The First Discourse.

THE Character of the persons speaking in these Dialogues, as just and natural as it is, is not very common in this Age. They are two men perfectly neuters, in a controversy wherein the world is infi­nitely divided: their main care is, to watch against all prejudices, that might incline them more to one party, than to the other: And they continue in this right disposition of mind, in this evenness and equality of tem­per, till their own strict inquiries, sagacity and judgment, with an exact discussion of [Page 2]some decisive points of fact turn the scales, and determine them to joyn with those that have the truth on their side.

The matter before them is, what men ought to think of the Provincial Letters, that famous book so esteem'd, so decry'd; so commended, so detested; so useful to Christianity, say some, so pernicious and so scandalous say others. The subject well de­serves attention: And that both the Jesuits and their Adversaries, and those also that have declar'd for, or against either party, shou'd interest themselves in the examination of an affair hitherto so little clear'd, or made plain.

Many men of great quality having, for some years past, made that which is to be the subject of these Dialogues, the subject of their conversations, I might have intro­duc'd, without any improbability, or injury to truth, real persons, whose names are e­qually known and illustrious; but the gust or relish of our age, in this very different from that of old Rome, and old Greece, where the Crassus's, the Catta's, the Socrates's, and the very authors themselves under their own names us'd to be brought in speaking in such kind of works, obliges me to take ano­ther method: and therefore thô they are the thoughts, reflexions, reasonings and de­cisions of Mr. .......... and Mr. ......... which are here set down, yet must it be under the names of Cleander and Eudoxus, that they are to be understood to speak.

A book publish'd three or four years ago was the occasion of their first discourse about the Provincial Letters: this book is call'd, Le Paralelle des Anciens & des Modernes: but they were hinder'd, at it's first coming forth, from reading it, by a long voyage they had made out of the territories of France: as soon as they had read it throu', having made, as they went along, several reflexions according to their usual custom upon all new books, that are worth the while, Cleander put Eudoxus in mind of a passage, that had startled them, the discussion of which they had put off to the end, because it was like to be long, and that they had a mind, once for all, to satisfie themselves fully upon that chapter. It was the passage in the second tome, where the Provincial Letters are men­tion'd, and where all the persons in the Dia­logue conspir'd to give those Letters the greatest commendation that ever was, or can be given of any work; Paralelle des An­ciens & des Mo­dernes. Tom 2. pag. 121. here are the very words Mr. Perrault makes them speak.

‘You see then that Lucian and Cicero, who you acknowledge are able men, have made Dialogues; what men of this age will you compare to them?’

‘I coud compare with them many authors, who at this day are excellent in this way [Page 4]of writing. But I will content my self to make one only enter the lists with them: that is the illustrious Mr. Pascal with his eighteen Provincial Letters, which have been read by a million of men without ever tire­ing, I can assure you, any one of them, but for a single moment.’

‘I have read them above ten times; and notwithstanding my natural impatience, the longest always pleas'd me most.’

‘In the language there is nothing but pu­rity, greatness in the thoughts, solidity in the reasoning, finess in the raillery; and all over such a grace as one shall hardly find elsewhere.’

‘I own that these Letters are very pleasant and diverting: but will you compare eighteen small, loose, flying papers, with the Dia­logues of Plato, Lucian and Cicero, which make several great volumes?’

‘The number or bigness of the volumes signifies nothing; if in these eighteen Let­ters there be more wit, than in all the Dialogues of Plato; more neat and delicate raillery, than in those of Lucian; but raillery [Page 5]inoffensive, never transgressing the Rules of decency and good manners; if there be more strength and more art in his reasonings, than in those of Cicero: lastly, if the art of Dialogue be found there whole and intire, ought not the smallness of the volume to be a commendation rather than a reproach? to speak truth, we have nothing better in this kind of writing; have you read the latin translation of them?’

‘I have, and it is very fine.’

‘Did it please you as much as the ori­ginal?’

‘Full as much.’

‘I am very glad on't. You know that in Greek Lucians Dialogues are admirably witty; but in Ablancourts translation, dull and insi­pid: and as to the Provincial Letters you say the French and Latin do equally divert you. Confess that I have catch'd you nap­ping in the point of prejudice or prepos­session.’

Most certainly, sayd Eudoxus, either this encomium is excessive, or else this book is a master-piece of the wit of man: for not [Page 6]only the stile is pure, the thoughts noble, the reasoning solid, the raillery neat; but There is nothing but exactness, greatness, solidity, wit and grace. In one word, All the art of Dialogue is there whole and intire. They cannot more expresly free them from all sorts of faults, nor more fully include in them all manner of perfections. Mr. Perrault's Abbot has sometimes without doubt the faculty of tasting and judging well; I am only afraid for him and Mr. Pascal of hyperboles. That a million of men shou'd have read the Pro­vincial Letters, is certainly one, answers Cle­ander, which our language allows him: for the arithmetic of Grammarians is not so exact nor so scrupulous, as that of merchants and bankers. But for that which he adds, that among this infinite number of readers not one was wearied, he ought at least to have excepted the Jesuits, who I am confident had no great pleasure in reading them.

Why so? replies Eudoxus: I have seen many of 'um, who told me they had found that book very agreeable and diverting: not indeed, that they believ'd all that was there set down was true: for they pretend that his Railleries always decent and civil, as Mr. Perrault stiles them, are gross and infamous ca­lumnies: but yet, like men of wit they di­stinguish'd the turn and manner of expression, which pleas'd them, from the things them­selves, which vex'd them.

That in good earnest is a pleasant fancy, and [Page 7]I love them for it, says Cleander, that while all the world is made merry at their cost, they themselves shou'd share in the diversion; after the example of Socrates, who laugh'd as well as the other spectators, at Aristophanes's Comedies, where he himself was play'd upon, and made the subject of the sport. And yet after all I believe if Pascals Letters had no other judges or approvers but these Fa­thers, they wou'd run a great risque of losing part of their reputation. For which reason I think we shou'd do well to take other rules for criticising on this occasion: and that, generally speaking, the best that we can fol­low, in examining the works of Pascal and his friends, and in examining the Jesuits books, is not to give too much credit either to the one or to the other. There is good reason for exceptions against both; and more especi­ally in the affair in hand, rather than any o­ther. This is like one of those knotty suites in law, wherein, by the number of justifi­cations, recriminations, replys, and rejoyn­ders, there appears nothing cleer of either side. The public was never more divided: half the world have declar'd that the Jesuits are guilty of loose morals: the other half look upon the Jansenists as detractors and ca­lumniators, for decrying so considerable a body of the church, in revenge to the zeal they have shewn against their novelties and their errors. Those who have only read the Provincial Letters are of the first opinion: [Page 8]those that have read but the Jesuits answers are of the other; but for my part, who have read both, I know not yet what to think. Let us begin there, if you please: this is the chief point, or almost the only one we have to examin: for as to the politeness, the elegance, the wit and the purity of the lan­guage, I believe we shall both be of Mr. Perrault's opinion.

What, says Eudoxus, briskly interrupting him, I am not at all satisfi'd with you, at the very moment you caution against prejudice, and shew the evil of it, do you your self give into it; and immediately, without hesi­tation, subscribe to the most extraordinary panegyric that ever was made of any book written in our language? the greater, the more pompous, and the more unrestrain'd the commendation is, the more it ought to be suspected: and I do own, that it wou'd be a sensible pleasure to me, to find some spots in this Sun, which they wou'd have me look upon as the pure fountain of light.

When the prepossession becomes general, replys Cleander, it ought no longer to pass under that name; at lest in the ill significa­tion which is commonly given to the word. There is nothing but truth, evident truth, that can make it's way throu', and be ac­ceptable to all the world. And you your self do agree with me, that there are none, not excepting even the Jesuits, that do not do Pascal justice; upon the point, wherein I desire your concurrence.

The maxim you advance, answers Eudoxus, how true and general soever it may seem, ad­mits of some exceptions, most especially in works of the understanding. I allow that no book coud ever have an universal and con­stant approbation, which was not extreamly well writ. The case of that, and of the Prea­chers of the Court and of the City, is one and the same: a talent that is but common and indifferent, by whatever faction or party it may happen to be cry'd up and supported, will most certainly, early or late, fall to the ground: on the contrary, a vogue or reputa­tion, follow'd with a crowd of hearers, and increasing, instead of diminishing, with the length of time, is a manifest conviction of an extraordinary merit, but as there are several degrees of excellence, I presume that a work, excellent in the main, being once suppos'd to be such, may afterwards, by the strength and power of prejudice and prepossession, pass for most excellent and incomparable. How many old authors are there, whose very faults are esteem'd, and even their negligences admir'd rather than censur'd? has not this been ob­serv'd by our author of the Parallele des An­ciens & des Modernes, and by some critics a little bolder than the rest? and how do we know that this is not the good fortune of the Provincial Letters, and that Mr. Pascal being once allow'd to write well, and that in his work there was art, close transitions, neat expressions, a great deal of wit, and a great [Page 10]deal of ornament, men took not up an opi­nion, That there is nothing but purity in the language, nobleness in the thoughts, finess in the railleries, and all over such a grace as is hardly to be found elsewhere: that the art of Dialogue is there preserv'd whole and intire; and that there is nothing better extent in this kind of writing. Indeed I wou'd not willingly ingage my self to shew you faults in every page, nor make a list of all his ill expressions, as long as that which the author Des entretiens d' Ariste & d' Eugene, sometimes since made, of those found in the translation of Thomas à Kempis De l'imitation de Jesus Christ; another preten­ded master-piece, every where preach'd up for a model of the purity of our language; but perhaps as we go along I may find enuff to make you abate somewhat, in these very points, of the high thoughts you have of these Letters.

You coud not do me a greater pleasure, replys Cleander, and I freely confess the fault I have committed against our main maxim; and to make use of the author of the Paral­lele's expression, in the passage we have just now read, you have surpris'd me In the very fact.

It is so natural, says Eudoxus, to suffer our selves to be carry'd away with the stream, that it is not without much difficulty and reflexion, that we can master our inclinations to rash judgment; we are naturally prone to judge of every thing, and at the same time [Page 11]to hate that application which is necessary to do it well; and so fond are we of truth, that we immediately leap at, and almost never fail to take any thing for truth, which has but the least shadow or appearance of it. But you must know, that there never were more cun­ning contrivances, nor more traps lay'd to catch men, than there have been in this very matter: both sides cry out, have a care of prejudices, judge of the things only by pure reason, by experience, and the matters of fact.

‘My dear reader, says Wendrock, in the preface to his latin translation of the Pro­vincial Letters; I beg the favor of you that you wou'd come prepar'd to read this book with a pure and unprejudic'd mind; and to judge of it rather by your own insight and reason, than by the knowledge and under­standing of any other; give me leave only to advertise you, that, in case you have suf­fer'd your self to be prepossest against these Letters, by the clamors of the Jesuits, it is but just, that before you begin them, you shou'd lay aside all your prejudices, as every prudent reader ought to do.’

On the other hand, the Jesuits Apologist crys as loud as he can in his readers ear. ‘My dear reader, let not the writer of these Letters surprize you; or if he has already done it, let him no longer abuse your cre­dulity; which advice I think my self oblig'd to give you.’

That is to say, says Cleander interrupting him, that both sides, by much exclaiming and adviseing against prejudices, do all they can to fill us with prepossessions; and by seeming to give us an antidote against poison, endeavour to make us swallow the poison it self.

Very right, answers Eudoxus, and in such oc­casions as these both parties seldom fail of gain­ing their ends, when either of them is heard without the other.

But I foresee, says Cleander, that to judge of the present matter, with that equity, and ex­actness you pretend, we shall have need of more than one Library. For I have not in mine, nor I fancy have you in yours, Escobar, Fagundez, Della-Cruz, Vera-Cruz and all the rest, whose very names so frighten'd Montaltius, that he had much a do to believe they were Christians.

We shall have no want of that, answers Eudoxus, I have a friend, a Jansenist, who has all the Casuists of the Society, and who will be delighted to shew them to us. But I do not believe we ought to begin there: before we come to the discussion of the passages in the Jesuit Divines, there are some general points, upon which we may argue without the help of a library. One of which, is Pas­cal's System of the Jesuits policy, to make themselves masters of the people's consciences, not for the greater glory of God, but for the greater glory of the Society. It is an article of large extent, and many things de­pend [Page 13]upon it: and in the Provincial Letters great care is taken, that the readers shou'd never lose it quite out of sight: and if we take Wendroks word, this is properly the busi­ness, and the subject matter of these Letters: this you may see by the title he has given his latin translation. Lewis Montalt's Provin­cial Let­ters, of the Ies [...] ­its mo­ral and political doctrine. Ludovici Montaltij Litterae Provinciales, de morali & politicâ Jesuitarum dis­ciplinâ. Let us, I pray you, this week, read with care and attention the Provincial Letters, and the Jesuits answers, and every thing re­lating to this subject; that we may afterwards communicate our reflexions to one another; which done, we will, if you please, descend to particulars; to the end that once for all, we may choose our sides. With all my heart, says Cleander, and you may depend upon it, that I will do it with all possible exactness, and all the care imaginable.

It must be acknowledg'd, answers Eudoxus, that these Letters have given the Jesuits repu­tation a terrible wound; and that they have debauch'd and drawn away from them a vast number of their friends, in Court, City and Country. Nor has any thing more increas'd the number of their adversaries: never was there a diversion made to better purpose, nor with greater effect than this. That book alone has made more Jansenists, than Jansenius's Au­gustinus, and all Mr. Arnauld's books together.

This book has yet done more, adds Clean­der; it has made in France a kind of a third party, which shall be mine, in case Montaltius [Page 14]be not found to impose upon the Jesuits: it is of those, who abhorring novelties in the dispute of Grace, and in all other contro­verted points, submit themselves sincerely to the Church, without wrangling by the un­sincere distinction of Fact and Right; and who likewise cannot bear the relaxation of morals, wherewith the Jesuits are reproach'd: and up­on my word this party is almost as numerous as the other two.

Without doubt it ought to be very numer­ous, says Eudoxus, and I look upon it to be somewhat like that, which was in France in the beginning of Henry the IV's. Reign, whilst he continu'd a Hugonot. The Zeal of Religion on one side, and the unjust pretensions of the Leaguers on the other, made an infinity of persons stand neuters, and hinder'd them from declaring either for the League, or for the King, before he imbrac'd the Religion of his Ancestors. But I much doubt whether the conversion of the Jesuits wou'd have as good an effect for them, as that of the King had for himself; and whether their innocence, if fully clear'd, wou'd wholly turn that party to their side. The indifferent, and the well minded honest people wou'd do them justice: but how many are there who follow this third party, either because they were not consider'd, nor courted by the Jansenists, nor by the Jesuits; or because, how nice soever they are about the article of faith, they are not so in the article of charity?

How many think you are there, who with­out examining, as exactly as we intend to do, the accusations against the Jesuits, have no other ground, nor other reason for the dis­advantagious judgments they pass upon their doctrin, but the authority of the Provincial Letters; or the authority of some persons, who have taken no more pains than they, to inform themselves of the truth? how few in the world have taken care to defend them­selves from being surpriz'd in this matter, either by reading the Jesuits answers, which they have not so much as look'd into; or by examining and comparing the passages, which these Fathers maintain were alter'd, mangled and transpos'd; or by certain reflexions natu­ral enuff, which ought to have hinder'd them from precipitating their judgment, in things of this nature and importance? believe me, that men, who in the same kind of offices and employments emulate or strive to outdo each other, men who in the Schools maintain and defend contrary opinions, and men who being of the same community or society, do greatly love it's fame and reputation, and wish it might out-shine and excel all others, are very prone to pass a rash judgment on the affairs of such, as may stand in their way, and give them any jealousy, or obstruct their glory or advancement. They are neither the rules of prudence, nor of the strictest morals which are then always follow'd: but however it be, the Jesuits will for a long time, feel the [Page 16]effects of the blow the Jansenists have given them.

It is certain, answers Cleander, that the Gentlemen of Port-Royal shew'd themselves Masters in the art of policy and cunning: they were very near their ruin; the doctrin of Jansenius had been condem'd at Rome; the condemnation receiv'd with all possible sub­mission, not only in France, but likewise over all the Catholic Church; and the King, by an express Declaration, directed to all the Prelats of the Kingdom, had commanded the publication and execution of it: he had sent the Popes Decree to the Paris Divines in Sorbonne, and an order in writing by Mr. de la Mothe Hodencourt, the then Bishop of Rennes, that they shou'd take care, for the time to come, that nothing, thô never so little devia­ting from this rule of Faith, shou'd be taught or advanc'd, either in Theses or Lessons by the Doctors or Batchelers of their Society. Upon this order, they made a decree, prohi­biting all Doctors and Batchelers from teach­ing or defending any of the propositions con­dem'd, upon pain of being expell'd the Uni­versity. The Clergy of France, then assembled at Paris, had written to Pope Innocent the X. upon the conclusion of this important affair, Letters of thanks and congratulation, signed by Cardinal Mazarin and all the other Prelats. The distinction of Fact and Right, which seem'd to be the parties last ressource, was, some­times after, detested, by another Assembly [Page 17]of the Clergy, as a wicked evasion, and per­nicious artifice of the Port-Royal's, to re­establish, insensibly, their errors. Nor cou'd there possibly be any thing better done, to confound and break all this party's measures, than the circular Letter written, upon this occasion, by the Bishops of this Assembly, to all the rest of the Bishops of the Kingdom; and their Letter, which, presently after, they sent to the Pope, to acquaint his Holiness with this new difficulty and contrivance.

Mr. Arnauld's proposition, That the Gospel points us out a just Man in the person of Saint Peter, who upon an occasion wanted Grace, where­in it cannot be sayd that he did not Sin: after several consultations in Sorbonne, was condem'd and declar'd rash, wicked, blasphemous, already anathematiz'd and heretical: he himself turn'd out of Sorbonne, with disgrace, his name blotted out of the Catalogue of Doctors, and by the same decree, all that shou'd come into their assemblies, and all the Batchelers, that, for the future, shou'd hold Divinity acts, were oblig'd to subscribe to this censure and condemnation. In a word, there never was any party more scurvily handled and run down, than this was, both by the Ecclesiastic, and by the Secular powers. When these cunning men, all on a sudden, altering the Scene chang'd the whole face of things; and at the same time that some pittied, others blam'd, and not a few affronted them, and rejoyc'd at their condition, they fell upon acting a Comedy, that made the Specta­tors [Page 18]forget all that had newly past; they started a fresh game, and put a tric upon the Public almost without their perceiving it; and made them hunt the Jesuits, upon whom turning short they fell with violence, fury and cun­ning; having at first made a shew, as if their design had been to run down the Sorbonne; they put them upon the defensive, and push'd them home so briskly, that they got ground, and gain'd the applauses of many, who a little be­fore had no thoughts for them, but of rage and indignation. Infine many, after they had, for some time, look'd upon them as corrupters of the faith, were insensibly drawn in, to consider them as the great defenders and restorers of Christian Morals, and the disciplin of the Church.

As, far as I perceive, replies Eudoxus, you are well instructed in this history.

I was that year at Paris, answers Cleander, where I finish'd my Studies in the Law. I had some friends among both parties, which made me im­prove, more then ever, the curiosity I always had to know what passes in such kind of dis­putes. I knew a great deal of the intrigues of both sides, and I cou'd at that time have written admirably well the history of Jansenisme.

Since it is so, sayd Eudoxus, recollect I pray you the particular history at least of the Provin­cial Letters, and tell me all the circumstances of that whole affair. This perhaps may not be un­useful towards instructing us in the cause now in hand. With all my heart, answers Cleander, I [Page 19]remember them very well, and can satisfie you immediately.

Mr. Arnould perceiv'd, that all the serious A­pologies he cou'd make for Jansenius and himself, cou'd never miss of being seriously examin'd; he was likewise well satisfi'd, whatever good opi­nion he had of his own abilities; that having the Pope upon his back, the King, the Chan­cellor of France, the Assemblies of the Clergy, the Sorbonne, all the Universities, and all the Communities (for Jansenisme was every where anathematiz'd) he coud not be long able to support the cause. It is hard for a man to have so many accusers, to except against so many judges, to lose his cause in so many Courts, and yet all this notwithstanding to persuade the world that he is still innocent. Being then up­on the very point of falling into a more grievous misfortune than ever he had met in all his life, that is, of being driven out of the Sorbonne, with the qualities of a dangerous fellow, a disturber of the public, an opiniator and a heretic, he fram'd a design, not to put by the blow, this he saw was unavoidable, but to make it matter of sport to himself and friends; and to contrive things so, that the public might laugh at it; in hopes that the people weary of the difficult questions, which, for a long time, had busied the Sorbonne, they might perhaps willingly take that occasion to divert themselves; and that then possibly the farce might blot out all the impres­sions the precedent serious Scene had left. And this it was, that occasion'd the publishing of [Page 20]the first Letter to the Provincial: who was not a Jack of Lent, a man in the clouds, as many believ'd, but a real person Mr. Perier by name, Counsellor in the Court of Exchequer at Cler­mont in Auvergue.

I know what he was, says Eudoxus interrup­ting him, it was he, that made the famous ex­periment of the quicksilver upon the Mountain Puy de Damme, at the entreaty of his brother-in-law Mr. Pascal.

The very same, answers Cleander; but althô there are eighteen Letters, under the title of Letters to one in the country, and which at this day pass under the name of Mr. Pascal, yet were they not all written to that one and the same man: nor is it certain, as some will have it, that they were all writ by Mr. Pascal. You your self may remember, that only the first ten are directed to the Country Gentleman. The six which next follow, were written to the Re­verend Fathers the Jesuits, and the two last to Father Annat.

I know that, says Eudoxus, but I am surpriz'd at what you tell me, that it is not certain, that all the eighteen Letters are Mr. Pascal's. You see that Mr. Perrault, in his Dialogues, makes him the author of them all without any ex­ception. It is, says he, the illustrious Mr. Pascal with his eighteen Provincial Letters. And he that writes the seventeenth Letter declares himself the author of the preceding sixteen. Wendrok also in his latin translation seems, every where to suppose, they were all the products [Page 21]of one pen; what then can make you doubt it?

I have seen, answer'd Cleander, some Manu­script memoirs, by which it appears, that the three first Letters were Mr. Arnauld's; and where it is also added, that this Doctor having sent them to Mr. Pascal, thô at that time there was some little misunderstanding between them, Mr. Pascal judg'd it not advantagious, to carry on the raillery farther in such abstracted subjects, as were treated of in those Letters: that in order to engage, or amuse the public, it was necessary to find something more material, and more in­telligible: that the Casuists decisions, was a much fitter subject for such kind of pleasantries, and that it was not difficult, to expose and bring them into play. Whereupon he propos'd to him, in general, a Scheme how the work might be carried on: which was so very pleasing to Mr. Arnauld, and all the Port-Royal, that they wholly left to him their interests, as well the manner and conduct, as the execution of this affair: so that in a little time after, that is to say, about the end of February 1656, the fourth Letter under the former title appear'd; which was the first of Pascal's, according to this ac­count, which I will not warrant, considering the testimonies you have produc'd, of Mr. Perrault, of Wendrok, that is to say, of Mr. Nicole, and of the seventeenth Letter. And indeed the very stile of the three first Letters determins me to follow the common opinion: for there is in them too much lightness and humor, to come [Page 22]from Mr. Arnauld, and too much gall and bit­terness, to fall from the pen of this Doctor.

However it be, it is also pretended, that notwithstanding the great success of this fourth Letter, the Knight of Meree advis'd Pascal to lay aside absolutly the matter of Grace, which was also handled in this, althô in reference to Morals, and to give himself a greater latitude, than that subject wou'd allow of: an advice, which he willingly follow'd to the Jesuits cost; whom he made answerable, in spite of all they cou'd say in their own defence, for the most odious and most extravagant things in point of Morals, contain'd in the Satyr against the Casuists.

These indeed are considerable particularities, says Eudoxus, and of which very few are in­form'd. I have yet more curious and more certain ones to acquaint you with, continues Cleander, you know what our writers of Come­dies do commonly practise, before they ex­pose their works to the judgment of the Pub­lic; they have their friends and approvers, who are sure to cry them up; among whom there is, commonly, some Lady of the first rank for wit and quality, who takes upon her self the fate and setting off of the play: and points out before hand to her friends, all the several places they are to clap and admire. It was concluded very fit and convenient, not to neglect this innocent kind of artifice, to help forward the success of the Provincial Let­ters. Nevers house, now the Pallace of Conti, [Page 23]was then the meeting place of the wittiest per­sons and the most accomplish'd in Paris, in­vited thither, by the extraordinary civility, genteelness and magnificence of Madam du Plessis Guenegaud the Secretary of State's Lady. The Gentlemen of Port-Royal, with whom this Lady entertain'd a great correspondence, pitch'd upon her to bring the Provincial Letters into reputation, even before they were publish'd. Those who oftenest waited upon her, were the Abbot of ........ who at that time was very re­markable for his wit and merits, but yet had not then thought of writing a book Of the duties of a Monastic Lise. Mr. ........ and Mr. ........ both afterwards Counsellors of State, and famous for their superintendencies, and their Ambassys. Mr. ........ then a Hugenot, Joucquet the superintendent's favorit, and some others. To these she read the sixth Letter, which had been sent to her in manuscript, and did not forget as they came in her way, to make them take notice of all the excellencies she her self had before observ'd in it.

You will easily believe, that these Gentle­men did not refuse to give in their suffrages, not one of them was wanting in his duty on this occasion. The praises they every where gave this Letter made all the world impatient to see so great a master-piece; which soon after appear'd; and from Paris quickly spread it self over all the Provinces of the Kingdom; where it made such a clutter, such a hurly burly as put the Fathers of the Society into no small consternation.

The Post never had so good a time on't, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him: copies of it were sent to all the Cities of France: and al­thô I was very little known to the Gentlemen of Port-Royal, I receiv'd from them a great packet, post paid, in a City of Britany where I then was. I imparted the contents to my friends, and we read the Letter with a great deal of pleasure.

They took almost the same method for the following Letters, answers Cleander; the seventh by that means, got as far as into Cardinal Mazarin's hands, who, as all others did, laugh'd at it very heartily. The eighth came not out till the following month, on purpose, it seems, to have it wish'd for: for every thing relating to this matter seem'd to be carried on with great art, care and circumspection. Very few knew for certain the hand from whence these Letters came: all others did but guess at the Author. The honor of them was given to Mr. de Gomberville, and this report was spread all over Paris: but he freed himself from it, by a letter he writ to his friend, Father Ca­stillon, at that time, Rector of the Jesuits College.

In the mean time this mighty success did not hinder a great many, after their sport and fit of laughter was over, from making some very serious reflexions; nor from being scan­daliz'd at the outragious manner wherein the Jesuits were rail'd at, and the reputation of a Society torn to pieces, which till then had [Page 25]not only pass'd for men of exemplary lives and good manners, but also of eminent and ortho­dox learning. The very Marchioness of Sablé thô at that time very much in the interests of the Port-Royal, cou'd not one day refrain from asking Pascal, if he were very certain that all he had written in his Letters was true: for if all there sayd be not true, with what consci­ence, says she, can you publish them, and every where decry so considerable a body as that of the Jesuits? Pascal answer'd her, that it was their business who furnish'd him with the memoires to take care of that, and not his, who did but order and put them toge­ther.

I know this particular point to be true, con­tinues Cleander, from two very worthy persons of good credit to whom the Marchioness of Sablé her self recounted it, more then once, in the later years of her life.

It seems to me, sayd Eudoxus, that in reali­ty Pascal did not act very conformably to the principles of severe Morals: nor do I know, that he cou'd find any one, in those principles he calls loose or relax'd, which, in an affair of this nature, wou'd have allow'd him to de­pend upon, or govern himself, by the eyesight and fidelity of another: especially knowing full well, that those, who gave him the papers, were declar'd enemies to the Jesuits.

