# indx_content

c0: A53298
c1: Oldham, John, 1653-1683.
c3: 1681.0
c6: 22453
c7: 745
c8: 72
c9: A53298.xml
c10: A53298.txt
c2:
  Satyrs upon the Jesuits written in the year 1679, upon occasion of the plot, together with the Satyr against vertue, and some other pieces by the same hand.

c4:
  'T were witty handsom malice ( could you do 't ) 'T is pointed Satyr and the sharps of wit For such a prize are th' only weapons fit : Nor needs these art or genious here to use , Where indignation can create a muse : Should Parts and Nature fail , yet very spite Would make the arrant'st Wild , or Withers write .

c5:
  blood; cause; church; come; damn'd; death; e're; fate; fear; fools; god; good; guilt; heaven; hell; hereticks; holy; ill; kind; life; love; lust; place; plague; pow'r; rome; satyr; scorn; shall; shame; sin; soul; tell; thought; thy; time; vertue; vice; wit; worth

c11:
   Satyrs upon the Jesuits written in the year 1679, upon occasion of the plot, together with the Satyr against vertue, and some other pieces by the same hand. Oldham, John, 1653-1683. 1681 Approx. 150 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 83 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A53298 Wing O244 ESTC R3124 12185578 ocm 12185578 55776 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A53298) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 55776) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 614:2) Satyrs upon the Jesuits written in the year 1679, upon occasion of the plot, together with the Satyr against vertue, and some other pieces by the same hand. Oldham, John, 1653-1683. [8], 154, [1] p. Printed for Joseph Hindmarsh ..., London : 1681. Errata: p. [1] at end. First edition. Each part has special t.p. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. A satyr against vertue -- The passion of Byblis in Ovid's Metamorphosis imitated in English -- A satyr upon a woman, who by her falshood and scorn was the death of my friend. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Jesuits -- Anecdotes 2002-12 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-03 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2003-03 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion SATYRS UPON THE JESUITS : Written in the YEAR 1679. Upon occasion of the PLOT , Together with the Satyr against Uertue , AND Some other PIECES by the same HAND . LONDON : Printed for Ioseph Hindmarsh , at the Black Bull in Cornhill . 1681. ADVERTISEMENT . THE Author might here ( according to the laudable custom of Prefaces ) entertain the Reader with a Discourse of the Original , Progress , and Rules of Satyr , and let him understand , that he has lately Read Casaubon , and several other Criticks upon the Point , but at present he is minded to wave it , as a vanity he is in no wise fond of . His only intent now is to give a brief account of what he Publishes , in order to prevent what censures he foresees may colourably be past thereupon : And that is , as followeth : What he calls the Prologue , is in imitation of Persius , who has prefix'd somewhat by that Name before his Book of Satyrs , and may serve for a pretty good Authority . The first Satyr he drew by Sylla's Ghost in the great Johnson , which may be perceiv'd by some strokes and touches therein , however short they come of the Original . In the second , he only follow'd the swing of his own Genius . The Design , and some passages of the third were taken out of the Franciscan of Buchanan . Which Ingenuous confession he thinks fit to make , to shew he has more modesty than the common Padders in Wit of these times . He doubts , there may be some few mistakes in Chronology therein , which for want of Books he could not inform himself in . If the skilful Reader meet with any such , he may the more easily pardon them upon that score . Whence he had the hint of the fourth , is obvious to all , that are any thing acquainted with Horace . And without the Authority of so great a President , the making of an Image speak , is but an ordinary Miracle in Poetry . He expects , that some will tax him of Buffoonery , and turning holy things into ridicule . But let them Read , how severely Arnobius , Lactantius , Minutius Felix , and the gravest Fathers , have railly'd the fopperies and superstitions of the Heathen , and then consider , whether those , which he has chosen for his Argument , are not as worthy of laughter . The only difference is , that they did it in Prose , as he d●es in Verse , where perhaps 't is the more allowable . As for the next Poem ( which is the most liable to censure ) though the World has given it the Name of the Satyr against Vertue , he declares 't was never design'd to that intent , how apt soever some may be to wrest it . And this appears by what is said after it , and is discernable enough to all , that have the sence to understand it . 'T was meant to abuse those , who valued themselves upon their Wit and Parts in praising Vice , and to shew , that others of sober Principles , if they would take the same liberty in Poetry , could strain as high rants in Profaness as they . At first he intended it not for the publick , nor to pass beyond the privacy of two or three Friends , but seeing it had the Fate to steal abroad in Manuscript , and afterwards in Print , without his knowledge ; he now thinks it a justice due to his own Reputation , to have it come forth without those faults , which it has suffer'd from Transcribers and the Press hitherto , and which make it a worse Satyr upon himself , than upon what it was design'd . Something should be said too of the last Trifle , if it were worth it . 'T was occasion'd upon Reading the late Translations of Ovid's Epistles , which gave him a mind to try what he could do upon a like Subject . Those being already forestal'd , he thought fit to make choice of this of the same Poet , whereon perhaps he has taken too much liberty . Had he seen Mr. Sandys his Translation before he begun , he never durst have ventur'd : Since he has , and finds reason enough to despair of his undertaking . But now 't is done , he is loath to burn it , and chooses rather to give somebody else the trouble . The Reader may do as he pleases , either like it , or put it to the use of Mr. Jordan's Works . 'T is the first attempt , he ever made in this kind , and likely enough to be the last , his vein ( if he may be thought to have any ) lying another way . SATYRS UPON THE JESUITS . PROLOGUE . FOr who can longer hold ? when every Press , The Bar and Pulpit too has broke the peace ? When every scribling Fool at the alarms Has drawn his Pen , and rises up in Arms ? And not a dull Pretender of the Town , But vents his gall in pamphlet up and down ? When all with license rail , and who will not , Must be almost suspected of the PLOT , And bring his Zeal , or else , his parts in doubt ? In vain our Preaching Tribe attack the Foes , In vain their weak Artillery oppose : Mistaken honest Men , who gravely blame , And hope that gentle Doctrine should reclaim . Are Texts and such exploded trifles fit T' impose and sham upon a Iesuit ? Would they the dull Old Fisher-men compare With mighty Suarez and great Escobar ? Such threadbare proofs and stale Authorities May Us poor simple Hereticks suffice : But to a sear'd Ignatian's conscience , Harden'd , as his own Face , with Impudence , Whose faith is contradiction-bore , whom lies , Nor nonsence , nor impossibilities , Nor shame , nor death , nor damning can assail ; Not these mild fruitless methods will avail . 'T is pointed Satyr and the sharps of wit For such a prize are th' only weapons fit : Nor needs these art or genious here to use , Where indignation can create a muse : Should Parts and Nature fail , yet very spite Would make the arrant'st Wild , or Withers write . It is resolv'd : henceforth an endless War , I and my Muse with them and theirs declare ; Whom neither open malice of the Foes , Nor private daggers , nor Saint Omer's dose , Nor all that Godfrey felt , or Monarchs fear , Shall from my vow'd and sworn revenge deter . Sooner shall false Court favourites prove just And faithful to their King's and Country's trust : Sooner shall they detect the tricks of State , And knav'ry suits and bribes and flatt'ry hate : Bawds shall turn Nuns , Salt D — s grow chast , And paint and pride and lechery detest : Popes shall for Kings supremacy decide , And Cardinals for Huguenots be tried : Sooner ( which is the great'st impossible ) Shall the vile brood of Loyola and Hell Give o're to Plot , be villains , and rebel ; Than I with utmost spite and vengeance cease To persecute and plague their cursed race . The rage of Poets damn'd , of Women's Pride Contemn'd and scorn'd , or proffer'd lust denied : The malice of religious angry Zeal , And all cashier'd resenting statesmen feel : What prompts dire Hags in their own blood to write , And sell their very souls to Hell for spite : All this urge on my rank envenom'd spleen , And with keen Satyr edge my stabbing Pen : That its each home-set thrust their blood may draw , Each drop of Ink like Aquafortis gnaw . Red hot with vengeance thus , I 'll brand disgrace So deep , , no time shall e're the marks deface : Till my severe and exemplary doom Spread wider than their guilt , till I become More dreaded than the Bar , and frighten worse Than damning Popes Anathema's and curse . SATYR I. Garnet's Ghost addressing to the Jesuits , met in private Cabal just after the Murder of Godfrey . BY hell 't was bravely done ! what less than this ? What sacrifice of meaner worth & price Could we have offer'd up for our success ? So fare all they , who 're provoke our hate , Who by like ways presume to tempt their fate ; Fare each like this bold medling Fool , and be As well secur'd , as well dispatch'd as he : Would he were here , yet warm , that we might drain His reeking gore , and drink up ev'ry vein ! That were a glorious sanction , much like thine , Great Roman ! made upon a like design : Like thine ? we scorn so mean a Sacrament , To seal and consecrate our high intent , We scorn base blood should our great league cement : Thou didst it with a slave , but we think good To bind our Treason with a bleeding God. Would it were His ( why should I fear to name , Or you to hear 't ? ) at which we nobly aim ! Lives yet that hated en'my of our cause ? Lives He our mighty projects to oppose ? Can His weak innocence and Heaven's care Be thought security from what we dare ? Are you then Iesuits ? are you so for nought ? In all the Catholick depths of Treason taught ? In orthodox and solid pois'ning read ? In each profounder art of killing bread ? And can you fail , or bungle in your trade ? Shall one poor life your cowardice upbraid ? Tame dastard slaves ! who your profession shame , And fix disgrace on our great Founder's name . Think what late Sect'ries ( and ignoble crew , Not worthy to be rank'd in sin with you ) Inspir'd with lofty wickedness , durst do : How from his throne they hurl'd a Monarch down , And doubly eas'd him of both Life and Crown : They scorn'd in covert their bold act to hide , In open face of heav'n the work they did , And brav'd its vengeance , and its pow'rs defied . This is his Son , and mortal too like him , Durst you usurp the glory of the crime ; And dare ye not ? I know , you scorn to be By such as they outdone in villany , Your proper province ; true , you urg'd them on , Were engins in the fact , but they alone Share all the open credit and renoun . But hold ! I wrong our Church and Cause , which need No foreign instance , nor what others did : Think on that matchless Assassin , whose name We with just pride can make our happy claim ; He , who at killing of an Emperour , To give his poison stronger force and pow'r Mixt a God with 't , and made it work more sure : Blest memory ! which shall thro' Age to come Stand sacred in the lists of Hell and Rome . Let our great Clement , and Ravillac's name , Your Spirits to like heights of sin inflame ; Those mighty Souls , who bravely chose to die T' have each a Royal Ghost their company : Heroick Act ! and worth their tortures well , Well worth the suff'ring of a double Hell , That they felt here , and that below they feel . And if these cannot move you , as they shou'd , Let me and my example fire your blood : Think on my vast attempt , a glorious deed , Which durst the Fates have suffer'd to succeed , Had rival'd Hell's most proud exploit and boast , Ev'n that , which wou'd the King of fates depos'd , Curst be the day , and ne're in time inrol'd , And curst the Star , whose spiteful influence rul'd The luckless Minute , which my project spoil'd : Curse on that Pow'r , who , of himself afraid , My glory with my brave design betray'd : Justly he fear'd , lest I , who strook so high In guilt , should next blow up his Realm and Sky : And so I had ; at least I would have durst , And failing , had got off with Fame at worst . Had you but half my bravery in Sin , Your work had never thus unfinish'd bin : Had I bin Man , and the great act to do ; H 'ad dy'd by this , and bin what I am now , Or what His Father is : I would leap Hell To reach His Life , tho in the midst I fell , And deeper than before . — Let rabble Souls of narrow aim and reach Stoop their vile Necks , and dull Obedience preach : Let them with Slavish aw ( disdain'd by me ) Adore the purple Rag of Majesty , And think 't a sacred Relick of the Sky : Well may such Fools a base Subjection own , Vassals to every Ass , that loads a Throne : Unlike the soul , with which proud I was born , Who could that sneaking thing a Monarch scorn , Spurn off a Crown , and set my foot in sport Upon the head , that wore it , trod in dirt . But say , what is 't , that binds your hands ? do's fear From such a glorious action you deter ? Or is 't Religion ? but you sure disclaim That frivolous pretence , that empty name : Meer bugbare-word , devis'd by Us to scare The sensless rout to slavishness and fear , Ne're known to aw the brave , and those that dare . Such weak and feeble things may serve for checks ▪ To reign and curb base-mettled Hereticks ; Dull creatures , whose nice bogling consciences Startle , or strain at such slight crimes as these ; Such , whom fond inbred honesty befools , Or that old musty piece of the Bible gulls : That hated Book , the bulwark of our foes , Whereby they still uphold their tott'ring cause . Let no such toys mislead you from the road Of glory , nor infect your Souls with good : Let never bold incroaching Virtue dare With her grim holy face to enter there , No , not in very Dream : have only will Like Fiends and Me to covet and act ill : Let true substantial wickedness take place , Usurp and Reign ; let it the very trace ( If any yet be left ) of good deface . If ever qualms of inward cowardice ( The things , which some dull sots call conscience rise ) Make them in steams of Blood & slaughter drown , Or with new weights of guilt still press 'em down Shame , faith , religion , honour , loyalty , Nature it self , whatever checks there be To loose and uncontroul'd impiety , Be all extinct in you ; own no remorse But that you 've balk'd a sin , have bin no worse , Or too much pitty shewn . — Be diligent in mischief's Trade , be each Performing as a Dev'l ; nor stick to reach At Crimes most dangerous ; where bold despair , Mad lust and heedless blind revenge would ne're Ev'n look , march you without a blush , or fear , Inflam'd by all the hazards , that oppose , And firm , as burning Martyrs , to your Cause . Then you 're true Iesuits , then you 're fit to be Disciples of great Loyola and Me : Worthy to undertake , worthy a Plot Like this , and fit to scourge an Huguenot . Plagues on that Name ! may swift confusion And utterly blot out the cursed Race : Thrice damn'd be that Apostate Monk , from whom seize , Sprung first these Enemies of Us and Rome : Whose pois'nous Filth dropt from ingendring Brain , By monstrous Birth did the vile Insects spawn , Which now infest each Country ; and defile With their o'respreading swarms this goodly I le . Once it was ours , and subject to our Yoke , 'Till a late reigning Witch th' Enchantment broke : It shall again : Hell and I say 't : have ye But courage to make good the Prophesie : Not Fate it self shall hinder . — Too sparing was the time , too mild the day , When our great Mary bore the English sway : Unqueen-like pity marr'd her Royal Pow'r , Nor was her Purple dy'd enough in Gore . Four or five hundred , such-like petty sum Might fall perhaps a Sacrifice to Rome , Scarce worth the naming : had I had the Pow'r , Or bin thought fit t' have bin her Councellor , She should have rais'd it to a nobler score . Big Bonfires should have blaz'd and shone each day , To tell our Triumphs , and make bright our way : And when 't was dark , in every Lane and Street Thick flaming Hereticks should serve to light And save the needless Charge of Links by night : Smithfield should still have kept a constant fire , Which never should be quench'd , never expire , But with the lives of all the miscreant rout , Till the last gasping breath had blown it out . So Nero did , such was the prudent course Taken by all his mighty successours , To tame like Hereticks of old by force : They scorn'd dull reason and pedantick rules To conquer and reduce the harden'd Fools ▪ Racks , gibbets , halters were their arguments , Which did most undeniably convince : Grave bearded Lions manag'd the dispute , And reverend Bears their doctrins did confute ▪ And all , who would stand out in stiff defence , They gently claw'd and worried into sence : Better than all our Sorbon dotards now , Who would by dint of words our Foes subdue . This was the riged discipline of old , Which modern sots for Persecution hold : Of which dull Annalists in story tell Strange legends , and huge bulky volumus swell With Martyr'd Fools , that lost their way to hell . From these , our Church's glorious Ancestours , We 've learnt our arts & made their methods ours : Nor have we come behind , the least degree , In acts of rough and manly cruelty : Converting faggots and the pow'rful stake And Sword resistless our Apostles make . This heretofore Bohemia felt , and thus Were all the num'rous proselites of Huss Crush'd with their head : So Waldo's cursed rout , And those of Wickliff here were rooted out , Their names scarce left . Sure were the means , we chose , And wrought prevailingly : Fire purg'd the dross Of those foul heresies , and soveraign Steel Lopt off th' infected limbs the Church to heal . Renown'd was that French Brave , renown'd his deed , A deed , for which the day deserves its red Far more than for a paltry Saint , that died : How goodly was the Sight ! how fine the Show ! When Paris saw through all its Channels flow The blood of Huguenots ; when the full Sein , Swell'd with the flood , its Banks with joy o'reran ! He scorn'd like common Murderers to deal By parcels and piecemeal ; he scorn'd Retail I' th' Trade of Death : whole Myriads died by th' great , Soon as one single life ; so quick their Fate , Their very Pray'rs and Wishes came too late . This a King did : and great and mighty 't was , Worthy his high Degree , and Pow'r , and Place , And worthy our Religion and our Cause : Unmatch'd 't had bin , had not Mac-quire arose , The bold Mac-quire ( who , read in modern Fame , Can be a Stranger to his Worth and Name ? ) Born to outsin a Monarch , born to Reign In Guilt , and all Competitors disdain : Dread Memory ! whose each mention still can make Pale Hereticks with trembling Horrour quake . T' undo a Kingdom , to atchieve a crime Like his , who would not fall and die like him ? Never had Rome a nobler service done , Never had Hell ; each day came thronging down Vast shoals of Ghosts , and mine was pleas'd & glad , And smil'd , when it the brave revenge survey'd . Nor do I mention these great Instances For bounds and limits to your wickedness : Dare you beyond , something out of the road Of all example , where none yet have trod , Nor shall hereafter : what mad Catiline Durst never think , nor 's madder Poet feign . Make the poor baffled Pagan Fool confess , How much a Christian Crime can conquer his : How far in gallant mischief overcome , The old must yield to new and modern Rome , Mix Ills past , present , future , in one act ; One high , one brave one great , one glorious Fact , Which Hell and very I may envy — Such as a God himself might wish to be A Complice in the mighty villany And barter's heaven , and vouchsafe to die . Nor let Delay ( the bane of Enterprize ) Marr yours , or make the great importance miss . This fact has wak'd your Enemies and their fear ; Let it your vigour too , your haste , and care . Be swift , and let your deeds forestall intent , Forestall even wishes ere they can take vent , Nor give the Fates the leisure to prevent . Let the full Clouds , which a long time did wrap Your gath'ring thunder , now with sudden clap Break out upon your Foes ; dash and confound , And scatter wide destruction all around . Let the fir'd City to your Plot give light ; You raz'd it half before , now raze it quite . Do 't more effectually ; I 'd see it glow In flames unquenchable as those below . I 'd see the Miscreants with their houses burn , And all together into ashes turn . Bend next your fury to the curst Divan , That damn'd Committee , whom the Fates ordain Of all our well-laid Plots to be the bane . Unkennel those State-Foxes , where they ly Working your speedy fate and destiny . Lug by the ears the doting Prelates thence , Dash Heresie together with their Brains Out of their shatter'd heads . Lop off the Lords And Commons at one stroke , and let your Swords Adjourn 'em all to th' other world — Would I were blest with flesh and bloud again , But to be Actor in that happy Scene ! Yet thus I will be by , and glut my view ; Revenge shall take its fill , in state I 'le go With captive Ghosts t' attend me down below . Let these the Handsells of your vengeance be , Yet stop not here , nor flag in cruelty . Kill like a Plague or Inquisition ; spare No Age , Degree , or Sex ; onely to wear A Soul , onely to own a Life , be here Thought crime enough to lose 't : no time nor place Be Sanctuary from your outrages . Spare not in Churches kneeling Priests at pray'r , Though interceding for you , slay ev'n there . Spare not young Infants smiling at the brest , Who from relenting Fools their mercy wrest : Rip teeming Wombs , tear out the hated Brood From thence , & drown 'em in their Mothers bloud . Pity not Virgins , nor their tender cries , Though prostrate at your feet with melting eyes All drown'd in tears ; strike home as 't were in lust , And force their begging hands to guide the thrust . Ravish at th' Altar , kill when you have done , Make them your Rapes the Victims to attone . Nor let gray hoary hairs protection give To Age , just crawling on the verge of Life : Snatch from its leaning hands the weak support , And with it knock't into the grave with sport ; Brain the poor Cripple with his Crutch , then cry , You 've kindly rid him of his misery . Seal up your ears to mercy , lest their words Should tempt a pity , ram 'em with your Swords ( Their tongues too ) down their throats ; let 'em not dare To mutter for their Souls a gasping pray'r , But in the utt'rance choak't , and stab it there . 'T were witty handsom malice ( could you do 't ) To make 'em die , and make 'em damn'd to boot . Make Children by one fate with Parents die , Kill ev'n revenge in next Posterity : So you 'll be pester'd with no Orphans cries , No childless Mothers curse your memories . Make Death and Desolation swim in bloud Throughout the Land , with nought to stop the floud But slaughter'd Carcasses ; till the whole Isle Become one tomb , become one funeral pile ; Till such vast numbers swell the countless summ , That the wide Grave and wider Hell want room . Great was that Tyrants wish , which should be mine , Did I not scorn the leavings of a sin ; Freely I would bestow 't on England now , That the whole Nation with one neck might grow , To be slic'd off , and you to give the blow . What neither Saxon rage could here inflict , Nor Danes more savage , nor the barbarous Pict ; What Spain nor Eighty eight could ere devise , With all its fleet and fraught of cruelties ; What ne're Medina wish'd , much less could dare , And bloudier Alva would with trembling hear ; What may strike out dire Prodigies of old , And make their mild and gentler acts untold . What Heav'ns Judgments , nor the angry Stars , Forein Invasions , nor Domestick Wars , Plague , Fire , nor Famine could effect or do ; All this and more be dar'd and done by you . But why do I with idle talk delay Your hands , and while they should be acting , stay ? Farewell — If I may waste a pray'r for your success , Hell be your aid , and your high projects bless ! May that vile Wretch , if any here there be , That meanly shrinks from brave Iniquity ; If any here feel pity or remorse , May he feel all I 've bid you act , and worse ! May he by rage of Foes unpitied fall , And they tread out his hated Soul to Hell. May's Name and Carcase rot , expos'd alike to be The everlasting mark of grinning infamy . SATYR II. NAy , if our sins are grown so high of late , That Heav'n no longer can adjourn our fate ; May 't please some milder vengeance to devise Plague , Fire , Sword , Dearth , or any thing but this . Let it rain scalding showres of Brimstone down , To burn us , as of old the lustful Town : Let a new deluge overwhelm agen , And drown at once our Land , and Lives , and Sin. Thus gladly we 'll compound , all this we 'll pay , To have these worst of Ills remov'd away . Judgments of other kinds are often sent In mercy onely , not for punishment : But where these light , they shew a Nations fate Is given up and past for reprobate . When God his stock of wrath on Egypt spent , To make a stubborn Land and King repent , Sparing the rest , had he this one Plague sent ; For this alone his People had been quit , And Pharaoh circumcis'd a Proselyte . Wonder no longer why no cure like these Was known or suffer'd in the primitive days : They never sinn'd enough to merit it , 'T was therefore what Heavens just pow'r thought fit , To scourge this later and more sinful age With all the dregs and squeesings of his rage . Too dearly is proud Spain with England quit For all her loss sustain'd in Eighty eight ; For all the Ills our warlike Virgin wrought , Or Drake or Rawleigh her great Scourges brought . Amply was she reveng'd in that one birth , When Hell for her the Biscain Plague brought forth ; Great Counter-plague ! in which unhappy we Pay back her sufferings with full usury : Than whom alone none ever was design'd T' entail a wider curse on Human kind , But he who first begot us , and first sinn'd . Happy the World had been , and happy Thou , ( Less damn'd at least , and less accurst than now ) If early with less guilt in War th'hadst dy'd , And from ensuing mischiefs Mankind freed . Or when thou view'dst the Holy Land and Tomb , Th'hadst suffer'd there thy brother Traytors doom . Curst be the womb that with the Firebrand teem'd , Which ever since has the whole Globe inflam'd ; More curst that ill-aim'd Shot , that basely mist That maim'd a limb , but spar'd thy hated brest , And made th' at once a Cripple and a Priest. But why this wish ? The Church if so might lack Champions , Good works , and Saints for the Almanack . These are the Ianizaries of the Cause , The Life Guard of the Roman Sultan , chose To break the force of Huguenots and Foes . The Churches Hawkers in Divinity , Who ' stead of Lace and Ribbons , Doctrine cry : Romes Strowlers , who survey each Continent , Its trinkets and commodities to vent . Export the Gospel like mere ware for sale , And truck'd for Indigo and Cutchineal . As the known Factors here the Brethren once Swopt Christ about for Bodkins , Rings , and Spoons . And shall these great Apostles be contemn'd , And thus by scoffing Hereticks defam'd ? They by whose means both Indies now enjoy The two choice blessings Pox and Popery ; Which buried else in ignorance had been , Nor known the worth of Beads and Bellarmine , It pitied holy Mother Church to see A world so drown'd in gross Idolatry . It griev'd to see such goodly Nations hold Bad Errors , and unpardonable Gold. Strange ! what a godly zeal can Coyn infuse ! What charity Pieces of Eight produce ! So you were chose the fittest to reclaim The Pagan World , and give 't a Christian Name . And great was the success ; whole Myriads stood At Font , and were baptiz'd in their own bloud . Millions of Souls were hurl'd from hence to burn Before their time , be damn'd before their turn . Yet these were in compassion sent to Hell , The rest reserv'd in spite , and worse to feel , Compell'd instead of Fiends to worship you , The more inhuman Devils of the two . Rare way and method of conversion this , To make your Votaries your Sacrifice ! If to destroy be Reformation thought , A Plague as well might the good work have wrought Now see we why your Founder weary grown , Would lay his former Trade of Killing down ; He found 't was dull , he found a Gown would be A fitter case and badge of cruelty . Each snivelling Hero Seas of Bloud can spil , When wrongs provoke , and Honour bids him kill . Each tiny Bully Lives can freely bleed , When prest by Wine or Punk to knock o' th' head : Give me your through-pac'd Rogue , who scorns to be Prompted by poor Revenge or Injury , But does it of true inbred cruelty : Your cool and sober Murderer , who prays And stabs at the same time , who one hand has Stretch'd up to Heav'n , t'other to make the Pass . So the late Saints of blessed memory , Cut throats in godly pure sincerity : So they with lifted hands and eyes devout Said Grace , and carv'd a slaughter'd Monarch out . When the first Traitor Cain ( too good to be Thought Patron of this black Fraternity ) His bloudy Tragedy of old design'd , One death alone quench'd his revengful mind , Content with but a quarter of Mankind : Had he been Iesuit , had he but put on Their savage cruelty , the rest had gone : His hand had sent old Adam after too , And forc'd the Godhead to create anew . And yet 't were well , were their foul guilt but thought Bare sin : 't is something ev'n to own a fault . But here the boldest flights of wickedness Are stampt Religion , and for currant pass . The blackest , ugliest , horrid'st , damned'st deed , For which Hell flames , the Schools a little need , If done by Holy Church is sanctified . This consecrates the blessed Work and Tool , Nor must we ever after think 'em foul . To undo Realms , kill Parents , murder Kings , Are thus but petty trifles , venial things , Not worth a Confessor ; nay Heav'n shall be It self invok'd t'abet th' impiety . " Grant , gracious Lord , ( Some reverend Villain prays ) " That this the bold Assertor of our Cause " May with success accomplish that great end , " For which he was by thee and us design'd . " Do thou t' his Arm and Sword thy strength impart , " And guide 'em steddy to the Tyrants heart . " Grant him for every meritorious thrust " Degrees of bliss above among the Just ; " Where holy Garnet and S. Guy are plac'd , " Whom works like this before have thither rais'd . " Where they are interceding for us now ; " For sure they 're there . Yes questionless , and so Good Nero is and Dioclesian too , And that great ancient Saint Herostratus , And the late godly Martyr at Tholouse . Dare something worthy Newgate and the Tow'r , If you 'l be canoniz'd and Heav'n ensure . Dull primitive Fools of old ! who would be good ? Who would by vertue reach the blest abode ? Far other are the ways found out of late , Which Mortals to that happy place translate : Rebellion , Treason , Murder , Massacre , The chief Ingredients now of Saintship are , And Tyburn onely stocks the Calendar . Unhappy Iudas , whose ill fate or chance Threw him upon gross times of ignorance ; Who knew not how to value or esteem The worth and merit of a glorious crime ! Should his kind Stars have let him acted now , H 'ad dy'd absolv'd , and dy'd a Martyr too . Hear'st thou , great God , such daring blasphemy , And letst thy patient Thunder still lie by ? Strike and avenge , lest impious Atheists say , Chance guides the world , & has usurp'd thy sway ; Lest these proud prosperous Villains too confess , Thou' rt sensless , as they make thy Images . Thou just and sacred Power ! wilt thou admit Such Guests should in thy glorious presence sit ? If Heav'n can with such company dispense , Well did the Indian pray , Might he keep thence . But this we onely feign , all vain and false , As their own Legends , Miracles , and Tales ; Either the groundless calumnies of spite , Or idle rants of Poetry and Wit. We wish they were : but you hear Garnet cry , " I did it , and would do 't again ; had I " As much of Bloud , as many Lives as Rome " Has spilt in what the Fools call Martyrdom ; " As many Souls as Sins ; I 'de freely stake " All them and more for Mother Churches sake . " For that I 'll stride o're Crowns , swim through a Flood , " Made up of slaughter'd Monarch's Brains and Blood. " For that no lives of Hereticks I 'll spare , " But reap 'em down with less remorse and care " Than Tarquin did the poppy-heads of old , " Or we drop beads , by which our prayer's are told . Bravely resolved ? and 't was as bravely dar'd But ( lo ! ) the Recompence and great Reward , The wight is to the Almanack preferr'd . Rare motives to be damn'd for holy Cause , A few red letters , and some painted straws . Fools ! who thus truck with Hell by Mohatra And play their Souls against no stakes away . 'T is strang with what an holy impudence The Villian caught , his innocence maintains : Denies with oaths the fact untill it be Less guilt to own it then the perjury : By th' Mass and blessed Sacraments he swears , This Mary's Milk , and t'other Mary's Tears ; And the whole muster-roll in Calendars . Not yet swallow the Falsehood ? if all this Won't gain a resty Faith ; he will on 's Knees The Evangelists and Ladie 's Psalter kiss To vouch the Lye : nay more , to make it good Mortgage his Soul upon 't , his Heaven and God. Damn'd faithless Hereticks , hard to convince , Who trust no Verdict , but dull obvious Sense . Unconscionable Courts , who Priests deny Their Benefit o' th Clergy , Perjury . Room for the Martyr'd Saints ! behold they come ! With what a noble Scorn they meet their Doom ? Not Knights o' th Post , nor often carted Whores Shew more of Impudence , or less Remorss . O glorious and heroick Constancy ! That can forswear upon the Cart , and die With gasping Souls expiring in a Lye. None but tame Sheepish Criminals repent , Who fear that idle Bugbear Punishment : Your Gallant Sinner scorns that Cowardice , The poor regret of having done amiss : Brave he , to his first Principles still true , Can face Damnation , Sin with Hell in view : And bid it take the Soul , he does bequeath And blow it thither with his dying Breath . Dare such as these profess Religions Name ? Who , should they own't , and be believed , would shame It's Practice out o' th World , would Atheists make Firm in their Creed , and vouch it at the Stake ? Is Heaven for such , whose Deeds make Hell too good Too mild a Penance for their cursed Brood ? For whose unheard-of Crimes and damned Sake Fate must below new sorts of Torture make , Since , when of old it fram'd that place of Doom , 'T was thought no Guilt like this could thither come Base recreant Souls ! would you have Kings trust you ? Who never yet kept your Allegiance true To any but Hell's Prince ? who with more ease Can swallow down most solemn Perjuries Than Bullies common Oaths and canting Lies ? Are the French Harries Fates so soon forgot ? Our last blest Tudor ? or the Powder-Plot ? And those fine Streamers that adorned so long The Bridge and Westminister , and yet had hung , Were they not stoln , and now for Relicks gone ? Think Tories loyal , or Scotch Covenanters ; Rob'd Tygers gentle ; courteous , fasting Bears , Atheists devout , and thrice-wrack'd Mariners : Take Goats for Chast , and cloyster'd Marmosites , For plain and open two-edg'd Parasites : Believe Bawds mod●st , and the shameless Stews , And binding Drunkard Oaths , and Strumpet's Vows : And when in them these Contradictions meet , Then hope to find 'em in a Loyolite : To whom , tho gasping , should I credit give , I 'd think 't were Sin , and damn'd like unbelief . Oh for the Swedish Law enacted here ! No Scarecrow frightens like a Priest Guelder : Hunt them , as Beavers are , force them to buy Their Lives with Ransom of their Lechery . Or let that wholsome Statute be reviv'd , Which England heretofore from Wolves reliev'd : Tax every Shire instead of them to bring Each Year a certain Tale of Iesuits in : And let their mangled Quarters hang the I le To scare all future Vermin from the Soil . Monsters avaunt ! may some kind Whirlwindsweep Our Land and drown these Locusts in the deep : Hence ye loth'd Objects of our Scorn and Hate , With all the Curses of an injur'd State : Go foul Impostors , to some duller Soil , Some easier Nation with your Cheats beguile : Where your gross common Gulleries may pass , To slur and top on bubbled Consciences : Where Ignorance and th' Inquisition Rules , Where the vile Herd of poor Implicit Fools Are damn'd contentedly , where they are led Blindfold to Hell , and thank and pay their Guide . Go where all your black Tribe , before are gon , Follow Chastel , Ravillac , Clement down , Your Catesby , Faux , and Garnet , thousands more , And those , who hence have lately rais'd the Score . Where the Grand Traitor now and all the Crew Of his Disciples must receive their Due : Where Flames and Tortures of Eternal Date Must punish you , yet ne're can expiate : Learn duller Fiends your unknown Cruelties , Such as no Wit , but yours could ere devise , No Guilt but yours deserve ; make Hell confess It self out done , its Devils damn'd for less . SATYR III. Loyola's Will. LOng had the fam'd Impostor found Success , Long seen his damn'd Fraternities increase , In Wealth and Power , Mischief and Guile improv'd By Popes , and Pope-rid Kings upheld and lov'd : Laden with Years , and Sins , and numerous Skars , Got some it 'h Field , but most in other Wars , Now finding Life decay , and Fate draw near , Grown ripe for Hell , and Roman Calendar , He thinks it worth his Holy Thoughts and Care , Some hidden Rules and Secrets to impart , The Proofs of long Expecience , and deep Art , Which to his Successors may useful be In conduct of their future Villany . Summon'd together , all th' Officious Band The Orders of their Bed-rid Chief attend ; Doubtful , what Legacy he will bequeath , And wait with greedy Ears his dying Breath . With such quick Duty Vassal Fiends below To meet commands of their Dread Monarch go . On Pillow rais'd , he do's their Entrance greet , And joys to see the Wish'd Assembly meet : They in glad Murmurs tell their Joy aloud , Then a deep Silence stills th' expecting Croud , Like Delphick Hag of old by Fiend possest , He swells , wild Frenzy heaves his panting Brest , His bristling Hairs stick up , his Eye-Balls glow , And from his Mouth long flakes of Drivel flow : Thrice with due Reverence he himself doth cross , Then thus his Hellish Oracles disclose . Ye firm Associates of my great Design , Whom the same Vows , and Oaths , and Order joyn , The faithful Band , whom I , and Rome have chose , The last Support of our declining Cause : Whose Conquering Troops I with Success have led Gainst all Opposers of our Church , and Head ; Who e're to the mad German owe their Rise , Geneva's Rebel , or the hot brain'd Swiss ; Revolted Heret●cks , who late have broke , And durst throw off the long-worn Sacred Yoke : You , by whose happy Influence Rome can boast A greater Empire , than by Luther lost : By whom wide Nature's far-stretch't Limits now , And utmost Indi●s to its Crosier Bow : ●o on , ye mighty Champions of our Cause , Maintain our Party , and subdue our Foes : Kill Heresy , that rank and poisonous Weed , Which threatens now the Church to overspread : Fire Calvin , and his Nest of Upstarts out , Who tread our Sacred Mitre under Foot ; Stray'd Germany reduce ; let it no more Th' incestuous Monk of Wittenburge adore : Make Stubborn England once more stoop its Crown , And Fealty to our Priestly Soveraign own : Regain our Church's Rights , the Island clear From all remaining Dregs of Wickliff there . Plot , enterprize , contrive , endeavour : spare No toil nor Pains : no death nor Danger fear : Restless your Aims pursue : let no defeat Your sprightly Courage , and Attemps rebate , But urge to fresh and bolder , ne're to end Till the whole world to our great Califf bend : Till he thro' every Nation every where Bear Sway , and Reign as absolute as here : Till Rome without Controul and Contest be The Universal Ghostly Monarchy . Oh! that kind Heaven a longer Thread would give , And let me to that happy Juncture live : But 't is decreed ! — at this he paus'd and wept , The rest alike time with his Sorrow kept : Then thus continued he — Since unjust Fate Envies my race of Glory longer date ; Yet , as a wounded General , e're he dies , To his sad Troops , sighs out his last Advice , Who tho' they must his fatal Absence moan , By those great Lessons conquer when he 's gone ; So I to you my last Instructions give , And breath out Counsel with my parting Life : Let each to my important words give Ear , Worth your Attention , and my dying Care. First , and the chiefest thing by me enjoyn'd . The Solemn'st tie , that must your Order bind , Let each without demur , or scruple pay A strict Obedience to the Roman Sway : To the unerring Chair all Homage Swear , Altho' a Punk , a Witch , a Fiend sit there : Who e're is to the Sacred Mitre rear'd , Believe all Vertues with the place conferr'd : Think him establish'd there by Heaven , tho' he Has Altars rob'd for Bribes the choice to buy , Or pawn'd his Soul to Hell for Simony : Tho' he be Atheist , Heathen , Turk , or Iew , Blaspheamer , Sacriligious , Perjured too : Tho' Pander , Bawd , Pimp , Pathick , Buggerer , What e're Old Sodoms Nest of Lechers were : Tho' Tyrant , Traitor , Pois'oner , Parricide , Magician , Monster , all that 's bad beside : Fouler than Infamy ; the very Lees , The Sink , the Jakes , the Common-shore of Vice : Strait count him Holy , Vertuous , Good , Devout , Chast , Gentle , Meek , a Saint , a God , what not ? Make Fate hang on his Lips , nor Heaven have Pow'r to Predestinate without his leave : None be admitted there , but who he please , Who buys from him the Patent for the Place . Hold these amongst the highest rank of Saints , Whom e're he to that Honour shall advance , Tho' here the Refuse of the Jail and Stews , Whom Hell it self would scarce for lumber chuse : But count all Reprobate , and Damn'd , and worse , Whom he , when Gout , or Tissick Rage , shall curse ▪ Whom he in anger Excommunicates For Fryday Meale and abrogating Sprats , Or in just Indignation spurnes to Hell ▪ For jeering holy Toe and Pantofle . What e're he sayes esteem for Holy Writ , And text Apocryphal if he think fit : Let arrant Legends , worst of Tales and Lies , Falser than Capgraves and Voragines , Than Quixot , Rablais , Amadis de Gaul , If signed with Sacred Lead , and Fisher's Seal , Be thought Authentick and Canonical . Again , if he ordain't in his Decrees , Let very Gospel for meer Fable pass : Let Right be Wrong , Black White , and Vertue Vice , No Sun , no Moon , nor no Antipodes : Forswear your Reason , Conscience , and your Creed , Your very Sense , and Euclid , if he bid . Let it be held less heinous , less amiss , To break all Gods Commands , than one of his : When his great Missions call , without delay , Without reluctance readily Obey , Nor let your Inmost Wishes dare gainsay : Should he to Bantam , or Iapan command , Or farthest Bounds of Southern unknown Land , Farther than Avarice its Vassals drives , Thro' Rocks and Dangers , loss of Blood and Lives ; Like great Xavier's be your Obedience shown , Outstrip his Courage , Glory and Renown ; Whom neither yawning Gulphs of deep Despair , Nor scorching Heats of Burning Lime could scare : Whom Seas nor Storms , nor Wracks could make refrain From propagating Holy Faith and Gain . If he but nod Commissions out to kill , But becken Lives of Hereticks to spill ; Let th' Inquisition rage , fresh Cruelties Make the dire Engins groan with tortured Cries : Let Campo Flori every Day be show'd , With the warm Ashes 〈◊〉 ●●e Lutheran Brood : Repeat again Bohemian Slaughters ore , And Piedmont Vall●●s dro●n with floating Gore : Swifter than Murthering Angels , when they fly On Errands of avenging Destiny . Fiercer than Storms let loose , with eager hast , Lay Cities , Countries , Realms , whole Nature wast . Sack , ravish , burn , d●st●oy , slay , massacre , Till the same Grave their Lives and Names interr . These are the Rights to our great Mufty due , The sworn Allegience of your Sacred Vow : What else we in our Votaries require , What other Gifts next follows to enquire . And first it will our great Advice befit , What Souldiers to your Lists you ought admit , To Natures of the Church and Faith , like you , The foremost rank of Choice is justly due 'Mongst whom the chiefest place assign to those , Whose Zeal has mostly Signaliz'd the Cause . But let not Entrance be to them denied , Who ever shall desert the adverse Side : Omit no Promises of Wealth and Power , That may inveigled Hereticks allure : Those whom great learning , parts , or wit renowns Cajole with Hopes of Honours , Scarlet Gowns , Provincialships , and Palls , and Triple Crowns . This must a Rector , that a Provest be , A third succeed to the next Abbacy : Some Princes Tutors , others Confessors To Dukes , and Kings , and Queens , and Emperors : These are strong Arguments , which seldom fail , Which more than all your weak disputes prevail . Exclude not those of less d●●●rt , decree To all Revolters your Foundation free : To all whom Gaming , Drunkenness , or Lust To Need and Popery shall have reduc'd : To all , whom slighted Love , Ambition crost , Hopes often bilk't , and Sought Preferment lost , Whom Pride , or Discontent , Revenge or Spite , Fear , Frenzy , or Despair shall Proselite : Those Powerful Motives , which the most bring in , Most Converts to our Church and Order win . Reject not those , whom Guilt and Crimes at home Have made to us for Sanctuary come : Let Sinners of each Hue , and Size , and Kind Here quick admittance , and safe Refuge find : Be they from Justice of their Country fled With Blood of Murders , Rapes , and Treasons died : No Varlet , Rogue , or Miscreant refuse , From Gallies , Jails , or Hell it self Broke loose . By this you shall in Strength and Members grow And shoals each day to your thron'gd Cloysters flow : So Rome's and Mecca's first great Founders did , By such wise Methods may their Churches spread . When shaven Crown , and hallowed Girdle's Power Has dub'd him Saint , that Villain was before ; Enter'd , let it his first Endeavour be To shake off all remains of Modesty , Dull sneaking Modesty , not more unfit For needy flattering Poets , when they writ , Or trading Punks , than for a Iesuit : If any Novice feel at first a blush , Let Wine , and frequent converse with the Stews Reform the Fop , and shame it out of Use , Unteach the puling Folly by Degrees , And train him to a well-bred Shamefulness . Get that great Gift and Talent , Impudence , Accomplish't Mankind's highest Excellence : 'T is that alone prefers , alone makes great , Confers alone Wealth , Titles , and Estate : Gains Place at Court , can make a Fool a Peer , An Ass a Bishop , can vilest Blockheads rear To wear Red Hats , and sit in Porph'ry Chair . 'T is Learning , Parts , and Skill , and Wit , and Sense , Worth , Merit , Honour , Vertue , Innocence . Next for Religion , learn what 's fit to take , How small a Dram does the just Compound make . As much as is by Crafty States-men worn For Fashion only , or to serve a turn : To bigot Fools its idle Practice leave , Think it enough the empty Form to have : The outward Show is seemely , cheap and light , The Substance Cumbersome , of Cost and Weight : The Rabble judge by what appears to th' Eye , None , or but few the Thoughts within Descry . Mak 't you an Engine to ambitious Pow'r To stalk behind , and hit your Mark more sure : A Cloak to cover well-hid Knavery , Like it when us'd , to be with ease thrown by : A shifting Card , by which your Course to steer , And taught with every changing Wind to veer . Let no nice , holy , Conscientious Ass Amongst your better Company find place , Me and your great Foundation to disgrace : Let Truth be banish't , ragged Vertue fly , And poor unprofitable Honesty ; Weak Idols , who their wretched Slaves betray ; To every Rook , and every Knave a Prey : These lie remote and wide from Interest , Farther than Heaven from Hell , or East from West , Far as they e're were distant from this brest . Think not your selves t' Austerities confin'd , Or those strict Rules , which other Orders bind : To Capuchins , Carthusians , Cordeliers Leave Penance , meager abstinence , and Prayers : In lousy rags let begging Friers ly , Content on straw , or Boards to mortify : Let them with Sackcloth discipline their Skins , And scourge them for their madness and their Sins : Let pining Anchorets in Grotto's starve , Who from the Liberties of Nature swerve : Who make 't their chief Religion not to eat , And plac't in nastiness and want of Meat : Live you in Luxury and pamper'd Ease , As if whole Nature were your Cateress . Soft be your Beds , as those , which Monarch's Whores Ly on , or Gouts of Bed-rid Emperours : Your Wardrobes stor'd with choice of Suits , more Dear Than Cardinals on High Processions wear : With Dainties load your Board , whose every Dish , May tempt cloy'd Gluttons , or Vitellius's Wish , Each fit a longing Queen : let richest Wines With Mirth your Heads Inflame with Lust you● Veins : Such as the Friends of Dying Popes would give For Cordials to prolong their gasping Life . Ner'e let the Nazarene , whose Badge and Name You wear , upbraid you with a Conscious Shame Leave him his slighted Homilies and Rules , To stuff the Squabbles of the wrangling Schooles : Disdain that he and the poor angling Tribe , Should Laws and Government to you prescribe : Let none of those good Fools your Patterns make ; Instead of them , the mighty Iudas take . Renown'd Iscariot , sit alone to be Th' Example of our great Society : VVhose daring Guilt despis'd the common Road , And scorn'd to stoop at Sin beneath a God. And now 't is time I should Instructions give , VVhat Wiles and Cheats the Rabble best deceive : Each Age and Sex their Different Passions wear , To suit with which requires a prudent Care : Youth is Capricious , Headstrong , Fickle , Vain , Given to Lawless Pleasure , Age to gain : Old Wives in Superstition over-grown , VVith Chimny Tales and Stories best are won : 'T is no mean Talent rightly to descry , VVhat several Baits to each you ought apply . The Credulous , and easy of Belief , VVith Miracles , and well fram'd Lies deceive . Empty whole Surius , and the Talmud drain , Saint Francis and Saint Mahomet's Alcoran : Sooner shall Popes and Cardinals want Pride , Than you a Stock of Lies and Legends need . Tell how blest Virgin to come down was seen , Like Play-House Punk descending in Machine : How she writ Billets Doux , and Love-Discourse , Made Assignations , Visits , and Amours : How Hosts distrest , her Smock for Banner bore , Which vanquish't Foes , and murdered at twelve Score . Relate how Fish in Conventicles met , And Mackril with Bait of Doctrine caught : How Cattle have Iudicious Hearers been , And Stones pathetically cryed Amen : How consecrated Hive with Bells was hung , And Bees kept Mass , and Holy Anthems Sung : How Pigs to th' Rosary kneel'd , and sheep were taught To bleat te Deum and Magnificat : How Fly-Flap of Church-Censure , Houses rid Of Insects , which at Curse of Fryer dy'd : How travelling Saint , well mounted on a Switch , Rid Iournies thro' the Air , like Lapland Witch : And ferrying Cowls Religious Pilgrims bore O're waves without the help of Sail or Oar. Nor let Xaviers great Wonders pass conceal'd , How Storms were by th' Almighty Wafer quell'd ; How zealous Crab the sacred Image bore , And Swam a Cath'lick to the distant Shore . With Shams like these , the giddy Rout misled , Their Folly and their Superstition feed . 