to us most of the things which are above mention'd to have pass'd in M. Hallier's visit to him and particularly that in reciting the first Proposition he suppress'd the words secundum praesentes quas habent vires and they demanded a pure and absoluâ—… condemnation of the Propositions without distinction of sences examination or Congregation On Tuesday June 11th I went to see F. Hilarion who told me that M. Hallier and his Collegues had been with him but he declar'd to them presently that there was no need for them to give themselves that trouble because he was not of the Congregation That they had no long discourse with him but amongst other things they told him that the Propositions being matters already decided and determin'd they came with a belief that this affair would soon be dispatcht The Father added that we were not to fear that but we needed to deliver a Memorial to the Pope to beseech him that we might be heard that nothing would be done without it and that he had heard that it was resolv'd upon On Thursday the 13th I was in the Pope's Presence-Chamber at the end of the Congregation of the H. Office whence I saw all the Cardinals come forth excepting Cardinal Spada who stay'd with his Holâ—ness M. Albizzi follow'd Cardinal Ghiggi to his apartment I sent a Laquay thither to bring me word when M. Albizzi was gone from thence and immediately went to wait upon this Cardinal but assoon as I had spoken three words to him concerning M. Hallier and his Collegues he told me that he had seen them he said Yesterday but it was upon Tuesday He gave me to underâ—…and that the Pope would consider of the Congregation we deâ—anded and probably would erect it and assoon as it was establisht it would set upon two things to examine First whether it were expedient to make any Definition upon the Propositions because the Pope was not oblig'd to make any upon every occasion and all matters propounded to him Secondly to examine the grounds of the matters upon which such Dâ—…inition was to be made in case it were resolv'd upon And he seem'd to intimate as if M. Hallier and his Collegues had had audience of the Pope and were inclin'd to consent to the Congregation Whereupon I told his Eminence that there was no great likelyhood that this was the inclination of those Gentlemen because themselves had testifi'd to us that they aim'd at a pure and simple condemnation without hearing Parties as if the matters were already determin'd and because we knew also that they sollicited to that purpose The Cardinal reply'd That if they were formerly defin'd they were not to be examin'd again but that this vvas the thing in question that their vvord vvould not be taken for it and that nothing vvould be done in this affair but by a Congregation vvhich should first examine all things exactly I answer'd that provided this course were taken we should be perfectly contented but in the mean time they diverted the Contest elsewhere and drew it to things which had no affinity with that which was in question He reply'd that these sorts of sollicitations were not much regarded at Rome and that they were but lost words and he ask'd me where and how they held such D. scourses I told him that they had been with all the Cardinals Consultors and Qualificators whereat he seem'd something to wonder as of a thing of little consequence I told him I fear'd I should be tedious to his Eminence if I should acquaint him with the grounds upon which they sounded their reproaches and that we had nothing else to answer thereunto but that what they said would not be found true but supposing it were and there were as much more yet it was nothing to the main business in question which ought solely to be regarded And thereupon I fell insensibly to lay forth particularly the principal points of the accusations and reproaches which they fram'd against us I told him the grounds thereof namely M. Hallier's Syndicship the business of Santaret the design of accomplishing of M. Cornet's enterprise the Religious Mendicants the Decree of the University against the Irish in what manner M. Hallier impos'd the Minister of Groning's Book upon the Faculty I summ'd up all this in very few words and confusedly enough considering the matter Yet Cardinal Ghiggi apprehended all well enough and told me We ought not to be troubled about their suggestions that they signifi'd nothing and in reference to the Minister of Groning he said scoffingly that it was to alledge a testimony ex ore mendacis He added that all sollicitations to other persons besides those which were nam'd for the business were lost labours and even to those who perhaps would be Cardinals perhaps Consultors and perhaps others all those Prefaces and Discourses would be useless and superfluous That the ground of things that could be alledg'd on either side should be drawn up in writing as compendiously as possible and reciprocally deliverer'd to each part that so either might see what they were to encounter with and without so doing all was to no purpose and we might remain satisfi'd with this and that nothing would be done at Rome in respect to what one party or the other affirms or denies Finding by the Cardinals discourse that what we had demanded was like to be granted I askt him whether he had seen our Memorial He askt me when it was delivered I told him on the first of January He answered that he had not seen it VVhereupon acknowledging the equitablenesse of his Sentiment that what we had su'd for to the Pope was sitting to be granted I told him the substance of the Memorial almost in its own words but I added that I would bring his Eminence a Copy of it and professed to him how great submission we and all the world with us should have for a Decision made in that manner As I was about to take my leave I told him we fear'd least M. Hallier and his Collegues had a design to carry matters to some imposition of silence or some other remedy of that nature which would produce nothing but mischief that they would never be brought to a conference but with regret as partly in respect of the difficulty they would find to defend so bad a Cause well and partly because M. Hallier as able a man as he might be in other things was certainly little vers'd
parts probity and prudence born at Chartres as I think as well as M. Hallier his Name was F. Melchior He told me that M. Hallier had said to him that he found nothing to say against us to our manners that he was of the same mind with us in reference to the ground of doctrin that there was nothing but the novelty of terms and the manner of speaking with the consequences that he was offended at As for his audience of the Pope that he had given him fair words but it was not upon that that he placed the principal hopes which he had of the successe of his pursutes On Wednesday in the afternoon the Abbot of Valcroissant and my self went to Cardinal Spada The Abbot very well represented to him the justice of our Demand and very solidly reply'd to the many frivolous answers and difficulties which our Adversaries made about it so that the Cardinal seemed by his countenance much satisfied therewith He told us those Gentlemen had been with him in the morning that they had not spoken of all the particulars mention'd by the Abbot and that they had declar'd to him how they desir'd a speedy dispatch of this affair On Thursday morning June 20. came to visit me and told me M. Hallier and his Collegues had been with him the day before That he put him in mind at his first complement of an antient acquaintance which they had had but obiter in the University where they met That after the complements he told him that he was not in that Court about the matters which had been agitated between the Dominicans and the Jesuites that those things were disputable and probable on either side but as for the Propositions they were Heretical and taught by a meer Heretick That afterwards falling to discourse of the Propositions in particular there was not one of them but he undertook to confute sometimes upon foundations contrary to those of the Jesuites and soon after upon the Principles and Maximes of those Fathers That he admired this poor man qui non constabat sibi who did not agree with himself that if he committed the like extravagances everywhere else there needed none to ruine all that