As to the rest, answer'd Cleander, after the tenth, the following Letters were not altoge­ther pure attacks: for by this time Pascal was [Page 26]oblig'd to put himself upon the defensive: be­cause the Jesuits pretended, they had convinc'd the Port-Royal of a great number of falsifica­tions and impostures, upon which, it wou'd not have consisted with their honor, to have been altogether silent. Mr. Nicole, under the name of Wendrok, soon after runs in, to their succor, or rather was put on, or let loose by the party, to finish and compleat the ruin and defeat of the Jesuits. He begun, in a very loud and high tone, the latin commentaries, which he added to his translation of the Pro­vincial Letters; and in them treats the Jesuits like a company of sad and miserable wretches. In a word, the whole contrivance succeeded, even beyond the contrivers own expectations. And thus you have a brief account of all I know, concerning the history of the Provin­cial Letters: of which, nothing more was at that time farther sayd.

Cleander took his leave of Eudoxus, and they did not, as they had agreed, begin to speak any more of them for some days after; that they might have time to read over, and con­sider what had been written, on both sides, upon the subject of the Jesuits Morals.

The Second Discourse.

CLeander being come to Eudoxus's house, to begin their Discourses touching the matter propos'd, found him in his Clo­set, still busied in turning over several books, for and against the Jesuits; wherein he had made a great many remarks, and layd them altogether upon his table. Ho then sayd he coming in, what think you now of the Jesuits polities, and the reflexions Pascal has made upon this article? have you at last found the first part of Mr. Perrault's panegyric of the Provincial Letters true? Is there nothing but solidity in his reasonings? for this is a point of reasoning: and it is an effect of Mr. Pascal's sagacity, to have discover'd mysteries till then so cunningly conceal'd: it is also much for his honor, that he has open'd the eyes of the world, in a matter of so great importance.

Several things, says Cleander, make me sus­pect this System: it is indeed a System, as you very well call it: the question is, whe­ther what he has there asserted, be solidly and strongly prov'd and made out; or whe­ther, at the bottom, it be nothing but a pure hypothesis; which being propos'd in a plau­sible manner, made the reader at first sight say, that this might very well be: and which being continued, and always supported, by the same kind of artifice, do's so manage the under­standng, that he is at last persuaded, it is a most certain truth.

This, in reality, is the main point of the difficulty, answer'd Eudoxus, and nothing cou'd be better stated. But let us look into the book: it is at the beginning of the fifth Letter, that Pascal lays open the policy and mysteries of the Jesuits: out of which Cleander read these words.

It cannot but be acknowledg'd, sayd Eudoxus, crying out as soon as he had done reading, that all this is admirably well sayd. These little bits of Imago primi saeculi, are well brought in, and apply'd the best in the World: that plain short stile he begins with; those little jesting reflexions, in two words, by way of parenthesis; Is it not a clear Pro­phecy of them ....... I believe he never tells a ly; are, at once, both enlivening and diverting. In that natural plain way of relating a thing, that cunning artifice to prepare the readers mind, by finding ways to remove all obstacles, which might hinder what one is about to say from being believ'd; there is not a word, that do's not answer his end, and serve to dis­arm the Jesuits before hand. This particular fact, of the Idolatry in China, mention'd as it [Page 34]were but by accident, or by the by, and, without any seeming affectation, recounted in few words, but yet without omitting one single circumstance that might contribute to it's be­ing believ'd as soon as spoken.

It's no small prejudice to the Jesuits, sayd Cleander interrupting him, that they do not own this thing, and that they pretend to have undeniably refus'd the imposture. That's no matter, pursued Eudoxus: I find my self per­suaded by this, almost in spite of me; and I am of opinion, that a great many others ought to be so too. But observe how Pascal, in a few pages, has compris'd and prepar'd all that was necessary for his chief design; which is to make all the Jesuits writers faults and mistakes to light upon, and be imputed to the whole body: say what you please, this is a bit they cannot swallow or digest; this little piece, this particular instance, is not to be answer'd. As to the rest, continues he, let that go for no­thing: For I see you ready, in your turn, to accuse me of being prepossess'd in favor of Pascal: all that I pretend to say, is, that he has given this passage a delicat turn; express'd it so very finely, that nothing cou'd be more per­suasive, or at least more seducing.

Whatever you wou'd say of it, answer'd Cleander, I see plainly, that the Jesuits are not very safe in your hands: and that without any great force upon your self, you cou'd stand up stifly in defence of what I have just now read to you, in case you shou'd not see it fully and perfectly refuted.

Not so fast, reply'd Eudoxus, do not I pray distrust my equity. I have newly vow'd, to be indifferent and stand neuter, between both parties, and nothing is able so to dazzle me, as to make me mistake the truth. 'Tis with the same disposition of mind, answer'd Cleander, that I am resolv'd to tell you, plainly, and without exaggeration, what may be sayd in favor of the Society.

The end and policy of the Jesuits, sayd he, is, to make themselves Masters of all mens Consci­ences; now there are two sorts of Christians; some that are truly pious, who seek for a sure way; for whom the Jesuits have taken care to have some severe Casuists; but a few for the few; whereas they have a multitude of loose Casuists, who present themselves to the multitude of those that seek for liberty and re­laxatien. Then he adds: See how they have spread themselves over all the earth, by the favor and assistance of the doctrin of probability, which is the source and basis of all this irregularity and corruption.

You might have added the direction of in­tention, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him, toge­ther with the doctrin of equivocations: for these also, as Pascal tells us, are main points of the Jesuits Morals.

That's true, reply'd Cleander, but these points, as great and general as they are, may be look'd upon, but as particular points, which we may examin at leisure: and it seems to me, that, for the present, we ought to dive and sift into nothing but their politics: the wonderful intelligence they have among them­selves [Page 36]for one and the same end; and which makes them, by concert and contrivance, act, so effectually, for the glory and grandeur of their Society: and the admirable partition of the rigorous and the relax'd doctrin between their Doctors; of whom, some are enjoyn'd to make the best of the first, and others of the second: all aiming, thô by so contrary means, By the favor and assistance of the doctrin of probable opinions, at one and the same end. To have discover'd this, if you believe Pascal, Is, to have found out the Spirit of the Society, which is not known to all the world. This is, in reality, the most curious part of this whole affair: and if the discovery of the partition be real and not chimerical, if this particular, single point, be very certain, all that he afterwards says of the Jesuits, may very well be believ'd. I shoul'd be no longer shock'd or offended at Wendrock's invectives against these Fathers, nor at the horrible injuries, wherewith he treats and oppresses them. But I declare to you, that I cannot easily conceive, nor seriously be­lieve, that such a project cou'd have been form'd, or carry'd on so long; that is to say till Pascal's time, or at least till the birth, or springing up of Jansenisme, without any body's perceiving it; or that, during all the wars and disputes the Protestants have had with the Doctors of the Church of Rome, and wherein the Jesuits were always the first assaul­ted, not one of their obstinat enemies, shou'd have thought of attaching them on that side: [Page 37]and that a thousand men shou'd have set them­selves, industriously, to examin, to meditate, to criticize upon, to decry their institute, to study their conduct, and to search into the secrets of their pretended politics, and yet not to make this discovery, is a thing, which, really appears to me, incredible, and morally impossible.

For, let us reason and argue a little, and sound, if it be possible, into the depth of this policy. By what person, I pray you, cou'd this strange design be conceiv'd and brought forth? was it by their founder Saint Ignatius? can we see, I do not say the scheme, but the shadow or least idea of it in their Constituti­ons? do any of the decrees of their General Congregations carry a tendency to this end? can we point at any one of their Generals, from Saint Ignatius downwards, to this day that has plotted this conspiracy, so fatal to the Gospel, and the purity of our Savior's Morals? was it not think you Father Caraffa, he, who without dispute was one of the holiest men of our age, and who, after he had govern'd for some years, died, but just as Pascal had attri­buted so good and laudable an intention to the Society? for, infine to carry on a pro­ject fix't and determin'd after this manner, and such as Pascal proposes it, the execution of which depends upon the whole body, or, at least, upon a great number of particular mem­bers, who must have the same prospects and designs, there must be one conductor and one [Page 38]soul, with whom all these several particulars must have a correspondence, to guide and in­fluence the motion. When Titus Oates and Bedloe, some years since, made a scheme of a plot in England, which cost Viscount Stafford, Mr. Coleman, and the five Jesuits their lives, they did not forget a seeming probability and shew of truth. They made the General of the Jesuits, by the Pope's permission, to dis­patch all Commissions for the war, and dis­pose of all Offices of the Crown. The wit­nesses swore, they had seen a patent sealed with the Societies seal, by which my Lord Arundel was constituted Lord high Chancellor of Eng­land, by another, my Lord Powis was made Lord high Treasurer; by a third, my Lord Bellasis was declar'd General of the Army, that was to be raised against the King: of this army, my Lord Petre was appointed Lieute­nant General, all sign'd by Joannes Paulus Oliva General of the Jesuits. In this manner things were particularly resolv'd upon and specified: the pretended head of the plot, and all the other conspirators, were very well known; and all this was believ'd by the common people of England, and God knows what horrid things were then sayd of the Jesuits politics. I wou'd fain see something like that, in this other conspiracy, of which the Jesuits are accus'd; especially, since Pascal gives us to understand, as he do's in the fifth Provincial Letter, that this great abuse, and total subversion of our Saviors Morals, is, not the effect of hazard, [Page 39]nor of an extravagant fancy, but, a setled con­certed matter; which althô it be not the Je­suits end, their principal end, it is, however, a mean agreed and resolv'd upon among them, and of which without any new deliberation they daily make use, every one in his way, to bring about their main purpose and design.

It is pleasantly done of you, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him, to compare Mr. Pascal with Oates and Bedloe; those two gallant fellows, whose equally gross and infamous proceedings had so incens'd Mr. Arnauld, Tom. 1. pag. 292. that in his Apo­logy for the Catholics, he cou'd not forbear calling them rogues and villains. As to the rest, I do not very well know, what answer Mr. Pascal wou'd have made you, if the question had been put to himself: but I know, that in the place we have newly read, he seems to have obviated the objection, and answer'd it before hand. For being desirous to establish that principle, which makes so great a part of all his Letters, that this contrariety of severe and remiss Casuists, which is to be seen, as he says, in the Society, was not the effect of chance, nor of a liberty, that every one in it might have, of following his own caprice or wild fancy, in the choice of his opinions, this is the manner he speaks in.

‘Ho what cou'd there be, answer'd I him, the design of the whole body? it must needs be, that they have no certain fix't and deter­minate design, and that every one has the li­berty to say, at all adventures, whatever he [Page 40]thinks fit. That cannot be, reply'd he; so great a body cou'd not subsist with a rash, inconsiderat, conduct, or without a soul, that rul'd and govern'd all it's motions. Besides they have a particular order, not to print any thing, without leave from their Superiors. But how then, sayd I to him, can the Superiors consent to Maxims so very contrary? that is the thing I am to ac­quaint you wirh, answer'd he. Know then, &c.’

This is again repeated in the ninth Letter, as a point of the last importance. ‘And do you not know, says his Jesuit, that our Society is answerable for all the books of our Fathers? I must needs instruct you in this matter, for it is very fit you shou'd know it: there is an order in our Society, by which all sorts of Printers and Book­sellers are forbid to sell any of our Fathers works without the approbation of the Di­vines, and the permission of the Superiors of our Society .......... Insomuch, that our whole body is responsable, for all the books of every one of our Fathers: whence it comes to pass, that no work of ours, which has not the spirit of the Society is ever pub­lish'd, and thus have I told you, in few words, what I judg'd was convenient for you to know.’

By this you see, continu'd Eudoxus, Pascal supposes, that this policy resides in the Supe­riors of the Society; and that it is, by con­cert [Page 41]and agreement with them, that the infe­riors do act, in bringing about this design of the whole body; and he do's not only sup­pose, but also farther endeavors to prove it, by observing and setting down, what is very true, that they have a particular order to print nothing without their Superiors permission.

It is of these cunning words, reply'd Clean­der, you wou'd now discourse, words, which are thrown in, as it were by the by, without any seeming affectation, and which yet not­withstanding make the deepest impression upon the readers mind. Upon the coming forth of the Jesuits Apologies, they never fail'd to make a great noise of this their rule, to print nothing without the General's consent. But this week, as I was looking over all these matters, I was very desirous to satisfie my self in this point, as well as in the others. To which end I went ere yesterday to visit a Jesuit of my acquaintance, a man of wit and consi­deration; and put him upon this subject. I told him, that this particular order, known to be among their rules, of printing nothing without their Generals leave, was, by their ad­versaries, made use of to their prejudice, and, by vertue of it, all the faults of particular per­sons were attributed to the whole body.

I see then, sayd he to me, that you also have been so good and easy, as to suffer your self to be trapand, drawn in and caught in this net, as before you, several others have been. You call this a particular order, as if it were [Page 42]not common to us, with almost all communi­ties and bodys of men where there is any re­gularity and subordination; and yet notwith­standing it is but against us only, that it is objected and improv'd. But the manner a­lone, adds he, of executing this order, will convince you, of the weakness of the argu­ments our enemies draw from this topic: it is true, that we have this rule or order, to print nothing without our Generals permission, but it is not to be suppos'd, that the General him­self reads and passes his own judgment upon all the books printed by the Jesuits in every part of the world. If that were so, his whole bu­siness wou'd only be to read books: for there has been a General, under whose government there were volumes enuff made, upon the single controversies with the Protestants of Germany, Flanders, France and England, to have taken up and employ'd the whole time of his General­ship. But for your farther satisfaction, you are to know, that the ordinary method of li­cencing books is after this manner.

The General gives the Provincials power, to approve of all the books in their own districts. But you must not fancy, that the Provincials themselves do read these books; no, no, their other employments do not allow them leisure for such a work: but they name three persons to do it, upon whose suffrages, they either give or refuse their approbation, and these three persons in passing their judgments are oblig'd to follow, not their own particular [Page 43]notions and prejudices, but (especially in mat­ters of Divinity) the opinions commonly re­ceiv'd in the Catholic Schools and Universities. This is usually the rule they follow, wherein a great many other very good ones are includ­ed. This is the way ordinarily taken for this business, and it is impossible it shou'd be done otherwise. So that you see, there is little dif­ference between a book printed, upon the ap­probation of three Doctors of Sorbonne with reference to the whole house of Sorbonne, and a book printed, upon the approbation of three Jesuit Divines, with reference to the whole Society of Jesuits.

After the Father had thus entertain'd me upon this subject, he put me in mind of the persecutions, rais'd against the Society in Fa­ther Coton's time, and the beginning of their establishment in France; occasion'd by books, brought from Italy and other places, to make the French Jesuits guilty of treason against the state, or to be look'd upon as enemies to the liberties of the Gallican Church, and how the Court and Parlament, in those days, not­withstanding their prejudice, and the suspici­ons that were continually suggested against them, did always, in that affair, hearken to, and perfectly govern themselves, by reason.

Now the matter being thus, continu'd Cle­ander, and in reality not being possible to be otherwise, do's it not appear to you, that the system of the Jesuits politics, which Pascal has built upon this weak and ruinous foundation, [Page 44]is false and malicious? and this being allow'd, wou'd not the comparison I made, without pretending that it was very exact, be a little more so, than you thought of first? what a pleasant argument is this? the Provincial of a Province in Spain approves a book, upon the suffrages, or votes of three Spaniards of the Society; this book then being approv'd by the Superior, contains or comprehends the spirit of the whole society. Now the Jesuits having several different opinions, in their books, about one and the same matter, this diversity among their Divines, which is every day to be found, must be an effect of the General's politics, who presides over all, and who takes care for the glory and benefit of the Society, to make and keep up this diver­sity of opinions, at no less a price to the Church, than the subversion of Christianity, and the destruction of the Gospel: these are things, which a man, upon the least reflexion, wou'd be asham'd to have once thought, or but even suspected.

Eudoxus satisfied with this account of Clean­ders, sayd to him: you have indeed hit the nail on the head, and this simple explanation you have made of the matter, discovers, by it self alone, the weakness, the essential weak­ness of all Pascals Letters. But however, do not value your self too much, upon the honor of this my confession: for I my self, for a long time, have had some scrupules a­bout this fine system, in spite of the dazzling [Page 45]manner it is propos'd in: he includes, or sup­poses certain paradoxes, which are highly im­probable, and too remote from the common ordinary notions and ideas: for, according to what Pascal pretends to teach us of the Jesuits government, all those, who have had any share in it, must needs have been, and still are, not only great politicians (a commenda­tion which I my self know for certain, several of 'um do not deserve) but also most wicked profligate wretches, and the most resolv'd, and incorrigible libertins, who had absolutely re­nounc'd all piety, and Religion. But let me yet ask you, once more, what, according to Pascal, is the matter in dispute? nothing less, than the overturning and confounding the whole Gospel, the introducing Morals, per­fectly carnal, instead of those taught us by our Savior, the profaning our greatest and most august mysteries; and that in cold blood, by previous agreement and methods, by mea­sures expresly resolv'd on, marking out, to every man, the part he was to act in this exe­crable conspiracy; wherein, some were to ap­pear harsh and severe; others, gentle and ac­commoding. So that, not only the Superiors, but all their Divines, all their Confessors, all their Directors must engage in so damnable a plot; that is to say, two thirds of this great body: for, excepting the yong men, who are not in holy orders, all, or almost all, some, more, some, less, are employ'd in conducting and guiding of Souls. Now, to come to the [Page 46]matter of fact, I am very confident, that nei­ther you, nor I, nor any person in Paris, nor in any other parts of France, nor even those they call Jansenists, will ever believe, that any Jesuit, of their acquaintance, is capable of such and excess of impiety. I never yet saw the man, that sayd to me, of any one of them in particular: I know this Jesuit, to be a libertin, an Atheist, a man without consci­ence, and one, that wou'd sell his Soul, for the glory and interest of his Society: on the contrary, they give them, in general, the honor of certain vertu's, which can, as little, subsist without faith and the fear of God, as faith and the fear of God can, with the prin­ciples of this damnable policy. The Jansenists, from time to time, do make some common places in their books, in favor of their own patty, which sometimes the Jesuits, finding them made to their hands, may, I hope, be allow'd to apply to their own use. As for example, that which is sayd in a little book call'd Le Pere Bouhours convaincu de calomnie, and which may serve for a handsome pithy con­clusion to all I have sayd on this subject.

‘He must be very corrupt himself and rot­ten at heart, in the words of that author, who imagin'd his neighbor cou'd be guilty of such desperat wickedness and corruption; and none, but a man extreamly fond of the esteem of the world, cou'd fancy that others, by a form'd design, wou'd be willing to buy, at the price of their faith and of their Sal­vation, [Page 47]a vain name and reputation; or ra­ther the mad foolish pleasure of being talk'd of, no matter whether for good, or for evil.’

I will not examin, continued Eudoxus, the truth of this reflexion, but supposing it very probable, in reference to any one particular; it ought to appear much more so, in reference to the Superiors, Confessors, Directors and Missioners of the whole Society taken al­together; and it wou'd be in my opinion, a less wonder, to see, among the Jansenist Do­ctors, one or two hypocrites, libertins in their hearts, than to see this great number of Jesuits, without God, without faith and without con­science.

But what do I say, their Superiors, their Directors, their Missioners? After Pascal had unvail'd and discover'd all these pretended my­steries, and that the Provincial Letters had been read by all the Jesuits; after that, by vertue of these Letters, so many people be­liev'd they had a right to accuse them of their loose Morals; wou'd none of all those yong Jesuits, from whom till then they had hid the secret of their order, and who for the most part do not want wit, have open'd their eyes, and abhor'd to continue members of so cor­rupted a body? what desertion ought we not to have seen, by the favor of a motive so spe­cious and so reasonable as that? for it is not the same thing in this, as in other orders: here is always a door open, or at least one [Page 48]that is easily open'd to those who are fully re­solv'd to be gone. What fairer pretence cou'd any such have had, to color their baseness, or their inconstancy? and as for such, as are sometimes turn'd out of the Society, for their misbehaviour and ill conduct, cou'd they have had a more sure, and a more easy way to be reveng'd, than to publish and reveal this my­stery? or have the Superiors of the Society, over and above their politics, the art to infa­tuat and bewitch men, or, at one bout, to make so great a number of persons, Atheists, that have enter'd into their order, for no o­ther end, but to secure themselves, against the corruption of the world? now from what I have already sayd, it is clear, this policy of the Jesuits, cou'd be no longer a mystery, to any of themselves; and not being a mystery, it wou'd be a miracle, without example, if none among them shou'd have been scandaliz'd at, and afterwards discover'd this so abominable and so horrid an impiety.

It wou'd be yet a much greater prodigy, answer'd Cleander, to see men of such colors or characters, as the Jesuits are sometimes pain­ted in, strive for, and unanimously tend to the glory of their Society, by ways so differ­ent and so unequal, as are the employments of this Society. Some are seen in Courts, in credit and in reputation, respected, applauded, and honored with the kindness and confidence of Princes; whilst, at the same time, a very great number dy, of cold and hunger, in the [Page 49]forests of Canada: others go, with all imagin­able joy and chearfulness, to ruin their healths for the remainder of their lives, in the Isles of south, America; where of thirty, there are not found two, that in time are not destroy'd by the very malignity of the air; not to speak of those, that have been hang'd in England, burnt or buried alive in Japan, the common fate of a great number of their Missioners. For you must understand, Morale pratique pref. du a. tom. that it is plainly sayd, and publicly printed, that the Jesuits, in those Countries, are not one jot better, than those of France. And let them say as much as they please, of their trading and en­riching themselves in those far distant Coun­tries, it is putting too great a value upon traf­fick and commerce; and I know none, how greedy soever of gain, that wou'd be Mer­chants upon such terms. These good Fathers then will go, with great content and satisfacti­on, to have themselves roasted and eaten alive, by the Iroques and wild Americans, and to pass the winters, in the woods, with savages, with­out any other places of retreat, than a poor hut, or a cabane made of the bark of trees, where the smoak blinds and choaks those that are forc'd to retire thither, to defend them­selves against the extremity and bitterness of the cold; and all this, forsooth, only to have the honor of establishing, over all the world, their loose Morals, and enlarging the glory of their Society; and to give to the Secular Preachers, sometimes invited to Preach upon [Page 50]Saint Ignatius's day, an occasion to compliment the Jesuits of Paris, for their zeal, their fun­ctions, and their Apostolic labors. If this be so, I do not despair, but that we may live to see, some time or other, a Society of high-way men spring up, who, all joyning together in the design of robbing, plundering and kill­ing, will agree among themselves, that some, of them, shall peacably enjoy their booties, and the fruits of the others labors, without ever exposing themselves to any danger; and that these, after they have sufficiently robb'd and plunder'd, without enjoying any profit or advantage by all their labors, will give them­selves up to be hang'd and broken alive upon wheeles, only for the interest, and the security of the rest of their companions.

Self-love, sayd Eudoxus, is, in truth, too much self-love, to devote it self so absolutely and so intirely to the public good; such a kind of Man, is, in Morals, a chimerical whimsey, and it were meer madness to think, there cou'd be found a man, who, out of zeal to the common interest, wou'd wholy forget or deny himself, and sacrifice his ease and quiet, his pleasures, his satisfaction and his life, to the glory of the body, whereof he is a mem­ber, without once thinking of his own parti­cular. I wou'd say to him, and to all like him, what a Protestant Minister some years ago sayd to a Jesuit he met travalling towards China. He ask'd him what he had got from the Pope to engage himself in so long, so trouble­some, [Page 51]and so dangerous a voiage: nothing, answer'd the Jesuit. Ho, sayd the Minister in his Dutch latin, Bene stulti estis vos. You are a company of silly fools. Let. [...]n P. Verbiest.

That wou'd be, without doubt, answer'd Cleander, a very refin'd piece of vanity, and an act of pride, of a very particular nature: it is very rare to see, but two men of the same rank and quality, the same age, and, as near as possible, of equal wit and merit, agree with­out falling out, or without hurting or injur­ing one another upon occasion, if they be but never so little touch'd with vain-glory, or pos­sess'd with the spirit of pride: and yet one may see thousands of men, the vainest that ever were, if you'll believe the author of the system we are examining; of which the greatest part have wit and learning, and who, naturally speaking, ought to rival one another in em­ployments; I say, one may see them, accept of, and do their duty without murmuring, in posts that are most extreamly unequal, and be­tween which there is as much difference, for the conveniences of life, for diet and for lodg­ing, for conversation, for employment, and for all the natural satisfactions of the mind, as there is between the fairest and greatest Citys of this Kingdom, and the wildest and most dreadful Desarts of America and Monomotapa. Certainly, if this be the effect, either of vanity, or of policy, one may very well call it, a most extraordinary and incomparable Master-piece. So that whatever the author of the Paralelle des Anciens & des Modernes thinks of it, I will [Page 52]deduct, out of the panegyric he has made o the Provincial Letters, his Solidity of reasoning, or arguing, at least upon this first and most principal article. I can, in this point, com­pare at best Pascal's cunning but to the arti­fice of skilful painters in perspective, who pro­duce and expose pieces, which, at first view, pleasantly deceive and inveigle the lookers on, to make rash and false judgments; but such indeed, as are easily and soon corrected, by reason and reflexion. Nothing, sayd Eudoxus, can be better, more full, and more expressive than this your comparison.

I have something yet to say, answer'd Cle­ander, of greater force, and much more to the purpose; and which comes so naturally into a man's mind, who reads the Provincial Letters with never so little attention, and without pre­possession, that, certainly, it cou'd not have escap'd your own thoughts and reflexion. Pascal do's not at all keep his word with us. He undertakes to give us the character of a policy particular to the Jesuits, as the most subtil and crafty, that ever was invented or contriv'd by the wit of man: he promises to make us see into it's inmost recesses, and find out the finest and most delicat parts of this mystery; but how, I pray, do's he go about it? no doubt one wou'd think very learnedly and profound­ly: but alas! after all, he makes the Jesuits choose, very wisely, means to arrive at their ends, which, generally speaking, are common to theirs, with all other orders; with all other [Page 53]communities, and with all Universities: and by consequence either do not prove, that these Fathers are more subtil than others, or else, that others are, full as cunning as they.

And to make plausible this diversity of Di­rectors, of which some are easy and complesant, others rigorous and severe, he has made the Jesuits the inventors of the doctrin of probable opinions in Divinity; by which, says he, the contrariety of decisions is not only permitted, but also made useful and necessary.

That is not an ill thought, sayd Eudoxus, and this diversity of Directors, of whom some determin severely, others loosely, seems very like truth, and probable enuff according to the doctrin of probabilities, by which, very often some do, in reality, decide the cases propos'd, in a contrary manner to what others do.

That is true, answer'd Cleander; but as ill luck wou'd have it for Pascal, it is too well known, that this doctrin is much older than the Jesuits: and that it is so far, from being peculiar to them, that before it was decried and run down, by the horrible, friteful figures, wherein it was represented, that is to say, till within these thirty or forty years, it was taught every where, in all the Schools of Christen­dom. Insomuch, that the Jesuits, Quaestio [...]acti. to free them­selves from the imputation, have shewn, by a book expresly written, that this opinion, what­ever it be, is no more an opinion of theirs, than it is of the Divines of Sorbonne, or of [Page 54]those of Louvain, of the Dominicans, of the Fran­ciscans, and of all others; maintaining, and, in my opinion fully proving, that they never taught any thing in this matter, but what was taught, by the chief, and almost all the Do­ctors of these several Schools and Universities. I will shew you this book, whenever you will: for the proof of this matter of fact, which is most certainly true, wou'd carry us too far away from our present business. In the mean time, give me leave, to make this conclusion: that, if the doctrin of probable opinions, be, the secret and essential point of the Jesuits po­litics, the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Au­gustins, the Sorbonne, the University of Louvain and all others, are to the full, at least, as knowing as they, in matters of policy: and that, on one side, they do the Jesuits too much honor, in giving them more wit and more learning, than to all these famous Socie­ties; and on the other, the greatest injustice in the world, by making them, under this pretence, the sole authors of the real or pre­tended corruption of Christian Morals.