'T was found a good and gainful Art of Old ( And much it did our Churches Power uphold ) To feign Hobgoblings , Elves and walking Sprites , And Faires dancing Salenger a Nights : White Sheets for Ghosts , and Will-a-wisps have past For Souls in Purgatory unreleast . And Crabs in Church-Yards crawl'd in Masquerade , To cheat the Parish , and have Masses said . By this our Ancestors in happier Dayes , Did store of Credit and Advantage raise : But now the Trade is fall'n , decay'd and Dead , Ere since contagious Knowledge has or'e spread With Scorn the grinning Rabble now hear tell Of Hecla , Patricks hole , and Mongibel ; Believ'd no more than Tales of Troy , unless In Countries drown'd in Ignorance like this . Henceforth be wary how such things you feign , Except it be beyond the Cape , or Line : Execpt at Mexico , Brazile , Peru , At the Molacco's , Goa , or Pegu , Or any distant or remoter Place , Where they may currant and unquestion'd pass : VVhere never poching Hereticks resort , To spring the Lye , and mak 't their Game and Sport. But I forget ( what should be mention'd most ) Confession our chief Priviledge and Boast : That Staple ware which ne're returns in vain , Ne're balks the Trader of expected Gain ▪ 'T is this that spies through Court-intrigues and brings Admission to the Cabinets of Kings : By this we keep proud Monarchs at our Becks , And make our Foot-stools of their Thrones and Necks : Give 'em Commands , and if they Disobey , Betray 'm to th' Ambitious Heir a Prey : Hound the Officious Curs on Hereticks , The Vermin which the Church infest and vex : And when our turn is served , and Business done , Dispatch 'em for Reward , as useless grown : Nor are these half the Benefits and Gains , VVhich by wise Manag'ry accrue from thence : By this w' unlock the Misers hoarded Chests , And Treasure , though kept close as States-mens Brests : This does rich VVidows to our Nets decoy , Le ts us their Jointers , and themselves enjoy : To us the Merchant does his Customes bring , And payes our Duty tho he cheats his King : To us Court-Ministers refund , made great By Robbery and Bank-rupt of the State : Ours is the Souldiers Plunder , Padders Prize , Gabels on Letchery , and the Stews Excise : By this our Colledges in Riches shine , And vy with Becket's and Loretto's Shrine . And here I must not grudge a word or two ( My younger Vot'ries ) of Advice to you : To you whom Beautie 's Charms and generous Fire Of boiling Youth to sports of Love inspire : This is your Harvest , here secure and cheap You may the Fruits of unbought Pleasure reap : Riot in free and uncontroull'd Delight , Where no dull Marriage clogs the Appetite . Tast every dish of Lust's variety , VVhich Popes , and Scarlet Lechers dearly buy , VVith Bribes and Bishopricks , and Simony . But this I ever to your care commend , Be wary how you openly Offend : Lest scoffing lewd Buffoons descry our shame , And fix disgrace on the great Order's fame . VVhen the ungarded Maid alone repairs To ease the burthen of her Sins and cares ; When youth in each , and privacy conspire To kindle wishes , and befriend desire ; If she has Practis'd in the Trade before , ( Few else of Proselytes to us brought o're ) Little of Force , or artifice will need To make you in the victory succeed : But if some untaught Innocence she be , Rude , and unknown in the mystery ; She 'l cost more labour to be made comply . Make her by Pumping understand the sport , And undermine with secret trains the Fort. Somtimes , as if you 'd blame her gaudy dress , Her Naked Pride , her Jewels , Point , and Lace ; Find Opportunity her Breasts to Press : Oft feel her Hand , and whisper in her ear , You find the secret marks of lewdness there : Somtimes with naughty sence her blushes raise , And make 'em guilt , she never knew , confess : " Thus ( may you say ) with such a leering smile , " So Languishing a look you hearts beguile : " Thus with your foot , hand , eye , you tokens speak , " These Signs deny , these Assignations make : " Thus 't is you clip , with such a fierce embrace " You clasp your Lover to your Brest and Face : " Thus are your hungry lips with Kisses cloy'd , " Thus is your Hand , and thus your Tongue employ'd . Ply her with talk like this ; and , if sh' encline , To help devotion give her Aretine Instead ' o th' Rosary : never despair , She , that to such discourse will lend an Ear , Tho' chaster than cold cloyster'd Nuns she were , Will soon prove soft and pliant to your use , As Strumpets on the Carnaval let loose . Credit experience ; I have tri'd 'em all , And never found th' unerring methods fail : Not Ovid , tho' 't were his cheif Mastery , Had greater Skill in these Intrigues , than I : Nor Nero's learned Pimp , to whom we ow What choice Records of Lust are extant now . This heretofore , when youth , and sprightly Blood Ran in my V●ins , I tasted and enjoy'd : Ah those blest days ! — ( here the old Lecher smil'd , With sweet remembrance of past pleasure fill'd ) But they are gone ! Wishes alone remain , And Dreams of joy ne're to be felt again : To abler Youth I now the Practice leave , To whom this counsel , and advice I give . But the dear mention of my gayer days Has made me farther , than I would , digress : 'T is time we now should in due Place expound , How guilt is after shrift to be atton'd : Enjoyn no sow'r Repentance , Tears and Grief ; Eys weep no cash , and you no profit give : Sins , tho' of the first rate , must punish'd be , Not by their own , but th' Actor's Quality : The Poor , whose purse cannot the Penance bear , Let whipping serve , bear feet , and shirts of hair : The richer Fools to Compostella send , To Rome , Monserrat , or the Holy Land : Let Pardons , and th' Indullgence-Office drain Their Coffers , and enrich the Pope's with gain : Make 'em build Churches , Monasteries found , And dear bought Masses for their crimes compound . Let Law and Gospel rigid precepts set , And make the paths to Bliss rugged and strait : Teach you a smooth and easier way to gain Heavn's joys , yet sweet and useful sin retain : With every frailty , every lust comply , T' advance your Spiritual Realm and Monarchy : Pull up weak Vertue 's fence , give scope , and space And Purlieus to out-lying Consciences : Shew that the Needle 's eye may stretch , and how For largest Camel-vices to go thro' . Teach how the Priests Pluralities may buy , Yet fear no odious Sin of Simony , While Thoughts and Ducats well directed be : Let Whores adorn his exemplary life , But no lewd heinous Wife a Scandal give . Sooth up the Gaudy Atheist , who maintains No Law , but Sense , and owns no God , but Chance . Bid Thieves rob on , the Boistrous Ruffian tell , He may for Hire , Revenge , or Honour kill : Bid Strumpets preseverse , absolve 'em too , And take their dues in kind for what you do : Exhort the painful and Industrious Bawd To Diligence and Labour in her Trade : Nor think her innocent Vocation ill , Whose income do's the sacred Treasure fill : Let Griping Usurers Extortion use , No Rapine , Falshood , Perjury refuse , Stick at no Crime , which covetous Popes would scarce Act to enrich themselves and Bastard-Heirs : A small Bequest to th' Church can all attone , Wipes off all scores , and Heav'n and all 's their own . Be these your Doctrins , these the Truths you preach , But no forbiden Bible come in reach : Your cheats and Artifices to Impeach . Lest thence lay-Fools Pernicious knowledge gets Throw off Obedience , and your Laws forget : Mak 'em belive't a spell more dreadfull far Than Bacon , Haly or Albumazar . Happy the time , when th' unpretending Crowd No more , than I , its Language understood . When the worm-eaten Book , link'd to a chain , In dust lay moulding in the Vatican ; Despis'd , neglected , and forgot , to none , But poring Rabbies , or the Sorbon known : Then in full pow'r our Soveraign Prelate sway'd , By Kings and all the Rabble-VVorld Obey'd : Here humble Monarch at his feet kneel'd down , And beg'd the Alms and Charity of a Crown : There , when in Solemn State he pleas'd to ride , Poor Scepter'd slaves ran Henchboys by his side : None , tho' in thought , his Grandure durst Blasphem , Nor in their very sleep a Treason Dream . But since the broaching that mischeivous Piece , Each Alderman a Father Lumbard is : And every Cit dares impudently know More than a Council , Pope and Conclave too . Hence the late Damned Frier , and all the crew Of former Crawling Sects their poision drew : Hence all the Troubles , Plagues , Rebellions bre●d , We 've felt , or feel , or may hereafter dread : Wherefore enjoyn , that no Lay-coxcomb dare About him that unlawful Weapon wear ; But charge him chiefly not to touch at all The dangerous Works of that old Lollard , Paul ; That arrant Wickliffist , from whom our Foes Take all their Batt'ries to attack our Cause ; Would he in his first years had Martyr'd been , Never Damascus nor the Vision seen ; Then he our Party was , stout , vigorous , And fierce in chase of Hereticks like us : Till he at length by th' Enemies seduc'd , Forsook us , and the hostile side espous'd . Had not the mighty Iulian mist his aims , These holy Shreds had all consum'd in flames : But since th' immortal Lumber still endures , In spite of all his industry and ours ; Take care at least it may not come abroad , To taint with catching Heresie the Crowd : Let them be still kept low in sence , they 'l pay The more respect , more readily obey . Pray that kind Heav'n would on their hearts dispense A bounteous and abundant Ignorance , That they may never swerve , nor turn awry From sound and orthodox Stupidity . But these are obvious things , easie to know , Common to every Monk as well as you : Greater Affairs and more important wait To be discuss'd , and call for our debate : Matters that depth require , and well befit Th'Address and Conduct of a Iesuit . How Kingdoms are embroil'd , what shakes a Throne , How the first seeds of Discontent are sown To spring up in Rebellion ; how are set The secret snares that circumvent a State : How bubbled Monarchs are at first beguil'd , Trepann'd and gull'd , at last depos'd and kill'd . When some proud Prince , a Rebel to our Head , For disbelieving Holy Churches Creed , And Peter-pence is Heretick decree'd ; And by a solemn and unquestion'd Pow'r To Death , and Hell , and You , deliver'd o're : Chuse first some dext'rous Rogue well tried and known , ( Such by Confession your Familiars grown ; ) Let him by Art and Nature fitted be For any great and gallant Villany , Practis'd in every Sin , each kind of Vice , Which deepest Casuists in their searches miss , Watchful as Jealousie , wary as Fear , Fiercer than Lust , and bolder than Despair , But close as plotting Fiends in Council are . To him in firmest Oaths of Silence bound , The worth and merit of the Deed propound : Tell of whole Reams of Pardon new come o're , Indies of Gold , and Blessings endless store : Choice of Preferments , if he overcome , And if he fail , undoubted Martyrdom : And Bills for Sums in Heav'n , to be drawn On Factors there , and at first sight paid down . With Arts and Promises like these allure , And make him to your great design secure . And here to know the sundry ways to kill , Is worth the Genius of a Machiavel : Dull Northern Brains in these deep Arts unbred , Know nought but to cut Throats or knock o' th' Head. No slight of Murder of the subt'lest shape , Your busie search and observation scape : Legerdemain of Killing , that dives in , And juggling steals away a Life unseen : How gawdy Fate may be in Presents sent , And creep insensibly by Touch or Scent : How Ribbands , Gloves , or Saddle Pomel may An unperceiv'd but certain Death convey ; Above the reach of Antidotes , above the pow'r Of the fam'd Pontick Mountebank to cure . What er'e is known to quaint Italian spite , In studied Pois'ning skill'd and exquisite : What e're great Borgia or his Sire could boast , Which the Expence of half the Conclave cost . Thus may the business be in secret done , Nor Authors nor the Accessaries known , And the slurr'd guilt with ease on others thrown . But if ill Fortune should your Plot betray , And you to mercy of your Foes a prey ; Let none his Crime by weak confession own , Nor shame the Church , while he 'd himself attone . Let varnish'd Guile and feign'd Hypocrisies , Pretended Holiness and useful Lies , Your well-dissembled Villany disguise . A thousand wily Turns and Doubles try , To foil the Scent , and to divert the Cry : Cog , shamm , outface , deny , equivocate , Into a thousand shapes your selves translate : Remember what the crafty Spartan taught , " Children with Rattles , Men with Oaths are caught : Forswear upon the Rack , and if you fall , Let this great comfort make amends for all , Those whom they damn for Rogues next Age shall see Made Advocates i' th' Church's Litany . Who ever with bold Tongue or Pen shall dare Against your Arts and Practices declare ; What Fool shall e're presumptuously oppose , Your holy Cheats and godly Frauds disclose ; Pronounce him Heretick , Firebrand of Hell , Turk , Iew , Fiend , Miscreant , Pagan , Infidel ; A thousand blacker Names , worse Calumnies , All Wit can think , and pregnant Spite devise : Strike home , gash deep , no Lies nor Slanders spare ; A Wound though cur'd , yet leave behind a Scar. Those whom your Wit and Reason can't decry , Make scandalous with Loads of Infamy : Make Luther Monster , by a Fiend begot , Brought forth with Wings , and Tail , and Cloven Foot : Make Whoredom , Incest , worst of vice and shame , Pollute and foul his Manners , Life , and Name . Tell how strange Storms usher'd his fatal end , And Hells black Troops did for his Soul contend . Much more I had to say , but now grow faint , And strength and Spirits for the Subject want : Be these great Mysteries I here unfold , Amongst your Order's Institutes enroll'd : Preserve them sacred , close , and unreveal'd ; As ancient Rome her Sybils Books conceal'd . Let no bold Heretick with sawcy eye Into the hidden unseen Archives pry ; Lest the malicious flouting Rascals turn Our Church to Laughter , Raillery , and Scorn . Let never Rack or Torture , Pain or Fear , From your firm Brests th'important Secrets tear . If any treacherous Brother of your own Shall to the World divulge & make them known , Let him by worst of Deaths his Guilt attone . Should but his Thoughts or Dreams suspected be , Let him for safety and prevention die , And learn i' th' Grave the Art of Secresie . But one thing more , and then with joy I go , Nor ask a longer stay of Fate below : Give me again once more your plighted Faith , And let each seal it with his Dying Breath : As the great Carthaginian heretofore The bloudy reeking Altar touch'd , and swore Eternal Enmity to th' Roman Pow'r : Swear you ( and let the Fates confirm the same ) An endless Hatred to the Lutheran Name : Vow never to admit or League , or Peace , Or Truce , or Commerce with the cursed Race : Now through all Age , when Time or Place soe're Shall give you pow'r , wage an immortal War : Like Theban Feuds let yours your selves survive , And in your very Dust and Ashes live . Like mine , be your last Gasp their Curse — At this They kneel , and all the Sacred Volum kiss ; Vowing to send each year an Hecatomb Of Huguenots an Offering to his Tomb. In vain he would continue — Abrupt Death A Period puts , and stops his impious Breath : In broken Accents he is scarce allow'd To faulter out his Blessing on the Crowd . Amen is echo'd by Infernal Howl , And scrambling Spirits seize his parting Soul. THE Fourth Satyr Upon the JESUITS . SATYR IV. S. Ignatius his Image brought in , discovering the Rogueries of the Jesuits , and ridiculous Superstition of the Church of Rome . ONce I was common Wood , a shapeless Log , Thrown out a Pissing-post for every Dog : The Workman yet in doubt what course to take , Whether I 'd best a Saint or Hog-trough make , After debate resolv'd me for a Saint , And thus fam'd Loyola I represent : And well I may resemble him , for he As stupid was , as much a Block as I. My right Leg maim'd at halt I seem to stand , To tell the Wounds at Pampelune sustain'd . My Sword and Souldiers Armour here had been , But they may in Monserrats Church be seen : Those there to blessed Virgin I laid down For Cassock , Surcingle , and shaven Crown , The spiritual Garb in which I now am shown . With due Accoutrements and fit disguise I might for Centinel of Corn suffice : As once the well-hung God of old stood guard , And the invading Crows from Forrage scar'd . Now on my Head the Birds their Reliques leave , And Spiders in my mouth their Arras weave : And persecuted Rats oft find in me A Refuge and religious Sanctuary . But you profaner Hereticks , who e're The Inquisition and its vengeance fear , I charge stand off , at peril come not near : None at twelve score untruss , break wind , or piss ; He enters Fox his Lists that dares transgress : For I 'm by Holy Church in reverence had , And all good Catholick Folk implore my aid . These Pictures which you see my Story give , The Acts and Monuments of me alive : That Frame wherein with Pilgrims weeds I stand , Contains my Travels to the Holy Land. This me and my Decemvirate at Rome , When I for Grant of my great Order come . There with Devotion rapt I hang in Air , With Dove ( like Mahomets ) whisp'ring in my ear . Here Virgin in Galesh of Clouds descends , To be my safeguard from assaulting Fiends . Those Tables by , and Crutches of the lame , My great Atchievments since my death proclaim : Pox , Ague , Dropsie , Palsie , Stone , and Gout , Legions of Maladies by me cast out , More than the College know , or ever fill Quacks Wiping Paper and the Weekly Bill . What Peter's shadow did of old , the same Is fancied done by my all pow'rful Name ; For which some wear 't about their Necks and Arms , To guard from Dangers , Sicknesses , and Harms ; And some on Wombs the barren to relieve , A Miracle I better did alive . Oft I by crafty Iesuit am taught Wonders to do , and many a juggling Feat . Sometimes with Chaffing Dish behind me put , I sweat like Clapt Debauch in Hot House shut , And drip like any Spitchcock'd Huguenot . Sometimes by secret Springs I learn to stir , As Paste-board Saints dance by miraculous Wire Then I Tradescant's Rarities outdo , Sands Waterworks and German Clockwork too , Or any choice Device at Barthol'mew . Sometimes I utter Oracles by Priest , Instead of a Familiar possest . The Church I vindicate , Luther confute , And cause Amazement in the gaping Rout. Such holy Cheats , such Hocus Tricks as these , For Miracles amongst the Rabble pass . By this in their Esteem I daily grow , In Wealth enrich'd , increas'd in Vot'ries too . This draws each year vast Numbers to my Tomb , More than in Pilgrimage to Mecca come . This brings each week new Presents to my Shrine , And makes it those of Indian Gods outshine . This gives a Chalice , that a Golden Cross , Another massie Candlesticks bestows : Some Altar Cloths of costly work and price , Plush , Tissue , Ermin , Silks of noblest Dies , The Birth and Passion in Embroideries : Some Jewels , rich as those th' Aegyptian Punk In Jellies to her Roman Stallion drunk . Some offer gorgeous Robes , which serve to wear When I on Holydays in state appear ; When I 'm in pomp on high Processions shown , Like Pageants of Lord Mayor or Skimmington . Lucullus could not such a Wardrobe boast , Less those of Popes at their Election cost ; Less those , which Sicily's Tyrant heretofore From plunder'd Gods and Iove's own Shoulders tore . Hither as to some Fair the Rabble come , To barter for the Merchandize of Rome ; Where Priests like Mountebanks on Stage appear , T' expose the Frippery of their hallow'd Ware : This is the Lab'ratory of their Trade , The Shop where all their staple Drugs are made ; Prescriptions and Receipts to bring in Gain , All from the Church Dispensatories ta'en . The Pope's Elixir , Holy Water 's here , Which they with Chymick Art distill'd prepare : Choice above Goddards Drops , and all the Trash Of modern Quacks ; this is that Sovereign Wash For fetching Spots and Morphew from the Face , And scowring dirty Cloaths and Consciences . One drop of this , if us'd , had pow'r to fray The Legion from the Hogs of Gadara : This would have silenc'd quite the Wiltshire Drum , And made the prating Fiend of Mascon dumb . That Vessel consecrated Oyl contains , Kept sacred as the fam'd Ampoulle of France ; Which some profaner Hereticks would use For liquoring Wheels of Jacks , and Boots , and Shooes : This makes the Chrism , which mixt with Snot of Priests , Anoints young Catholicks for the Church's lists ; And when they 're crost , confest , and die ; by this Their lanching Souls slide off to endless Bliss : As Lapland Saints when they on Broomsticks fly , By help of Magick Unctions mount the Sky . You Altar-Pix of Gold is the Adobe And safe Repository of their God. A Cross is fix'd upon 't the Fiends to fright , And Flies which would the Deity beshite ; And Mice , which oft might unprepar'd receive , And to lewd Scoffers cause of scandal give . Here are perform'd the Conjurings and Spells , For Christning Saints , and Hawks and Carriers Bells ; For hallowing Shreds , and Grains , and Salt , and Bawms , Shrines , Crosses , Medals , Shells , and Waxen Lambs : Of wondrous virtue all ( you must believe ) And from all sorts of Ill preservative ; From Plague , Infection , Thunder , Storm , and Hail , Love , Grief , Want , Debt , Sin , and the Devil and all . Here Beads are blest , and Pater nosters fram'd , ( By some the Tallies of Devotion nam'd ) Which of their Pray'rs and Oraisons keep tale , Lest they and Heav'n should in the reck'ning fail . Here Sacred Lights , the Altars graceful Pride , Are by Priests breath perfum'd and sanctified ; Made some of Wax , of Hereticks Tallow some ; A Gift which Irish Emma sent to Rome : For which great Merit worthily ( we 're told ) She 's now amongst her Country Saints inroll'd . Here holy Banners are reserv'd in store , And Flags , such as the fam'd Armado bore : And hallow'd Swords and Daggers kept for use When resty Kings the Papal Yoke refuse : And consecrated Ratsbane , to be laid For Heretick Vermin which the Church invade . But that which brings in most of Wealth and Gain , Does best the Priests swoln Tripes and Purses strain ; Here they each week their constant Auctions hold Of Reliques , which by Candles Inch are sold : Saints by the dozen here are set to sale , Like Mortals wrought in Gingerbread on Stall . Hither are loads from emptied Charnels brought , And Voiders of the Worms from Sextons bought , Which serve for Retail through the World to vent , Such as of late were to the Savoy sent : Hair from the Skulls of dying Strumpets shorn , And Felons Bones from rifled Gibbets torn ; Like those which some old Hag at midnight steals , For Witchcrafts , Amulets , and Charms , and Spells , Are past for sacred to the cheap'ning Rout ; And worn on Fingers , Breasts , and Ears about . This boasts a Scrap of me , and that a Bit Of good S. George , S. Patrick , or S. Kit. These Locks S. Bridgets were , and those S. Clares ; Some for S. Catharines go , and some for hers That wip'd her Saviours feet , wash'd with her tears . Here you may see my wounded Leg , and here Those which to China bore the great Xavier . Here may you the grand Traitor's Halter see , Some call 't the Arms of the Society : Here is his Lanthorn too , but Faux his not , That was embezl'd by the Huguenot . Here Garnet's Straws , and Beck●t's Bones and Hair , For murd'ring whom some Tails are said to wear , As learned Capgrave does record their sate , And faithful British Histories relate . Those are S. Laurence Coals expos'd to view , Strangly preserv'd and kept alive till now . That 's the fam'd Wildefortis wondrous Beard , For which her Maidenhead the Tyrant spar'd . Yon is the Baptist's Coat , and one of 's Heads , The rest are shewn in many a place besides ; And of his Teeth as many Sets there are , As on their Belts six Operators wear . Here Blessed Maries Milk , not yet turn'd sour , Renown'd ( like Ass's ) for its healing pow'r , Ten Holland Kine scarce in a year give more . Here is her Manteau , and a Smock of hers , Fellow to that which once reliev'd Poictiers ; Besides her Husbands Utensils of Trade , Wherewith some prove that Images were made . Here is the Souldiers Spear , and Passion Nails , Whose quantity would serve for building Pauls : Chips some from Holy Cross , from Tyburn some , Honour'd by many a Iesuits Martyrdom : All held of special and miraculous Pow'r , Not Tabor more approv'd for Agues cure : Here Shooes , which once perhaps at Newgate hung , Angled for Charity that past along , Now for S. Peter's go , and th' Office bear For Priests , they did for lesser Villains there . These are the Fathers Implements and Tools , Their gawdy Trangums for inveigling Fools : These serve for Baits the simple to ensnare , Like Children spirited with Toys at Fair. Nor are they half the Artifices yet , By which the Vulgar they delude and cheat : Which should I undertake , much easier I Much sooner might compute what Sins there be Wip'd off and pardon'd at a Iubilee . What Bribes enrich the Datary each year , Or Vices treated on by Escobar : How many Whores in Rome profess the Trade , Or greater numbers by Confession made . One undertakes by Scale of Miles to tell The Bounds , Dimensions , and Extent of Hell ; How far and wide th' Infernal Monarch reigns , How many German Leagues his Realm contains : Who are his Ministers , pretends to know , And all their several Offices below : How many Chaudrons he each year expends In Coals for roasting Huguenots and Fiends : And with as much exactness states the case , As if h 'ad been Surveyor of the place . Another frights the Rout with rusul Stories , Of wild Chimaera's , Limbo's , Purgatories , And bloated Souls in smoaky durance hung , Like a Westphalia Gammon or Neats Tongue , To be redeem'd with Masses and a Song . A good round Summ must the Deliverance buy , For none may there swear out on poverty . Your rich and bounteous Shades are onely eas'd , No Fleet or Kings Bench Ghosts are thence releas'd . A third the wicked and debauch'd to please , Crys up the vertue of Indulgences , And all the rates of Vices does assess ; What price they in the holy Chamber bear , And Customs for each Sin imported there : How you at best advantages may buy Patents for Sacrilege and Simony . What Tax is in the Leach'ry-Office laid On Panders , Bawds , and Whores , that ply the Trade : What costs a Rape , or Incest , and how cheap You may an Harlot or an Ingle keep ; How easie Murder may afforded be For one , two , three , or a whole Family ; But not of Hereticks , there no Pardon lacks , 'T is one o' th' Churches meritorious Acts. For venial Trifles less and slighter Faults , They ne're deserve the trouble of your thoughts . Ten Ave Maries mumbled to the Cross Clear scores of twice ten thousand such as those : Some are at sound of christen'd Bell forgiven , And some by squirt of Holy Water driven : Others by Anthems plaid are charm'd away , As men cure Bites of the Tarantula . But nothing with the Crowd does more enhance The value of these holy Charlatans , Than when the Wonders of the Mass they view , Where spiritual Jugglers their chief Mast'ry shew Hey Iingo , Sirs ! What 's this ? 't is Bread you see ; Presto be gone ! 't is now a Deity . Two grains of Dough , with Cross and stamp of Priest , And five small words pronounc'd , make up their Christ. To this they all fall down , this all adore , And strait devour what they ador'd before : Down goes the tiny Saviour at a bit , To be digested , and at length beshit : From Altar to Close Stool or Jakes preferr'd , First Wafer , next a God , and then a — 'T is this that does th' astonish'd Rout amuse , And Reverence to shaven Crown infuse : To see a silly , sinful , mortal Wight His Maker make , create the Infinite . None boggles at th'impossibility ; Alas , 't is wondrous heavenly Mystery ! None dares the mighty God-maker blaspheme , Nor his most open Crimes and Vices blame : Saw he those hands that held his God before , Strait grope himself , and by and by a Whore ; Should they his aged Father kill or worse , His Sisters , Daughters , Wife , himself too force . And here I might ( if I but durst ) reveal What pranks are plaid in the Confessional : How haunted Virgins have been dispossest , And Devils were cast out to let in Priest : What Fathers act with Novices alone , And what to Punks in shriving Seats is done ; Who thither flock to Ghostly Confessor , To clear old debts , and tick with Heav'n for more . Oft have I seen these hallow'd Altars stain'd With Rapes , those Pews with Buggeries profan'd : Not great Cellier , nor any greater Bawd , Of Note and long experience in the Trade , Has more and fouler Scenes of Lust survey'd . But I these dang'rous Truths forbear to tell , For fear I should the Inquisition feel . Should I tell all their countless Knaveries , Their Cheats , and Shamms , and Forgeries , and Lies . Their Cringings , Crossings , Censings , Sprinklings , Chrisms , Their Conjurings , and Spells , and Exorcisms ; Their motly Habits , Manciples , and Stoles , Albs , Ammits , Rochets , Chimers , Hoods , and Cowls . Should I tell all their several Services , Their Trentals , Masses , Dirges , Rosaries ; Their solemn Pomps , their Pageants , and Parades , Their holy Masques , and spiritual Cavalcades , With thousand Antick Tricks and Gambols more ; 'T would swell the summ to such a mighty score , That I at length should more volum'nous grow , Than Crabb , or Surius , lying Fox , or Stow. Believe what e're I have related here , As true as if 't were spoke from Porph'ry Chair . If I have feign'd in ought or broach'd a Lie , Let worst of Fates attend me , let me be Pist on by Porter , Groom , and Oyster-whore , Or find my Grave in Jakes and Common-shore : Or make next Bonfire for the Powder-plot , The sport of every sneering Huguenot . There like a Martyr'd Pope in Flames expire , And no kind Catholick dare quench the Fire . A SATYR AGAINST VERTUE . Aude aliquid brevibus Gyaris aut carcere dignum Si vis esse aliquis — Juven . Sat. LONDON , Printed for Io. Hindmarsh , 1680. TO THE READER . THIS had never seen the Light , but that the Publisher does propose Gain to himself by it ; and Interest you know governs the World. It cannot , I am sure , do much hurt , for that there are but few will understand it ; and for the more ingenious , I hope , they will make better use of it . T. A. A POEM : Supposed to be spoken by a Town-Hector . PINDARIQUE , In imitation of Mr. Cowley . NOW Curses on ye all , ye vertuous Fools , Who think to fetter free-born souls , And tie 'um up to dull morality and rules . The Stagyrite be damn'd , and all the Crew Of Learned Idiots , who his steps pursue ; And those more silly Proselytes whom his fond precepts drew Oh , had his Ethicks been with their wild Author drown'd , Or a like Fate which these lost Writings found , Which that grand Plagiary doom'd to fire , And made by unjust Flames expire : They ne're had then seduc'd Morality , Ne're lasted to debauch the world with their lewd Pedantry . But damn'd and more ( if Hell can do 't ) be that their cursed name , Who e're the Rudiments of Law design'd ; Who e're did the first model of Religion frame , By nought before but their own power or will confin'd : Now quite abridged of all their Primitive Liberty And slaves to each capricious Monarchs Tyranny . More happy Brutes who the great Rule of Sense observe , And ne're from their first Charter swerve . Happy whose lives are meerly to enjoy , And feel no sting of sin which may their bliss annoy . Still unconcern'd at Epithets of ill or good , Distinctions , unadulterate Nature never understood . 2. Hence hated Vertue from our godly Isle , No more our joys beguile , No more with thy loath'd presence plague our happy state , Thou enemy to all that 's brisk , or gay , or brave , or great . Be gone with all thy pious meagre Train , To some unfruitful unfrequented Land , And there an Empire gain , And there extend thy rigorous command : There where illiberal Natures nigardise Has set a Tax on Vice. Where the lean barren Region does enhance The worth of dear intemperance . And for each pleasurable sin exacts excise , We ( thanks to Heaven ) more cheaply can offend , And want no tempting Luxuries , No good convenient sinning opportunities , Which natures bounty could bestow , or Heavens kindness lend . Go follow that nice Goddess to the Skies , Who here too sore disgusting at increasing Vice , Dislik'd the world , and thought it too prophane , And timely hence retired , and kindly ne're return'd again . Hence to those airy Mansions rove , Converse with Saints and holy folks above ; Those may thy presence woo , Whose lazy case assords them nothing else to do : Where haughty scornful I , And my great Friends will ne're vouchsafe thee company . Thou 'st now a hard unpracticable good , Too difficult for flesh and blood : Were I all soul , like them , perhaps , I 'de learn to practise thee . 3. Vertue , thou solemn grave impertinence , Abhorr'd by all the men of wit and sense . Thou damn'd fatigue , that clogst lifes journey here , Though thou no weight of wealth or profit bear ; Thou puling fond Green-sickness of the mind , That makest us prove to our own selves unkind , Whereby , we Coals and Dirt for diet chuse , And , Pleasure , better food , refuse . Curst ill , that lead'st deluded Mortals on , Till they too late do find themselves undone , Chous'd by a Dowry in reversion . The greatest Votary thou e're could'st boast , Pity so brave a Soul , was on thy service lost ; What wonders he in wickedness had done , Whom thy weak power could so inspire alone ! There long with fond amours he courted thee , Yet dying , did recant his vain Idolatry . At length , though late , he did repent with shame , Forc'd to confess thee nothing but an empty name . So was that Leacher gull'd whose haughty love , Design'd a Rape on the Queen Regent of the Gods above . When he a Goddess thought he had in chase , He found a gaudy vapour in the place , And with thin Air beguil'd his starv'd embrace . Idely he spent his vigour , spent his blood , And tyr'd himself to oblige an unperforming Cloud . 4. If Human bind to thee , ' ere worship paid , They were by ignorance misled , That only them devout , and thee a Goddess made . None hap'ly in the Worlds rude untaught infancy , Before it had out-grown its childish innocence . Before it had arriv'd at sense , Or watch'd the manhood and discretion of Debauchery ; None in those antient godly duller times , When crafty Pagans had ingross'd all crimes ▪ When Christian fools were obstinately good , Nor yet their Gospel freedom understood . Tame easie Fops who could so prodigally breed , To be thought Saints , and dye a Calender with red : No prudent Heathen e're seduc'd could be , To suffer Martyrdom for thee . Only that errant Ass whom the false Oracle called wise ; No wonder if the Devil uttered lies . That snivelig Puritan who in spight of all the mode , Would be unfashionably good , And exercis'd his whining gifts to rail at Vice ; Him all the Wits of Athens damn'd . And justly with Lampoons defam'd . But when the mad Phanatick could not silencd be , From broaching dangerous Divinity ; The wise Republick made him for prevention die , And sent him to the Gods and better company . 5. Let fumbling Age be grave and wise , And Vertues poor contemn'd Idea prize , Who never knew , or now are past the sweets of Vice , While we whose active pulses beat With lusty youth and vigorous heat , Can all their Bards — and Morals too despise , While my plump veins are fill'd with lust and blood . Let not one thought of her intrude , Or dare approach my breast , But know its all possest By a more welcome guest . And know I have not yet the leisure to be good . If ever unkind destiny , Shall force long life of me ; If ' ere I must the curse of dotage bear , Perhaps I 'll dedicate those dregs of Time to her , And come with crutches her most humble votary . When sprightly Vice retreats from hence , And quits the ruine of decayed sense , She 'l serve to usher in a fair pretence , And banish with the name , a well dissembled impotence . When Ptisick , Rheums , Catars , and Palsies seize , And all the Bills of Maladies , Which Heaven to punish over-living Mortals sends ; Then let her enter with the numerous infirmities , Her self the greatest plague , which wrinkles and gray hairs attends . 6. Tell me , ye Venerable Sots , who court her most , What small advantage can she boast , Which her great Rival hath not in a greater score ingrost . Her quiet calm and peace of mind , In Wine and Company we better find . Find it with pleasure to combine . In mighty Wine , where we our senses steep , And Lull our Cares and Consciences asleep , But why do I that wild Chimaera name ? Conscience ! that giddy airy Dream , Which does from brain-sick heads and ill-digesting stomachs steam . Conscience ! the vain phantastick fear Of punishments , we know not when nor where : Projects of crafty Statesmen to support weak Law , Whereby they slavish Spirits awe , And dastard Souls to forc'd obedience draw . Grand wheedle which our Gown'd Impostors use , The poor unthinking Rabble to abuse . Scarecrow to fright 's from the forbidden fruit of vice , Their own beloved Paradise : Let those vile Canters wickedness decry , Whose Mercenary tongues take pay For what they say ; And yet commend in practice what their words deny , While we discerning Heads , who furthest pry Their holy Cheats , deny And scorn their frauds , And scorn their sanctified Cajoulery . 7. None but dull Souls discredit vice , Who act their wickedness with an ill grace ; Such their profession scandalize , And justly forfeit all that praise : All that esteem that credit and applause , Which we by our wise manage from a sin can raise . A true and brave transgressor ought To sin with the same spirit Caesar fought : Mean Souls ! offenders now no honours gain , Only debaucher of the noble strain . Vice well improved yields bliss and fame beside , And some for sinning have been deifi'd : Thus the lewd Gods of old did move , By those brave methods , to their seats above . E're Iove himself the Sovereign Deity , Father and King of the immortal Progeny , Ascended to that high Degree ; By crimes beyond the reach of weak Mortality , He Heaven one large Seraglio made , Each Goddess turn'd a glorious Punk o' th ▪ trade ; And all that Sacred place Was filled with Bastard Gods of his own race : Almighty Lechery got his first repute , And everlasting whoring was his chiefest Attribute . 8. How gallant was that wretch whose happy guilt , A Fame upon the Ruines of a Temple built ! Let fools , said he , now quietly alledge , And urge the no great fault of Sacriledge : I 'le set the Sacred Pile on flame , And in its Ashes write my lasting Name , My name which thence shall be Deathless as its own Deity . Thus the vain-glorious Caron I 'le out-do , And Egypts proudest Monarch too ; Those lavish Prodigals who idly did consume Their Lives and Treasures to erect a Tomb , And only great , by being buried , would become , At cheaper rates than they I 'le buy Renown . So spake the daring Hector , so did Prophesie , And so it prov'd , in vain did envious Fate By fruitless methods try To raze his well-built Fame and Memory Amongst Posterity : The Boutefeu can now Immortal write , While the inglorious Founder is forgotten quite . 9. Yet greater was that mighty Emperor ; A greater crime befitted his high Power , Who sacrific'd a City to a Jest , And shew'd he knew the grand intrigues of humor best . He made all Rome a Bonefire for loud Fame , And Sung , and play'd and danc'd amidst the Flame ; Bravely begun ! yet pity there he stay'd , One step , to Glory , more he should have made : He should have heaved the noble frolick higher , And made the People on that Funeral expire , Or , providently , with their blood put out the Fire . Had this been done , The utmost of glory he had run ; No greater Monument could be To consecrate him to eternity , Nor should there need another Herald of his praise but me . 10. And thou yet greater Faux , the glory of our Isle , Whom baffled Hell esteems its chiefest Foyl ; 'T were injury should I omit thy name , Whose actions merit all the breath of Fame . Methinks , I see the trembling shades below , All round , in humble reverence bow ; Doubtful they seem , whether , to pay their Loyalty To their dread Monarch , or to thee : No wonder he grew jealous of thy fear'd success , Envy'd Mankind the honour of thy wickedness , And spoil'd that brave attempt which should have made his grandeur less . How e're regret not , mighty Ghost , Thy Plot by treacherous fortune crost , Nor think thy well deserved glory lost . Thou the full praise of Villany shalt ever share , And all will judg thou art compleat enough , when thou could'st dare , So thy great Master fared , whose high disdain , Contemn'd that Heaven , where he could not Reign , When he with bold ambition strove , T' usurp the Throne above , And led against the Deity an armed Train , Though from his vast designs he fell , O're-power'd by his Almighty Foe , Yet gained he Victory in his overthrow . He gained sufficient Triumph that he durst Rebel , And 't was some pleasure to be thought the greatest one in Hell. 11. Tell me , you great Triumvirate , what shall I do To be illustrious as you ? Let your example move me with a generous fire , Let them into my daring thoughts inspire Somewhat compleatly wicked , some vast Gyant-crime , Unthought , unknown , unpattern'd by all past and present time . 'T is done , 't is done , I think I feel the powerful charms , And a new heat of sin my spirit warms ; I travel with a glorious mischief , for whose birth , My Soul 's too narrow , and weak fate too feeble to bring forth . Let the unpitied vulgar tamely go And stalk for company , the wide Plantation below : Such their vile Souls for viler Barter sell , Scarce worth the damning , or their room in Hell. We are his Grandees , and expect as high preferments there , For our good Service , as on earth we share . In them , sin is but a meer privative of good , The frailty and defect of flesh and blood : In us 't is a perfection , who profess A studied and elaborate wickedness . We are the great Royal Society of Vice , Whose Talents are to make discoveries , And advance Sin like other Arts and Sciences . It 's I the bold Columbus , only I , Who must new Worlds in Vice descry , And fix the pillars of unpassable iniquity . 12. How sneaking was the first debauch we find , Who for so small a sin sold humane kind . How undeserving that high place , To be thought Parent of our sin and race , Who by low guilt our nature doubly did debase : Unworthy was he to be thought Father of th' fi●st-born Cain , which got The noble Cain , whose bold and gallant act Proclaim'd him of more high extract . Unworthy me , And all the braver part of his Posterity . Had the just Fates design'd me in his stead , I had done some great and unexampled deed ; A deed which should decry The Stoicks dull Equality , And shew that sin admits transcendency : A deed wherein the Tempter should not share Above what Heaven could punish , and above what he could dare For greater c●imes than this I would have fell , And acted somewhat which might merit more than Hell. An Apology for the preceding Poem , by way of Epilogue , to be annexed . MY part is done , and you 'l , I hope , excuse Th' extravagance of a repenting Muse , Pardon what e're she hath too boldly said , She only acted here in Masquerade . For the slight Arguments she did produce , Were not to flatter Vice , but to traduce . So we Buffoons in Princely dress expose , Not to be gay , but more ridiculous . When she an Hector for her Subject had , She thought she must be Termagant and mad . That made our Spark like a lewd punk o' th' Town , Who by converse with Bullies wicked grown , Has learn'd the Mode to cry all Vertue down . But now the Vizards off , she changes Scene , And turns a modest civil Girl agen . Our Poet has a different tast of Wit , Nor will to th' Common Vogue himself submit . Let some admire the Fops whose Talents lie In venting dull insipid Blasphemy , He swears , he cannot with those terms dispense , Nor will be damn'd for the repute of sense . Wits name was never to profaneness due , For then you see he could be witty too : He could Lampoon the State , and Libel Kings , But that he 's Loyal , and knows better things , Than Fame , whose guilty Birth from Treason springs . He likes not Wit which can't a Licence claim , To which the Author dares not set his Name . Wit should be open , court each Readers eye , Not lurk in sly unprinted privacy . But Criminal Writers , like dull Birds of Night , For weakness , or for shame avoid the light ; May such a Jury for the Audience have , And from the Bench , not Pit , their doom receive . May they the Tower for their due merits share , And a just wreath of Hemp , not Laurel , wear : He could be Bawdy too , and nick the times , In what they dearly love : Damn'd placket Rhimes , Such as our Nobles write — Whose nauseous Poetry can reach no higher Than what the Codpiece , or its God inspire . So lewd they spend at quill you 'd justly think , They wrote with something nastier than Ink. But he still that little Wit , or none , Which a just modesty must never own , And a meer Reader with a Blush at one . If Ribauldry deserved the praise of Wit , He must resign to each illiterate Citt , And Prentices and Car-men challenge it . Even they too can be smart and witty there ; For all men on that Subject Poets are . Henceforth he vows , if ever more he find Himself to th' busie itch of Verse inclin'd , If e're he 's given up so far to write , He never means to make his end delight : Should he do so , he must despair success , For he 's not now debaucht enough to please , And must be damn'd for want of wickedness . He 'l therefore use his Wit another way , And next the ugliness of Vice display . Though against Vertue once he drew his Pen , He 'l ne're for ought , but her defence agen . Had he the Genius and Poetick rage , Great as the Vices of this guilty Age. Were he all Gall , and arm'd with store of spight , 'T were worth his pains to undertake to write ; To noble Satyr he 'd direct his aim , And bite Mankind , and Poetry reclaim , And shoot his Quill just like a Porcupine At Vice , and make it stab in every Vein , The world should learn to blush , And dread the Vengeance of his — Wit , Which more than their own Consciences should fright , And should think him for Heavens just Plague design'd To visit for the sins of lewd Mankind . THE PASSION OF BYBLIS IN Ovid's Metamorphosis Imitated in English. LONDON , Printed for Io. Hindmarsh , 1681. THE Passion of Byblis OUT OF Ovid's Metamorphosis , B. 9. F. 11. Beginning at Byblis in exemplo est , ut ament concessa puellae . And ending with — Modumque Exit , & infelix committit saepe repelli . YOU heedless Maids , whose young and tender hearts Unwounded yet , have scap'd the fatal darts ; Let the sad tale of wretched Byblis move , And learn by her to shun forbidden Love. Not all the plenty , all the bright resort Of gallant Youth , that grac'd the Carian Court , Could charm the haughty Nymphs disdainful heart , Or from a Brother's guilty Love divert ; Caunus she lov'd , not as a Sister ought , But Honour , Shame and Blood alike forgot : Caunus alone takes up her Thoughts and Eyes , For him alone she wishes , grieves and sighs . At first her new-born Passion owns no name , A glim'ring Spark scarce kindling into flame ; She thinks it no offence , if from his Lip She snatcht an harmless bliss , if her fond clip With loose embraces oft his Neck surround , And Love is yet in debts of Nature drown'd . But Love at length grows naughty by degrees , And now she likes , and strives her self to please : Well-drest she comes and arms her Eyes with darts , Her Smiles with charms and all the studied arts , Which practis'd Love can teach to vanquish hearts . Industrious now she labours to be fair , And envies all whoever fairer are . Yet knows she not , she loves , but still does grow , Insensibly that thing she does not know : Strict honour yet her check'd desires does bind , And modest thoughts on this side wish confin'd : Only within she sooths her pleasing flames , And now the hated terms of Blood disclaims : Brother sounds harsh ; she the unpleasing word Strives to forget and oftner calls him Lord : And when the name of Sister grates her ear , Could wish't unsaid , and rather Byblis hear : Nor dare she yet with waking Thoughts admit A wanton hope : but when returning night With Sleep's soft gentle spell her Senses charms , Kind Fancy often brings him to her Arms : In them she oft does the Lov'd Shadow seem To grasp , and joys , yet blushes too in Dream . She wakes , and long in wonder silent lies , And thinks on her late pleasing Extasies : Now likes and now abhors her guilty flame , By turns abandon'd to her Love and Shame : At length her struggling thoughts an utt'rance sind , And vent the wild disorders of her mind . " Ah me ! ( she cries ) kind Heaven avert ! what means " This boading form , that nightly rides my dreams ? " Grant 'em untrue ! why should lewd hope divine ? " Ah! why was this too charming Vision seen ? " 'T is true , by the most envious wretch that sees , " He 's own'd all fair and lovely , own'd a prize " Worthy the conquest of the brightest eyes : " A prize that wou'd my high'st ambition fill , " All I could wish ; — but he 's my Brother still ! " That cruel word for ever must disjoyn , " Nor can I hope , but thus , to have him mine . " Since then I waking never must possess , " Let me in sleep at least enjoy the bliss , " And sure nice Vertue can't forbid me this : " Kind sleep does no malicious spies admit , " Yet yields a lively semblance of delight : " Gods ! what a scene of joy was that ! how fast " I clasp'd the Vision to my panting breast ! " With what fierce bounds I sprung to meet my bliss , " While my wrapt soul flew out in every kiss ! " Till breathless , faint and softly sunk away , " I all dissolv'd in reeking pleasures lay ! " How sweet is the remembrance yet ! though night " Too hasty fled , drove on by envious light . " O that we might the Laws of Nature break ! " How well could Caunus me an Husband make ! " How well to Wife might he his Byblis take ! " Wou'd God! in all things we had partners bin " Besides our Parents and our fatal Kin : " Wou'd thou wert nobler , I more meanly born , " Then guiltless I despair'd and suffer'd scorn : " Happy that Maid unknown , whoe're shall prove " So blest , so envied , to deserve thy love . " Unhappy me ! whom the same womb did joyn , " Which now forbids me ever to be thine : " Curst fate ! that we alone in that agree , " By which we ever must divided be . " And must we be ? what meant my Visions then ? " Are they and all their dear presages vain ? " Have dreams no credit but with easie love ? " Or do they hit sometimes and faithful prove ? " The Gods forbid ! yet those whom I invoke , " Have lov'd like me , have their own Sisters took : " Great Saturn and his greater Off-spring Iove , " Both stock'd their Heaven with incestuous love : " Gods have their priviledge ; why do I strive " To strain my hopes to their Prerogative ? " No , let me banish this forbidden fire , " Or quench it with my blood , and with 't expire : " Unstain'd in honour , and unhurt in fame , " Let the same Grave bury my Love and Shame : " But when at my last hour I gasping lie , " Let only my kind Murderer be by : " Let him , while I breath out my soul in sighs , " Or gaze't away , look on with pittying eyes : " Let him ( for sure he can't deny me this ) " Seal my cold Lips with one dear parting Kiss . " Besides , 't were vain should I alone agree " To what another's will must ratifie : " Cou'd I be so abandon'd to consent , " What I have pass'd for good and innocent , " He may perhaps as worst of Crimes resent . " Yet we amongst our race examples sind " Of Brothers , who have been to Sisters kind : " Fam'd Canace cou'd thus successful prove , " Cou'd crown her wishes in a Brother's love . " But whence cou'd I these instances produce ? " How ' came I witty to my ruine thus ? " Whither will this mad frenzy hurry on ? " Hence , hence , you naughty flames , far hence be gone , " Nor let me e're the shameful Passion own . " And yet shou'd he address I shou'd forgive , " I fear , I fear , I shou'd his suit receive : " Shall therefore I , who cou'd not love disown " Offer'd by him , not mine to him make known ? " And canst thou speak ? can thy bold tongue declare ? " Yes , Love shall force : — and now methinks I dare . " But lest fond modesty at length refuse , " I will some sure and better method chuse : " A Letter shall my secret flames disclose , " And hide my Blushes , but reveal their cause . This takes , and 't is resolv'd as soon as said , With this she rais'd her self upon her bed , And propping with her hand her leaning head : " Happen what will ( says she ) I 'le make him know " What pains , what raging pains I undergo : Ah me ! I rave ! what tempests shake my breast ? " And where ? O where will this distraction rest ? Trembling , her Thoughts endite , and oft her Eye Looks back for fear of conscious spies too nigh : One hand her Paper , t'other holds her Pen , And Tears supply what Ink her Lines must drain . Now she begins , now stops , and stopping frames New doubts , now writes , and now her Writing damns . She writes , defaces , alters , likes and blames : Oft throws in haste her Pen and Paper by , Then takes 'em up again as hastily : Unsteady her resolves , fickle and vain , No sooner made , but strait unmade again : What her desires wou'd have she does not know , Displeas'd with all what e're she goes to do : At once contending , shame and hope and fear Wrack her tost mind , and in her looks appear . Sister was wrote ; but soon mis-giving doubt Recals it , and the guilty word blots out : Again she pauses , and again begins , At length her Pen drops out these hasty Lines . " Kind health , which you and only you can grant , " Which , if deny'd , she must for ever want ; " To you your Lover sends : ah ! blushing shame " In silence bids her Paper hide her name : " Wou'd God! the fatal message might be done " Without annexing it , nor Byblis known , " E're blest success her hopes and wishes crown . " And had I now my smother'd grief conceal'd , " It might by tokens past have been reveal'd : " A thousand proofs were ready to impart " The inward anguish of my wounded heart : " Oft , as your sight a sudden blush did raise , " My blood came up to meet you at my face : " Oft ( if you call to mind ) my longing Eyes " Betray'd in looks my souls too thin disguise : " Think how their Tears , think how my heaving Br●ast " Oft in deep sighs some cause unknown confest : " Think how these Arms did oft with fierce embrace , " Eager as my desires , about you press : " These Lips too ( when they cou'd so happy prove , " Had you but mark'd ) with close warm kisses strove " To whisper something more than Sisters love : " And yet , though rankling grief my mind distrest , " Though raging flames within burnt up my breast , " " Long time I did the mighty pain endure , " Long strove to bring the fierce disease to cure : " Witness the cruel Pow'rs , who did inspire " This strange , this fatal , this resistless fire , " Witness what pains ( for you alone can know ) " This helpless wretch to quench't did undergo : " A thousand Racks , and Martyrdoms , and more " Than a weak Virgin can be thought , I bore : " O'rematch'd in pow'r at last I 'm forc'd to yield , " And to the conqu'ring God resign the field : " To you , dear cause of all , I make address , " From you with humble pray'rs I beg redress : " You rule alone my arbitrary fate , " And life and death on your disposal wait : " Ordain , as you think fit ; deny , or grant , " Yet know no stranger is your suppliant . " But she , who , though to you by Blood allied " In nearest bonds , in nearer wou'd be tied . " Let doating age debate of Law and Right , " And gravely state the bounds of just and fit ; " Whose wisdom 's but their envy , to destroy " And bar those pleasures which they can't enjoy : " Our blooming years , more sprightly and more gay , " By Nature were design'd for love and play : " Youth knows no check , but leaps weak Vertues fence , " And briskly hunts the noble chase of sence : " Without dull thinking we enjoyment trace , " And call that lawful , whatsoe're does please . " Nor will our guilt want instances alone , " 'T is what the glorious Gods above have done : " Let 's follow where those great examples went , " Nor think that Sin , where Heaven 's a precedent . " Let neither aw of Father's frowns , nor shame " For ought that can be told by babbling fame , " Nor any gastlier fantom , fear can frame , " Frighten or stop us in our way to bliss , " But boldly let us rush on happiness : " Where glorious hazzards shall enhance delight , " And that , that makes it dangerous make it great . " Relation too , which does our fault increase , " Will serve that fault the better to disguise ; " That lets us now in private often meet " Bless'd opportunities for stoln delight : " In publick often we embrace and kiss , " And fear no jealous , no suspecting eyes . " How little more remains for me to crave ! " How little more for you to give ! O save " A wretched Maid undone by love and you , " Who does in tears and dying accents sue ; " Who bleeds that Passion she had ne're reveal'd , " If not by love , almighty love compel'd : " Nor ever let her mournful Tomb complain , " Here Byblis lies , kill'd by your cold disdain . Here forc'd to end , for want of room , not will To add , her lines the crowded Margin fill , Nor space allow for more : she trembling , folds The Paper , which her shameful message holds ; And sealing , as she wept with boading fear , She wet her Signet with a falling Tear. This done , at trusty Messenger she call'd , And in kind words the whisper'd Errand told : " Go , carry this with faithful care , she said , " To my dear , — there she paus'd a while , and staid , And by and by — Brother — was heard to add : As she deliver'd it with her commands , The Letter fell from out her trembling hands , Dismay'd with the ill Omen , she anew Doubted success , and held , yet bad him go . He goes , and after quick admission got To Caunus hands the fatal secret brought : Soon as the doubtful Youth a glance had cast On the first lines , and guest by them the rest , Strait horror and amazement fill'd his breast : Impatient with his rage he could not stay To see the end , but threw 't half read away . Scarce could his hands the trembling wretch forbear , Nor did his tongue these angry threatnings spare : " Fly hence , nor longer my chaf'd fury trust , " Thou cursed Pander of detested lust ; " Fly quickly hence , and to thy swiftness owe " Thy life , a forfeit to my vengeance due : " Which , had not danger of my Honour crost , " thou 'dst paid by this , and been sent back a ghost . He the rough orders strait obeys , and bears The killing news to wretched Byblis ●●rs ; Like striking thunder the 〈…〉 gs stun , And to her heart quicker 〈…〉 t'ning run : The frighted blood forsakes her gastly face , And a short death does every member seize : But soon as sense returns , her frenzy too Returns , and in these words breaks forth anew . " And justly serv'd ; — for why did foolish I " Consent to make this rash discovery ? " Why did I thus in hasty lines reveal " That dang'rous secret , Honour wou'd conceal ? " I shou'd have first with art disguis'd the hook , " And seen how well the gawdy bait had took , " And found him hung at lest , before I strook : " From shore I shou'd have first descri'd the wind , " Whether 't would prove to my adventure kind , " E're I to untry'd Seas my self resign'd : " Now dash'd on Rocks unable to retire , " I must i' th' wreck of all my hopes expire , " And was not I by tokens plain enough " Forewarn'd to quit my unauspicious Love ? " Did not the Fates my ill success foretel , " When from my hands th' unhappy Letter fell ? " So should my hopes have done , and my design , " That , or the day should then have alter'd bin ; " But rather the unlucky day ; when Heaven " Such ominous proofs of its dislike had given : " And so it had , had not mad Passion sway'd , " And Reason been by blinder Love misled . " Besides ( alas ! ) I shou'd my self have gone , " Nor made my Pen a proxy to my Tongue ; " Much more I could have spoke , much more have told , " Than a short Letters narrow room would hold : " He might have seen my Looks , my wishing Eyes , " My melting Tears , and heard my begging Sighs ; " About his Neck I could have flung my Arms , " And been all over Love , all over Charms ; " Grasp'd and hung on his Knees , and there have dyed , " There breath'd my gasping Soul out if denied : " This and ten thousand things I might have done " To make my Passion with advantage known ; " Which if they each could not have bent his mind , " Yet surely all had forc'd him to be kind . " Perhaps he whom I sent was too in fault , " Nor rightly tim'd his Message , as he oug●● , " I fear he went in some ill-chosen hour , " When cloudy weather made his temper lour . " Not those calm seasons of the mind , which prove " The fittest to receive the seeds of love . " These things have ruin'd me ; for doubtless he " Is made of humane flesh and blood like me ; " He suck'd no Tygress sure , nor Mountain Bear , " Nor does his breast relentless Marble wear . " He must , he shall consent , again I 'le try , " And try again , if he again deny : " No scorn , no harsh repulse , or rough defeat " Shall ever my desires , or hopes rebate . " My earnest suits shall never give him rest , " While Life , and Love more durable , shall last : " Alive I 'le press , till breath in pray'rs be lost , " And after come a kind beseeching ghost . " For , if I might , what I have done , recall , " The first point were , not to have don 't at all ; " But since 't is done , the second to be gain'd " Is now to have , what I have sought , attain'd : " For he , though I should now my wishes quit , " Can never my unchaste attempts forget : " Should I desist , 't will be believ'd that I " By slightly asking , taught him to deny ; " Or that I tempted him with wily fraud , " And snares for his unwary Honour laid : " Or , what I sent ( and the belief were just ) " Were not th' efforts of Love , but shameful Lust. " In fine , I now dare any thing that 's ill ; " I 've writ , I have solicited , my will " Has been debauch'd ; and shou'd I thus give out , " I cannot chast and innocent be thought : " Much there is wanting still to be fulfill'd , " Much to my wish , but little to my guilt . She spoke ; but such is her unsetled mind , It shifts from thought to thought , like veering wind , Now to this point and now to that inclin'd : What she could wish had unattempted been , She strait is eager to attempt agen : What she repents , she acts ; and now le ts loose The reins to Love , nor any bounds allows : Repulse upon repulse unmov'd she bears , And still sues on , while she her suit despairs . FINIS . A SATYR UPON A WOMAN , Who by her Falshood and Scorn was the Death of my Friend . Written in the Year , 1678. LONDON , Printed for Io. Hindmarsh , 1681. A SATYR Upon a WOMAM , who by her Falshood and Scorn was the Death of my Friend . NO she shall ne're escape , if Gods there be , Unless they perjur'd grow and false as she ; Though no strange judgment yet the murd'ress seize To punish her , and quit the partial Skies : Though no revenging light'ning yet has flasht From thence , that might her criminal beauties blast : Though they in their old lustre still prevail By no disease , nor guilt it self made pale . Guilt , which blackest Moors themselves but own , Would make through all their night new blushes dawn : Though that kind soul , who now augments the blest , Thither too soon by her unkindness chas'd : ( Where may it be her smallest and lightest doom , ( For that 's not half my curse ) never to come ; ) Though he , when prompted by the high'st despair , Ne're mention'd her without an Hymn or Prayer , And could by all her scorn be forc'd no more Than Martyrs to revile what they adore . Who , had he curst her with his dying breath , Had done but just , and Heaven had forgave : Though ill-made ●aw no Sentence has ordain'd For her , no Statute has her Guilt arraign'd . ( For 〈◊〉 , Womens scorn , and Doctor 's 〈◊〉 , All by a 〈◊〉 way of murder kill . ) Though she from justice of all these go free , And boast perhaps in her success , and cry , 'T was but a little h●●●●less perjury : Yet thinks she not she still secure shall prove , Or that none dare avenge an injur'd love : I rise in judgment , am to be to her Both Witness , Judge , and Executioner : Arm'd with dire Satyr , and resentful spite , I come to haunt her with the ghosts of Wit. My ink unbid starts out , and flies on her Like blood upon some touching murderer : And shou'd that fail , rather than want , I wou'd Like Hags , to curse her , write in my own blood . Ye spiteful pow'rs ( if any there can be , That boast a worse and keener spite than I ) Assist with malice , and your mighty aid My sworn Revenge , and help me Rhime her dead : Grant I 〈…〉 Infamy , So plain , so deeply grav'd on her , that she , Her Skill , Patches , nor Paint , all joyn'd can hide , And which shall lasting as her Soul abide : Grant my rank hate may such strong poison cast , That every breath may taint , and rot and blast , Till one large gang'rene quite o'respread her fame With foul contagion , till her odious name Spit at and curst by every mouth like mine , Be terror to her self and all her line . Vil'st of that viler Sex , who damn'd us all ! Ordain'd to cause and plague us for our fall ! WOMAN ! nay worse ! for she can nought be said But Mummy by some Devil inhabited : Not made in Heavens Mint , but basely coin'd , She wears an humane image stampt on fiend ; And whoso Marriage would with her contract , Is Witch by Law , and that a meer compact : Her Soul ( if any Soul in her there be ) By Hell was breath'd into her in a lye , And its whole stock of falshood there was lent , As if hereafter to be true it meant : Bawd Nature taught her jilting , when she made , And by her make designed for the trade : Hence 't was she daub'd her with a painted Face , That she at once might better cheat and please All those gay charming looks that court the eye , Are but an ambush to hid treachery ; Mischief adorn'd with pomp and smooth disguise , A painted skin stuff'd full of guile and lyes , Within a gawdy Case , a nasty Soul , Like T — of quality in a gilt Close-stool : Such on a Cloud those flatt'ring colours are , Which only serve to dress a Tempest fair . So men upon this Earths fair surface dwell , Within are Fiends , and at the center Hell : Court-promises , the Leagues which States-men make With more convenience and more ease to break , The Faith a Jesuite in Allegiance swears , Or a Town-jilt to keeping Coxcombs bears , Are firm and certain all compar'd with hers : Early in falshood , at her Font she lied , And should even then for perjury been tried : Her Conscience stretch'd , and open as the Stews , But laughs at Oaths , and plays with solemn Vows , And at her mouth swallows down perjur'd breath , More glib than bits of lechery beneath : Less serious known when she doth most protest , Than thoughts of arrantest Bustoons in jest : More cheap than the vile mercenariest Squire , That pli●s for Half-crown F●es at Westminster ; And trades in staple Oaths , and Swears to hire : ●●ss g●●lt than hers , less b●●●ch of Oath and Word Has stood alost , and look'd through 〈◊〉 ●ancebo●●d ; And he that trus●s her in a Death-bed-Prayer , Has 〈◊〉 to m●rit and save any thing but her . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her gilt d●scription does out go , 〈…〉 it out-strip my Curses too ; Curses , which may they equal my just hate , My wish , and her desert , be each so great , Each heard like Prayers , and Heaven make 'em fate . First for her Beauties , which the mischief brought , May she affected , they be borrow'd thought , By her own hand not that of Nature wrought : Her Credit , Honour , Portion , Health , and those Prove light and frail as her broke Faith and Vows : Some base unnam'd Disease , her Carkass foul , And make her Body ugly as her Soul. Cankers and Ulcers eat her till she be Shun'd like Infection , loath'd like Infamy . Strength quite expir'd , may she alone retain , The snuff of life , may that unquench'd remain , As in the damn'd to keep her fresh for pain : Hot Lust light on her , and the plague of Pride On that , this ever scorn'd , as that denied : Ach , anguish , horror , grief , dishonour , shame Pursue at once her body , soul and fame : If e're the Devil-love must enter her ( For nothing sure but Fiends can enter there ) May she a just and true tormenter find , And that like an ill-conscience rack her mind : Be some diseas'd and ugly wretch her fate , She doom'd to love of me , whom all else hate . May he hate her , and may her destiny Be to despair , and yet love on and die ; O●●o invent some wittier punishment , May he to plague her , out of spite consent ; May the old fumbler , though disabled quite , Have strength to give her Claps , but no delight : May he of her unjustly jealous be For one that 's worse and uglier far than he : May's impotence balk and torment her lust , Yet scarcely her to dreams or wishes trust : Forc'd to be chast , may she suspected be , Share none o' th pleasure , all the infamy . In fine , that I all curses may complete ( For I 've but curs'd in jest and rallied yet ) Whate're the Sex deserves , or feels , or fears , May all those plagues be hers , and only hers ; Whate're great favourites turn'd out of doors , Sham'd Cullies , bilk'd and disappointed Whores , Or losing Gamesters vent , what Curses e're Are spoke by sinners raving in despair : All those fall on her , as they 're all her due , Till spite can't think , nor Heaven inflict anew : May then ( for once I will be kind and pray ) No madness take her use of Sense away ; But may she in full strength of reason be , To feel and understand her misery ; Plagu'd so , till she think damning a release , And humbly pray to go to Hell for ease : Yet may not all these suff'rings here atone Her sin , and may she still go sinning on , Tick up in Perjury , and run o' th' score , Till on her Soul she can get trust no more : Then may the stupid and repentless die , And Heaven it self forgive no more than I , But so be damn'd of meer necessity . FINIS . ERRATA . PAge 2. line 19. read there , p. 4. l. 16. r. it , p. 7. l. 1. r. an , p. 25. l. 3. r. curse , p. 30. l. 2. r. Title , p. 35 , l. 18. r. bantring , p. 44. l. 14. r. meals , p. 46. l. 2. r. line , l. 9. r strow'd , p. 47. l. 5. r. Natives , p. 48. l. 19. r. Numbers . p. 49. l. 2. r. made , l. 8. r. write , l. 14. r. shamelesness , p. 5● . l. 1. were is wanting , p 59. l. 8. r. unknowing ▪ p. 94. l. 7. r. Maniples , p. 9. l 7. r. vile , l. 8. r. with , p. 98. l. 3. r. Mortality , l. 5. r. thrice cursed , p. 99. l. ● . r. goodly , l. 14. r. to providence , p. 100. l. 2. r. heretofore disgusted , p. 101. l. 7. r. Iilt , l. 14. r. though , p. 102. l. 8. r. Humane kind , l. 11. & 1. r. known , l. 14. r. reach'd , p. 104. l. 6. r. Beards , l. 14. r. on , p. 105. l. 2. r Ruines , l. 4. r. varnish with her , l 13. r. Quiet and , l. 15. r. too combin'd , p. 106. l 8. r. Project , p. 107. l. 5. r. defie , l. 8. r. dull unbred Fools , l. 15. height of spirit , l. 16. mean soul'd Offenders , l. 17. Debauches , p. 108. l. 3. r. Ev'n Iove , l. 15. r. Impiety , p. 109. l 3. r. Carian , l. 4. Monarchs , l. 10. r. Spite , p. 110. l. 3. r. to his , l 11. Pitch is wanting . p. 111. l. 4. r. Around , l. 7. r. grown , l. 9. thy Act , p. 112. l. 5. r. great'st in Hell , l. 8. r. Examples , l. 11. r. Unknown , unheard , unthought of , l. 12. r. methinks , p. 113. l. 2. r. Stock for company the wide Plantations down , l. 17. r. that sin'd , l. 18. r. Crime , p. 114. l. 5. r. he begot , p. 115. l. 11. r. her speak . p. 117 l. 9. thought is wanting . l. 18. r. the base Itch , p. 118. l. 10. r. a Genius , l. 15. r. by 't , l. 16. r. He 'd shoot his Quills , next l. r. them , p. 119. l. 1. p●inted is wanting . l. 3. r. And all should think him Heav'ns . 


c0: A56533
c1: Pascal, Blaise, 1623-1662. Provinciales.
c2: Additionals to The mystery of Jesuitisme Englished by the same hand.
c3: 1658.0
c6: 48063
c7: 1822
c8: 68
c9: A56533.xml
c10: A56533.txt
c4:
  Quisquis vel quod potest , arguendo corrigit , vel quod corrige●e non potest , salvo paci● v●nculo , excludit , vel quod , salvo pacis vinculo excludere , non potest , equitate improbat , ●●mitate supportat , hic ●st pacificus , et ab isto maledicto quod Scriptura dicit , V● his qui dicunt quod nequa● bonum est , & quod bonum est nequam , omninò liber , pro●s●s s●cur●s , penit●s ali●nus . But the feare of damnation for following these ●asuists , might haply stop their hands who were inclin'd thereto , if at the same time it were not demonstrated according to the genera●l doctrine of probability , that , of two probable opin●ons , it is as s●se to follow one as the other , a●d consequ●ntly● that there is as litle danger of offending God by k●lling● as there is in no● killing .

c5:
  arch; assembly; authority; authors; bishop; books; casuists; charge; church; con ●; conscience; contrary; cu ●; curez; curé; de ●; doctrine; escobar; father; god; good; hath; having; ies; jes; late; lawfull; m ●; man; maximes; men; morality; nay; new; o ●; opinions; order; paris; peace; persons; probability; propositions; reason; reverend; rouen; sinne; th ●; tha ●; theol; thing; time; truth; way; world; ● d; ● e; ● h; ● n; ● r; ● s; ● t; ● y; ● ●

c11:
   Additionals to The mystery of Jesuitisme Englished by the same hand. 1658 Approx. 279 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 81 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A56533 Wing P640 ESTC R3011 12961713 ocm 12961713 96080 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56533) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 96080) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 363:24) Additionals to The mystery of Jesuitisme Englished by the same hand. Pascal, Blaise, 1623-1662. Provinciales. [2], 147, [9] p. Printed for Richard Royston, London : 1658. Published in Pascal's Les provinciales, or, The mystery of Jesuitisme. London, 1658. Includes index. Errata: p. [3] Advertisement: p. [4-6] Imperfect: filmed copy dark and difficult to read. Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Jesuits -- Controversial literature. Jansenists -- Early works to 1800. 2002-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-05 TCP Staff (Oxford) Sampled and proofread 2002-05 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion ADDITIONALS TO THE MYSTERY OF IESVITISME . ENGLISHED By the same Hand . LONDON , Printed for Richard Royston , 1658. THE REPRESENTATION Of the Reverend , THE CVREZ OF PARIS , To the Reverend The CUREZ of the other Dioceses of FRANCE , Vpon occasion of certain corrupt Maximes of some late CASVISTS . REVEREND SIRS , IF all true Christians , making truly but one Body , are to be guided by the conduct of the same spirit and same heart , and are , out of considerations of charity towards God , ●blig'd to be tender of the spirituall concernments one of another , in those emergencies which Heaven is pleas'd to present them with ; it must needs be , that all the Pastors of the Catholick Church stand in a far greater obligation to that duty . For it being expected that their charity should be much more shining then that of private men , as being the pattern and modell thereof , it is accordingly but just it should more closely cement them together , and engage them beyond others , to mutuall helps and assistances , for the better improvement & edification a●d those souls which God hath committed to their charge . Out of this consideration was it that we were induc'd to entertain with a favourable reception , what hath been represented to us by our Reverend Brethren the Curez of Rouen in our late Assemblies . Which was this , That , the Reverend Curè of S. Ma●lou , one of the most considerable among them , having thought himself obliged to say something ( in a Synodal Sermon , preach'd before his Grace the Arch-Bishop of Rouen , above eight hundred Curez , and abundance of other persons of quality ) against the perni●ious Maximes of certain Casuists , as such as disturb the order of the Hierarchy , and corrupt Christian Morality ; And that , having since declar'd in a Sermon preach'd in his own parish , though he preach'd against those corrupt Maximes , yet he did not attribute ●hem to any Order , or to any Community or Body of men , but opposed them considered onely in themselves , The Je●uits of the City of Rouen have neverthelesse thought themselves so m●ch disobliged and injured by the pu●lick disparagement done the doctrine contained therein , that they presented to his Grace the Arch-Bishop of Rouen , in the name of Brother Iohn Brisacier Rector of their Colledge in the said City , a Petition ●illed with injuries and calumn●es against the Person of the said Cu●e of Saint Maclou ; to the end , that , having blasted his credit and reputation , all others might be deterred from engaging in an attempt so hazardous as that of the publick discrediting of what those scandalous Authors dare publickly write and openly maintain : That this unworthy treatment of their Brother had obliged them to assemble together to examine those points in Morality which had given the fi●st occasions of the difference : That to effect that , they h●d perused the Books out of which they had been taken , and that having made faithfull Extracts thereof , they had found therein some propositions so extravagant , and so likely to pervert soules , that it f●rther ingaged them to side with their Brother , to demand all together the condemnation thereof : That , to that purpose ; they had presented a Petition to his Grace the Arch-Bishop of Rouen , who , having return'd them answer , that that Affair was of generall concernment , and ref●ected on the whole Church , expressed to them his inclinations to have the bus●nesse returned up to the right Reverend Lords of the Generall Assembly of the Clergy of France , then sitting at Paris . And this was it that gave them occasion to addresse themselves also to Us , to the end that by mutuall and joynt assistances , our endeavours might prove the more effectuall to obtain a Censure of these Maximes , as such as are absolutely opposite to the rules and sp●rit of the Gospel , whereof they have sent us extracts , and to check the violence of those , who● by their power , would muzzle the P●stors of the Church , who being appointed by God to be watchmen and Sent●nels to the House of Israel , according to the words of the Scripture , are obliged to cry o●● and give notice of whatever may prejudice those soul● , whereof God will one day demand so severe an account at their hands . This advice of theirs , full of prudence ●nd zeal , having had a great influence upon us , hath put us upon a resolution in our late assemblies , not onely to joyn our endeavours with those of the reverend Curez of Rouen , but also to imitate them , by communica●ing to you this Affair which indeed is common to all , since it equally concerns us all that the Church , the chaste and undefiled Spouse of IESUS CHRIST , whereof we are entrus●ed wi●h the conduct , under the authority of our Lords the Bishops , should not receive any spot or pollution in her Morality , by Maximes that are corrupt , and absolutely contrary to her holy administrations ; and that she should not any longerly subject● to the scandalous reproaches which her professed Enemies , the Hereticks , burthen her with upon this occasion , in that they would have her to be accountable for those pernicious opinions of certain priva●e Casuists , though she hath ever opposed and condemned them by her Canons and Decrees . T is with this design , and purely out of a consideration of doing the Church some service , and to the end you might be fully acquainted with all that passed upon this emergency , we send you a copy of the Petition , which the reverend the Curez of Rouen presented to their Arch-Bishop , with a faithfull extract of some of the Propositions , taken out of a far greater number of others suitable thereto , which contain such a doctrine , as no man that hath ever so little tendernesse of his own Salvation b●● must conceive a horrour at ; and among which we have onely put in those that concern Morality , and not those that concern the Hierarchy . Whereof we hope this effect , that being bound up in the same spirit of peace , concord and charity , and embarqued in the same desires of cultivating those souls which are committed to us all , you might joyn with us , as diverse of the reverend the Curez of other Dioceses have already offered to do , and accordingly send your Letters of procuration or Atturney to the Syndics of our Company , authenticated by the testimonies of two publick Notaries , and set at the bottome of the Extract which we send you of the propositions to be condemned ; and to demand and prosecute joyntly with us , as well before the Lords of the Generall Assembly of the Clergie of France , as elsewhere , as it shall be thought requisite , the Censure and condemnation of these pernicious maximes , which corrupt and Poison Christian Morality , and disturb civill Society , such as are those whereof we send you the extracts , and others of the same thread . That so , the people , whom God hath committed to our charge , under our Lords the Prelates , may henceforth be preserved from that mortall venome which inclines them to licentiousnesse and Libertinisme : and that we may have occasion all together to praise and blesse the Father of Mercies , for that he hath given us the power and confidence to do that which our duties obliged us to , without being deterred by any feare or humane considerations ; as also for that he shall have done us the favour to make our endeavours upon this account instrumentall and contributary to the salvation of those many Soules which have been redeemed by the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST . Concluded , and signed by order of the Assembly of the reverend , the Curez of Paris . ROUSSE , Curé of S. Roch● Syndic . DUPUIS , Curé of the Saints In● Innocents , Syndic . Paris , Sept. 1● , 1656. A COPY OF THE PETITION Presented by the Reverend the Curez of Rouen to their Arch-Bishop . To the Right Reverend Father in God , the most Illustrious and most Religious , the Arch-bishop of Rouen , Primate of Normandy . THe Dean and Curez of Rouen , whose names are under written humbly shew , That ●or some years past , many great Prelates , and others of the Clergy , men venerable for their piety and abilities have obse●ved , and accordingly complained as well in their writings as their discourses , that divers late Authors who have treated of Morall Theology and the Cases of Conscience , have taught in their writings and the books they have set forth upon these subjects , certain pernicious doctrines , such as corrupt good manners , and are absolutely opposite to the maximes of the Gospell . That the late Archbishop , your Uncle and predecessor was one of those , who made the greatest discoveries of the consequences of this inconvenience , which he bew●yles very much in that excellent Treatise of his , in●ituled De Rebus Ecclesiae , where , with a zeal● and earnestnesse worthy so great a Prelate , he bemoans the corruption of Morality , and the dissolution of Discipline which hath been occasioned by the destructive principles of the accommodating and complying Th●●logie of the late Casuists , whose books he compares to those little penitentiall Treatises which were heretofore used as instructions to Confessors ●n the administration of the Sacrament of Penance , into which there crept so many errours and abuses , that the second Councell of Ch●alons under Charlemaigne , and the sixth Councell of Paris under Lewis the Debonaire , thought themselves oblig'd to condemn them . But besides these matters of grievance for which we have the complaints of divers eminent persons of these times against the C●suists , it hath many times been thought necessary to prevent the further progresse of the corrupt doctrine of some by Censures and other juridicall wayes , which course was taken with a Book writ by Peter Milhard , a Benedictine Monk , entituled , The grand Guid of the Curez ; as also with that of M. Ber●in Berthauld , a Priest of the Diocesse of Coutance ● intituled , The Director of Con●essors , both which received their censure from the Theologal Faculty of Paris . And since th●t time hath the same course been taken with the Book of the Summary of Sinnes , written by Father Ba●ny , a Iesuit , which hath been censur'd at Rome by the Congregation appointed for the prohibition and condemnation of Books , and in France by the Assembly generall of the Clergy , April 12. 1642. as containing such propositions as might incline Souls to libertinisme and the corruption of good manners , and violate naturall right and the Law of Nations , excuse blasphemies Usuries , Simonies and many other the most horrid transgressions . And your Grace may take it further into consideration , how that it is expressed in the Act of Ce●s●re , that our Lords the Prelates had resolved to have a System of Morall Divini●y composed by ten or twelve Doctors of the most eminent of the faculty of Paris , which should be approved by the Prelates of this Kingdome , and received in ●ll their Diocesses , so in some me●sure to prevent the inconveniences occ●sioned by the multiplicity of bookes of that nature . And about two years after this censure was passed , that is to say in the yeare 1644. Father Hereau , a Jesuit , Re●der of the Case● of Conscience● in the Colledge of Clermont in Paris , haveing entertained his Scholars with certaine propositions prejudiciall to the Lives of men , the Vniversity put in an Information against him for it , and presented to the Parleme●t three Petitions one after another . In the first whereof , dated March. 5. in the same yeare , the Vniversity prayes● That the Jesuits might not be permitted thence forth to read Divinity in the Colledge of Clermont or any where else . In the second , the Vnivers●ty represents to the Court , and shewes that the Doctrine conta●ned in the writings of Father Hereau , is not to be considered as the opinion● of one particular man , but as the doctrine of severall Authors of that Society . And the dri●t of the third petition , is , to perswade the Court to suppresse that book of Father C●ussinus , which is called , An Apologie for the Religiou● men of the Society of Iesus , wherein that Iesuit endeavours to vindicate his Society from the charge put in against them by the Vniversity , and undertake● , ●n that Libell , to jus●ify the pernicious doctrines which had occasioned the presenting of the two former petitions . While ●hese things were in agitation , the King having ( advice had with his Councell ) received notice of the pernicious doctrines taught at the Colledge of Clermont , sent for the Provinciall and superiours of the three houses which the Jesuits have about Pari● , and discovered to them , in the presence of the Queene Regent his Mother , how much he was dis●●ti●fied with the Propositions taught by F. Hereau ; telling them that the Superiours were very much to b●ame for suffering such maxime● to be brought upon the stage , as whereof the very knowledge were very dangerous , as being so far from obliging men to a regulation of their passions , that they encourage men r●ther to comply therewith . His Majesty further expressed his desires to the Superiour● of that Order , that they would for the future be more carefull to take notice of the doctrine that should be either published or taught in their Houses ; that he would not take it for any excuse , they should alledge their ignorance of the corrupt maxime● that might be treated of by their Fathers ; and that he would call them to accompt for what ever should be done amiss for the time to come . Whereupon , as it may be seen in the Order of the Councell published af●erward● , bearing date the 28th . of Aprill 1644. th● sa●d Jesuits were , as they pretended , extreamly troubled , his Maje●ty should have any occasion to take any thing ill as to the carriage of any Father of theirs ; they acknowledged , that the said Father Hereau had not done well in treating publickly of such Questions , as were complained of ; that they disclaimed them , thinking it very dangerous they should be either taught or treated of ; and that for the fu●ure they wo●ld take such a course , as that in their Colledges there should not be advanced any thing that might prove prejudiciall to the Publick . The effect of these declarations of theirs , was , that the King , with the advice of his Councell sent ou● severe prohibitions to the Jesuits and all others , that they should not for the future either in their publick Lectures , or otherwise , treat of any such propositions , with an injunction to the Superiours to be very watchfull that there should not , in any of their houses , things of that nature be advanced ; and in the meane , that F. Hereau should remaine secured in their Colledge , till some fur●her order should be taken about him by his Majesty● The noise and stir , which tho●e pernicious propositions of Father Hereau's did at that time rai●e about Paris , and particularly those that concerned the killing of evil speakers , revived the curiosity of a m●ny very le●rned and judicious persons to look more narrowly into the doctrine of the Casuis●s . The Authors of the bookes written at that time in defence of the Vniver●ity against the designes and attempts of the Jesuits , drew up a Catalogue of a many dangerous propositions , which may be found princ●pally in two Bookes ; whereof one is instituted , Academicall Truths ; and the other , The Answer of the Vniversity of Paris , to the Apologi● for the Jesuits , written by Father Causinus . But much about this very time , as also since , there have been published severall larger collections , wherein are rallyed together abundance of abhominable propos●tions , which are , in the said Collections attributed to the Casuists , and those the most eminent of that qu●lity . This was it also , may it please your Grace , that gave us occasion , to examine with the greatest care we could , whether there were to be found in the bookes of those Authors , Doctrines so pernicious , ●s those that were cited in the Collections . The charge of Pastors which we exercise in the Church under your Authority , and the obligation that lyes upon us , to prevent the Soules committed to our charge from being infected by this contagion , and the Priests who administer the Sacrament of Penance in our severall p●rishes , from taking for a r●le these d●ngerous maximes : , and put them in practise in our Confession Seats , have eng●ged us to joine together in this designe , and we have with the same spirit and s●me heart consulted the bookes we could meet with , wherein we have ●ound a great number of erroneous , dangerous and detestable propositions , and have dr●wn up true co●ies of the same , which we present to your Greatnesse , accordingly to obtaine the censure thereof . And whereas this evill hath spread it self so far , that it cannot any longer be either concealed or dissembled , it may be thought high time to hinder its further progresse by some effectuall remedy . For , things are come to that passe , that unlesse Episcopall Authority interpose it selfe and ●ise up , to condemn these lewd propositions , such of the people as are acquainted therewith might be erroneously perswaded that these opinions , being taught by Catholick Doctors , and tolerated i● the Church , are not corrupt , and that they may be followed with safety of conscience ; which , if some sudden provision be not made against it , may produce very deplorable effects . For those that have but any thing more then ordinary inclinations to piety , will still be scandalized at it , the more dissolute will thence take occasion to some with more insolence and encouragement , and hereticks will be sure to make their advantages of it , that is , think it a just ground publickly to discredit the Catholick Church , by laying at her doore these pernicious maximes , as hath been done heretofore by the Minister Du Moulin in his book O● Traditions , where he reproaches the Church of Rome with the pestilent opinions of some of our Casuists . It is on the other side to be considered , that there never was so much necessity to abate the confidence of these newly-illuminated Divines , whereof we find the latter still adding something to the extravagances of their predecessors ; which it were no hard matter to make appeare by diverse notorious examples that will deserve notice should be taken thereof . So that if some course be not taken to suppresse a temerity so prejudiciall to the Church● it 's to be feared , that Time may hereaf●er so● bring things about , that men may take for sound doct●in●s and undeniable Truth , abundance of dangerous propositions , which the more ●eare-conscienced Casuists have not presumed yet to advance otherwise then as questionable and hardly probable . Your Grace having taken all these things into your serious consideration . We are further most humble Suitors to your Grandeur , that you would be pleased to employ that Authority , and that truly-Episcopall zeale which you have , to weed these cu●sed ●ares out of the Field of the Church , and to make way for the purity of Christian Morality to thrive therein , by rooting out these unhappy doctrines , by a Censur● worthy your selfe , that is , such as , no doubt , will encourage and engage other prelates to do the same thing in their Diocesses ; whereof what can be the consequence , but that the spouse of JESUS CHRIST , being found incorruptible and without spot as well in her Manners as in her doctrine , must put her enemies to silence , and inviolably preserve her selfe and persever in that purity which her divine spouse hath merited for her by his Blood. And whereas M. Iohn Brisacier , calling himsel●e Rector of your Episcopal Colledge , hath some dayes since presented to your Grandeur a Petition full of injurious expressions and calumnies against the person of M. Charles du Four , Abbot of Aulney , Treasurer of your Cathedral Church , and Cure of the parish of S● . Maclou ; in which petition he treats the said du Four in no other termes then those of Temerarious , Seditious , refractory , abettor of heresy , and Detractor , and charges him with a many other scandalous and reviling characters , meerly for having preached , with zeale and earnestness , against these dangerous doctrines , once in your presence , and before all your Clergy , and another time in his owne parish , explaining to the people the commandements of God , and the wholsome Maximes of the Gospell , yet without the least derogation or injury to the Iesuits : And where●s the maine designe of the said Brisacier in the Petition he hath presented to you , by way of complaint , is , to stop the mouths of the Pastors , and to hinder us from instructing the People committed to our charge in the purity of Christian Morality , and opposing those errours wherewith some do so much endeavour to corrupt it , it is the humble ●uit of your Petitioners● That it may please your Grace to enjoyn and order him to make the said du Four reparation for the horrid calumnies and af●ronts contained in his said Petition , and oblige the said Bris●cier sincerely to disclaime and retract , ●s well by writing as by word , those detestable opinions . And in case you shall think fit to admit him the said Brisacier to plead for himself , that so there may be a legall proceeding in the businesse , that you would be pleased to order , that , before any priviledge be allowed him , he be engaged to clear himself canonically of the character and Censure pa●sed and published against him by the late Archbishop of Paris , and withall to cause him to be acknowledged by his Superiours in all his complaints and pleas , and to submit , in all this● prosecution to your Tribunall and I●risdiction , and further to declare from article to article whether he approves or disapproves the Propositions which the Curé of S. Maclou hath publickly cry'd down in his● Sermons , whereof there is a catalogue hereunto annexed , and so , that once done , joyn issue , and after all things have been fairly debated , to stand to your judgement upon the whole matter . And for our parts who are your Petitioners , and call upon you as our judge and Father , we humbly desire your grace will be pleased to continue us in your protection , together with the said Curé of St. Maclou , whose case we all make our own , and , by condemning these pernicious doctrines , keep those qu●et and silent who would divert us from opposing the same , and discovering to the people the dangerous consequences thereof . And we beseech you further to consider , how insupportable it must be to the Pastors and Curez of your Metropolis , to see , that some particular persons among the Jesuits , should make it their business to stop their mouth● , and to divert them from preaching the truth of sound doctrine , and to oppose the extravagances of an erroneous Morality , while it is suffered that those very particular person● should publickly countenance and maintain them , as is done dayly by the said Father Brisacier , as well by writing as discourse , as we shall finde it no hard matter to prove , if he dares deny it● Nor does he do this himself , but , as if his example were contagious , the same thing h●th been done , and that with more scandal and danger , by Father de Bois , Regent in Divinity in your Archi-episcopal Colledge , who , not thinking it enough , that he had beaten down and endeavoured to destroy , as he hath done this last year , that point of Ecclesiastical and Hierarchical discipline that is the best established in your Diocess , as having made several set discourses to his Scholers ( who are in a manner all Priests well known and respected in our parishes ) against the obligation of hearing parochial Masses , and against the Authority which the Prelates have to oblige the people thereto , hath , within this moneth , forborn his ordinary Lectures , out of a design to excuse , nay , indeed to maintain , the pernicious doctrin of the most disallowed Casuists of his Order , as having , among others , undertaken to justifie that book of Father Bauny's , entituled , The Summary of Sins , and to make his doctrin pass ●or sound and innocent , though that very book had been censured at Rome , as also by our Lords the Bishops in a general Assembly . It was also with the same excess of confidence that the said Father de Bois hath presumed to vindicate Father Amicus , a divine of his Socie●y , upon the subject of Murther to be committed on those who either calumniate or threaten to calumniate Priests or Religious men , ev●n to that height , as that in the last Lectures he read to his Schollers within these few dayes , he hath clearly maintained , that it was lawful for Priests and Religious men , to defend , etlam cum morte inva●oris , the reputation they have acquired by their vertue and prudence , when there is no other course to be taken to divert the detractor . All which when your grace hath taken into serious consideration , we humbly desire , you will be pleased to order the said Regent publickly to retract and disclaim the propositions he hath advanced , as well against good manners , as against the order and discipline of your Diocess , and that of the whole Church , and that a prohibition be issued out , that he may not for the future spread abroad any such scandalous doctrines , upon pain of those canonical chastisements incurrible by the contrary . And in the mean time , we shall pray unto God who is the great Master of all good and wholsome doctrine , that he would preserve your grace , to ●he end that puri●ie may be reestablished in his Church , and prosper y●u in all your undertakings . And at the bo●tome were their Seals with the names ensuing , ●iz . Turgis , Dean of Chris●endome , and Curé of St. Vivian . Du Tour , Cu●é of St. Maclou . Du Perroy , Curé of St. Stephen , Les Tonneliers . Sancier , Cu●é of St. Deny's . Voisin , Curé of St● Michael's . Thierry , Curé of St. John's . Chretien , Cu●é of St. Patrick's . Le Clerc , Curé of St. Andrew's . Picquais , Curé of St. Saviour's . Lorrain , Curé of St. Martin le pont . Avice , Cu●é of St. Lo. De Sahurs , Curé of St. Peter's du chastel . Le Febure , Curé of St. Vincent's . De La Vigne , Curé of St. Peter's le Portier : Nicolas Tallebot , Curé of St. Andrew's pres Canchoise . De La Fosse , Dean and Curé of our Lady'● Church , dela Ronde . De La Haye , Curé of St. Amand. Mar● , Curé of St. Martin sur Renelle . Tirel , Curé of the Holy Cross , des Pelletiers . Le Prevost , Curé of St Herbeland's . Artus , Curé of St. Vigor . Gueroult , Curé of St. Nicalse . Des Marets , Curé of the Holy Cross , St. Owen's . Cotteret , Curé of St. Candus the younger . De Fieux , Curé of St. Laurence's . Teveneau , Curé of St. Stephen's the great Church . Le Cuiller , Curé of St. Mary's the Lesser . Faucillon , Curé of St. Nicholu●● The said Petition was communicated to the Proc●or according to the order , of his ●race the Arch-Bishop of Roven , made at his Archi-episcopal Palace of G●lllon , August , 28 , 1656. A CATALOGUE of the PROPOSITIONS , Contained in an Extract made of some of the most dangerous Propositions of diverse late Casuists , in point of MORALITY , faithfully taken out of their Works . I. SAint Thomas , ( Aquinas ) having ● clearly taught● Quodlib . 8. a. 13. and Quodlib . 3. ● . 10. that the opinion● of Do●●ors hinder not but that a man may be guilty of Sin , when he acts against the law of God ; these Casuists , on the contrary , teach , that an Opinion is probable when it is maintained only by one grave Doctor , and that a man may be confident he does not sin , though he quit an opinion which he knows to be true , and is the more safe , to follow that which is contrary thereto , and consequently less probable and less safe . This is affirmed by FILLIUCIUS , a Jesuit , Mor. Qu. tr . 21. c. 4. n. 128. TANNERUS a Jes. Theol . Schol. Tom. 2. disp . 2. q. 6. dub . 2. SANCHEZ , Jes. in Sum. l. 1. c. 9. n. 7. LAYMAN , Jes. Theol. Mor. l. 1. tr . 1. c. 5. Sect. 2. n : 6. II. Of a strange imagination which these Casuists have , that their opinions , being supposed probable do make that , which was sin before , not to be such any longer . CARAMUEL , in Epist. ad Ant. Dianam . III. That the Casuists are at liberty to answer according to the opinions of other● , though they think● them erroneous , when they are likely to prove more acceptable to those that consul● them , that is to say , they may answer one while according to one man's judgement , and another according to another's , though contrary thereto● LAYMAN , ●es . Theol. M●r● l. 1. tr . 1. c. 5. Sect. 2. n. 7. ESCOBAR , Princ. ex . 3. n. 24. IV. That the conditions which these Casuists require as necessary to make an action imputable as sin , may excuse an infinite number of crimes . BAUNY , Jes. Som. des pechez , c. 39 , p. 906. of the 6. Edition . V. How they elude and annihilate the lawes of the Church in the punishment o● the most horrid crimes . Escobar , Jes. Th. Mor. tr . 