he said but himself That he had told him that as for the Propositions whether in their grounds or their consequences there was only St. Augustin suoi scholari that were of that Opinion He told me that he reiterated to him many times That France was in a general combustion about these Contests That of the hundred and twelve or hundred and eighteen Bishops in France fourscore had declar'd for the sentiments whch he defended That these things were so misconstru'd that some Bishops otherwise good men had taken upon them to maintain Calvinistical Propositions That the University favour'd the Jansenists too who as M. Hallier told him and he repeated to me several times in his visit held the Propositions wholly Lutheran and Calvinistical The Abbot Rondanini came to see us during this conference and because we were not ready to receive him he went to take a Turn upon the Mont de la Trinite The Visitant departed and the Abbot return'd we all three receiv'd him M. de Valcroissant M. Angran and my self In his long conference with us he told us mucb the same things concerning the Visits of M. Hallier and his Collegues as are above related When his visit was ended F. Mulard came to see us He went to make a turn in the City and left him with M. de Valcroissant to whom he told several particularities about his Voyage and that of M. Hallier and since their arrival at Rome this very remarkable viz. that M. Hallier told him that the Pope signify'd to him at his audience that he had added Cardinal Ghiggi to the four others which his Holinesse had nominated for the Congregation with honourable Titles namely Roma Spada Ginetti and Cechini Roma he said was huomo da bene an honeâ—… man Spada huomoâ—capace an able man these were the qualities in which they excel'd without having added any thing concerning the two other I had entreated F. Guérin to endeavor to get a Copy of the Memorial which M. Hallier and his Collegues presented to the Pope that we might see as we on our part were very willing that all the world saw ours For that purpose he address'd himself to F. Noel who had great intimacy with M. Hallier F. Guerin told me that F. Noel assur'd him that there was no Copy of that Memorial iu rerum natura That it was very plain and all it contain'd that such and such deputed to his Holinesse by fourscore Bishops beseecht him to decide the Five Propositions in question or the Questions contain'd in the Five Propositions That they represented to his Holinesse that they were matters already decided and assur'd him that these Propositions had no relation at all to the Dispute between the Dominicans and Jesuites in the time of Clement VIII In the afternoon we went to see Cardinal Barberin who was ready to go abroad to Card. Brancaccio we accompani'd him thither and after a short time spent in taking the ayre he brought us to our own lodging Upon the way we spoke concerning books I complain'd chiefly of the malice of certain Authors who writ against us and for want of true grounds to do any thing falsly imputed to us some bad opinions which we own'd not and afterwards labour'd to prove against us such things as we agreed in and acknowledg'd true as well as themselves I instanc'd in the book of F. Annat de Ecclesia praesentis temporis which is wholly founded upon a false and calumnious supposition The Abbot of Valcroissant alledg'd also to him for example Riccardus who makes use likewise of the same fraud to impeach falsly the Third Proposition opposing it in a ridiculous sense of a Necessitating Grace destroying Indifference in with it was notorious that neither we nor any Catholick maintain'd it It was added further that if Riccardus had encounter'd it in a false sense M. Hallier had approv'd it during his Syndicship in its true sense We arriv'd at our Lodging whether it pleas'd his Eminence to bring us and so our Discourse broke off On Sunday the 23d in the afternoon we went to see Cardinal Ghiggi The Abbot of Valcroissant very well refuted as he had done before to Cardinal Spada some of the principal reasons for which M. Hallier and his Collegues endeavour'd to obstruct the Congregation which we demanded as also the most considerable slanders by which they endeavour'd to decry us as sworn enemies of the H. See The Cardinal heard all the Abbots Discourse calmly and when he had done askt us where M. Hallier spoke all the things whereof we complain'd for he remember'd none of them and indeed that all that was spoken to him in that manner enter'd at one ear and went out at the other That besides he was not yet commission'd by the Pope to
them he said he would read them most diligently diligentissima mente and after he had read them he should be very glad to hear us concerning them Departing thence after some small visites I met a certain Person in the City who told me that the General of the Dominicans intended to present a Memorial to the Pope to get time to send for some able persons of his Order besides those he had already who might represent to his Holyness the interests that his Order had in this affair In the afternoon I visited that General to shew him one of our VVritings concerning Matters of Fact and our Summary He presently sent for one of his Order to transcribe them VVe conferr'd together a long time and all our Discourse was whether we had taken a right course in the business and whether it would not be better to deliver VVritings concerning the Propositions then concerning S. Augustin's authority because he fear'd least whilest we took this care on one side to defend it they might ruine it on the other by condemning the Propositions I represented to him on the contrary that we were oblig'd to take that course in conformity to the desire and letters of our Bishops who had written to the Pope that in order to do something of profit and edification in this cause it was requisite to resume the affair from its original and by its principles rem à fontibus ex integro violare That however admiting we had taken a wrong course in reference to the mode of the Court of Rome and done a superfluous thing in proving the authority of S. Augustin whereof no Body doubted it would then be easie to make our Adversaries acknowledge it as we requir'd them and establish it as we demanded that the worst was it might occasion possibly two months delay in the Congregation which would not be altogether unprofitable wherefore if those of the Congregation had any sense of justice and equity and so great an esteem for S. Augustin that it were not necessary to say any thing in behalf of his authority it being so universally acknowledg'd and beyond all contest they would have nothing to do but first to confirm it as we desired and after they had comply'd with our need and infirmity and we were ready to take the right course in which we had fail'd then to dismiss thoroughly the fantastick Propositions I spoke to him about the Memorial which he was to deliver to the Pope and about which he had been that day in the Pope's Presence-chamber to desire audience He answer'd me that he could not deliver it not having been introduc'd to audience That his purpose in pressing to deliver it that day was to hinder and get deferr'd the Congregation design'd upon the Tuesday ensuing that since he could not declare that day he would wait to present it after that secret Congregation was past VVhen I left him and had been a good while entertain'd about our affairs with sundry very affectionate and able Persons of his Order I went to see another General of an Order a very intelligent Person who very well understood the Jesuites and who speaking of them said one thing which may amaze those that shall read it viz. Non è più gran fortuna nel mondo che di non connoscerbi non esserne conosciuto There is no greater advantage in the world than not to know them and not to be known by them On Monday the 23d we went in the morning before the Consistory to see Cardinal Ghiggi in whose equity good intention and candour we had very great hope and endeavour to set forth to him how unusual and strange the Congregation intended to assemble the next day seem'd to us we not having been advertis'd of it our VVritings not having been well examin'd and perhaps not any of the Consultors who should be call'd to it having heard any thing of them His Maistre de bre