A DECREE MADE AT ROME, The Second of March, 1679. Condemning Some Opinions OF THE JESUITS And other CASUISTS.

LONDON,

Printed for Ric. Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown it St. Paul's Church-yard, 1679.

THE PREFACE.

THis Decree which is now so much tal­ked of it France, being sent over to me, I thought it would not be un­grateful to this Nation to have it reprinted here with an English Translation; but lest some unwary Readers might make an ill use of it, I judged it needful to prepare them to it by two Reflections, which from the read­ing of the Decree they ought to make.

The first is, That those monstrous Tenets for which we have so often heard the Casuists of the Roman Church, particularly the Je­suits, accused, are no false Imputations un­justly laid to their Charge, but are truly de­livered by them. This none can have a face to deny any more, since the Pope and a Con­gregation of Cardinals have gathered these [Page]Opinions out of the Books of Casuists, and have thus condemned them. So that our Di­vines who have charged that Church for tol­lerating these impious and immoral Doctrines, are no more to be suspected as false Accusers, since here we have Witnesses beyond excep­tion, that these Opinions have been publickly taught by the Masters of the Casuistical Di­vinity among them.

Of the following Propositions I desire the Reader may consider the 26. and 27. by which he will see that those Directors of Consciences, teach, That if a man is questioned whether he has done a thing that he really did, he may for­swear it, meaning within himself some other thing, or any other way of doing it, or any additi­on to what he says, in which cases he does not lie, nor is he perjured: And a just cause of such Reservation, is, when they are necessary to save our Life, Honour, or Goods, or for any other act of vertue; so that the concealment of truth be judged expedient or desirable.

By this Doctrin, suppose a man is examin­ed concerning the Murder of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey, that was privy to it, he may swear he knows nothing of it, meaning either that he was not unjustly murdered, or that he was not murdered with an ill intention, or that he knows nothing of it so as to tell those who examin him: and there is a very just cause for using these Reservations, since such denials are intended to preserve the Lives, Honour, and Goods of Catholicks. These being the Opinions of their Doctors, none can wonder if the People, a great part of whose Devotion it is to obey their Confes­sors, are perswaded into such practices.

But to this it may be now opposed, that these Opinions being condemned by the Pope, we need fear the ill effects of them no more. Upon this I shall make a second Reflection, which is no less clear than the former; that this Condemnation is so lame and defective, that notwithstanding it, even those who sub­mit [Page]to the Infallibility of the See of Rome, may still hold the following Positions. I need not desire the Reader to observe that it is a­bove twenty years since Complaints were first made to the Popes by some of their own Clergie in France, of the Immoral and Impi­ous Doctrines of the Casuists: but so preva­lent were the Arts, that the Jusuits have used to obstruct any Censure, that the world has been all this while corrupted with these ill Opinions, which many Confessors have infu­sed into peoples consciences; whereby it can­not be doubted but many thousand souls have been lost: and this Sentence which has been but a week in England, comes too late for them, who are already in another world, and are answering for the prevarications to which they may have been perswaded by their Con­fessors.

But after all this Condemnation, we are not at all secured from the ill effects of these Opinions. For the Pope does not condemn [Page]them as Impious, Immoral, or contrary to the Laws of God and Nature: Now does he re­quire all persons under the pain of mortal sin, or as they would not incur the indignation of Almighty God, to teach these Propositions no more; though that is the common style of Bulls, in matters of much less concernment. If he had done it thus, the Condemnation had been of greater Authority; and so all that believe the Pope infallible had been indeed obiligatory, and indispensable. But it is of a far milder strain: these Opinions are declared to be at leastSee the like re­mark made on the Cen­sure that Pope Ale­xander the 7th passed on some other Pro­positions, by D. Lloyd in his Ser­mon at the Funeral of Sir Edmund Bury God­frey, p. 32.33. scandalous and pernicious in practice. How softly and mercifully does his Holiness treat them. To be Scandalous and Pernicious amounts to no more, but that such Propositions have ill effects, but does not conclude them to be ill in themselves. If then the case comes, that these Opinions may have good effects, the Pope by a faculty may dis­pence with them, since they are not declared to be in themselves evil or impious.