To which I will add; that you shall not only find, in all these several bodies, this wonder­ful foundation of the Jesuits policy, I mean the doctrin of probable opinions, together with all that depends upon it; but I will also shew you, and, in the same way, that Pascal has made use of, with so much wit, and so much charity to the Jesuits, that among the Divines of Sorbonne and of Louvain, among the [Page 55] Dominicans and other Religious orders, the two sorts of Directors, he mentions, the severe and the easy ones, are, without controversy, to be found; and by substituting the names of these communities, instead of the Jesuits, I will prepare you, by the fifth Provincial Letter, to hear their panegyric, exactly like or equal to that, which Pascal has made for the Society. I may perhaps retrench out of it, the story of John d'Alba, that of the probable box on the ear at Compiegne, some stroakes and touches of Imago primi saeculi: but searching on a little farther, I shall not miss of enuff and to spare, to make amends for this retrenchment. And I shall find very near as much to divert my self upon this subject, as Pascal has done. I will make my self the same sport, and with the same series of collections, out of several au­thors, heap'd up together, and dispos'd accord­ing to my own fancy; I will draw the same consequencies, make the same comparisons, the same invectives, and the same applications; and I will end with an address to the Dominicans, or to others as Pascal has finish'd his thirteenth Letter with one to the Jesuits, in these words. ‘Let us then conclude, my Fathers, that since your probability makes the good opinions of some of your authors unuseful to the Church, and only useful to your politics, they serve but to shew, by their contrariety, your double heartedness, the insincerity of your dealings, which you have plainly discover'd by declaring to us, that you have some of [Page 56]your Divines, on one side against murder, and that, on the other, you have many more eminent Casuists for it: to the end you may have two ways to offer men, de­stroying thereby the simplicity of the spirit of God, who curses all double minded peo­ple, who provide for themselves two paths to walk in, Ve duplici corde, & ingredienti dua­bus vijs.’

The Jesuits, answer'd Eudoxus, have long since in their Apologies made this observation, which effectually and irrefragably proves, if it be true, what you intended to make out, that Pascal's way of arguing in this matter is not solid, taking the word solid in it's common ordinary notion and acceptation. But it seems the author of the paralelle has form'd of it to himself a notion of much greater extent or la­titude. Perhaps as a member of the Academy he may have, or pretend to have, a right over the signification of words. How weak soever the arguments we treat of may be in them­selves, the wit which made use of them has given them some strength. Is it not to think and in some manner to write solidly, to get directly to his end, and to know how to guide and conduct his readers to it; to engage them in his interests, to inspire them with what thoughts he pleases, and to make them say their author is in the right, and that his adver­saries are for certain in the wrong? has not Pascal got what he aim'd at; and obtain'd his design? he has made his book to be read by [Page 57]all the world, and be believ'd by many; he has made, almost, every thing he has sayd in this matter plausible and currant. Exact truth was not the rule he follow'd; at least in the point we now speak of. Christian charity, a word much made use of in the Port-Royal books, has a little suffer'd by it, and nothing can be plainer, than that in this he has not acted by the strict laws of severe Morals. But it has produc'd at least the effect he intended: for my part, I'le call this being solid, if it were but to pleasure or compliment Mr. Perrault. But to come to the point, the bottom of the matter, continues he, do you think that Pascal was in earnest, and had a mind to be believ'd in all he sayd? surely his only thoughts were to gratisy his friends, and gain himself a repu­tation: this it was without doubt which made him so very desirous to divert both himself and the public.

Pardon me, sayd Cleander interrupting him, you do not fully consider what Pascal had in prospect: see what Wendrok says of it. Where­upon he open'd and read him the latter part of his first note upon the eleventh Letter, wherein he speaks after this manner. ‘To believe that Montaltius had no design in these Letters, but merriment and sport, or to make men laugh at the Jesuits cost, and divert the world by his witty writings, is to make an unjust and false judgment of them. He propos'd to himself a more se­rious, and a more holy end, and aim'd al­together [Page 58]at the Church and the Jesuits ad­vantage.’

Ay marry Sir, this is fine, good indeed, and very likely, answer'd Eudoxus laughing, as if I did not know Wendrok and his friends, and understand their meaning; 'twas, no doubt, for the good and benefit of the Jesuits, and in meer charity to 'um, that they writ the Pro­vincial Letters, and sent them about to every body; that they first presented them to their Proselits for a fifth Gospel; and that since, within these two years, their friends, the Reli­gious of **** order'd them to be read in the Pensioners Refectory; that they publish'd six or seven tomes of their practical Morals; and that in the Seminary of the Diocese of **** this book was formerly recommended, to such as were to enter into holy Orders, for their Spiritual Lectures; that they got all sorts of libels against the Society to be sent from Japan and from China, from the Philipine Islands, and from Paraquay; that they made the Jesuits Theater the maddest, and as is sayd, the most extravigantly slanderous piece, that ever was seen, pass under the name, and for the work, of a most holy and illustrious Spanish Bishop; and that they still daily give themselves, upon every occasion, a loose against these Fathers, endeavoring any how to destroy and subvert their reputations; railing and inveighing bit­terly against them, in their books, and in all companys, and conversations. Saint Paul, in his enumeration to the Corinthians of the effects [Page 59]of Charity, has forgot to make mention of any of these kinds; which makes me often doubt, whether Jansenist Charity be of the same spe­cies, or kind, with Christian Charity. And to speak my thoughts freely, I never saw any thing more od, not to say more sacrilegious, than the union they make of the charity in­spir'd by the Holy Ghost, with that gall, bit­terness, and animosity, which, on all occasi­ons, they shew and express; and which they endeavor to inspire into all mankind, both in privat and in public. I do assure you, that this very reflexion, alone, wou'd have hinder'd me from closing with this party, from being drawn in, dup'd, or made one of their cully's: and I am surpris'd to think, how men of wit cou'd hope, or expect, long, to blind or daz­zle the world by this method. For, tho' it be mightily corrupted, it has yet judgment enuff left, to discern and distinguish, whether some things proceed from the spirit of God, or from malice and passion.

And as for me, adds Cleander, I never saw this admirable secret, of sanctifying the most grievous injuries and invectives, practis'd, on a hundred occasions, by Mr. Arnauld and his friends, without being mov'd to laughter. I am persuaded if Moliére had but brought a se­cond Tartuffe upon the stage, he wou'd have given him this character; and, thereby have diverted the spectators as much as by the first. But I plainly perceive, continu'd Cleander, that we are fully agreed about the idea we have [Page 60]form'd to our selves, of the scheme Pascal has drawn of the Jesuits politics. You pardon Per­rault his having call'd it solid, since the author has obtain'd his end, and that he had the skill, according to the design he had fram'd to him­self, to make all he sayd pass for, or, at least, appear, like truth; and at the same time to give the reader so much pleasure and diver­sion, as to hinder him from reflecting upon the weakness and vanity of his system: this I wou'd have you pass by and allow me.

You will also grant me, that looking nar­rowly into things, this policy, so particular, so mysterious, and, at the same time, so exe­crable, is a meer empty fantome; which, ta­ken out of the fine and advantagious cloths he had dress'd it in, has nothing in it even of probability; nor can have any, except in Eng­land or in Holland, where a Jesuit and a wizard or a conjurer passes, among the generality, for one and the same thing.

Your thoughts and mine, answers Eudoxus, do perfectly agree: but this being suppos'd, cannot we now make, at least, upon this par­ticular article, the same reflexions that the Marchionesse of Sablé did, of which you spoke in our former conversation; and ask, with what conscience Pascal cou'd divert himself and the world, by a notion or idea, which how­ever empty and groundless it appears, and real­ly is, to any one, that gives himself but a little trouble to examin it, leaves notwithstanding a most frightful impression on the minds of the [Page 61]greatest part of his readers? by what principle of charity, or honesty, has he endevor'd, in the following Letters, to fortify and streng­then this impression, till he has given this idea root and footing, and made it familiar to all people; and, afterwards taking it for an un­deniable truth, he has made use of it, to en­able him, to tear in pieces most unmercifully the reputation of so considerable a body, as that of the Jesuits: for, as you very well ob­serv'd a little while ago, Pascals pleasanteries got more ground and credit, than several at first thought they ever cou'd or did deserve. From this hypothesis or supposition of the Jesuits Plot to aggrandize their Society, he claims a right, to say whatever he pleases; and makes them sacrifice all things even to the very Gospel, to bring it about he makes use of it, to have this Society look'd upon, as the plague of the Church, and to make every thing they either say or do be suspected. Upon this principle a case is ill decided by a Divine of this Society, must not be allow'd, as in another man, to be an effect of human weak­ness, but a wilful crime, and a premeditated attempt against the doctrin of Jesus Christ. They may pretend, but all in vain, that twenty of the most eminent Divines of the Society were of a contrary opinion; that was order'd, and done on purpose, for no other end, but to establish his system, of the division of di­rectors into two sorts, the one rigid and severe, the others soft and complesant. Whatever [Page 62]course the Jesuits take to defend themselves, Pascal still renews his attacks against them, and reinforces all by this common place.

That is to say, adds Cleander, that this false system, which is taken for granted in all the Provincial Letters, and from whence all that is besides contain'd in them, derives it's force, is a most horrible calumny, and an imposture carried on, and continued from one end to the other.

Why did not the Jesuits, answer'd Eudoxus, make this be perceiv'd, when those Letters were first publish'd? this foolish notion, which upon the first serious reflexion falls to the ground, having been once remov'd, all the world after a fit of laughter wou'd have enter­tain'd no thoughts, but of indignation against this Champion of severe Morals, and against those that had relax'd them, perceiving plainly that their actions were quite contrary to the maxims which they preach'd. Before the Jesuit went about to convince him, as they under took to do, of his nine and twenty particular falshoods and impostures, they ought to have begun with this general and essential imposture. And this being once prov'd, than which no­thing was more easy, all the world wou'd have been prepar'd to receive the rest as they de­serv'd: it wou'd have ruin'd beforehand the whole strength of Pascals replyes, all which turn upon this hinge, as well as his first accu­sations. The Jesuits not having soon enuff chas'd away this sprite or phantome, it became [Page 63]a bugbear, to friten from them an infinity of persons: and I confess to you, that, with this prepossession, I my self shou'd have found very little difference, between the direction of Jesuits, and the direction of Antichrist

And it appears to me, that those who be­liev'd Pascal have not done enuff: for upon supposition of a discovery made, of such a cor­respondence, and such a plot, actually on foot among the Jesuits, against the Morals of our Savior, they ought, every man of [...]um, to be drown'd, or treated, as convicted and obstinat Jews are treated by the Spanish Inquisition: fire and fagot for such a crime, well and clearly prov'd and made out, wou'd have been by far too small a punishment.

What a sentence is this you pronounce? says Cleander laughing: God defend the Jesuits from falling under the hands of a true down­right Jansenist, so severe as you in his opi­nion. I am satisfi'd, you wou'd not be long about the work, or do it at twice, but be of the good Religious Spaniards humor, who, even while Saint Ignatius was alive, sayd very un­kindly, Vie de S [...] Ignace. That all the Jesuits from Perpignan to Seville ought to be burnt. Pascal was not will­ing to carry things so far; 'tis true, that he sayd, very plainly, and without mincing of the matter, that the Jesuits had plotted and concerted among themselves, the destruction of Christian Morals, to the end their Con­fessionals and their Churches might be well fill'd: that this was a settled premeditated de­sign; [Page 64]and that for the execution of this fine project, their Doctors and Directors had, every one, their several parts mark'd and poin­ted out: but he easily foresaw, that, upon his word alone, the work wou'd not be presently undertaken, he did not expect that this, at first, wou'd be believ'd like an article of faith; it was sufficient for his purpose, to make the thing probable: and but only to doubt, or suspect it, was enuff, in the minds of many honest Men, to produce the effect he aim'd at: which was, to make them first mistrust the Jesuits, and afterwards to banish them their companies. More was not neces­sary, for an infinity of people, who have no great good will for them, to engage them to declaim aloud against the public disor­ders, or to bemoan, in soft whispers in their friends ears, the general depravation of man­ners, occasion'd by the relaxation and cor­ruption of the Society: and believe me, those very declamations and bemoanings, alone, are sufficiently powerful, to prepossess and fill peoples heads with groundless fancies, and obstinat opinions; which was all that Pascal propos'd to himself, or, at least, the party by his means. After whom comes Wendrok, not raillying, like him, but speaking, against the Jesuits, the most frightful injuries, malice cou'd invent; and persuading many, by the confidence alone of his assertions, to be­lieve that all he had sayd was true. As for my self, I have seen a well govern'd com­munity [Page 65]at Paris, and at Court a certain Lord, very pious and very conscientious, suppose as a matter of fact, of which there cou'd not be the least doubt, that the Jesuits Morals, were loose and corrupted Morals: a truth, say they, plainly shewn and made out by the Provincial Letters, and by Wendrok. Father ****, a very inwardly devout and good Religious man, has always entertain'd me in this manner upon this subject. Mr. ****, a most vertuous and Saint­like Priest, advis'd me to break off all com­merce with the Jesuits.

What do's all this prove, sayd Eudoxus, in­terrupting him, and almost angry, but that Pascal is the most skilful, the most malicious, and the most dangerous of all impostors? and that, by imposing upon the Jesuits a crime, as black and grievous, as it is chimerical and mo­rally impossible, he had wit enuff to make plausible, so extravagant a calumny: and that he is guilty of all the false and rash judgments, that have been, already, and still are, daily, made upon this subject.

Althô my thoughts, upon this whole matter, are almost the same with yours, answer'd Cle­ander, yet wou'd I not willingly declare them so plainly, and without reserve. Pascal an im­postor! that's an expression seldom made use of towards him: he is commonly call'd, the illustrious and the admirable Mr. Pascal.

Very well, reply'd Eudoxus, but yet this il­lustrious, this admirable Mr. Pascal, whom you are somewhat shy and unwilling to call an [Page 66]impostor, was treated in the Court of Justice, just as impostors are us'd to be. His Provin­cial Letters were publicly burnt with infamy, by the judgment and order of the Parlament of Province, declaring Them full of calumnies, fals­hoods, suppositions, and defamations: these are the express words of the sentence, which you may read at the end of the Jesuits answers to the Provincial Letters. You may also see at the end of the small collection made after the judg­ment of the Parlament of Aix, the commen­dations given by the Archbishop of Mechlin to those Letters; Approb. des Ré­pons aux Provinc. which he calls injurious, scanda­lous, and deceitful impostures, and graces their authors with the title of insolent detractors and calumniators. I remember, added Eudoxus, that turning over, lately, some old papers, I found one concerning this subject, and lo here it stands upon this shelf; it is the judgment given of the Provincial Letters, and Wendrok's notes upon them, by certain Bishops of France and Doctors of Sorbonne, who, by the Kings com­mand, had had the examination of them.

What say you to this, continues Eudoxus? I am of opinion, that if Pascals friends had not been as kind to him, as he was to them, Pascal, the impostor, wou'd not have been an expression so much out of fashion, as it is at this day. And I cannot but admire, that the good Fathers, the Jesuits, can suffer [Page 68]that all this shou'd be forgotten by the pub­lick.

Pascals friends, answers Cleander, do give out, that all these orders, judgments, and censures were obtain'd, purely, by the credit, interest, and intrigues of the Fathers of the Society.

They must of necessity say so, reply'd Eu­doxus; what else cou'd they possibly say? but are we, I pray you, bound to believe them? althô there had been no other thing, in the Provincial Letters false, but this one funda­mental article, which of it self falls to the ground, the order of the Council of State, and the decree of the Parlament of Province, and the Bishop of Mechlin's censure wou'd have been most just and equitable: and this very thing alone wou'd have been a strong prejudice against all the rest.

Nothing of prejudice, I beseech you, sayd Cleander, interrupting him: be but a little pa­tient; you seem too much disturb'd: we have hitherto judg'd by pure reason, and not by passion; let us continue to do so still. The Jesuits politics, in this respect, is a meer chi­mera, a foolish fancy: Pascals system has no­thing in it of likelihood, or probability; if the Jesuits have corrupted our Morals, it was not by concert or agreement with one another; and Pascals Jansenist has not done prudently, in declaring, so strongly, in the fifth Provin­cial Letter, against what they sayd to him, that the diversity of decisions, among the Jesuit Divines, did not proceed so much, from a [Page 69]plot and conspiracy, as from too great a liberty they all took, of saying whatever came into their thoughts: he shou'd have reserv'd for himself this loophole in case of necessity: but, in spite of his teeth, notwithstanding all his evasions he must have recourse to that at last. Let us then examin whether he be not more sincere in the remainder, and whether the Je­suits cause be as good, and as easy to be de­fended in the other points, as in this. Let whatever Pascal has sayd, upon the empty and idle supposition of two kinds of Directors, go for nothing: this is a childish fancy, and a perfect jest, without the least appearance of truth. Let us not suffer our selves to be sur­pris'd, by these malicious and artificial trics, which, having no solid foundation, subsists but in the air, in the brains of whimsical men. Behold my Fathers, a further effect, a greater se­cret, of your politics, and a more pernicious con­sequence of your wicked designs; together with a hundred more such like discourses; all this is but whip'd cream, a phantastical bubble, which is far from being solid, and signifies just no­thing. Let us, if you please, begin first with the examination of the article of probable opi­nions, the foundation and ground-work if you'll believe Pascal of the Jesuits policy. With all my heart, sayd Eudoxus: but the matter is difficult and curious, and I know not whether we shall be able to compass it, without the help and assistance of some others.

The Third Discourse.

CLeander, coming to Eudoxus's house, where they were to go on with their confer­ences, found there the Abbot of *** a learned man, but free, openhearted, and ex­ceeding upright, about fifty years old, and one, who, in all his life, cou'd never endure to see men tric and deceive others: he cou'd not comprehend, how men cou'd possibly be insincere, and cou'd easily pardon all faults, but that of double dealing; which astonish'd and vex'd him so much, that he was often tempted, with Moliér's man-hater, to renounce and quit the world, to avoid the vexation and displeasure of hearing a cheat and a lyer com­mended, and applauded at the expence of truth. Pascal had the honor of being esteem'd by this Gentleman for such a person. The wit, the quaint expressions, and the facetious raillery, which he lik'd very well in other works, did not at all move him in the Provincial Letters: he cou'd not bear hearing them commended; and he was wont to say, that the only praise the authors deserv'd, was such as ought to be given to a skilful poysonner, who knew how to mix and prepare his poyson so artificially, that all the world shou'd find the tasting of it pleasant.

Eudoxus, who us'd to be sometimes very much delighted with the Abbot's zeal for sin­cerity, had almost upon Cleander's coming in, [Page 71]put him into that humor: he had only shewn him the second tome of the Paralelle des Anciens & des Modernes, and ask'd him, whether he had ever read that piece; he look'd upon the title, and having open'd it at a place that was mark'd, he hit upon the panegyric of the Provincial Letters; of which he had no sooner read three or four lines, than he threw it down, saying, he neither had, nor ever wou'd, read that book: is it possible added he, with indigna­tion, that the public will never be reveng'd on these Letters, for their insolence, and the af­fronts they put upon the Sorbonne Divines, our Religion and it's defenders; and that, after this book has been condem'd to the fire, both by the Ecclesiastic, and the Secular tribunals, any one shou'd dare, publicly, to give it such extravagant praifes?

Cleander, who cou'd not forbear laughing at the emotion and vexation wherein he saw the Abbot: saluted him, and told him, that his resolution cou'd not but be very obliging to them two, who were then actually busy in drawing up an inditement against the person he was so angry at. Eudoxus further telling him, that he wou'd do them a singular pleasure, to assist them with his notions and knowledge in a matter, wherein they had great need of his help. But we love, says he, to examin things calmly, without heat or passion: and therefore we entreat you wou'd a little moderate that zeal which has so much transported you.

What do you trouble your selves about? [Page 72]reply'd the Abbot briskly: moderation is in­deed necessary in Judges; and I perceive you two have a mind to make your selves such in this cause. But as for my self, I am already fix'd in the matter. I have chosen my part, and have long since known, what I ought to think, both of this book, and of it's author, and from this moment I do declare my self the accuser and prosecutor both of the one and of the other: and a little warmth in acting this part, will not perhaps be very unbecoming

This is the best in the world, answer'd Cle­ander; but, turning himself to Eudoxus, he added: let us be upon our guard, and not suffer, that the esteem we have for the Abbot, shou'd make us too favorable to the Jesuits, or too averse to Pascal.

I esteem the Jesuits, reply'd the Abbot; but it is not their interest which encourages me to this undertaking, but only the love of op­press'd innocence and truth; and the considera­tion of the strange prepossession men have, in favor of this book; wherein means are daily us'd to confirm thousands, who wou'd quickly come off, and quit their good opinion, if they wou'd but reflect upon the causes that produc'd this master-piece of calumny. All the world knows, that this work, is a work of recrimi­nation. The Church had declar'd the Jansenists heretics; it was afterwards necessary they shou'd make their adversaries appear, at least, the cor­rupters of Morals. But tell me I pray what piece of this large subject were you upon? we [Page 73]have yet met, but once, about this matter, answer'd Eudoxus; and we have already done the Society justice, in a point of great impor­tance: it is about the liberty Pascal has taken, to make himself and others sport with the sy­stem he has fram'd of the Jesuits politics; foun­ded upon a conspiracy between the Casuists, Directors, and Superiors of this Society, a­gainst the Gospel and the Morals of our Sa­vior, for the glory and establishment of their Society, at the price of their own damnation, and the damnation of an infinit number of other Souls. You may therefore reckon upon't, that neither Cleander nor I, are to be dup'd, or foo [...]'d, upon Pascal's word, into the belief of so incredible a thing as that, which has not ap­pear'd to us to carry along with it, even the least shadow, or resemblance of truth.

How, replys the Abbot, do you think that ever Pascal himself believ'd it? or that even Mr. Arnauld did? althô that, by an excess of honesty, this Gentleman always seem'd, almost in all his books, to take for granted the truth of this matter of fact, the most chimerical and fantastical, that ever was invented?

That which we are now to examin, con­tinu'd Eudoxus, is the article of probable opi­nions; which Pascal has made the foundation of all the Jesuits policy, and which he calls the A, B, C, of their Morals. It is by that, he endeavors to give some color to that pleasant division of accommoding and severe Directors: in which point, if you'll believe him, they are [Page 74]agreed among themselves. Nothing is now spoken of but the doctrin of probability; this is the common subject of prattle and discourse among the devotes and among the libertines. Some rage and storm against it, others make a jest of it, and very few dare defend it. The very Curat, of my little Village, spent lately above half the time of his Homily or Sermon, in arguing against the doctrin of probable opi­nions. In a word, the storm and outrage a­gainst it, is grown, in a manner, not only violent, but universal: and all the faults, that are found, all the ills, that are sayd of it, are commonly put to the Jesuits account; who, in the mean time, are silent, and say nothing: you wou'd do us no small pleasure to tell us your thoughts of this matter.

What I think of it, answers the Abbot, is, that a man, who is never so little skill'd in this thing, needs but know how to make use of the first principles of common sense and reason, to see, clearly, the great dishonesty of Pascal, the injustice he has done his adversaries, and the ill ways he has taken, to obtain the end, he drove at, which was to decry and run them down, and make them odious to all the world.

What terrible propositions are these you ad­vance? sayd Cleander. If I do not prove them, answer'd the Abbot, I am content to be ac­counted by you, and by all honest men, for a knave and a calumniator: and if you can justify Pascal in this point, I do engage, not­withstanding the war, to go away to morrow morning, [Page 75]to search for Mr. Arnauld, in Flanders or in Holland, that I may, before him, solemly profess and declare my self a Jansenist. In the mean time will you but hear me make out what I have asserted?

After, that Cleander and Eudoxus had a while jested, with the Abbot, about his voiage to Flanders and Holland, he began, in earnest, to prove, what he had advanc'd.

The injury, sayd he, that Pascal has done the Jesuits, do's not consist, in the reproach­ing them with the doctrin of probable opini­ons: it is chiefly in this, that he charges that doctrin upon them alone, althô they have sayd nothing in it, but what has been sayd by other Societies, even before their's was instituted, or ever thought of. For what can one think, when they see a man, by printed writings, spread, not only in Paris, but also all over France, citing and dragging the Jesuits before the public Tribunal, and crying out for judg­ment and justice, against them, in particular and by name; assuring us that he has disco­ver'd the source and secret of all their pernici­ous Maxims; and pretending to convince the Divines, the Directors and Superiors of this body, of introducing, teaching, and practising a doctrin, which authoriseth the most excessive irregularities; suffers men to enjoy and gratify, freely, the most brutal of their appetites and passions; and which turns the pure laws of Christianity into the filthy sensual Religion of Mahomet: calling them to an account, in a most [Page 76]pathetic manner, for the many souls they cor­rupt and damn every day: and, lastly, speak­ing of these terrible opinions, as the particular and specific doctrin of the Society; and beat­ing, every where, an allarum against the Je­suits, and with so great a hubbub, that one cou'd not but think, that all the Doctors and Divines, in Christendom, were to be encou­rag'd to a Croisade, a war of Religion, against the most dangerous and most destructive ene­my of Christianity. What idea, what character was there then given of the Jesuits? what ho­nesty and what justice was there in all this pro­ceeding; if it be true, that the Jesuits are as innocent as all other Orders and Divines; or if these are full as much, or more criminal than the Jesuits?

Althô the doctrin of probable opinions were as pernicious as Pascal pretends, and as he has persuaded a world of people to believe, by the false glosses and expositions he has given of it in his Letters, yet wou'd the Jesuits crime have been very much lessen'd, if the reader had been advertis'd, that this doctrin was not particular to them, but the common doctrin of all the Catholic Schools, of the Divines, both of Louvain and of Paris. The world, upon this single advertisment, wou'd, perhaps, have sus­pended their judgments concerning even the quality of this doctrin: and seeing it painted in such horrible colors, wou'd have been first fully satisfi'd, before they gave their opinions, of the sincerity of him that drew it's picture, [Page 77]or made the report. And, without doubt, men cou'd not have been so unjust, as to suffer that all the curses, which so abominable an error had deserv'd, shou'd fall upon the Jesuits alone. They wou'd not have layd the whole burden on their backs, but at least have given others their share; and, perhaps, wou'd have favor'd, if not pardon'd them, for having sin'd but by the example of those, whose rank, profession and learning, had gain'd them the title and quality, of Doctors and Masters. But that, in the language of Port-Royal, the loose Morals, and the Jesuits Morals shou'd become synonimous expressions, and signify one and the same thing to an infinit number of people: that the Libertins and heady obstinat Devotes, and often the envious and interessed, shou'd so understand them in their conversations, in their books and in their pulpits; and, lastly, that the cabal shou'd obtain their end, of distin­guishing their own doctrin, and giving it an extraordinary luster, by opposing it, to that of all the Catholic Divines, whose footsteps the Jesuit Fathers have but trod in, is in truth an injustice one cannot see, without horror and indignation.

Mr Abbot, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him, no body can agree better than you do; but the proposition you lay down, must be clearly prov'd; if what you say be true, that the Je­suits doctrin is no other, than what has been taught in all the Catholic Schools of the Church, not only Pascal, is very unjust, in making all [Page 78]the blame of it light upon the Jesuits, but also, as you have very well observ'd, the notice, or previous knowledge of that alone, wou'd have made men think, that this doctrin in it self, is not so bad as he endeavors to make the world believe; but this is a matter of fact, for the making out of which, we shall have need of a compleat library.