referr'd us to 3. in the afternoon VVe fail'd not to return thither at the time appointed His Gate was shut no audience to be as'kd or hopt for Had we been admitted we could onely have let him know our dissatisfaction that the proceedings in this affair were so little conformable to the Sute we had made aswell by the Letter of the Prelates which we deliver'd to the Pope in 1651. and which there was a full years leasure to consider as by our Memorial of the 21. of Ianuary six Months before it was plainly and nakedly declar'd to us that the Pope had granted to us the Congregation which we had requested of him But for all this we could not have hindred the assembling of the Congregation which they resolv'd to hold on Tuesday morning It was signifi'd on the VVednesday foregoing to be that day in the usual order and according to custome by Tickets fastned on the Hall-doors of the Cardinals who were of it and elsewhere if need require whereby notice is given of the day hour place and subject that is to be treated of All this had been done and the Subject was also chosen and appointed to be the first Proposition And that even three dayes before we had deliver'd to Cardinal Spada our preambulary writings touching things wholy different from the first Proposition But the first notice we receiv'd of it was that which Card. Ginetti gave us Tuesday the 24th being come a friend of ours went to Cardinal Spada's Palace to observe what should pass there and advertise us thereof The hour appointed was 13. a clock that is about eight in the morning Cardinal Cechini arriv'd there first about half an hour after seven and before eight all the rest of whom the Congregation consisted arriv'd there one after another in this Order The Procurator General of the Capucines Aversa The General of the Augustins F. Palavicini a Jesuite F. Campanella a Carmelite who had also been a Jesuite before he enter'd into the Order of the Carmelites Monsignor Albizzi The Master of the Sacred Palace Cardinal Ginetti F. Delbene The Procurator General of S. Marcel The Commissary of the H. Office F. Modeste Procurator of the Conventual Cordeliers Cardinal Ghiggi F. Luca Vadingo The four Cardinals retir'd together in private for some time and M. Albizzi with them and a little after which was about nine a clock they caus'd all the other persons above named to enter At Dinner time every one returned home This is all that I leatnt after they were separated and that they were to assemble again in the same manner that day seven night In the afternoon I went to S. Andrew de Laval where I spoke with F. Delbene from whom I could learn nothing saving that we had reason to be satisfi'd with what pass'd that morning And as I was speaking to him of the reasons which hinder'd us from being contented with such proceeding though perhaps in reality we had cause to be so he said we might represent the same to the Cardinals
concern'd in the judgement That we already knew several of the persons whom the Pope had chosen for the Congregation held at Cardinal Spada's house but knew not yet those whom his Holiness might adde to the same Congregation to make it such as we had demanded of him That it was easie for the Pope even without going out of Rome if he were willing to ttansact things with the ordinary forms and solemnities which we had demanded to adde still to those already nominated a good number of intelligent and qualified persons who might render the Congregation full and solemn but indeed although as I said before it was a thing very commendable and natural to have recourse to Rome in a time of need yet it was really shamefull and deplorable to be put to such needs and not to be able to regulate our selves that therefore I confessed that they who were the cause of the division between us were extremely to blame And hereupon I gave him a full relation of the whole affair to let him see that neither the Prelates who sent us nor we were the cause thereof Thus the Conference ended but it was very long considering that it was a day of dispatch it being above four a clock before I could take leave of the Ambassador One visite more I made on Tuesday the 24th to F. Pascaligo who told me that he heard from a Consultor that Cardinal Spada's Congregation was upon the 4th Proposition that the same Consultor said to him that as concerning matter of Fact he conceiv'd it was evident by the Epistle of S. Prosper but as to the censure included in the Proposition which condemns the Semipelagians as Hereticks for having been of such an Opinion it seem'd to him the Consultor that it was contrary to the Orders of Paul V. who had equally prohibited either party to condemn one another CHAP. XVII A Consultation between my Collegues and me whether in case they persisted at Rome to refuse to receive from us in order to an examination and judgement any but secret and private information we should at length comply and deliver the same in such manner Our Reasons for and against it Of the Letters which we writ thereupon to Paris and the Answers we receiv'd WHatever stedfast resolution we had taken professed touching the Assemblies of the Cardinals and Consultors held at Cardinal Spada's house yet we were incessantly anxious concerning them and fear'd some troublesome sequel from them They troubled us so far that we fell into consultation whether it would not be expedient for us to comply with the time the disposition of things and minds and deliver to the said Cardinals and Consultors secret and particular informations in writing touching the Propositions to the end to prevent such mischiefs as might happen by their absolute condemnation rather than let them passe on to such condemnation by keepgin close to the Order which we had receiv'd not to proceed but before a Congregation wherein the forms usual in Ecclesiastical and civil judgements might be kept We could not agree amongst our selves what to think most expedient and so to send to our Prelates to beseech them to permit us to act according co such necessity as we should all acknowledge But our opinions being different in the business we were oblig'd to signifie to them at length what reasons we had on either side either to comply or to continue firm in the order which they had given us that so upon consideration of the same they might let us know their resolution and send us orders what to do The Opinion amongst us for complying with the Congregation's manner of proceeding was grounded upon very urgent reasons The bottome of all which was that notwithstanding out instances for the communication of our writings and a hearing in presence of our Adversaries before the Congregation we could get no plain answer concerning those two points but still the Congregation frequently assembled and proceeded to the examination of the Propositions and passing judgement upon them We consider'd that being they saw not our writings nor heard us before them they could not be so fully instructed concerning S. Augustin's Principles as they would be if they heard us or perus'd our Papers That the more they became ingag'd by declaring what they could do against the Propositions the more difficult it would be to reduce them when we should afterwards come to speak before them in the Congregation That if we alwayes persisted in demanding those two things without ever obtaining them and they still proceeded as they did they might at length pronounce a judgement upon the writings alone which M. Hallier and his Collegues or the Jesuites supplyed them with the same remaining unrefuted by us and consequenly make a decision to our disadvantage whereas if we presented to them such writings as we could compose and refuted those of M. Hallier and his Collegues as was easie for us to do ours might be so strong and convincing as we saw that already was which we had ready upon the first Proposition and we might so well refute all those of our Adversaries which came to our hands that it would be morally impossible for the Consultors not to remain convinc'd of the righteousness of our cause and of the truth of the Propositions reduced to the sense which we defended and not to be oblig'd by evidence of the things which we should tepresent to them in our writings to declare themselves in our favour and to pronounce to our advantage by distinguishing the senses