All persons are also required neither to de­fend nor publish them, nor reduce them to practice: This is only a Prohibition, but no Condemnation. The Pains are, Excommu­nication ipso facto, and they are required in the vertue of Holy Obedience to do so no more. Nothing here of the Law of God and Na­ture, but only Holy Obedience: Therefore since the Pope can dispence with all the Laws of the Church, but more particularly with the Obedience due to himself, it is evident from hence that all the effect this Decree can have, is only to make it necessary for Confes­sors to procure a Faculty dispensing with it, before they may possess their Penitents with these Opinions: which, how easily it may be obtained at Rome, is well enough known.

So that by this Decree these two Points are clearly made out, that such Opinions are maintained by many Casuists in the Roman Communion; and that this notwithstanding they may be still taught among them.

DECRETUM S. S. D. N. D. INNOCENTII DIVINA Providentia Papae XI. quo 65. Casuistarum Propositiones ad minus tanquàm scandalosas & in praxi perniciosas damnavit, & sub poena ex­communicationis ipso facto, & S. Sedi Apo­stolicae reservatae ab ullo defendi vel edi prohi­buit.

Feria v. die 2. Martii 1679.

IN GENERALI CONGREGATIONE Sanctae Romanae, & Universalis Inquisitionis habita In Palatio Apostolico Vaticano coram Sanctissimo D. N. D. Innocentio Divina Providentia Papa XI. ac Eminentissimis, & Reverendissimis Dominis S. R. E. Cardinalibus in tota Republica Christiana contra Hae­reticam pravitatem Generalibus Inquisitoribus, à San­cta Sede Apostolica specialiter deputatis.

SAnctissimus D. N. Innocentius Papa XI. prae­dictus ovium sibi à Deo creditarum saluti se­dulò incumbens, & salubre opus in segre­gandis noxiis doctrinarum pascuis ab innoxiis à foel. record. Alexandro VII. Praedecessore suo in­choatum prosequi volens, plurimas propositiones partim ex diversis, vel libris, vel thesibus, seu scriptis excerptas, & partim noviter adinventas Theologorum plurium examini, & deindè Emi­nentissimis, & Reverendissimis Dominis Cardina­libus contra haereticam pravitatem Generalibus In­quisitoquisitoribus [Page 4]subjecit. Quibus propositionibus se­dulò & accurate saepius discussis eorumdem Emi­nentissimorum Cardinalium, & Theologorum vo­tis per Sanctitatem Suam auditis. Idem Sanctissi­mus D. N. re posteà maturè considerata, statuit, & decrevit pro nunc sequentes propositiones, & unam­quamque ipsarum, sicut jacent, ut minimùm tan­quàm scandalosas, & in praxi perniciosas, esse dam­nandas, & prohibendas, sicuti eas damnat, & pro­hibet. Non intendens tamen Sanctitas Sua per hoc Decretum alias propositiones in ipso non expressas, & Sanctitati Suae quomodolibet, & ex quacumque parte exhibitas, vel exhibendas ullatenus approbare.

1. NOn est illicitum in Sacramentis conferen­dis sequi opinionem probabilem de vo­lore Sacramenti, relicta tutiore, nisi id vetet lex, conventio, aut periculum gravis damni incurrendi. Hinc sententia probabili tantùm utendum non est in collatione Baptismi, Ordinis Sacerdotalis, aut Epi­scopalis.

2. Probabiliter existimo, Judicem posse judica­re juxtà opinionem etiam minuù probabilem.

3. Generatim durn probabilitate, sive intrinseaca sive extrinseca quamvis tenui, modò à probabilita­tis finibus non exeatur, confisi aliquid agimus, sem­per prudenter agimus.

4. Ab infidelitate excusabitur infidelis non cre­dens ductus opinione minùs probabili.

5. An peccet mortaliter, qui actum dilectionis Dei semel tantùm in vita eliceret, condemnare non audemus.

6. Probabile est, nè singulis quidem rigorosè quinquenniis per se obligare praeceptum charitatis erga Deum.

7. Tunc solùm obligat, quando tenemur justi­ficari, & non habemus aliam viam, quâ justificari possumus.

8. Comedere, & bibere usque ad satietatem ob solam voluptatem non est peccatum, modò non ob­sit valetudini, quia licitè potest apptitus naturalis suis actibus frui.