If I had foreseen, reply'd the Abbot, this occasion of defending so good a cause, I shou'd have brought in my pocket all the library we shall have use for; which is but a small book of forty or fifty pages, intituled Quaestio sacti, which plainly shews, that the doctrin of pro­bability, is not a doctrin, particular to the Jesuits. The author recounts, and runs over all the most famous Universities of Europe, as well as the Schools of all Religious Orders; and there shews, that of all the authors, not Jesuits, who had treated, or touch'd, even by the by, the question of probable opinions, of whom he makes a very long list; he shews, I say, that to the year 1659, when he made this small piece, there was but one of them all, by name Antony Perez, who went a little astray in one point, from the common doctrin of all others; of which very point, in particular charity to the Jesuits, they wou'd fain give them alone the whole honor. He further adds, and proves it admirably well, that the most learned Divines of the Society have, by com­mon consent, restrain'd this doctrin; which some preceding Doctors seem'd to have exten­ded [Page 79]too far: and at last quotes a Jesuit author Comitolus, for the only man, who had attack'd and fallen upon the opinions of all other Di­vines in the several parts of this matter: and from whom he pretends, that Wendrok has ta­ken his strongest arguments, for the refutation of the doctrin of probability.

From all which, the author, of this little work, concludes two things: the first, that it is against all the laws of equity, to oblige the Jesuits to justify and make good an opinion, which was common to them, with all other Di­vines: the second, that if it be a glory, to have absolutely declar'd against this doctrin, this glory, till then was particular, and only due to the Jesuits: and he complains of Wendrok, that being so much oblig'd to this Comitolus, he did not do him the favor, when he quoted him, to give the reader notice, that he was a mem­ber of the Society. You are very lucky then Mr. Abbot, sayd Cleander, for I have in my pocket this little book you so much value; and having spoken of it to Eudoxus, in our former conference, I have now brought it with me to shew him: and here it is.

The Abbot immediatly took the book into his hands, and running it over with Eudoxus, he presently counted nine or ten Bishops, that is to say, almost all of this character, who have handled these matters, since the time of Saint Antonin, who is comprehended in this number: and he also read him the passages, and the names of the books, and the number [Page 80]of the pages, whence these things, relating to this subject are taken. Afterwards he made him read the opinions of three famous Doctors of Sorbonne, who have publish'd whole bodyes of Divinity. Mr. Gamache, Isambert, and Du­ral; to whom this author has added Mr. Bail, a Doctor of the University of Paris, and sub­penitenciary of the Cathedral Church of that City; and at last he shew'd him in the follow­ing chapters the unanimous agreement upon this point, of all the Thomist Doctors, Domi­nicans, and of the Scotist Franciscans, and other Religious Orders, together with the Universi­ties of Louvain, Salamanca and Alcala, &c.

If it be so, sayd Eudoxus, there never was any doctrin, less particular to the Jesuits, than this doctrin of probable opinions. But Mr. Abbot, added he, have you your self seen all these passages and quotations confirm'd? and have you compar'd them with the text in the original authors quoted?

As to this, answer'd the Abbot, I will say three things: the first, that the author of this little treatise is Father Dechamps, a Jesuit, a very exact and sure writer, a man honor'd for his vertue with the esteem of the most illustri­ous persons of the Kingdom, and of such of the very Jansenists themselves, as know him: the second, that nothing has been written to prove these quotations false, now for above thirty years, since the book was publish'd, which I am very confident wou'd not have been omitted, had the author given the least ground [Page 81]for it. I know but one Divine, a Dominican, call'd Father Baronius, that objects, weakly enuff, to Father Dechamps some circumstances, which signify nothing to the main essential point in hand, concerning the manner wherein it is propos'd and maintain'd by this Jesuit; the third is, that of this great number of passages, I my self have examin'd and found at least thirty of them true, of which I can speak with cer­tainty and assurance. I will shew them you, when ever you will, in two or three librarys belonging to some communities in Paris; where we shall also find some part of those which have not yet fallen under my hands.

Eudoxus having in his library the three Paris Doctors and some Thomists, they immediatly without further delay fell to the examining the first, every of them taking one of them in hand to search for the passages quoted in this little book.

The Abbot, having read them very often, knew the precise pages, therefore opening that volume of Isamberts, where he treats of Saint Thomas's Prima secundae, shew'd them the que­stion of probable opinions, handled from page 133 to page 140, there this methodical Divine gives first the definitions of the terms, and tells us what a probable opinion is, and what a more probable opinion: after which he puts the question in the second article; ‘Whether it be lawful to follow a probable conscience, or a probable opinion:’ which question he himself thus answers. ‘When our [Page 82]conscience tells us, that it is probably law­ful and honest, to do a thing, we cannot by doing that thing be guilty of any sin: this, adds he, is the common opinion of all Divines: and then he propounds a second proposition. When there are, says he, two opinions, equally probable, touching the lawfulness of doing any thing, one may safe­ly follow which of the two he pleases.’

In the following article he himself makes this objection of these two opinions, one is, that the thing is forbidden, the other, that it is permitted: the first is safe, because one can­not sin mortally by following it; but the se­cond is not certain. I answer, adds he, that it is lawful to follow the least sure: and I prove it thus.......

See the title of his fourth article. When there is a dispute about the doing or not doing of a thing, and that there are two probable opinions thereupon, is it lawful, to quit that which is more probable, and to follow that which is less probable? he thus resolves this question.

‘When there are two such probable con­trary opinions, that the one is more pro­bable than the other, it is lawful to leave the more probable, and follow that which is probable.’

After this he propounds some difficulties, and in particular this rule of law. That in doubt­ful cases one is to take the surest side. He an­swers, That one must distinguish, and not confound doubt with opinion, and directs his reader to the [Page 83]precedent article, where he made a more full explanation of the sense, wherein that maxim is to be understood.

Lastly in the sixth article, num. 8. ‘When there are, says he, two opinions, one pro­bable, the other more probable, and that this also is more safe, and the other less safe, about my obligation of doing a thing that relates to my self: I am not oblig'd by the charity which I ow my self, to act by the more probable and more safe opinion; but I may without sin, quit the more safe opi­nion, and follow that opinion which is pro­bable, thô less safe; as before I have shewn.’

Certainly, sayd Eudoxus, after he had read this passage, Father Dechamps has, not only, not made Isambert say too much, but has even forgot a great deal of what he had written.

This is not yet all, answer'd the Abbot; let us see what this Doctor says, upon the consequences or dependances of the doctrin of probabilities. Whereupon he read the fifth article: where the author demands; whether a Doctor, consulted in a case of conscience, may answer according to the probable opinion, and not according to the more probable, althô he himself were of this last opinion: after he had clear'd and expounded the several senses or meanings, wherein this question might be taken, he answer'd. ‘That a Doctor thus con­sulted, was to consider the circumstances of the matter, which may happen to be such, that he may not only answer according to the [Page 84]less probable opinion, against the more pro­bable, but that also it might be imprudent to do otherwise.’

Let us go on a little further, continu'd the Abbot, and read the eighth and ninth article. The title of the first was. Is it lawful to act against ones own opinion, and follow that of others? the meaning of this article is, &c. Isambert adds. ‘Those that hold, that this is lawful, of whose opinion I am, do follow the common do­ctrin, which is not that of Adrian, but is the opinion of almost all Saint Thomas's Inter­preters.’

The title of the ninth article is. Whether a man be sometimes oblig'd to follow the probable opinion of others, contrary to his own, which also is probable.

‘The answer is, that there are some cases, wherein it is not only lawful, to act, against one's own opinion, but also where a Man is bound in conscience, to act according to the probable opinion of another, contrary to his own, thô this also be suppos'd probable?’ and such may be the case of a Confessor, that hears the confession of a penitent, whose pro­bable opinion, upon some points of his con­fession, is contrary to his own: and that also of an inferior, commanded by his superior to do a thing probably lawful, but which, in the opinion of the inferior, is not probably law­ful. The Confessor is oblig'd, according to Isambert, to follow the opinion of his penitent, and the inferior, that of his superior.

And take notice, adds the Abbot, that Isam­bert quotes Saint Antonin for his opinion, only with this restriction, that if the Confessor be the penitent's Pastor, he is oblig'd to comply with the penitents probable opinion, and ab­solve him; but if the penitent be not of his flock, one of his parish, he may then refuse to give him absolution.

That which you now say, answer'd Eudoxus, seems to me a little hard: but the authority of Saint Antonin, and the reasons with which Mr. Isambert supports his opinion, persuades me, at least, to believe, that it is not so easy, as one may think, to give a positive judgment in these matters. As far as I see, continu'd he, if Pascal had but taken the fancy in his Provincial Letters, to make Mr. Isambert speak in the name of the Sorbonne, instead of the good Jesuit that speaks in the name of the Society, he wou'd have found matter enuff to have made him act the same kind of part.

He might have made, reply'd the Abbot, if he had had a mind to it, even Saint Thomas himself say as ridiculous things, as those he has put into the Jesuits mouth: for this, it wou'd have been enuff to have only propoun­ded, and handsomly put into order, several points of this learned Saints doctrin, as he has done the Jesuits: without setting down the proofs, the restrictions, the explications, and the necessary precautions for making the pra­ctice of them lawful. But I will yet further suppose, that if a libertin wou'd make a col­lection [Page 86]of all the false propositions, that have slip'd from the holy Fathers, and give besides to some of their other expressions, the ill sense of which they are capable, mangle and dis­member some passages, and leave out, or put in, here and there, a few words, he might make a book of them, much bigger than the Provincial Letters: and might as justly intitle it. The Religion and Morals of the Fathers as a certain book was formerly call'd, The Moral Divinity of the Jesuits, of which the Provincial Letters are but extracts, enlarg'd upon. And another of a much greater extent which has been since publish'd under the name of The Jesuits Morals. And which was also publicly burnt at Paris, in the year 1670, upon the testimony of several of the Doctors of Sorbonne, for a scurrilous defamatory libel, full of im­postures, calumnies, falsifications and here­sies, &c. it was, as is sayd, the work of the de­ceas'd Doctor Perrault, Brother to your Perrault the author of Parallele de anciens & des Modernes.

I am no longer astonish'd, sayd Cleander, that the Provincial Letters shou'd have put this man into such raptures and extravagant fits of enthusiasme: both the Brothers were I perceive possess'd and animated by the same kind of spirit. But let us I pray, sayd the Abbot, re­turn to our business. The question, at present, is not whether the doctrin taught by Mr. Isam­bert, be good or bad doctrin: the merit and reputation of this great Divine ought, at least, to oblige us to suspend our judgment a while. [Page 87]The point we are now upon, and, by what you see with your own eyes, is most certain, is, that the Sorbonne, as learned and as Catholic then as at this day, heard, without horror, a doctrin, daily instil'd from their chairs which being found in the Jesuits books they wou'd make pass for a dangerous and cursed doctrin. But give me leave, and I will, in a moment, find the places you seek for in Mr. Du-val and Mr. Gamache.

I have found this in Mr. Gamache, sayd Cle­ander; it is in the 155 page, and not in 153 as Father Dechamps Printer has plac'd it.

His first assertion is. ‘That in the court of conscience a man is not oblig'd to follow the more probable opinion, it is enuff to follow an opinion absolutely probable, approv'd by learned men, till such time as the Church de­clares against it, or that the Divines reject and banish it from their Schools. Navar. Medina. But, in the mean time, one must take care, not to give scandal to the weak, by his exterior actions and must likewise have a regard to custom.’

Who are these weak, sayd Eudoxus interrup­ting him, are they not the Jansenists, who are so much scandalis'd at this doctrin? O my God answer'd the Abbot, the Pharisaic scandal, which in Divinity they oppose to the scandal of the weak, is, much more to be fear'd for them. You are always severe and ill humor'd towards the Jansenists, reply'd Cleander, but suffer me, I pray you, to make an end of [Page 88]this passage, there are but two words more in it.

‘His second assertion is. That the Confessor, whether the proper Pastor, or one deputed by him, may absolve his penitents against his own opinion, when they are of an opinion both less certain and less safe; provided it be a probable opinion and back'd with the au­thority of some Catholic and learned authors; and in this case, he not only may, but is also bound to give them absolution.’

Here is certainly enuff of this, sayd Eudoxus, let us see, whether Mr. Du-val will say as much. Here I have the place ready; it is in his treatise of human actions. q. 4. a. 12. p. 115. in the paragraph intitled quid agendum sit in conscientia opinativa. Where he has, al­most word for word, the same expressions which Mr. Gamache has made use of.

‘The second conclusion is, that in the Court of conscience a man is not oblig'd to follow the more probable opinion, but it is sufficient to follow one, that is probable, and approv'd by able and learned persons, althô contrary to the sense of other learned men; which yet is to be understood with some restriction: that is to say, that this opi­nion is no more to be follow'd, if the Church determin the contrary, or the Di­vines banish it from their Schools. It is the opinion of Medina and Navar in cap. siquis de paenit. Where they positively teach, that there is no obligation, to follow the more safe opi­nion, [Page 89]and that it is enuff to follow an opi­nion which is safe.’

Whilst Eudoxus, with Cleander, was reading the remaining part of Du-val's doctrin, about probable opinions, the Abbot meeting with Mr. Bail's book de triplici examine spake to them in these words. Let us, I pray you, do this Doctor of Paris also the honor of consul­ting him, he was subpenitentiary of our Lady's Church, a man, much valued, and very fit for his employment; thus he writes upon this subject. ‘Althô many do universally teach in all parts of the Church, that one may, in conscience, safely follow the less probable opinion; it seems to me notwithstanding that this doctrin ought to be limited and restrain'd to the matter of precepts, and not extended to the matter of Sacraments.’ These words are in the 47 page of his fifth edition de ex­amine paenitentium. You understand what he wou'd be at. He pretends, that a man may not follow the less probable opinion, in a doubt relating to the matter of Sacraments, for some particular reasons, but only when the matter doubted of, relates to precepts, or commands, or to the knowledge, whether such or such a thing be lawful or not lawful.

But let us see what he says in the foregoing page, where he speaks like a wise man, who perceiv'd, that this doctrin might be mistaken and do mischief, by accounting an opinion pro­bable, that was not probable; but who, at the same time, shews himself persuaded, that an [Page 90]opinion, when certainly probable, may be fol­low'd: ‘For which cause, sayd he, it seems to me, that the doctrin of probability, which is become the common doctrin, has not been yet clear'd and disentangled from difficulties, as much as the importance of the matter do's require and deserve. I wish some able Di­vines wou'd take the pains, to consider and resolve all the intricacies and objections which attend it. Not that I am not persuaded, but that he who follows a probable opinion, go's a sure way, how convenient soever it may ap­pear: for that way is sure, which makes us avoid sin, and any opinion, which is truly probable, thô the less probable of two, will notwithstanding secure us from sin. I do hold, and am persuaded, that a man is freed before God from sin, by following a probable opinion, and that he cannot be thereby guilty, even, of a venial sin.’ What say you now to this?

That which I say to it, answer'd Cleander, is, that, most certainly, Pascal and those who fur­nish'd him with memoirs studied only among the Jesuits, and had read no other but their Divines. Besides Mr. Arnauld cou'd not pos­sibly have seen the Provincial Letters before they were publish'd. For with what conscience cou'd he suffer the Jesuits to be defam'd, for the authors of a doctrin, he himself saw pub­licly taught in Sorbonne, by the Professors of his own time? but for his having since endeavor'd, as he still daily do's, to make these Letters [Page 91]gain credit, be more and more valued, and their contents improv'd, to the prejudice of the Jesuits, there must surely be some strong rea­sons we are ignorant of: for extraordinary per­sons, who exceed the common rate of men, and are engag'd in mighty matters, as the heads or leaders of a great party, whose reputation they are to support, may possibly have, for themselves, some particular rules of conscience, which all the world have not a right to follow.

What, sayd the Abbot, after such evident matters of fact, as these we have read, will you not plainly own as I do, that Pascal, Arnauld, and all other heads of the party who in this, and things of like nature, cannot sin thro' ig­norance, are downright cheats and perfect hy­pocrites, that abuse the public credulity, mali­cious and invenom'd men against their adversa­ries, who spare nothing they can think of, to destroy their reputation? to what end are all these shiftings, do's not the thing speak of it self, and do not I plainly perceive what your thoughts are?

One must not always say what he thinks, answer'd Cleander, and Eudoxus has yet sayd less of the matter than I.

I am almost angry, reply'd Eudoxus, at this wicked Abbot: who has turn'd all my noti­ons topsie-turvie; I was in a very good hu­mor, and well dispos'd to make you and my self some sport with these good Fathers, the Jesuits, upon the subject of probabilities; and now I begin to feel some remorse of consci­ence, [Page 92]for the rash judgments I formerly made, a thousand times, of them.

I have not yet done with you, sayd the Ab­bot. I have still matter enuff to shew you, to encrease your scruples: but before I come to that, or make you see that the Thomists, the Scotists, and almost all other Divines, speak upon this point, the language of the Sorbonists, and have, with them, and the Jesuits, an equal right, to share in the fine title of the corrup­ters of Morals. I will read you an admirable and remarkable passage of Wendrok upon this occasion, in his notes on the Provincial Letters. You know, that these notes were read, cor­rected and approv'd, by Pascal himself; reach me down I pray you Wendroks book.

The Jesuits, continu'd the Abbot, made lowd complaints of the injustice done 'um, by de­signing to make them, alone, answerable, for all the real, or pretended relaxations in Divi­nity. Them I say, who taught nothing in Morals, but the common doctrin, and who, being the last comers, did but tread in the paths trac'd out, by those that went before them. wendrok in prolo­quio. Upon this Wendrok makes a large com­mon place, and pronounces this fine sentence. That having partners do's not excuse a crime: and afterwards adds. Pascal wou'd have been well employ'd indeed, and spent his time to good purpose, in gathering together, and read­ing so many impertinent books, to find out, whether the Jesuits only were wicked and infa­mous fellows, An soli Jesuitae flagitiosi fuerint. [Page 93]So Mr. Nicole expresses himself in latin. Al­thô the Jesuits, continued he, had taken their relaxations from some others, yet notwithstand­ing, in reason, they ought to be reputed the authors of them. Why? because, that these pernicious doctrins had layn hid in some corner of a library, known to very few, and, by con­sequence, cou'd not do much hurt: but the Jesuits have drawn them out of their lurking holes, and preach'd them upon the house tops; introduc'd them into Princes Courts, to privat men's houses, the Courts of Judicature and the Magistracy. Behold, added the Abbot, the writings of an infinity of Divines put into the number of impertinent books, and the Doctors and Professors of Sorbonne, accounted men of no value or consideration: their Divinity School compar'd to that of the Jesuits, is but like a small Village in comparison of Paris, and what their famous and most illustrious Doctors have taught, both by word of mouth, and by prints, is like a chip in pottage and do's nei­ther good nor harm.

Let us proceed to other things, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him: this is really very insolent and extravagant.

The Abbot sayd no more upon this article, but contented himself with this first victory, in favor of truth, and a right sense of things, in opposition to calumny and a foolish obstinat opinion. For Eudoxus, as naturally just as he was, was still a little headstrong and the more, that Cleander, who had read the Divines, and [Page 94]perceiv'd that the Abbots reflexions might stand them in good stead, in the examination they had undertaken to make, judg'd fit to take the advantage of it. Mr. Abbot, sayd he to him, we must not stand still in so fair a road: let us go on I pray, and tell us your thoughts and all you know of this matter.

With all my heart, sayd the Abbot, and I will propose to you a second matter of fact, for the truth of which, I will, upon the hazard of my honor, be answerable; it is, that Pascal and his friends have made of probable opinion a meer scarcrow, a man of straw, for the plea­sure and the ease of fighting it, with the greater advantage, and of making the Jesuits father a monstrous opinion which never was their own.

For at last, by the favor and assistance of these opinions which Pascal combats, Lett. 5. One Doctor, if people will believe him, may turn and wind mens consciences, Lett. 6. backwards and forwards, just as he pleases, Lett. 5. and always securely: make new rules of Morals. A Christian may without any hazard e­strange himself from the rules, wendrek in not. ad epist. 5. which the Scripture, the Councils and the Fathers have prescrib'd us; and an infidel and a heretic may safely continue in their false Religion. This, without doubt, is very horrible, and cursed be the poyson'd fountain of a doctrin, so fatal to Christianity. But who do's Pascal and his translator aim at? for I pray observe, what are the two general conditions, that the Jesuits do require, to make an opinion probable, and that a Divine may hold it for such? first, it must not be contrary [Page 95]to the rules of faith; nor, in general, contain any thing opposit to the truths receiv'd by the Church, nor be contrary to evident and right reason. In the second place, it must be sup­ported with good reasons, and not lightly un­dertaken to be defended, against the common and ordinary opinion of Doctors. These cer­tainly are bounds, which limit and restrain a Casuist, if any one shou'd happen to desire it, from being able to make New rules of Morals. How is it possible for men, that take for a rule this notion, which the Jesuits give in their definitions, of a probable opinion, To go astray without danger from the maxims, which the Scrip­ture, the Councils, and the Fathers have mark'd out for us? how can a heretic or an infidel continue safely in his false Religion? are the truths, re­ceiv'd, and allow'd of by the Church, different from those, which the Scripture, the Fathers and the Councils teach us? or can any men, respect, or set a value on the first, without taking the second for a rule?

If they shou'd say, that the Jesuits have not observ'd these rules, nor follow'd their own de­finitions, and cou'd prove their having done so, without cutting off and falsifying their pas­sages, or stiching several of them together; which, being joyn'd, seem to signify just con­trary, to what they really signify, when they are severally read in their proper places; I shou'd be one of the first to oppose and con­dem them. But let them not say, that their principles are monsters, which bring forth other [Page 96]monstors: nor from the silly things, that Pas­cal has made his Jesuit speak, in his fifth and sixth Letters, draw, as he do's, conclusions, as impertinent and as extravagant, as they are false and wicked.

Eudoxus did, in this also, approve the Abbot's reasoning; but yet desir'd, he wou'd prove the definition he had given of a probable opinion: for Wendrok, says he, disputes the thing, and very few in the world are persuaded, that the Jesuits principles in this matter, are so re­strain'd, limited and narrow.

The reason is, answer'd the Abbot, because most people read only the Provincial Letters, and the translator of these Letters, and that either they will not, or commonly cannot con­sult the Jesuits books. An other reason is, they do not know, that Wendrok, in disputing this matter of fact, is, not sincere; and I will immediatly convince you of it. I have in my closet some extracts, upon this subject, drawn by my self, out of the most famous Jesuit Di­vines: I'le step home and fetch them.

The Abbot, who dwelt hard by, being gone out, Cleander and Eudoxus began to make many reflexions. With all our love for truth, sayd Eudoxus, I know not, whether we shou'd have been able, without the Abbot's help, to have got over all these rubs; since Pascal and Wen­drok have so imbroil'd and perplex'd things, and that the matter it self is so hard, to be clearly discuss'd, and that the too strait-lac'd and over­strain'd Morals are supported, by such plausible [Page 97]and specious maxims; when on the contrary, the truly Christian Morals are built upon max­ims, of which some appear very strange and unfit to be follow'd or receiv'd before they are well weigh'd and consider'd, which is hard to be done by common understandings: these Gentlemen knew very well, how to take the advantage, by the opposition they have made between the one and the other. Moreover, they speak with so bold and confident an air, that one is, almost, afraid to doubt of what they say: and they have so train'd up, and ac­custom'd a world of people to talk as they do, that their most unlikely and improbable para­doxes are, almost, become the public com­mon opinion.

It was not only, answer'd Cleander, the dif­ficulty of the matter, nor some outward ap­pearances, which they knew how to improve, that gave them so much advantage over the Je­suits. These Fathers did, in truth, make an­swers which were sufficiently strong and solid; but so flat and ill put together (I speak of those which came out first) that there was no comparison between one of Pascals Letters, and the First answer to the Jansenists Letters. He got thereby such a superiority over them, that he no more look'd upon them, as adversaries he was still fighting with, but as despicable people, baf­fled, foild, and thrown to the ground, trampling them under foot with equal scorn and contempt.

It is very true, sayd Eudoxus, that the Gen­tlemen of Port-Royal gain'd wonderfully by this [Page 98]weakness: but is it possible, that the Jesuits of those days had no body that cou'd write?

Father le Moyne, answer'd Cleander, was still living, and I am surpriz'd, they did not oppose him to Pascal: this Father had an excellent fancy and a world of wit: and his way of writ­ing, was lively, smart and florid: he had, be­sides, a good reputation among the most inge­nious and best accomplish'd persons: and the apologetic manifest, which he writ several years before against the book, call'd La Theologie Morale des Jésuites, was as much in vogue, as his Curry-comb for the Jansenist Pegasus.

Perhaps, reply'd Eudoxus, the Society did believe, he was not like to outdo or equal Pascal's stile, at once so easy, and so delicat. For Father le Moyne's great fault was, that his words were not well chosen, or very proper, that he us'd not to dress, set out and embellish his thoughts, with various, neat, and quaint ex­pressions: that he was always witty, but never endeavor'd, to express himself plainly, or fami­liarly: and it may be, he himself did not think, he was an equal match for him, in this kind of combat, and therefore was not willing to en­gage. But whatever the matter was then, 'tis plain the Jesuits do not, now want, store of good writers, and that they knew how to be gainers by their first defeat. Within ten or eleven years after the Provincial Letters were publish'd, there came forth a Letter to a Lord at Court..........

The author of that is known, sayd Cleander, [Page 99]interrupting him, and the man of the world the Society ought, at that time, to have set up in opposition to Pascal. He understood raillery very well, and wou'd not have been troubled or vex'd as the Jesuits then were; but wou'd have given him as good as he brought, a Rowland for his Oliver, and have answer'd him in the same tone and language. Had this been done, the people wou'd, at least, have compar'd the Letters and the Answers: whereas in those days they hardly regarded what became of the Jesuits. But for these nine or ten years past, they have both defended themselves and attack'd their adversaries, with vigor: La De­tense des noaveaux Chresti­ens & des Mission­naires do la Chine. and with­out speaking of The defence of the new Christians and the Missioners of China, which gave the party a wound that still bleeds: you may re­member that upon the subject of The Philosophic sin, there were four or five small books made, in behalf of the Jesuits, which were extreamly well receiv'd, and with good reason: Peché Philoso­phique. for they fell upon Mr. Arnauld, and his friends just where they shou'd, where they lay most open, caught them fast, and wou'd not let go their hold, but still pursuing their advantage, they did not only fully disprove them, but also took them up roundly, and told them their own to some purpose: bringing them always back to certain unanswerable points: as for example, to the submission which they ow, but do not pay, to the lawful powers, and to some noto­rious palpable falsifications, of which they were convicted, beyond the possibility of a reply. [Page 100]All this is inconvenient for these Gentlemen, who love not to be upon the defensive, and who find it much easier to attack others, than to defend themselves. But now concerning the Jesuits, who ventur'd to write against Pascal, what think you of Father Annat; the author of the book call'd Jansenist sincerity, La bonne [...]oy des Iansen­istes. and to whom the seventeenth and eighteenth Provin­cial Letters are directed?

Father Annat, answer'd Cleander, was, in my opinion, an excellent wit: and the Jesuits have publish'd nothing better, than what was written by him, upon the matters which were then in dispute. This honest good man (who besides these two vertues, possessed that also of modesty, in the highest perfection possible) had a tallent for writing, even in French, if he had a little more apply'd himself to the study of our lan­guage; there fell from his pen, from time to time, as fine, as lively, as pleasant and agree­able strokes as ever I saw in my life.

I am of your opinion, sayd Eudoxus; and without saying any thing of his vertue, which I have heard commended, even by this very party, I have found him, as you have done, very exact in his judgment, and sometimes to express himself with great quaintness and rail­lery, which, let me tell you, is a thing very rare and extraordinary for a School Divine.

Cleander and Eudoxus were entertaining one another in this manner, when the Abbot re­turn'd: and took out of his letter case, a piece which justified the matters of fact he had [Page 101]asserted. This was a collection, of passages, concerning the doctrin of probable opinions, extracted out of the books of several Jesuit Divines, and, especially, out of those which Pascal in his Letters treats so very scurvily.