and approving those which we maintain'd VVe were further confirm'd in these apprehensions by knowing that M. Hallier and his Collegues were highly pleas'd with our insisting upon the communication of our writings and a publick audience with them without being able to obtain the same because by this means they were at liberty to say and deliver in writing whatever they pleased and feared no confutation or gainsaying and that if by so doing they could obtain as they hop'd a favourable judgement against the Propositions the credit which they had in the world would enable them to make as high use of it for the ends they aim'd at as if the same were passed after the greatest solemnities and with full and perfect cognisance of the cause We consider'd moreover that the thing most to be fear'd in taking this resolution was either that the writings which we should deliver would not be regarded or our verbal representations in particular visits not sufficiently attended to and the same judgement be nevertheless pass'd which in that case would be more prejudicial to us after our writings and remonstrances because it might he said that it was decreed after the Parties had spoken and written all that they could and consequently it would not be so easie to reclaim against such judgement if it brought any prejudice to the truth as it would be in a time more favourable if it were passed without hearing
were condemn'd by the Bull of Pius V. That in case they were not we had reason if they were then our Adversaries had That nevertheless after it were found that they were not the next Question would be whether they were true in themselves or no which was a hard thing to judge and therefore the Congregations were frequent That Si vorrebbe far qualche cosa they were desirous to do something considerable but there was no great likelihood of bringing it about they met with great difficulties that after the making of a Decision it was not known whether they who were condemn'd by it would acquiesce in the Condemnation In summa in a word 't was an affair likely to last to the end of the world fin alla fine del mondo Giesù m' ha detto grancose che pareva quando parlava a gli altri che le loro Signorie fossero tanti demonii quando parlava a loro che gli altri fossero tante bestie Jesus said our Advocate ending his Discourse the Cardinal spoke strange things he said when he talkt with your Adversaries he seem'd to hear them say that you were very Devils and when he talkt with you that your Adversaryes were wilde Beasts Tuesday Feb. 4. in the morning two Augustines visited us from their General to desire us to appear in the Congregation though it were for no more but to make the Declarations upon the Propositions which he had often heard us make in visits and particular meetings We profess'd to these Farhers that we wisht nothing else but an occasion of making those and other Declarations with all possible solemnity but to appear before the Congregation whilst it acted as it did and the persons excepted against by us were amongst the Consultors was a thing whereunto it was impossible for us to condescend and conform When these Fathers left us I went to Masse at la Trinita del Monte where I met M. Gueffier who told me he had blamed the Doctors our Adversaries for appearing and being heard in Cardinal Spada's Congregation the last week Wednesday the 5th I went to see the General of the Augustines who repeated his desire of our appearing in the Congregation Though it were said he only to testifie your submission That it would be expedient that we spoke all three there that one of us represented perhaps the occasion of our undertaking this journey that another lay'd open the truth of the Propositions in the sense wherein we maintain'd them and that the third tefuted the Objections which could be brought against them That above all it would be requisite that we took heed of saying any thing in defence of Jansenius and as for the Bull issu'd against him that we profess'd that we made no scruple to receive it I thank'd him for his affection and represented to him some of the Reasons which kept us from complying with his desires He redoubled his instances I repeated my excuses and Cardinal Roma's Brother supervening ended our Conference Thursday the 6th a friend of ours advertis'd us that F. Luca Vadingo told him that we should undoubtedly be heard but it were good that some Doctors from Flanders came to Rome for the interests of Jansenius since we declar'd that we would not meddle with his defence Friday the 7th being the day of the Ambassador's usual audience when he return'd from it I went to him to see whether he would inform us of any thing touching the purpose which he said the Pope had to hear us solemnly but he told me he had other things to extricate And in the afternoon being at S. Peter's Church I was witness of Cardinal Corrado's piety whom I saw at Prayers above an hour and a quarter all alone upon his knees behind a pillar without train Saturday the 8th I was inform'd that in Cardinal Spada's Congregations F. Palavicini being several times in dispute with some Consultors who validly and learnedly confuted what he alledg'd M. Albizzi to hinder the like inconveniences at length brought an Order of the Pope that none of them should speak but in his rank and measure his discourse by an half-hour glass which was introduc'd for that purpose The same day I saw the draught of a Memorial which the General of the Augustin's was resolv'd to present to the Pope upon the fitst favourable occasion in which he beseecht his Holiness to consider 1. That the Propositions were contriv'd purposely to involve in their condemnation the total ruine of S. Augustine's doctrine under the name of that of Jansenius which was so decry'd 2. That their Authors had compris'd in them the whole matter of Grace 3. That they had propounded them in general without the name of any Author in hope that they would be speedily condemn'd 4. That finding that they could not make them so bad but they would appear capable of some Orthodox sense they afterwards attributed them to Jansenius that at length they might be condemn'd under that pretext 5. That being consider'd even with reference to that Author they included the sound Catholick doctrine of S. Augustine and S. Thomas whereof Jansenius made profession I shall here insert the Copy of the said Memorial having been permitted to transcribe it Beatissime Pater EX obsequio in auctoritatem hujus sedis ac debito officii mei pro tuenda doctrina S. Augustini quam tuetur S. Thomas ejus schola humiliter supplico ut advertat quòd sub his quinque Propositionibus latet eversio totius doctrinae ejusdem S. P. Augustini quem cum diserte ut Doctorem Ecclesiae adversarii impugnare non possent pretextu doctrinae Jansenianae tam invisae eum omnino impetere cogitarunt Iu illis enim quinque Propositionibus datâ operâ magno artificio majori dolo comprehensa est tota materia de Auxiliis de possibilitate praeceptorum de gratia sufficienti efficaci de libertate liberi arbitrii quae quatuor capita totam hanc materiam comprehendunt E primò quidem Propositiones in abstracto proposuerunt existimantes quòd statim proscriberentur Vt adverterant non posse per se Censuram damnabilem habere quia eas ita confingere non potuerunt quin bonus aliquis appareret earum sensus easdem Propositiones retulerunt relativè ad doctrinam Jansenii ut saltem hoc titulo condemnarentur Caeterum cum hoc quoque respectu involvitur doctrina sacra Catholica ejusdem S. Augustini S. Thomae quam Jansenius profitetur Quare c. Moreovet the same day I learnt that they who most ardently wisht the condemnation of the Propositions began to confess that they were not of the number of those which were condemn'd by the Bull of Pius V. but were found in a greater number of those which this Pope had collected to condemn and were left behind yet being of the same quality with those which were condemn'd they deserv'd the like condemnation Sunday the 9th I
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
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