1. Exam. 8. c. 3. Praxis ex Societ . Iesu Dec●oribus . VI. That one may kill another to pr●vent ● box● o'th'●●r or a blow w●th ● stick . Azor● Jes. Insti● . Mor. Par● . 3. l. 2. p. 105. Filliucius Ies. To. 2. tr . 29. c. 3. n. 50● L●ssius Jes. de Iust. & Iure , l. 2. c. 9. dub . 12. n. 77. Escobar ●es . Mor. Theol. tr . 1. Exam. 7. c. 3. Praxis Soc. Iesu . Becan . Jes. Sum. part . 3. tr . 2. c. 64. de Homicid . qu. 8. VII . That it is lawful even for an Ecclesiastick and a Religious man to maintain the honour he hath acquired by his learning and vertue , by killing him who derogates from his reputation by opprobrious speeches and calumnies . Amicus , Jes. Tom. 5. disp . 36. n. 118. VIII . The doctrin of Father Amicus that permits a Religious man to kill him tha● threatens to calumniate , maintained by Caramuel , as being the only true judgment upon that case , the contrary being not so much as probable . Theol. Fundam , Fund . 55. Sect. 6. p. 544. IX . That it is doubtful whether a Religious man having made use of a woman , may not kill her if she offer to discover what passed between them● Caramuel ibid. Sect. 7. p. 551. X That as it is lawful for a man to defend his honour against him that would rob him of it , by charging him with a crime he is not guilty of , so may he do it also , by killing him . Caramuel . Theol. Fundam . Fund . 55. Sect. 6. p. 550. XI . That it is lawful , according to some , in the speculative , and according to others in the Practick also , for a man to wound or kill one that hath given him a box o'th'ear , even though the other run away for it . Lessius , Ies. de Iust. et Iur. l. 2. c. 9. dub . 12● n. 79. Reginaldus Jes. in Praxi . l. 21. n. 62. Filliucius Jes. tr . 29. c. 3. n. 51● Layman Jes. l. 3. tr . 3. par . 3. c. 3. n. 3. Escobar Ies. Mor. Theol. tr . 1. Exam. 7. c. 3. Praxis . Caramuel , Theol. Fundam . Fund . 55. Sect. 8. pag. 551. XII . That a man may kill a false accuser , nay , the witnesses produced by him , and the Iudge himself , when they cannot be otherwise diverted from oppressing the innocent . Tannerus Jes. To. 3. disp 4. q 8● d. 4. n. 83. Sanchez Ies. Oper. Mor. in Decal● l. 2. c. 39. n. 7. XIII . That it is lawful to procure abortion before the childe be quick in the womb , to save a Maid's life or reputation . Egidius Trullench in Decal . Tom. 5. l. 5. c. 1. dub . 4. n. 1. Et. quidam Theologus Socie●a●is Iesu ap●d . Dianam , Part. 6. Tr. 8. Res●l . 37. XIIII . That it is lawful to kill him that gives ●s the Lye , or any way reviles us . Escobar Theol. Mor. tr . 1. Exam . 7. c. 3. Praxis Reginaldus Jes. l. 2.1 . c. 5. n. 60. XV. That it is lawful for us to kill him that takes away our goods from us , even though he run away to avoid it , provided the thing be of value . Lessius Jes. de Iust. et Iure , l. 2. c. 9. dub . 11. n. 66. & 72. Escobar , Jes● Theor. Mor. tr . 1. Exam. 7. c. 3. Praxis . XVI . That it is lawful upon certain occasions to accept ● challenge and to fight a duel . Escobar Jes : Theol. Mor. tr . 1. Exam. 7. c. 3. Praxis Layman Jes. l. 3. T. 3. part . 3. c. 3. n. 2. & 3. Hurtad● de Mendoza Jes. in 2.2 . disp . 170 Sec● . 9. § . 82. Apud Dianam , Part. 5. tr . 13. Resol . J. 21. Idem Hurtado de Mendoza Jes. referente Diana , Part. 5. tr . 14. Miscellan . 2. Resol . 99. XVII . That it is not Simony either to give or receive a temporal good for a spiritual , when it is given only as the motive , and not as the price . Grego●ius à Valentia , Jes. 3. to . 3. disp . 6. qu. 16. P●n . 3. p. 2039. et sequent . Escobar , Jes. Mor. Theol. tract . 6. ex . 2. c. 6. n. 40. Praxis Mil●ard , Guide des ●urez . ch . 63. Inst. 1. n. 2. XVIII . That it is not simony to obtain a Benefice upon the promise of a summe of money , when a man hath no intention to pay it . Escobar ●es . Moral . Theol. tr 6. exam . 2. c. 2 n. 14. XIX . That a Fortune-teller is obliged to restore what he hath received for telling ones fortune , ●f he hath not advised with the stars , but that he is not obliged to restitution if he hath consulted the Devil . Sanchez Ies. Sum. ( as . l. 2. c. 38. n. 96. XX. That a man is not obliged either according to the right of Nature , on according to the Lawes of his Countrey to restore what he hath received for giving an unjust sentence , or committing an Assassinate , or an act of Adultery , but may lawfully retain it . L●ssius Ies. de Iust. l. 2. c. 14. d. 8. n. 52. XXI . The encouragement , and the gap which these Casuists lay open for domestick frauds . Bauny Ies. Som. des Pech . p. 213 , & 214. Edit . 6. XXII . That a man is not obliged to make restitution for the Losses which a third person hath done upon our sollicitation and procurement . Bauny Ies. Som des Pech . p. 307 , 308. Edit . 6. XXIII . That a man is not obliged upon pain of mortall sin to restore the totall summe which he hath gotten together by a many little thefts . Bauny Ies. Som. des Pech . p. 220. Edit . 6. XXIV . Usury palliated by these Casuists under the name of Major , upon whom they impose . Bauny Ies. Som. des Pechez , p. 331. & sequent . Edit . 6. XXV . That Envy is no mortall sinne when it is conceived onely at the temporall good of our Neighbour . Bauny Ies. Somm . des Pech . p. 123. Edit . 6. XXVI . That a Priest who hath received mony of one man to say a Masse , may afterwards receive of another , as much as that part of the Sacrifice which belongs to himself amounts to . Escobar , Ies. Theol. Mor. Tr. 1. Axam . 11. c. 4. Praxi● . XXVII . That it is a sufficient hearing of the Masse to hear the four parts of it at the same time . Escobar Ies. Theol. Moral . Tr. 1. Exam. 11. c. 4. Praxi● p. 146. Edit . Lugdun . Anno 1644. Bauny Ies. Moral . Theol. par . 1. Tr. 6. de praecepto audiendae Missae : qu. 9. pag. 312. XXVIII . Relaxations absolutely destroying the obligation of Fasting . Escobar , Jes. Theol. Mor. Tr. 1. Exam. 13. c. 3. Praxis . XXIX . The Casuists have brought the care which Confessors ought to have to judge of the disposition of their Penitents , to a simple demand whether they are so●●y for their sinnes , and have an intention not to fall into the like again ; and pretend , that if they say , Yes , the Confessors are obliged to believe them . Filliucius Jes. Mor. Quaest. Tom. 1. Tract . 7. n. 354. Suarez Jes. in 3. Part. Tom. 4. disp . 32. Sect. 2. n. 2. XXX . That the Penitent , though interrogated by his Confessor , is not obliged to acknowledge that the sin wherewith he charges himself is an habituall sinne , into which he is wont to fall often . Bauny Jes. Theol. Mor. part . 1. Tract . 4. de Poenit. q. 15. p. 137. XXXI . That a next occasion of sinning being supposed to be that which of it self induces a man to commit mortall sinne , and in which a man is seldome or never conceived to be , but he falls into that mortall sinne , yet it is lawfull for a man to continue therein , nay , to engage himself in such an occasion , out of a consideration of the spirituall or temporall good of himself or his Neighbour . Bauny Jes. Theol. Mor. Part. 1. Tr. 4. de Poenit. qu. 14. p. 93 , & 94. XXXII . That a man that keeps a Concubine is not oblig'd to dismisse her , but onely to promise that he will no● sinne with her any more , it being supposed he cannot enjoy himself , and must lead a melancholy life without her . Sanctius , in Selectis Disp. disp . 10. n. 20. apud Dianam part . 5. Tract . 14. Resol . 108. XXXIII . That the consideration of a temporall concernment may oblige the Confessor to absolve a Penitent that is in the next occasion of sinning , though he quit it not . Bauny Ies. Theol. Mor. Par. 1. Tr. 4. de Poenit. qu. 14. pag. 94. XXXIV . That it is lawfull for a Confessor to absolve those that are in the next occasions even of Incest , without obliging them to separate , when their relapses are not frequent and in a manner diurnall , but onely once or twice a moneth . Nay further , that a Confessor is engaged , toties quo●ies , to absolve the young Gentleman , that cannot forsake his Father's house nor dismisse thence the Servant-maid he ordinarily makes use of , though there be no likelyhood he should forbear sinning with her , though he promise to do it . Bauny Ies. Somm . des Pech . ch . 46. p. 1089. Edit . 6. XXXV . That a Confessor is obliged , toties quoties , to absolve those young people who grow worse and worse , and are guilty of frequent relapses into the s●me mortall sinnes , though they make it not in the least measure their businesse to reforme their faults . Bauny Ies. Theol. Mor. Part. 1. Tr. 4 de Poenit. qu. 15. p. 96. XXXVI . That a Confessor is obliged not to deferre or deny absolution to those who are fallen into an habituall custome of committing mortall sinnes , against the lawes of God , Nature and the Church , though they discover not the least hope of amendment . Bauny Ies. Theol. Mor. Part. 1. Tract . 4. de Poenit. qu. 22. pag. 100. XXXVII . That remorse for sinne conceived out of a consideration of the temporall inconveniences ensuing thereupon , as the losse of a man's health or his money , is a sufficient qualification for his receiving the grace of absolution ; if a man does but imagine that that inconvenience proceeds from the will of God. Escobar . Ies. Tr. 7. ex 4. n. 91. Amicus Ies. Tract . 8. disp . 3. n. 13. XXXVIII . That we are not obliged by any commandment of charity , to do any act of Love towards God , nor to observe any precept of his out of any motive proceeding from that Love , and that we are not so much commanded to love God as not to hate him . Ant. Sirmond Ies. Deffense de la Vertu , Tr. 2. A LETTER From a Curé of ROVEN To a Curé in the Countrey , Giving an account of the procedure of his Brethren the Curez of the said City , against the doctrine of certain Casuists ; and may also serve for a Refutation to a Libel intituled , The Answer of a Divine , &c. ARGVMENT . A particular account of the difference between the Curez of Rouen and the Jesuits there , and the proceedings of the former therein . Monsieur du Four Curé of S. Maclou preaches against the corrupt Maximes of the Casuists , not cha●ging any particular Order therewith . The Jesuits only take alarm , and put up a detractive Petition to the Archbishop against him . Whereupon the Curez of Rouen unite , consults the Casuists , find they maintain the doctrines charged upon them , and put up a Pe●ition to their Archbishop with a catalogue of the doctrines thereunto annexed ; desiring the censure thereof . He sends up all to the Assembly of the Clergy at Paris who take cognizance of the businesse . The Author of The Answer of a Divine , &c. found an Impostor , and consequently a Jesuit . SIR , I Have received your Letter of the 13. current , wherein you tell me that your health being not in such a posture as would permit you to come hither to the Synod , where you were in hopes to understand what had passed between the Curez of Rouen and the Fathers of the Society of Iesus , a Friend of yours here had sent you a printed sheet , with this title , T●e Answer of a Divine to the Propositions extracted out of the LETTERS of the IANSENISTS , by some of the Curez of Rouen ; which answer hath been presented to the Right Reverend the Bishops met together in the Generall Assembly of the Clergy . I cannot but imagine how much you were surprized at the first reading of that Answer , and how that at the same time your judgement of it was , that it could be no other then an infamous Libell , and a scandalous Pamphlett purposely scattered abroad to blast the honour and holinesse of the Church , derogating from the authority of the right Reverend the Arch-bishop of this place , and destructive to the innocence of the Pastors who endeavour to serve and maintain that divine Spouse of IESUS CHRIST . That you have also understood , how that the Iesuits seem loudly enough to declare themselves the Authors of that piece , when they cause it to be sold publickly by the Book-sellers belonging to their Colledge , when they distribute it themselves in the houses where they make any visits , and do so exactly play the Mercuries to scatter it up and down , that we are oblig'd to them for its coming among those that are of our Arch-bishop's Councell . And lastly , that you expected with some impatience a generous reply from the Reverend the Curez of Rouen to that injurious and ill-instructed Divine , and how necessary you conceiv'd it that such a course should be taken , to the end that all the world might be satisfied of the purity of their intentions in the cause they are now engag'd in , their prudence in point of proceeding , as well in the enterprise as the prosecution , and the integrity of their Faith , which it was the main design of that Libell to cast a blemish upon . To satisfie therefore your desires as to these particulars , and to give you some account of an affair wherein we are all equally engag'd by the common concernments of their Ministery ; I am to tell you , Sir , that the Curez of Rouen , having taken notice of a sheet that was scatter'd up and down full of impostures and calumnies against them , and being in a manner perswaded , as well by the hints you give in your Letter , as by other too too pregnant circumstances , that it was a production of the Jesuits , thought fit to make their complaint against it to the other Arch-bishop , by a Letter which they immediately writ thereupon , and to demand justice for the same of his Officiall , by a Petition which they presented to him , whereof I thought it not a misse to send you a copy , that you may see the justifiable motives of their complaints . That once done , they had resolved to sit down and be silent , so in some measure to expresse their moderation in suffering injuries suitable to the maximes of the Gospel wherein they instruct their people . They were , I say , content to be quiet , expecting the publick satisfaction and reparation , which might prove the effect of those juridicall courses they had taken . But having observ'd on the one side , that the proceedings were likely to take up much time , and that the Iesuit● in the interim made their advantage of their modesty , persisting still in the distribution of that Libel , giving out where ever they came that it could not be answered , nay , treating the Curez of Rouen as such as were to be derided for their weaknesse and ignorance ; and on the other side , having taken it into consideration that they are oblig'd to maintain the dignity of their Ministery , and that it is their duty to hinder that from falling into contempt , or their persons into disparagement before their people , through the hor●id calumnies which the pretended Divine loads them with , representing them as seditious persons , abettors and fautors of he●es●e ; They thought it concerned the honour of the Church and their own reputation , that the world should be acquainted with the sincerity of their Faith , as also that the Simple , who might haply be surpriz'd by truth-lesse suppositions , should be undeceiv'd , and that , by answering that scurrilous libell with the greatest moderation they possibly could , they might satisfie and convince all those that are Lovers of Truth and Justice that their interprise is holy , their proceeding canonicall , and that they cannot be blam'd by any for what they have done , but by such as are prepos●essed by passion , or too violently engag'd in the interests of a party they makes some advantages of . It was upon these reflections , and the wholesome advice in your Letter ( which I have communicated to them ) that they enjoyn'd me to write to you what you now receive , and to entreat you to communicate it to your Brethren , and all other good people , as we shall do here and elsewhere , to the end that all the world may be satisfied of the equity of our Cause , and that those persons of quality , who shall come to the knowledge thereof , may conceive an opinion of us quite contrary to that which some would have perswaded them to , by atif●ces es and detraction . There needs no more then the simple , that is to say , the most sincere and most faithfull relation of what hath passed in this emergency on the part of the Curez of Rouen , to justifie their proceedings , and to prove the Author and dispersers of that Libell guilty of malice and imposture . I shall not say any thing which cannot be confirm'd by the testimonies of persons on whom no reproach can be fastened , nay , by that of the Arch-bishop himself ; who being our head , our Judge , and our Father , hath also ever been our witnesse and our Oracle ; and we should justly deserve his indignation , did we any thing without a relyance on his Approbation and conduct . The businesse , as to matter of fact , stands thus . Monsieur De Four , Curé of S. Maclou ( whose abilities and worth are generally known ) having preach'd two severall times ( as you have already understood ) against those pernicious doctrines which tend to the corruption of good manners , the Iesuits were immediately troubled thereat , and made great complaints of it to our Arch-bishop , in a Petition which they presented to him in the name of Father Brisacier , fraught with injurious expressions and calumnies against the said Monsieur du Four. These things coming to the knowledge of the Curez of Rouen , they thought themselves oblig'd to engage in the quarrell of their reverend Brother , violently set upon in a difference wherein they were all equally concern'd , since it is their duty to be watchfull over sound doctrine and the purity of Manners , as that on which depends the safety of those souls that are committed to their charge . But that their proceeding might appear to be such as was the effect of a serious consideration of the Affair they were to engage in , they had a debate in one of their Assemblies , about consulting the Bookes , whence it was alledged , that the propositions and pernicious Maximes , preached against by the Curé of Saint Maclou , had been taken , to the end that true copies and extracts should be made of the same , and accordingly that the condemnation thereof should be required by Canonicall wayes , if the● were found in the Casuists , what quality or condition soever they were of● But , on the contrary , if they were not to be found in those books , that the prosecution might determine as to the Casuists , and be reviv'd to procure a Censure of the LETTERS TO THE PROVINCIAL , wherein those doctrines , with the Authors that maintained them , were cited . Six of the Assembly were pitched upon and appointed to undertake that employment . They spent therein a whole moneth , doing all things with all possible ●ideli●y and exactnesse ; they sought out the places cited , they found them , word for word , as they were cited , in the Originals . They drew copies thereof , and reported the whole to their Brethren in a second Assembly , wherein for further certainty , it was ordered ; That if any among them were desirous of further satisfaction as to those matters , they would be permitted to come to the persons deputed , into the places where the books were , to consult them and compare them as they pleased . This order was put in execution , insomuch , that for five or six d●yes after , there were seldome lesse the● ten or twelve Curez at a time , searching after the passages , and comparing them with the Authors , as being satisfied of the truth and faith●ulnesse of the Ci●ations . What greater circumspection could be us'd in a proceeding of this nature ? And certainly there needs no more to give an absolute defeat to the imposture of those , who , purposely to disparage the said Curez , and to rais● some clouds of division and Jealousie among them , affirme , that diverse of them were surpriz'd , and inconsiderately drawn in to engage in that party . Nor was their prudence lesse remarkeable in the Petition presented to the Arch-bishop , in the name name and on the behalf of the said Curez . For , having been drawn up , and digested into the particulars to be invested on , by some of their Company appointed to that purpose , it was read severall times in two or three severall Assemblies , wherein were present ordinar●ly twenty or two and twenty Curez , in so much that at the last it was sign'd by twenty & eight . This certainly should be look'd on as an argument of the union and good intelligence which is among the Curez of Rouen , and that it is the same spirit they are guided by ; not as proceeding from any combination , as it is maliciously objected by the Author of the Libell , but from the Love of Justice , and a tendernesse for truth , which thus joyntly engages them in this cause . Five were chosen out to go as Deputies from the Assembly to the Arch-bishop , to present to him the Petition and the Extract of pernicious proposition● gathered out of the Casuists , and that worthy Prelate honoured them with so kind an entertainment , and so favourable a reception ; he express'd so much satisfaction at their piety and zeale ; he told them with so much earnestnesse and reality that he abhorr'd those corrupt doctrines , that they could not , from all , but conceive immediate hopes of happy succe●●e of their enterprise . In a word , that prudent Arch-bishop , having first taken the conclusions of his Pr●ctor-General , and the advice of his Councell , it was ordered by him , that the said petition , with the said ●xtracts , thereunto annexed , should be sent up to our Lords of the Generall assembly of the Clergy , to the end , that those pestilent doctrines should receive a more notorious and solemn Censure , by the decisions of so illustrious and and venerable an Assembly as that which is the representative of the Church of France , and whence we derive the Oracles of our Religion . But ere things were risen to this height , the reverend , the Curez of Paris having had notice of what was in agitation in our City about these matters , were s●irred up by the same spirit , and animated by the same zeale with those of Roven , they honour them so far as th●t they write to them , and to give them thanks for the affection and tendernesse they had expressed for the purity of Christian Morality , they intreat them to send up their collections and memorials , and appoint eight of themselves , all Doctors of Divinity of the faculty of Paris to examine them , and accordingly to give the said Curez of Rouen all the advice and assistance requisite in such a business . Since which time , being more fully informed and satisfied as to the matter of fact , they resolv'd to joyn with us in this cause , and to exhort the Curez of the other Diocesses of France , to demand joyntly with them , of our Lords the Prelates ( in a spirit of peace and charity , which ought ever to be attended by a true zeale ) the censurt of the dangerous , propositions specified in the Ca●alogue and Extracts which they sent them . And our Arch-bishop himself , for his own part , to shew how much he thought himself concern'd in an affair of this importance , and the justice he was desirous to do the Curez of his chief City , sent up Monsieur Gaulde his Grand Vicar ( whose vertue and abilities all have sufficient experience of ) to present , on his behalf , the Petition , and Extracts made by the Curez of Rouen to our Lords of the Assembly Generall with Letters of recommendation worthy his zeal and earnestnesse . Accordingly hath that honourable Assembly given eare to these just demands , it hath afforded them a favourable reception , it hath even publickly commended ●●e procedure of the Curez of Rouen , it hath judged ●t jus●ifiable and canonicall , and taking cogn●s●nce of the businesse as such as Religion it self and the salvation of mens souls are very much concerned in , it hath appointed Delegates , very devout and very able men , to take it into examination . From all which cirrcumstances , we cannot but raise a certaine hope , that God will strengthen them with his spirit , and fill them w●th his light , that their endeavours , to expell this mortall contagion , which tends to the poisoning of her children , out of the Church , may prove the more effectuall , that she may be maintained in her most holy rules , and may flourish and fructifie though the spirit of the Gospell , whence she derives that incomparable beauty which is so amiable to the sight , and winnes her the heart of her divine Beloved . Thus , Sir , have I given you a true and sincere account of what passed in this Affaire on the part of the Curez of Roven . I dare call God to witnesse , that it is nothing but the naked truth , and thence you may be pleased to consider , whether they have had any ground to traduce us ; consider , what foundation they may have to blast our reputation with calumnies as they do in that Libell ; consider , I say , whether it does not even in the title broach three signall impostures . For in the first place , the Propositions , which we desire should be censured , are not extracted out of the LETTERS of the JANSENISTS , as the A●thour sales in that Pamphlet . But they were taken out of the bookes of the Casuists ; nay , if what he saies wer● true , the extracts would be ten times larger and of greater bulk then the whole p●eces , out of which they are taken , as it were easy for us to demonstrate . Secondly , this catalogue and the extracts which the Jesuits have so great an aversion for , and are the ground of all their fury and exasperation , are not the worke of the Curez of Rouën , who only drew up the Extracts which they presented to their Arch-Bishop , and which the Arch-Bishop hath sent up to the Assembly● L●stly , it is far from truth , that this Answer of a Divine was ever presented to the said Assembly . Our Lords the Prelates , whereof it con●ists ; would never have suffered such an affront should be done to the dignity thereof , nay , it is an act of the greatest contempt that can be committed against such an Assembly to direct to it a scandalous pamphlet without a name● such as is that Answer . No , those who are thought to be the Authors of it , are more prudent and better advised then ever to have attempted any such thing , though they are not to be numbred among those that have the most respct of Bishops . I should be over troublesome to you , and haply exceed the Limits of a Letter , should I make it my businesse to refute all the calumnies and impostures which are scattered up and down the body of that pamphlet , and therefore shall fasten only on some . This implacable Pamphleteer sayes , that we have put in an information against the Iesuits at the tribunall of our Lords the Bishops , and we may say , on the contrary , that it is they themselves that have brought the information against themselves . For neither in our Petition nor our Extracts presented to the Arch-Bishop do we any where taxe the Iesuits by name ; if we say any thing of them , it is occasionally , and by way of instance ; all that we desire being only the condemnation of the pernicious doctrines taught by some late Casuists , whoever they may be . But they have betrayed themselves by their own complaints and expostulation , they are wounded by their own weapons , Sagittae ●orum factae sunt plagae corum . Psal. 63. And they were the only men , who , Satanically zealous to maintaine these doctrines , and to shew th●mselves in a manner the Patronizers of Homicides , Simonies , and other the like crimes , have made all the noise , and raised that tempest which is likely to ●●ll so heavy upon them . Besides , we cannot be said to have presented to our Lords of the Assembly any petition or other piece to bring them into trouble there , it being certaine that it is only the Arch-Bishop him selfe that hath , by his Grand Vicar , presented them , and consequently this Jesuiticall Secretary does Notoriously derogate from his Authority , and is not afraid in his Libell to be a little too peremptory with him and to traduce him under the name of the Curez of Roven . The next thing he quarrells at is that we are guilty of a frivolous busying of our selves to weed out the corruptions that may be found in bookes , while they grow and thrive in mens soules , whence we should endeavour to root them up . This is an indeterminate charge of our idleness and want of courage in our Functions , but without the least consideration , that these Lesbian Maximes purposely sorewed up to a complyance with sinners ( whereof we find the bookes of the Casu●sts but too full , ) are the fatall seeds of so many corruptions and ●candalls as are predominant in this unhappy age ; and that our time cannot haply be better employed , then in endeavouring to smother them , and to prevent them from growing out of those Books into mens consciences which are of themselves inclinable enough to entertaine any thing that cherishes the passions , and complyes with the vergency of corrupt nature . Then he tells us , that it were a far better employment for our Assemblies to review the Houres of Port Royal , and addes , that the Faithfull committed to our charge , do to this day repeat , at the feet of our Altars those very prayers that are contained in that book , to the reproach of Faith and scandall of the Church . We never had yet the least acquaintance with the Authors of those Houres , and therefore cannot be said to countenance them , and it is a prerogative of God only to judge of the intentions of their hearts . But it 's to be hoped , this censorious Libeller will not think it much we should give them a charitable interpr●tation , and should avoid , upon this occasion , that reproachable waxinesse of na●ure ( as he observes himself ) that is so easily wrought upon at to hearken to and countenance calumny , though he himself hath not much endeavoured to avoid it heere . Some more knowing and better Divines then he differ very much from his opinion of those Houres , because they are not prepossessed against them as he is , who supposes that the son of God is therein degraded from the title of the Redeemer of all men , because it is not there expressed in the Version of certaine Hymnes , though the same thing be found in severall other places , and particularly in the 7th . ver . of the Te Dum. And we would gladly referre him to the Hymnes of the Romane Breviary corrected by Vrban VIII . of blessed memory . That methinks were enough to give a check to his sinistrous judgement of the persons that composed them , as to what concernes that article . And for the other , where he alledge● , that they have therein followed the version of Mar●t in the 17. ver . of the 138th . Psalme , to take away the Invocation of Saints ; he betrayes his want of consicience in imposing that drift upon them , since he is not ignorant , that though that Version be not the more ordinary , yet is it approved by above ten moderne Jnterpreters , Jesuits , and others , men very learned and of unsuspected faith , who stick close to the Hebrew text . Besides that in the Hymnes , Litanies and Prayers of these Hours , the intercession of the Saints is therein very often insisted upon . What probability is there then , that , if some of our Parishoners make use of them , it must needs he to the great reproach of Faith and scandall of the Church ? He would ●urther put us into an alarme against the memory of the late Abbot of S● . Cyran , whom he charges with the reviving of certaine propositions of Wiclef which blast the dignity of our character . But let him take good heed that this accusation , which he advances to put a flurre upon him , proceed not , either from want of diligence in the reading of his works , or an excesse of passion against that great man , inclining him ●o disparage them . As there is not hardly any one that is unaquainted with his excellent and glorious endeavours for the defence of the Priesthood of Iesus Christ , so methinks should it be heard for any one to imagine that he had any designe to blast it in his Lettters , which are all most Christian , and full of piety . For , in a word , not to medle with the two last propositions , since our Divine hath no● thought to cite the places , out of a prudent feare that in case we should examine them we might discover his foule play in falsifying and distorting of them , he hath suppressed out of the first a word that is essentiall and of importance purposely to give it a wrong sence , and to make it odious . 'T is not our businesse to write a panegyrick for Monsieur de S. Cyrian , but only to beare witnesse to the truth , and the Author of the Pamphlet must give me leave to tell him , that his way of proceeding is not justifiable . In the 93. Letter , which he cites , we find , that the Church hath a power to take a course with Priests of ill lives , and to cut them off from any relation to her , if she think it fit , and that if she do it , they are no longer to be reputed Priests , but to be looked on as secular persons . This faithfull Secretary hath left out the word reputed , which is to be seen in all the latter editions of those Letters , and was omitted onely in the first printed at Paris , through the Printers negligence , and is accordingly put upon his score among the other Errata at the beginning of the Book . Let him then but restore that word to the passage fore-recited , and he will find the Doctrine of that Letter to be the same with what is taught us by the Church in her Canons , that is to say , that Priests degraded , and such as , for their lewd lives and noto●ious crimes , have been deprived of Tonsure and the long robe , which are the honourable badges of the Sacerdotall Function , are not to be looked upon or reputed as Priests , ●●t such as are reduced to a secul●r qualification ; though , all this supposed , they do not lose the divine Character of their Ordination . The case being thus ●airely cleared up , we are content the Author himselfe should be judge in the difference , appealing from himselfe mis-informed to himselfe better informed , or lesse prepossessed , to dec●de , whether such pr●positions as these , are those of the infamous Arc● Heretick Wiclif , and whe●her in our Assemblies , we should make it our businesse to conspire their Censure . He further playes the Admonisher , when he tells us , that our endeavours would be more serviceable to the publick should we prosecute the suppression of the Scandalous LETTERS ; published , ( as he saies ) with so much● defyance of punishment ever since so long a time against the honour of Sorbonne and all Divines . But he sayes too much to be credited . For were it true , that those Letters were published to the dishonour of Sorbonne and all Divines , whence comes it to passe that the Colledge of Sorbonne and all the Divines of the whole Church do no● combine against them to have them condemned , prohibited , suppressed ; Whence comes it that the Iesuits ( for whom this Secre●ary apologises all the way ) make it their complaint wherever they come that those Letters are Levelled only against their Society ? Whence comes it th●t only they of all others took the alarme ●hereat ? And if they are so much employed in fighting against the Enemies of the Church , and in courageously standing up for the conc●rnements of Iesus Christ , as this pamphlet would make us beleeve they are , whence comes it , that , when they pretend to refute the Letters , which are so insupportable to them , they direct their Answers only to those which oppose their corrupt doctrine , and that pernicious● Libertinisme which they introduce into Morality ? How comes it that they are so silent as to the four first Letters ? How can it be that they have hardly a word to say of them , tho●gh they hold them to be injurious to the Grace of the son o● God , and the sacred decisions of his C●urch ? Needs there any more to demonstrate that they , out of a set design , forsake the cause of Iesus Christ , and flight the advan●ages of his divine spouse , when it lies upon them to make good their own interests , and the transient lustre of their Society seems to be falling into some eclipse ? Is this the glorious employme●t they make such brags off ? But how ere it be , we declare , that we do not th●nk our selves concerned in those Letters , otherwise then it may be lawful for all others to be , that is , that we look on them as such as may somewhat ●urther the discovery of errours , that so they may b● the better avoided ; leaving the judgement thereof to our Lords the Bishops . This writer hath a further accusation against us , which is , tha● we blow the coals of that heresie which is now breaking forth in●o flames in the house of God , and cruelly persecute those who make it their endeavour to quench it . For which he adds this reproach , that the unjustice of our prosecu●ion tends to the prejudice of Fai●h , and the re-establishment of Jansenisme● yet further blaming us , for that we are engaged in a combination , and endeavour to sacrifice the Masters o● both ancient and modern Divinity to the passion of the Iansenists , so to be offered up a● the publick victims of Heresie . And so goes even to the end with discourses much of the same nature , very unworthy the name of a Christian , and most injurious to the Pa●tors of the Church . — Tantaene animis caelestibus irae ? Who could ever have expected that a Divine should have treated us in these terms ? Or imagine , that a spirit perpetually covered with the robe of Charity should persecute us with expressions so full of gall and so maliciously satyri●al ? However , we think it no hard matter to forgive him . But when we truly consider his language ( which is far different from that of Heaven to the annointed ones of the Lord ) w● presently find , that he is but too close an imitator of those whom he vindicates , and that we may well take occasion to tell him , V●rè et tu unus ex illis es , nam et loquela tua manif●stum te facit . For when they finde themselves called to account , either for attempting any thing against the Hierarchy of the Church , and the priviledges of the Pastors thereof ; or for maintaining the most dislut● and most extravagant opinions of the late Casuists , such as are absolutely destructive to the purity of Manners , they are in a manner reduced ( out of an ingenious , but withal a diabolical p●ece of Reynardisme ) to this one evasion , or rather injury of Iansenists , which they make their bulwark and last refuge● where being once gotten into , they think thems●lves out of all danger , and whence they believe they may , without any fear , shoot the prisoned arrows of the most cankered de●raction against those who only quarrel at their errours and irregularities . And of this I have a clear and pertinent example to give you . For I bese●ch you , sir , do but consider what relation there is between the Propositions condemned by the Constitution of Innocent X. which ar● the subject of Iansenisme , and the doctrines now in question , and wher●of we demand the censure ? The former are of Grace and Free will ; and the latter relate only to Morality . The former treat of the most sublime , and most mysterious points of all Scholastical Divinity , such as only Doctors , and the most knowing are able to look into ; and the latter are only decisions relating to the conduct of Christian life , wherein it is requisite that every one be instructed . What ground then have the Iesuits to charge us with this injury ? Upon what account do they make it their main business to perswade the people , that their Pastors , who are their spiritual guides , and on whom depends the salvation of their souls , according to the Scripture , ex quibus anima populi pende● , countenance Hereticks , and make use of their arms ? Or rather why would they have the world believe that there ●s a new Sect of Hereticks , and a sort of enemies now rising that set the Church on fire ? We declare that we know not any , that we do not so much as see this fire , and that if we could perceive it , we would be among the first that should endeavour to quench it . Whence comes it then , that they make such an ignominious parallel as that of comparing Priests and Pastors of the Church to Huss●●es , Lu●herans , and Calvinists , which is the greatest affront and de●ogation they could have been guilty of in relation to the character and employment they have in the house of God ? Is it that they would make them unserviceable in their Functions , and their Ministery , by this injurious bringing of their faith into suspition , and by those false impressions which they so much endeavour to make in those whom God hath co●mitted to the●r charge ? But what ! Can it be objected to the Curez of Roven , that they are not in an absolute and perfect submission to all the orthodox truths of the Church ? Do they not instruct their parishoners in the inviolable maximes of the Gospel , and the adorable Mysteries of Religion ? And do they not endeavour as much as lies in their power to reduce the enemies that oppose them ? Is not their doctrine sound , and their word irreprehensible , as the Apostle would have i● , in his Epistle to Titus ? Is not their Arch-Bishop , to whom they are accountable , satisfied with their conduct , and the integrity of their Faith ? Is not the whole citty a sufficient testimony of their good and whol●ome instructions ? And do not the Iesuits know well enough , that we have all published the Popes Bull , and the Mandate of our Arch-Bishop concerning the five propositions justly condemned at Rome ? Is there any one among us that hath maintained , taught , or preached any of them ? Or hath otherwise dissented from the sacred Constitution of the Vicar of JESUS CHRIST ? Wherein then do the said Curez countenance Hereticks ? Wherein do they afford them their name and interest ? As in imposed upon them by the Libeller . What is it that makes them the cruel persecutors of the children of the Church ? It is because they pre●er the most undefiled , and most sacred rules of the Gospel , before the dangerous instructions of the late Casuists ? It is becau●e they are in love with the holiness of the Church their Mother , and conceive a certain horrour to see her defiled by her own children , through the doctrines of those , who , incapable of being their Fathers , will needs be their dangerous Tutors and instructors ? Is it because they demand of their Arch Bishop , ( the Judge of sound and corrupt doctrine ) the censure of those pernicious propositions that are the destructive Vipers of all Morality ? But are they not obliged to this watchfulness , to prevent the tears from growing up in their Masters field , and that the souls for which they are accountable at the Tribunal of God should not be infected by that mortal poison ? I can assure you , Sir , that they were not stirred up by any other motives in all this affair ; that by the grace of God , they will not be guided by any other , and that if their enemies will not give over persecuting them and charging them with Calumnies● they will nevertheless endeavour the discharge of their duty , and as much as they can reassume more and more courage , to bring things so about , that Innocence and Truth may triumph over violence and Imposture . In the mean time , Sir , let us continue nnited in the spirit of peace and charity , in the midst of these disorders , which God will , in his good time , put a Period to . And let us withall generously maintain the concernments of our common Mother , whose breast , as it ought , so it ever shall even to the end of all ages , be ever full , as well of the most pure milk , and most power●ul wine , of the celestial and divine truths of JESUS CHRIST , the Master , Doctor , and perpetual dictator of his Church , as of the precious treasure and inestimable riches of his Graces , which he sheds into all souls , but especially the souls of the Faithful , in the quality of Saviour , deliverer , and universal Redeemer . Sir , be pleased to af●ord me your prayers to him , that I may not be so unhappy as to resist his Grace , or deprive my self of it by my unthankfulness towards him , and the abuse of my Liberty . I am . &c. A Petition of the Curez of Rouen to Monsieur the Official , presented the 26. of October , 1656. To Monsieur , the Official of Rouen , or to Monsieur his Vice-gerent . The humble Pe●ition of Master Peter Chrestien Curé of St. Patrick's , Mr. William le Cler● , Curé of St. Andrew's ; Mr. John de Sahurs , Curé of St Peter's du Chastel ; and Mr. Stephen de Fieux , Curé of St. Laurence ; on the behalf of themselves and their Brethren the Curez of Rouen . Shewing , THat within some few dayes past the Jesuits of the Colledge that is within the said City , and particularly Father Brisacier , F. Berard , and F. de la Bri●re , have dispersed up and down to diverse persons , a scandalous Libel to the great disparagem●nt of the Petitioners , intituled , The answer of a divine to the Propositions ●xtrac●ed out of the LETTERS of the IANSENISTS , by a certain Curez of Rouen ; which answer hath been presented to the right Reverend the Bishops of the Assembly General of the Clergy . That the said Libel is fraught with lies , ●alse reports , impostures , and bitter calumnies very much to the disparagement of your Petitioners . For the Author does therein lay it to their charge that they are the first kindlers of that fire which now begins to break forth in the house of God , and that they are the cruel persecutors of those who endeavour to quench it . That he further reproaches them , that though it is their duty to be tender and watchful over the Church , yet they shut their eyes so as not to see the danger that shee is in a manner fallen into , and that they are so far from making any opposition against her enemies , that they quarrel with her children . He sayes that they insist upon the advantages which Hereticks pretend to have against her , and though he seems unwilling to lay an imputation of Heresie equally on all , yet would he have them discover strange symptomes thereof in that action of theirs . He charges them with a reproachful easiness of nature , such as inclines them to give credit to and countenance calumny . He sayes that the unjustice of their prosecution tends in effect to the prejudice of Faith , and the reestablishment of IANSENISME . He blames them for traducing Monsieur du Val , as a criminel , not knowing what they do . He sayes that these Curez , ( meaning the Petitioners ) combine together in a design to sacrifice the Masters of both ancient and modern Divinity , to the passion of the Iansenists , and to offer them up as publick victims to Heresie . He sayes that they prosecute a charge against all Catholick Universities , and all orthodox Doctors on the behalf of Iansenisme . He says that the voice of the Pastors of Rouen is no more then the Eccho of those mali●ious Letters that are written at Port-Royal , and sold at charen●on ; that the enterprize which the Curez of Rouen are engaged in , is frivolous , as to the design , and unworthy the prosecution of a prudent man. To be short , his writing is filled up with diverse other expressions of the same nature , which are all most untrue , and tend very much to the discredit of the Petitioners ; and he grounds all his injuries and all his reproaches on a matter of fact absolutely supposed ; that is to say , that the Petitioners have put in an information against those whom this writer makes it so much his business to vindicate ( whom he sufficiently discovers to be no other then the Iesuits ) and have impeached them at the tribunal of our Lords of the Assembly of the Clergy , of having corrupted the whole doctrin of Morality ; supposing withal , but untruly , that the petitioners had presented to that honourable Assembly , an injurious catalogue of the propositions that concern Moral doctrin . Which is a falsity and palpable imposture , since it is evident , that the petitioners neither were sent , nor did send to the Assembly , that they have not impeached any one , that they never presented any catalogue or any propositions . But the truth , as to the matter of fact , is this , that the Petitioners desirous to be fully satisfied whether the doctrines that were contrary to the holiness and purity of Christian Morality , which so many learned and able persons have so long since quarrelled with these Casuis●s for , were really to be found in the books of those Authors , some of them , appointed by consent of their Assembly , had accordingly undertaken the examination thereof : and having found in diverse books of those writers , the greatest part of the propositions laid to their charge , they drew a faithful extract thereof , and having reported the whole business in a●nother assembly , they unanimously resolved to have a petition presented to the Arch bishop , to demand of him the condemnation thereof . That this being accordingly put in execution , the Arch-bishop had sent up the said petition , with the extracts thereunto annexed , to the Lords of the assembly held at Paris , as being an affair of general concernment , and such as the whole church was interes●ed in . And having to that purpose sent up Monsieur Gaulde , his Grand Vicar to make a report of the whole , with a Letter from himself , powerful and worthy his zeal , the said assembly took cognizance thereof , and immediately appointed certain Commissioners to examine the business , to the end , that upon the return of their report , they might proceed to judgement . That the business came to this head as to matter of fact , is a thing so well known that the Author of the said Libel could not be ignorant thereof . Whence it may be easily inferred that when he attributes to the petitioners , what hath been done only by the means of the Arch-Bishop , his main design was , to fasten all the injuries and invectives of his defamatory pamphle● upon the said Praelate . For it being a thing out of all dispute , that neither the Curez of Rouen , nor yet those of Paris presented to the ●ssembly any propositions concerning Morality , and that there was not any thing of that kinde brought thither , but by the means of our Arch-Bishop , yet does not this detractor think it much openly to direct his calumnies against him under the name of the Curez of Rouen ; affirming that the Hereticks , whom he makes the Authors of the propositions , daring not to appear themselves for fear of being dismissed with reproach , yet there hath not wanted some that durst present in so honourable an assembly , what should rather have been cast into the fire . And it is this bitter re●lection of the Libeller which the Petitioners are most troubled at , as conceiving themselves less wounded in the disparagement they receive in their own reputation , then in the injury done their Head , whom the respect due to his eminent dignity should have secured from all the assaults of calumny , and that especially in an occurrence , wherein he hath been honoured with the elogies of our Lords the Prelates and the most cons●derable persons in the State , who have highly celebrated his prudence in the management of this whole affair . Now though the said Libel be levelled against the ●aid Arch-bishop after so audacio●s a manner , yet hath not that consideration ●ny way hindred the Iesuit● ( who in all probability are the Authors thereof ) from being the dispersers of it , and bringing it into diverse houses of Quality in this City ; nay so far , that F. dela Briere hath distributed of them even in the palace of the Arch-bishop , to diverse Eccle●●asticks of his Councell . These things being t●ken into considera●ion , as also that the said Pamphlet is derogatory to the honour of our said Lord the Arch-bishop , that it is fraught with malicious calumnies against the Petitioners , and falsely supposes that there are in this Dioce●●e , and within this Citty such perni●ious hereticks as have sold their Soules to impiety , and heighten the flames of a new heresie , whereof the Author charges the Petitioners with a design of promoting and countenancing the