My paper, says he, begins very properly with reference to the business in hand: it is out of Layman, whom Wendrok quotes in his notes upon the fifth Provincial Letter, to shew, that the Jesuits were in the wrong, when they complain'd that their doctrin was alter'd, on purpose to make it odious: he ought to be satisfied, that we govern our selves, in this matter, by the testimony he himself gives us, of the matter of fact. These are this Jesuits own words.

A probable opinion, according to the com­mon notion, may be defin'd. Layman. tra. 1. cap. 5. parag 2. num. 6. An opinion which is not certain, but which, notwithstanding, is foun­ded upon a considerable authority, or upon some im­portant reason: and an opinion ought to be judg'd, supported by a considerable authority, when it is, at least, the opinion of a learned, and an honest man. Wendrok cites only this place in Layman, to shew, that the Jesuits had no reason to com­plain of the consequences drawn from their principles: from whence it was concluded; That a Doctor may turn and overturn men's consci­ences as he thinks fit, and make new rules of Morals: that by this means a Christian may e­strange himself without fear of punishment, from the rules prescrib'd us, by the Scripture, the Coun­cils, and the Fathers.

Althô Layman shou'd have sayd no more than this, answer'd Cleander, interrupting him, Wen­drok's arguments wou'd have prov'd but weak and silly: for by giving this Doctor, as Layman has done, the quality of an honest and a learned man, it is clear, that, morally speaking, he wou'd not have gone astray in his decisions, ei­ther from the doctrin of the Scripture, or the Church. One ought to presume that he, who is learned, cannot be ignorant of this doctrin; and that he, who is a man of probity, wou'd not corrupt it: and if, of my self, I am not capable to judge of the matter, supposing he has these two qualities, I act prudently in fol­lowing his decision.

This is the very reflexion, reply'd the Abbot, that Layman made, and that Wendrok shou'd have made when he read him. Layman ibid. It is nevertheless necessary, adds Layman, that this Doctor shou'd not have taken up this opinion rashly, or inconsideratly, but after weighing and examining the reasons for the contrary opinion, and this is, what others, and especially those who are unlearned ought commonly to suppose.

Hold, sayd Eudoxus, I have here the case of conscience of Mr. Sainte-Beuve; who, if I well remember, sayd expresly, that regularly speak­ing, and without having a particular reason to do otherwise, a man ought, without doubting or hesitation, to follow the decision of a person of this character. It is in the first tome, pag. 517, and the 169 case. Where this question is put; Whether one runs the hazard of [Page 103]his Salvation by depending upon the judgment of a learned and a pious man: which he thus answers. That one may with a safe conscience, stick to the resolutions of a man, known to be learned and pious; unless he have some particular reason to doubt the truth of his decisions. I will mark this passage, adds he, that I may some time or other shew it to Mr. Nicole.

But Layman stops not there, continu'd the Abbot: for see what he adds, for those that are capable of judging the opinions of Casuists. ‘But one ought not, sayd he, to call that, a probable opinion, which one or more Do­ctors have invented, contrary to the common opinion; and which others, upon examina­tion, have unanimously rejected, as an im­probable and particular opinion; induc'd thereunto by good reasons, or by the decrees of the higher powers, which the first either had not heeded, or cou'd not solidly answer. One may see what Saint Thomas, Sylvester and Navar say upon this point.’

‘In the second place I say, that an opinion is probable, when it is supported by such a strong reason, as is persuasive enuff to make it to be believ'd, conformable to truth; and this is to be understood in reference to a learned man, who understands the matter, and has well weigh'd and consider'd the prin­ciples of the contrary opinion, (thô by o­thers commonly receiv'd) and fully refuted them. Vasquez, Sanchez, and Azor..... do teach this doctrin. But, notwithstanding, it [Page 104]must be limited and restrain'd by this condi­tion: that other Doctors, coming afterwards to examin this particular opinion, shou'd not look upon it, as improbable, and an erro­nious opinion.’

Certainly, sayd Eudoxus, nothing can be wiser, better circumscrib'd, or more restrain'd than this: and with these conditions I see no manner of danger in this proposition. That the authority of one grave Doctor may make an opi­nion probable.

This is not all, answer'd the Abbot: before these restrictions are apply'd to any matter of this kind, which, like all other Moral matters, are subject to be abus'd, and as subject also to contempt, as to calumny, because it is neces­sary to have regard to a thousand little nice cir­cumstances, the omission, or addition of any one of which, is, sometimes, sufficient to ren­der this doctrin odious: before all this, I say, Layman, at the beginning of the same page, had layd down this principle.

‘But, Valentia [...]. 2. disp. [...]. q. 12. [...]. 5. q. 1. sayd he, from the moment, that one of the two opposit opinions appears evident, by reason, or certain, by the rule of faith, the other can, by no means, appear any longer probable; as Valentia has very well ob­serv'd, who also, sayd the Abbot, was a Jesuit.’

I leave you to think, continu'd the Abbot, if a probable opinion, which according to the Jesuits, ceases to be probable, and becomes im­probable, as soon as it appears contrary, to what we are ascertain'd of, by faith, can destroy [Page 105]the Morals of the Scripture, the Fathers and the Church: or, if the principles, and defini­tions of a probable opinion, from which Pascal draws so many fine consequences, are the prin­ciples and definitions of the Jesuits: and whe­ther Wendrok ought to have chosen Laymans's doctrin, for an example of loose Morals in this kind; or to shew, that these Fathers had no reason to complain of Pascal's unfaithfulness, in reporting their opinions: for, even in the two lines, which he cites, mangled and disjoynted as they are, there is enuff to justify this Divine, and to refute all the ridiculous conclusions he sets down, as natural consequences of this prin­ciple. At the same time Eudoxus and Cleander read Wendrok's note upon the place, and being surpriz'd at his impudence and falshood, cou'd not forbear shrugging up their shoulders.

The other quotations are shorter, sayd the Abbot: who immediatly read them the passage in Suarez; where this Divine requires two con­ditions, for the making an opinion probable. Suarez tract. 3. in 1.2. disp. 12. sect. 5. ‘The first, that it be not repugnant to the authorities receiv'd in the Church, nor to any evident reason; and that it be not rashly taken up, contrary to the common and ordi­nary opinions of Doctors. The second, that it be built, upon some certain and solid foun­dation.’

Let us now see what Azor, another Jesuit, says, concerning the choice a man ought to make of opinions. ‘One may consider them, says he, two ways: either with reference to [Page 106]the exterior court, or with reference to the interior court of conscience. I will first speak of the choice one ought to make of opinions in the exterior court; and I will afterwards explain, what opinion one ought to follow in the interior court of conscience.’

‘The first rule is, that, from the moment there is any judgment, or definition of faith made, in clear and express terms, whatever may be sayd to the contrary, by the gravest Doctors, the opinion that is founded upon this judgment, or definition of faith, or comes nearest to it, is to be held altogether true and certain, without giving themselves any trouble, on account of those Doctors opinions.’

That is very positive, sayd Eudoxus, and this rule secures the doctrin of faith, and the Mo­rals of the Gospel. But observe, that according to your text, this Jesuit speaks there of the choice of opinions in the exterior court; and the main question between us is, about the choice of opinions in the interior court of conscience.

A little patience, and you shall soon be satis­fied, answer'd the Abbot. After Azor had set down several other rules concerning the ex­terior court, in the beginning of the sixteenth chapter he thus speaks. ‘Let us now see, in a few words, what opinion one may choose in the interior court of conscience: it is first demanded, whether the rules given from the ninth to the thirteenth chapter, ought also to be observ'd in the court of conscience; and [Page 107]answer'd; the three first, to wit, those set down in the ninth, tenth and eleventh are to be kept in the court of conscience also; because they there take place, and are as use­ful as in the exterior court, which is a thing clear of it self.’

The rule that I have now read you, con­tinued the Abbot, is the first in the ninth chapter. Let us read Filiucius.

He is one of the four and twenty old men, sayd Cleander laughing.

Yes, answer'd the Abbot, and one of those, to whom Pascal do's the honor to name and quote, to prove the disorders which follow the doctrin of probable opinions: however, let us read what he says upon the matter before us.

‘It thence follows, that to the end, Filiucius tract. 1. de Decal. cap. 4. num. 163. an opi­nion may be probable, it must be generally esteem'd to contain nothing erronious, nor to be contrary to any Canon, or Decree of Superiors.’ Reginald. lib. 13. cap. 2. num. 103. Let us also look upon Reginaldus who do's but transcribe Azor.

We have already seen enuff on this point, sayd Eudoxus; but I wou'd be glad to know, whether the Jesuits have transgress'd the bounds prescrib'd by themselves.

Hold; we are not yet come so far, sayd the Abbot interrupting him in some anger: and before we get thither, you must own, that your Pascal, and his second, have made the world be­lieve so; when seeming to explain the doctrin of the Jesuits, which they rather ought to have call'd, the doctrin of all Catholic Divines, who [Page 108]till then had written upon this subject, they conceal all the modifications and restrictions of this doctrin, on purpose, that they might draw from it, most dreadful consequences; which they not only do, but also have the impudence to assert, that by the doctrin of probabilites, and by the latitude the Society gives to pro­bable opinions, they have banish'd out of Moral Divinity the Gospel and the Canons, to substitute in their place, the new notions and ideas of the Schools of these times.

The Jesuits had in general defin'd, a proba­ble opinion, An opinion back'd, and supported by considerable authority, or by some important reason, against which there was nothing convincing to be offer'd. And, as if they had been Heathens, who did not reckon the authority of Scripture and the Councils in the number of convincing things, they reproach'd them, as if they had not made the Scripture, the Councils or the Fathers the rule of their decisions, but go­vern'd mens consciences by caprice, by wild and extravagant fancies, and the vain subtilties of their Doctors.

Yes, I dare say it, continu'd the Abbot somewhat incens'd, and I will justify it too: that, according to the common, ordinary me­thod of the Jesuit Divines (out of which num­ber I except some few Compilers, and some Abridgers, who have another end than the au­thors themselves whom they abridge) there is not one decision, of any case of conscience, that can have the Scripture, the Councils and the [Page 109]Fathers for a rule, where these sort of argu­ments do not lead the Van, or are not first to be seen before all others: or where the pas­sages of Scripture, the Canons of Councils, the Decretals of Popes, and the Civil Law, when pertinent to the point, do not make their main essential proofs, or at least the subject of their dissertations, when under any difficulty; and that never any authors went further, or waded deeper in the pure springs and fountains of Morals, than the principal Jesuit Divines. Witness Azor, Suarez, Vasquez, Layman, Lessius, and Thomas Sanchez. You need but open their books, to shew the falshood and the vanity of all these foolish impostures; of which there is no other proof, than the sayings and invectives of their calumniating Adversaries

There is some pleasure Mr. Abbot in angring of you, answer'd Eudoxus laughing: and it is the Jesuits interest, that we shou'd sometimes provoke you: you have told us wonders. And I cannot but own my self convinc'd, that, in reality, things have been outragiously exagger­ated: that the author of the Provincial Letters has run too fast, and that the good simple Je­suit, who speaks in them, had no Letter of Atturny, no authority, from the Society, to say and grant all the impertinences, which Pas­cal has put into his mouth.

That is not a sufficient satisfaction for Mr. Abbot, sayd Cleander, he wou'd have things call'd by their proper names, a spade a spade: you agreed with him a little while ago, that it [Page 110]was a meer calumny, to impute to the Jesuits, as a crime, their teaching a doctrin, that had been taught by all the Bishops, who treated of that subject, and before they were in being, by all the Professors of Sorbonne, who have printed any books of Divinity, by the Thomists, the Scotists, the University of Louvain, and almost by all Divines. He also pretends, that it was yet a greater piece of malice, to disfigure and misrepresent this doctrin; to have given such a false and horrible idea of it; and to have lam'd, or falily interpreted the definitions, for no o­ther end, but that they might draw from them the most dreadful consequences imaginable. You call this to exaggerate, and he pretends that it is to corrupt, to poyson, to ly and to calumniat.

Mr. Abbot, answerds Eudoxus interrupting him: this is but a dispute about words. We both think the same thing, and so do's Cleander too: this ought therefore to satisfy you, and encourage you, to communicat, what you far­ther know in this matter, since you see we have profited so well by what you have already told us.

I might yet make you a great many remarks upon this subject, sayd the Abbot: but I pro­fess to you, that I have much ado to hold, when I see Pascal and Wendrok treat, unworthily and unhandsomly, upon this occasion, under the name of Casuists, so great a number of per­sons, famous for their learning, and for their vertue, honored in their time, and respected [Page 111]by the most eminent, and the most holy men, that were in the Church of God. In vain, to make themselves less odious and better believ'd, do they pretend to have no design, but against the Jesuits, whose destruction they aim'd at, and against a few others, whom they were not soli­citous to treat with respect. In epist. [...] sect. 6. §. 5. In this cloud of Casuists, as Wendrok expresses it, and insolently compares them to that multitude of frogs, which cover'd Aegypt, when Pharao was King, of whom the Jesuits were but the smallest number, and to whom the paths were beaten out, by persons, whose character in the Church was always ve­nerable to all true Catholics: I mean, the most learned Bishops of their time, the most remark­able Doctors, and the most famous Canonists: among whom is to be seen Saint Antonin Arch­bishop of Florence; who, in the point of pro­bability, is just of the same opinion with others, notwithstanding all the falshoods Wendrok is guilty of in this article, which so much disturbs and confounds him; and all the artifices he makes use of, to disguise the contempt he him­self has, and which he wou'd have others have, of this holy Divine.

And if some Jesuits, as Suarez, Vasquez, Sanchez, Lessius, &c. are sometimes quoted in the writings of Divines, together with other eminent men, it is not, because that in their books, There is neither piety nor learning, Wendrok loco cita­to. §. 1. as they have impudently given out, but because, that piety and learning are joyn'd with as much clearness, solidity and order, as in the works of [Page 112]the most able Doctors. But for this, we must not take either Pascals or Wendrok's words, nor theirs, who have not read the works of these Jesuit Divines; but we may be assur'd, that the most learned, and most sound part of the Sorbonne Professors will own this truth; and that it will also be acknowledg'd, by all those of Louvain, except the Disciples of Baius and Jan­senius: by the most learned Prelats of this King­dom, by the grave experienc'd Penitentiarys or Confessors, who to their great advantage, have frequent recourse to them; and by the Popes, who have given great elogiums and commenda­tions to several of them. But we may in the last place refer our selves, to the testimonies, formerly given, by their own Body, of their vertue and their sanctity; testimonies so much the less to be suspected, that no body then fore­saw, or cou'd guess, that Doctors so Catholic, and commonly so exact, and so solid as these, shou'd ever be attack'd for the corrupters of Morals by a Pascal, or a Wendrok.

For I pray you, continued the Abbot, let us quite lay aside all prejudices, and impartially consider, what is this Pascal and what is this Wendrok, in the matters we are now upon. Wen­drok has publish'd some Moral Essays, Pascal understood some parts of Mathematics, and was polite. These two, oppose, in the same pe­remptory tone, the Fathers, to the Morals of the Jesuits, to the decisions of the Church, and to the determinations of the Sorbonne. The first had never seen, or read the Fathers, but with [Page 113]the eyes of the chief of Port-Royal, and the o­ther, is so very weak, that he is really to be pitied, when he offers at any point of Divinity. The first wins upon his readers, only by his talent of buffoonry, of jesting and fooling: the second imposes upon some, by his confi­dence and his boldness: but, indeed, it is strange he shou'd be able to impose upon any, considering that he never, almost, expresses himself, but like a furious mad-man.

They endeavor to make Religious Saints, whose piety was never before suspected by any person, pass for wicked and ungodly men; and to have learned men, who always had a great and equal reputation for wisdom and learning, and who solemly profess to follow no other doctrin, but that which is commonly taught, in all Catholic Schools, to be reputed whim­sical and extravagant. These two witnesses, who swear against them, were the forlorn hope of a revolted party against the Church, sent out, by Mr. Arnauld, to fall foul upon the Sorbonne and the Jesuits. They bring down se­veral passages, out of several books and several authors: they order and dispose them as they think best for their purpose: they mix them here and there with their own reflexions, and with the impertinences which they make a very od man speak, brought upon the stage, for that very purpose; and, of all together, they compose a horrible, friteful, piece of work: whereas the greatest part of these passages, car­ried back to the places from whence they were [Page 114]taken, and joyn'd, to the assertions from which they were divided; taken and understood ac­cording to the restrictions and modifications there set down, have, commonly, nothing but what is wise and agreeable to sense and reason, nor any thing, but what is conformable to the principles of sound Morals. I say, commonly, because, none yet are so foolish, as to pretend, that the Jesuits have more of the gift of infal­libility, than other Divines, or than even the Fathers themselves have had.

Mr. Abbot, sayd Cleander interrupting him, if you can give us as good an account of these passages, and these particular matters of fact, as you have done of those we have been upon to day, we shall be of your side; and hiss and laugh at the author of the Parallele des Anciens & des Modernes, for his article of the Provin­cial Letters.

That I will do when you please, answer'd the Abbot. But I was insensibly the cause of a long digression about matters of fact, concern­ing which you had, perhaps, no design to busy your selves.

These matters of fact, reply'd Eudoxus, are in this affair essential; and sufficient to defend the Jesuits, and condem their adversaries: nor are they altogether unuseful towards judging and deciding the dispute and matter of law. You made me take notice, as we went along, of some things, which persuade me, as I have al­ready told you, that it is not so easy to de­termin or be positive in this matter, as it is [Page 115]generally thought; and really the more I have of late examin'd it, the more difficulty have I found to choose what side I wou'd be of.

I am my self, almost, as unresolv'd as you; sayd the Abbot. I am convinc'd of the fal­shood of some articles, but in suspence for o­thers. The next time we meet, He tell you all I know, and all I think, and then leave you to judge.

The conversation about probable opinions went no farther; but they discours'd for some time after of the Provincial Letters. The Ab­bot, who is very quick and sagacious, and knows, perfectly well, how to distinguish, in any book between what is real and solid; and what is glittering and shewish: and between some rambling extravagant maxims, by which men daily supply the want of reason and justice, in the cause, they defend; made his two friends several important reflexions.

In the first place, he made them quickly sen­sible, that there never came out any book, that ought more to be distrusted than the Provincial Letters; whether one regarded the fource, from whence this work was deriv'd, or the occasion of it's being made, or the me­moires which were follow'd, or the manner wherein it was compos'd, or that, wherein it was publish'd, or the judgment of those, who examin'd it, and whose duty it was to examin it to the bottom. And also plainly shew'd them, that this book was made by men, who were then, at least, suspected in matters of faith: [Page 116]that the Sorbonne's censuring Mr. Arnauld's do­ctrin, was the occasion of it: that the Paris Divines, and their doctrin, in a point they judg'd essential, to justify the decisions of the Church, was in it turn'd to ridicule, and their assemblies, represented as so many farces and interludes of merriment and foolery, without any respect, for the most illustrious persons of the Kingdom, who by the King's command made a part of them: and, lastly, that these Letters were but a kind of comedy to entertain people at the expence of the Jesuits, because they were believ'd to have contributed most to the condemnation of Jansenius's five propo­sitions.

In the second place, he made it appear, that there never was a book, wherein some general and specious maxims were more abus'd; max­ims, that were proper to surprise either super­ficial or lazy men, who wou'd not take the pains to examin whether their application was either just or sincere: that it was therein all along sayd, that Christians cou'd have no other rule of Morals, but the Scripture, the Fathers, and the Councils; and that the fancys, or imaginations of modern authors, if it were but for their novelty, ought to be accounted and pass for dangerous.

The Abbot enlarg'd himself, fully, upon this article, which he excellently well clear'd from all objections and difficulties. I wou'd be glad to know, sayd he, for example, how a Curat, who had got all the Bible by heart, and had [Page 117]also got into his head the seventeen tomes of the last edition of the Councils, together with all Saint Austin, Saint Hierom, Saint Chrysostom, and the rest of the Greek and Latin Fathers, but had never read any one of the Casuists; how, I say, cou'd this Curat take upon him, to hear Confessions, and resolve all the cases of Conscience, which his Parishoners might propose to him: or whether he cou'd under­stand, from the works of Saint Austin against the Pelagians, or from those of Saint Prosper, how to determin all the difficulties, which re­late to the impediments of matrimony; how to distinguish, between that, which makes it nul, and that, which renders it only unlawful: or, how cou'd he there find all the expedients he ought to make use of, in these matters, to a­void scandal, divisions, quarrels and destruction of families? what might, or ought to be tolera­ted, or permitted, or hinder'd in regard to certain, nice, and tender circumstances and conjunctures? how this Curat, whether in City, or in Country, cou'd be able to answer about the validity, or the nullity, the justice, or injustice of some contracts, and about the doubts, which a thousand different circumstan­ces may occasion, even in such contracts as are least disputed? how shou'd he behave himself, in matters of restitution? wherein one rule, whether it be of the law of nature, or of the positive law, often seems to destroy another. How many difficulties, in matter of censures, irregularities, and dispensations, do daily arise, [Page 118]which the Councils cou'd neither foresee, nor regulate, and of which experience, only, gain'd by hearing Confessions, gave occasion to treat, to clear, and decide them? a man may, almost, say the same things of every part of Morals; the Divine law, which is compris'd in the holy Scripture, and the Ecclesiastic law, which is compris'd in the Councils, are they not also, as well as the Civil law, the instruments God makes use of, to regulat the manners, the dis­putes, and the differences of men? and are they not likewise, at the same time, the sources, and springs, of an infinit number of difficulties and troubles? having these holy rules, say our re­formers, what need have we of Casuists, and of all their great volumes, which fill whole libra­ries? and, I demand of them, since there are so many and so good laws, why are there such a number of Lawyers in the world, and so many commentaries upon those laws? and why, not­withstanding all this, are there still so many suites, wherein the Judges, who best understand all these laws, and all these commentaries, are, sometimes, hard put to it, much imbarrass'd and perplex'd in giving their Judgments?

The Council of Trent declares to all peni­tents, that they are oblig'd in confession to tell the number of their sins, and their different kinds: the Confessors are oblig'd to explain to them those different kinds, to know them, and to make a judgment of them: are the means of doing all this exactly and prudently, which go very far and suppose no small skill in several [Page 119]sorts of learning, in School Divinity, in Moral Divinity, and even in Logic, to be found in the Scriptures, in the Councils, or in the Fa­thers? and without reducing things to the me­thod that these Divines, so much despis'd, have done, into how many scruples, and difficulties wou'd this decree of the Council put both the penitents and the Confessors?

No, no, one must not oppose the doctrin of the Scriptures, the Fathers, and the Councils, to the doctrin of Divines, and the greatest num­ber of Casuists; no more then they must the Commentators and interpreters of the laws, to the laws themselves. One may indeed examin, whether their consequences are well or ill de­duc'd; or whether the Fathers, in such circum­stances, and in those particular cases, wou'd have decided as they did: or whether, they swerv'd from the right way, or went astray by igno­rance, by wilfulness, or by malice. The Eccle­siastic Superiors have a right, to provide and take care in this matter: but it is also the Chri­stian readers duty, and they are in charity bound to it, not to believe Pascal upon his own word, nor trust his extracts, even when he quotes the books, the chapters, and the pages: the respect due to the persons he attacks, is a strong pre­judice against him: and the judgment any one shou'd make, upon his testimony or assertion, wou'd certainly be too rash and too foolish. The most men ought to do, when they read him, is but to doubt, whether as declar'd an enemy as he is, he may not, possibly speak [Page 120]truth: but not to conclude all those guilty, whom he condems, and for no other reason, but because he is pleas'd to say, they are igno­rant in the Church learning, occasions of scan­dal to Christianity, the corrupters of the Gos­pel, and the Morals of our Savior; and that as soon as they appear'd, they banish'd the Scriptures, the Councils, and the Fathers.

I am as much persuaded as you, answer'd Eudoxus, that this Curat, you speak of, with all his knowledge in Scripture, Councils, and Fa­thers, wou'd be often very much puzzled how to solve all his Parishoners difficulties, whether put to him, in Confessions, or in consultati­ons, if he had not some special and particular rule to assist him, in the application of those general rules: and his fate wou'd be the same with some Lawyers, who have the Institutes, the Code, and the digests almost by heart, and yet are not able to advise, or counsel aright one of their farmers, or tenants in a suit against his neighbor, about the bounds of his lands, his close, or fields, I know more than one Curat, or one Doctor, who declaim and thunder out aloud against the Jesuits Morals, and yet, in their closets, Cardinal Lugo, Lessius, Sanchez, Layman and Azor are the advocats they consult, and by whose determinations they often gain a great deal of honor.

You are in the right, replied the Abbot, and it is without doubt for this reason, that Saint Charles Borromeus, in a little treatise he has made about true Confession, do's expresly injoyn his [Page 121]Curats, diligently and constantly to read, Mani­bus continuè terant, the Classic authors, so he calls them, who fully treat of cases of conscience.

Saint Francis of Sales shews he was of the same opinion, in a little piece which he directs to his Priests, intitled, Avertisse­ment aux Confes­seurs. an Advertisment to Con­fessors, wherein, after several advices about the method they ought to observe in hearing Con­fessions, he thus concludes. ‘Father Valerius Reginaldus, a Jesuit, reader of Divinity at Dole, (observe that this is one of those, whom Pas­cal treats most rudely) has newly publish'd a book, Of the prudence of Confessors, De la pru­dence des Confes­seurs. which will be greatly useful to all that read it. Here you see, my dear brethren, the five and twenty articles which I thought fit to propose to you, &c.’

I have also seen a latin letter from the same Saint to Father Lessius, which was not printed with the rest, but was publish'd elsewhere, the original of which is at Antwerp, wherein, after he had signified the great esteem he had for the Societies works, and for his in particular, he adds. I read some years since a very useful piece, de justitia & jure, which you publish'd, where you solve, with much solidity and clearness, and better than any Divines I have seen, all the difficulties of this part of Divinity. Pray observe, adds the Abbot, that this book, with which Saint Francis of Sales is so much taken, and commends so much, is that very book, for which Lessius has deserv'd from Pascal, the title of the Favorer and Patron of Murderers, of Bankrupts, bro­ken Merchants and Usurers, &c.

You there touch upon a point of some con­sequence, sayd Cleander, and without all doubt, the authority and testimony of Saint Charles Bor­romeus, and of Saint Francis of Sales, ought not to be of less weight, than that of Pascal and Nicole. And if we add to this, answer'd the Abbot, The Bi­shop of Meaux that one of our most famous Bishops, in his Synodal, or Diocesan Statuts, has very lately mention'd among other books which he advis'd his Clergy to read, the better to enable them to hear Confessions, Tolet and Azor, both Jesuits, the last of whom had the honor to be one of Pascals heroes of the loose Morals, per­haps the Jesuits may have occasion to flatter themselves into a belief, that all the world do not blindly run into his opinion or suffer themselves to be deluded, or trapand into Port-Royal nets.

As the Abbot was going on with the Jesuits Apology, for which he was furnish'd with very good memoires, Eudoxus was call'd away by a letter of consequence which requir'd an immediat answer. But Cleander made the Abbot promise he wou'd be present and make one at the meet­ings and discourses which Eudoxus and he resolv'd to have about the Provincial Letters. They a­greed to go next day to one of the librarys in Paris: to see, whether the Thomists, the Doctors of Louvain, and the rest, had taught the Doctrin of probable opinions, as the Jesuits and the Professors of Sorbonne had done. And also to confront and compare, exactly, the passages he had shewn them, to prove that Pascal and Wendrok had alter'd and disguis'd the Jesuits principles. [Page 123]And likewise promis'd, if that appear'd true, they wou'd without difficulty forgive his calling them both impostors and calumniators: and that they wou'd afterwards go on, to the ex­amination of the particular passages, which, the Jesuits publicly say, were, for the most part, maim'd, or falsified, or wrongfully transpos'd: after which the Abbot and Cleander took their leaves of one another, and parted.

