a Judgement that himself had made a display thereof to all the Examiners in an Assembly held at M. Bouvot's house in declaring to them that the Propositions not being taken out of any Book that appear'd and having much affinity with opinions not condemn'd but still receiv'd in the Church it would be very difficult to passe any judgement upon them unlesse they were compar'd with those opinions and the books explicating the said opinions were examin'd that for his part he conceiv'd it necessary for this reason that the examination of the Propositions should proceed in that manner He answer'd further that he very well understood the connexion of these Propositions with the doctrine of S. Augustin and of the first amongst the rest it being that whereof they had already debated that he had represented the same to the Examiners and shewn that in the doctrine of the said Saint it behooved to acknowledge a Differencing Grace which comes from God and consentaneous to the truth of that sacred Oracle Quis te discernit Quid habes c. That this Grace is not given to all the Just but only to such as fulfill the Commandements by which Grace they are made to differ from those that do not fulfill them that it behooveth also to acknowledge that this Grace is absolutely necessary to perform the command of God seeing that without the same he that performs it cannot be made to differ from him that performs it not saving by the strength of his own will which is a manifest error and consequently that it was necessary to use very great circumspection in this Proposition He told us further that here he was interrupted and told that he was not to trouble himself whether the Propositions were S. Augustines or had any affinity with his doctrine or with that of any other Catholick Doctors that it suffic'd to consider the same according to the determinations of the Council of Trent and the Holy Scripture and to find what affinity they have with the Doctrine of such Hereticks as have been condemned by that Sacred Council that this was the sole rule which it behooved them to follow in their judgement upon those Five Propositions that to stand upon S. Augustin's or any other Catholick Doctor 's doctrine were to engage in such inexplicable difficulties as would hinder them from making any judgement at all thereof That to this he remonstrated that the judgements of the Church were not made otherwise then by considering what the Holy Scriptures and the Councils and the Holy Fathers had said concerning the matters to be judg'd of that the Church alwayes thought her self oblig'd to follow the doctrine of the Holy Fathers as constituting a part of Tradition that the Faculty was not higher then the Church and therefore it behoov'd it to conform to the rules of its mother and to consider the Holy Fathers as well as she doth and because this first Proposition's affinity with the Doctrine of S. Augustin he persisted in his first sentiment that it behoov'd to consider S. Augustines doctrine together with the Holy Scriptures and the Council of Trent Vpon this Remonstrance some of the Examiners seeming willing to proceed as if what he said were nothing but his single opinion he assur'd us that he insisted upon the maintaining what he had deliver'd and hinder'd them from passing further Whereupon the Examiners seeing him resolute to have S. Augustin's doctrine consider'd as a rule in part of the Censure they design'd to passe upon the Propositions broke up this Assembly I shall adde one thing very considerable namely that he told us one of the Examiners brought into this meeting the determination of the First Proposition and the condemnation he intended to make thereof And upon my telling him that I believ'd it was M. Pereyret he reply'd nothing to me So that it 's easie to judge that the said determination of the Five Propositions was before-hand fram'd by them who maliciously compos'd them I intreat you to make use of this testimony and averre it before whom you shall think meet I assure you it is very sincere and I will make it good in presence of any person whatsoever The second Letter speaks of another Occurrence in the auditory of the Sorbonne between M. Launoy and F. Nicolaï at which M. Grandin was present also Take it as it followeth I think my self oblig'd to give you some intelligence which may be usefull in the cause you defend I have amongst my Notes one remark which lately I made namely that the Deputies who were to censure the Five Propositions within a moneths time triumph'd in the Auditory of the Sorbonne as being assur'd of the carrying of their cause for that they had made themselves the Judges thereof Father Nicolai a Dominican and one of those Deputies discoursing with M. Launoy a very eminent Doctor of our Faculty said That the intention of the Deputies was not to consider whether the Five Propositions had affinity with the doctrine of St. Augustin or no but only what affinity they have with the doctrine of the Hereticks that have been condemned by the Council of Trent that there is no obligation to receive S. Augustines doctrine or propose it to themselves for a Rule in the judgement of the Faculty and therefore it is not to be stood upon Vpon M. de Launoy's answering him that S. Augustin's doctrine was never condemn'd and that it was twelve hundred years old and that therefore it was not fit that Doctors who were not seventy five should undertake to condemn it That Father reply'd that what ever was contrary to the Council of Trent and the Holy Scriptures was likely to be condemn'd and that there would be no speech of any particular persons doctrine but only the Five Propositions M. de Launoy gave him an account how S. Augustine's doctrine stands in reference to the first Proposition and told him after his pleasant way That S. Augustin was too old to be plac'd upon the seats of the Doctors in Divinity of the Faculty of Paris F. Nicolai answer'd that this doctrine taken in the sense of Hereticks deserves to be condemn'd but that the businesse in hand is only about censuring or judging of Five Propositions M. Grandin said that there was no obligation to follow S. Augustin and mention'd some opinions of S. Augustin which ought not to be follow'd now Which is a shamefull evasion and unworthy of a Christian man Thus you have what is in my memory make use of it as of a thing very certain and testify'd to you by him who is c. As for the Abusive Courses upon which we grounded our Petition of which I shall speak below amongst ten compris'd in a Memorial annex'd to that Petition the third ran thus The Faculty hath not given power to the said Deputies for any of them to act in the absence of the rest and neverthelesse they never are together and have not forborn to proceed M. Pignay