re●stablishment , as it is alledged in the said Libell hereunto annexed ; It is humbly prayed , That you would b● pleased to order the said Fathers Bri●acier , Berard , and dela Briere to appear● before you in person , that they may discover and declare from whom they had that defamatory Libell which they have distributed to diverse persons , as the Petitioners are able to prove and make appear , in case it be denyed . And that if it fall out , that the said Iesuits will no● appear and discover the Author of the said Libell , that it be taken for granted that they caused it to be writ and Printed ; and as such , and distributers of th● same , that they be condemned to make reparation in point of honour to the Petitioners , as notorious detractors , impos●ors , and disturbers of the publick peace , and other penalties , which the Petitioners referre to the zeale and prudence of ●he Proctor generall of the Arch-bishoprick to demand against them according to the evidence that be brought him ; and to that end it is desired that he may be appointed to carry on the bu●●ness joyntly with us . And it is further prayed that a prohibition may be issued out that they may not for the future publish or distribute any such Libel● upon p●in of excommunication ●pso facto , and other canonicall punishments specifyed in the holy decrees , against● the Author● of s●●ndalous Libels , and that th● Sentence which shall be passed hereupon be read and publist●d in the severall Churches , ●nd other places where it shall be thought fit , that the people may be undece●v●d , as to the calumnies , injuries , and defamatory impostures whereby the said Iesuits would blast the reputation of the Petitioners in the said Libell , And you will do Iustice. And signed by the said Chr●sti●n , le Cler● , de Iaehurs , de Fi●ux ; & le Vigner Proctor , with their severall Subscriptions . A REMONSTRANCE Of the Reverend The Curez of PARIS to their Lords of the Assembly Generall of the CLERGY , When they presented to them a continuation of the Extract of diverse pernicious Propositions advanc'd by the late Casuists . MAY IT PLEASE YOVR HONOVRS , THe favourable reception we have found in your honourable Assembly seems not to us a lesse remarkable discovery of your Goodnesse towards us , then of your zeal for the undefilednesse of Ch●istian Morality . We have inferred ●rom it , to our more then ordinary comfort , that all the artifices which some have made use of to bring an odium upon us , have not prov'd so effectuall as to surprise you , and to make you in the least measure unsatisfied of our inviolable submission to Episcopall Authority . And certainly it must needs be a strange thing , that those who make it their main businesse to render it as despicable as they can , and have so often given you occasion to oppose their Attempts against the Hierarchie , should be guilty of an imagination that they could raise jealous●es in you of those , who think it a glory to them , that they have not any priviledges whereby they might be exempted from the dependance they have on their Prelates . For your Honours may be pleas'd to consider , that they could not upon any occasion betray a more groundlesse pretence of their detraction , since that , ever since the first breaking forth of this business to the present , we have not done any thing but what discovers the respect we have for your sacred dignity . The Reverend Clergy of Rouen who first set this businesse on foot , and made the first complaints about it , brought it before their Arch-bishop ; all the end that we had in countenancing and furthering what they did , was onely to make a joynt addresse to your Assembly ; and when we sollicited the Curez of the other Diocesses to joyn also with us , , we were very far from thinking it should be done wi●h any derogation from their Bishops . Your honours will , we hope , have that opinion of us , that we are not to learn the obligations that ly upon us , or the limits of our duty . We thought it a breach thereof to continue any longer silent , when we see the Church over-grown with a poysonous Morality , more corrupt then that of Pagans themselves ; nor are we ignorant on the other side , that we are excusable in the sight of God , by discovering the horrour we conceive thereat in our endeavours to raise an impression of it in all the souls committed to our charge , and in addressing our selves to the Princes of the Church , to represent unto them the pernicious consequences thereof . It lyes upon your honours to prevent the ●urther progresse thereof by a legall and authentick condemnation , since it is to your Authority that God hath particularly committed the discernment of sound and corrupt doctrine , and the care of being guides to the people of God , by rules that are wholly divine , according to the word of the grea● Pope , Innocent I. to a certain Arch-bishop of France ; Disciplin● deific● populum ●rudi●● deb●mus . And that which is added by the same Pope , in the place before mentioned● viz● that it is to be feared , that the silence of the Bishop● be not taken for their consent to the dissolution of Morality , Ne ●ilentio nostro exist●●●●mur his pr●b●●e cons●nsum , dicente Domino , Videbas ●urem , u● cu●re●●● cum ●o , is , at this time , more considerable then even . For the extravagance of these writers is come to tha● height , that making their advantages of the lenity of the Church in poin● of toleration , they presu●e to affirm it openly , that she co●ntenance● their irr●g●l●rities , because she suffers them . This is no more then what hath already been made appear t● your honours out of F. Baun● a Jesuite , and what may be seen yet further in another of the same Society , whose name is Mascarennas , who being equally d●●●●ou● in F. Ba●ny to establish this extravag●nt p●opositio● , Th●t it is sufficient , so as to fulfill the precep● of hearing Masse , if a man heare●●wo halves at the same 〈◊〉 from severall Priests , imagines it excellently well maintain'd by this erroneous and dangerous principle , That the Church , without any opposition , suffering that opinion should be published , is an argument that she● approues i● . Thi● Maxime which carries within it , wi●hout exception , all the E●rour● which th●se C●suis●● have publish'd , must need● oblige your honour● to find out some speedy remedy against evils that grow daily mor● and more predominant● and which those that introduce them end●avour to establish by principes that make them incapable of any remedy . For their temerity i● come to that p●t●● , ●s to pretend that th● Author●ty of the Bishops cannot give them ●ny check . They have made no difficulty to maintain , ( 〈◊〉 you may perceive by the Extract● which we now present you with of a new d●●●●e● ) That th● Bishop● cannot prohibit th● Books of the Casuists , such as are those of Diana ; ( one of the most extravagant that ever were ) otherwise then as Marchandises , or , at the worst , but as prejudiciall by accident , and not condemn them as evill in themselves : and that , when four or five of these Authours agree in the same opinion , it is so far probable and safe in point of conscience , that unlesse the Church mukes the contrary thereto an Article of Faith , it can no more cease so b● such , then foure can cease to be foure . Thus is it , may it please your honours , that these writers do at the same time invest simple private men with a pernicious power to overturn at their pleasure all Chris●ian Morality , and would devest the Successors of the Apostles of the right which IESUS CHRIST hath endu'd them with , to prevent the extravagances of man's wit from corrupting the truth of his Gospel . But this also considered must needs engage you the more to make them feel the weight of that Authority , which they would deprive you of and receive , to the advantage of the whole Church , the examples of your Predecessors and your own . It is not unknown to your honours , how that in the beginning of the Ninth age , the Church of France did by the severity of her Canons , put a stop to a licentiousnesse much less considerable then that which is now so prevalent . There started up of a sudden a many triviall writers , who put out a sort of books called Penitentials , to regulate , as they thought fit , the penance to be inflicted on Penitents , according to the diversity of sins . But having by that erroneous indulgence deviated very much from the regulations specified in the Canons , the Bishops of France assembled in the II. Councell of Cha●lons upon S●one , and in the VI. of Parls , ordered , That all Priests should forbear making ●ny account of those Penitentiall Book● , as also that they should be absolutely abolished , nay burnt , to the end they might not prove an occasion to deceive the Pri●sts that read them , and consequently the people . Whereas there are many Priests , sayes the Councell of Paris , Can. 32. who either out of negligence or ignorance inflict penances on those that confesse their sinnes , otherwise then it is provided by the Canonicall Constitutions , making use , to that purpose , of certain writings which they call Penitentialls , contrary to the holy Canons , and by that means cure not the wounds made by sinne , but cherish and continue sinners therein by an over-indulgent dressing thereof , drawing upon themselves that malediction of the Prophet ; Woe unto those that sowe pillowes to all Elbowes , and make cushions for the heads of men to seduce them ; we have ordered , by a generall consent , that every Bishop shall within his Diocesse cause strict search to be made after those erroneous writings , and having found them , shall cause them to be burnt , to the end , that such priests as are ignorant may not any longer make use thereof to the de●●●uction of souls . Now we humbly intrea● your honours to consider what comparison there is between the excesses against which these holy Bishops your Predecessors have acted with so much zeale , and those whereof we now humbly begge the suppression ? It was not layd to the charge of those composers of Penitentiall Directions , that they had excus'd or authoris'd crimes , but only , that they had taught the Priests to inflict pen●nces lesse severe then those that were prescribed by the Canons . Nay even as to that point , how much more reserv'd were they then those of this age ? For the greatest licentiousnesse they are tax'd with is that which is condemned by the same Councell in the 34. Canon , viz. that they had impos'd on a detestable crime a penance of lesse continuance then 25. years , which was the time prescribed by the Councell of Ancyra , whereas these now reigning think it not enough to take away all the punishments impos'd by the late Popes on the same crime , but are so presumptuous as to maintain , th●t those Confessors that are carefull to promote the spirituall good of mens souls ought to send the Laicks to the holy Communion , and the Priests of the Alta● the very day , that they had committed those abominations , worthy of all the fires of Heaven , Earth , and Hel. Thus have we discover'd to your Honours the proceedings of those exemplary men that have preceded you in the government of the Gallicane Church . They have not given way , as they say themselves , that the faithfull should be abus'd by vain hopes , and the deceitfull promises , which they might flatter themselves with out of corrupt Books . And it must needs be by following so wholesome an example , that you have already broken the ice and put a stop to this torrent of licentiousnesse and errours , by condemning the books of the s●id Father Bauny , who published them in France , as containing Propositions inclining men to Liber●inisme and the corruption of good manners , and doing violence to the Naturall right , and the Law of Nations , excusing Blasphemies , Vsuries , Simonies , and diverse other the most ●normous sinnes , as if they were light peccadillo'● . But the inju●ious contempt wherewith your censure hath been received by some , who maintain that Authour , even since your condemnation of him , as being not guilty of any irregularity in point of Morality , and cause his books to be reprinted without the least correction or alteration , is enough to convince you , that since the mischief still continues , and growes more and more predominant by time , there is a necessity the same remedies should be continued , and that others should be apply'd that are more effectuall . The eyes of the whole Church are upo● your honors in this affair ; her honour is but too much concern'd in it , she cannot any longer bea● either with the reproaches of hereticks her enemies , who endeavour her disparagement by attributing to her these pernicious maximes , or the temerity of some of her own children , who conspire with the others to fasten the same scandall on her . For it is not the greatest scandall that even happened to the Church of IESUS CHRIST , that , while Hereticks are so presumptuous as to impu●e to the whole body of Ca●holicks the licentiousnesses of some particul●r persons , there should be , at the same time , whole So●ietie● that acknowledge them , that justifie their accusation , that would have the stranges● extravagances accounted Romane Tradit●on● , and are grown to that height of● presumption as to pretend that ●●n cannot quarr●l at these irreg●larities , without being of the number of the Calvenists , or at least countenancing them ? Will not the Church disclaim these temeratio●s wretches ? will she not make a publick discovery of the horrour she conceive● thereat ? Shall it ever be said , that for a man to be a Catholick , he must approve domes●i●k infidelities and usuries with Father Ba●●y , Simony , with V●lentia , the lawfulnesse of Murther to avoid on box o' th' ●are , with Lessius , Assas●inations for calumnies with Father Amicus , impostures and false accusations , with Caramuell ? Shall it ●e said , that a man must entertain all the pernicious or extravagant decis●ons of Escobar for mysteries revealed by● IESUS CHRIST , and that he cannot make any complaint against them , but he must be immediately treated as an Heretick ? This is the affront that some would have put upon the reverend , th● Curez of Ro●en , by a virulent Pamphlett , under the form of a Petition presented to your Assembly , and yet hath not any name to it ( which is a kind of proceeding never heard of before ) because , as it should seem● the Authors of that scandalous piece would gladly have play'd the wolves with those that hit them in the teeth with their Morality , and tear them in pieces , but d●rst not discover themselves , so to avoid the punishment they might deserve for their in●olence . In that piece your honours may discover some tr●cks of that confidence● whereby they vindicate their most dangerous maximes , They think it not enough to maintain them as tolerable , no , they would have them receiv'd as articles of Faith , which a man cannot deny without falling into Lutheranism . This is the account they get in that Pamphlett , of what is taught by Father Bau●y , That to make an action impu●able as Sinne , it is necessary it should proceed from a man that s●es , that knowes , that considers what there is of good or evil therein , and that before this sight and reflection of the mind , it is neither good nor bad . Thir proposition , which palpably excuses an infinite number of Sinnes , and which , as such , was condemn'd by the Colledge of Sorbonne in its Censure of the first of Iuly 1641. in th●se words , falsa , viamque aperit ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis , is grown up of a sudden , if we believe the partisans of that ●asuist , a point of the doctrine of the Church , taught by S. Thomas with all Catholicks , and oppos'd onely by Lutherans and ●alvinists . These are their own expressions but full of falsity and imposture . For where hath S. Thomas ever taught that doctrine , he , who maintains every where , that a man's ignorance of those things which he ought to have known excuses him not from sinne ; 1.2 . q. 77. a. 2. and 3. and qu. 78. a. 1. and that men commit an infinite number of crimes without having any other sight thereof then that , of complying with their passions , and without making any reflection whether what they do be good or evil in the sight of God. 1.2 . q. 77. a. 2. And how dare they affirm , that all Catholick● are of the same opinion , when their own Casuists , who are the most guilty of dissolution of all Catholicks , and the most inclin'd to embrace those opinions that flatter the humours o● men , are not all of that judgement ? For Escobar makes it a point of his problematicall Theologie , Lib. 1. probl . 17. and cites those Divines even of his own Society who hold the contrary● to that opinion of F● Bauny , condemn'd by the Colledge of Sorbonne , which yet they now dare impose upon the whole Church . This your honours may be pleas'd to look on as a remarkable example of the originall and progresse of their PROBABILITIES . They are litter'd at first imperfectly with some doubt ; then are they lick'd into the degree of probable and safe in point of conscience ; and thence , by the advantage of confidence , that loses nothing by continuance , they are reduc'd to the predicament of certain Truths , and they that oppose them chargeable ●ith Heresie , even after they ●ad been censur'd by whole Vniversities . Nor indeed do they much dissemble the Novelty of their opinions , or their first productions . They very sincerely acknowledge that they are ordinarily ha●ch'd by the temerity o● some particular person , who , under pre●ence of some probable reason that comes into his mind , presumes to oppose the common sentiment of all other Divines , and formes out of his own a probable opinion , which Time afterwards ripens and confirms . This is the acknowledgement of Escobar , in these words , T●m . 1. in Prael . cap. 4. Though many persons have treat●d of a matter with great care , and happen to b● all of the same opinion after they had well considered the reasons thereof , yet is it my judgement that a learned man may neverthelesse , with some probability , be of a contrary opinion , if ●e sees there is any reason that is very pr●gnant for his sentiment , and finds that the others have not sufficiently clear'd up the businesse . For thus were probable opinions first introduc'd into the Schooles● HOC ENIM MODO PROBABILES OPINIONES FUERE IN SCHOLAS INTRODUCTAE● And to be short ( adds he a little lower ) all these opinions , when th●y come first into the world , owe their production to ONE SINGLE AUTHOR . Whereupon , another Doctor agrees with him , because that opinion , though newly aduanc'd seems probable to him . CERTE quaelibe● opinio DUM SUSCITATUR , AB UNO Q●TUM HABET AUTHORE . Postea alius . alii consentiens ideo assensum praes●i●it , quia RECENS ADINVENTA opinio sibi visa est probabilis . Nay , this is not alwayes necessary . There are some probable opinions that proceed from no other dam then blind chance . Be it supposed that a Doctor , without so much as minding what he did hath broached some new and strange imag●nation , which he himself thought not probable ; There needs no more to give another doctor occasion to make a new discovery in the Country of Probability . And this is no more then is ingenuously confessed by the same Escobar , in these terms : I do only conclude an opinion to be probable when he that first found it ou● , judges it to be probable , and confirms it with a probable reason . But even when a doctrine , advanced by a doctor , is approved neither by himself , nor any other as true ( ETSI DOCTRINA ADDUCTA A DOCTORE , NEC A SE , NECAB ●LIO VERA ESSE AFFIRMETUR ) but is only proposed as an argument to which an answer is required , or casually brought in to explicate some other , or haply by way of instance , I never●heless bring it into the qualification of probable opinion● , when I find it maintainable by a rational reason , SI RATIONABILI RATIONE INNITI VIDEO . And yet your Honours may be pleased to take notice , that these fantastick conceits , which they themselves acknowledge to be new , and newly introduced into the Schools , which they confess to be the aerial issue of their own spirits , the most corrupt of all Masters , according to that remarkable expression of Saint Hierome ; non quod à me ipso oidici , hoc est à presumptione , p●ssimo praec●ptore ; these imaginations , unknown , according to their own acknowledgement , to all antiquity , are nevertheless to be thought certain and infallible paths to lead men to heaven . For it being their main design only to flatter men , and to bring them to their lure , they saw well enough , that it would amount to nothing to invent probable remissions of duty , if those that followed them drew no other advantage thence , then that they were probably faved and probably damned . They have therefore thought themselves obliged to get higher , and by a Mystery unknowne to all Divinity and Reason make an allyance between probable sinning , and the certainty of not sinning● Be pleased then to consider the strange ratiocination of all these late writers . If I kill anothe● for a bo● on the care , it is probable that I shall not sinne , according to Lessius , Filliucius , Bald●llus : it is also probable that I shall sinne , according to all the Ancients ; it is therefore certaine that I shall not sinne , by the principle of Probability . Whence it may be further inferred , that when ever they affirme it to be doubtfull whether an action be a sinne , and contrary to the Law of God , they with the same breath maintaine , that it is not doubtfull , but undeniable , that if a man does it , he commies not any ●inne in the sight of God. 'T is upon this new kind of Logick , of concluding a certainty from an uncertainty , that they have laid the foundation of all Christian Morality , taking this alwayes as an undenyable principle , That all the contrary opinions of the Casuists are equally saf● . OMNES OPINIONES PROBABILES SUNT AEQUE TUTAE . Not but that they are very sensible , that , of two contrary opinions upon the same point of Morality , it is necessary that one be true , and the other false ; that one be consonant to the law of God● and the other contrary thereto ; but they neverthelesse stand upon it , that being both probable ; because there are Cas●ists that hold as well one as the other , the conscience d●●ives equall sec●rity from both ; that the judgement● of men , even when they are deceaved and pervert the divine Law , puts us out of all danger as to what we might expect ●rom the Law of God ; and lastly , that we may make as great advantages , in our journey towards heaven , of a probable falsity , as of the most certaine Truth ; UT QUAMCUNQUE , as Escobar affirmes , VIARU● PRIMO DIVERSARUM INIERINT HOMINES , RECTA TENDANT AD SUPEROS . What then must we think will become of that terrible saying of the wise man , which he hath repeated in two severall places , a● it were to make a greater impression thereof in our mind● , There is a way , that seemeth straight unto man , and yet is that which leadeth unto hell ; I● there needs no more then that a way seeme str●ight to some Casuist to lead us in a direct line to heaven , even when it is not streight in the ●ight of God ? And what account will there be had of these words of JESUS CHRIST , If the blind lead the blind , both fall into the ditch , if two C●suists , whereof the one is blind the other illuminated , because the one maintaines that which is true , the other that which is false , are as infallible guides one as another ? We might have produced to your honours a whole bloud of Fathers , whose judgements are absolutely opposite to this so dangrous imagination of these Casuists ; but we have thought it enough to weigh them by the doctrine onely of S. Thomas ● who establishes a quite contrary maxime , which he makes use of as a certaine principle whereby to resolve other questions . For whereas there were in his time different opinions concerning this point● viz 〈◊〉 whether it were lawfull for a man to have a plurality of prehendaries , as he himself acknowledges quod l. 〈…〉 ●●●●niuotur Theologi Theologis , & I●rist 〈◊〉 I●risti● contraria sen●ire . He therefore puts 〈◊〉 to the question in his Quod. l. 8. ar● . 13. Whether this contrariety of opinions were a sufficient ground for a man to forbeare the having of more then one , be●ause he could not do it without running himselfe into some danger of sinning . Now according to this new mystery of Probability , there was not the least occasion to make any such question it being evident , that a man might with safety of conscience follow whether he thought good of the two opinions so authorised , and that there were not the least danger of shining in either the one or the other . But the Divinity of that Saint is far different from this latter , and men were haply in his time ignorant of this so commodiou●●n invention of complying with all the world● A m●n , saith he , becomes guilty of ●inne , tw● manner of waies● one by acting ag●●nst the Law of God , the other by acting against hi● own Conscienc● ● NOW THAT WHICH is DONE AGAINST THE LAW OF GOD is ALWAIES EUILL , and is not to be ●xcused though it be according to a man's Conscience . When there●●re therfore two con●rary opinions of the same thing , is mu●t necessarily b● , that one is true and the other false● and consequently , either the opinion of those Doctors tha● maintain● i● to be ●●lawfull to have severall prebends , it true , and if it be so , he WHO ACTS CONTRARY TO THAT TRUE OPINION , AND CONSEQUENTLY CONTRARY TO THE LAW OF GOD● IS NOT TO BE EXEMPTED FROM SINNE , THOUGH HE DO NOT THEREIN ACT AGAINST HIS CONSCIENCE● But if that opinion be false , and tha● it were lawfull according to the 〈◊〉 of God to have a plurality of Pr●bends , he that should be perswaded of it , should not sinne &c. Now we are to represent to your honours that this erroneous confidenc● in th● opinions of men , though contrary to t●uth , which i● so formally condemned by S● . Thoma● , after the Fathers , and according to the Scripture , is now become the maine hindge upon which they pretend that all cases of Conscience ought to be turned about . These late writers treat as ignorant all those that are not of their opinions ; ●GNORANTIAE INVIDENTI CONDOLEAS , sayes Caram●●l , upon that occasion ; ●ay they are so far from any feare of the dreadfull consequences of this irrecla●meable liberty they take to reduce all things to the predicament of Probabilities ● that they ●onceive it to be an extraordinary service done the Church , to multiply them as much as they can . They out-vy one the other who shall invent most , and the greate●t panegyricks they make one the other , is grounded upon their introduction into the world of the greatest number of new probabilities . I have a reverence ( s●ies Caramuel ) for the ingenu●●y of the learned Diana : He must needs be an envious person who does not acknowledge , that by his i●dustry many opinions are grown probable , which were not such before him , and consequently that those who follow them sinne not , though they had sinned before . 'T is by the meanes of this infinite multitude o● different probable opinions , whereof some are true● others false , that they so presumpt●o●sly give out themselves , that they have found severall wayes to go to heaven , such as extreamly facilitate the salvation of mankind ; for that if there were no other then the path of Truth , which is upon every point , the same and indivisible , men would find it too great a difficul●y to travell in it , and one would be forced to jostle the other out of his way . We cannot without horrour & shame entertaine your honours with these extravagan●es ; but they are such only in their own principle , since they are but too too formally inferred from it . For if it be true that the Authority of these Casuists can make opinions probable , and that it must be supposed that all probable opinions may safely be followed , as to matter of conscience , though they permit a man to do that which is evill in it selfe , and con●rary to the eternall tr●th , they have very much reason to conclude thence that the whole Church is extremely obliged to them , for that they have made Salvation a thing so easy for her children to attaine to , by the multitude of probable opinions , which they make it so much their boast that they have lately found out . But do they not with all give us just ground to complaine with the learned and pious Guigues , Generall of the Carthusians ; O Apostol●rum tempora infelicissima ! O viros illos ignorantiae tenebris involutos , A omni miser●tione dignissimos ● qui●ut a●● vitam pertingeren● , propter verba labioru● Dei , ●am d●r●● vi●● custodieban● , & hac nostra compendia nesciebant , O how unhappy were the Apostles in their times ! O how did those that lived then grope in deplorable darknesse ! How were they to be ●emoan●d that they were not acquainted with any other way to go to heaven then those rough and austere ones which were chalked th●m by the word of God● and were ignorant of all these shifts and compendious methods of Probable opinions , never found out till this age of ours . We doubt not but your honours are sufficiently satisfyed of the strangenesse o● this doctrine in it selfe , and to what dre●dfull extravaga●ces it may open a gap and give encouragement . All errour● in matter of Morality are very dangerous , because they corrupt the Judgement , which discernes between good and evill● and is the originall of all actions . But this principle of Probability is much more dangerous , in so much that it may be called the generall poison of those en●e●●med sources , which communicates to them a particular infection far gr●ater then that which they have of thems●lves . For instance , it must certainly be a d●mnable extravagance of opinion , to maintaine , ●s F. Amicus and Caramuel● do , that men that hav● devoted their selve● to a Religious kind of life ( and there●ore with much mo●● reason those that are of the world ) may kill those that intend to calumni●te them : But the feare of damnation for following these ●asuists , might haply stop their hands who were inclin'd thereto , if at the same time it were not demonstrated according to the genera●l doctrine of probability , that , of two probable opin●ons , it is as s●se to follow one as the other , a●d consequ●ntly● that there is as litle danger of offending God by k●lling● as there is in no● killing . It were therefore but to little purpose for the Church to condemne the pa●ticular ●allyes of Licentiousnesse which these late C●suis●● are guilty of , if your honours do not also take away th●● roo● whence they all de●iv● life and growth . All the ●cknowledgement they will make of your Censure , shall be to confesse that your sentiment● are probable , but that they hinder no● but th●t their● are so too● Of thi● evasion of their● your honours h●v● dayly experi●nce in their attempts against the Hierarchy . ●or whe● t●ey would maintain● , for ins●●●ce , that the Regulars of any Religiou● Orde● , ●ay wit●● sa●e conscience m●ke use of those pr●●iledges wh●●● 〈◊〉 expressely ●evo●●ed by the Councell of Tr●n● ; ●ha● having presented themselves before you , though you had refused to approve them , they have neverthel●●●● , ●● defiance o● your Authority , a power to heare Confess●on● ; and lastly● that having been once ●pprov'd , they cannot be a●ter●●●ds revoked , upon what do they ground all these so illegall pretentions● 〈…〉 Sanch●● , one Rodrig●●● ● one Villalobos , one Portellus , one Diana , and others of the same mo●t●ll , which are much more then needs to make an opinion probable . And if you should oppose your Decrees to the t●merity of these Casuis●● , all the advantage you shall make of it will be , that you shall also make your opinion probable● your honours shall be cited a● Maintainers of the negative , and Escobar shall discourse thus upon the whole : Regulares POSSUNT , ET NON POSSUNT , in foro cons●ientia , sui● vti privilegis● quost sun● expresse p●r Triden●inum revocata● Lib. 6● Probl. 16● p. 192. SUFFICIT ET NON SUFFICIT pe●ere ●pprobationem , u● Regularis , si injust● ei deneg●tur● , ●ens●a●ur jure approbatus , Lib. 7. Probl. 30. p● 269. That is to say , in a word , some hold the affirmative , others the Negative , you may believe● and you may do what you thinke good your selfe . Nor is it any more difficulty for your honours to imagine what confusion , and what dist●rbance● this principle of Probability may oc●asion in the s●ate ● and what a bane it may prove to civill Society● whe● it shall be joined with their other maxi●e●● P●● the ●ases that Judges have any inclination● to ●avour their Friends , or to be revenged of their enemies , what encouragement will they not find to pervert all justice , with safety of conscience , in this maxime of Escobar and foure other Casui●ts ; namely , That they are not obliged to follow the more probable opinion● but that they may give sentence for him , who seeme to have lesse right of his side● and whose 〈◊〉 is made good by lesse probable reasone ? In like man●e● if the people fall into an humour of Rebellion , what pretences may they not find to colour their defection , in that other maxime of the same Author , viz ; That they may without any cause sh●wne , choose whether they will submit or no , 〈◊〉 to ●he ordinances of their ●rinces , though after a legall publication thereof ; If they have no mind to pay● Taxes shall they ever be to seek for a lawfull excuse to be exempted ; since that to effect it , there needs no more , according to these Casuists , then a litle probability , even though they cannot deny but that their Prince hath as much if not more reason to impose a Contribution upon them , then they have to deny the payment thereof ? But we shall no● trouble your honours with any more as to that point . Wha● we have , and might say of it , we think two horrid to expresse . We have only said a word or too at the beginning of our Extract of Probability , which is enough to satis●y all those who have any affection for their Prince● a● God oblige● them to have , o● what consequence this doctrine is , and how likely it is to receive , ●n such emergencies● as cannot be fores●ene , but ought alwayes to be feared , the detestable maximes of a great number of these Ca●uists , contrary to the sa●ety of their persons , and the soveraigne power which they derive onely from God himselfe ? They may seeme to be supp●essed , bu● they will never be absolutely extinguished , while they flatter men with an assurance that they do not sinne when they follow these l●te Authors , and that even when what they teach , is , in effect , contrary● to the Law of God. These things well considered , who cannot 〈◊〉 admire the strange confidence of some persons , who would have the complaints we have put up to your honours against these seditious maximes , to be looked on no otherwise then as an attempt prejudiciall to ●he well fare of the state . But our comfort is , that those who make it their businesse with so much zeale to promote the security and agg●andization thereof , are but too well assured of our per●ect and inviolable fidelity thereto , ever to give any entertainment to those bad impressions which some would have raised in them of us . It is well knowne that in the Assembl●es where we are wont to meet , and which are authorised , not only by the custome and approbation of our Arch-Bishops but also by the Letters which it hath pleased his Majesty to send us to that purpose , there is not the least discourse had concerning the publick affaires ; no , our employment is about other things ; Our thoughts are taken up only with the concernments of our Parishes , and the spirituall good of the Soules committed to our charge , because that is the maine designe of our Functions . Nor is it any other interest then that of those Soules , so precious in the account of ●ESUS CHRIST , that obliges us to addresse our selves to your honours , to beseech you , by the exercise of your Authority , to prevent the further establishment of these strange corruptions , now so much in vogue , to the dishonour of C●tholicks , and the scandall of hereticks . The Censure you shall passe upon them must need● be of extraordinay advantage to the Church , ●●y even to those that are the m●intainers and publishers of them ; for if they acknowledge and submit to your Decrees , they will ret●rne into the way of T●●th , out of which they had so strangely wandred● and if they oppose them , as it is their ordinary course to do , it will be with this disadvantage to them , that they shall lose that erroneous beliefe whence they derive a power to deceive Sou●es , and which is , as well in regard of themselves as of others , of all misfortunes the most deplorable . How ere it happen , you will deliver your own soule● according to the ●ang●●ge of the Scrip●●re , and the sentence of publick condemnation which you shall passe upon these pernicious opinions , shall prove your vindication before the tribunall of JESUS CHRIST , who will require a strict account of the Pastors of his Church , for all the abuses , and all the disorders , which they shall not have endeavoured to suppresse . But for our parts , who are only called to the participation of a small glimpse of that power , whereof your honours shine in the meridi●n lustre , all that it lyes in our power to do , is , to let you know , how earnestly we disire and pray for the reestablishment of Christian Mortality in its purenesse and perfection , and by crying down these unhappy maximes among the people committed to our charge , preserve neverthelesse union and peace even with those that maintaine them , according to these excellent words of St. Augustine . Quisquis vel quod potest , arguendo corrigit , vel quod corrige●e non potest , salvo paci● v●nculo , excludit , vel quod , salvo pacis vinculo excludere , non potest , equitate improbat , ●●mitate supportat , hic ●st pacificus , et ab isto maledicto quod Scriptura dicit , V● his qui dicunt quod nequa● bonum est , & quod bonum est nequam , omninò liber , pro●s●s s●cur●s , penit●s ali●nus . Thus concluded and ordered in the Assembly of the Reverend the Curez of Paris , and presented to the hono●rable the A●sembly Generall of the Clergie . November , 24. 1656. and signed , ROUSS , Cure of St. Roch , Syndic . DU PUYS , Cure of the Sts Innocents Syndic . THE PRINCIPLES And CONSEQUENCES Of PROBABILITY , Explic●ted by CARAMUEL , one of the most eminent among the late Casuists , in a book of his printed in the year , 1652. intituled . THEOLOGIA FUNDAMENTALIS . THis extract comprehends the general principle of the new Morality , which is , the doctrin of Probability . The whole doctrin hath been taken out of one single Author , to the end , it might be the better perceived , that they are not loose and stragling Maximes that are not maintained but separately , and accordingly are not to be thought to have any correspondence . To that effect , have we made choice of one of the most eminent and most learned of these Casuist● , named CARAMVEL , a man yet living , and a person looked upon by the rest , as the ●orch of all the great Wits of this Age , ingeniorum facem , and one that is of such account among them , that they cannot be perswaded , that what the great Caramuel , as they call him , hath approved , should be condemned by any one . Nor is it on the other side to be doubted but that he is excellently well read in the doctrin of these late Authors , since he openly professes that he reads in a manner no books but theirs , and that he should think his time lost in reading the antient Fathers . This is no more then what he declares himself in these words p. 22. whence may be given a great guess of the genius of the man. Non ego multum temporis impendo , aut PERDO , in veterum ( Patrum ) libris legendis ; non quod contemnam illos , sed quòd omnia quae pulchrè cogitârunt , jam sint à junioribus summo studio et ingenio elimata . For the bett●r understanding therefore of the doctrin of Probability which is the Troja● horse wherein is contained all the learning of these Cas●ists , it is to be observed , that the question is not whether there are probable opinions in Morality ? That there are such , it is generally granted by all , though the number of them be infinitely less then what is imagined by those who make it their business to reduce the most infallible rules of manners into problematical questions , and can , without blushing , put out whole volums full of such decisions as these , never heard of before among divines ; Est , et non est ; licet , et non licet ; peccat , et non peccat ; tenetur , et non tenetur ; sufficit● et non sufficit , as if the School of Iesus Ch●ist were of a sudden degenerated into a School of Sceptick● and Pyrrhonians . But the deadly poison of this doctrin consists in the fatal conjunctions of these four Maximes , which derive their unhappy influences on all the rest . The first is , that , when there are different probable opinions upon any point , and that there are some who maintain a thing to be forbidden , others on the contrary hold it to be lawful , both these opinions are equally false in point of conscience . And though there is a necessity that one of the two should be false , and contrary to the law of God , yet may a man nevertheless finde the way to Heaven in either of the two , and may walk as securely in that which is ●●lse , or in that which is true ; ut quamcunque du●rum 〈…〉 diuers●r●m homines 〈…〉 ●e●dant ad sup●ros● as Escobar sayes , Theol. Mor. Tom. 1. in ●r●l . cap. 3. The second is , that a man is at liberty to make ch●ise of the less proba●le and less safe opinion , by quitting the more probable and more safe . That it is to say , that when a man is in some doubt , whether it be a sin or not , to commit such an action , and that the opinion whi●h maintains that it is a sin to commit it seems the more probable to him , insomuch , that all things considered , he is convinced that it is so , yet it is nevertheless lawful for him , with safety of consolence , to do that action , which he is satisfied is more probably a sin . The third is , that an opinion is then probable when it is confirmed either by a reason , or a considerable authority ; and that to make it such , there is no necessity these two conditio●s should me●t together , either of them being sufficient to do the business . The former kind of probability , they call probabilitatem● intrinsecam , the latter , probabili●atem extrinsecam . The fourth and last is , that , according to the gene●al consent of all Casuists , an opinion is then probable● and may ●e commonly followed without any fear , when it is maint●ined by four grave Authors , and that there are diverse who affirm , that the authority of one single Author is sufficient . 'T is in the rivetring and twisting together of these four Maximes that the doctrin of Probability consists . From the present Extract as well as from those which we brought in before , may easily be inferred the pernicious consequences thereof . But to put a gag in their mouths who are so ready to maintain it , we need only tell them , that as well the state , as Religion , is obliged to crush the Serpent , for that while there shall be any thing of life in it , it can never be prevented , but that the detestable maximes , such as reflect on the safety of soveraign Prince● and Authority , whi●h have be●n so o●●en condemned by the Parliaments , the Universities , and Clergy of France , will still con●inue probable and safe in point of conscience , and will be looked on ●y those that are instructed in that doctrine , as infallible w●yes to le●d men to Heaven ; especially since they have been taught and maintained● not only by one , nor by four , but by above twenty of the most eminent of these Casuists . To be short , that we may in few words give a preservative against this poison , which no man can conceive the least suspit●on of , wee shall lay down in this place , a remarkable passage out of St. Thomas , which clear● up the whole cont●oversie . St. THOMAS . Quodl . 8. Art. 13. Utrum , quando sunt diversae opiniones de aliquo facto , ille quisequitur minùus tutam , peccet ? Ut de pluralitate Praebendarum . REspondeo , dicendum , quod duobus modis aliquis ad peccatum obligatur : uno modo , faciendo contra legem , ut cum aliquis fornicatur ; alio modo , faciendo contra conscien●iam , etiamsi non sit contra legem : ut si conscientia dictat alicui , quod levare festucam de terra sit peccatu● mortale . Ex ●onscientia autem obligatur aliquis ad peccatum , sive habeat certam fidem de contrario e●us quod agit ; sive e●iam habeat opinionem cum aliquâ dubitatione . Illud autem quod agitur contra legem , semper est malum , nec excusatur per hoc quòd est secundum co●scientiam● et simili●er , quod est contr●● conscientiam , est malum , quamvis non sit contra legem . Quod autem nec contra conscientiam , nec contra legem est , non potest esse pecca●um . Dicendum est ergo , quod , quando du● sunt opiniones contrariae de ●odem , oportet esse alteram v●ram , et alteram falsam . Aut ergo ille , qui facit contra opinionem Magistrorum , utpote ha●endo plures praebendas , facit contra veram opinionem , et sic cum faciat contra legem Dei , non excusatur a peccato , quamvis non faciat contra conscientiam ; sic enim contra legem dei facit . Aut illa opinio non est vera , sed magis contraria quàm iste sequitur , ita quod verè licet habero plures praebendas , et tunc distinguendum est : quia aut talis habet conscientiam de contrari● , et sic iterum peccat , contra conscientiam faciens , quamvis non contra legem ; aut non habet conscientiam de contrario sed certitudinem ; sed tamen in quandam dubitationem inducitur contrarietate opinionum : et sic , si manente dubitatione plures praebendas habet , periculo se commit●i● ; et sic procul dubio peccat , utpote magis amans benefic●um temporale , quàm propriam salutem : aut ex contrari●s opinionibus , in nullam dubitationem adducitur ; et sic non committit se discrimini , nec peccat . St. THOMAS . Quodl . 8. Art. 13. Whether , when there are several opinions concerning the same matter of fact , he who follows the less safe , sin or not ? As for instance , concerning the plurality of Praebendries . I Answer , and say , that a man may be liable to sin● two manner of wayes ; one , when he does any thing against the law , as , for instance , when one commits fornication . The o●her , when he does a thing aga●nst his conscience ; as● if his conscience should tell him , that to take up a straw of the ground , were a morta● sin , and he should nevertheless do it . Now a man is subject to sin against his conscience , whether he be perswaded , that the opinion contrary to what he practiseth is the more safe , or do but make some doubt thereof . But whatsoever is done against the law is alwayes evil , nor is it any way alleviated or excused , by pretending that it is according to a mans conscience . And in like manner , what a man does against his conscience is evil , though it be not against the Law. But what is neither against conscience , nor the law , cannot be sin . It is therefo●e to be inferred , that , when there are two contrary opinions of the same matter of fact , it must necessarily ●e that one is true , and the other ●alse . He therefore that acts contrary to the opinions of the more learned , as for instance , hath a plurality of prebendries , does either act against the true opinion , and ●onsequently doing that which is against the law of God , is not free ●rom sin , though he do not any thing contra●y to his conscience ; for ●o he becomes ● transgressor of the law of God. O● th●t opinion is not true , but rather the contrary thereto , so as that it is ●ruly lawful ●or a man to ●ave a plurality of prebendries , and then we mu●t dis●ingu●sh . For , ●ither such a man is convinced in conscience of the contrary , and so falls into sin on the othe● side , as doi●g what is contrary to the dicta●es of his conscience● though not agains● the law ; or ●e is a●●ured in his own cons●i●nce that the contrary cannot be ●igh● , and yet is no● absolutely sa●isfied but inclines to some doubtfulness by reason of the contrariety of opinions ; and that being supposed , if , continuing in his dou●t●ulness , he hath a plurality of prebendries he puts himself into danger , and consequently does certainly sin , as one that rather mindes the prosecution of temporal advantages then his own sal●ation . Or● the contrarie●y of opinions raises nothing of doubtfulness in him ; and i● so , he neither runs himself into any da●ger , nor sin . A CATALOGUE OF THE PROPOSITIONS Contained in the continuation of the Extract of diverse corrupt propositions of the late Casuists ; collected by the Reverend the Curez of PARIS . And presented to the honourable the Assembly Generall of the Clergy of France , the 24. of November 1656. BEING The Summe of the PRINCIPLES and CONSEQVENCES of PROBABILITY explicated by Caramouel , one of the most eminent among the late Casuists , in a Book of his printed in the year 1652. Intit●led , THEOLOGIA FUNDAMENTALIS . I. THere are two kinds of Probability , one proceeding● from Reason , the other from Authority . That one without the other is sufficient to make an opinion probable . That all probable opinions are equally safe in themselves . That it may so happen that the most gentle may be the most safe ; And that it is lawfull for a man to follow the lesse probable . Caramuel Theol. Fundam . p. 132. II. That according to the generall consent of all Casuists , the authority of four Authors is sufficient to make an opinion probable ; and by a necessary consequence , one single Author is also sufficient . Caramuel Theol. Fundam . p. 137. III. There are three conditions necessary to be supposed ere a man can affirm an action to be unlawfull , and if there be but one of the three wanting , he may affirm it to be lawfull . Idem . ibid. p. 138. IV. That Bishops cannot prohibit the books of the Casuists ● otherwise then as marchandises , or as being accidentally prejudiciall , and that they cannot condemn them as pernicious . Idem , ibid. p. 89. V. That it is impossible a probable opinion should be condemn'd in it self , and that it is impossible also , that an opinion maintain'd by severall Doctours should not be probable . Ibid. p. 393. VI. That a probable opinion , that is to say , such as is maintained by the most eminent Casuists can never cease being probable and safe , if the contrary be not made an Article of faith by a new definition of the Church . And that a condemnation of a lower degree then that , cannot deprive it of its probability . Ibid. pag. 89. VII . That things being weigh'd and consider'd according to the doctrine of Probability , whatever some Casuists write to condemn certain unjustifiable opinions of the others , amounts to nothing ; for that does not any way hinder but that the opinions of those others remain as probable as ever● Ibid. p● 652. VIII . That , when there is as yet but one grave Author that hath purposely and out of design , treated of a case , his opinion is morally certain , and more then probable . An instance thereof taken from the doctrine of F. Amicus ● who gives Religious men a permission to kill those that should calumniate them . Caramuel Th●●l . F●ndam . p. 545. IX . That men ought not to confront the civill and Ecclesiasticall Lawes against the new opinions of the Casuists , for that these being of a much later date then the Lawes , it cannot be thought that their opinion● should be expresly condemned thereby . Ibid. pag. 549. X. That the inconveniences and dangerous consequences attendant on probable opinions● do not any way hinder but that they are still probable as ever . Ibid. XI . That Logick must be brought to a reformation , be●●use that which hath been hitherto taught is not sufficiently consistent with the doctrine of probability . Ibid. p. 550. XII . The use of the Doctrine of Probability in order to the authorization of the most mischievous decisions that may be . Ibid. p. 552. & p. 550. XIII . That the civill Magistrate , as , for instance , a Judge , cannot condemn those that have followed a probable opinion , such a one for example as hath killed another in the defence of his honour ; and that as concerning Excommunication the case is the same . Caramuel . Theol. Fundam . p. 202. Et in Commentario in Reg●l . S. Ben●dic●● . l. 1. ● . 