the reasonablenesse of it telling the other that no dangerous consequence could be feared from it in regard of the praises attributed therein to that H. Doctor by which he said his Doctrine was secur'd The other Cardinal reply'd that those praises were of little advantage to S. Augustin if his doctrine was really condemn'd adding that the Propositions in question were his very doctrin and till their condemnation maintain'd as so many articles of Faith Cardinal Ghiggi answer'd that they were equivocal and contain'd evill sense The other reply'd that they also contain'd Capital truths of the Catholick faith in the good senses wherein they might be understood For proof whereof he began to explain them with admirable facility and clearnesse but Cardinal Ghiggi excused himself from hearing him saying that he had not studied them Whereupon the other said Alas how then can you consent to their condemnation if you have not studied them Cardinal Ghiggi answered I should have studied them had I been da volare oblig'd to give my opinion and Vote concerning them The other demanded if you have not given your opinion how will it be true which the Pope shall say in his Bull that he condemnes them by advice of the Cardinals de Consilio fratrum nostrorum Cardinal Ghiggi answer'd that it would be true by a Council of prudence per un Consiglio prudentiale or otherwise by a Political advice of what was expedient to ordain regard being had to all the circumstances of the affair The other excepted again How can one give a prudential Counsel touching an affair which he hath not studied and sees not to the bottom If this Bull be published 't will be a Bull of the Consultors not of the Cardinals and of Consultors pickt and cull'd by wayes which all the world knowes and the French Doctors are not ignorant of they keep a register of them and if an unfitting Judgement come forth we shall soon see the H. See charg'd with confusion by printed Books in all parts Besides if any obscurity be in the Bull every one will draw it to his own side and this will cause horrible combustions and contest But for all this in summa said my Relator this Cardinal got nothing at all in his conference with Cardinal Ghiggi but very sharp answers from him Non fu guadagnato niente ma sempre acertissima risposta Returning home from the Visit wherein I learnt these passages we deliberated concerning our going altogether that morning to the Pope to deliver him the Letter of Febr. 24. and declare to him that we had been and should be alwayes ready to appear before him whenever he should appoint us Besides the general respect due to the Head of the Church from all the Faithful we consider'd what particular reasons we had for it in the present conjuncture and that the Pope was absolutely determin'd not to hear us at all in a contradictory Conference having so declar'd to our new Collegues that he conceiv'd he had us'd all moral diligences necessary for clearing the Truth that he was perswaded that after those diligences the H. Ghost's assistance of him was infallible and that he was resolv'd to pronounce a Judgement We consider'd the persons who inform'd him from whom he took counsel most of them prejudic'd against S. Augustin's doctrine against us offended with the difficulties we had made to appear before them unlesse on the conditions we demanded and accounting they did us a favour to hear us in the manner which they offer'd seeing that most of the World was become disaffected to us through the contrivances of the Jesuites throughout all Europe especially in France not likely to neglect so favourable an occasion of promoting the dominion which they affect over the conscience and liberty of the Faithful We consider'd that the Bull which was already compil'd against the Propositions could not but give great advantages to our Adversaries and be in their hands like a sword in those of a mad man when once it came forth that having assuredly not been made but by the ministry of M. Albizzi and the assistance of the Jesuites they might easily have slipt into it words of very great consequence beside the Pope's intention from whence the Jesuites might pretend the cause gain'd for their Molina and whose sequels his Holinesse not being sufficiently instructed in these matters could not foresee no more being necessary for his satisfaction saving that it appear'd in general that his intentions were follow'd wherefore we accounted it highly important to stop its publication We consider'd that in one of the Writings prepar'd for us we had our selves done what we beseecht the Pope might be done before all things namely distinguisht the Propositions into the several senses whereof they were capable and clearly explicated them both in the one and the other without equivocation or obscurity Which Writing was necessary to be read and publickly declar'd to the Pope before the Bull came forth to the end that if it absolutely condemn'd the Propositions we might have this authentick proof further that we had not maintain'd them absolutely but only in the Catholick senses whereof they were susceptible We consider'd that we could not have the advantage of making such declaration and protestation before the Pope nor hindering the publishing of the Bull if we still insisted upon being heard in the formes which we had dnmanded because 't was evidently dangerous that the Pope would persist to deny the same to us and without regard to what we had represented to him cause the Bull to be publisht forthwith Which would be of no other advantage to us then that we might complain of being condemn'd after an unheard of manner in defending the best cause of the World But neverthelesse such condemnation would cause great disorder and scandal in the Church We consider'd that the Pope might have good intentions That our Writings were very home that if he gave us time to explicate the same to him and add thereunto viva voce what we pleas'd as he promis'd us the truths which we had to represent to him might make some impression upon his mind stop his purpose against us wherto our Adversaries had drawn him convince him of the necessity of a Conference and consequently move him to appoint one of his own accord without our further demanding it We consider'd that should we be deceiv'd in our hopes this new fashion'd Audience which he would give us not being according to Ecclesiastical lawes and customes and we not accepting it but in regard of the present conjuncture and circumstances above mention'd there would be no great difference between having been heard in this manner and not being heard at all Lastly We consider'd that we accepted not this Audience but only to have the meanes of representing to the Pope that it was not such as we demanded that the accustom'd forms of the Church were not observ'd in it that Ecclesiastical liberty was infring'd by
to be accounted as our Judges we enter'd into the second Antichamber with them and sate down by them Here we stay'd near half an houre expecting the comming of the Cardinals and in the mean time doubting whether at our introduction to the Pope we should go to kisse his feet because we knew not in what posture we might find him I proposed doubt to a Chambelain of honor who could not absolutely resolve it but intimated that if we had done it when we saluted the Pope first he did not judge it necessary in this case neverthelesse so further satisfaction he refer'd me to the Maistre de Chambre and he to M. Albizzi But having no mind to consult the latter about any thing we resolv'd to do as we should see expedient A little while after the coming of the Cardinals the Consultors were call'd and enter'd one after another according to their Seniority Soon after we were call'd and advertis'd to leave our Hats behind us We found the Assembly in this order being in the secret Antichamber which is but a narrow place The Pope sat in a Chair like that in which he usually gives audience but so plac'd towards the door that at our entrance his Holiness's face was directly upon us at the distance of about ten paces One pace distant from his Holiness's Chair were on each side two Benches with backs of carved and painted wood capable of three persons In the midst a Turquy Carpet was spread upon the floor and at a little distance from thence was a Table at which M. Albizzi who otherwise stood kneel'd down to write when he pleas'd The four Cardinals sat upon the Benches with their Caps on Cardinal Spada sat first on the Pope's right hand Cardinal Ginetti next to