9. Opus Conjugii ob solam voluptatem exerci­tum omni penitùs caret culpa, ac defectu veniali.

10. Non tenemur proximum diligere actu in­terno, & formali.

11. Praecepto proximum diligendi satisfacere possumus per solos actus externos.

12. Vix in Soecularibus invenies, etiam in Regi­bus superfluum statui. Et ita vix aliquis tenetur ad eleemosynam, quando tenetur tantùm ex superflou statui.

13. Si cum debita moderatione facias, potes absque peccato mortali de vita alicujus tristari, & [Page 8]de illius morte naturali gaudere, illam inefficaci af­fectu petere, & desiderare; non quidem ex displi­centia personae, sed ob aliquod temporale emolu­mentum.

14. Licitum est absoluto desiderio cupere mor­tem Patris, non quidem, ut malum Patris, sed ut bonum cupientis, quia nimirum ei obventura est pinguis haereditas.

15. Licitum est filio gaudere de parricidio Pa­rentis à se in-ebrietate perpetrato propter ingentes divitias indè ex haereditate consecutas.

16. Fides non censetur cadere sub praeceptum speciale, & secundùm se.

17. Satis est, actum fidei semel in vita elicere.

18. Si à potestate publica quis interrogetur, fi­dem ingenuè confiteri, ut Deo, & fidei gloriosum consulo, tacere, ut peccaminosum per se non damno.

19. Voluntas non potest efficere, ut assensus fi­dei in seipso sit magis firmus, quàm mereatur pon­dus rationum ad assensum impellentium.

20. Hinc potest quis prudenter repudiare assen­sum, quem habebat supernaturalem.

21. Assensus fidei supernaturalis, & utilis ad salutem stat cum notitia solùm probabili revelati­onis; [Page 10]immò cum formidine, qua quis formidet, ne non sit locutus Deus.

22. Non nisi fides unius Dei necessaria vide­tur necessitate medii, non autem explicita Remu­neratoris.

23. Fides latè dicta ex Testimonio Creatura­rum, similivè motivo ad justificationem sufficit.

24. Vocare Deum in Testem mendacii levis non est tanta irreverentia, propter quam velit, aut possit damnare hominem.

25. Cum causa, licitum est jurare sine animo ju­randi, sive res sit levis, sive gravis.

☞ 26. Si quis, vel solus, vel coram aliis, sive in­terrogatus, sive propria sponte, sive recreationis causa, sive quocumque alio fine, juret, se non fecisse aliquid, quod revera fecit, intelligendo intra se aliquid aliud, quod non fecit, vel aliam viam ab ea, in qua fecit, vel quodvis aliud additum verum, revera non mentitur, nec est perjurus.

☞ 27. Causa justa utendi his amphibologiis est, quoties id necessarium, aut utile est, ad salutem cor­poris, honorem, res familiares tuendas, vel ad quem­libet alium virtutis actum, ita ut veritatis occulta­tio censeatur tunc expediens, & studiosa.

28. Qui mediante commendatione, vel mune­re ad Magistratum, vel Officium publicum pro­motus est, poteris curn restrictione mentali prae­stare juramentum, quod de mandato Regis à fimi­libus solet exigi non habito respectu ad intentionem exigentis, quia non tenetur fateri crimen occultum.

29. Urgens metus gravis est causa justa Sacra­mentorum administrationem simulandi.

30. Fas est viro honorato occidere invasorem, qui nititur calumniam inferre, si aliter haec ignomi­nia vitari nequit; idem quoque dicendum, si quis impingat alapam, vel fuste percutiat, & post im­pactam alapam, vel ictum fustis fugiat.

31. Regulariter occidere possum furem pro con­fervatione unius aurei.

32. Non solùm licitum est defendere defensione occisiva, quae acut possidemus, sed etiam ad queae jus inchoatum habemus, & quae nos possessuros spera­mus.

33. Lictum est tam haeredi, quàm legatario con­tra injustè impedientem, ne vel haerediras adeatur, vel legata solvantur, se taliter defendere, sicut & jus habenti in Cathedram, vel Praebendam contra corum possessionem injustè impedientem.