prayses full of disguisement and fiction but by solid and express approbations till your Holinesse shall have establisht it your self according to the example of your Predecessors by a publick Definition against these few accusers who can scarce be repressed any other way which is the onely and most profitable remedy that can be made use of for the peace of the whole Church VVe know most H. Father that there is no practice or endeavour omitted by our Apversaries to hinder the effect of so just and necessary a Demand we know that there is nothing in the world which they fear so much as to be constrain'd to subscribe as they ought to the authority of S. Augustin or to see your Holiness treading in the steps of Celestin I. Clement VIII confirm it anew repress the temerity of these Censors and give for rule of this controversie a Doctrine that hath been establisht for so many ages because assoon as they shall be oblig'd to admit the same against their wills or shall see your Holiness solemnly confirm it they will be out of all hope of prevailing against the Propositions under the obscurity of which they aim only at the condemnation of S. Augustin according to their form'd design although they affect not to express his name Your Holiness will hear with wonder that after having openly attaqu'd S. Augustin's doctrin with their utmost strength both by themselves and by the help of the Jesuites whose defenders and confederates they are they now openly proclaim their submission to it They will have the boldness to profess themselves publick Panegyrists and defenders of that Father even in presence of your Holiness But their doing thus will be only to palliate the contempt they have of him with feigned respect and to free themselves from blame it will be only to avoid the punishment of the insolence wherewith they outrage him it will be only to hide the aversion which they have for his Doctrine under the commendation which they give to his Person it will be only to diminish the care which is to be had in these controversies in examining which are the true sentiments of that H. Father and to make it believ'd that it is not concern'd in the Propositions which have been presented to your Holiness since themselves who impugn them profess to follow the doctrine of that Father and so reverence his authority to the end that having avoided the condemnation of their temerity by such feigned and captious elogiums of S. Augustin and got off without being oblig'd to subscribe to any thing or your Holiness having ordained them so to do they may with their Partisans thence forward reject his authority with more boldness than ever condemn his doctrine and continue to banish it from their Schools as Calvinistical and dangerous especially in case your Holiness should be induc'd under some pretext to condem the Propositions because they will not fail afterwards to make the censure fall upon S. Augustin and indeed they would have some ground for their doing so These are the designs of our Adversaries and we doubt not but they will be of no force with your Holiness whom they have not been able to surprize hitherto whatever slights they have made use of since if that unhappiness should happen it would be an exposing the principal Inheritance which the H. See possesses as by succession to pillage and depredation a transporting of it by the hands of the Churches own children to its enemies as no doubt it would come to pass by the contempt of S. Augustin's authority and doctrine it would be a nullifying the authority of all the Fathers it would be totally to exterminate the antiquity of doctrine and venerable Tradition it would be to abolish the respect which is due to the Decrees of the H. Apostolical See it would imply that the Church hath unjustly condemn'd the enemies of Grace it would give occasion to believe that the H. Council of Trent favoured the Pelagian Hereticks and gave new forces to the Calvinists In fine it would give ground to say that your Holiness hath made but little account of all the antient Decrees which your Predecessors Innocent Zozimus Boniface Celestine Sixtus Leo Gelasius Hormisdas and others have pronounced in favour of S. Augustin or rather that you abolisht them It must be confess'd most H. Father that these things are of great importance and seem almost incredible but besides that they are evidently manifested to such as shall read these two Writings which we now present to you they will be more visible and conspicuous in the whole sequel of this affair and we are ready to convince our Adversaries thereof Your Holiness will no doubt foresee dangers so extreme and imminent you will hear complaints so necessary you will take time to inform your self fully of a cause so important and your pastoral vigilance will apply it self with no less wisdome integrity and justice to this great affair which is of high consequence to the whole Church to the H. Apostolick See to the Faith and Christian piety then to all the other affairs of the same Church VVe know that God hath as one of the principal effects of his favour given us in our dayes such