The Fourth Discourse.

THE Abbot came the next day, at the hour appointed, to take up Eudoxus and Cleander, whom he carried to the Fathers of **** whose library, he knew, was very well furnish'd with the books they wanted. There he made a new conquest in favor of truth: it was over a young Batchelor of quality of Eu­doxus and Cleander's acquaintance, who, by chance, happen'd to be in the library: and who, having saluted them, and understood the occasion of their coming, cou'd not forbear laughing: he ask'd them how they came, at this time of day, to have any scruples about a matter, that for so many years past no body had question'd. To make a doubt, sayd he, whether the doctrin of probable opinions be the specific doctrin of the Society, of which the Jesuits were the inventors, and the only, or, almost, the only defenders, having of their side but a Caramuel, or a Diana, at most, is to doubt, whether there be such a City as Rome [Page 124]in the world, or a Grand Vizir in the Ottoman Empire.

Hereupon the Abbot spoke, and told him, that in such matters as these, there was nothing better, than for a man to see things with his own eyes; and that he wou'd do them a plea­sure, to help them to find out, what might, at last, confound a Jesuit, whose confidence the Public had a long time suffer'd to go un­punish'd: that this Jesuit had been so bold, a­bove thirty years since, as to make all the Re­ligious Orders, a number of Bishops, the most famous Universities of Europe, and even the Sor­bonne, in the sight of her own Doctors, com­plices of the extravagancies of the Society, in matter of Morals: that this was done, by a book licens'd and printed at Paris: wherein, without entring into the matter of Right, or examining, whether the doctrin of probability be good or bad, he confines himself to the matter of Fact, that for near a hundred years, and until the year 1660, when his book was printed, this doctrin was the common opinion of all the Bishops, all the Orders, all the Uni­versities and all the Doctors: that for one, that had oppos'd it, he cou'd easily reckon ten, that had defended it: and that, of the three or four, at most, who had quitted it in some points, two were Jesuits. You see what his paradox is, added the Abbot, seeming to speak very seriously. And this author, continued he, to put his design in execution the more metho­dically, has reduc'd the whole doctrin of pro­bability, [Page 125]to two propositions, which in effect contain it wholy: the first: That, of two pro­bable opinions, one may follow the less safe. The second: That, of two probable opinions, it is law­ful to sollow the less probable. The two Monsters which Pascal and Wendrok have fought with, as sprung from the damnable politics of the Je­suits: and in this little book (which at the same time he drew out of his pocket) 'tis bold­ly, I say, affirm'd, that these two propositions were taught, either separatly, or both together, by this croud of non-Jesuit Divines, which are all nam'd, and their passages quoted. What insolence is this if it be not true?

The young Batcheler, after he had, for some time, railly'd at the Jesuits pretention with Cle­ander and Eudoxus, who affected to seem as in­credulous as he, sayd, he wou'd willingly share in the unnecessary trouble the Abbot had re­solv'd to give himself. Hereupon they fell im­mediatly to work, to the turning over the books, which the library keeper put into their hands, as fast as they call'd for them: they follow'd the order of the chapters, and begun with the list of Bishops.

They presently read, in Saint Antonin, the first proposition, express'd in these words. Eligere viam tutiorem consilij est, non praecepti. To choose the safer way, is matter of counsel not command. And because Wendrok, who was gravel'd at this passage, had answer'd, that Saint Antonin spoke there, only of the choice of conditions, or states of life, and that he meant no more than [Page 126]this, that thô it were safer to become Religi­ous, than to live in the world, it was, notwith­standing, not a command to become Religious, but only an advice: they read what the Jesuit Author had writ upon that text, to refute Wen­drok's explication. This Saint speaks there of an action, of which there is a doubt whether it be a sin or not a sin, which in reality is the ground of the question treated of, in this whole paragraph. Here are Saint Antonin's own words.

The Batcheler cou'd not easily agree to this doctrin, or comprehend how a man cou'd act with a doubt, and yet not offend God. The Abbot sayd, that, according to the principles of Saint Antonin, and those Divines who follow'd him, one must, in this matter, distinguish be­tween a practical and a speculative doubt: that they hold, that the one do's not necessarily follow the other, and that one may act with a speculative doubt, althô it be not lawful to act with a practical doubt. But in a word, con­tinued he, the question here, is not of the Right, but of the Fact; nor whether Saint Antonin was in the right, or in the wrong; but only, whether the Jesuits do fully prove, that his opinion was the same with theirs.

At least, answer'd the Batcheler, Saint An­tonin seems to say, that in allowing the less safe [Page 128]to be follow'd, one is oblig'd to follow the more probable opinion.

The Jesuit, reply'd the Abbot pretends to no more: his drift is, only, to shew that Saint, Antonin held, at least, that one might follow an opinion which is but probable; and that, of two probable opinions, one may follow the less safe; althô there shou'd be still danger, that it might be false. If we were to dispute the thing, we shou'd, by this single principle of Saint Antonin, overturn all Pascal and Wendrok's Divinity on this subject.

The next, they call'd for, was Didacus Alva­rez, that man, so famous for his dispute de Auxilijs, when Dominican, and who was after­wards Archbishop of Trani, in the Kingdom of Naples. They look'd for the title of the dispute 80 to wit. Ad. 1.2. Whether, of two probable opi­nions, a man may follow that which he shall judge most convenient, and leave even that which he be­lieves the more probable. This Divine, after he had brought down the opinion of Cajetan, and of some other Thomists, which seem to hold that one ought to follow the more probable, speaks thus.

‘The second opinion is contrary to this, Num. 4. and holds that every body may follow that opinion, which he judges probable. This is held by Master Medina, and with him by many other learned Thomists.’

Afterwards, he sets down a third, to recon­cile the two others, by the restrictions where­with it allows the less probable opinion to be [Page 129]follow'd, which are, that neither our neighbor, nor our Religion be concern'd therein, and that there be not in it, any particular circumstances, to offend the honor of God: he also adds some suppositions. First he lays down as a thing not to be doubted of, that, when two opinions are equally probable, or, that there is very little difference in the point of probability, one may choose which of the two he pleases: secondly, that when a penitent has follow'd a probable o­pinion, for example, that which says, such or such a contract is lawful, his Confessor ought to absolve him, althô he shou'd believe it more probable, and even certain, that the contract is unlawful: Because, says he, that the penitent, in following this probable opinion, has not sinned. Num. 9. After which he declares himself of this third opinion, and answers the arguments of Cajetan, which, for the most part, do only prove, that one ought to make use of the foremention'd restrictions, and which all the Jesuits, who taught this doctrin never fail'd to prescribe. Upon which the Abbot in a few words made these two reflexions.

First, that nothing can be more clearly taught, than that, on several occasions, It is lawful to follow the less probable opinion, althô that, at the same time, it shou'd be the less safe. And in the second place, that the single testimony of Al­varez may save them the labor, of turning over Medina, and the other learned Thomists; to satisfy themselves that the doctrin which was attributed only to the Jesuits was common to them with [Page 130]the most able Divines of Saint Thomas's School.

These reflexions, which began to put the Batcheler a little out of countenance, made Cleander and Eudoxus smile, who, by the for­mer day's discourse, were prevented from be­ing surpriz'd, as he was, at the things that were shewn them.

The Abbot went on, and shew'd the follow­ing proposition in Quaes. de Cons. difficult. 8. Joseph Anglez, Bishop of Bozano in Sardinia, in In praxi poe­nit. ca. 22. qu. 3. Thomas Zerola, and in Edit. Venetae 1559. in l. 2. q. 19. disp. 86. Malderus Bishop of Antwerp. When the penitents opinion is probable, althô the Confessors opi­nion shou'd be more probable, he neither can, nor ought to refuse him absolution. And this in Tract. de poenit. sacr. diffi. 1 [...]. p. 731. edit. Sal­man. 1585. Bartholemew Ledesma, an other Bishop of the Dominican Order. This conclusion is against Adrian, who says, that one is oblig'd to follow the more safe opinion, even supposing that the contrary opinion is also probable. But notwithstanding our conclusion is very true, and this conclusion is, that it is lawful to follow the less safe and the less probable opinion.

They open'd a second time Loco citato. Malderus Bishop of Antwerp, to shew this assertion in express terms. It is sometimes lawful to follow the less probable opinion, and to reject the more probable, althô this shou'd be the more safe opinion. Tom. 2. dis. 2. q. 4. p. 9. Bo­nacina was found to be of the same opinion. We may, says he, without sin follow a probable opi­nion, and leave the more probable and more safe opinion.

Tom. 1. col. in lib. 2. Decret. p. 408. Barbosa Bishop of Ʋgentio, the great Canonist, was also in his turn consulted, and found to be of the number of the approvers of this doctrin.

At last when they came to Caramuel, I durst not sayd the Abbot propose him to the Jesuits adversaries for a Judge: for thô he were a Bishop, they have treated him so ill, and the Jansenists have given such an idea of him, and of Escobar, that men cannot hear their names pronounc'd, but they presently fall a laughing. Besides, perhaps, he extended this matter too far. But without regarding his opinion, may we not, at least, hear him as a witness of a matter of fact, wherein he was very well vers'd. This opinion, says he, Num. 302. here in his Moral Di­vinity, which he dedicated to Alexander VII, is, at this time, the common opinion of all the world, that men may, with a safe conscience, follow the less probable opinion. The common opinion, adds he, is, that it is lawful to follow the less probable and the less safe opinion, and to re­ject the more probable and the more safe opinion.

See now, continued the Abbot, eight Bi­shops, besides Caramuel, all men particularly distinguish'd, and remarkable for their learning and their piety, who hold the first part of the doctrin of probability, and seven, that hold the whole, pure and intire. What an honor is this for the Jesuits, that all these learned men are accounted as nothing in respect of them? and that, in a common cause, they shou'd be regarded as the chief, who alone deserve to be attack'd, and that all these Prelats shou'd not be thought worth the trouble of being so much as nam'd?

They are in truth Bishops, sayd Eudoxus [Page 132]laughing, but they are but Italians, Spaniards, or Flemings; and if I were a Batcheler of Sorbonne, as this Gentleman is, two of their Doctors wou'd weigh more with me, than all those people, who, perhaps, might have been dis­ciples of the Jesuits. In that point, sayd he to the Abbot, it were well, if you cou'd justify the quotations of your Father Dechamps: as for Cleander and me, who are not so much concern'd in the matter, we will still go on to make the Thomists ready for you.

The mischief on't is, sayd the Abbot, that some of these had quitted the world before the Jesuits were come into it: and that others had printed this doctrin, before any Jesuit had writ­ten in Divinity. The rest were either Domini­cans, or Doctors of Louvain, and appear'd very indifferent for the interests, or the doctrin of the Society. But I will willingly refer my self in the matter to the Doctors of Paris. Here­upon they took Isambert, Du-val, Gamache and Bail, quoted by Father Dechamps. Wherein, were read to the Batcheler these plain proposi­tions, which were the day before shewn to En­doxus and Cleander. That one is not oblig'd to fol­low the more safe opinion: and that one may in conscience follow the less safe, and less probable opi­nion and quit the more probable and more safe opinion.

He was very much surpris'd, and sayd he wou'd see no more; but how then, added he, comes it to pass, that all the world say it is the peculiar doctrin of the Jesuits, the secret and foundation of their corrupted Morals, and of [Page 133]their Politics? and how happens it, that Pascal and Wendrok, quitting all others, fall only upon them? and that they speak of these Fathers, and of their opinions in this matter, as the scandal of Religion, saying, that the heretics ought not to judge of the Church's doctrin, by the doctrin of the Jesuits, and that the Catho­lic Universities, the other Communities and Religious Orders do not partake in their errors? you fill my head witha world of scruples, sayd he to Eudoxus and Cleander; I my self, upon this account, have a thousand times exclaim'd against, and run down the Society: the matter passes for a thing evident and certain by the charity and the care of the Jansenists, and is become so public, that I did not believe I was guilty, in this, of rash judgment, nor of de­traction, or calumny.

I am well pleas'd, answerd Eudoxus, that you have so tender a conscience: but, after all, is not Pascal, Wendrok, Mr. Arnauld, and all their friends of weight enuff to hinder and secure your judgment from being rash, althô it shou'd be false? believe me, that if you wou'd un­burden your conscience of these sins, you ought to go and confess them to Mr. Curat of ****, however severe he be in other matters, he will not refuse you absolution on this account; but let me advise you to tell him the case with all it's circumstances: for if you speak to him of rash judgment, or of detraction, in general, with reference to the doctrin of some Divines, he will believe you speak of Mr. Arnauld, or [Page 134]of Jansenius, and that will not be for your ad­vantage. Tell him it is of the Jesuits, and he will comfort you; he will enlarge your con­science, as if you had been a weak scrupulous person; he will inform you, that it is not al­ways any great crime to speak little trifling things of one's neighbor; and that, when they happen to be sayd of the Jesuits, they may sometimes have a very good effect.

The Batcheler hereupon having taken leave of them, they stay'd sometime longer to com­pare many passages with the texts of the authors cited, which they found very exact. But be­ginning to be weary of a labor, which was not at all pleasant or agreeable, they only chose five or six more of the most positive, to verify them, and especially those of the Dominican Di­vines. They pitch'd upon these Divines rather than any others, not only for the reputation their School is in, but also because there have been, of late, some particular persons of their Order, very ill instructed, without doubt, in the opinions of their Doctors, who affected to make all the inconveniences, real, or pre­tended, of the doctrin of probable opinions fall upon the Jesuits alone.

But before the other passages were compar'd, the Abbot desir'd Eudoxus and Cleander to take notice of what Father Dechamps asserts in his book, Quaestio facti. to wit, that the Dominican Divines, who had handled this matter for near these hundred years, had all agreed, in teaching these two propositions together. That one is not oblig'd to [Page 135]follow the more safe opinion, and, that it is law­ful to follow the less probable and less safe, and quit the more safe and more probable opinion. ‘In­somuch, says this Father, that I have not found one of those I have read, nor of those quoted by the authors I have read, who has given the least ground to believe, that he was of a contrary opinion.’

The first, of all the Thomists he begun with, was Bartholemew de Medina, whom Antony of Siena, in his Bibliotheca, qualifies with the title of the complete and excellent Divine, distin­guish'd as much, by his probity and his piety, as by his learning. q. 19 a. 6. c. 3. These words are to be seen in his commentaries upon Saint Thomas's prima secundae, printed many years before any Jesuit had handled this matter. From thence arises a great question, to wit, whether a man be oblig'd to follow the more probable opinion: and after he had pro­pos'd the contrary opinion, he thus determins. My opinion is, that if the opinion be probable, it is lawful to follow it, althô the contrary opinion shou'd be more probable: which he afterwards proves at large.

Cleander having read, among the remaining authors, the name Dominic Bannes, desir'd he might be consulted: he was, sayd he, a man of some weight and value, and one of the Di­rectors of Saint Teresa: they open'd his works, and found in his treatise upon prima secundae these words. ‘There are two sorts of opinions; q. 10. a. 11. dub. 3. c. 4. for some relate to actions, for example, to know whether such a contract be lawful or [Page 136]not. Others concern the things themselves, to know whether a thing be so or so: whe­ther this house belongs to me, or to ano­ther: I say then for the first kind, that men may follow a probable opinion, and re­ject the more probable.’

By this 'tis plain, sayd Eudoxus, that the Holy Teresa's Director is, like the rest, of the loose Morals; and for which there is no re­medy: for the Inquisition, which bore with this doctrin, wou'd never have suffer'd a Port-Royal in Spain, nor the publication of Pascals Letters. Witness, sayd the Abbot, what hap­pen'd the last year. A Religious man under­took to get the Provincial Letters, translated into Spanish, to be printed at Madrid, that they might, as was sayd, be sent into the Indies; to give the Christians, there, the same kind of character and idea of the Jesuits, as was en­deavor'd to be given to the Catholics of France. But what's worse than ill luck? the Inquisition got notice of it, and cited the Religious man; who, being question'd about this new book, found about him, answer'd, he knew not what it was: that it was directed to him, without telling him from whence it came. But the printed leaves appearing still fresh, he was con­victed and shut up till farther orders.

Cleander ask'd him if the Jesuits knew this story? they know it, answer'd the Abbot, and wou'd be very glad, they had not so much cause as they daily have to complain of such kind of proceedings. After this, they read, in the little [Page 137]book, the rest of the Thomists quoted, without taking the pains to search into their own parti­cular works, out of which, no doubt, the pas­sages are most faithfully extracted.

Tom. 1. in 1.2. ad quaest. 19. art. 6.

‘It is not only lawful to choose, of two opinions e­qually probable, that which one pleases, but it is further lawful to follow the less pro­bable, and to quit the more probable. This second part is contrary to Sylvester and Cajetan, but yet it is the common opinion.’

‘It is more probable, In sum. part. 2. tr. 8. ca. 22. and it is conformable to the law of God, and the law of nature; that it is lawful for a Judge to reject the more probable opinion, and to follow that opinion which is probable. This is the opinion of Master Medina, of Orellana and several other Doctors, and chiefly of Saint Thomas's Scholars upon the 2.2. q. 67. a. 4.’

Ho! for this bold stroak, sayd Cleander, the Jesuits will reform the Dominicans Morals: for I very well know, that upon the chapter con­cerning Judges, the direct contrary is com­monly taught by the Society: and that their principal Doctors Suatez Vasquez, Valentia, Sanchez, Tannerus, Becanus, Conink, Granado, Salas, Filiucius, Layman, Reginal­dus, Got­donus, [...]. &c. have declar'd against this proposition. And they bring for it very strong and good reasons; and do solidly shew the dif­ference there is between these, in particular, and other cases, where neither the interest of our neighbor, nor the honor of Religion is concern'd.

There follow'd in the list of Dominicans, To. 1. disq. mot. disq. 3. art. 20. Vincentio Candido Master of the sacred Pallace. Ad. 1.2. dis. 208. frag. 1.: nu. 549. Ildefonsus of Saragosa whose works were printed at [Page 138] Rome, by order of the General Chapter of Do­minicans; a circumstance, upon which one may argue strongly, and which Pascal wou'd not have forgot, if the treatise of Divinity of any Jesuit, who had taught the doctrin of probable opini­ons, Pag. 182. Controv. 14. had been publish'd by order of a General Congregation of the Society. This list ended with Paul Blanchis and John Haquet.

The Abbot further propos'd the justifying or proving some passages of the Doctors of Louvain, quoted by Father Dechamps. But Cleander and Eudoxus sayd they were abundantly satisfied. They only took the pains to count the Authors of the other Orders, and the Doctors of all the Universities mention'd in the following chap­ters: the number was about threescore: but they read, attentively, and with pleasure, the reflexions made by Father Dechamps in the last chapter of his little book, which really are very much to the purpose.

The first is, that which the Abbot had be­fore made them, and which, as one may say, do's, naturally, present it self to their and every body's eyes. To wit; whether there be the least reason, or the least equity to attribut to the Jesuits, as their particular and peculiar opi­nion, a doctrin, largely spread in the writings of the Divines of all Religious Orders, and of the Doctors of all Catholic Universities: and above all, when Mr. Isambert writes in France, that it is the common opinion of the Doctors. Ita communiter Doctores; that Bonacina writes the same thing in Italy: Ita communiter Theologi; [Page 139]that others say it in Spain, and others in Ger­many. Haec sententia est communis in Scholis. Navar, Io Ca­ram. Ep. Misiensis. Illa sententia est hodie omnium.

The second reflexion is, that, it is yet more ridiculous and more unjust, to make the Jesuits authors of an opinion, taught by so many able Doctors before they had a being. It is the most common opinion of Divines, sayd Peter Navar in the year 1597 This opinion is supported by the greatest number of Doctors, by the greatest authority, and by the strongest reasons, say'd Salonius, an Augustin in the year 1592.

The third is, that the Jesuits have apply'd themselves, above all other Divines, to limit and restrain this doctrin, which certainly may be abus'd more than any other Moral prin­ciple, if it shou'd not be taken as it ought to be; and which, in reality, was stretch'd too far by some Doctors, before it was treated of by the Jesuits. For this reason, Suarez, Vasquez, Sanchez, and other the most learned Divines of this Society, have plainly demonstrated, and convinc'd all the Divines of their time, that this doctrin ought not to take place in refer­ence to Judges in their Judicatures, nor to Physicians in the application of their Medicins, nor to Professors of Divinity, in the choice of the opinions they ought to teach: and these last, in particular, are bound in conscience, according to the Morals taught by the Jesuits, to follow the most safe opinions in matters of Religion, and such as are conformable to the common practice of the Church, and mo­rally [Page 140]certain in the matter of the Sacraments.

Lastly the fourth reflexion, which, by the way, they had touch'd upon in the precedent discourse, is, that from the time this doctrin was in vogue till the year 1660 there had been but one Author who attack'd it in it's full ex­tent, and that this Author was an Italian Jesuit, Comitolus, from whom Wendrok had taken the best part, of what, with any color of reason, he had sayd upon this subject, but very disin­genously, without acquainting his readers that this Comitalus, whom he had cited, was a Jesuit.

They were going to leave the library, after the Abbot had shewn his two friends in the books of several Jesuits the definition they give of a probable opinion, together with the re­strictions added to it, by Layman, Suarez, and their other Divines, the extracts of which he had shewn the day before: and had thereby made an end of convincing them of Pascal and Wen­drok's unfaithfulness, who give a very false no­tion, and make a very wrong scheme of this doctrin, to no other end, but that they might have an occasion to calumniat the Jesuits. Just as Cleander, casting his eyes, by chance, on the 33 page of Father Dechamps book, which lay open, saw there the name of Father Morin, the Oratorian: what, sayd he, laughing aloud, do the Jesuits bring to their succour, even the very Oratorians, upon the chapter of Probability?

Because that is an extraordinary thing, let us see, sayd Eudoxus, what Morinus says to the busi­ness. In his eighth book of Penance ch. 4. nu. 19. [Page 141]these words are to be found. Franciscus Suarez tra. 3. ad 1.2. disp. 12. sect. 6. nu. 10. prudenter mihi videtur circumscribere casus, in quibus necesse est opinionem certam praeferre probabili, & probabilio­rem minus probabili: mihi enim videtur certum & evidens, aliquando probabilia certis praeferri posse: quibus igitur indicijs & argumentis haec dignosce­mus? quando, scilicet, inquit Suarez, ex justitia vel charitate tenemur vitare damnum, quod re ipsa subest, vel periculum ejus, &c. Suarez seems to me to determin very prudently the cases where­in one ought to prefer a certain to a probable opinion, and the more probable to the less pro­bable: for it appears to me certain and evident, that sometimes a probable opinion may be pre­fer'd to a certain one: how shall we come to know when this is to be done? that is, says Suarez, when either justice, or charity do's ob­lige us, to prevent the dammage that may happen by the thing it self, or the danger of it, &c.

Let us go, sayd Eudoxus, the Jesuits have carried the cause and they will carry it before any impartial judge: any man of sense, who will but hear and examin it, as we have now done. They went abroad to take the air a little wearied by the application their curiosity had given them, but mighty well satisfied they had clear'd and disintangled the truth of things, from all the clouds and obscurities, wherein it had a long time layn industriously conceal'd and folded up.

The Fifth Discourse.

IMmediatly after dinner, Cleander and Eudoxus carryed the Abbot to the Jansenist's house, Eudoxus's friend, of whom they had spoke in the first discourse, and who had by him all the Casuists of the Society. They had great hopes to engage him to dispute with the Ab­bot, that they might have the pleasure to see, how each of 'um wou'd behave himself, and which wou'd come off best, in a matter of fact, to be made good, only, by looking into the books; and wherein nothing cou'd be neces­sary but eyes, to decide the controversy. But as ill luck wou'd have it, the new adversary they had intended for the Abbot was not at home; yet notwithstanding, they went directly to his library; whither as they were going Eu­doxus sayd to the Abbot, we have really lost half our design: For our intention was, to find out for you a stout antagonist; who might a little moderat that ardent zeal, which makes you so warm in defence of the Jesuits. We two are a very unequal match for you; and the victories you obtain, by the advantage of [Page 172]truth, wou'd be the more glorious, if they were a little better contested.

I do not find, answer'd the Abbot, that you are of so gentle and plyable a mould, so easy as you pretend; you do indeed yield to truth, but not before you are convinc'd; and it was well for me, and absolutly necessary, to have had good proofs and authentic pieces ready to produce. For, notwithstanding all your compliments, and commendations of my since­rity, I have not found you very forward, to take my word touching the matter in hand. But, however, I must confess you are very much in the right, and take the course every one ought to observe in their inquiries after truth.

Tell me in good earnest, sayd Cleander, whe­ther you are as able to defend the Jesuits, in the rest, in all the other particular points, wherewith they are reproch'd, in the Provincial Letters, as you have seem'd to us, in the ge­neral article of their conspiracy, against the Morals of the Gospel, in their empty, chimeri­cal, division, of strict and loose Directors, and in the particular one, the doctrin of probability.

You your selves, answer'd the Abbot, shall be the judges; all I can say to you is, that I will not spare their Divines, when ever I find them faulty. But I desire you wou'd not, upon Pascal's word, and his odd notions, conclude every thing, without farther examining, to be loose Morals, which in his Letters he call's by that name: And, if by chance, we shou'd hap­pen to find some Jesuits go astray from the [Page 173]rules of true Morals, be content to treat them, as you wou'd, in the like case, treat other Di­vines, as you wou'd a Doctor of Sorbonne who got his book approv'd by three of his brethren; or a Dominican, whose work had the approbation of three Divines and a Provincial of his own Order. Blame them; but without imputing to the whole body, as a contagious disease, the sins of a particular person. Nay, I will freely give up, even, the whole Society to your cen­sure, if in any determination, evidently ill, I do not find out, among it's members, ten, twenty, for one, who have taught the contrary: These conditions are not, I think, over advan­tagious for the Jesuits, and yet if with all these they carry the cause, you cannot but conclude, that the right is on their side.

Nothing can be more equitable, than what you desire, sayd Eudoxus; let us begin at one end and go, gradually, on to the other, the list of real, or pretended loose decisions begins in the fourth Letter. Wherein upon opening, see sayd he, what Pascal makes the Jesuits here speak, by the mouth of the good Father; who discovers to him all the secrets of the Society. ‘We do maintain as an undoubted principle, that an action cannot be imputed for a sin, if God do's not give us, before its committal, a knowledge of the evil that is in it and an inspiration exciting us to avoid it.’

In the first place, this is false, cry'd the Ab­bot, and I boldly affirm the contrary; and that in the sense Pascal gives this proposition, no [Page 174]Jesuit ever taught any thing like it. Let us see, sayd Cleander, how well you can make out this beginning. Let us examin, continued the Ab­bot, how many several ways, according to the Jesuits, this proposition is false. First it is false in an infinity of actions, to which men are not mov'd by any passion, or transport; and which nature of it self do's abhor; the Jesuits, accor­ding to the principles of the common, ordinary Divinity, do affirm that a man may sin, and sin mortally, althô God shou'd not have given him actual grace, or an inspiration to avoid the sin. I will explain my self by an example, which will make you easily comprehend both theirs and my meaning.

I have read some where or other, that a Christian, a skilful Painter made a slave by the Turks, having presented to Mahomet the second, who understood painting very well the picture of Saint John Baptist's head, the Emperor lik'd it, and sayd to the painter, that it was a very good piece; but yet had one great fault; which was, his not having given to the head, that turn of the mouth, which is commonly seen in heads, that are cut off. And having sayd this he call'd to him an other slave; drew out his Cymiter, and struck off his head; to let the painter see by this horrible experiment the de­fects of his picture.