65. XIV . That those that follow the most gentle , th●t is to say , the most licentious o● all the probable opinions , such as are those that are approved by Diana , o●ght to be called , not onely generous Souldiers , but also Virgins ; because those opinions do enable men to behave themselves , in all the precepts of the Church with such purity , that they do not commit hereby so much as ● ven●all sinne . Car●muel in epistola ad Ant. Dia●●● . pag. 24. XV. That with the assistance of probable opinions , a man do his duty as to what concerns the divine office , without so much as a veniall sinne , what distraction soever he may be guilty of in the performance thereof , nay and that voluntary too ; because a man hath no more to do in such a case , but to have a probable confidence that the Church obliges him not any further then to an externall recitation of it , and expects no● any internall attention thereto . Caramuel , the more to recommend ●he advantages of this invention , declares openly , speaking of himself , that he never so much as once in the year confes●'d himself guilty o● the least veniall sinne in saying over his Bre●la●y , nay , on the contrary , that he might safely swear , that he h●d not committed any , though he knew himself charge●ble with many distractions , and those voluntary . Caramuel . Theol. Fundam . p. 134. XVI . That of two probable opinions that are contrarie● , the same person may , as his humour leads him , one while make use of the one , and immedi●tely a●ter put the other in practise ; what inconvenience soever may h●ppen thereby to his neighbour , it matters not . Th●t this doctrine is true , what mischief soever may he the consequence thereof , nay though that by this change of opinion a man exempts himself from the observation of the commandments of the Church . The reason whereof● is , that those commandments are very ancient , and these compendious subtilties of a very late date ; and consequently , that the Church , having no● foreseen them , cannot be thought to have ●orbidd●n them . Ibid. p. 143. XVII . One example of th● precedent doctrin● produc'd by him , is , that a person having heard the clock strik● twelve , between Saturday night and Sunday morning● and thereupon eaten a good meals meat of Flesh , if , after he hath so eaten , it strike twelve again by some other clock● he may communicate the next day , as havin●●ot broken his fast at all . The reason whereof is , that these two clocks are to be look'd upon as two probable opinions , and consequently , that , according to the former , it was lawfull for a man to eat flesh , as being already Sunday morning , and that accordin● to the latter he might imagine himself not to have eaten on the Sunday , but onely on the Saterday . Ibid. p. 139. XVIII . A second example is this● that an Ecclesiastick taking ship , and having brought with him onely his Diurnal , ( according to the opinion of Sanchez , who affirms that a man performs his duty , as to the saying of the divine office , by saying onely what is in the Diurnall ) may , when he is upon the Se● , choose whether he will say any thing of his Office at all● by chan●in● his opinion , and following that of Sa●cius who saye● that a man does not perform his duty , if he say nothing but what is in the Diurnall , and consequently , he who hath only a Diurnall about him , is not oblig'd to any thing . Ibid. p. 138● & 13● . XIX . That it may be infer●'d from the doctrine of Probability , by a sound ●nd logicall consequence , that the Church can neither command nor prohibit any action that is done in secret , and consequently , that a man should not commit any sinne in eating flesh on Fridayes , so it be done secretly , or in not saying over his Breviary , provided no body knew not any thing of it , &c. That these consequences are improbable , and that neverthelesse they are dialectically drawn from the from the doctrine of Probable Opinions . So that this doctrine may produce in the Schooles a heresie not unlike that of the Independents in England . Caramuel , pag. 205. XX. Certain ridiculous consequences , though necessary , drawn by Caramuel from an opinion maintain'd by above eight Casuists , and consequently probable according to their Maximes . 1. Consequence , which Caramuel approves in the place hereafter mentioned as most probable , is this , that a man confessing his sinnes and thereupon receiving the communion at Easter satisfies the precept of the Church for two years , the precedent , and the subsequent . 2. Consequence , is , that if a man say Mattins and Lands but once , towards the evening , he may satisfie the precept of saying them for that day and the next . ibid. 3. Consequence , which he does not approve , but engages himself is rightly drawn from the same opinion , is , That 24. Monkes who should say at the same time every one a Lesson and an answer of Matins , would all acquit themselves of the obligation that lyes upon them concerning the Lessons and the Answers . ibid. p 225. 4. Consequence , is , that , when two persons say over their Breviaries at the same time , they may repeat each of them his verse at the same time , not troubling themselves about any thing of attention to what they do , because it is not any way necessary . 5. Consequence is , that it is sufficient to say onely once , whatever is to be repeated in severall parts of the Office , as the Pater noster , Deus in adjutorium ; &c. This opinion seems probable to him . 6. Consequence , is , that a man satisfies the obligation that lyes upon him to say the Rosary , by saying onely one Pater , and one Ave. XXI . An impious objection , grounded on the Doctrine of Probability , tending to prove , that a man may be saved in any sect or heresie , proposed by Caramuel , under the name of a Lutheran , without any answer brought by him thereto . pag. 472. THE CENSURE Of the books of CARAMOVEL , BY The late Archbishop of MAECHLIN● WHEREIN The toleration of the new Probable Opinions is particularly condemned . JAMES , by the prov●dence of God , and the Holy Apostolick See , Archbishop of Maechlin , to all those to whom these presents shall come , greeting in our Lord Jesus Christ. Upon information made unto us , that the Booksellers of our Diocesse sold and uttered certain Books of Divinity set forth by Iohn C●●a●ouel Lobkowits , Doctour in Divinity , contain●ng abundance of Propositions whereat the more knowing and devout sort of people are very much scandaliz'd ; we have caus'd the doctrine contained in those books , to be very diligently examin'd by severall Divines ; to the end that if there were any thing of venome therein , such as might prove destructive to the souls committed to our charge , we might accordingly apply such convenien● remedies , as should preve●t their dest●uction . Having therefor● had a faithfull report made us by those Divines of the strict examination they had made , and finding thereby that the said Author does advance severall strang● and impious propositions , which open a broad way to c●s● souls into eternall damnation● and that he propos●s with an insupportabl● im●rudence , many doubts con●●ary to the most certain princi●le● of Divinity , by opposing weak and triviall reasons there●o , to which he doth not bring any sol●tions ; and consequently that the said Author doth countenance execrable opin●ons , such as a man cannot ●eflect on without ho●ou●● as if he had mad● i● his design to undermine the ●unndations of sound doctrine , that so h● might afterwards with more ease over-turne the whole superstructure● and lastly that in many places he confidently declares , that it is his designe to make ma●y opinion● probable , so to make abu●dance of thing● be thought lawfull , which have hither●o bee● accounted ●●nne● ; by th●● means making more broad and more eas●e , every day then other , the way that leads to heaven , as if he could by his new subtilties put the imposture upon Iesus Christ who sayes in his Gospel ; Enter in a● the straight gate ; for the gate which leadeth unto death is large , and the way that leadeth thereto broad and spacious , and many there are that enter in at that Gate . But that the gate which leadeth unto life , is narrow , and that the way that leadeth thereto is straight , and that there are few that find it . Conceiving our selves therefore oblig'd out of a consideration of our pastorall charge , to set as ●ar as we can from this broad gate and this spacious way , the sheep whereof we are to be accountable , we have thought it absolutely necessary , to forbid the r●ading of all the books , which that Authour hath set out , or shall set out for the future , unless● it be that they are approved by us , or such other persons as sh●ll be commissionated by us to that purpose . We therefore very strictly charge all the faithfull of our Diocesse to forbear the Printing , selling , buying reading or retaining any of all the s●id books , enjoyning all those that now have or hereafter may have any of them , to bring them unto ●s , w●thin fifteen daye●●fter the publication of these presents , to the end that we may dispo●e thereof , as we ●hall see con●enient . Dated at Brussels , the 18. of February , 1955. Signed thus ; JAMES , Arch-bishop of Machlin . Brussels , Printed by Martin de Bossuyt , Printer to the City , in the Stone-Pereet , at the sign of S. Feigr . M.DC.LV. AN EXTRACT Of certain PROPOSITIONS , out of a very late Author , a Iesuit , named MASCARENNAS , printed by Cramoisy , in the year , 1656. and not publickly sold but since October in the said year . The Book is dedicated to the Virgin Mary , and th● Auth●r de●lares in his Epistle , that he teaches and maintains no more then what he had learn't from her , as his Mistress , and that it was by a certain inspiration from her that he writ it . Now it may be judged by some of these decisions ; whe●her it be a work consistent with those pretended inspirations , and the purity of that Virgin to whom it is addressed . I. THat whatsoever the Church suffers to be ta●ght and published by the Casui●ts , ought ●o be accounted lawful ; and consequently , that a man satisfies the precept of hearing Masse , when he hea●s two halfs thereof ●rom two several pries●s , whether it be at several times or at the same time . Tract . 5. n. 491. II. That either a secular person , or a Priest being fallen into any kinde of impurity whatso●ver , n●y , though such as are against nature , may , without so much ●s the least venial sin , ( nay , are to be commended for it if they do ) communicate the very same day , after they ha●e made thei● con●ess●o● th●reof . That wh●reas ther● were heretofore laws in the Church contrary to thi● tenent , they are now abrogated by the general c●stome o● the whole earth . That the confessour ought to advise his penitent to receive the Eucharist the ●e●y day tha● he is fallen into such crime● ; and that the vow or resolution any one might have made , not to come to the Lord● Table i●●hat condition , were nul . tr . 4. de Sacros . Euch. Sa●ram●nto , disp . 5. c. 7. p. 239. F. Bauny Jes. Theol. Mor. tr . 10. p : 457. tre●ting of the s●me question , upon a case proposed of a Priest tha●●hould have the co●fidence to say Ma●se the same day th●t he h●d committed some horrid crime , follows the same sentiment of Sancius , and is approved by Mascaren●as , who very roundly declares , that it is no more then what may be followed in the pr●ctick . III. That sacrilegio●s communio●● produce Grace as soon as a man hath cleansed himself by confession , and consequently he that had received an infinite number of such communions , or a Prie●t that had said Masse ten times every day , contrary to the precept of the Church , and that in a polluted condition , would become mo●t sanctified in ● moment , a●soon as he had made an act of contrition , or of attrition with con●ession . Tr. 1. de sacram . in gen●re dis● . 4. c. 5. p. 47. IV. That a Priest , who without a●y necessity , bu● meerly out of pure malice says Masse in a condition of mortal sin , without making ●ny confession before hand , is not obliged to sati●fi● th● obligation that lies on him according to the Councel of T●ent , of confessing himself assoon as may be : because the Councel speaks only of such as have omitted confession in a case of necessity , ●nd not of those who have omitted it out of a malicious de●ign . Tr. 4. de s●cros● E●ch●r . sacram . disp . 5. c. 6. p. 236. V. That , absolutely speaking , it is not so much as a venial sin to omit the Sacrament of Con●irmat●on ; a tenent that hath been condemned by th● Bishops of France , and by the Colledge of Sorbo●●e in the cen●ur● passed on certain books of the Iesuits of England . Tr● . 3. d● sacram . Con●irm●● . disp . 4. ● . 3. p. 152. VI. That when a man who hath committed an action , would , to know wh●ther it b● a si● or no , bring it to the test of several probabl● opinions , he is not obliged to confess himself of th●t doubt●ul sin , even though he inclines more to the opinion that makes it a sin , then the other . Tra. 4. de sacram . Euchar. disp . 5. c. 4. p. 227. VII . That he that goes to Masse● to take his opportunity to look on a woman with unch●●t● desires , and who , were it not for th●t ●nd , would not go thither at all , fulfils the precept of hearing Masse , even though he had an express intention not to ●ul●il it . Tract . 5. n. 518. A LIST , Of many dangerous Propositions taken out of the Late Casuists , and particularly , out of the first Tome , in folio , of the new Morall Theologie of ESCOBAR , a IESUIT , Printed not long since at Lyons , and dedicated to the Generall of the Jesuits . There is one thing will haply be much wondred at in this List , ●nd that is the odde stile and man●●r of expression familiar with Escobar , as , Licet , & non licet ; peccat , et non peccat . &c. It is therefore but necessary there should be some account given of his meaning thereby ; which is only this , that a thing is allowable according to some Casuists , and is not according to others . Thence he concludes th●t the thing in question is infallibly lawfull according to the principle of Probability , which he layes down as the corner-stone , at the very beginning of his work , as may be seen by the first proposition . It is not to be doubted but this manner of treating of Christian Morality will seeme ridiculous to persons of understanding and sound judgement , but it must needs draw groanes from the breasts of those that have any tendernesse for piety , and will justify before all the world , what a right character is given by the late Bishop of Bellay in one of his Bookes , of these Refiners of the rules whereby mens Consciences are to be directed . 'T is principally , saith he , in that part of Theologi● which is called Morall , that they discover the utmost of their extravagances , playing the Sophisters so peremptorily in things that concern● the L●w of God and humane actions , that , as they dayly find out new sinnes , and make new discoveries in the unknowne world of Vice , so have they a way to subdue what they discover , ravelling and unravelling sinnes as their humour inclines or diverts them , framing mens consciences , or rather making sport with them as they please themselves . It is and is not , is the motto and devise of this kind of science . Would you have such an action to be guilty of any sinne ? They will turne that side of the picture towards you which shall represent it as such . Is it expedient there should not be any sinne in it ? They will turne the other side towards you . This is the true Lesbian rule which bends it self to the thing it is to measure . Every yeare , what do I say , ●very yeare ? No , every month , nay , every quarter of the moone , the Society of the Indies furnishes us with some new Casuist or other . There it is that they twist and un●wist sinnes , in so much that what was sinne last yeare , is no such thing this yeare , and what is not such this yeare , shall haply be the next , if there be any necessi●y for it . I. That all probable opinions are equally safe in point of conscience . Whence it must needs follow , that , when some Casuists affirme a thing to be lawfull , and others hold that it is not , it is not to be doubted but that it is lawfull , and that all the world may , without any sinne , follow such an opinion . Escobar , Theol. M●r. Tom. 1. l. 2. Sect. 1. c. 2. p. 34. II. That it is Carfull to consult severall Doctors , till such time as that we meet with some one that answers us according to a probable opinion that speaks favourably on our ●ide . Escobar , Theol. Mor. Tom. 1. l. 2. Sect. 2. c. 6. Probl. 7. p. 39. III. That Kings may impose a tribute as just , according to a probable opinion , and that the people may refuse to pay it , as being unjust , according to another probable opinion . Escobar , Theol. Mor. Tom. 1. l. 2. Sect. 2. c. 6. Probl. 18. p. 43. IV. That Subjects do not sinne , when they refuse , without any reason alledged , to submit to a Law whereof there hath been a legall proclamation made by their Prince . Escobar , Theol. Mor. Tom. 1. l. 5. Sect. 2. c. 14. probl . 13. p. 160. V. That Clergy-men are not subject to Secular Princes , and that they are not obliged to any obedience to their Lawes , even though those Lawes are not any way contrary to the state Ecclesiasticall , Escobar , Tr. 1. Exam. 1. c. 5. Num. 34. et Sequent . VI. That a man proscribed and out-lawed by a Temporall Prince may not be killed out of his territories , but that he who is proscrib●d by the Pope may be killed in any part of the world , because his jurisdiction extends over all . Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 1. Exam. 7. c. 3. Praxis ex Doctoribus Socie●atis . VII . That the Lawes which inflict penalties on those that shall do certaine Actions , are not obligatory in point of conscience , even though the matter be of great importance . Escobar , Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 5. Sect. 2. c. 17. Probl. 26. p. 164. VIII . That a Iudge , as well superiour , as in●eriour , may give sentence according to one probable opinion , quitting another opinion that is more probable . In like manner , that a Physician may prescribe a thing that is lesse likely to cure his patient , instead of that which he conceives he may with more probability and safety administer . Escobar , Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 2. Sec● . 2. c. 6. probl . 14. p. 42. IX . That , considering Justice simply in it selfe , a Judge may lawfully take a Summe of mony to give sentence for which of the parties he pleases , when both have equall right . Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 3. Exam. 2. c. 6. Praxis ex Societ , Iesu Doctoribus . X. That , in civill Contracts , he who had externally obliged himselfe either by word or writing , and who had not at the same time any intention to be internally obliged , is not in conscience engaged to performance , and may secretly take back againe that which he had sold , restoring the price he had received . Escobar , Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 10. Sect. 2. c. 16. Probl. 20. p. 462. XI . That according to a probable opinion , deciding that a taxe imposed upon Merch●ndises is not just , it is lawfull for a man to use false weights to gaine the more ; and that , if he be charged with so doing , he may deny it by oath , making use of equivocall expressions , when he is brought upon Interogatories before a Judge . Escobar Moral . Theol. ●r . 1. Exam. 3. c. 7. Praxi● ex Societ . Doctor . XII . That a Sonne , who lives in the house with his Father , may exact a certaine recompence for the services he does him , and in case he do not give him any , h● may with a safe conscience steale from his Father . Escobar Moral . Theol. tr . 3. Exam. 9. c. 4. P●axis ex Societ . Iesu. Doctoribus . XIII . That a man does not become irregular , that is to say , incapable of Ecclesiasticall administrations , for having procured and been the occasion of an abortion , if he be in any doubt whether the fruit of the wombe were quick . Escobar● Moral . Theol. ●r . 4. Exam. 6. c. 5. Praxis ex Societ . Ies. Doctor . XIV . That an Ecclesiastick surprised in Adultery , if he kill the womanes husband whom he hath abused in his owne defence , is not for that irregular . Escobar Theol. Moral . ●r . 4. Exam. 6. c. 5. Praxis ex Societ . Ies. Doctor . XV. That a man condemned to the Galleyes is not irregular . Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 4. Exam. 6. c. 5. Praxis ex Societ Iesu Doctor . XVI . That when the Church , doth , upon paine of Excommunication , forbid the reading of Bookes written by hereticks , she does not in that prohibition comprehend those who cause them to be read by others ; the reason is , that , to cause a thing to be read is not the same as to read it . Escobar , Theol. Moral . l. 7. Sect. 2. c. 33. Probl. 59. p. 289. XVII . That it is not Simony for a man to give mony to another , to the end he might employ his interest with the Patrone of a Living , to procure the said Living for him . Escobar , Theol. Moral . tr . 6. Exam. 2. c. 6. Praxis ex Societ . Iesu Doctor . XVIII . That a dispensation is in force , though the c●use , upon allegation whereof it was obtained , be absolutely ceased . For instance , when a man hath obtained a dispensation , not to say over his Breviary , by reason of some inconvenience it may be to his sight , he shall not be obliged to do it , when that inconvenience is removed . Escobar , Moral , Theol. tr . 1. exam . 16. c. 4. Praxis ex Doctoribus Societ . Iesu. XIX . That it is not so much as a veniall sinne to make use of a Dispensation procured without any legall ca●se alledged● Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 1. exam . 16. c. 4. Praxis ex doctor . Societ . Iesu. XX. That where the Pope simply enjoines men to give almes , to gaine Jndulgences , it is sufficient if a man give but a halfe-peny . Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 7. ex . 5. c. 8. Praxis ex Societ . Ies. Doctor . XXI . That workes , that are good in themselve● , but are sinnes , and those mortall , by reason of the evill end whereto they are referred , are sufficient , in order to the gaining of Indulgences . Escobar Moral . Theol. tr . 7. exam . 5. Praxis ex Societ . Ies● . Doctor . XXII . That a priviledge is good and authentick , though it be obtained by discovering but some part of the truth , and in such manner that i● had not been obtained , if there had been an absolute discovery made of the Truth . Escobar , Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 6. Sect. 2. c. 10. Probl. 6. p. 187. XXIII . That it is lawfull upon occasion of some great feare● to make use of dissimulation in the administration of the Sacraments , as for a man to make as if he consecrated , by pronouncing the words without attention . Escobar Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 1. Sect. 2. c. 7. P●obl . 26. p. 27. XXIV . That it is no sinne to contract a marriadge by person●tion , as if it were in a play upon the stage , by using equivocall expressions to elude the Church , when one is forced thereto by a great ●eare . Escobar● Theol. Tom. 1. l. 1. Sect. 11. c. 7. Probl. 24. p. 26. XXV . That , by vertue of the Bull called Crucia●a , a man may be dispensed of the vow he had made , or o●●h he had taken , not to commit Fornication or any other ●●me ; though a man can not be dispensed of an o●th he had taken about any concernement of his neighbour . Escobar . tr . 1. Exam. 17. n. 144. Idem , Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 7. Sect. 1. n. 245. XXVI . That , coming to the Preface , a man is not obliged to heare the rest of the Masse , at a place where there is but one Masse said . Escobar Moral . Theol. tr . 1. Exam. 8. c. 3. Praxis ex Soc Iesu Doctor . XXVII . That a man , who hath the reputation to be extrea●ly given to Women , does not commit any mortall sinne in solliciting a Woman to condescend to hi● desires , when he does not intend to put his designe in execution . Escobar Moral . Theol. tr . 1. Exam. 8. c. 3. ●raxis ex Societ . Iesu doctor . XXVIII . That a person , having played the Fortune-teller through an expresse invocation of the Devill , is not obbliged in hi● Confession to discover any fur●her then that he hath answered a question proposed to him , or told ones fo●tune . Escobar Theol. Moral . tom . 1. l. 3. Sect. 2. c. 10. Probl. 52. p. 102. There may be further seene very strange elusions , as to the Si●cerity of confession , which out of very shame are not brought upon the st●ge ; in the same Escobar , Theol. Moral . Tom. 1. l. 3. Num. 256 . 294.300.30●.323 . XXIX . That it is no mortall sinne to preach , principally out of a consideration of v●in glory , or for mony . Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 6. exam . 7. c. 7 Praxi● , p. 954. XXX . That it is lawfull for Catholicks to appeare at the Font , and answer for the children which the Minister● bap●ise . Escobar , Moral . Theol. tr . 7. ex . 2. c. 4. Praxi● p. 980. XXXI . That it is lawfull for a man to let his house to common strumpets , who , he knowes before hand , will make it a place of publick prost●tution , not requiring so much is any reason why he should be excused for so doing , etiam null● just● c●usâ ●x●us●nte . Sanchez in Sum. l. 1. c. 7. Num. 10. The same thing is also maintained by others , Jesuits , as Vasquez , in opusc . de Scandalo . p. 43. ● . 8. du . 5. n. 48. Reb●lliu● , l. 14. q. 17. n. 8. Castrus Palaus . ● . 1. tr . 6. dis . 9. pun . 12. n. 1. Azor , and V●lentia cited by Sanchez . XXXII . The severall wayes that Servants may conscientiously contribute to the debauches of their Masters , according to the doctrine of these C●suists . Gaspar Hur●ado , a Jesuit , apud Dianam 5. part . p. 435. Escobar . Moral . Theol. ●r . 7. Exam. 4. c. 8. n. 223. XXXIII . After what a strange manner these late Casuists do elude and bring into contempt the most wholsome regul●tions of the Church , and the most necessary provisions she hath made to stop the course of the most presumptuous crimes , such as are Blasphemies , by falsely affirming that they are abrogated by a contrary custome . Thomas Sanchez , in Sum. l. 2. c. 32. n. 44. XXXIV . That a Cu●e or Pastor of the Church is discharged from the obligation he stands in to endeavour the instruction of his people , when he cannot do it of himselfe by reason of his ignorance , and that he hath not the means to have it done by another , by reason of the small profits of his Cure. Bauny Jes. Tract . 10. De Presbyteris et Parochis . q. 32. p. 448. XXXV . That a man does not commit any sinne , or is guilty of any ●rreverence towards God , when he presumes to addresse himselfe to him in his Devotions , having an actuall inclination mortally to offend him . Sanchez , Opuscul . Mor. l. 7. c. 2. du . 9. XXXVI . That a Priest who should every day say the Office proper to Easter , without any reason for so doing , should be guilty only of a veniall sinne , and that if he had any reason to do so , he should not sinne at all . Caramuel , Theol. Fundam . p. 520. XXXVII . That he who hath a will to commit all the veniall sinnes that are , doth not sinne mortally . Granados , Diana , Mucha , cited by Escobar , Theol. Moral . l. 3. p. 83. XXXVIII . That it is a scruple very much to be blamed for a man to say in his Confession , that he hath committed a fault , being satisfied in himselfe that he did ill . Bauny . tr . 4. de Poenit. q. 15. p. 138. XXXIX . That it is no injury done to the paternall power a man hath over his children , for another to perswade his daughter to run away with him , in order to a clandestine marriage , against her Fathers consent . Bauny , Theol. Moral . tr . 12. de impedimento rapiûs , p. 721. XL. That it is probable by Authority , and certaine in reason , that a husband may without any sinne kill his wife surprised in Adultery , and a Father his daughter ; And that the Lawes of the Church , which condemne that action , oblige only Ecclesiasticks [ who cannot have wives or daughters ] and not secular persons . Caramuel , Theol. Fundam . p. 737. XLI . That it is lawfull for a man , in order to the preservation of his voice , to make himselfe an Eunuch , contrary to all civill and canonicall Lawes , which expressely forbid it . What good opinions these Casuists have one of another . Caramuel . Theol. Fundam . p. 555. and 556. XLII . That if an Jnfidell find any thing of probability in his own false Religion , he is not obliged to embrace the Christi●n Faith proposed to him , though he find himselfe more inclined to believe the latter , unlesse it be at the point of death , according to some , nay , he ●s not obliged even at the point of death according to others . Thomas Sanchez , Sancius , and Diana , cited by Escobar . Theol. Moral . p. ●9 . XLIII . That there is no necessity , that , a man ready to dy , should , in order to the receiving of the remission of his ●i●nes of God , have a true desire to reforme his li●e , if God should spare it him a while ; and that he may obtaine it by the absolution of the Priest , though he be in such a disposition as to matter of repentance , that if he were but confident he should live any longer , he would neither confesse no● quit his sinne● at all . P●●rus M●ch●el de San Roman , Jesu●t , Expedi● , & spir●●ualium Soci●● . Iesu. l. 3. c● 7. p. 78. A LETTER , Written by the Reverend Father in God , IAMES BOONEN . Arch-Bishop of Maechlin . To their Eminences the Cardi●als of the Inquisition at Rome , to whom the Iesuits had appealed from his Ordinances . Faithfully translated out of the Latine into French , and out of French into English. ARGUMENT . Complaint being made to the Arch-Bishop of Maechlin , of the remisness of certain Confessors , he causeth an Extract to be mad● of certain Ar●icles or Propositions maintained and practised by some , which who would not renounce the practise of were not to be admitted to hear Confessions . The Jesuits not o●ly dispute , but m●intain them , whereupon they are denied approbation : they appeal to the Cardinals of the Inquisition at Rome , who write to the said Arch-Bishop to approve them , which gave occasion of the ensuing LETTER . MAY IT PLEASE YOVR EMINENCES , ON the 21. of May , came to my hands the Letter which your sacred Congregation was pleased to write to me of the 18. of April , whereby you give me to understand , th●t , desirous to sati●fie in some measure the Rector of the Iesui●s Colledge at Louuaine , which is within this Diocess , you have thought fit to enjoyn me , not to deny such Priests of that Colledge as shall have been examined and approved , a permission to hear the confessions of secular persons ; unless it were , that , meeting with any thing I should be troubled at in so doing , I did , within three moneths , represent unto your sacred Congregation , the just causes that hindred me from granting that permission ; in which case if I neglect to give you satisfaction , some other Bishop should be empowered to examine and approve them . This your Eminences may well imagine must needs be no small affliction to me , nay , that I cannot but be much more troubled at it then I am well able to express ; since that , being come to the extremities of old age , and upon the point of my departure hence , to go and give an account to the supream Judge , of my administration , I finde , that , not only , the world is already full of malice ; but also that it degenerates dayly more and more into wickedness , because charity waxeth cold . Desirous to finde out some reason thereof , I have often both observed , it my self , and have it from the information and judgement of several persons , whose integrity , zeal , experience , and learning I am well satisfied of , that the principal cause of this deplorable degeneration and disorder , proceeds from the over indulgence of many confessours who are ready enough to open trap-doors to let men into dissolution and Libertinisme , taking for security ●or their so doing some new opinions of certain divines , who , instead of measuring their proceedings by the practise of Evangelical Truths and the rules of good life , which have been left us by the holy Fathers , make it their main business to finde out new excuses to confirm those , which sinners themselves are wont to alledge , to palliate their sins , and to cover with the cloak of Probability , the ignominy and shamefulness of their crimes . It is of such persons as these that the Prophet Ezechiel hath said in the Scripture . Wo unto thos● that sow cushions under the elbows of men , and lay pillows under their heads that they might deceive them . These perni●ious extravagances are now come to that heigh● , that ●here were requisite not a Letter , but whole volumes , if a man should make but a simple extract , out of some of their books and practises , of all those unheard● of paradoxes , whereby they at this day elude the precepts of the Church , concerning the observation of Fasting , Fes●ival dayes , and the recitation of the Canonical Hours ; whereby they palliate Simonies , private Revenges , Lyes and Perjuries ; whereby they e●e●vate , and bring in a manner to nothing the obligation which lies upon men to avoid the occasions of falling into sin ; and in fine those paradoxes whereby they expose to an evident danger of nullity , the efficaciousness and power of the Sacraments . Now as it is in a manner natural to men to approve those dissolute maximes which any way flatter their irregular apprehensions , so must it needs happen , that those , who are the Authors thereof , taking it for granted by the easie entertainment they meet with in the world , that they had done a very considerable service therein , cannot but presumptuou●ly imagine in themselves , that they dayly more and more enlarge the way to Heaven , by the means of their Probability , that is to say , take away the bounds and meers of that straight way which leads to life , planted by the hands of Iesus Christ himself , who is eternal and unchangeable truth , and remove them out of their places as far as they can by such inventions , as proceed from no other principle then themselves . Having received several complaints against this erroneous and dangerous kinde of Theologie , from those who have a certain zeal and tenderness for a more solid doctrin , and a more christian discipline ; and finding on the other side , that the Hereticks who are our Neighbours , continuall loading us with reproaches , that some Doctors of our Catholick Church do maintain things so extravagant in the business of Morality , as that Pagans themselves ne●er betrayed any thing that may come into comparison therewith ; I made it my earnest business to make a collection of some of the most dissolute and most dangerous Articles , whereof I have hereunto annexed a copy , taken partly out of their printed Books , and partly out of what hath been observed in the practice of some of them , whose demeanours I have had a very faithful account of . Having so done , I thought it not amiss to require the opinions and judgments thereof of the most knowing men of my Diocess , as well secular as regular . Whereupon having seen and examined the whole , I resolved to prevent the further progress of this evil , by the application of the most gentle remedies I should have thought of ; tha● is to say , by giving notice as well by my self as those who had managed the examination of the business , that those , who were admitted to hear Confessions , should beware how they fell into that dissolution of doctrin ; a●d giving order withal that there should be a learned refutation set forth of some part of those Articles . B●t having found afterwards , that this kind● of prevention , was not sufficient , and that reco●rse must be had to more effectual remedies , I resolved not to grant to any , either Secular , or Regular Priest , the power of receiving Confessions , if he did not promise and swear before hand not to put in practise any of all the said Articles . Much about that time , it happened , that on the 23. day of April 16●2 . several Religio●s men of the Society of IESVS , presenting themselves to be examined , I thought it no easie matter to meet with another so favourable an opportunity to execute the resolution I had taken . And thereupon I began with those , as well out of an imagination , that if they should willingly comply with , and observe that oath , the Religious men of other orders would certainly make no difficulty thereat ; as that I had certain proo●s , that the Fathers of that society , were of all others , the most addicted to invent and to practise those licentious doctrines . And this among many other examples cle●rly apeared to the Examiners whom I had appointed to make the examen , on the day before mentioned . For the Iesuits , having been , of set purpose , examined that day , concerning the dangerous Articles , they very obstinately maintained the best part of them , and particularly this , which , I have from very good hands , as a certain Truth , hath been practised by the Religious of their society , that is to say , that it is lawful to dismiss those with the sacramental Absolution tha● have not haply gone over half their confessions , when there happens to be a great concourse of Penitents , as it may very well happen upon great Festivals , or at a time of indulgence : which being tollerated , it would very of●e● come to pass , that people would make but half & imperfect confessions , those Fathers drawing to their Churches a great multitude of Penitents . Another effect of this toleration would be , that the greatest sinners , out of the fea●e they might be in to declare the enormity of their crimes , would with no small satisfaction embrace this convenience of obtaining absolution , when they have haply confessed but one or two of their most p●●donable defaults . Upon these considerations was it , that I deferr'd the granting of ● permission to hear the Confessions of secular persons to seven o● the Religious me● of that Socie●y , who in other things had discovered sufficient Learning and abilities , untill such time as they should promise and swear that they would not proceed according to those Articles in the mannagement of mens Consciences . And wher●●s I well foresaw tha● they would not be perswaded to take any such oath without the consent of their Superiour● , I gave them a copy of those Articles to be shewen them ; which they promis'd me to do . But from that time to this , I never could have ●●y account or answer , either from them or their Superiours , Unlesse it be , that one of them , whom I think to be a Professor of Lovaine , told me that their Society had caus'd to be Printed , in France , some of those very Articles ; but that it did not any way concern the Inhabitants of Flande●● . Whereupon I made him answer , that , it being not the custome to permit the impressions of books made by those of their Society , without being before-hand ●pprov'd by three of their Divines nam'd by their Provinciall , it was no longer to be doubted that their whole Society maintain'd , as probable , what so many Divines besides the Author of the Book , had thought fit to be communicated to the publick . All these things considered , I must confesse I could never comprehend upon what these Fathers ground the imagination they are of , that I have done ●hem any injury , by pressing them to the oath before mentioned . Had they been but pleas'd to discover the pretended grievances which they thought so indigestible . I should have ordered the businesse to be diligently examin'd , and if there had been any thing of reason in their complaints , I should have thought it no difficulty to quit my former resolution . For it was far from my design to do ought that might prove prejudiciall to them , all may aime being to prevent the destruction of that flock which was committed to my charge , and to rescue it ●rom ●he inconveniences consequent to the licentiousness of some Confessors , which I saw growi●g daily more and more predominant , and , was justly afraid , proceeded for the most part from that Society . And whereas I could not imagine they should fly to those shi●ts and evasion● out of any other pretence , then for that there might be , among the censured Articles , some which they conceiv'd might be represented as le●se odious by a favourable construction thereof , or might haply be so farre maintain'd by plausible arguments , as that they should seem not ●o deserve so severe a Censure , I thought fit ( purposely to avoid being engag'd into a multiplicity of dispute without any hope of conviction ) to put those Articles into the hands of the Theologall Faculty of Lovaine , to the end they might there be maturely examined , that those onely might be censur'd which should be found undeniably corrupt and condemnable , and that , if the said Faculty had met with either in the books , or observed in the practise of Confessors any other opinions , containing a doctrine pernicious as was that of the Articles , they might be added thereto , as was accordingly done by the same , both on the 30 of March , and the 26. of April 1653. when they judg'd that the XVII . Propo●itions ensuing were not to be tolerated in the practick , and that it was the duty of Superiours , to make provision of their Authority tha● they should not be taught , as may be seen by the copy of the Decree of the said Faculty hereunto annexed . To the end therefore that I might in all things obey the order of your Eminences directed to me , as far as lyes in my power , and at the same time not omit any thing that my Episcopall Function may oblige me to , as to what concerns the weeding out of these pernicious Doctrines , I shall be ready to admit the Religious men of the Society aforesaid , to receive Confessions , when there shall not be wanting any of the qualifications requisite , provided alwayes that , being legally authorized , they promise and swear , that they will never , in the practick , adhere to those XVII . Propositions at least , which I shall to morrow propose to the Ecclesiasticks and Regulars of my Diocesse , to the end they may be abhorr'd by all , a proceeding I hope your Eminences will allow as justi●iable . There are yet two things , whereof I think it not amiss , upon this occasion , to give your Eminences some account of . The former , is , that the Regulars do not observe the Decree of the Congregation , made concerning the affairs and requisitions of the Bishops and Regulars , dated the 15. of Iune , 1647. hereafter mentioned ; wherein it is declared , That it is not lawfull for Regulars to give absolution in cases reserved to the Ordinaries of the places , or that might be reserved to them for the future . And consequently , that they cannot exercise that power , if they have not obtained leave to that purpose of the Ordinary . Now , though I took great care to have the said Decree communicated to all Superiours of the Regular orders the 3. of Octob. 1647. yet hath there been with me but one single Religious man of the Order of S. August . to desire that power , which I accordingly granted him , because he was a prudent and pious man. Others there are that pretend they have I know not what priviledges , or communications of priviledge● ; nay they disclaim the Decree , as nul , because it was granted without their being heard thereto . Others there are , that affirm it only to be declarative , and consequently that it is of no force against their priviledges , which , they say , cannot be made invalid , but by a Decree formally levell'd against them . Nay , there are some so teme●arious , as presumptuously to affirm , that it is not in the power even of our holy Father the Pope himself , to revoke or abridge their Priviledges , as being such as have been granted them by way of reward for their merits . The second thing I have to represent unto your Eminences , is , that there are severall Regulars who receive Confessions within my Diocesse , though they have not been approved either by my Predecessors or my self . Upon which account it was , that , not long since , I caus'd notice to be given to all the Regulars ( as it appears by the copy of the Mandate hereunto annexed ) that they should come and present the Deed or Writing wherein are to be seen the names , and the time of Approbation , which they had received either from me or my Predecessors . This hath been done by many ; and so that it soon discovered the great number of those that have intruded into the Office of Confessors within my Diocesse , without the said Approbation . But one thing happened which I cannot sufficiently admire , that is , that when the Mandate came to the knowledge of the Abbot of Saint Angelo , Internuncius of his Holinesse in the Low-Countries , he sent to me that I should revoke the said Mandate , though it did not comprehend any thing which had not been observed from all Antiquity , and that it had been established for a Rule in the Provinciall Councell of Maechlin , and confirmed by Pope Paul V. in the title ● . c. 1. of the Sacrament of Penance , in the termes recited in the Article hereunto annexed . And all this , notwithstanding the express command of our most holy Father the Pope that it should be observed , as may be seen in his Brief of the 16. of May 1648. concerning the cause of the Bishops of Angelopolis . By which Brief , it is enjoyned , that the Regulars , even of the Society of Iesus , approved in a Diocesse by the Bishop thereof , to hear the Confessions of secular persons , shall not have power to receive the like Confessions in another Diocesse without the approbation of the Bishop of the said Diocesse , as I doubt not but is well known to your Eminences . And thus much I conceiv'd it my duty to discover to your Sacred Congregation , in order to the good of Ecclesiasticall discipline , having so great a confidence of your Piety● zeal , and vigilance , as that you will vouchsafe to afford me some more effectuall means and remedies , whereby I may be enabled to oppose those abuses which ought not to be neglected . In the mean time , having with all submission acknowledg'd the reverence I have for your purple , I remain Your Eminences most humble Servant , IAMES , Arch-bishop of MAECHLIN . ●russels , July 17. 