a Pastor that if it hapned sometimes that your Holiness cannot be advertis'd of the importance of things yet when you are so you cannot but ordain all that is requisite in justice reason and equity and we know likewise that all that we say is so certain and considerable we know that the whole Church is reduc'd to so great extremities by all the contrivances of our Adversaries in this contest that your Holiness would before now have provided for so urgent a necessity if the true state of this affair had been sooner lay'd open to you which it hath not been till the present Nevertheless what ever great promise we seem to engage our selves to here we dare confidently affirm that we shall give most clear and indubitable proofs thereof provided the Congregation which your Holinesse hath establisht obtain its full and entire effect and time and place be allow'd us to convince our Adversaries in their presence vivâ voce and by writing 'T will then be that your Holiness and the whole Roman Church shall really know that 't is not without Cause that we have laid open to you the greatness of this danger and that our complaints have been neither false nor frivolous when we brought them to the H. See and to the Supreme Tribunal before which S. Bernard hath taught us that no person ought to draw any advantage from falsehood We are Most H. Father Your Holiness's most humble and most obedient Servants and Sons Noel de la Lane Doctor of Divinity in the Faculty of Paris c. Louis de Saint-Amour Doctor of the Sacred Faculty of Paris c. Louis Angran Licentiate of the same Sacred Faculty c. Perhaps it will be thought strange that we have spoke
was entitl'd De Controversia inter Jansenistas Anti-Jansenistas which he told me as since too I have had certain proofs was made by F. Morel an Augustin Doctor of our Faculty at the request of M. Albizzi who desir'd him to draw up a Memoire for him of the state of the Controversies In that writing he represents us under the name of Jansenists as people spirited with nothing but passion and hatred against the H. See and who have no other aime but to overthrow and ruine its Authority That this Aversion is the original of all the Disputes arisen about all the contested points of Doctrine That they have not ventur'd to write concerning Grace frequent Communion and the like but to have occasion thereby to discredit the must zealous Defenders of the H. See by causing them to passe with the people for Ignorants who have corrupted the Sentiments of the H. Fathers and are tainted only with Semipelagian and Pelagian errours that so they may afterwards securely say what they please of that sacred Authority to destroy it when its Defenders are become without credit and esteem That for this it was that there was such endeavours us'd to exclude them the Religious or Fryers Mendicants from the Assembly of the Faculty by restraining them to the number of two of each Order That for the same end there were purchas'd with ready mony Doctors Preachers Batchelors Students in all the Universities and Cities of France that so not only in publick occasions but also in familiar Conferences they might gain the multitude and inspire into them not only their sentiments touching Grace and Predestination but also the hideous Maximes which they maintain against the Sacraments of the Altar and Pennance and against the Authority of the Council of Trent That we were possess'd of the hearts of severaol persons of quality rich and potent who liberally furnisht vast sums of mony to supply the expences necessary to be made for the carrying on of such pernicious designes That we have in sundry places Seminaries and Assemblies of Sectators who wholly apply themselves to contrive meanes to bring the same to passe That 't was for this end that we complotted right or wrong to maintain the Tenets of Jansenius because they are very proper thereto That neverthelesse finding we did not advance so much as we wisht in this affair by the works compos'd touching Grace we could no longer retain the venom which we had conceal'd a great while against the H. See and the Church but at length vomited it forth by publishing the books of frequent Communion and of Tradition concerning Pennance in which we accus'd the Church of being corrupted and pretended our selves to be its Physitians and Reformers That we alwayes hinder'd by all sort of ways the Bulls of Popes from being received into the Diocesses or by the Faculties and that when the sleights us'd for that end succeeded not we had recourse to other wayes so far as to stir up seditions when we were able to do it and judg'd the same necessary That in fine all this being unprofitable Rage and Fury led us to revive and maintain by all wayes all the ancient Errors and scandalous Principles concerning Grace and the Sacraments which the Popes have heretofore condemned That 't was for this reason that those of the Faculty whose hearts were firm to maintain the authority of the H. See and to stop the Current of calamities and disorders these beginnings of which threatned the whole Church seeing themselves without comparison the greater number in respect of those who were enemies of the said Authority chose out as the most scandalous amongst many others Propositions which we dispers'd among the people those which M. Cornet produc'd in the Faculty to get them censur'd in the general and without having regard whether they were advanc'd by Jansenius by M. Arnauld by the Jesuites or by any other whatsoever That moreover the H. See ought extremely to take heed of giving ear to those Jansenists because they are mingled and united with the Richerists that is with the sectators of the Doctor nam'd Richer who writ so much against the Ecclesiastical Monarchy and because their whole faction strives after and endeavours nothing with more ardor then to debase the Authority of the H. See Wherefore this zealous Intelligencer and faithful Counsellor