The Jesuits all do, and will, say upon such an occasion as this, and an infinit number of others, where liberty, impunity, and very often the mad, foolish, vanity of designing to pass [Page 175]for a libertin and an ungodly man makes some people, daily, commit, in cold blood, in spite of conscience, and of nature, actions altogether unworthy either of a Christian, or a man. I say on such occasions as these, men, without being prevented with that grace, which is call'd actual, or a Divine inspiration, do frequently commit very great sins: because according to Saint Austins opinion, Lib. de Spir. & li [...]. c. 2 [...]. The image of God in our Souls, was not so defac'd by original sin, but that there still do remain some strokes and touches, by vertue of which, nature and reason alone are suf­ficient, to restrain men from committing such bru­talities; and even to make the most vicious do, sometimes, actions conformable to the law of God. And in this point, Saint Thomas do's perfectly agree with Saint Austin, and the Jesuits.

In the second place, the Jesuits tell us, that when a man, foolishly, and with knowledge of the hazard, puts himself into a near and dan­gerous occasion of sining, the providence of God is, not, at all, engag'd to secure him; and that thô God shou'd not have given him any grace; in the instant preceding the sin, to which he expos'd himself, this sin, notwithstanding, wou'd be imputed to him.

Thirdly, that the sins, the blasphemies, for example committed by a drunken man, while drunk, are likewise imputed to him, althô, by reason of the condition he then is in, he can have no actual knowledge of the evil he com­mits, nor any inspiration to avoid it.

Fourthly, they teach, that customary sins, [Page 176]for example, the false oaths, and imprecations made, by a common swearer, are all imputed to him, althô he commits these sins without reflexion, or the actual knowledge of what he do's, unless that being truly touch'd with sor­row for the sins he had committed in this mat­ter, he do not heartily detest the custom he has got, and destroy it, as much as lyes in him, by a real and sincere repentance.

Lastly, Suarez, Vasquez, La [...]man, Sauchez, Lugo Vasentia, Tannetus &c they all teach, that the sins of vincible ignorance, that is to say, the actions, com­mitted against the law, and a command, where­in they ought and might have been instructed, are also imputed to those, who commit them; althô they were done without any actual know­lege of the evil, and that they had no inspira­tion before hand. After this, he shew'd them, in several of the Jesuits books, he there found, and wherein these matters were handled, the doctrin he had expounded to them.

You may now perceive, added the Abbot, whether this proposition, That no action can be imputed for a sin, if God gives us not before its committal the knowledge of its evil, and an inspi­ration that stirs us up to avoid it; whether I say this proposition, which according to the Jesuits, is so many ways false, be, among them, an in­dubitable principle, as they are here made to say.

It is true, sayd Eudoxus, that, as to this last point, the Jesuits cou'd not declare themselves more positively, than they have done in their book, intitled, L'erreur du Péché Philosophique combattuë par les Jésuites. No body cou'd defend [Page 177]themselves better, than they have done upon this occasion; wherein it was certainly seen, and with good reason, that they took the thing to heart. Here is the book you mention, sayd the Abbot, drawing it out of his pocket. Ho! sayd Cleander laughing, nothing is more evi­dent, Mr. Abbot, than that you have prepared your self for this combat. Ha! cou'd you doubt it, answer'd the Abbot? cou'd you be­lieve I cou'd have been so perfect in these mat­ters, if I had not reflected on them anew; and wou'd it not have been a piece of rashness in me, to have spoken of them, before two men of your sense, without having first consider'd very well, what I was to say; and before two witty men, who, notwithstanding all their equi­ty, wou'd have had, like many others, some small malicious pleasure, to see the Jesuits found somewhat less innocent, than, I say, they are in the things, whereof they stand ac­cus'd. Here in the nineteenth page is the place you speak of, continued he.

‘Yes, Sir, of so great number of Jesuits, In­terpreters of Scripture, School Divines, Con­troversits, Casuists, or Canonists, Writers of Spiritual treatises, Preachers, and even Philoso­phers themselves, I defy you, to find one single man, who, treating of ignorance, or inadver­tence, in reference to our duty, has not distin­guish'd, that which is blamable, from that which is not; and who has not sayd, that neither ig­norance, nor inadvertence, do's ever excuse from the evil one is ignorant of, by a criminal wilful neglect.’

Behold, sayd Cleander, an induction general enuff, and very exact; which, without leaving out one, runs thro' all the several sorts of writers; and it must needs be, that the Jesuits have sayd nothing but truth on this occasion, since no body has thought fit to contradict them, or shew the contrary. That therefore which the Jesuits wou'd say, continued the Ab­bot, by the proposition, which Pascal attributes to 'um, or rather, that which they wou'd say, by some other propositions, which comes near to that, and which he reduces to it, to poyson more easily their doctrin, is no more than this, that every actual sin is voluntary, either in it self, or in its cause; that men do never offend God by necessity; and that to be criminal, even in the state of corrupted nature; they must be free agents, and under no necessity. You are not now to learn the reason, why this wou'd please neither Pascal nor his friends. This doctrin of the Ie­suits is the con­tradictory of that which was con­demd in [...]ansenius by Innc­cent the Xth. and Alexan­der VII. Well, sayd Eudoxus, we are satisfied in this article. But I am not yet, answer'd the Abbot; read again, if you please, this very passage, and that which follows.

Eudoxus read, a second time, this passage of Pascal. ‘We do then maintain, as an un­doubted principle, That no action can be im­puted as a sin, if God gives us not before we commit it, a knowlege of the evil that's in it, and an inspiration to incite us to avoid it. Do you now comprehend what I wou'd be at? astonish'd at such a discourse, according to which, all sins of surprise, and such as men [Page 179]commit, without once thinking of God, can­not be imputed........’

Hold there, sayd the Abbot, what notion have you of these words? They give me to understand, answer'd Eudoxus, as all the rest of the Letter do's, that, according to the doctrin of the Jesuits, as Mr. Pascal explanes it, there can be no sin of surprise; that all the crimes of harden'd libertins, who run headlong and wilfully into a forgetfulness of God, are no longer sins; and that, as he says, some pages after, when once a man has prevail'd upon himself, to think no more of God, he cannot afterwards offend him; that he is very silly, who sins but by halves; that these half sinners, who still retain some love for vertue, shall all be dam'd; but as for the thorow pac'd sinners, harden'd sinners, sinners without any mixtures of goodness, compleat, and perfect sinners, there can be no place found for them in hell.

But, by the exposition I have made you, an­swer'd the Abbot, and by all, I have shewn you, in the Jesuits books, can you form to your self the fame kind of notion; no, by no means, sayd Eudoxus; I conceive just the con­trary; for it is evident to me, that there are many sins of surprise; as your habitual swearers fully demonstrate; and that the forgetting God, being voluntary in libertins, it must necessarily be, according to the Society's Divinity, that they are guilty of all the crimes they act, during this forgetfulness; and that they will be infi­nitly more punish'd for them, than the half sinners who have still some love for vertue. In a [Page 180]word, we must acknowledge, that this of Pascal is a meer calumny.

I am now content, answer'd the Abbot, but if you desire to satisfy your selves, yet more fully upon this subject, read the Jesuits second Letter concerning Philosophic sin. See, how in that they explain it. Pag. 5. ‘The new heresy im­puted to us, Pag. 40. is, to maintain that all igno­rance, and all forgetfulness of God, althô voluntary, and blamable, as in Atheists, Ido­laters, Libertins, and all other sinners, whose examples the accuser has made use of, to ex­pound this heresy, that all manner of igno­rance, and all kind of forgetfulness of God, are sufficient, to secure us against committing any sins, but philosophic sins, which do not offend God, we all condem this as an abomi­nable heresy; but, at the same time, we say, it was never taught by any of our writers.’

Read this book also, Art. 2.3.4. &c. de l'erreur du Péché Philosophique combattuë par les Jésuites pag. 17. &c. here you will see the whole doctrin, of the So­ciety upon this subject, perfectly expounded; that which, as well the Jesuit Divines, as the Thomists, and all others mean, when they say, that to offend God, the malice of the sin is re­quir'd to be known, is, that one must reflect upon the evil that is in it, as the Libertins often do, in spite of their forgetting God. In a word, you'l find in these two books, all that relates to this matter, admirably well handled, and clear'd from all difficulties.

The Abbot also made them read a passage in [Page 181] Suarez, where he explains what inadvertence is; Suarez de actibus hum. disp. 7. and do's it, in the most handsom, and most in­telligible manner, so abstracted and so hard a subject is capable of; which, for its difficulties, was purposely chosen by the Jansenists, to confound those things, which every body is not able to make plain and clear.

Let us go on, sayd Cleander to the Abbot, you have, for certain, sav'd the body of the Jesuits; but I know not whether you are able, upon the same article, to save Father Bauni, qui tollit peccata mundi, says Pascal, VVho takes a­way the sins of the world. and as was formerly sayd by Mr. Hallier, when he fell out with the Jesuits.

Althô I were not able, answer'd the Abbot, I shou'd be but little concern'd for't. And I am persuaded, the Jesuits themselves wou'd not be much troubled, and wou'd be the first to condem him, if he had maintain'd the doctrin, Pascal ascribes to him. But let us see how the matter stands.

Then they read in Pascal the words of Fa­ther Bauni, Collecti­on of sins. taken out of his Somme des Péchez written in French. To sin and be guilty before God, a man must know the thing he wou'd do is evil, or, at least, doubt, or fear it; or judge, that God takes no pleasure in the action he is about, and that he has forbidden it, and, yet notwithstanding, skip over all rubs and difficulties, go on and commit it.

After what I have told you, sayd the Abbot, of the doctrin, held by all the Jesuits, it is not difficult, to understand the meaning of Father Bauni's proposition. To sin, says he, and make a [Page 182]man guilty in the sight of God, he must know, that is to say, he must not be ignorant by an involuntary ignorance, that the thing he is a­bout to do, is not good; at least he must doubt it, &c. how do you prove, ask'd Cleander, that this was his meaning.

That, is not my business nor the Jesuits, answer'd the Abbot; they accuse them; they give an ill sense to one of their authors propo­sitions; their adversaries, who are the accusers, ought to convince them and make out their allegations: but I will not be so exact with you, nor stand upon that formality, since it is your desire I will prove it.

First, Bauni teaches, or supposes, every where, when occasion offers, that voluntary ignorance, which is call'd vincible do's not ex­cuse from sin. This is positive, and makes his proposition blameless. Read, sayd he to 'um, the 775 page of the edition of la Somme des Péchez, whence Pascal has taken what he re­prehends, and see how this Father proves, by Scripture, that voluntary ignorance is blamable. Such ignorance, 1 Cor. 14.38. says he, is vicious, according to the Apostle's saying to the Corinthians, ignorans ignorabitur.

But this position, That voluntary ignorance do's not excuse from sin, is so indisputable, continu'd he, and so certain among the Divines, that when they treat of the knowledge requisit to sin, they do not believe it necessary, to advertise, that they speak only of the knowledge, which is oppos'd to involuntary ignorance. This is sup­pos'd clear of it self, and is understood in all [Page 183]the propositions, which a thousand Divines have made, like that of Father Bauni; Not. in 4, epist. and Wendrok was never more wicked, or more ig­norant in Divinity, than when he argued upon this matter against that Jesuit.

In the second place, the reason which Bauni sets down for his assertion, is, of it self, suffici­ent, to make his meaning known; and this reason, is the same with Saint Thomas's, upon the like occasion; which is, Bauni pag. 906. that a man is not to be blamed for any action, that is not voluntary: these are the express termes Bauni makes use of, immediatly after his proposition. Whence it only follows, that to sin a man must not be ignorant by an involuntary ignorance, that the action he do's is evil; because, no other igno­rance hinders the action, from being wilful, and by consequence, according to Bauni; from be­ing a sin. I understand this, sayd Eudoxus, and to me his meaning seems very plain and manifest.

In the third place, to confound and bring to nothing all the other malicious reflexions, which Pascal and Wendrok make upon this doctrin, the Abbot made Eudoxus and Cleander read, what Father Bauni added, presently after, to explicat the same assertion. The will, says he, carry's it self to, fastens upon, and earnestly desires the for­bidden object; which it may do, either formally, or virtually, or very silently: formally, when, by an express act, it loves, or hates, embraces, or rejects, what is represented to it, by the understanding either as good or as bad. It's thought to consent to it, virtually, (mind well the following words, sayd [Page 184]the Abbot) when the actual and formal consent, before given, still continues; as we ought to believe it do's, when it is not recal'd, interrupted, or hinder'd by some contrary act.

You see, added he, that to commit a sin, Bauni do's not require an actual reflexion in the very instant of sinning; and that, according to him, it is enuff, this knowledge shou'd have preceded, to the end that the inadvertance a man may have, even in the instant of acting, may be blamable.

He also shew'd the 92 page, where he speaks in this manner. To swear a thing, which even might be true at random, and with the danger of being forsworn for want of having well examin'd it before hand, is a mortal sin; in as much as that danger is thought voluntary in it's cause, which is the ill and pernicious custom of mens swearing rashly, and without heeding what they say.

Cou'd a Divine, that talks at this rate, un­derstand the present proposition in this sense, that, without an actual reflexion, in the very in­stant of sinning upon its evil, no man can ever be guilty of a sin? it is then evident, that his pro­position, naturally, signifies nothing else, but that to sin, one must know, or at least doubt, whether there be no evil in the action he is a­bout, that is to say, he must not be ignorant by an invincible ignorance that it is sinful.

It is manifest, answer'd Cleander, by what you have sayd, that this was the good Father's mean­ing. But why do not the Casuists take care, not to make such equivocal propositions, as [Page 185]give men a handle to catch at an occasion to misconter them? you do not sufficiently thank me, replied the Abbot, for having taken the pains to prove a thing, which requir'd no proof, and to refute so frivolous an accusation, as that was. However, I have yet patience enuff left, to answer, without being angry, the in­stance you put me. You know, that in the business of arts and sciences, it is the usage of words, commonly receiv'd among men, of the same calling, that takes away equivocation, and determins the sense of a proposition. Now, a­mong Divines, as I have already given you to understand, this usage, in reference to the pre­sent matter, leaves no ambiguity in Father Bauni's proposition; and before the author of La Theologie Morale whom Pascal has follow'd, no body had thought of giving any other mean­ing, than that, which we have given it.

For, when the Divines dispute of the nature of sin, they all say, after Saint Austin and Saint Thomas, that to be voluntary is essential to sin; and they explain the definition, and what it is to be voluntary, by the example of the sins to which this quality do's evidently agree; that is to say, by the sins committed, with a perfect knowledge and a formal reflexion on the evil of the actions. After which, either in answering the objections, or otherwise, they never fail, to extend this definition to some kinds of sins, to which it do's not agree so clearly. Such is Original sin, which they shew to have been, in its, own way, voluntary; such are the sins, custom [Page 186]makes us commit by surprise, without any actual thought; such are the sins, caused by the ig­norance, which is call'd vincible; and it is, ac­cording to this method of Divines, which is the method also of Saint Austin himself, that Father Bauni has defin'd sin; saving, that, upon occa­sion, he extends his definition, as he has done in pursuance of what is commonly practis'd in the Schooles, to the other sorts of sins, which are voluntary only in their cause.

If this be so, sayd Eudoxus, Father Bauni was far from being in the wrong, for explaining himself in that manner; but, on the contrary, they were very much out; and shew'd a great deal of malice, or of ignorance, who made a business on't, or objected any thing against him upon this account. I will convince you, that this is the common custom, sayd the Abbot, not by the authority of Jesuit Divines (they perhaps may be suspected) nor even of the Thomists or Scotists, but by the very Theses of the Sorbonne. Read this passage of the Jesuits answer to La Theologie Morale upon this subject. Thus the Apologist spakes page 7. part 2. I have before me while I am writing this a Thesis defended in Sorbonne, in the year 1640, the 3. October by one Peter Bunot, Mr. Morel Presi­dent, approv'd by Mr. Forget, at that time Syn­dic, and Curat of Saint Nicolas of Chardonnet wherein are these words, Ad omne peccatum prae­requiritur expressa cognitio malitiae moralis, vel ex­pressa dubitatio ne actui eliciendo talis malitia mo­ralis inexistat.

Father Bauni's proposition seems to be but the translation of this Thesis, which says, in Latin, that which he has sayd in bad French. The same Apologist quotes also an other pro­position, exactly like it of Mr. Du-val Professor of Sorbonne, adding what is very true, that Saint Thomas, Saint Bonaventure, Saint Antonin, Gerson, &c. speak, in this matter, just as Bauni has done.

I find you are strongly provided on this point, answer'd Eudoxus. I am yet stronger then you imagin, replied the Abbot; I'le appeal to the authority of a Judg, I am sure you will not refuse; casting his eyes, at the same time, to­wards the shelf, whereon he had espied upon his coming in, the writings of an author he was about to quote. I pray, sayd he to Cleander, who sat near it, reach me down that parchment manuscript. Cleander took it down, and read upon the back of the book, Traité des péchez dicté en Sorbonne par Monsieur de Sainte-Beuve. Is it possible, cry'd out Cleander, that Mr. de Sainte-Beuve shou'd, at this time of day, be Father Bauni's security in this matter?

The Abbot, who, had seen these writings, of which there are thousands of Copies spread all over France, open'd the place, where he treats of this subject, and gives it to Eudoxus, who began to read, that which follows in Latin. ‘To make an irregular motion in the sensual appetit become a mortal sin, Trac. de pecc. dis. 5. sec. 1 [...] art. 3. there must be a full and perfect reflexion of reason, by which this act is formally known to be bad, and prohibited; unless that, perhaps, the man, [Page 188]shou'd freely, and knowingly, have given oc­casion for that irregular motion or delight. The first part is prov'd; because if this adver­tence be but by halv's, the action cannot be perfectly voluntary, as it ought to be, to make it a mortal sin, therefore, &c. the se­cond is prov'd, because, if the bare action, the matter it self, and not the evil of it, be but reflected on, then that, which otherwise might be criminal in it, not being voluntary, do's not become sinful.’

Ho! without doubt, sayd Eudoxus, Bauni is now safe enuff. I am sure Mr. Arnauld and all his Party wou'd much rather pardon him, than, with him, condem Mr. de Sainte-Beuve. But let us proceed.

Since you have put me upon the proof, con­tinued the Abbot, I cou'd find in my heart to tire you with my quotations; as indeed I cou'd easily do, considering the many passages I have ready to produce upon this subject. But since you ask for quarter, I will give it you, upon condition, you'l listen to one which I must needs read you. All its strength and authority depends upon one of Mr. Arnaulds best friends, a Doctor of Louvain, whose name and qualities I'le give you an account of, after I have read you his doctrin. Here it is, just as I saw it in the Thesis, faithfully reported by the author of the book, intitled L'erreur du Péché Philo­sophique combattuë par les Jésuites.

‘To sin mortally, a man must have a perfect, intire consideration, an express knowlege of [Page 189]the sin, or of the danger there is of commit­ting one, or, at least, a formal doubt, or some fear, that the action may be sinful.’

Mind now the reflexion made by the author of the book just now cited, addressing himself to his adversary. ‘Do you not think, that this was dictated by some Jesuit? and yet never­theless do you believe him? it was Doctor Pontanus, the famous approver of Austin of Ypres, whom the Church has condem'd, and of the Mons translation of the new Testament which he cou'd not understand (for he was ignorant of the French) it was, I say, this Pontanus one of the Jesuits most vehement enemies, that sign'd this Thesis, and presided when it was defended ...... for, it is one of the statutes of the University of Louvain, that no Doctor shou'd approve, or preside at any Thesis, if any thing be therein contain'd, contrary to the opinion of the University.’

We have already more than enuff, sayd Eu­doxus; I pray let the rest alone; and let us also pass by what Pascal reproches Father Anat with: I remember to have read this passage in that Jesuits book; he intended but to say, that God commands us nothing that's impossible; and if it was to be suppos'd, that it was impossible for us, without actual grace, to avoid sin, God wou'd either give us this grace, or else wou'd not impute that sin to us: which doctrin, is contradictory to that which is condem'd in Jan­senius. This is neither the case of Libertins, nor of harden'd sinners; nor of customary sin­ners, [Page 190]nor of those, who sin by ignorance, or a voluntary inadvertance of their duties. This single passage, when I read it, made me think that Pascal was not well able to make this out: since to support his cause, he was forc'd to have recourse to so weak a proof; and that it was not usual with Father Anat, to mistake, or speak improperly in matters of Divinity.

Notwithstanding, answer'd the Abbot, see how Pascal triumphs; do but harken to that, which immediatly follows Father Anat's propo­sition. ‘Ho! how pleas'd I am, sayd I to him, to perceive what fine consequences may be drawn from this doctrin. I clearly see what will follow; what mysteries do offer them­selves to me. I see more men, without com­parison, justified by this ignorance, and this forgetfulness of God, than by Grace and by the Sacraments.’ What enthusiasme, contin­u'd the Abbot, what vision, or rather what terrible malice is this?

Let us here take our leave of Father Anat, sayd Cleander interrupting him; but let us not yet suffer Father Bauni to escape. I see another thing in this Letter, which deserv's some reflexi­on: it is what Pascal says, that his book la Somme des Péchez was condem'd at Rome, as well as by the Bishops of France; and this also which Wen­drok adds, that this proposition of Bauni was formerly censur'd in Sorbonne.

I had much rather, answer'd the Abbot, have to do in this matter with your Jansenist, Master of this library, than with you. For before I [Page 191]wou'd answer him, or make him take notice of a small touch of Jansenian honesty in this very passage, I shou'd ask him what his thoughts were of the censure of the Roman Inquisition, whether he wou'd be content, that we shou'd, on both sides, refer our disputes to this tribunal; if he wou'd, the Jesuits might freely abandon, or give up Bauni to the Inquisitors severity; but then they wou'd have no farther need to make any Apology or defense for themselves against the Provincial Letters, since they are all to be seen, at large, condem'd, by the decrees of the Inquisition.

Ha! what do you say, sayd Eudoxus interrup­ting him, it is but two days since I read in a letter from one of these Gentlemen, on occasi­on of the Mons new Testament, Letter à un Con­feiller. that it is very often a mark of the goodness of a book to be censur'd at Rome. If this be so, sayd he laughing, Bauni and Pascal, far from being confounded, or thun­derstruck by any sentence of that Court, cou'd not be blacken'd, or so much as wounded in their reputation. It must be acknowleg'd, con­tinu'd he, that there is something very odd in this business, and wherein it do's not seem to me, that the Jansenists pretensions are conse­quent to themselves, for that a book, made by a Jesuit, being put into the Index expurgatorius shou'd be sufficient to make it infamous, but that the putting into it the Provincial Letters and the Testament of Mons, which translation has been condem'd by two Popes, shou'd be a sign, or testimony of their excellency, and make them be the better lik'd, esteem'd, and valu'd, [Page 192]appears highly improbable; and till better made out, can never be believ'd by men in their senses.

However it be, answer'd the Abbot, they do not much trouble themselves at Rome, in giving the public their reasons for putting a book into the Index. That is sometimes done, for the o­mission of some formality in the impression; and sometimes for asserting, or laying down, some principles, differing from some maxims of the Canonists of Italy, with whom those of France do not always agree; something of this kind there might have been in Father Bauni's books, concerning the jurisdiction of the King's Officers over the Clergy; which possibly might have dis­pleas'd the Inquisitors, and in reality, 'tis well known, that those, who solicited their condem­nation, urg'd it upon this motive; even those who daily endeavor, to make themselves be va­lu'd in France, by running down the Ultramon­tanes, and pretending themselves zelous for the Liberties of the Gallican Church. But, that which is most remarkable is, that the Provincial Letters were always look'd upon at Rome, as defamatory Libels, full of calumnies and impo­stures; and which is more, full of errors, and, all over, stuffed with Jansenisme. You have nothing now to do, but to guess, for which of these motives, chiefly, they were condem'd by the Inquisition.

As for what relates to the Bishops of France, pursued the Abbot, let us again read Pascal's words. ‘It is some prejudice, sayd my Jan­senist, whispering softly in my ear, that this [Page 193]book was condem'd at Rome, and by the Bishops of France.’ Wou'd you not believe, sayd he, turning towards Cleander, when Pascal says Father Bauni's book was condem'd by the Bishops of France, that this must have been done, in a National Councel? I conceive, at least, answer'd Cleander, according to this ex­pression, that it must have been done in an assembly of the Clergy.

No, reply'd the Abbot; all this was no more, but that Bauni was censur'd by the late Arch­bishop of Sens Gondrin, by the late Bishop of Beauvais, and by the Bishop of Comenges, who, not many years since, died Bishop of Tournay.

Was it no more then that, sayd Cleander? this is as if the Emperor shou'd make an Imperial decree, or proclamation against one of the Ger­man Princes, who shou'd dare to declare against the Prince of Orange. Bauni was a Jesuit, and a great Anti-Jansenist, which was sufficient to make him lose his cause at that bar.

I will say nothing else to you of the Sorbonne, continu'd the Abbot, but that it is inconcev­able, they shou'd then censure in a Jesuits book, a proposition, which they had heard, with respect, from the mouth of Mr. de Sainte-Beuve; and which they had publicly defended some months before, as you have seen by the Thesis I have quoted to you; and shou'd en­deavor to make Father Bauni believe he had taken it in a different sense, from that which is commonly allow'd in Divinity, and which it ought not to have, according to its proper [Page 194]principles, and which he cou'd not have given it, I do not say, without heresy, but without the greatest extravagance imaginable. Believe me, in all the wranglings and disputes they so often had in those days with the Society, the Jesuits labour'd under great difficulties, not so much to defend themselves, but to defend themselves, with that moderation they always thought themselves oblig'd to observe, even at the expence of their own interest, and without being wanting to the respect they were wil­ling to shew, to some communities, or bodys which did not treat them with the same kind of respect, and of whom some particulars had press'd hard upon, and push'd 'um with the greatest rage and malice possible.

It is certain, sayd Eudoxus, that the Jansenists then studied all the means they cou'd think of, to make all the world fall furiously upon the Jesuits: and they had a wonderful effect; what they insinuated into several Communities, do's yet remain in some; where great pains are still taken to feed and keep up the humor.

That is but too true, answer'd the Abbot, but let us make an end of examining this Letter; where there is nothing more, particularly relat­ing to the Jesuits Morals. Only give me leave, to make in two words a short reflexion among other things, which, of themselves are obvious enuff, chiefly concerning the malice of the au­thor of the Provincial Letters.

This reflexion, is upon the great weakness of Pascal's whole discourse, upon what, I pray [Page 195]you, are all these consequences of loose Morals, in favor of the Libertins, the ungodly, the re­vengful, the blasphemers, and the Epicureans, founded, of which he makes the Jesuits the au­thors? they are really built, but upon what he has thought fit, to make his imaginary Jesuit say, touching a necessity of an inspiration from God, and an actual reflexion upon the evil of a wicked action, to make it to become a sin. All this is grounded, upon the proposition of Father Bauni, and that of Father Annat, who never meant what is attributed to 'um. The single distinction of sin, into that which is voluntary of it self, and into that which is but voluntary in its cause; and of that which is committed by an invincible, and involuntary ignorance, and that which is committed by the other ignorance, call'd vincible and voluntary, do's quite dispel and drive away all these his frightful phantoms or bugbears.

By that distinction, all Pascal's libertins, all his impudent unchast, barefac'd, sinners and his Epicureans, remain, according to the Jesuits principles, guilty and convicted of all the crimes, from which he pretends these Divines have ab­solv'd them. The little I have explain'd to you of their Divinity, has made all this clear, and palpable; and yet nevertheless, it is a wonder­ful thing, that in all the specious, fine accusati­ons of the heresy of the philosophic sin, (which was look'd upon at first as a thunderbolt, that wou'd have crush'd and broken the Jesuits to pieces, thô all of a sudden it fell and came to [Page 196]nothing) men shou'd be refer'd to the fourth Provincial Letter, as to a writing, that contain'd an evident demonstration of the matter of fact, after which the Jesuits ought not to be allow'd or admitted, to make any defense or excuse for themselves, of which I leave you to judge.