1654. PROPOSITIONS That ought not to be tolerated in the practick , and should be condemned by the Authority of Superiours . I. A Confessor ought not to deferre or deny absolution to a Penitent , that goes on in an habituall course of sinning against the Lawes of God , Nature and the Church , though he discover not the least hope of fu●ure amendment , provided he only say that he is sorry for what is past and promise to reform himself . II. That it is sometimes lawfull to absolve a person that is in a next occasion of sinning , such as , if he please , he may , but will not avoid , nay , though he seek it , and engage himself therein directly and of set purpose . III. To abuse a marry'd Woman is not Adultery if the hu●band consent thereto ; and the rest , too too horrid to be translated . IV. It is lawfull to dismisse those with the Sacramentall Absolution , who had not said over half their Confessions , by reason of the great concourse of Penitents , as i● may frequently happen , for instance , on great Festivals and dayes of Indulgence . V. That it is law●ul as well in Judgement , as out of Judgement , to swear with a mentall Reservation , without any regard had to the intention of him who obliges a man to swear . VI. It is sometimes allowable , and that so as a man shal not be guilty of any mortall sinne , to kill an adverse party , or to defame him , even by charging him with crimes he is no way guilty of . VII . It is lawfull for an Ecclesiastick or a Religious man of any Order to kill a Detractor , who threatens to discover notorious crimes of him or his Religion , when there is no other way to prevent it , as it should seem there is not , if the Detractor be ready , publickly to charge therewith , and that before most grave men , either that Religious man or his Religion , if he be not kill'd . VIII . The commandment of the Church to observe Festivall dayes , is not obligatory upon pain of mortall sin ; ( the case of scandall only excepted ) if there be nothing of contempt . IX . There are some who probably maintain , that if the child be not yet quick in the mothers womb , it is lawfull to procure an abortion , to avoid either scandall or death . Whence it appears that we must not too easily condemn a wench that compasseth the death of the child within her , when the child is not yet quickned , out of a fear that being found big , she might be put to death , or come to discredit . X. It is lawfull for a man to entreat a Conjurer to dissolve a charme laid before by another of the same profession , if he be willing and ready to do it . XI . Those who communicate at the Monasteries of the Mendicant Friers about Easter , satisfie the commandment of Chuch concerning annuall Communion , and are not oblig'd to communicate to their parishes . XII . When a man hath in his Confession conceal'd some sins , out of a fear of brin●ing his life into any hazard , or out of some other consideration , he is not oblig'd to discover them in any Confession afterward● . XIII . It is not onely lawfull to preserve , by a mur●hering defence , the things we are actually in possession of , but also those whereto we may make a certain claim , or have some interest in , and are in hopes to be possessors of hereafter . Which doctrine allow'd , it is lawfull ●s well for an heir as a Legatee to defend himself in that manner , against him who unjustly raises encombrances to hinder his succession , to retard the exec●●ion of a Will. The same course is also allowable in him that hath a right to a Lecturer's place or a Prebendry , against another who unjustly disturbs his possession . XIV . To call God to witnesse to a light inconsiderable Ly , is not so great an irreverence , as that a man should or might be damn'd for it . XV. T is no mortall sin for a man to accept a challenge to maintain his honour , and to kill the challenger . XVI . A man is not oblig'd , upon pain of mortall sin to restore what he hath stollen by triviall and inconsiderable thefts , what ever the total summ thereof may amount to . XVII . A person is capable of receiving absolution how palpable soever his ignorance may be of the Mysteries of Fa●th , nay , though out of pure negligence , he knowes nothing of the mystery of the most Blessed Trinity , or of the Incarnation of our Lord JESUS CHRIST . ADVERTISEMENTS TO CONFESSORS . COnfessors are hereby to take notice , that they ar● not invested with any such power as that of disp●ncing with the obligation which lyes upon men to pay th●ir debts , or to countenance the delay o● th● payment thereof ; or exempti●g m●n from th● obligation of restoring the honour th●y have taken away from their Neighbour , or making satisfaction for th● injuries they have done him . They are accordingly to deferre absolution , if the Penitents expresse not a ●●●●●ne●s● to sati●f●● , whe●her it be for their debts or the i●juries they have done , those c●ses on●ly excepted wherein the Lawes permit it , whereo● the Con●e●sors onely ar● the Int●rpreter● . They are further to be advertis'd , that , according to the prescription of the Councell of Trent , they are not to meddle with reserv'd Cases , and consequently , that they are not to a●●ume to themselves any po●er of absolution therein , ●ave onely in extreme nec●s●ity . The Judgement O● THE THOLOGAL-FACVLTY OF LOVAINE Consulted by the Arch-bishop of Macchlin , to know , whether he ought not to enjoyn the Confessors to forbear the practise of the precedent propositions , in the direction of mens Consciences . THe s●cred Theologall Faculty of Lovaine assembled ●n the Hall of the University , the 30. of March , and 26. of April 1653. hath judged and concluded , that the doctrine of these XVII . Proposi●ions is not to be suffered in the Practick , and that the Superiours ought to employ their authority for the prevention thereof . It is also the judgement of the same Faculty , that the two advertisements subsequent thereto are to be seriously recommended to the Confessors . Signed below , by THEODORUS LYLVOLTIUS , Dean , in his own name and that o● all the other Doctors . THE END . The STATIONER to the Reader . I had once resolv'd to close up the ADDITIONALS to the MYSTERY of IESVITISME with the solemn Censur● passed by the Theologal Faculty of Lovaine , upon severall Propositions , as confining my self to what I found in the Cologne-Edition of the PROVINCIALL LETTERS . But the two following pieces coming so opportunely to hand , and being of so much concernment to all the transactions between the IAN-Senists and the MOLINISTS ; it would have argued a neglect , if not an envy , of thy satisfaction to haue slipped the present occasion I had to file them up . Besides , the IESVITS , for their vindication , intending to put ou● THE APOLOGY FOR THE CASVISTS , &c. in English , ( to which these are written by way of Answer ) they may prove an Antidote against the poyson , intended the unwary world in that Master-piece of the SOCIETY . R. R. FACTVM , OR A REMONSTRANCE OF the Curez of Paris . Against a Book intituled , An Apology for the Casuists , against the calumnies of the Jansenists . Printed at Paris 1657. As also against those that have been the Authors , Printers , and dispersers of it . THe cause we are engag'd in is that of Christian Morality . Our adversaries are the Casuists , who corrupt it . The concernment we have therein is deriv'd from the tendernesse we ought to have for their consciences who are committed to our charge . And the reason of our so earnest appearance against this late Libell , is , that the con●idence of these Casuists growing every day more and more insupportable , ●nsomuch that it seems arriv'd to such a height as makes it incapable of addition , we conceive our selves oblig'd to have recourse to the utmost remedies , and to put up our complaints to all the Tribunals where we imagi●e we ought to do it , so ●o prose●ute without any intermission the censure and condemnation of those pernicious Ma●imes . The better to satisfie the world of the justice of our prete●●ions , we need onely give ● naked representation of the whole di●ference as it lyes between ●s , and an account of the carriage of th●se Casuists from the beginning of their enterprises to the publishing of this last ●ook of th●●●s , which is indeed the consummation of all . To the end , that men , having consider'd with what an exc●sse of pat●ente they have hitherto been tol●rated in ●heir pernicious d●signs against the Church , may th●nce per●eive the necessity there is henceforward to proceed with the greatest rigour against them . But we think our selves concern'd in the first pla●e to make ●ppear w●e●ein the venome of their mischievou● doctrines doth principally consist , as a thing which the greatest p●rt of the world does not sufficiently reflect upon . That which is most highly pernicious in ●h●se new doctrines , it , that their main design is not onely to corrupt good manners , but to introduce corruption into the very rule of Morality , which is ● businesse of ●arre greater consider●●ion and consequence . For it is much a lesse dangerous and generall inconvenience to introduce ●rregularity and dissolution , yet with a supposall of the vigour and existence of the Laws whereby they are forbidden them to pervert those Laws and to justifie those irregularities . The reason thereof is , that , as the nature of man is even from its first being perpetually inclin'd to evil , and that the onely thing which prevents him from falling thereinto is ordinarily the feare he may be in of the Law , so it happens , that , when he hath once shaken off that bridle , he runs at random into all excesses of concupiscence ; so that there is no difference between making all vices lawfull , and all men vicious . And thence it comes , that the Church hath never ende●voured any thing so much as an inviolable conservation of the rules of Morality , even in the midst of their disorders whom shee could not prevent from a violation thereof . So that when time hath produced Christians of evill lives , it is to be observed at the same time that there were holy Lawes that condemned them and were purposely made for their reduction . Nor indeed was it ever known before the starting of these Casuists , that any one , acknowledging himselfe to be of the Church , did publickly endeavour to destroy the purity of her rules . This , it seems , was an attempt reserved for these last times , which the clergy of France calls the dregs and dotage of the last dayes , wherein these new Divines , instead of making the lives of men consonant to the precepts of Jesus Christ , make it their businesse to levell the precepts and rules of Jesus Christ to the concernments , passion● and pleasures of men . It is by this horrid overturning of things , that some , who go by the names of Doctors and Divines , have introduced , instead of true Morality , which ought to have no other principle then divine Authority , nor other end the● that of charity , a Morality that 's purely humane , such as proceeds ●rom no other principle then that of reason , nor hath other end then concupiscence and the passions most irregul●r in n●ture . And this is no more then what they declare themselves with an incredible presumption , as may be seen by these few maximes , which are most ordinary among them . An action , say they , is probable , and may be done with a safe consci●nce , if it be grounded on a ra●ionall reason , ratione rationabili , or upon the authority of some grave Authors , nay , of one alone , or if it be directed to an allowable object . Now what they mean by an allowable object may be seen by the examples they give of it . It is lawful , say they , for us to kill him that hath done us any inju●y● provided it proceed from a motive of gaining esteem among men , ad captandam hominum aestimationem . A man may go to the place appointed with a design ●o ●ight a duel , provided he do it to avoid the aspersion of a hen-hearted fellow , and to gain the reputation of a man of me●●al , vir ●t no● gallina . A man may give money for a Bene●ice , provided it be ●one out of no other reflection then that of the temporal advantages accrewing thereby , and not out of any thoughts of making a comparison between a temporal and spiritual thing . A woman may dress her self gorgeously , what inconvenience soever may happen thereby , provided she do it meerly out o● the na●ural inclination she hath to be vain , o● naturalem fas●us inclinationem . A man may eat and drink a● much as he please , so it be done purely out of vanity , and without prejudice to his health , because the natural appe●ite may endeavour its enjoyments in those actions which are proper thereto● Licite po●est appetitus naturalis suis actibus frui . From these few words may a man give a great guess a● the designs of these Casuists , and how that , while they destroy the rules of pie●y , they in●roduce , instead of the precepts of the Scrip●ure , which oblige us to do all things with an humble complyance to the will of God , a brutal permission to make all our actions absolutely referrible to our selves . That is to say , whereas Jesus Christ came to mortifie in us the concupiscences of the old man , and to settle the empire of charity in the new man ; these , on the contrary , are come to revive the concupiscences , and to smother the love of God , from which they give men a liberal dispensation , and declare it to be sufficient if they hate him not . This , this is that carnal kinde of Morality which they have furnished the world with , such as hath its dependance only on the arm of flesh , as the Scripture speaks , and whereof they assign no other ground then the authority of Sanchez , Molina , Escobar , Azor , So●us , &c. who it seems think it rational ; whence they conclude , that it may be followed with the greatest safety of conscience , and without running the least hazard of damnation . It is er●ainly a thing deserves our greatest astonishment to see the presumption of some men come to this height . But this is done insensibly , and by degrees that to most are imperceptible ; in this manner . These accommodating or complying opinions were not at their first start guilty of the excess they are at the present , but seeming not so horrid , and being advanced only as things doubtful and problematical , ●hey immediately gained some strength by the number of their main●ainers , whose maximes are of this quality , that they dayly tend more and more to dissolution and libertinisme . So that there being a considerable body of Casuists tha● s●ifly maintained them , the Ministers of the Church somewhat backward to engage against that great number , and hoping withall that mildness and reason might reduce those wandring persons into their right way again , have suffered these disorders with a patience , which the event hath discovered to be not only ineffectual , as to what was expected might be the issue of it , but also prejudicial . For they , assuming thence a liberty to write , have in a short time spent their venome into so many volumes , that the Church does at this day groan under the monstrous burthen thereof . The licentiousness of their opinions , which must be proportionable to the multitude of thei● Books , is such as does not only hurry them into pernicious tenents , but gives them withall a confidence to propose them to the world . Thus the maximes which they had at first only scattered abroad as simple sen●i●●ents , were , not long after , advanced into the predicament of probability ; thence into the number of such as might be followed with all safety and serenity of consci●●ce ; nay , at last , declared to be as safe as the contrary opinions , and this with such a palpable discovery of extravagance , that the Ec●lesiastical powers conceiving a just indignation thereat have passed several censures on those doctrins . The general assembly of the Church of France censured them in the year 1642. in the book of F. Ba●ny which is in a manner a perfect collection thereof : for books of that nature are but perpetually re●terated copies of the same things , that were extant before . The colledge of Sorbonne passed the same cond●mnation on them : The Theologal faculty of Lovain did the like ; and the late Arch-Bishop of Paris passed several censures upon them . Insomuch that there was some ground to hope , that so many authorities joyned together might retard the further progress of so growing an in●onvenience ; but the Casuists it seems thought not all these checks worthy their notice . F. Hereau read , in the Colledge of Clermon● , such strange Lectures in oder to the permission of Homicide ; and the Fathers Flahaut , and Le Court did at Ca●n broach ●●●ch horrid tenents to authorise duels , that the University of Paris conceived it sel● there●pon obliged to make a representation thereof to the Parliament to have some course taken therein , which occ●s●oned those tedious proceedings that are known to all the world . F. Hereau being upon that charge by order of the Councel , confined to the Iesuits Colledge as a Prisoner , it abated somewhat of the ea●nestness of the Casuists ; but in the mean time were they preparing new matters , to be spawn'd into the world in a more favourable conjuncture of time . Accordingly , it w●s not long ere came abroad the works of Escobar , F. Amicus , Mascaregnas , Caramuel , and diverse others , so ●raught with the opinions th●t had been already condemned , nay , with some new ones more horrid then any before ; that we , who , by reason of the over sight and familiarity which we have with mens conscience● , must needs take notice of the mischiefs occasioned by those irregularities , thought our selves obliged to oppose the same all that lay in our power . Upon these grounds was it , that we addressed our selves these last yeares to the Assembly of the Clergy then sitting , to demand the condemnation of the principall proposition● of these late Authors , whereof we gave them a faith●ull extract . Then was it , that the earnestnesse of those who would undertake the maintaining of them , apparently broke out . They left no course unat●empted , omitted nothing of sollicitation to prevent the Censure , or at least to del●y it for some time , out of a fond hope , that if they could but shift it off to the rising of the Assembly , there would not be time to take it into consideration . Their designe , in some part , proved effectuall ; but notwithstanding all their artifices , and the great af●aires the Assembly had to dispatch neere its closure , nay , though we had not of our side but the bare truth ( a thing not very powerfull at this day ) yet by the providence of God things were so ordered , that , contrary to all their endeavours , the Assembly resolved not to separate till it had given sufficient discoveries of its indigna●ion against those dissolutions , and its earnest desires to passe a sol●mne condemnation upon them , i● they had had time to do it . To make this the more evident to all the world , a Circular Letter was written to all the Bishops of the Kingdome , and the Book of St. Charles Borrhom●us , printed the last yeare by their order , sent with the said Letter , wherein , the more to oppose those mischievo●s maximes , they begin with that of Probability , which is the foundation of all . Their words are these . I● is a long time , that it hath been the griefe of our spirits , to see our Diocesses , as ●o these matters , no● only in the same condi●ion with the Province of S. Charles , but in a much more deplorable . For if our Confessors have a greater talent ●f learning and abilities then th●se of his time , the dang●r is so much the greater of th●ir embracing and foll●wing certaine moderne opinions , which have made such a strange alteration in Christian Morality , and the maximes of the Gospell , that the most implicite ignorance is to be preferred far before such a knowledge ; as such as te●ches m●n to be sceptiques in all ●hings , and 〈◊〉 find out wa●e● , not to exterminate the corrupt maximes of men , but to justify them therein , and to instruct them how they may with safe●y of conscience put them in practise . Then they come to those conveniences and accommodations that are established upon the principle of Probability . For , say they , whereas Iesus Christ hath left us his precepts and example , to the end that those who believe in him , might obey him , and regulate ●heir lives according thereto , the designe of these Authors , on the con●r●ry , seems to endeavour a complyance between the precepts of I●sus Christ , and ●he interests , pleasures , and p●ssions of men ; so ingenious are they in soo●hing their ava●ice and ambition , by ●he encouragements they give them ●o be revenged of ●heir enemies , to lend out mony upon excessiv● interest , to get into Ecclesiasticall dignities by waies ev●r so indirect , and to pr●s●rv● the imaginary honour which is der●ved from ●h● world by bas● and bloody ●ourses● And a●ter they had made some scornfull reflections on the Casuists meththod of the right direction of the in●ention , they earnestly condemne their abuse of the Sacraments . And l●stly , that the Church might know , that what they had done was but little in comparison of what they would have done , had it been in their power , they con●clude thus . Severall Curez of the Ci●●y of Paris , and of other the chiefest Cit●ies of the Kingdome , have , by the complaint they have made to us of these disorders wi●h ●he permission of the Reverend th●ir P●elates , and thei● earnest intreaties that some remedy might be though● on , heightened our zeale , and much added ●o our attristation and regret . Had their addresses come sooner to our Assembly then they did , we should , with all possible exactnesse and diligence , have examined all the new prop●sitions of the Casuist● whereof they gave us the ●xtracts , and p●ssed a solemme sentence upon them such as might have hindred the further progresse of that con●agion of mens consciences . But having not the leasure to take the b●sinesse into examination , wi●h the diligence and exactness● which the impo●tance thereof might justly require , we find , that , for the present , we could not be●hink u● of a be●t●r remedy for so deplorable a disorder● then to give order for the printin● of the Instructions laid down by St. Charles Borromaeus , Cardinall and Archbishop of Milan , at the charge of the Clergy , as being s●ch as wh●nce these Conf●ss●rs may learn● how they ought ●o behave themselves in the administration of the Sacram●nt of penance , and to send ●hem to all the R●verend the Bishops of the Kingdom● . There being nothing so remarkeable ●rom this procedure of our Lords the Bishops , as that what thy said proceeded absolute●y ●rom the force and conviction of truth which they conceived obliged them to expresse themselves in that manner , we pr●sumed , that the Authors of those novelties would have been more r●s●rved for the future , and that , having considered that all the Cu●ez of the prin●●pall Citties of France , and the ●relates , were unanimously resolved upon the condemnation of their doctrine , they would at length have sate still , and thought it no small happinesse that they had avoided the censure they had so much deserved , that is , such as must needs have made a noise in the world proportionable to the extravagances they had committed against the Church . This posture were things in ; and , for our parts , our thoughts were wholly taken up with a peaceable instruction of our people according to pious and Christian maximes , without any feare of dis●●●bance , when there comes upon the stage this new book , we have now to de●le with , which being an APOLOGY for all the CASUISTS , does alone containe full as much as the rest do put together , and revives all the condemned p●opositions , and that with an imprudence and scandall so much the more deserving a seve●e censure , that it dares appear aft●r so many contemned censure● , and so much the more to be punish'd for that it is apparent , by the misca●riage of the remedies already used , what ●ec●ssity th●re i● to find out such as may prove more effectu●ll , to put ●t last a ●●nall period to so dangerou● and so insupport●ble a mischief . We come now to the particular reasons we have to prosecute the condemnation of this Libell . They are indeed many and those very considerable , whereof the first is the extraordinary confidence wherewith the Autho●● of that book maintain the most abominable propositio●s of th● Casuist● . Things are now carryed on simply without any pall●ation . The old way of vind●c●tion , which was , that such and such propositions were impos'd upon them , i● now thought shifting and ●●asive . No , they deal plainly as may be , they acknowledge and m●intain them at the same time as such a● may be followed with a safe conscience , nay such as are ●●safe , say they , as the contrary ●pinions . T is ve●y true , sayes the Apology in a hundred severall places , tha●●he , Casuist● hold these maxi●es , but it is as t●ue withall that they have much reason to hold them . Nay , sometimes the Author is so free hearted as to acknowledge somewhat more then they are reproached with . T is granted , sayes he , that we do maintain the proposition so muc● found fault with , and yet the Casuist● stick not to go beyond that too . So that now all the dif●erence as to matter of fact is taken away ; he grants all , he acknowledges , that , according to their doctrine , there i● no usury in Contracts though the most guilty of extortion , through the wayes he layes down whereby to avoid it , pag. 101 , 107 , 108 , &c. That such as trade in Benefices are not chargeable with Simony , what bargain soever they may drive , if there be a right direction of the intention ; if a man will trust to what he saye● , pag. 62. Blasphemies , perjuries , impurities , in a word , all breaches of the Decalogue are no sinnes at all when they are committed by any man out of ignorance , surprise , or passion ; pag. 26.28 . It is lawfull for servants to rob their Masters to make their wages proportionabl● to their services , according to Father Bauny , maintain'd by the Author of the Apology pag. 81. Women may take thei● husbands mony unknown to them to game withall , pag. 1●2 . Iudges shall not be oblig●d to make restitution of what they may receive ●or giving an unjust judgement , pag. 1●3 . A man shall not be obliged to quit those occasions and propositions wherein he runs the hazard of damnation , if he cannot do it with ease and convenience , pag. 49. A man does deservedly receive absolution , and may be ● worthy communicant , though he be not otherwise troubled for his sinnes then out of a reflection on the temporall inconveniences occasioned thereby , pag. 162 , 163. A man may without any blame calumniate those who speak ill of him , by imposing such crimes upon them as he knowes th●y are innocent of ; pag. 127 , 128 , 129. In a word , any thing shall be lawfull , the Law of God shall signifie nothing , and only naturall reason shall be our light and guide ●n all our actions , nay , shall enable u● to disc●rn wh●n i● i● law●ull , for a private man to kill his neighbour ; which cer●ainly is a thing so pernicious as defies all parallel ; and whereof the consequences must be dreadfull . Let it be made apparent to me , sayes he pag. 87. &c. that we ought not to be guided by the dictates of naturall Reason , to discern when it is lawfull for a man to kill his Neighbour . And to confirm this proposition ; Since that Monarchs consult ONELY NATURALL REASON to punish Malefactors , in like m●nner we need no other director then THE SAME NATURALL REASON to judge whether ● private person may kill another that injures him , not onely in things that conc●rn his life , but also his reputation or estate . And to answer what may be press●d on the contrary , viz. that it is forbidden by the Law of God , he sayes in the name and behalf of all the Casuists , We believe that we have ground enough to exempt from ●he penalty of that commandment of God , thos● who kill others for the preservation of their honour , reputation , and estates . If this maxime be well consider'd , namely , That it is the proper faculty of Naturall Reason to discern when it i● lawfull or unlawfull for a man to kill his neighbour , and a man adde thereto the execrable maximes of some most grave Doctors , who , by their naturall reason , have concluded it lawfull , upon certain occasions , to commit strange parricides against even the most sacred p●rsons , it might well be judg'd , that , all this done , if we should be silent , we were unworthy the Ministery we professe ; that we were the destroyers , and not the Pastors of the flocks committed to our charge , and that God might justly punish us for so criminall a silence . We therefore discharge our duty , by acquainting both the people and Judges of these abomination● ; and we hope that both people and Judges will do theirs , the former in avoyding them , the latter in punishing them according to the quality and importance of what shall be done . But what is yet a further motive of our earnest appe●rance in this manner , is , that we are not to consider these propositions as taken out of ● Book that is anonymous and without authority , but as extracted out of one maintain'd and countenanced by a very considerable Body . We speak it not without regrett . For though we have from the beginning known well enough who the first Authors of these disorders were , yet have we thought fit to forbear the discovery of them , nor indeed should we yet do it , did they not betray themselves , as it were out of a set purpose to be known to all the world . But since they are so desirous it should be known , it were to no purpose for us to conceale it any longer ; since it is among them that this Libell hath been expos'd to sale , that no other place then the Colledge of Clermont would serve as a ship to put off that scandalous piece ; that such as have brought in their money have carryed away as many APOLOGIES FOR THE ●ASUISTS as the summes amounted to ; that the Fathers of that Colledge have dispersed them among their friends in Paris and the Provinces ; that F. Brisacier , Rector of their Colledge at Rouen , hath with his own hands presented of them to some persons o● quality in that Ci●ty ; that he caused it to be read in the Refectory , while all were at table , as a piece of edification and piety ; that he desired the permission to reprint it of one of the principal Magistrates ; that the Jesuits of Paris have been very earnest with two Doctors of Sorbonne for their approbation of it ; to be short , since they are resolved to pluck off the visard , and are willing so many wayes to discover themselves , it is high time we should bestir our selves ; and that since the Iesuits publickly declare themselves the Patrones of the APOLOGY FOR THE CASUISTS , the Curez declare that they do publickly charge them therewith . 'T is fit all the world knew , that , as the Colledge of Clermont is the exchange where these pernicious maximes are to be bought and sold , so is it in our parishes that the christian maximes opposite thereto are publickly taught , that so it may not happen , that the simple and unwary , hearing these errours so s●i●ly maintained by so celeb●ious a society , and not finding any opposing them , might take them for truth● , and be insensibly ensnared thereby , and that the judgement of God should fall upon both people and Pastors according to the doctrin of the Prophets , who declare , against these new opinions , that they shall both come to ruine , the former , for want of having received necessary instructions , and the latter , for their neglect in giving them . There is therefore an inevitable necessitie lies upon us to speak in this conjuncture , but what makes the obligation yet more pressing , i● , the injurious manner whereby the Authors of the Apology fall so bitterly on our Ministery . For that book , to speak properly , is no more then a scandalous libel against the Curez of Paris and the provinces who have opposed their disorders . It is a ●trange thing to see how they speak of the Extracts , which we presented to the Clergy , of their most da●gerous propositions , and to consider withal the miracle of their confidence to treat us , upon no other account , as they do pag. ● . and 176. with the terms of ignorant , factious , heretical , wolves and false Teachers . It is a thing which the society of the Iesuits cannot but r●sent ( say they p. 176. ) to see that informatio●s are put up against ●hem by a sort of Ignorants , who deserve not to be numbred among the dogs that wait on the flock of the Church , whom yet some take for true pastors , nay , they are followed by the sheep that submit to the conduct of those wolves . Now this is the consummation of insolence whereto the Iesuits have raised the Casuists . They thought it not enough to abuse the patience and moderation of the Ministers of the Church , to introduce their impious opinions , but are now come to that height , that they will needs force out of the Ministery of the Church those who refuse their consent thereto . This seditious and schismatical attempt , which aims at the raising of a spirit of division between the people and their lawful Pastors , by inciting them to shun their Teachers as false Prophets and wolves , for no other reason then that they stand in the gap against a carnal and impure morality , is of such importance in the Church● that we could not be any longer serviceable in our Functions if this insolence were not repressed . For it were as much as to expect we should renounce our character , and forsake our Churches , if , there being so many christian● Tribunals established for the maintenance of evangelical rules , it were not lawful for us , without fear of being defamed as wolves and false proph●ts , to tell those whom we are obliged to instruct , that it is out of all question a crime for a man to traduce hi● neighbour ; that it is much more safe in conscience for a man tha● hath received a blow on the one cheek , to turn the other to the smiter , then to ki●l him , though he endeavour to run away for it ; that to fight a duel is an inevitable crime ; and that it is a ●orrid falshood to say , that it is the part of humane reason to discern when it is lawful or unlawful for a man to kill his neighbour . If we have not the freedome to speak after this man●er ; but there must immediately come abro●d Books publickly maintained by the whole body of the Iesuits , representing us as factious spirits , Ignorants and false-Prophets , it is impossible we should be f●ithful in the administration of our functions , and the government of the flockes committed to our charge . There is no place , though not civilized out of its original infidelity and barbarisme , where it may not be lawful to affirm calumny to be a crime , and that it is not lawful for a man to kill his neighbour purely to vindicate his honour . No , there are no places but those where Jesuits are , in which a man dares not say so much . We must either permit Homi●ides , Calumnies , and the profanation of the Sacraments , or stand exposed to the ●ad effects of their vengeance . We are appointed by God to be the messengers of his commandemen●s to his people , and we must not presume ●o obey him without falling under the fury of these carnal Casuist● . What a strange posture are we at this day reduced to ? Wo unto us , sayes the s●ripture , if we do not preach the gospel● and wo unto us , say these men , if we do preach it . We are on the one ●ide to fear the indignation of God , on the other we are threatned by the insolences of men , and so we are reduced to a nece●●ity o● either degenerating into false Prophets and wolves , or being torn to pieces as such by thirty thousand tongues that can afford us no other character . This is the ground of our complaints . This was it that obliged us to demand justice for our selves and christian Morality in whose cause we must needs be con●●rned . Th●s also hath reinflamed our zeal to maintain the purity of manners proportionably to the attempts of those that would defile it . Morality , the more powerfully it is opposed , becomes the more endeared to us , to which it addes some thing that we are alone to defend it . And therefore out of the satisfaction it is to us , that God is pleased to make our weakness contributory thereto , we presume to say with the man after his own heart , Lord it is time for thee to arise , they have destroyed thy law ; but it raiseth in us a greater affection to thy precepts , and an aversion for all the wayes of iniquity . It is in the mean time a very deplorable case that we should be thus worryed and persecuted by those from whom we ought rather to have expected relief ; so that we are to engage with the passions of men , not only attended with all the impetuosity that is naturall thereto , but also puffed up and main●ained by the approbation and interest of so vast a body of Religious men ; and that instead of any advantage we might make of their instructions in order to the reformation of popular extravagances , we are forced to make the best we can of that small remainder of pious sentiments there may be in the people , to work in them a horrour for the irregul●rities of those Religious men . And this posture are our affairs in at the present ; but we hope God will incline the hearts of those , in whose power it is to do us justice , to take our cause into their consideration , and that they will be the more earnest to endeavour our vindication , by how much they are otherwise likely to be made complices of these corruptions In this number are comprehended the Pope , the Bishops , and the Parliament , by that extravagant insinuation wherein the Authors of the Libel would have it believed as a thing most certain , that the Bulls of the Popes against the five Propositions are a general approbation of the doctrine of the Casuists ; then which there cannot be any thing more injurious to those Bulls , nor more impertinent in it self , since there is not the least analogy between those two things . All that is common between those five Propositions and those of the Casuists , is that they are all equally heretical . For , as there are Heresies in matters of Faith , so are there also Heresies in matter of Mo●ality , according to the Fathers and Councels , and those such as are so much the more dangerous , in that they are made complyant with the passions of men and that unhappy leaven of concupiscence , which the greatest saints are not exempted from . We are therefore to be in some measure confident that those , who have expressed so much zeal against the condemned Proposition● , will discover no less upon this occasion , since that the welfare of the Church , which it may have been then their principal design to promote , is now so much the more conce●ned , in so much that whereas the Heresie of the five Propositions is understood only by Divines , and that no body presumes to maintain them , it happens here , on the contrary , that the heresies of the Casuists fall within the understanding of all the world , and are publickly maintained by the IESVITS . THE ANSWER OF the Curez of PARIS , Maintaining the FACTUM Presented by them to the Reverend Vicars Generall , to demand the Censure of THE APOLOGY FOR THE CASVISTS ; Against a piece intituled , A REFVTATION of the Calumnies lately publish'd by the Authors of the FACTVM , under the name of the Reverend the Curez of PARIS , &c. AFter the solemn Indictment we have brought in with so much justice and reason before the Ecclesiasticall Tribunall , against the Apology for the Casuists , whereof we have discovered the most pernicious maximes and the strange extravagances which had fil'd with horror those whom God had inspired with any thing of love for his Truths , there was some ground to hope , that those , who , out of an immoderate desire to maintain even the most dissolute of the Authors ( whereof that Book gives the world a faithful Catalogue ) were engag'd in the defence of it , would by their humility and silence , have repaired the injury which they had done all just and indifferent persons by their temerity and blindnesse . And we find to our regret that nothing is able to abate their presumption . Instead of sitting still , or not opening their mouths , unlesse it were to disclaim errours so unmaintainable , and so palpably opposite to the purity of the Gospel , they have newly put forth a piece , wherein they maintain all those errours , and fall into the greatest virulence that may be against the FACTUM we had made , to lay open the corruption of their doctrines . This is it that obliges us to reassume new courage , and to rise up against that excessive confidence of theirs , so to take away the reproach which must otherwise be put on our age , that the enemies of Christian morality had been more earnest in their attempts against it , then the Pastors of the Church in the maintenance of it ; and that it happen not , that , while the people rely upon our vigilance , we our selves should fall into that sloathfull indifference , which the Scripture does so severely condemn in the Pastors . The writing newly publish'd against our Factum is a meer stratagem of the Iesuits , who are nam'd therein , and who , that they might with the greater liberty exercise their detraction upon the piece , without any apparent injury to our persons , say , that they do not look on it as a thing whereof we ●re really the Authors , but as a piece imposed upon us . And though it had been made by us , examin'd and corrected by eight persons of our Body appointed to that purpose , approved in the generall Assembly of our Compary , printed in our names , presented by us juridically to the Reverend the Vicars generall , dispers'd by us through our parishes , and own'd and acknowledged by all the wayes that could be , as it appear● by the orders of our Assembly of Ian. 7. February 4. and April 1. 1658. yet it is nothing with them to affirm , that we never had any hand in it , and upon that ridiculous supposition they treat the Authors of the Factum wi●h the most injurious terms that tru●h could be af●ronted by , and at the same time give us the most insinuating commendations that simplicity could be surprised by . So that all that is new , is that their language , as to us , is different from what it was . In the Apologie for the Casuis●s we were false Prophets ; here we are true and worthy Pastors . In the Apology , they hated us a● ravenous wolves ; here they love us as person● venerable for their ver●ue and pie●y . In the Apology they treated us as Ignorant● ; here we are a sort of pe●sons illuminated and full of light . In the Apology , they ●re●ted u● as Heretick● and Schismatick● ; here they have a reverence not only fo● our character , but also for our persons . But in both the one and the other there is this one thing common , that they maintain that corrupt Morality as the true Morality of the Church . Which kind of procedure discovering nothing so much as tha● it is their principal designe to introduce their own pernicious doctrine , they accordingly , to effect it , indifferently fasten on those courses which they imagine might contribute most thereto ; so that it matters not much whether they say of us that we are wolves or lawful Pastors , since they do it as ●hey think it more or less advantagious for the authorization and maintenance of their Errours . So that the change of their stile is no effect of the conversion of their hearts , but a piece of Le●erdemaine common in their politicks , whereby they put on so many different shapes , yet still continue the same persons , that is to say , constant enemies to the truth and those that maintain it . For there is nothing so certain , as that they are not really changed in respect of us , and that we are not the persons they commend , but that on the contrary we are those whom they wreak their malice upon , since that they commend onely those Curez who had not any ha●d in the Factum , which ca● h●ve no relatio● to us who were all as deeply a● may he concern'd in it , and that they openly betray their indignation against the Authors and Approvers of i● , whic● we canno● be insen●ible of . And thus all the evill they seem● loath to speak of us as Curez , they say of us as Authors of the FACTUM , and they do no● speak advant●g●ously of us in any sense , but to have the greater oppo●tunity to load us with injuries and repro●ches in another . This is a pittifull kind of ●rtifice , and a way to be injurious that is more base and more picquant then if it were free and open . And yet so irreclaimable is their presumption , that they make their advantages of it not onely ag●inst us , but also against those whom God hath r●i●'d into the ●os● eminent dignitie● of the Church ; for they have no better ●re●tmen●●or the Circular Letter , directed by our Lords the Prela●●● of the Assembly of the Clergy , to all the Bishop● of France , to preserve their Dioceses from the corruption of these Casuists . They say of that Letter pag. 7. that it is a surreptitious piec● without their approba●ion , without order and wi●hout Authori●y , though it were really publish'd by the order of the Prelates of the Assembly , dressed up by themselve● , approved by them , printed at their command , by Vi●ré Printe● to the clergy of France , with the Instructions of Saint Charles , and an extract of the verb●l Processe of the first of F●bru●ry 1657. wherein those Prelate● condemned the dissolutions of the Casuists , and make it a mat●er of very earnest complaint , that these times are so fertile in the production of m●ximes so pernicio●s , and so contrary to those of the Gospel , and such as are likely to prove the bane and destruction of Christian Moraliti● . But what ? the Letter mentioned approves not the doctrine of the Casuists ; t is enough to give the I●suits occasion to treat it as a thing ●org'd and supposititious , how authentick soever it may be , and how venerable soever their dignity may be by whom it was sent . Who so blind as not to see in this carriage of theirs● that , whatever it may cost them , they would be exempted from the corrections and superintendency of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery , and that they do not acknowledge it but in what makes for their advantage , as if the Ministers were in the place of God when they are favourable to them , and are put out of that place when they oppose their extravagances ? This is an ordinary degree of presumption in them . Because they find themselves grown so powerfull in the world , as to de●y those just chastisements , which would inevitably fall on any other beside● them , should he be guilty of far le●●er faults● thence do they take the liberty of not receiving any thing from the Church but what they please themselves . For what else can be their meaning when they say ; We have a respect for our Lords the Prel●te● , and whatsoever comes from them , but for the Circular Letter sent by their order and under thei● names to all the Prelates of France against our Casuists , we honour it not , but on the contrary reject it as a piece that is forged , and hath neither their consent nor authority . And in like manner , we have a venera●●on for the Reverend the Curez of Paris , but for the Factum printed under their name , which they have presented to the Reverend the Vica●s General , we declare it to be a scandalous writing , and that the Authors of them are men of seditious principles , Hereticks and Schismaticks . What should all this signifie , but that the world should take notice that they honour the Ministers of the Church when they disturb them not in their disorders ; but that when they offer to do any such thing , they make them know by their contempt , by their calumnies , and by their outrages , what is it to meddle with them ? Thus it shall be lawfull for them to say any thing , and the Prelates and Pastors must not presume to contradict them , but they must withall be immediately treated as Hereticks and factious spirits , either in their persons or their works . They shall have the priviledge to sell in their Colledge , and to scatter into all our parishes the execrable Apologie for the Casuists ; and we must not presume to put ou● a writing that might in some measure be an Antidote against so mortall a poison . They shall have put daggers and poyson into the hands of furious and vindicative men , by declaring expresly That it is in the power of private Persons as well as Soveraigns , to discern , onely by the assistance of the light of reason , when it shall be lawfull or unlawfull for a man to kill his neighbour ; and it shall be an excesse of presumption in us to put up our complaints to the Ec●lesiasticall Judges against these murthering maxime● , and to represent by a Factum the monstrous effects of that bloody doctrine . It shall be in their hands to invest all men indifferently with all that power of life and death , which is the most illustrious prerogat●ve of Soveraigns ; and we must not be permitted to give our people notice , that it is a horrid and diabolical falshood to say , that it is lawful for them to be their own carvers in matter of justice , especially when the lives of their adversaries comes to be concerned , and that it is so far from truth , that one man may , by his own private Authority , and the discernment of natural reason , kill another , that , on the contrary , it can never be done but by a divine Authority and light . They shall have infamously exposed to sale all the dignities of the Church , and open a gap for all Simonists to thrust into the house of God , by an imaginary distinction of motive and price ; and we dare not publish , that a man cannot without crime enter into the Ministery of the Church , but by the right doore which is Iesus Christ ; and that those who maintaine that mony given as a motive is another● do not make a true doore whereat the lawfull Pastors may enter , but a reall breach fit only to let in wolves , not to feed , but to devoure the flock he is so tender of . They shall have freed Detractors ●rom all crime , and declared it to be lawfull ( by the authority of Dicastillus one of their fraternity , and above twenty eminent Iesuits ) for a man to impose false crimes contrary to his owne conscience , to bring those into disparagement who would ruine him . They shall have permitted Judges to detaine what they had receaved for doing an act of injustice ; Women , to rob their husbands ; Servants , to purloine from their Masters ; Mothers , to wish their daughters death when they are not in a condition to dispose of them in mar●iage ; the Rich , not to give any thing out of their Superflui●y ; the voluptuous , to eat and drink as much as they please , upon no other account then that of volup●uousnesse , and to pursue the enjoyments of the senses as things indifferent ; Those who are insnared in the next occasions of falling into the most damnable sinnes , to continue therein when it may be any inconvenience to them to quit them ; those who are growne old in an habituall course of vicious living , to approach the Sacraments , though they come with so weak a resolution of amendment of life , that they are confident it will not be long ere they fall into the same crimes againe , and without other remorse for what was passed , then what the temporall inconveniences occasioned thereby might have raised in them . Lastly , they shall have permitted Christi●ns to do what Pagans , Jewes , Mahometans and Barbarians would have had in execration , and shall have filled the Church with the most palpable darknesse that ever came out of the bottomelesse pit ; and we shall not , to dispell it , ●hed forth the least ray of evangelicall light but the whole Society take● alarme , and decl●res that they can be no other then men of seditious principles and H●reti●ks , who speak in that manner against their Morality ; that their doctrine , being the true doctrine of Faith , they are obliged in conscience , how willing so ever they may be to suffer and comply with the Crosse , to speake against those factious spirits and Schismaticks that quarrelled thereat ; that so saying they speak not against ●s , for we are persons of more piety then to be Authors of a Piece that should any way oppose them , and that i● it be otherwise we only are chargeable with the dist●rbance of the peace and tranquillity of the Church by troubling them in the free publication of their doctrines . Thus do they endeavour cra●tily to inveigh against us as the enemies o● publick tranquillity . Who could have believed , say they , that the Reverend the Curez , who upon the account of their min●steriall functions are the mediators of peace between the Seculars , should be the Authors of a writing ●hat might raise a spirit of schisme and division be●ween them and Religious men ? And immediately after , Is the spirit of God and Christian piety now so degenerated , as to engage the disciples of the Lambe to be ravenous among themselves as if they were so many wolves ? And thus do they make a great deale of noise in discourses , to shew , that they are desirous of peace , and that we are the only disturbers thereof . What an uncontroleable thing is insolence when backed by impunity ! And what a strange progresse will ●emerity make in a small time , when it meets with nothing that can give its violence any check ! These Casuists , after they had disturbed the peace of the Church by their horrid doctrines which tend to the d●struc●ion of the precep●s of Iesus Christ , as our Lords the Bishops ●ay to their charge , have no other shi●t now then to accuse those who endeavour to reestablish the doctrine of Jesus Christ , as disturb●rs of the Church's pea●e . After they had put things into disorder of ●ll sides by the publication of th●ir de●●stable Morality , th●y treat a● breakers of the publick pea●e , those whose consci●nces will not suffer them to comply with their designes , and who cannot endure that these Pharises of the new Law , as they have called themselves , should establish their humane Traditions upon the ruines of the divine . But they shall make no advantage of this artifice● We have made a sufficient d●scovery of our love to peace by our so long silence . We spoke not till ●uch time ●s that it would have been a crime in us to be any longer silent . They have abused that peace , to introduce their damnable opinions , and they would now endeavour the continuance of it , to give them further foot●ng . But the true children of the Church know well enough how to distinguish between that true peace which our Saviour only can give , and which the world is unacquainted with , and the deceitfull peace which the world may give , but which withall is hatefull to the Saviour of the world . They know the true peace to be that which endeavours the settlement of ●ruth in the beliefe of men , and that the deceitfull peace is that which aimes at the propagation of errour in the cr●dulity of men . They know there is such a consonancy between truth and the true peace , that they are inseparable ; that there is no interposition raised between it and the eyes of God by the dispu●es which sometimes eclipse it from the eyes of men , when the Providence of God thinks fit to engage men into a vindication of his truths from unjust attempts ; and that what were then a peace in the apprehensions of men , would be no other then a warre in ●he sight of God. They know fu●ther that these corrections are so far from being guilty of any breach of Charity , that it were no les●● to forbeare them , for that it is the Character of a counterfeit Charity to suf●er the wicked to pursue the enjoyments of their vices , whereas it is the property of true charity to disturbe that wofull tranquillity , and consequently , that , instead of establishing the Charity that is derived from God by that apparent mildnesse , it were , on the contrary , to destroy it by a criminall indulgence , as the holy Fathers teach us in those words , H●c ch●ritas d●struit charitatem . This is also the meaning of what the Scripture teaches us , that Christ came into the world not only to bring peace , but also a sword and division , because all these things are necessary , every one in its proper time , for the advantage of Truth , which is the ultimate end of the faithfull , whereas peace and warr● are only the means , and allowable proportionably to what they contribute to the advantages and establishment of Truth . They know that it is upon this account the Scripture saies , that there is a time of peace and a time of warre , whereas it cannot be said that there is a time for truth , and a time for falsehood ; and that it is better that scandalls should happen then that truth should be forsaken , as the holy Fathers of the Church maintaine . It is therefore apparent , that those persons , who are forced to make use of this pretence of charity and peace , to prevent men from speaking against such as destroy the truth , discover themselves to be friends only to the deceit●ull peace , and that they are professed ●nemies to ●ruth and the true peace . Accordingly