having in the same Paper noted in particular the names of some of those whom he suppos'd culpable of these factions and designes and the names also of some others of the principal servants of the H. See who withstood the same concludes at length with his advice which he proposes with some seeming moderation saying that the readiest Expedient in this affair would be to impose silence to every one Yet really persisting in the good characters which he gave of us and perswading the Pope to treat us with all the distrust and caution that can be us'd with an open enemy and to overwhelm us every day with new Bulls and Decrees to reduce us to obedience but to deal with the others as with his well-beloved Children and most faithful servants and to provide as much as possible for their interest and satisfaction But though this be extracted out of the said writing word for word yet it is hard to apprehend it for such as it is without reading it And therefore though it be something long I have thought good to place it among the Pieces which I shall add to this Journal therein to shew a Model of the disadvantageous Characters of us and our intentions inculcated to the Pope and his principal Officers thereby to render us suspected and odious and to incense them against us And by this example it may be seen how the Popes are sometimes very ill-inform'd of the truth of the things which are related to them 'T was a good Religious Fryer Doctor of Paris of the order of St. Augustin of whom a sincere account of those Disputes in France was desired This Writing thus pen'd by him was imparted about as coming from him and as a work rare faithful and secret and this rais'd a curiosity in every body to see it All that read it gave perfect belief to it there was no body at Rome to contradict it and when I was arriv'd there though I was nam'd particularly in the said Writing yet they for whom he drew it were oblig'd to such secrecy as would have kept them from telling me any thing of it though they had otherwise desir'd it So that it had its course freely through Rome as no doubt many others had of which I could never discover any thing and this had remain'd unknown to me as well as the rest of like nature had it not been for the cordial kindnesse of this good Priest who gave it to me having by chance got it himself It was confirm'd to me that it came from F. Morel by M. the Archbishop ............ the Pope's Sacristan who was chosen out of the
to the Doctors against whom they were made to the end they might be ready to answer thereunto when their Eminences should think fit that we appear'd with them in the Congregation And lest they might forget this request after our departure from them we made a short Memorial of it of which we transcrib'd and sign'd as many Copies as were requisite to present the same to each of them The Memorial was thus inscrib'd on the outside Eminentissimis ac Reverendissimis Dominis Dominis Cardinalibus congregationis institutae pro negotio quinque Propositionum And within side thus Eminentissimi Reverendissimique Domini Cardinales Eminentiis vestris humillimè supplicamus uti jubeant Adversariis nostris communicari duo scripta eorumque summarium ante quindecem dies obtulimus Eminentiis vestris Quas Deus c. This c. is the ordinary stile and form wherewith Memorials are concluded comprehending all the words of respect affection and good wishes that they may be added by extending more at length After the c. the Memorial was thus sign'd Natalis de la Lane Doctor Theologus Facultatis Parisiensis Abbas beatae Mariae de Valle Crescente Ludovicus de Saint-Amour sacrae facultatis Parisiensis Doctor ac Socius Sorbonicus Ludovicus Angran ejusdem sacrae Facultatis Parisiensis licentiatus ac insignis Ecclesiae Trecersis Canonicus We went first to Cardinal Spada whom we found not at home and thence to Cardinal Ginetti with whom we spoke VVe had little time to speak with him when we presented our writings to him and therefore upon this occasion we gave him an ample account of what was contained therein after which he answer'd us in Latin as M. de Valcroissant had spoken to him and said nothing about the Communication which we requested but gave us some genral terms of Assurance that nothing would be done in this Affair without first considering the whole exactly Next we went to Cardinal Ghiggi who retured not till night from taking the air with the Pope VVhen we had acquainted him with the subject of our coming to him he answer'd us that he knew not whether that course would be judg'd expedient that this business would not proceed so fast that it would go forward with leaden feet that nothing would be done therein but very leisurly molto posatamente After which touching the word Adversaries he said that he did not like the using of it between us because he believed that both sides sought the Truth we reply'd that he did not like the using of it between us because he believ'd that both sides sought the truth We reply'd that did we know a gentler word whereby to denote the people with whom we were in contest we would willingly use it and as for the scruple that he made about the Communication of our writings it surpris'd us extremely because Cardinal Roma had promised the same to us in the Popes name after we had been a whole year in suing for it Cardinal Ghiggi answer'd that he knew not what Cardinal Roma might have said or done but however it should be taken into consideration what course would be expedient He had some conceit that this Request and Memorial were address'd to himself alone but we told him that we should present the same also to the other three Cardinals whereupon he answer'd us that they would confer about it together and after they had done so perhaps it would be found requisite to consult his Holiness Saturday the fifth we went in the forenoon to Cardinal Spadas house to present our Memorial to him but not finding him there we went to