34. Licet procurare abortum ante animatio­nem foetus, ne Puella deprehensa gravida occida­tur, aut infametur.

35. Videtur probabile omnem foetum, quamdiu in utero est, carere anima rationali, & tunc primùm incipere eandem habere, cùm paritur; ac consequen­ter dicendum erit in nullo abortu hornicidium com­mitti.

36. Permissum est furari, non solùm in extrema necessitate, sed etiam in gravi.

37. Famuli, & famulae domesticae possunt occul­tè heris suis surripere ad compensandam operam su­am, quam majorem judicant salario, quod recipiunt.

38. Non tenetur quis sub poena peccati mortalis restituere quod ablatum est per pauca furta, quan­tumcumque sit magna summa totalis.

39". Qui alium movet, aut inducit ad inferen­dum grave damnum tertio, non tenetur ad restitu­tionem istius damni illati.

40. Contractus Mohatra licitus est, etiam respectu ejusdem personae, & cum contractu retrovenditio­nis praeviè inito, cùm intentione lucri.

41. Cùm numerata pecunia pretiosior sit nume­randa, & nullus sit, qui non majoris faciat pecuni­am praesentem, quàm futuram, potest creditor ali­quid ultrà sortem à mutuario exigere, & eo titulo ab usura excusari.

42. Usura non est durn ultra sortem aliquid exi­gitur, tamquam ex benevolentia, & gratitudine de­bitum, sed solum si exigatur tamquam ex justitia debitum.

43. Quidni non nisi veniale sit, detrahentis au­ctoritatem magnam sibi noxiam, falso crimine eli­dere?

44. Probabile est non peccare mortaliter, qui imponit falsum crimen alicui, ut suam justitiam & honorem defendat. Et si hoc non sit probabile, vix ulla erit opinio probabilis in Theologia.

45. Dare temporale pro spirituali non est si­monia, quando temporale non datur tamquàm pretium, sed dumtaxat tamquàm motivum con­ferendi, vel efficiendi spirituale, vel etiam quan­do temporale sit solum gratuita compensatio pro spirituali, aut è contra.

46. Et id quoque locum habet etiamsi tempo­rale sit principale motivum dandi spirituale, im­mò etiam si sit finis ipsius rei spiritualis, sic ut illud pluris aestimetur, quàm res spiritualis.

47. Cum dixit Concilium Tridentinum eos ali­enis peccatis communicantes mortaliter peccare, qui nisi quos digniores, & Ecclesiae magis utiles ipsi judica verint ad Ecclesias promovent, Concilium, vel primò videtur per hoc digniores non aliud signi­ficare velle, nisi dignitatem eligendorum sumpto comparativo pro positivo; vel secundo locutione minus propria ponit digniores, ut excludat indignos, non verò dignos; vel tandern loquitur tertio quan­do fit concursus.

48. Tam clarum videtur, fornicationem secun­dum se nullam involvere malitiam, & solum esse malam, quia interdicta, ut contrarium omnino ra­tioni dissonum videatur.

49. Molities jure naturae prohibita non est. Un­de si Deus eam non interdixisset, saepe esset bona, & aliquando obligatoria sub mortali.

50. Copula cum conjugata, consentiente mari­to, non est adulterium; adeoque sufficit in confessi­one dicere, se esse fornicatum.

51. Famulus, qui submissis humeris scienter ad­juvat herum suum ascendere per fenestras ad stu­prandum virginem, & multoties eidem subservit deferendo scalam, aperiendo januam, aut quid si­mile cooperando, non peccat mortaliter, si id fa­ciat metu notabilis detrimenti, puta ne à Domino malè tractetur, ne torvis oculis aspiciatur, ne do­mo expellatur.

52. Praeceptum servandi festa non obligat sub mortali, seposito scandalo, si absit contemptus.

53. Satisfacit praecepto Ecclesiae de audiendo Sa­cro, qui duas ejus partes, immò quatuor simul à di­versis Celebrantibus audit.

54. Qui non potest recitare Matutinum & Lau­des, [Page 20]potest autem reliquas Horas, ad nihil tenetur, quia major pars trahit ad se minorem.