him on the same side Cardinal Ghiggi on the other side right over Cardinal Spada and Cardinal Pamphilio opposite to Cardinal Ginetti But their order was as in a Circle beginning from the Pope's right hand Cardinal Spada being the first Cardinal Ginetti the second Cardinal Pamphilio the third and Cardinal Ghiggi the fourth The same order was observ'd among the Consultors They stood all successively according to their degrees beginning from the Pope's right hand round to his left and F. Tartaglia who was the last in degree stood nearest his Holinesse's left hand The square made by the benches and persons thus dispos'd was open on the side of the door right against the Pope and was just large enough to receive my Collegues and me all five in a row The Abbot of Valcroissant stood in the middle of us in a direct line to the Pope F. Des-mares on his right hand I on his left M. Manessier on the right hand of F. Des-mares and M. Angran on my left Being thus rank'd at the edge of the Foot-Carpet we all made a Genuflexion and at the same instant the Pope made a signe with his hand to us to rise up and spoke this word to us Proponele say what ye have to say The Abbot of Valcroissant having taken breath when he began his Oration made another genuflexion as he pronounc'd Beatissime Pater and we all with him We rose up immediately and he continu'd his Oration gravely and deliberately and animated it in a very sprightly and agreeable manner I subjoin here a most faithful and exact translation of it An Oration pronounc'd before the Pope by the Abbot of Valcroissant MOST HOLY FATHER THere is nothing more reasonable and just as Possessor an African Bishop sometimes said to Pope Hormisdas then to have recourse to the Head when the members are sick to the end to draw from it the strength which they need in their languishment For who can have more care of the soules which are subjected to him or from whom can greater support be expected to confirm the tottering Faith then from his successor who having first sat upon the Apostolical Thrones heard Jesus Christ himself say to him with his own mouth Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church We are oblig'd M. H. F. to represent to Your Holinesse by how many Artifices and secret Ambushes some persons employ certain obscure equivocal and maliciously contriv'd Propositions to undermine the Church at this day by assaulting and endangering the doctrine of S. Augustin touching the Grace of Jesus Christ so often approv'd by the H. See and authoris'd without discontinuance by the universal consent of the whole Church Upon which we shall speak M. H. F. with the now assurance and confidence for that we speak before the H. Apostolick See and before the Roman Church which being founded upon the immobility of a Rock preserves with invincible constancy and intire purity the unshaken firmnesse of its Faith and Doctrine without ever suffering that to be violated which it hath once confirm'd by its approbation and whereof it hath declar'd it self protectresse We have then the advantage of speaking before the Roman Church concerning the doctrine and authority of him who hath always had the supream Pontifs for approvers admirers and defenders and alwayes found so powerful protetection from them as often as complaint hath been made to them of such as impugned wounded oor despis'd his authority and doctrine Now haply is never came to passe that the authority and sentiments of that H. Father were more dangerously invaded then at this day but certainly never more maliciously or with more artifice Yet we praise God M. H. F. for that the danger is pass'd since those ambushes are discover'd For to have given the Romane Church knowledge of them is to have dissipated them and it being advertis'd of the danger wherein S. Augustine's doctrine is there remaines no doubt but the same will be secur'd and authoris'd as much as ever But this our confidence in the H. Apostolick See is further augmented because besides the authority of S. Augustin so powerfully establisht the doctrine in question carries a priviledge with it which is wholly peculiar to it self For though there be none of the Truths of the Catholick Faith whereof this first See of the World is not the illustrious Depository neverthelesse it attributes to it self by proper right the care of preserving the Grace of Jesus Christ inasmuch as according to what S. Augustin observes in his sixth Letter to Sixtus 't is principally to this Church that the great Apostle S. Paul spoke and taught the mysteries of the Grace of God which is given us by Jesus Christ our Lord. And the same S. Augustin in another Book shewing at the same time both that the Grace of Jesus Christ ought to be preacht throughout all the earth and that this Church is the head of all others with these words This great Apostle hath shown the power of Grace principally in his Epistle to the Romanes to the end that the preaching of the heavenly Doctrine might passe from this prime City of the World into all places of the Earth Which manifests that the
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
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
more and more enflames the hearts of his elect with holy and chast desires so that they remain wholy cleansed when they are washt from the pollutions of this world There is none but may and ought to acknowledge this Predestination of the Saints whereof no other reason can be given but the good pleasure of God's will which S. Paul expresses in the abovecited place and S. Peter in the first chapter of the first of his Epistles and all the Prophets both of the old and new Testament have likewise acknowledged this gift in the Elect insomuch that the light of the Sun is not more bright then that of these divine testimonies Let there be no mention therefore of those false pitiful and forc't consequences by which some pretend as is above observ'd that Free-will is destroyed by God's gratuitions election and that man remaines like a stock or a stone as S. Paul witnesses it fell out in his time that what he preached for the advantage of Grace was construed to establish the liberty of the flesh as if it had been lawfull for every one to do evil that Grace might become more abundant which is a damnable inference These are the consequences drawn by those who are unwilling to give God all the honour which is due to him or would share halfe of what belongs to Christ alone and who know not the exceeding mercy which hath been shewn to us by the death of the Son of God who willing to manifest to us the deep misery of our bondage exemplifyed in himself what is the true liberty of his Children and afterwards taught the same with his own mouth when he saith If the Son make you free you shall be free indeed Wherefore we ought to know that Predestination does not deprive the Elect of their Free-will but gives procures and preserves the same to them it does not force or use violence to any man but he causes the VVill to incline it self to good and voluntarily and sweetly VVhence we see by experience that there is nothing in the world more free or whose power is greater than that of a good Christian since his liberty extends over all things even to the death of sin and his own and that nothing can do any prejudice to him provided as S. Paul speaks Christian liberty be not turn'd into a Carnal liberty and if it happen sometimes that he falls into sin he finds that saying of the Scripture verifyed in himself that all things even sins too turn to the advantage of those that love God Now this I speak after S. Augustin and it must be taken in this sense that the sins whereinto a Predestinated man hath suffered himself to fall serve him for an occasion to recurre unto God whom he hath deserted to deplore and repent of his sin and to become better by it continually alwayes knowing more and more the death which arises from sin and the life which Jesus Christ gives 'T is true indeed in the Reprobate Free-will is not at all serviceable towards the attaining of eternal life as S. Augustin writing to Simplician saith liberum arbitrium plurimum valet imo vere qu idem sed in venundatis sub peccato quid valet And in a few lines after the same Father saith Praecipitur ut recte vivamus sed quis potest recte vivere nisi justificatus ex fide