that of Cardinal Cechini to whom we presented it having first acquainted him with the cause why it was made Cardinal Cechini answer'd that he had not as yet perus'd all our Writings that they were much longer then those of our Adversaries and the days already very short and that his eyes no more allowed him to read any thing by a Candle But that he gave us one Advice namely to beware in the other instructions or informations that we should have yet to make of falling upon the matters of Grace which had been heretofore controverted between the Dominicans and the Jesuites because according to what he had heard he believ'd it was not the Popes intention that the same should be medled with in any sort considering that after the long conferences and disputations about them under Clement VIII and Paul V. all the Regulation that could be effected therein was that Paul V. imposed perpetual silence to both parties upon that Subject We answered that we beseecht his Eminence to give us leave to assure him that the silence imposed to the Parties by Paul V. was not to be perpetual but only a Provisional Order to hinder the parties from preventing his Judgement and taxing one another of Heresie till such time as the posture of things permitted him to publish his Decision which was already made in favour of the Dominicans against the Jesuites and whereof there was a Bull drawn up as appears by sundry undenyable Records at Rome That since that time the Jesuites instead of making right use of that Silence which was injoyn'd principally in their favour for a Condemnation was the thing first intended and returning by degrees to the doctrine of the Church whch they were convinc'd to have deserted on the contrary they have alwaies receded further and further from it and have at length so spread their erroneous imaginations everywhere in the Church that they dar'd now a dayes to cry them up as the doctrine of the Church and thereby gave an occasion to Hereticks to reproach the Church of forsaking Tradition and the dictates of the Scripture in these matters That it was time to remedy this Disorder and for the H. See and the Church to make known to all the world what was their common Doctrine and Belief as to these points That it was the duty and interest of the one and the other no more to keep under a Bushell by a longer silence the Light which ought to be set upon a Candlestick or upon a Hill to give light to the whole world and teach every one the true way of his salvation That this mystery of Grace was one of the principal points of the Churche's Faith the knowledge whereof was most profitable to the Faithfull to keep them in the acknowledgement of what they owe to God and in the Christian humility which is so necessary to them That for this reason the great Apostle of the Gentiles writing to the Romans to expound the same to them tells them that he would not have them ignorant of it least they might leave some entrance for vanity into their minds Nolo enim vos fratres ignorare mysterium hoc ut non sitis vobis ipsis sapientes That hence S. Fulgentius had taught us that the blessed Apostle intended not to have that Doctrine kept in silence which he had left in writing Beatus
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
fraudulent practises of our Adversaries prove them the Authors of the Propositions which they have obtruded upon us require an act thereof declare that although they be not ours yet we conceive that they way have a very Catholick sense in which we undertake to defend them Demand that judgment be pass'd upon this sense Accuse our Adversaries of Impostures and delusions accusing them of troubling the Churches peace by prosecuting tho condemnation of the Propositions in the sense of Effectual Grace and add that if it pleases the Pope to receive them as accusers it may be permitted you to impeach their doctrine as pernicious and erroneous This is requisite Sir if you expect to have justice done you Men may speak high when they demand nothing beyond the Rules of sincerity and Truth c. However Sir Supposing the Pope resolv'd to pass such a Bull as the Molinists speak off yet if you be heard he cannot but grant you two things whereof one concerns our Persons and the other the Doctrine As to our Persons We are oblig'd to let the whole Church and posterity know that we are not the Authors of the Propositions but they were maliciously forg'd by our Adversaries to make us odious by being charg'd with them Your first Memorial presented to his Holiness is to this effect And concerning the Doctrine That the sense of the Necessity of Grace effectual by it self is a Catholick sense free from all Censure and that alone wherein we defend the Propositions If these two conditions be added I shall be contented and the Church will have peace Vpon any others we shall be so far from enjoying a calm that on the contrary we shall fall into a higher storm of dissention then before We shall be oblig'd to make known the sincerity of our intentions we shall complain of the wrong done us and Posterity shall be inform'd of the truth of things Be pleas'd to consider upon all this and remember that I have long ago told you that upnn this decision will depend the reviving of Richerism in France whereof I am greatly afraid c. An other Doctor of Sorbon a very able and moderate person to whom I had often writ during the time that we desir'd our Lords to send us two or three persons more to help us in the managing of the matters especially in the conferences which we expected to have before the Pope the Congregations to desire him to be one of the number because I judg'd him very fit for it return'd the following answer to my invitation May 31. Sir I Have receiv'd three Letters from you almost altogether though they be of very distant dates One is of the 30th of September The supply you have receiv'd by the arrival of the persons who are gone to joine with you may serve