55. Praecepto Communionis annuae satisfit per sacrilegam Domini manducationem.

56. Frequens Confessio, & Communio, eti­am in his, qui gentiliter vivunt, est nota praedesti­nationis.

57. Probabile est, sufficere attritionem natura­lem, modò honestam.

58. Non tenemur Confessario interroganti fate­ri peccati alicujus consuetudinem.

59. Licet Sacramentaliter absolvere dimidia­tè tantum confessos, ratione magni concursus Poe­nitentium, qualis v. g. potest contingere in die ma­gnae alicujus festivitatis, aut indulgentiae.

60. Poenitenti habenti consuetudinem peccandi contra legem Dei, Naturae, aut Ecclesiae, etsi emen­dationis spes nulla appareat, nec est neganda, nec differenda, absolutio; dummodo ore proferat, se dolere, & proponere emendationem.

61. Potest aliquando absolvi, qui in proxima occasione peccandi versatur, quam potest, & non vult omittere, quinimmò directè & ex proposi­to quaerit, aut ei se ingerit.

62. Proxima occasio peccandi non est fugienda, quandò causa aliqua utilis, aut honesta non fugien­di occurrit.

63. Licitum est quaerere directè occasionem proximam peccandi pro bono spirituali, vel tem­porali nostro, vel proximi.

64. Absolutionis capax est homo quamtumvis laboret ignorantia Mysteriorum Fidei, & etiamsi per negligentiam, etiam culpabilem nesciat Myste­rium Sanctissimae Trinitatis, & Incarnationis Do­mini Nostri Jesu Christi.

65. Sufficit illa Mysteria semel credidisse.

QUicunque autem cujusvis conditionis, status, & dignitatis illas, vell illarum aliquam con­junctim, vel divisim defenderit, vel ediderit, vel de eis disputativè publicè, aut privatim tracta­verit, vel praedicaverit, nisi forsan impugnando, ipso facto incidat in excommunicationem latae sen­tentiae, à qua non possit (praeterquam in articulo mortis) ab alio quacumque etiam dignitate ful­gente, nisi pro tempore existente Romano Pontifice, absolvi.

Insuper districtè in virtute Sanctre obedientiae, & sub interminatione Divini Judicii prohibet om­nibus Christi fidelibus, cujuscumque conditionis, [Page 24]dignitatis, & status, etiam speciali, & specialissima nota dignis, ne praedictas opiniones, aut aliquam ipsarum ad praxim deducant.

Tandem, ut ab injuriosis cotentionibus Docto­res, seu Scholastici, aut alii quicumque imposte­rum se abstineat, & ut paci, & charitati consu­latur idem Sanctissimus in virtute Sanctae Obedi­entiae eis praecipit, ut tam in libris imprimendis, ac manuscriptis, quàm in Thesibus, Disputatio­nibus, ac Praedicationibus caveant ab omni cen­sura, & nota, necnon à quibuscumque conviciis contra eas Propositiones, quae adhuc inter Ca­tholicos hinc inde controvertuntur, donec a San­cta Sede recognitae super iisdem Propositionibus judicium proferatur.

FRANSISCUS RICCARDUS Sanctae Romanae, & Universalis Inquisitionis Notarius.

Loco [...] Sigili.

ANno à Nativitate D. N. Jesu Christi millesime sexcentesimo septuagesimo nono. Indictione se­cunda, die verò 4 mensis Martii, Pontificatis antem Sanctiss; in Christo Patris & D. N. D. Innocentii Di­vina Providentia Papae XI. anno tentio, suprodictura Decretum, affixum & publicatum fuit ad Valui [...]s Ba­silicae Principis Apostolorum, Cancellariae, Apostolicae ac in acie Campi Florae, ac in aliis locis solitis, & con­suetis Urbis, per me Franciscum Perinum, ejusdem Sanctiss. D. N. Papae & Sanctissimae Inquisitionis Cursorem.

FINIS.

THE DECREE Of our Most Holy Father INNOCENT by the Divine Providence the XI. Pope, by which he has condemned 65 Propositions of Casuists, as at least scan­dalous and pernicious in practice, and has Prohibited them to be defended or published by any, under the pain of Excommunication ipso facto, and that to be reser­ved to the Holy Apostolick See.

Thursday the 2. of March, 1679.