You see this holy man did not conceive as some doe at this day that 't is a horrible thing to affirme that Freewill is not sufficient to bring us to salvation he is so far from it that he wholly condemnes Free-will without Grace in reference to merit and justification as plainly appears throughout all his works Let us likewise forsake that fleshly Presumption which makes it strange that our Salvation is not in the power of our own Free-will because those are happy whose salvation is in the Hands of God and they most unhappy who depend upon themselves This is what S. Paul teaches us from that passage in the 33d chapter of Exodus I will be gratious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Wherefore 't is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Yet must it not be said that the Apostle in this place denyes and impugnes the cooperation of our Will but he referrs all the glory to God who powerfully sollicites and invites the wills of those that believe Whence it is that he complaines by the Prophet of that hardned people which would not obey the voice of God who called them and desired to draw them to himself and gather them under his wings as a Hen gathereth her Chickens T is true that as no other cause can be given of Predestination and Reprobation but God's will guided by his ineffable justice as S. Augustin speaks so 't is our faults and iniquities which are the cause of our damnation and this is what the Scripture saith in those words Thy destruction is from thy self O Israel but thy salvation is of me You understand all that I have written to confirme the first Proposition whereat you took scandal That the Predestinated cannot be damn'd nor the Reprobate sav'd and I could not doe it better then by the word of God which divides the spirit from the soul But to the end that you and every one else may be assured that I have cited the Holy Scriptures faithfully I shall hereunto add the sentiment of S. Augustin that pillar of the Church taken out of Sundry places of his works concerning this matter And in the first place to let you see that 't is his opinion that the Predestinated cannot be damn'd nor the Reprobate sav'd see what he saith in the Third Tome in his book De fide ad Petrum cap. 25. Firmissime tene nullatenus dubites omnes quos vasa misericordiae gratuita bonitate Deus fecit ante mundi constitutionem in adoptionem filiorum Dei praedestinatos a Deo neque perire posse aliquem eorum quos Deus praedestinavit ad regnum caelorum nec quemquam eorum quos non praedestinavit ad vitam ulla posse ratione salvari Praedestinatio illa gratuita donationis est praeparatio qua nos Apostolus ait praedestinatos in adoptionem filiorum Dei per Jesum Christum in ipsum See now whether this H. Doctor did not understand the above cited passage of the Epist to the Ephesians as I do confesse that what is contain'd therein is not the imagination of any man but a truth dictated by the H. Ghost Therefore the H. Doctor doth not hesitate in the matter but saith Firmissime tene He confirmes the same thing in his commentary upon the 69. Psalme at the 28. verse where it said Let them be blotted out of the book of the living And in another place writting against Julian he hath these express words Absit enim ut praedestinatus ad vitam
sine sâ—cramento Mediatoris finire permittatur hanc vitam And to conclude let the 106. Epistle ad Paulinum Episcopum be read and according to the Maximes contain'd in those writings it will appear what is to be believ'd concerning those who belong to eternal life and those who do not because by the authority of this great Saint to whom the Church is infinitely oblig'd every one will bring the most attentive ears and eyes to read and contemplate the verityes of the Holy Scriptures by humbling himself praying God to discover to him the sense of the Scriptures VVherefore since the goodnesse of God hath manifested to us in the Church so many wayes the predestination of the Elect and the Holy Doctors and Preachers amongst the rest S. Augustin that great light and powerfull mawl of hereticks having alwayes acknowledged it I cannot but affirme with them that it ought to be taught and preacht in the Church yet it must be spoken of with wisdom to the end it may be understood without Scandal and embraced because we may contemplate therein as in a living mirror and understand and penetrate by faith the high counsells of God and what he resolv'd from all eternity concerning his Son and his Members both as to remission of sins and preparation of glory for his Elect. By this meanes the spirit of Satan can never draw a consequence as impious as false which was heretofore broacht in the Church by some corrupt members who separated from it and is again reviv'd at this time If God say they hath Predestinated some Reprobated others it will undoubtedly come to passe that the former shall be sav'd and the others damn'd VVhence they conclude that whether they do good or evil their salvation damnation will come to passe by necessity and they make use of these arguments for a liberty of continual sinning since God say they hath already determin'd either to save or to damn them and so they voluntarily give themselves up to be abused by the Devil who transformes himself into an Angel of light that they may extinguish that word and seed by which he must be at length overcome and wholly destroy'd Yet these wretches perceive not that if God hath manifested for his Church the great mystery of Predestination which was hidden from ages passed they ought rather to strive to make the holy calling of God sure by his mercy and the meanes of good works then to shew by their bad that they are sons of the Devil since if natural light teach us that we never ought to offend such a friend as out of charity would to recover our earthly liberty readily put himselfe into our place and bestow his money to repair our misfortunes how can the uncreated light of the Holy Spirit but teach us that being the Son of God dy'd for the Elect and saith they cannot perish it is not lawfull to commit evil wilfully by offending a friend so full of goodnes and a brother so affectionate upon an impious opinion concerning Predestination and like the perfidious Jews to crucifie the Blessed Jesus for our damnation instead of being crucifyed with him for our salvation The faithfull Christian must never make profession of being a sinner but he ought to acknowledge before God and men that he is a miserable sinner and with continual repentance amend his bad life and reform his sins because being become a child of God by regeneration he must never enter into the works of the servants of sin for he that commits sin is the servant thereof and if it happen that he fall sometimes he must rise againe with more vigor and thus every moment become a greater and more irreconcilable enemy to sinne As we see in the world a Child of great quality never betakes himself to the servile offices in his Fathers house which belong onely to the lowest vassals and if it sometimes happens that he put his hand thereunto he presently drawes it away again because he understands what ignominy and dammage would ensue to him in case he should consume his life therein I am come to the conclusion of what I had to say to you concerning these things of which should I go about to speak as much as their dignity requires great labour and study would not be sufficient I mean to exercise one's self and not to manifest the truth which is compriz'd in few words because the Lord hath made a short work upon the earth 'T is sufficient to children that the eternal Father discover his will to them by the least sign because they embrace it presently without many proofes and to the end it may be preserv'd in them he hath not left a more effectual pledge then that of his H. Spirit whom I most humbly beseech to dispel the darknesse of our ignorance and fill the Elect with divine light for which we are bound alwayes to render infinite thanks This is all I have to say to to you The Lord God comfort you From Venice the 17th of April 1549. John Patriarch of Aquileia The Apologie of the most Illustrious Patriach of AQILEIA for the Letter Preceding I. PROPOSITION He hath preserved the seed of his Grace to the end we should not remain unfruitful he hath preserved the H. Spirit for our