for answer to a good part of what you writ to me and expect from me If I perform not to you or rather to Truth the same service which they are going to do 't is neither through want of zeal or affection or else I understand not my self Proportionably to my knowledge of Truth increases the honour and esteem I have of it and I learn to know my self in it which renders me alwayes more backward to speak or treat of it for fear of hurting it whilst I think to defend it especially when I see not my self plainly engag'd therein Although to defend it that is to withstand the violences and stratagems of those who go about to oppress it shewing openly their unfaithful dealing their calumnies and the injustice of their proceeding seems to me more easie and lesse hazardous because this consists more in matters of fact then in Questions and Controversies But to pretend to examine it to clear it to commit it to the dispute and censure of its enemies and to submit it to the judgement and determination of persons whom you hold suspected and who in their best construction never had the light and knowledge which is necessary for the comprehension of the matters in question which are very difficult and for the most part very remote from humane sense and reason as the same is corrupted by sin and to distinguish them from the apparences of Truth under which Errors are oft-times hid all which is necessary in order to pronounce upon and fully determine the questions at this day in controversie so that there remain no seed of future combustion This is that which I find most difficult dangerous and much above my abilities 'T is neither expedient nor necessary to define these questions in the Church they are already sufficiently defin'd for such as seek the Truth without passion and interest And others will not stand to what shall be now determin'd in case it be conformable to Tradition and contrary to their new opinions Believe me Sir if you please 't is neither timorousness nor indifference that detains me 't is rather the respect and love which I have for the Truth Had I less knowledge and experience of the state of the present affaires perhaps I should be more bold and I know not whether I should do better However should I fail in something I hope God will not impute it or else easily pardon it whilst I keep to keep to his Lawes the guidance of the Church and the common rules of prudence humane and divine Adoring always with all submission his extraordinary wayes by which he absolutely effecteth whatever he pleaseth and how he pleaseth sometimes even by means and ways wholly contrary to those which he hath establisht If it be a kind of little miracle as you say that he on whom the judgement of your affaires depends hath at present an inclination to be inform'd thereof whereas formerly he was troubled to hear the same mention'd no doubt you will confess that there needs another much greater miracle whereby he may in a little time have the understanding and conduct which is necessary for pronouncing certainly and conformably to the Truth and Tradition upon Questions so difficult and embroyl'd by the mixture of humane reasonings as those are whereof you seem to demand the decision I have formerly told you my mind upon this Point and the occasion leads me to tell it you again here I could not sollicite and demand the definition of the affaires which you manage and of the Propositions whereunto your conference is reduc'd If God hath thought fit to make use of you to hinder the truths of Grace and S. Augustin's Authority from receiving any prejudice or disparagement I account you very happy and cannot but honour your zeal and fidelity in upholding them against the attempts and artifices of their enemies but I believe 't were the best you could do for the present if you could stop affaires at that point not to be overcome is to triumph in these occasions and the confusion which your enemies would have in seeing themselves fallen from their pretensions all their cabals without effect
presented and maintain'd in our Writing Whence he concluded that the Controversie was not about the five Propositions as they appear'd That we do not defend them in their universality and ambiguity which he repeated twice or thrice at several times That therefore to follow the steps which S. Augustin's disciples had alwayes troden since this Dispute according to the first Memorial presented by us to his Holinesse at our first coming to Rome and the demands which we had made eight moneths ago in our first Information de facto we presented to his Holinesse a Writing wherein were contain'd on one side in clear terms the Catholick senses or particular Propositions which we and all S. Augustin's Disciples maintain'd and had alwayes maintain'd and on the other side the sentiments both of the Calvinists and Molinists touching the matter of these Propositions That we desir'd of his Holinesse an examination and judgement of these sentiments That Calvin's opinion was not the thing in controversie between us that we held him for a Heretick as well as our Adversaries do That the two others were those alone in contest That we were ready to demonstrate viva voce and by writing in presence of our Adversaries that our sentiment is most Catholick most agreeable to S. Augustin and altogether indubitable in the faith That on the contrary that of the Molinists is Pelagian or Semipelagian as it hath been already judg'd contradictorily in the Congregation de Auxiliis held by the Popes Clement VIII Paul V. of holy and glorious memory He added That to judge of the Propositions as they are contested between Catholicks 't is necessary to distinguish the senses and make an expresse and particular judgement thereof This he justify'd by the words of the Letter of the Prelates by whom M. Hallier pretends himself commission'd because those Prelates demand a clear and expresse judgement upon the Propositions such as may