In a General Congregation of the Holy Roman and Universal Inquisition, held in the Apo­stolick Palace in the Vatican, before our most H. Father Innocent, by the Divine Providence the XI. Pope; and the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lords, the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, being specially depu­ted by the Holy Apostolick See, to be the Ge­neral Inquisitors for the whole Christian Com­mon-wealth, against all Heretical Pravity.

OUr said most Holy Father Pope Innocent the XI. considering seriously the salvation of the Sheep committed to him by God, and designing to prosecute that healthful work that was begun by his Pre­decessor Alexander the 7th of happy Memory, of se­parating the hurtful Pastures of evil Doctrines from those that are not so, has gathered many Propositions, partly out of Books, Theses, or other Writings; partly out of some late Innovations, and appointed them to be examined by several Divines, and has since laid them before the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Cardinals, who are the General Inquisitors against Heretical Pra­vity. [Page 5]Which Propositions having been diligently; exactly, and frequently discussed, and the Opinions of the said most Eminent Cardinals and Divines having been heard by his Holiness, the said most Holy Father having maturely considered the Matter, has at present appointed and decreed, that the following Propositions, and every one of them, as they are set down, shall be damned and prohibited, as be­ing at least scandalous and pernicious in practice; like as he does hereby damn and prohibit them. His Ho­liness not intending by the Decree to approve in any man­ner, other Propositions that are not here expressed, that either have been or shall be hereafter presented to him.

1. IT is not unlawfull in the Administration of the Sa­craments to follow a Probable Opinion concerning the Validity of the Sacraments, rather than one that is more safe; unless that the forbidden by a Law, Agreement, or the hazard of some great Damage. Hence it follows, that an Opinion only probable is not to be followed in the conferring of Baptism, or of Priestly or Episcopal Orders.

2. I think it Probable, that a Judg may give sentence according to an Opinion that is less Probable.

3. Generally when we do any thing trusting to the Proba­bility of it, whether it be Intrinsecal, (Which is grounded on Reason) or Extrinsecal (that is grounded on Au­thority) were it ever so small, so we do not go beyond the bounds of probability, we act always prudently.

4. An Infidel that will not believe, trusting to an Opi­nion that is less probable, shall be thereby excused from his Infidelity.

5. We dare not condemn a man of Mortal sin that never had any act of love to God, but one, in his whole life.

6. It is probable that the Precept of loving God does not oblige rigorously, and of it self, no not once every fifth year.

7. It only then obliges us when we are bound to put our selves in a state of Justification, and have no other way left us by which we can do it.

8. It is no sin to eat and drink to satiety only for pleasure, so that it does not prejudice our health; for the natural appetite may lawfully enjoy its proper acts.

9. The use of Marriage only for pleasure, is free of all fault, and even of a venial defect.

10. We are not bound to love our Neighbour by an internal formal act.

11. We obey the Command of loving our Neighbour by external acts only.

12. It is hard to find among secular persons, even Kings, an abundance; so there is scarce any body bound to give Alms, if one is only obliged to give out of their abundance.

13. One may without Moral sin be troubled for the life of another, so he does it with due moderation: and [Page 9]one may rejoyce at the natural death of another, and de­sire and wish it with inefficacious desires, so it be not out of dislike to the person, but for some temporal ad­vantage.

14. It is lawful to desire the death of ones Father by an absolute desire, so that it be not desired for the Fathers hurt; but for his good that wishes it, that he may thereby obtain a good Inheritance.

15. It is lawful for a Son to rejoice for the Mur­der of his Father committed by himself, when he was drunk, for the great riches which may come to him by in­heritance.

16. Faith does not seem to come within any special or absolute Precept.

17. It is enough to have one act of faith in our whole life.

18. If one is examined by the Civil Power, I advise him to confess the Faith Ingeniously, as a thing both for the glory of God and of the Faith; but if he is silent, I do not condemn it as sinful of it self.

19. It is not in the power of the will, that the assent of Faith be more firm in it self, than the weight of the reasons which inforce it does require.

20. A man may prudently reject a supernatural assent which he had formerly.

21. An Assent of Faith that is supernatural and profi­table to salvation, may consist with a probable knowledge [Page 11]of Revelation only: Yea, even with a fear by which one ap­prehends that God has not spoken it.

22. The faith of one God seems only to be necessary by an indispensible necessity, but the explicit belief that God is a rewarder seems not necessary.