hath it been the constant practise of the Persecutors of the Church to make this pretence of peace the stalking-horse of their most insupportable violences ; th●s have the false friends of peace consented to the oppression of the truths of Religion , and the Saints by whom they were maintained . Upo● these grounds was it , that St. A●hanasius , St● Hilary , and other holy Bishops in their times , were treated as rebellious , factiou● , obstinate men , and enemies to peace and union ; that they were deposed , banished and fo●saken in a manner by all the faithful , who misinterpreted for a breach of peace the zeal they had for the truth . Hence came it that the holy and famous Monk Stephen was charged as a dis●urber of the Church's tranquility by the 330. Bishops who would needs have the Images removed out of the Churches , which certainly was a point not of the greatest consequence to salvation . And yet because men ought not to shrink from the least truths under pretence of peace , that holy Religio●s man publickly opposed them , and it was upon that ground that he was at last condemned , as may be seen in the Annals of Baronius , Ann. 754. Thus also were the holy Patriarchs and Prophets charged , as Eliah was , to be troublers of the tranquillity of Israel , and that the Apostles , nay , J. Christ himself , were condemned as the Authors of disturbance and dissention , because they declared a saving hostility against the corrupt passions and the fatal extravagances of the Hypocritical Pharisees and insolent Priests of the synagogue . And lastly , all this is no more then the Scripture gives ●s a general representation of , when entertaining u● with a character of these false Teachers , who call by the name of divine those things that are diabolical , as these Casui●ts do at this day in their Morality , it sayes , Wisdome chap. 14. that they also give the name of peace to the most deplorable desolation . The extravagance of men , saith the wise man , is come to ●●t height , that they give the incommunicable name of the Divinity to that which hath not the essence thereof , to flat●er the inclinations of m●n , and to shew their complyance with the humours of Kings and Princes . And being not content to be so mistaken in things divine , and to live in that errour which is a true war , they give the name of peace to a condition full of trouble and disorder . In magno viventes inscientiae bello , tot & tanta mala pacem appellant . It is therefore a principal truth of our Religion th●t there are certain time● wherein it is necessary to trouble the possession of errour , which the wicked call peace , and this is a thing no way to be doubted of after the confirmation of so many Authorities . Now if ever there was ●n indispensable occasion and necessity to do it , let us examine whether there could be a greater or more pressing then there is at this day . We finde the most numerous and most powerful b●dy of men ●n the whole Church , that which hath the disposal of the consciences of all the greatest , bandying together and conspiring in the maintenance of the most horrid maximes that ever the Church groaned under . We find them , notwithstanding all the charitable admonitions that have been given them , both privately and publickly , obstinately countenancing Revenge , Avarice , gluttony , vain glory , s●lf-love , and all the exorbitancies of co●●upt nature , the profanatio● of the Sacraments , contempt of the ministeries of the Church , and the dispar●gement of the Antient Fathers , that they might introduce into their stead such Authors of their own as are most remarkable for their ignorance and temerity . And yet though we cannot but see the Church ready to be o●ewhelmed with this deluge of corruption , we must not presume , for fear of disturbing the pea●e , to call out to those that ●re en●rusted with the conduct thereof , save us , we perish The most inconsiderable truths of Religion have been maintained even to the death , and yet 't is expected we should quietly let go the most essential points of our Religion and the maximes that are most important and o● greatest necessity in order to the salvation of men , because it is the pleasure , not of 300. Bishops , nor indeed of so much as one , nor of the Pope● but only of the society of the Iesuits , to overturn them as th●y please . We desire , say they , to be at peace even with those wh● are unwilling to have any . Strange preserve●s of peace who never yet suffered the least writing to come out against their Morality , which they have not worried with their bloody Answers , and yet still writing the last they will needs have us to sit quiet while they remain in possession of their unjust pretentions ! We thought it not amiss to be the more large in the re●utation of this reproach , because there is not any they seem so much to insist upon against us . For though there may be few persons whom they can p●rswade , that the Casuists are holy Authors , yet is it not impossible , but they may meet with some whom they may cajol into a belief , that we are nev●rtheless ve●y much to blame for disturbing the peace o● the Church by our opposition . For the satisfaction therefore of such , have we thought fit to dr●ss up this discourse , to give them to understand that there are not two questions to be made upon this occasion , but only one , and that it is impossible it should at the same time be true , both , that the Morality of the Casuists is abhominable ● and th●t we are blame-wor●hy to disturb their deceitf●l peace in opposing it . Let it not therefore be expected that we should ever forsake the cause of Christian Morality ; no , we have a greater tenderness for the truth then to be guilty of that baseness . But to let them know wi●hal how far we are also lovers of peace , we open them the gate of it as w●de as we can , and declare , that we are ready to e●tertain them into our very hearts , assoon as they shall have abjured the pern●cious maximes of their Morality , cited by us in our Factum and in our Extracts , read in , and taken out of their Authors in their own words , and assoon as they shall sincerely renounce the pernic●o●s APOLOGY FOR THE CASUISTS , and the mischievou● treatises of Divinity of Escobar , Molin● , Sanchez , Lessius , Hurtad● , Bauny , Amicus , Mascaren●as , and all books of that nature , which out Lords the Bishops call the Plague of consciences . And thus stands the case between us . For here is not any thing to do , as they would maliciously make the world believe , concerning the differences which the Curez may have with the Religious . The ques●ion now is not about any contestation concerning the priviledges of the Iesuit● , or of opposing their continual usurpations upon the authority of the Curez . Though their books are ●ull of mischievous maximes as to that particular , yet did we purposely forbear all notice thereof in the Extracts we pre●ented to the Assembly of the Clergy , because we would not bring in any thing into the general cause of the Church that should concern us in particular . The matter therefore in agitation here is of the purity of christian Morality , which we are resolved not to suffer to be corrupted ; and we are not the only men eng●ged in this de●ign . The Curez of Rouen , by the a●thority of their Prelate are ready to second us with a zeal truly Christian and Pastoral . And besides , we have now in our hands no small number of Deputations from the Curez of other citties of Fra●ce , who with the like permission of our Lords their Prelates , will earnes●ly oppose these new corruptions , until such time as those who are the maintainers thereo● shall renounce them . Till then we shall continue to be their Prosecutors , whether they speak well or ill of us it matters not , and we shall not disclaim the tru●hs which we have advanced ●n our Fac●um ● to purchase at that price , the commendations they would then take occasion to give us● We shall not be diverted by either their curses or blessings , as the Scripture saith . They have not been able to frighten us , as enemies , nor shall they corr●pt us , as flatterers . The have found us unmoved at their menices , they shall finde us inflexible at their care●●es , and we shall express our selves equally insensible o● their injuries , and their ins●nuations . We shall return the sa●e const●nt countenance to all their different lookes , and we shall oppose , to the duplici●y of the children of this world , the Simplicity of the Children of the Gospell . Done by the order of the Company , r●ported in the generall Assembly , of Munday the first of Ap●ill 1658. and reviewed by the Depu●ies whose names are here under-mentioned . MAZURE , Doctor of Sorbonne and Curè of S. Paules ● ROUSSE , Doctor of the Socie●y of Sorbonne , Curè of S● . Roch , and Syndic of the Curez of Paris . DEBREDA , Doctor of the Society of Sorbonne and Curè of St. Andrewes des Arcs. MARLIN , Doctor of the Colledge of Navarre , and Curè of St. Eustac●e . DU PUIS , Batchelor of Divinity , Curè of the Sts. Innocents , and Syndic of the Curez of Paris . FORTIN , Doctor of the Faculty of Paris , and Curè of St. Christopher●s . GARGAN , C●non Regular of S. Augustine , and Curè of S. Medardes . DAVOLE , Doctor of the Colledge o● Navarre and Curè of St. Pe●ers aux Bo●ufs , It was resolved also by the Company the very same day , that ●n Answer should be mad● to another pi●ce newly come abroad against the same FACTVM of ours , divided into two parts● and enti●uled ● A Factum ; by way of Answer to the pretended Factum of the Curez of Paris , &c. THE END . The names of some of the most eminent Casuists ; and others with the places where they are cited . The Letter A denotes the citation to be in the Additionals . AEgidius Trullench● A. 19. A Alby , I●suit ● 254 , 255. Amicus , Ies. 97 , 98.150.221 . A. 18.24 . Angelus , Ies. p. 60. Annat , Ies. 38.153 . Anthony Sirmond Iesuit , 152 , 153.309 . A. 24. Azorius , Ies. 92.96.134 . A. 18. B Baldellus , Ies. 93. BASILIUS PONTIUS , Ies. 58.61.147 . Barry , Ies. 120 , 121 , 122 , 123. BAUNY , Ies. 37.46.58.62.71.73.76.79.80.105.106.109.127 , 131.132.134.140.143 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147.258.260 . A. 18.21 , 22 , 23.55.57.97 , 98. Becanus , Ies. 93.97 . A. 18. Bellarmine , Ies. 307.310 . Brisacier . Ies 170 . 253.26●.262 . A. 29.44 . C ●●ramuel , 73.98 . A. 17 , 18 , 19.63.70.71.78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 84.98 . Castrus Pala●s Ies. 78 , 103 , 109.151 . A. 97. Caussinus , Ies. 145.258 . Cello● . Ies. 63.67.117.251 . Comitolus , Ies. 148. Coninch . Ies. 134.151 . Crasset , Ies. 254. D Deza , 355. Dian● , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65.69 , 70 , 71 , 72.88.149 . A. 52.98 , 99. Dica●tillus , Ies. 251 , 252. E Emanuel Sa. Ies. 6● . 61 . E●adus Billus , Ies. 186. ESCOBAR , Ies. 56 , 57.58 , 59.68.69.70.74.75.78.79.87.89.90.91 , 92 , 93.97.103 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110.112.126.128 , 189 , 130.132 , 133 , 134.139 , 141.149.151.183.187 , 188.216 , 217.220.236 . A. 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22.58 , 59 . 60.65● 66.91.92 . 93.94.95.96.97.98.99 . F. Fagundez , Ies. 107.141.149 . F●liutius , Ies. 61.75.93.95 113.115.130.142.144.151.318 . A. 17.18.19.22 . Flahaur , Ies. 93. G. Gaspar Hurtado , Ies. 88.134 . A. 97. Garas●us , Ies. 127.170 . Granados , Ies. 140.149 . A. 98. Henriquez , Ies. 151. Heraeu , Ies. 93.221 . Hurtado de Mendoz● , Ies. 87.88.93.149.151 . A. 20. L. Laym●n , Ies. 61.89.97.104 . A. 17.18.19.20 . Le Court , Ies. 93. Le Moine , Ies. p. 38.124.125.133.135.153.168.169 . Lessius , Ies. 87.91.94.95.97.108.110.111.112.115.132.189.213.215.233.235.238 . A. 18.19.20.21 . M. Mascarenhas , Ies. 277. A. 87.88.89 . Maphaeus , 355.259 . Molina , Ies. 91.96.97.103.111.112.114.235 . Meynier , Ies. 282● Milhard . A. 2● . Navarrus , Ies. 60.90 . P. Petavius , Ies. 144.336 . Petrus Michael , Ies. A. 99. Petrus Hur●ado , Ies. 89. Pintereau , Ies. 148.153.258.260 . Rebelli●s , A. 97. Rebullos● , Ies. 357. Reginaldu● , Ies. 77.86 87.91.95.97.114.141.218.222.235 . A. 19.20 . R. Ribadeneira , Ies. 357. S. SANCHEZ , Ies. 60.61.63.77.78.89.90.91.115.116.129.130.148 . A. 17.19.20.97.98 . Sanctius . Ies A. 23. Sot●● , Ies. 91.152 . Suarez , Ies. 63 . 143.14●.146.148.151.152 . T. Tannerus , Ies. 91.97.184.185.204.206 . A. 17.19 . Thoma● Sanchez , Ies. A. 97.99 . Turrianus , Ies. 134. Valderama , 354.356.358.359 . Valentia , Ies. 74.150.183.203 . A. 20● Vasquez . Ies. 61.63.69.109.134.149.151.176.177.178.180.194 , 195 . 196.199.200●202 227. A● 97. ERRATA , In the MYSTERY . PAg. 10. l. 8. r. make use . p. 46. l. 30. r. to make an act . p. 50. l. 15. r. lesse safe p. 56. l. 10. exhorted . p. 63. l. 20. Casuists . page 64. line penult . read Fathers page 81. line 25. read Chastelet . page 99. line 17. r. form● . page 107. line 16. dele it . p. 115. l. 16. r. your . p. 116. l. ult . dele that . p. 140. l. 27. for warrant , r. grant . p. 143. l. 23. r. whensoever . p. 144. l. 22. for the midle and r. not . p. 149. l. 21. r. was , p. 16● . l. 3. r. 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P. 1. l. 14. for and , r. of . p. 10. l. 11. r. intituled . p. 11. l. 1● . for some , r. sinne . p. 27. l. 18. r. our . ibid. l. 25. for the other , r. their . p. 31. l. 3. r. insisted . p 34. l. 12. r. for . p. 40. l. 14. r. di●solute . p. 52. l. 9. r. ut ib. l. 19. for in . r. with . l. ult . r. draught . p. 53. l. 19. r. revive . p. 55. l. 1. ●or of . r. to . l. ult . r. is it . p. 56. l. 18. r. a box . p. 57. l. 4. r. give . p. 59. l. 11. r. do not only . p. 64. l. 1. for A. r. o● . p. 65. l. 31. r. quae . p. 66. l. 35. r. revive . p. 72 l. 1. for or . r. as . p. 80. l. 13. r. may do p. 82. l. 23. r. Laude● . p. 91. l. 31. r. Lawfull . p. 103. l. 18. dele that . p. 106. l. 35. for of . r. by . p. 112. l. 2. for to . r. in . p. 116. l. 34. for them , r. then . p. 127. l. penult . r. shop . p. 134. l. 1●●or the , r. their . Books written by D. Hammond . A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New-Testament by H. Hamond , D. D. in fol. the second Edition now in the Presse . 2. The Practicall Cat●chisme , with all other English Treatises in two volumes in 4. 3. Dissertationes quatuor , quibus Episcopa●us Iura ex S. Scripturis & Prim●va Antiquitate adstruuntur , con●ra sententiam D. Blondelli & aliorum in 4. 4. A Letter of Resolution of six Queries in 12. 5. O● Schisme . A defence of the Church of England against the exceptions of the Romanists , in 12. 6. Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to practice , in 12. 7. Paranesis , or a seasonable exhortation to all true sons of the Church of England , in 12. 8. A Collection of severall Replies and Vind●cation● Published of late , most of them in defence of the Church of England , now put together in three Volumes . Newly published , in 4. 9. A Review or the Paraphrase and Annotations on all the Books of the New-Testament , with some additions and alterations , in 8. Books and Sermons written by Jer. Taylor . D. D. ENla●●os , A Course of Sermon● for all the Sundayes of the Year ; together with a discourse of the Divine Institution , Necessity , Sacrednesse and Separation of the Office Ministeriall , in fol. 2. The history of the Life and Death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ , third Edition in fol. 3. The Rule and Exercises of holy living , in 12. 4. The Rule and Exercises of holy dying , in 12. 5. The Golden Grove , or , A Manuall of daily Prayers fitted to the dayes of the week , together with a short Method of Peace and Holiness , in 12. 6. The Doctrine and Practice of Repentance rescued from popular Errours , in a larg● 8. Newly published . 7. A Collection of Polemicall and Morall discourses , in fol. 8. A Discourse of the Nature , Offices and Measure of Friendship , in 12. New. 9. A Collection of Offices or forms of prayer fitted to the need● of all Christians , together with the Psalter or Psalms of ●●●id after the Kings Translations in a large octavo newly published . Books written by Mr. Tho. Pierce Rector of Brington . THe Sinner impleaded in his own Court , wherein are represented the great discour●gements from sinning , which the Sinner receiveth from Sin it self . 2. Correct Copy of some notes concerning Gods Decrees , especiall● o● Reprobation . The third Edition with some Additionals , in 4. 3. The Divine Philanthropie defended , i● answer to Mr. Barlee , in 4.2 Edition . 4. The Self revenger . to which is added an appendage touching the judgement of the late L. Primate of Armagh , in 4. new . 5. The Divine Purity , defended in answer to Dr. Reynolds , in 4. new . 6. The Self-Revenger exemplified by Mr. William Barlee . To which is added an Appendage , touching the judgement of the right Honourable and right Reverend Father in God , Iames Lord Primate of Armagh , and Metropolitan of Ireland , irrefragably attested by the certificates of Dr. Walton , Mr. Thorndicke , and Mr. Gunning , sent in a Letter to Doctor Bernard . The Law of Laws , or , the excellency of the Civil Law , above all other humane Laws whatsoever : shewing of how great use and necessity the Civil Law is to this Nation . By Robert Wiseman , Dr. of the Civil Law. Sold by R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane . The Grand conspiracy , by Master Iohn Challington , in 12. The History of the Church of Scotl●nd by Dr. Sp●tishwood Archbishop of S. Andrews in fol. Etymologicum parvum , in 8. by Mr. Gregory School-Master of Westminster . The contemplation of heaven with a descant on the prayer in the garden , in 12. The Magistrates Authority , a Sermon by Master Lyford , in 4. The Quakers wild questions objected against the Ministers of the Gospel by Master Richard Sherlock , in 4. The Communicants Guide , by Master Grove , in 8. The Plain mans sense exercised , by Master William Lyford , in 4. Anglicisms Sattiniz'd , by Mr. Willis in 8. The persecuted Minister , written by Master Langly , in 4. Lyfords Legacy in 12. The Catechism of the Church of England , paraphrased , by Richard Sherlock 2. Edition . An Apology for the Ministery by William Lyford . The Examination of Tilenus before the Triers in Vtopia in 12. newly published . The end of the Catalogue . 


c0: A58087
c1: Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641.
c3: 1641.0
c6: 5511
c7: 84
c8: 23
c9: A58087.xml
c10: A58087.txt
c2:
  The rat-trap, or, The Jesuites taken in their owne net &c. discovered in this yeare of jubilee or deliverance from the romish faction, 1641.

c4:
  Sir Griffin Markham , Sir Edward Parham , George Brooke brother to the Lord Cobham and Bartlemew Brooksby : whom these Iesuits had perswaded by their sophisticall arguments that the attempt could be no Treason , beeing done before the Kings Coronation , alleadging that Saul was not King till he was chosen in Mispeh , though he had bin maintayned in Ramah by Samuell the Prophet , neither Ieroboam , who in the dayes of Samuell had been confirmed by the Prophet to raigne over Israel til the people made him King vpon the foolish answer of Rehoboam , but yet notwithstanding all their syllogisticall Flourishers , it was proved vnto them ( to their costs , ) That in England there is no Interregum , because the King never dyeth , and that the Coronation is but a ceremony to shew the Prince to the people , for which onely there dyed ( which was the Kings great mercy ) the two Iesnits Watson and Clarke , the twenty ninth of November , and George Brookes , vpon the first of December next ensuing . This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A58087 of text R25043 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing R294).

c5:
  bee; father; generall; hee; himselfe; iesuites; king; life; order; owne; princes; religion; text; treason; yeare

c11:
   The rat-trap, or, The Jesuites taken in their owne net &c. discovered in this yeare of jubilee or deliverance from the romish faction, 1641. Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A58087 of text R25043 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing R294). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 34 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A58087 Wing R294 ESTC R25043 08726998 ocm 08726998 41686 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A58087) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 41686) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1267:20) The rat-trap, or, The Jesuites taken in their owne net &c. discovered in this yeare of jubilee or deliverance from the romish faction, 1641. Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641. 30 p. : ill. s.n., [London? : 1641] Attributed to Thomas Heywood--NUC pre-1956 imprints. Reproduction of original in the British Library. eng Jesuits -- England. Great Britain -- History -- Charles I, 1625-1649. A58087 R25043 (Wing R294). civilwar no The rat--trap: or, The Iesuites taken in their owne net, &c. Discovered in this yeare of jubilee, or deliverance from the Romish faction; 16 Heywood, Thomas 1641 5798 5 0 0 0 0 0 9 B The rate of 9 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2002-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-07 Kirk Davis Sampled and proofread 2002-07 Kirk Davis Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE RAT — TRAP : OR , The IESVITES taken in their owne Net , &c. Discovered in this yeare of Jubilee , or Deliverance from the Romish faction ; 1641. Imprinted 1641. The Rat-Trap : OR , The Iesuites taken in their owne Net , &c. THe first institution of the Jesuiticall Order , was by the Father of that Sect Ignatius Loyola , not granted at the beginning thereof without great pretence of Sanctity , and religious piety , as professing and protesting to imitate Jesus himselfe ( whose cognizance they seeme to carry ) both in his Life and Doctrine : But these Wolves having crept into the Church in Sheeps cloathing , and admitted into the Flocke , not able to bridle or restraine their bloody and savage natures , have not onely preyd upon them whom they pretended to protect , but also by insinuating into the humours and dispositions of the most powerfull Potentates , have insidiated both their lives and fortunes , as by divers pregnent , ( but prodigious ) demonstrations may appeare : being growne to bee the most cunning Engineers , politick underminers , subtile supplanters , and dangerous incendiaries of any order , quality , or condition , or any faction spirituall or temporall whatsoever . Of whom to make a more generall discovery : They first , skrew themselves into the hearts and thoughts of Princes , villifying unto them all other Sects and Orders , the better to preferre and dignifie their owne ; by which crafty meanes they have inpatronized themselves into the best Abbyes , Monasteries , and other Cloystered and sequestred places of Religion ; and by the supplantation of others interessed , and inherited themselves : by which meanes growing rich and eminent , they may the better mannage all their politick proceedings ; the manner whereof followeth . In Rome lives their Father generall , to whom the inferiour sort ( cald his assistance ) tender due obedience , and these are imployd through all the parts of Christendome , and beare the names of the places in which they recide , as the assistance of Spain , of France , of Italy , England , &c. who by meanes of their correspondents , who disperse themselves into the principall Cities of that Province , first informe themselves of the state , condition , and quality of that Kingdome , and informe the assistants of all passages and occurrants , of which they give notice to the Father generall at Rome , who curiously examining them , and conferring them together , at last conclude to favour the affaires of one Prince , and depresse the designes of another , as shall best correspond with their owne pleasure ; and profit , being most preposterous and almost against Reason , that these pure Professors , should onely intend , and interesse themselves in matters of State , for raine from their Oath and Order , and in the meane time carelessely neglect both the saving of their owne soules , and others committed to their charge , for which the foundation of their society , and brother-hood , was at the first authorised . It is apparent to all men , that they are Confessors to the greatest part of the Nobility through all the Roman Catholike estates , not without great prejudice to the Princes themselves ) to which office they were also to them admitted , by which they penetrate into every designe and purpose , of which they give intelligence to their further generall ; and as secrefie is the sole preservation of a State , without which it is not able to subsist ; and that Princes themselves punish with the greatest vigour such as discover their Counsells ( as the greatest enemies both to their owne Principality , and the safety of their Kingdome ) yet the Jesuites by their Confessions , and Consultations , which their correspondents have , being planted in the chiefe Cities of the Christian world , are sincerely , and punctually advertised of all determinations concluded in their most secret Cabinets and Closets ; so that they better know the power , possessions , expences , and private projects of Princes , than themselves , suppressing or advancing their affaires at their pleasures ; which they may easily do , by reason that by their auricular Confessions , they penetrate even to the very secrets of their soules ; by which meanes the secrets of State being discovered , breeds sometimes a jealousie in Princes of , their best and most faithfull Servants , and Officers , not without the great prejudice both of the King and Subject , and indangering the whole state of the Kingdome . And to continue their stratagems , the better these Jesuiticall Machiavells distinguish themselves into foure rankes or degrees : the first consists of secular or lay-persons , who are joyned to their fraternity , and submit themselves wholly to their power and patronage ; and these are for the most part of the prime Gentry , of both Sexes , wealthy widdowes , Citizens , and Merchants ; from whom by their flattery and insinuations they draw rich donatives , perswading from some annuall pensions ; and others to forsake the world , and leave all their revenues , moveables , coyne , and jewels , to enrich their ingurgitating Monasteries , perswading them that it will prove meritorious for the health of their soules , whilst they with these profits ; Feast , and fat their owne bodyes . A second sort consists of men onely , and these as well of Priests , as Lay-men ; such as professe a sequestred , life and retired , capable of Church preferments , but with a vow to take upon them the habit , whensoever it shall please the Father general to call them unto it ; and such are called Jesuites in voto . The third are those that live in Cloysters and Monasteries , and these are either Priests , Clarkes , or Converts , who because they were not originall of that profession , may by the authority of the Father generall , be deprived and degraded ( though they before have ty'd themselves to keep it by oath ) and these not being as yet called to Office , are subject in all things to the superintendents command . The fourth , are the prime politicke Jesuites , through whose hands passeth all the government of Religion , who labour to reduce their society to an absolute Monarchy , and to plant and settle the head thereof in Rome , ( where all the affaires of the Christian world meet together ) as in a center , that being also the seat of the Father generall , and divers of his agents , who are dayly admitted into the houses of Embissadors and Courts of Cardinals ; by which meanes they preoccupate the affaires of forraine Princes ; that notwithstanding the importunity of their Embassadors and agents , nothing can be there determined , or concluded of , which stands not with their pleasure , and redounds not to their profit ; by which they are grown to that pride and arrogancie , that they have publikely boasted , that they can make Cardinals , Nuntioes ; and in temporall affaires , Lieutenants , Praefects , and Governors ; that their Generall in these times have more power than the Pope himselfe ; adding , that it is better , and much more noble to make Cardinals , than to be a Cardinall . And for their avarice , and greedy accumulating of wealth and riches , they are so farre from obeying the Cannon which enjoynes them to humility , integrity , and austerity of life : but they ingage themselves into all temporall affaires , to the great distaste and detriment of most of the Romish Kings and Princes ; and further , make Merchandize of Pearles , Rubies , Emeralds , Diamonds , and all stones of estimation and value , which they trade in from the Indies , and else where , that there is an opinion through Italie , that the greatest part of them that are sold in Venice are the proper goods and commodities of those Jesuites , the ground of which opinion hath beene received from their owne Brokers , who have had the sale of them . But to rip up all their juglings , legerdemaines , stratagemeticall plots , and combustions in state , which would aske a voluminous Tract , I shall intreate the Reader to satisfie himselfe for the present with this compendious and briefe Preface : onely my purpose being in the next place to discover them not onely for bloody Butchers , but most rigorous regicides ; their damnable plots and practises , ( deserving the hatred and detestation of all men ) which I shall strive to doe by some few examples ; and if the Tree may be judged of by the fruit , wee shall easily see what these Iesuites are . To begin with France , Henry the third of that name , after he had for their many murthers , and massacres of the Protestants , and withall their insufferable insolence to him , caused the two brother Guizes , the Duke and Cardinall to be slaine at Chartres ; after being reconciled to the Protestant King of Navarr , and marching to beleaguer his rebellious Subjects in Paris , being at a place called St. Clawds , hee was most traiterously stabbed with a knife in the bottome of the belly , by a Fryer of the Order of Iacobin , set on by the Iesuites , of which wound he dyed the next day following in the midst of his Army . And his successor , first King of Navarre , and after of France , for his many noble victories stiled Henry the great , having subdued Champaigne , and all Picardie , in his returne to Paris was stab'd in the face with a knife also , by a yong desperate Student , whose name was Iohn Chastell , instigated and set on by the former faction ; for which preditorious fact he was deservedly torne to pieces with wild horses , the twenty ninth of December , but the King by Gods preservation was recovered of that hurt : For which hee instituted Knights of the Order of the Holy Ghost , in Ianuary , being the yeare of grace one thousand five hundred ninety five : but this trayterous violence offered him was but the presage of a future , but more fatall disaster . For this potent King , the next day after hee had seene his Queene most magnificently crowned at St. Denis , upon friday being the foureteenth of May , and in the yeare 1610. about foure of Clocke in the afternoone , was murthered in his Coach by two stabs with a knife , passing the street called Ferroneny ( by one Francis Ravillack born in Angolisme ) which happened after hee had lived sixe and fifty yeares , and one and thirty dayes , having reigned in Navarre thirty seven yeares and eleven moneths , or thereabouts , and in France twenty yeares , nine moneths , and thirteene dayes : but the Traytors death , because it was so remarkable give mee leave a little to insist . He was by profession a Lawyer ; and by the conjecture of all men , was spurred on to perpetrate this horrible act by the Iesuites : though all which hee openly confest was , that what hee did was by the instigation of the Devill ; and his reason , because the King tollerated within his Kingdome two Religions ; the manner of his death was as followeth , after being rackt , and enduring severall sorts of torments in prison , he was brought thence in his shirt , with a Torch of two pound weight lighted in his one hand , and the Knife with which he had murthered the King chain'd to the other , and then set upright in a Dung-cart , the people ready to teare him in peeces , had not the Officers restrayned them ; thence he was brought to the Scaffold , where he crost himselfe , to shew he dyed a Papist : he was next bound to a St. Andrewes Crosse , and his hand chained to the knife burnt in a furnace of fire and brimstone , yet would confesse nothing , onely lamentably roared , but by none pittied . Then was his flesh pulled off with hot burning pincers , and oyle , rosin , pitch and brimstone powred into his wounds , and on his navell clapt a roundle of clay , into which was powered molten lead ; at the last his body was torne in peeces with foure strong horses , which were not able to plucke his sinewy limbs asunder , till the flesh under his armes and thighs was cut , and then was hee totally dis-membred , then were his limbs burnt to ashes , and cast into the wind , his goods confiscate to the King , the house in which hee was borne utterly demolished , and made even with the earth , never any structure to be built there after , and his father and mother to depart the Realme , never more to returne upon the penaltie of being hanged , and that his brethren , sisters , unckles , and all of the name , should upon the same forthwith change their names to some other , so that Ravillack should not be so much as spoken thorow the Realm . And so much of this Iesuiticall Arch-Traytor to the terrifying of others . The like ( in the Low Countries ) was attempted and committed upon the person of that renowned Protestant Prince William of Nassaw Prince of Orange , where a bloudy villaine , thorow his owne cloake a wainscot doore , with a pistoll double charged , shot to death in his owne palace , confessing at his most torturous death , in the middest of torments , that ( saving Ravillacks ) wanted example ; that he was animated and encited to that bloudy facinorous enterprise by the continuall instigation of the Iesuiticall faction . The Iesuites plots discovered , which they have been about this ten or eleven years , worse than that of the Gun-powder Treason . IN the yeare of Grace , one thousand six hundred twenty nine , at Salamanca an Vniversity in Spaine ( by the consent of their Father generall at Rome ) there was an assembly of the Iesuiticall Society , ( who called themselves the holy Synod ) in which one grave Seignior , who was the Prolocutor , began as followeth : Deare brothers of the most Sacred Order , wee being here convented this day ( being the birth day of our Father and Founder ( of ever-living memory ) Ignatius Loyalla ) it is fit that we consult and determine of some affaires , that may tend to the strengthening of our power , the advance of our reputations , and the enriching of our coffers , ( at which there was a generall hum thorow the Table ) when hee proceeded : But as I have proposed you a thing fit to bee done , so there ought meanes to be devised and found , how it may bee accomplished : the course it selfe , of which I have maturely deliberated , and in which I crave the assistance of your counsell , is by setting England and Scotland ( Nations that have too long lived in fraternall love and amity ) at odds , or to use the Scottish phrase , at Deadly Feud : which best how to bring to passe , I sollicite you to deliver you sundry censures . All of them unanimously applauding the matter , now began singly to speake their opinions of the manner : saith one , I thinke it may be done by some new plot & practice of treason : saith another , I suppose rather by sowing some seditious libels amongst them , to make one Nation jealous of the other : a third replyed , to invade one of the Kingdomes by sea , to which purpose they would sollicite the Catholike Princes to joyne in a solemn combination : but a fourth cut him off and said , I like not these attempts by sea , since the bad successe and utter overthrow of the great Armado in Eighty eight , though it had the Popes blessing along , and was by his Holinesse stiled Invincible . O but , said the Prolocutour , the reason of that may be easily given , for the sinnes of the Land were not then ripe , which since are growne to full maturity : But had it then prevailed , with our pistols and ponyards , steeletto's and knives , whips , fire , and faggots , we would have made them taste of that Purgatory here on earth , which they will not beleeve to have place in any corner of Hell . But to leave others , let mee now acquaint you with a project of mine owne , that I think wants president ; for policie hath prevailed , where puissance hath been repulst , and fraud hath entred , where force could not : for Vlysses did more in his Tent , then Ajax did in the field . At this all their eares were prickt up in attention , when he spake on as followeth ; The King of Spaine is stiled the most Catholike , the King of France the most Christian King , and the King of England is titled , Defender of the Faith , having under his Dominion three Kingdomes , England , Scotland , and Ireland ; the first Protestants , the second Puritans , the third Papists . Now in this distraction of religions , how easie is it to raise troubles and tumults ? Now wee have Iesuites in voto , ingenious and active , and fit to be employed in these deep and mysticall designes . Now if you ask me the manner how ? they are to bee sent over , and disperst into the Courts and families of Noble-men , and places bought them , or offices in which they may gaine the best intelligence , by screwing themselves into the bosomes , as well of the noble as ignoble rank : now if you object and say , this cannot bee without charge , and great disbursments of money ? I answer , have we not Collectors , Receivers , and Treasurers to that purpose , employed in severall parts of Christendom : as M. L. the Goldsmith in Fleet-street for the parts of Flaunders ; M. & D. for France ; Mr. Borrowes for Spaine , and others elsewhere ? ( these of the English Nation only ) and them our penetrating and insinuating Agents and Ministers , being so planted and placed neare about the Prince , and principall persons of those three Kingdomes , they may take their opportunity , and catching occasion by the fore-lock , find severall tooles and engines to work with , as to incense the Papists ( with whom our Society is most embraced ) against the Puritans , and set them and other Separatists against the Papists , and both against the Protestants , to bring in new Innovations into the Churches of England and Scotland , such as wee know the most distaste , and can worst digest ; to alter their ancient Liturgy , by inserting new additions into their books of Common prayer , and by admitting into Church livings , none but such as can conforme themselves to all such Tenents as shake hands with the Romish Traditions and Doctrines ; and to thrust out of their Benefices , all such as stand stiffe for the Reformed Religion , but especially to thrust in Ceremonies ( such as they call Superstitions ) Altars , and the like , into the Scottish Kirk , which Nation we know to be perverse , obstinate , and impatient of any Innovation or change , especially in their Religion . Thus wanting power to conquer their Countries , let it be our practice to undermine and blow up their consciences , ruinating them in their distraction about Religion ; for what will not men or women hazard , even goods , lands , nay life it selfe too for their Religion ; for what is more deare or nearer to a Christian than his God and his Religion ? what will cause more dissension , than not to have freedome of their Religion ? Nay , the very Turke himselfe will not feare to dye , though a pseudo-Martyr , even by torments or tortures , ere hee can bee compelled to forsake his Mahomet . Now we knowing the Protestant so constant in his Religion , that hee will suffer no alteration , the Papist so selfe-will'd he will brook no reformation , and the Puritan so obstinate hee will endure no Innovation , and all these spurr'd on by our subtill Agents animation : what seditions , what suspitions , what commotions , what combustions are probable to ensue thereof ; but by this Incendiary kindled in their Kingdomes , Ireland may grow tumultuous , Scotland combustions , and take armes , and Englands peace bee altogether disturbed and disquieted at least , to the exhausting of their treasure , if not their blouds , to their great detriment , if not their generall desolation : and in these jealousies and troubles , to bring in forraine Forces , there would be some hope to attaine our ends . Which speech being gravely delivered , was by the rest greatly applauded , and the Assembly dissolved , with a determinate resolution to put all the former projects in speedy practice with an Et caetera . But to come neare to our owne Country , what miraculous deliverances had Queene El●zabeth ( of ever blessed memory ) from the plots and underminings of those Arch Iesuiticall Regecides ? During her minority , in the reigne of her sister , what projects and stratagems were devised to insidiate her life ; her sundry commitments and impris●nments ? nay , a warrant for her death 〈◊〉 by the Queene , at the animation of 〈…〉 Clergy ? Her damage by water , when her barge at a low ebbe grated upon the arches of the Bridge , when shee was sent a prisoner to the Tower ? by fire , when her lodgings were burnt over her head , during her confinement at Woodstock . In the beginning of her reigne , what complotting by the Iesuites of Spaine , France , and Italy , to supplant her from her true and lawfull inheritance , by discharging her Subjects from their loyalty and obedience ? Troubles also were raised in her Kingdom of Ireland by one Nicolas Saunders , a pestilent Traytour , and one of that seditious Order , whose pen and tongue spared not only malitiously to calumniate the Queene her selfe , but the Lady Anne Bulleine her mother , who having purchased a consecrated Banner with power Legantine , landed amongst the Rebels , whither was sent also S. Iosephus with an army of Italians and Spanyards , to joyne with the revolted Earle of Desmond , his brother Fitz Morris , and others : but their army was soone distrest , the Earle dyed wretchedly , and Saunders fell mad , and dyes starved in the cliffes of an almost unaccessible mountaine . The like machinations were devised against her by Cardinall Allen , Englefield , and Rosse , as also by Doctor Parry , by travell Hispanisied , Italionated , and fully Iesuitified , who after his returne , when the Queenes Majysty vouchsafe him her gracious presence in her garden , came arm'd with a Pistoll to have taken away her life , had he not beene miraculiously prevented , for which horrible Treason he was soone after drawne hang'd and quartered . The horrible Treason of the fourteene Traytors began in one Savage a Bastard ; but Instigate thereunto by two Priests , Gilbert Gifford and one Hudson , and the rest of the conspirators drawne in by Ballard the Priest and Iesuit who with the other guilty of the same treason against her majesties owne person , the twentieth of September in Lincolnes Inn fields vpon a publick Scaffold were hang'd and quartered ; divers others suffered at Tiburne ; the prime of which and of most note , were father Campion , and master Soothwell who during his Imprisonment in the tower writ two excellent poems ; the on 〈…〉 led Saint Peters complaint , the other Magdalens teares , for seducing her Majesties subjects and denying the supremacy . I will conclude all the Iesuitical Treasons against her ( and those by her own Subjects , ) which that as Edward Squire are belonging to the Queenes stable , who beeing in Spaine was perswaded and seduced from his allegeance by one Walpoole a revolted runnagate , and entred into the Iesuiticall order ( one of these before named Invato , ) who gave a mortiserous confection in a bladder , to poyson the pummell of her saddle , who after his return into England attending his opportunity , one day when her Majesty was to take horse , came openly with a smiling countenance in the presence of many , and having prickt the bladder , and wearing a thick tand glove for his owne security , chapt his hand vpon the pummell of the saddle , and with a lowd and cheerefull voyce sayd God save the Queene : but it pleased God out of his mercifull providence , to take his word not his meaning ; for neither mounting , nor alighting , nor all the way shee roade , ( wearing a thinne glove ) shee once layd her hand vpon the pummell ? but the Treason beeing after discovered , he by his owne conviction was convicted and condemned . To come nearer to the dayes of Royall King Iames her successour , whose Coronation by reason of the great sicknesse in and about London then raigning , beeing deferrd , in this Interim two Italionated Jesuite Priests whose names were Watson and Clark , layes a plot to surprize the person of King Iames and Prince Henry , and to compell them to subscribe two things to their owne puposticall ends , and further had drawne into this conspiracy Henry Brook , Lord Cobham , and Lord Warden of the Cinque ports . Thomas Lord Gray of Wilton , Sir Walter Raliegh Lord Warden of the Staneries . Sir Griffin Markham , Sir Edward Parham , George Brooke brother to the Lord Cobham and Bartlemew Brooksby : whom these Iesuits had perswaded by their sophisticall arguments that the attempt could be no Treason , beeing done before the Kings Coronation , alleadging that Saul was not King till he was chosen in Mispeh , though he had bin maintayned in Ramah by Samuell the Prophet , neither Ieroboam , who in the dayes of Samuell had been confirmed by the Prophet to raigne over Israel til the people made him King vpon the foolish answer of Rehoboam , but yet notwithstanding all their syllogisticall Flourishers , it was proved vnto them ( to their costs , ) That in England there is no Interregum , because the King never dyeth , and that the Coronation is but a ceremony to shew the Prince to the people , for which onely there dyed ( which was the Kings great mercy ) the two Iesnits Watson and Clarke , the twenty ninth of November , and George Brookes , vpon the first of December next ensuing . But that Damnable and Diabollicall plot of the Gunpowder arch-Treason , exceedeth all president or example , the like from the beginning of time not read or heard : hatcht in the Iesuiticall nest of that most bloudy Brotherhood , which because it is yearely remembred in every Pulpet almost thorow the Kingdome , I spare further to aggravate , only to put the reader in minde that no such execrable act could be put in agitation without a Iesuit to prompt and further it : witnes Father Garnet an arch provinciall Priest of that murder , who as the rest of those conspiratours in that satannical Conjuration dyed the death of a Traytour being drawn , hangd , and quartered . These are but a few amongst many , and ere I proceed any further , I must intreate the indifferent and unpartiall Reader , to take some things necessary into his consideration . First how the adversaries spare not both in their words and writings bitterly to asperse and condemne the severity of the Lawes , for the cutting of such pestilent and preditorious Malefactors , as if they alone were all conscience and Christianity , libellously traducing them , as if they were like Braccoas ( the Legislator amongst the Athenians ) writ in blood , pretending ours to bee a meere usurped power , no better than Tyranny , whom their bloody and mercilesse persecutions , they strive to mittigate and extenuat by the countenance and authoritie of the Church , and Apostolicall Iurisdiction , when Christ himselfe left as his last Legacy upon earth , his peace amongst them ; when the Apostles never assumed to themselves any Pontificall state and habite , but were Preachers and teachers of the Word : when all their successors in the Primitive Church were so far from being persecutors , that themselves patiently suffered persecution and Martyrdome for the Gospell sake : when the Papisticall prelates of these times ; instigated and spurd on by their Iesuiticall Engineeres , instead of Prayer , Fasting , Exhortation , Admonition , and pious instruction , deale altogether in Fire and Faggot Daggers , Pistolls , powder-plots , and the like , excluding all mercy and charity , so they can but adde the least Mite to their Papall Monarchy . When on the contrary our Lawes stretch no further than to punish runnagates and revolters of our owne Nation ; such as being borne naturall subjects renounce their allegiance to their lawfull Prince and Soveraigne , transplanting themselves into other Countries , acknowledging forraigne supreams , denying that supremacy of their owne naturall Liege , refusing to subscribe to the oath of allegiance ; and not herewith contented , they most traiterously seeke to seduce and alienate the hearts of the subjects from their religion , faith , and obedience , in contempt of the Lawes , which in duty and conscience by the Lawes of Nations , they are bound to observe . Nor are these just punishments inflicted upon their capitoll delinquencies , without giving them warning to flie and abandon the Realme : but upon their peremptory and willfull returne in despight of Proclamation , and meere contempt both of prerogative and Parlamentall authority they as it were dare justice , and in their selfe-wild obstinacy thrust themselves into the hands of the hangman , as if they were borne hereditary to the halter . For instance , ( and which is now at this present in agitation ) one Iohn Goodman , a Priest and Iesuite , notwithstanding all former caveats and premonitions , having the libery of the whole world to retire and solace himselfe , only he was banished and debar'd this land nine yeares since , the entrance into wch he knew no lesse than the forfeiture of his life , with a shamefull death annexed , & knowing withall , how hateful the nama of a Romish , Priest , was to all the true and faithfull subjects of the kingdome , yet maugre all interdiction & proclamations forbidding the contrary , desperately , ( if not madly ) exposed himselfe unto all the penalty and dangers of the law , and being taken , and in the * Rat-trap held by the leg , for feare of slipping away , and brought unto his tryall , having all the favour that could be shewne to a Malefactor in that kind , by his owne free and voluntary confession accused and condemn'd himself , and when judgment must of necessity ( as in all such cases ) be , and was pronounced against him , yet the Kings Majesty out of his great and unbounded clemency & mercy , when he was ready to be drawn to execution , sent him a Reprieve for his life : and since being delivered up unto the high Court of Parlament , they , in hope of his reformation , and recantation , have not as yet proceeded against his life ; unto whose mercy I leave him , & with whom I conclude this briefe Tractate : Desiring with all the Reader to take further into his consideration the lenity of our lawes , and the milde proceedings therein to spare Christian blood : when on the contrary , our adversaries with their Corrigidoes and Catchpooles , thirst nothing more after : when no Lay Protestant traveller in Rome or Spain , dares so much as hold argument of his owne Faith , or shew a booke in his owne Language , but he shall be hurried into the bloudy Inquisition ; to endure more tortures and paines than in their owne devised purgatory , the miseries and torments whereof , if any would be further satisfied , let them but read the lamentable sufferings of Mr. Lythgow , amply set downe in the booke of his Travells . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A58087e-100 * New-gate : and iron shackle on hi● leg 