clear the Truth regulate the present contests amongst Catholicks touching this matter and produce peace in the Church And therefore that although by occasion of these Propositions there is a dispute between Catholicks yet seeing the controversie is not about the ambiguous Propositions as they are fram'd by the Molinists but about the different senses which we presented and are alone in question the Truth cannot be clear'd nor the Controversie terminated but by an expresse judgement upon these several particular senses or rather upon the Propositions exempted from all equivocation as we presented them and upon the contradictories of them which needed to be solemnly and fully examin'd in order to a judgement thereof by a solemn and express Decree as was done by the two Popes Clement VIII Paul V. in their Congregation touching the same matter He said that whereas M. Hallier and his Collegues give out that they are sent by Prelates to sollicite a Censure of the Sentiments or Propositions maintain'd by us they abuse their Letter and intention That those Prelates are as much for us as for M. Hallier since by occasion of the Propositions we demanded in your name as well as they a clear and express judgement such as may regulate our Contests and produce a full and lasting peace in the Church It was not hard to justifie My Lords that you demanded likewise an express judgement upon the distinction of senses and upon the particular Propositions for it appears sufficiently by your Letters and by our first Memorial Then he shew'd the justice of this demand inasmuch as the matter in controversie could neither be judg'd of nor the differences touching these points of Doctrine terminated any other way Secondly Because it is necessary to judge of the sense according to which our Adversaries impugne these Propositions since 't is that of Molina's sufficient Grace which is a source of impieties errors and heresies as 't is easie to make good by the sixty three Errors or Heresies which we deduc'd from it by necessary consequence and plac'd at the end of our Writing of Effectual Grace He demonstrated that the controverted sense of the Propositions is that of Grace Effectual by it self necessary to every good action since all the impugners of the Propositions either by Writing or Teaching impugne them in the sense of Effectual Grace as on the contrary all the disciples of S. Augustin who have writ or taught before or since the contrivance of these Propositions maintain only the pure sense of Effectual Grace nor can other doctrine then that touching the said Propositions be found in any book Here he read the different senses of the Propositions which you have seen in the Writing which we sent to you the last week and pronounc'd word for word all that is contain'd in the three Columes both the different Propositions and our qualifications or judgements of them After the reading of each Proposition which we defended he succinctly shew'd the connexion of it with Grace effectual by it self as it is in the Preface of our Writing of Effectual Grace which we likewise send you He concluded with our most humble instances to his Holinesse that he would please to judge of those controverted senses and said as 't is contain'd in the end of our Writing or Declaration that being perswaded that the senses or particular Propositions which we presented and defended contain'd the principal grounds of the Christian faith and piety we should alwayes believe and maintain that sense or those Propositions to be Catholick till his Holinesse by a solemn judgment condemn'd that particular sense i. e. those particular propositions which were fram'd and defended by us which we conceiv'd he would never do He spoke a full hour upon the writing of the distinction of senses and about an hour and half upon all the rest When he had done F. Desmares according as we had agreed together began to speak and after a short Exordium he said that having clearly reduc'd the Propositions as we defended them to the sense of Effectual Grace necessary to every good action that having show'd that the Propositions contrary according to the sense of our Adversaries contain'd the sufficient Grace of Molina and that having affirm'd that our senses are Catholick and indubitable in the doctrine of S. Augustin and on the contrary those of our Adversaries Pelagian or Semipelagian 't was necessary in the first place to justifie to his Holiness that Grace Effectual by it self is the true Grace of Jesus Christ and the certain belief of the Church This he began to prove and first succinctly set forth the order and senses of writing of Effectual Grace together with the contents of the four Articles In the first whereof he said we demonstrated by sixteen principal arguments drawn out of S. Augustin's works against the enemies of the grace of Jesus Christ that Grace effectual by it self necessary to every good action is according to that H. Father the certain belief of the Church oppos'd to the heresy of the Pelagians and Semipelagians That
in the second we summarily layd open the tradition of the whole Church or the sentiment of all the Councils H. Fathers and principal Divines since S. Augustin to the present age for confirmation of the same truth That in the third were contain'd the Decisions pass'd contradictorily by the Congregation de Auxiliis in presence of the Popes Clement VIII and Paul V. by whom Molina's doctrine of sufficient Grace was declar'd heretical and Pelagian and the contrary sentiment of Grace effectual by it self judg'd the constant doctrine of S. Augustin and the certain faith of the whole Church That we were ready to make good this truth by the acts of the Congregation whereof we had seen the Originals and extracted from them what we alledg'd Lastly that in the fourth Article were contain'd sixty and three heresies or impieties deduc'd by necessary consequence from Molina's sufficient Grace whereby