23. Faith in its large sense only from the evidence of the Creation, or some such motive, is sufficient for Justifi­cation.

24. To call God a witness to a lie in a light matter, is not so great an irreverence, that he either will, or can damn a man for it.

25. If a man have cause for it, whether it be small or great, he may lawfully swear without an intention of swearing.

26. A man either alone or before others, may ei­ther☜ when he is asked, or of his own accord, or for his diversion, or any other end swear that he did not do a thing which he really did; having a secret meaning, either of some other thing which he did not do, or of another way of doing it, or of any other truth which he adds to it; in which case he is in truth neither a liar, nor is he per­jured.

27. A just cause of using those secret meanings is as oft☜ as it is necessary or profitable for the preservation of life, or honour, or saving ones goods, or for any other act of vertue; so that the concealment of truth seems in that case expedient or desirable.

28. He that is promoted to a Magistracy, or Publick Office, either by the means of some recommendation or present, may with a mental reservation take the Oath which Kings usually require, not regarding the intention of him that exacts it, because he is not bound to confess a secret crime.

29. A pressing and great fear is a just cause of dis­sembling in the administration of the Sacraments.

30. It is lawful for a person of Honour to kill a man that intends to calumniate him, if there is no other way to avoid that reproach. The same is also to be said, if one gives another a box in the Ear, or cudgels him, and runs away after such beating or cudgelling.

31. A man may regularly kill a Thief that he may there­by save one Crown.

32. It is not only lawful to defend the things that we possess by killing such as invade us, but like wise the things to which we have only aright begun, and which we hope to possess.

33. It is lawful to an heir, or one to whom a Legacy is left, to defend himself against him that hinders him injustly to enter on his inheritance, or to receive his Le­gacy by the same means, that a Professor or Prebendary may use against such as hinder them from their possession.

34. It is lawful to procure an Abortion before the Conception is quickned, least the Woman being discovered to be with Child should be either killed or defamed.

35. It seems probable that all Conceptions as long as they are in the Womb, are without a reasonable Soul; and that they then begin to have one when they are first born, and by consequence there is no Murder committed in any Abortion.

36. It is lawful to steal, not only in extream necessity but in a heavy one.

37. Servants of either Sex may secretly steal from their Masters, for the value of their service, if it is greater than the Salary which they receive.

38. A man is not bound under the pain of mortal sin to restore that which he stole by many thefts, how great soever the sum total may be.

39. He that moves or perswades another to do a hurtful thing to a third person, is not bound to make up the damage which is thereby sustained.

40. The contract of Mohatra is lawful, though made with the same person, and with a reselling of the same thing, before agreed on, with a design of gain.

41. Since money laid down is more valuable than that which is only due, and all men value money that is pre­sent, more than that they look for, a Creditor may expect more than the stock from the borrower, and be thereby excused from being an Usurer.

42. It is not usury, when somewhat beyond the stock is looked for, so it be, not exacted as due by justice, but as due by benevolence and gratitude.

43. Why may it not be said that it is only a Venial sin in any to lessen the great authority of another, which is hurtful to himself, by charging him with some false crime.

44. It is probable that he does not sin mortally, who fastens a false crime on another, that he may defend his own justice and honour; and if this is not probable, there is scarce any Opinion probable in Divinity.

45. It is not Simony to give a temporal thing for the spiritual, when the temporal thing is not given as the price; but only as a motive for the bestowing or doing the spiritual thing; or when the temporal is only a gratuitous, compensation for the spiritual, or the spiritual is a compen­sation for the temporal.

46. This does also take place, though the temporal thing be the principal Motive for bestowing the spiritual; nay though it be the very end of the spiritual thing, and be more highly esteemed than the spiritual.

47. Whereas the Council of Trent saies that they sin mortally, and participate in other mens sins, who do not promote to Churches those whom they judge more worthy, and more useful to the Church; that Council did thereby mean either by the more worthy only, that such as are promoted should be worthy, using the Comparative degree for the Positive; or by an Impriety of speech, the more, worthy are mentioned, that persons unworthy may be ex­cluded, but not such as are worthy; or Thirdly, the mean of a match of two, that then the more worthy be preferred.

48. It seems so clear that Fornication has no real evil in it self, but is only evil because it is forbidden, that the contrary Opinion is plainly against all reason.