consolation against errors and the enemies of grace ANSWER The name of the H. Spirit sent by the Father and the Son who is the fountain of truth and in whom I have written those things which are written in my little Tract of predestination being first called upon I explain the first Proposition extracted out of the said Tract and terme these enemies of Grace who of what quality and condition soever they be disparage and despise that free gift of God perverting the holy things of God to the desires of the flesh whom S. Augustine frequently impugnes and whom I thought fit to encounter in that Discourse Moreover I call such the enemies of Grace who I hear write and teach that salvation can accrue to those whom God hath not predestinated And lastly I terme enemies of Grace not onely the Pelagians who live amongst us at this day but also those who are gone and whom S. Cyprian according to S. Augustin's testimony overcame and routed long before they sprung up II. PROPOSITION Predestination is of God only both because the Scripture affirmes the same and S. Paul teaches as much manifestly in this and divers other places as because it depends not upon natural principles being wholly divine and spiritual and depending onely upon the free promise which God hath made to us ANSWER Predestination is from God alone because nothing hath preceded in Eternity God's will predestinating and reprobating Therefore no efficient cause of it can be assign'd besides the divine VVill. It is written in the 9 h. chapter to the Romans Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Which place I understand in the same sense as S. Augustin S. Thomas and
I have thought sit to write to Y. H. and give you an account of this affair according as I am oblig'd to the end you may aquiesce in the sentiments of these most learned and holy Fathers Wherefore I beseech Y. H. to receive this Prelate who hath been found innocent into your good grace and to give this satisfaction to the most Serene Republick of Venice which hath been alwaies so devoted to the service of Y. H. and the H. See that since it sees him absolv'd it may also see him promoted to the Cardinalship by the justice liberality and favour of Y. H. Assuredly Y. H. will herein do a thing worthy of eternal esteem and highly oblige the Venetians to whom being as I am beholding in many respects I shall account my self to have a particular share in this benefit if Y. H. pleases to adde it to the many others which I have receiv'd from you I beseech Y. H. if I continue to be troublesome to you by the length of this letter The goodnesse of Y. H. towards all the world and your singular good-will towards my self and your last letters of the 7th of August so full of paternal kindness to me are the cause of it In fine I conceiv'd my self oblig'd thereunto by my great respect to Y. H. my affection to your service and in the inviolable fidelity which I have vow'd and shall ever keep to you Given at Trent The Letter of the most illustrius Legats to Card. BONOMEO Most illustrious and Reverend Lord THE Bishop of Tortosa who is one of the Commissioners for the affair of the Patriarch being to go to Milan to see the Duke of Sesse his Nephew the Ambassadors of Venice made their solicitations that the abovesaid Commissioners might give their report and declare their judgement thereof before his departure Wherefore to satisfy these Ambassadors we were oblig'd to put off the general Congregation yesterday in the afternoon to dispatch this particular one which lasted from one a clock till night The Commissioners whose names we send your most Illustrious and reverend Lordships were all there except the Ambassador of Poland who was indisposed in the Country and they all gave their suffrages one after another according to their precedence All the sentences were uniforme that in the Patriarch's letter there was not one heretical word nor any which might not be found in S. Augustin S. Prosper S. Bernard S Thomas other H. D. Whereupon they all concluded that he ought to be acquitted of the calumnie raised against him adding further that it was not onely their own judgment but also that of all the Divines of their nations with whom they said they had diligently consulted upon the whole matter Nevertheless the Archbishop of Granada the Bishop of Segovia appear'd a little reserv'd saying they had not consider'd the cause according to thir desire but so far as they had consider'd it then they judg'd that the Patriarch was to be absolved with reservation to give a more manifest declaration another time of what they thought of it desiring first to see the sentences which were sent to Rome which were accordingly given them Some also said that the author of the letter seem'd little vers'd in the Scholastick way but that nevertheless he so fully clear'd things in the Apologie that there remain'd no scruple when they had all ended giving their sentences we desir'd them to give us the substance of the same compendiously in writing to the end we might consider them frame our judgment to which they all agreed Your most illustrious Lordship sees now in what posture the Patriarch's affaire stands and may give notice thereof to our H. Father The present being to no other end we kisse your hands and humbly recommend our selves to your Lordship From Trent the 14. of August MDLXIII Your most illustrious and most Reverend Lordships most humble servants Cardinal Moronius Stanislaus Card. of Wormes Cardinal Simonetta Cardinal Navagero The sentence passed upon the above mentioned Letter by the most Illustrious Legats of the Council of TRENT under Pope PIUS 4. the 18th of September MDLXIII HAving invok'd the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and having onely God before our eyes with the advice and consent of other persons learned in Divinity we judge attest and pronounce that the abovesaid Letter of the abovesaid most Reverend M. John Grimani Patriarch of Aquileia joyned with his Apologie is neither heretical nor suspected of heresie nor scandalously expressed And neverthelesse that it is not fit to divulge the same by reason of certain difficult things which are handled and explicated exactly enough therein VVe affirm declare pronounce and sentence thus in the best forme c. The Letter of the most Illustrious Seigneurie of Venice to the most Reverend Patriarch of Aquileia Most Reverend Father in Jesus Christ IT would be hard for us to express with what comfort contentment we have understood the just honorable conclusion of which the affair of your most R L. hath had in the Sacred General Council with the universal consent of all those holy and learned Fathers and in presence of all the Ambassadors of the Princes of Christendome But you may well conceive the same by the Singular affection which we have alwayes born to you and by the desire as well as the firme and just hope which we have had that your innocence would be thus acknowledg'd manifest to all the world VVherefore we extreamly rejoyce with you both for your particular interest and chiefly for our own Your most Reverend Lordship being not onely born a Gentleman of our Republick but of a family so honourable and to which we have so many obligations And being this so high and so honourable and so soveraign Assembly hath favour'd with its praises not onely the judgement but also the testimony which we gave to the Pope and where else it was needful of your most Reverend Lordship as knowing very well the vertuous religious and Catholick life which you have alwayes led we have all grounds to desire and hope as we shall do with all sort of affection and reason that God who is the fountain of justice and of all good having been pleased that the calumnies unjustly made against you are surmounted by the truth you will also surmount the Obstacle which had been layd against your most Reverend Lordship to the publication of that dignity which the honourable qualityes of your person vertue piety and integrity have caused you to merit and obtain Given in our Ducal Palace the 29th of September MDLXIII GRIOLAMO PRIVLI by the grace of God Duke of VENICE And on the backside it was inscrib'd To the most Reverend Father in God M. John Grimani by the grace of God most worthy Patriarch of Aquileia FINIS
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