it appear'd that this new novel opinion overthrows the principal grounds of faith and Christian piety the authority of the H. See and the Council of Trent the validity of Tradition and the perpetual subsistence of one and the same faith in the Church and is fit onely to supply advantages to hereticks to oppose the Romane Church After this the Father explicated what we understand by Grace effectual by it self and by sufficient Grace subject to Free-will Then he began the first argument drawn from the prayers of Church and told his Holinesse it was a great Providence of God which had caus'd him to choose the day of Rogations a day consecrated by the Church particularly to prayer for our justifying before him the faith of effectual Grace or the truth of Jesus Christ by the prayers of the Church He handled this argument with as great plainnesse and force as could be wish'd and concluded with a necessary consequence drawn from what he had proved that according to the expresse words of the Council of Carthage and Pope Innocent I. the dogma of Molina's suffcient grace is sacrilegious impious pestiferous execrable and worthy of all kinds of anathema Sacrilegum impium pestiferum exitiale omni anathemate dignum as you will see my Lords by reading that argument in the Writing of Effectual Grace Moreover he more forceably encounter'd the common opinion of the Jesuites For after the reciting of those terrible words of Innocent I. against the Pelagians out of his Epistle to the Council of Carthage he apply'd them by a necessary consequence which he had before demonstrated by several invincible arguments to the defenders of Molina's sufficient Grace And 't is a thing my Lords very worthy of remark that before his Holiness in a publick Congregation and a Jesuite being present the doctrine of that society was so vigorously and resolutely impeach'd and so plainly accus'd of so many heresies and that after this was done vivâ voce we left the same with his Holinesse in writing persisting to require that those Fathers might be oblig'd to appear and answer and that yet after all this they remain'd without reply and silent We doubt not my Lords but these Fathers would immediatly have sought to purge themselves to the Pope of so capital an accusation and pursued against us the reparation of this extreme injury were they not conscious to themselves of holding a new doctrine which they cannot justifie if they should be obliged to acknowledge S. Augustin for their Judge as they cannot refuse him before the H. See and were they not perswaded that all which we spoke against them is very true and easy to be made good they ought for the sake of injur'd truth and their Societie's reputation of which they are so jealous to have made some defence were it not that they fear'd to be publickly convinc'd and to draw upon themselves a new condemnation of their errors after that of the Congregation de Auxiliis But however so long as they appear not to defend themselves it will be a great blame upon their Molinistical opinions and an ignominy which they will never wipe off before intelligent and equitable persons From this argument drawn from the prayers of the Church the Fathers proceeded to the second taken out of S. Augustin's book De Gratia Christi and especially from these words in chap. 10. Hanc debet Pelagius gratiam confiteri si vult non solum vocari verum etiam esse Christianus He shew'd by sundry passages of that book that by this Grace no other can be understood besides that which is effectual by it self Whence he concluded that Molina and our Adversaries impugne that Grace which is necessary according to S. Augustin to be confess'd by him that would be truely a Christian Night came and constrain'd him to break off He spoke about an hour and half so that this audience lasted about four houres His Holinesse was so extremely attentive all the while that certainly God encreased his strength in so great an age and enabled him to preserve so great a presence of mind for so long together And indeed we were much encourag'd thereby to represent to him what we had to say Their Eminences were likewise very attentive The Divines seem'd all to take carefull notice of every thing All the while we were speaking his Holinesse said not a word to us but suffer'd us to proceed without asking any question or any wise gainsaying what we alledg'd Having ended we went to kisse the Pope's feet and present our five Writings to him The first contain'd a hundred Propositions of the Jesuites against S. Augustin The second is that of the Distinction of senses The third is that of Effectual Grace The fourth is touching the first Proposition The fifth is an answer to sixty Testimonies of S. Augustin which M. Hallier and his Collegues presented in reference to the first Proposition By this answer we convinc'd them of having alledg'd all those Testimonies either falsly and unfaithfully or impertinently and perversly and we draw all our answers from the same places whence the Testimonies themselves are taken We send you My Lords a Copy of all these Writings In the last place we desir'd his Holiness's permission for printing a limited number of them here only for the conveniency of examination His Holinesse answer'd us that he would consider of this Request and see whether it were expedient After which we askt his Holinesse when it pleas'd him that we should appear again to continue the handling of what we had enter'd upon in this first Audience He answer'd us that he had not yet thought of it but he would consider upon it We reply'd that however we beseecht his Holinesse to remember the assurance we gave him that we were ready to continue what we had begun and to do any thing that he should appoint in order thereunto and after receiving his benediction we withdrew half an hour within night You see My Lords how we have manag'd the matter in this first Audience and with what sincerity we have acted in