49. Voluntary Pollution is not forbidden by the law of Nature; So that if God had not forbidden it, it had been often good, and that to which men might be sometimes ob­liged under the pain of mortal sin.

50. It is not Adultery to lie with a married woman, if her Husband gives consent; and it is enough in that case for a man to confess that he committed Fornication.

51. A Servant who lets his Master rise upon his Shoulders to go in at a Window, knowing that his design is to defile a Virgin, and does serve him by bringing a Ladder, opening a door, or doing some such thing in con­currence with him, sins not mortally; if he does it for fear of notable prejudice, to wit, least he be ill used by his Master; be looked at awry, or turned out of doors.

52. The Precept of observing Festivities, setting a­side the scandal, does not oblige under the pain of mortal sin, provided that it is not out of contempt.

53. He satisfies the Precept of the Church for hearing Mass, that hears two, yea even four parts of it of several Priest that Celebrate.

54. He that cannot say his Matines and Lauds, [Page 21]but can say the rest of his Hours, is bound to nothing, for the greater part draws the lesser with it.

55. A man may obey the Precept for Receiving the Sacrament once a year, by Sacrilegious Communica­ting.

56. Frequent Confession, and Communion, even in those that live as Heathens, is a mark of Predestination.

57. It is probable that a natural attrition, so it be honest, is sufficient.

58. We are not bound to confess the custom of any sin to a Confessor that asks it.

59. It is lawful to absolve one Sacramentally, that has made but a half Confession, when there is a great crowd of many Penitents; such as for instance, may happen on a great Festival day, or a time of indulgence.

60. Absolution is neither to be denied nor delayed to a Penitent, that has a custom of sinning against a law of God, of Nature, or the Church, even though there is no hope of his amendment, if he saies he is sorry and purpo­ses an amendment.

61. One may be sometimes absolved that continues in the nearest hazard of sining, which he neither can nor will withdraw from, even though he does directly and on design seek it, and thrust himself in it.

62. The nearest hazard of sinning is not to be avoid­ed when a profitable or honest occasion of flying from it does not occurr.

62. It is lawful to seek directly the nearest hazard of sinning for the spiritual, or temporal good, either of our selves, or of our Neighbours.

64. A man is capable of Absolution, though he lies un­der an ignorance of the Mysteries of Faith; and even though by a Negligence, that is his own fault, he knows not the Mystery of the most Holy Trinity, and the Incar­nation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

65. It is sufficient that he once believed those My­steries.

WHosoever of whatsoever condition, State, or digni­ty shall defend, or publish these or any of them conjunctly, or severally; or shall treat or preach of them by way of dispute, either publickly, or privately, except it be to argue against them; he does thereby ipso facto incurr an actual Excommunication latae sententiae, from which he cannot be absolved (except in the hour of death) by any how eminent soever their Dignity be, but only by the Pope for the time being.

Moreover, he strictly Prohibits in the virtue of Holy Obedience, and under the pains of the Judgments of God, all faithful Christians, of what condition, dignity and [Page 25]state soever they be; though under some singular or most extraordinary Character, that they shall not reduce the fore­said Opinions, or any of them into practice.

Finally that all Doctors or Schoolmen, and all other Persons do for the future abstain from all injurious con­tentions; and our most Holy Father commands then [...] the virtue of Holy Obedience, that they study to maintain Peace and Charity, and that as well in their Printed and Written Books, as in their Theses, Disputes, or Sermons, they abstain from Censures, Nick-names, or Reproaches of all sorts, concerning those Propositions which are yet controverted on both sides, among Catholicks, till the Holy See having considered them; shall give Judgment about them.

FRANCIS RICHARD Notary to the General Inquisition of the Holy Roman Church.

IN the Year from the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1679. the Second Indiction, the 4 of the moneth of March, the Third Year of the Pope­dom of our most Holy Father Innocent by the Di­vine Providence the XI. Pope. The foresaid De­cree was offered and published at the Gates of the Basilica of the Prince of the Apostles; and in the Apostolical Chancery, and in the Field of Flora, and in the other usual and customary places in the City, by me Francis Perin Messenger to our most Holy Father the Pope, and to the most Holy Inqui­sition.

The End

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