Mr. Abbot, sayd Eudoxus, interrupting him, to do you a pleasure, I'le repeat to you, what I heard a very judicious man at that time say. He had newly read the Jesuits second Letter, and the book you cited a little while ago, L'er­reur du peché philosophique, &c. he sayd he wou'd laugh no more, nor take any farther delight in the pleasanteries of the fourth Provincial Let­ter; but yet wou'd make himself amends, by reading the serious and vehement accusations of the new heresy of the philosophic sin; at every article of which Mr. Arnauld made him laugh more than once. His reason was, that the Jesuits had demonstrated two things in these books; first, that none of their Divines ever doubted but the ungodly, the libertins, and the customary sinners, were guilty of sin, and ought to be eternally punish'd for those very crimes, which they commit with least remorse and most quiet. Secondly, that the contrary cannot be infer'd, or prov'd from their principles; since it is certain, they all hold, not one excepted, that neither ignorance, nor inadvertance, nei­ther blindness, nor custom, when wilful, can excuse sinners, or hinder them from incurring the penalties of Hell, the due reward, and na­tural consequence of their ill actions. These [Page 197]two matters of fact, sayd he, which the Jesuits have clearly prov'd, and so as to convince all the world, destroys the whole appearance of any probability, in the pleasant things sayd in the fourth Provincial Letter; and, consequently, leav's them insipid, without salt, and without wit. For there is nothing flatter, than raillery without a cause, a jest, without the least foun­dation of truth, or reason, which therefore all men of sense have in horror and indignation.

For which reason, the anger, and sometimes the fury of Mr. Arnauld, in his five accusations of the Jesuits, for the philosophic sin, make men as often as they read them, ask what this good man wou'd be at? he has in hands, the the Professor of Dijon's writings, as he himself tells us, he has no more to do but to read them. This Professor himself has publish'd them, and by good proofs made them authen­tic; to the end the whole world might be wit­nesses of the purity of his saith, and of his opinions. The Jesuits condem'd the expression in his Thesis, and own'd there was reason to contradict him. They cry out, and tell Mr. Arnauld, that he makes objections, and sprites for himself to answer and frighten away; that except the opinion of involuntary ignorance, which excuses from sin, hardly any thing of the rest, is either a conclusion, or a principle of their Divines: this they urge, and this they do indeed demonstrate. At that time, I believ'd this matter but by halv's, continu'd Eudoxus; but I am now as fully persuaded of it, sayd he [Page 198]to the Abbot, as you your self can be. Let us therefore proceed to the fifth Letter.

The sixth Discourse.

SOme unexpected business hinder'd the Ab­bot from meeting at the time appointed. Eudoxus and Cleander, nevertheless, resolv'd to go on with their design; not in judging of what he had sayd about Morals, wherein they believ'd they shou'd need the Abbot's assist­ance; but of an other part of Perraults com­mendation, of the Provincial Letters in his Paralelle; which gave them an occasion to cri­ticize upon the stile, and purity of the lan­guage, &c. They began with the first Letter; and plainly shew'd, by several instances from the beginning of this Discourse to page 217, that this author was too lavish in his Panegi­ric, and very much out, when he affirm'd, that in these Letters there was nothing but purity in the language, Pag. 217. greatness in the thoughts, and wit in the railleries, and that the art of Dialogue was here to be found whole and intire.

They were beginning to fall upon the second Letter, just as the Abbot alighted. While we were waiting for you, sayd Eudoxus to him, we were endevoring to take up a better opinion [Page 233]of Pascal, and an other impression than what you yesterday left of him in our minds. We also endevor'd to lessen the horror of that frightful idea you gave us of him when you so often convinc'd him of calumny and imposture.

How cou'd you go about it, sayd the Ab­bot, for the proofs I brought, are perfectly un­answerable; and a man, that has but eyes and understands how to read, cannot but be satis­fi'd of their force and their solidity.

We made no reflexion upon that, answer'd Eudoxus, we only examin'd, what right he had to the qualities of an extraordinary wit and an excellent writer.

Those are the qualities for which he is to be most valued, replied the Abbot, and not at all incompatible with what I sayd of him yester­day. Pascal is a man of wit, a good writer, and very perfect in the art of slandering: he is pleasant, bold, expert, and happy in the trade of lying. The bare reading of the Provincial Letters discovers the two first qualities, and the observations we have made upon them do palpably demonstrate all the rest.

You are then, it seems, convinc'd, sayd Cle­ander, that these Letters, whatever otherwise they may be, are at least a Master-piece of wit, and in this kind one of the wonders of the world.

Ho, not so, answer'd the Abbot, to say that it is a pleasant piece, and wherein there is a great deal of wit, and art, is, what one in ju­stice is bound to say: but to say, that it is a Master-piece, and without faults, a great many [Page 234]faults, a man must be very much Pascal's friend, or perswaded by his friends to a mighty degree of obstinacy. I am of opinion, that he writes easily, naturally, and with life, but he neither writes purely, nor exactly, and Mr. Perrault, in saying there was nothing but purity in the language, did not speak like an able, or at least like a sincere Acadamist.

How you decide the matter! Mr. Abbot, sayd Cleander laughing, we durst hardly say so much, after we had ran over, and seriously examin'd the first Letter.

If I shou'd shew you, answer'd the Abbot, the copy I have at home, you cou'd hardly find one page without some strokes of a pencil, pointing out faults against the purity of the lan­guage, or the elegance of stile, or the art of Dialogue, and very often, also, marking out, a poor, mean thought, or a pitiful conceit.

Are there as many, proportionably, in that, as in this? sayd Eudoxus, shewing him the first Letter, which they had newly examin'd, and scored in abundance of places. Very near as many, answer'd the Abbot. Cleander, turning over the book interrupted them, and sayd, I have here met a passage, which really shews, that Pascal understood the rules of Dialogue: but it also shews, that he did not always think of them time enuff. It is, at the beginning of the sixth Letter. ‘I will do it, sayd he, (meaning the repetition of the discourse he had with his Jesuit) and I will do it more exactly, than I did the other. For I have [Page 235]now brought my table-book, to mark down the quotations of the passages, and I am very sorry I did not bring it with me the first time.’

This precaution, and this little word, thrown in by the by is, indeed, necessary, to make the matter have some seeming truth in it; a main essential thing in all Dialogues. For it is not probable, he cou'd remember, exactly, all the places the Jesuit had cited out of the Casuists, and yet he had reason to mark them, since he was to give an account of the Conversation to his friend in the Country.

But that which is very pleasant, and made me say, that Pascal do's not remember the rules of Dialogue time enuff, is, that in the prece­dent Letter, where he relates a former dis­course, he had had with the Jesuit, where at he sayd he had no table-book, there are yet full as many passages quoted; the books, the chap­ters, and the very pages therein are set down, at least, as exactly as in this. Not to speak of that list of near fifty Casuists, Divines and Canonists, whose names seem to him so diffi­cult to be pronounc'd, that he ask'd his Jesuit, whether all of them were Christians, and yet, notwithstanding, he made a shift, even with­out a table-book, to remember them all, very exactly.

This is a very good remark, answer'd Eu­doxus; but in all appearance, this precaution, being taken up after the thing was over, must have been the effect of the observation of some one of Pascal's friends, who discover'd this fault [Page 236]of his a little too late. This, perhaps, was the reason, added the Abbot, laughing, that we have found in his fourth and fifth Letters so many false citations, and so many mangled passages out of Laiman, Bauni, and Filiucius. If Pascal had had his table-book then, he might have been more exact; but it is manifest, that in writing his discourse, he spoke by heart. As to the rest, added the Abbot, if the then critics of Port-Royal did oblige Pascal to make mention here of his table-book, that his fol­lowing Letters might appear more true, and free from the faults he committed in the two former, they afterwards alter'd their opinions; for in the latter editions, they have omitted this precaution of the table-book, which by cor­recting the fault you speak, of had made it more appear.

It is true, answer'd Eudoxus, reading this place in the edition in twelves, which he had in his hands, that this article is left out; but now we are upon this subject, continu'd he, I find that Pascal had not yet sufficiently reflected up­on the rules of Dialogue, when he suppos'd his Letters were become public, and, in his eighth, writ to his friend in the Country, that every one in Paris was guessing at the author; some saying it was a Doctor of Sorbonne, others, fathering them upon four or five persons, who, like himself, were neither Priests, nor Church­men. This alone, takes away all appearance of truth, from the conversations related in the eighth, ninth, and tenth Letters. For to be [Page 237]able to continue these discourses with his Ca­suist, it must be suppos'd, the Jesuits were ig­norant, that the former Letters ran about, and were spread all over Paris; and did not know, that all the world were delighted with them; that their mysteries were discover'd, and all honest men enrag'd at them. Now, most cer­tainly, this ignorance of the Jesuits in a point that touch'd them so near, seems too gross to carry any likelihood of truth with it. Pascal was very much out here, and did not suffici­ently reflect upon the matter.

There is yet, answer'd the Abbot, an other more considerable fault, which runs thrô all Pascals Dialogues, and it is, that he overstrains and carryes too far the character of his chief Actor. The first and great Personage of his Dialogues, is a Jesuit, a well meaning good man and without trics; who franckly tells all he desires to fish out of him. This is not much amiss, and Pascal has, by this contrivance, a fair game on't. But of this plain simple Je­suit, which at first he made him seem to be, he has insensibly made a natural, a sot, and silly to the highest degree. He laughs at him, and mock's him to his face; he openly rallyes him without his perceiving it; he foolishly runs into snares, that any one might plainly see were laid to catch him; he makes him speak the greatest impertinences imaginable; and all this he makes him do, in the name, or as the mouth, of the whole Society; and takes all he says for granted; believes his quotations [Page 238]true; the sense he gives them; the principles he lay's down; and the application he makes of the whole.

I know there were Critics at Port-Royal, who also found this fault with the main point of his Comedies. But it was answer'd, that, notwith­standing, it was to be pass'd over, and the same method to be still continu'd; that the Provin­cial Letters with this fault, had all the effect that cou'd be expected from them; that the nicety was unseasonable; that very few wou'd take notice of it; and that when once the greatest part of the world was got into a vein of laughing at any thing, or upon any subject, the most exact and observing must, whether they will or no, carry on the same humor.

However it was resolv'd, that before the following editions, there shou'd be an advertis­ment to the reader, wherein this Person's cha­racter was to be justifi'd, as much as possible; in the same manner, almost, as Molicre had apologiz'd for his Man-hater in his preface to his Comedy, le Misanthrope. ‘This Father, we are told in the advice to the Reader, is a good man, as there are many such among them, who wou'd have hated the wickedness and malice of his Society had he been ac­quainted with it ...... he that heard him was neither willing to shock him, nor to consent to his doctrin; but receiv'd it with a double meaning raillery; which might have suffici­ently discover'd his sense to any person less prejudic'd than this Casuist.’

Double meaning raillery, answer'd Eudoxus! witness what Pascal says in his fifth Letter, after the passage out of Bauni, concerning the seeking for occasions. Truly, says I to him, I seem to be in a dream, when I find Religious men speak in this manner. What double meaning raillery is this? of all Pascal's railleries, con­tinu'd he, there are not three, that can be call'd by that name. The writer of this advice to the Reader calls this Jesuit a good man, he ought, without doubt if he wou'd have spoken properly to have call'd him an Ideot. Such a man cou'd never have had in the Society, the quality Pascal gives him of a Casuist. And what this man says is so false, that among the Jesuits there are many like him, that there cou'd hardly be found two like him, among all the most solitary hermits in the world; and I do verily believe, that one must go to Bedlam, to meet with such an other example of mad­ness and folly.

Pardon me, sayd Eudoxus, one needs go but to the Jacobins: the Dominican in the second Letter, is, altogether, as silly as the Jesuit is in the others. These two personages are both cast in the same mould: but I think it wou'd have done well to have made some little differ­ence between their characters. I no sooner meet the Jesuit in the fourth Letter, than the Jacobin comes into my mind. But to speak freely, Pascal's having made the one to resemble the other so exactly, is no sign that his wit or fancy was over fertil or luxuriant.

As I was lately reading with one of my friends, added the Abbot, Horace de Arte Poëtica, we paus'd a while, to consider one of the most essential precepts, given by this Poët of the art of Dialogue, extreamly ill observ'd in Pascal's Letters, and compriz'd in these three verses.

And 'tis what is daily sayd, that when a man has once given a character to a new personage, brought upon the Stage, he must take care to carry it on exactly, every where to the end of the Scene or Play.

The figure, or character he has given the Jesuits in his Letters, is most certainly new, and altogether peculiar to Pascal. In the begin­ning of the Scene, he gives them, successfully enuff, the character of wit, policy, and ad­dress, of men who understand how to insinuat themselves into the Courts of Princes, to get into the confidence of great men, to win the people's affections, and make themselves Ma­sters of their Consciences, by certain arts that for a long time had been kept secret. But after he had improv'd as much as he was able, to their disadvantage, the mystery of probabi­lity, the better to back and support this notion and idea, and to confirm his readers in it, he proceeds to the direction of intention; which in his way of explaining is very ridiculous; he makes the Jesuits speak of it, in so pitiful a [Page 241]manner, say so many poor things, and advance so many extravagances, and so gross and undis­guis'd impieties, that the first thought of a reader, who reflected never so little, must be to ask where is all this pretended policy and cunning of the Jesuits?

What? did the Jesuits design to establish themselves in all parts of the earth, to make themselves Masters of the people's consciences, to govern in the Courts of Princes, to get into the confidence of Prelats, and Magistrates, and all this by authorizing robberies, violen­ces, murders, duels, simonie and the disobedi­ence of inferiors towards their superiors? in one word, by all those things, which give men the most horrid apprehensions, and most cap­able of disturbing the peace of the public, of giving Princes the greatest disquiets, and of scandalising the most honest men. And which is more by printing and publishing all this, in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Rome, as Pascal is pleas'd to suppose.

But do you remember, added the Abbot, what he says in his thirteenth and fourteenth Letters? for it is in those, chiefly, he takes upon him to preach against and run down the Jesuits. There after he had cul'd some lines out of the texts of several of their authors, which in his seventh Letter he had attack'd, and which the Jesuits had defended, and which in these two Letters he had again stich'd and put together, with all possible art and malice, he addresses himself to the Jesuits, as if they [Page 240] [...] [Page 241] [...] [Page 242]had been The Devil's agents, devoted to execute this insernal spirit's orders, and declar'd enemies to the Gospel. They are, no longer, those refin'd, skilful, politicians, those Master-hypocrites, perfect in the art of disguising their thoughts; they are men, whose own words and assertions, without any artifice, or wresting, make them, openly, accomplices with all the most revenge­ful and malicious Duellists and Murderers. What think you? do these things hang well to­gether? and is this his character all of a piece?

This observation, answer'd Eudoxus, seems very well carry'd on; and opens a way for judging of some particular passages in the Pro­vincial Letters, after a very different manner from the judgment the world has hitherto pass'd upon them. But, if you please, we will per­sue our design, and begin with the examination of the sixth Letter. That was my own inten­tion, sayd the Abbot, and therefore I am well pleas'd with your proposition.

The seventh Discourse.

EƲdoxus coming to the Abbot's house, and finding Cleander already arriv'd, sayd to him, we shall not fail, to day, of meet­ing our man. He had notice of our intenti­ons, and is now actually waiting for us in his library. Let us take coach then, answer'd the Abbot; I am ready, only give me leave to take two or three papers, of which, I foresee we may have need. But yet before I go, I pray let me know what kind of man is he I am to deal with: I cannot for my life under­stand why you shou'd be so very shy, as hitherto you have been, to tell me the quali­tys of an adversary, with whom you have so often threaten'd me.

What need you trouble your self, replied Eudoxus, laughing; have I not sayd enuff of him already, in telling you he is a Jansenist? however, since you are so desirous of being more fully inform'd of his character, it's fit you shou'd be satisfi'd. But yet, since he is one of my friends, 'tis possible, you may not think my account of him so fit to be believ'd; and therefore Cleander, who has seen him often with me and knows him well enuff, may speak of him more disinterestly, and with greater freedom.

He is an admirable man, sayd Cleander, and a perfect original. He has a great quickness of fancy, and an extraordinary readiness to ex­press [Page 309]himself; which is to supply his want of wit, and he is so very wise, as seriously to value himself upon being a Jansenist: and looses no oportunity to make all men believe he is what he is; for he thinks to get, by this means, the title of a great wit. He has been but two years at Paris; he was before the chief Magistrat of the small town of....., du­ring which time, he had frequent correspon­dance by letters, with Mr...... and Mr...... for whose interest and service, he made himself business enuff; and they were overjoy'd, for having found in that country, an emissary of his credit and reputation. They have, for a long time, look'd upon him, as one of their forlorn hope; and I my self have often com­par'd him to a fireship; for the loss of which men are not much concern'd, provided it do's but first do execution and blow up some of the enemies great ships. Eudoxus has been ac­quainted with him several years, and I have known him ever since his coming to Paris. If his answers do not altogether satisfy you, his manner of making them will, at least, divert you.

That is to say, answer'd the Abbot, that you have as great an expectation to be made merry, as you have to be instructed. But without more words, they took coach and drove di­rectly to Timante's lodging: this is the name, by which this new antagonist of the Abbot's is to pass. Eudoxus went strait up to the library, where he found him: and having saluted him, [Page 310]told him he had brought the Abbot with him, of whom he had spoken the day before. He is, sayd he, an obstinat, head-strong, Moli­nist; who has lately resolv'd, to undertake the defence of the Jesuits against the Provin­cial Letters. I'le put him into your hands to deal with; and having conquer'd him, make him, I pray, submit, and do honor to the great Saint Austin and the honest party.

You have had the experience, more than once, answer'd Timante, that upon this subject, I am never taken unprovided. Give me but an adversary worth the trouble, and you shall find I will give you a good account of him. Without more a do, they went immediatly down to Cleander and the Abbot. I will very gladly, sayd Timante to them, make one in the discourses Eudoxus tells me, you have be­gun upon the Provincial Letters: you are a Molinist, continu'd he, addressing himself to the Abbot; and I declare to you, that I my self am a Jansenist; and ready to maintain the truth of these admirable Letters, as I wou'd that of the Gospel. For there is nothing in them, but pure truth, without any mixture of error, lyes, or mistake.

I have a long time known, answer'd the Abbot, that the guift of infallibility has been allow'd Mr. Arnauld by his party; but I did not know, till now, that they granted the same privilege to Pascal. As for my self, I do not take upon me to defend the Jesuits doctrin in so universal a manner: I consider they are [Page 311]like other men, and believe them capable of being sometimes mistaken. But, however the matter stands as to other points, concerning which, Eudoxus and Cleander may some other time tell you their opinions, we are now come hither, but to inform our selves, by the help of your great library, of one single point. The matter is, to know whether, what Pascal has reproach'd the Jesuits with, touching the precept of the love of God, be true or false.

Ho! truly sayd Timante, this is a doubt quite out of fashion; and I admire Cleander and Eudoxus cou'd have patience to hear you upon this subject. I know not, answer'd Cleander, whether Mr. Abbot has the art to remove, or to make charms; but which soever of these is his talent, it is certain, he has given us a very different impression, from what we had before of Pascal. He has shewn us the Jesuits books, and, in them, has often made us read the di­rect contrary of what this writer pretends to have found; and I cou'd almost be tempted to believe, he had done the same things by these books, which some say, the Jesuits did with that of Jansenius, after the condemnation of the five propositions, which, being shewn in this book, to some persons, and they not thinking it possible, Mr. Arnauld cou'd have been guilty of a ly, when he affirm'd he never saw them in it, sayd these Fathers had falsifi'd Augustinus, and inserted in him the condem'd propositions, which they were sure cou'd not be in the original edition; to which Mr. Ar­nauld's [Page 312]affirmation related. I shou'd have thought as much, I say, concerning Bauni, Valentia, Vasquez, and several others, if the copys we made use of, had not, for the most part, come out of your library; where I am confident, you have none but good editions.

A man must really suffer himself to be charm'd, answer'd Timante, to take up such extraordinary sentiments as those you seem to be possess'd with. What, do's not Mr. Pascal speak truth in the Provincial Letters? where he quotes, not only, the books, but the very chapters, pages, and numbers; and men­tions even the several editions? and are not the Jesuits the patrons of loose Morals? I dare you to say otherwise in Paris; unless you say it, before certain people, who are frited out of their little wits with the bugbear of Janse­nisme: and yet among them, you will find some, who in the point now in debate, will not stick to declare themselves Jansenists; and who will subscribe, without hesitation to all the Letters, except the three first, wherein the author raillies about sufficient grace, the potentia proxima, and the assemblys of Sorbonne.

Let us quit the general thesis, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him; and let every man think, or be of what opinion he pleases; let us come to the point, that brought us hither: are you not much edifi'd, continu'd he, to see how we interest our selves about the love of God? what do you maintain upon this article for Pascal against the Jesuits?

I am ready to maintain, sayd Timante, Letter 10. Pascals proposition in all it's latitude, that The Jesuits teach, that the love of God is not necessary to Salvation. And what will you do, sayd Eudoxus to the Abbot?

I will maintain, answer'd he, and am pre­par'd to prove it, that the Jesuits do teach the direct contrary, to what in Pascals words this Gentleman has affirm'd. It is indeed your busi­ness to prove it, replied Cleander. Timante de­nies the matter of fact, and you affirm it, shew us therefore how it stands in the Jesuits books.

We shou'd for a long time find employ­ment, sayd the Abbot, if we shou'd read, one after another, all the writers of the Society, who in express terms say, that the love of God, is necessary to Salvation. I speak not of the books of Meditations, Spiritual Exerci­ses, Christian Practices, and an infinity of other works of Devotion; wherein the Jesuits Preach up nothing so much, as the love of God. I pass by their Rodriguez's, the Saint-Jure's, the Hayneuve's, the Suffren's, the Du Pont's, and a thousand others, whose books you can no sooner open, than find this truth in them. But I will confine my self to their Divines, whose names wou'd make too long a list. You may however see it, in a book Printed at Louvain in 1689, intitled Sexaginta quinque propositiones nuper à Sanctissimo Domino nostro Innocentio XI proscriptae, à Societatis Jesu Theologis diu ante Sanctissimi Domini decretum con­sensu communissimo rejectae. Where there are no [Page 314]less, than thirty cited. Will you be content with nine or ten, such as are the chief, and look'd upon as the Oracles of the Order?

I'le quit you for one half, answer'd Timante, in a bold and Magisterial tone. Abate Mr. Abbot nothing, sayd Eudoxus, and be not too forward; for I have found, by experience, that he is very exact in his quotations. Let us be­gin, sayd the Abbot, with Cardinal Bellarmin. Take the pains, I pray you, to reach me down his fourth tome. Listen to these his words. ‘The holy Scripture do's not only say, L. 6. de gr. & lib. arbitr. cap. 7. that charity is the guift of God, but farther com­mands us to love God: it do's not com­mand us only to conserve the infus'd habit of charity, but also obliges us, to love God with all our heart: for the laws have for object, the acts of the vertues they com­mand, and not the habits.’

The Abbot also read in Cardinal Lugo's trea­tise of Penance, Disp. 7. sect. 12. n. 250. these words. ‘The command of loving God, is absolutly founded upon the law of nature; and althô there had been for it, no positive law from God, yet shou'd we be oblig'd to it, as all Divines do agree.’ You here quote Cardinals, answer'd Timante, that is to say, men, who in quitting the Socie­tys habit, quitted also their wicked maxims.

You do not know, replied the Abbot, nor are you oblig'd to know so exactly, the chro­nology of all the Jesuits books: Bellarmin and Lugo were still Jesuits, when they wrote those I have cited; and when the last sayd, all [Page 315]Divines were agreed about this precept, he comprehended, without doubt, in this general proposition all of his own Society, at least, as much as others. But since, continu'd he, you will have no Cardinal Jesuits, I will pass Tolet, whose testimony I was about to allege, and only stick to those, who were but Jesuits. I see on your shelf of Divines, the tome of Suarez, wherein he treats of the three Theological ver­tues: The Abbot open'd the book, and in his treatise of charity, read these following words. Dis. 6. sect. 1.

‘First, I say, that this precept concerns all men, and this is evident from the sixth chap­ter of Deuteronomy, You shall love your Lord your God with all your heart, &c. and by the tenth of Saint Mathew, This command of loving God, is the first and greatest command of all.... the reason of my conclusion is, that this love is a necessary means to Salvation, and that these kind of means have always the obliga­tion of a command.’

Certainly, sayd Cleander, interrupting him, when Pascal sayd, that the Jesuits taught the love of God was not necessary to Salvation, he ought to have excepted Suarez out of the num­ber; for it is impossible, for any man to speak upon this subject, more clearly, than he has done in what we have read. Hujusmodi dilectio est medium necessarium ad salutem. In the mean time, to judge by the esteem this Divine is in, not only with the Society, but also with all others, whether if the Jesuits had been oblig'd to determin, which of their Body they wou'd [Page 316]have pass for the chief Divine, they must not have chosen this man. They have not, in reality, as I have been assur'd, any one, whose doctrin is more the doctrin of the Jesuits, than this authors doctrin is; nor who is more generally follow'd.

I will add to this, sayd Eudoxus, what was lately told me by one of my friends, who tra­vell'd much in Spain, to shew the great opi­nion they have of this Divine in that country; where, he sayd; the reputation of Suarez was so great, that in most Universities, he was quoted in their disputes, and the Defendants, to whom his authority was urg'd, durst not refute him, but were oblig'd to reconcile, whatever was out of him objected, with the doctrin of the Thesis: he also told me ano­ther thing pleasant enuff, that in many towns of Spain, and particularly at Perpignan, the in­habitants, even the Artificers, as well as other tradsmen, are divided into two factions; one Suarists, the other Thomists; in so much, that in the public sports and recreations, the men are chosen out of these two different partys; and that the acclamations were frequently heard at bowls, sometimes, of the Suarists and some­times of Thomists, according to the various success of the gamesters, all, ready to fall to­gether by the ears, the one party for praemotio physica, and the other for Scientia media.

Timante, notwithstanding the trouble he was in, on account of the passages cited by the Abbot, out of these three famous Jesuits, cou'd [Page 317]not forbear laughing at this odd proceeding of the Spaniards; and wou'd willingly have carry'd this digression farther; but the Abbot imme­diatly returning to the point, sayd to him, you see by what Eudoxus and Cleander have spoken, that if the Jesuits cou'd have thought themselves honor'd in the Schools by the name or reputation of any one of their Doctors, as the Thomists do by that of Saint Thomas, cer­tainly they wou'd on this score have prefer'd Suarez to Molina. And, indeed, few Jesuits do follow Molina, in comparison of those, who stick to the principles and opinions of Suarez, Vasquez and Bellarmin; and they are Molinists, but because they maintain, and with reason, that the doctrin of Molina, is without error; wherein there is none to be found, without misrepresenting and disfiguring it, that they might have a handle and pretence to refute it with the greater advantage. But since you have given me the name of Molinist the very first moment I have the honor of seeing you, it is fit I shou'd make good and maintain my cha­racter with credit and reputation; and that I shou'd also demonstrate to you, that if Molina be to be believ'd, Pascal must have spoken falsly, when he asserted, that the Jesuits taught, The love of God was not at all necessary to Sal­vation. I shall find, in less than a minut, the place I want: I have it, listen therefore, I pray, to what this Jesuit says.

‘I am perswaded, that we are oblig'd, Tract. 5 [...] de just. disp. 59. n. 6. by the precept of the love we owe to God, un­der [Page 318]pain of mortal sin, to defend his interest, to oppose every thing, which may wound his honor, or his glory, and to do every thing, which, we believe, may be useful to this pur­pose; and that we ought to do it, even with the hazard of our lives; which do's not hin­der, Num. 7. says he two pages after, but that there may be, a particular command of the love of God, as a thing due to him, and that this love may be commanded, as a necessary means to obtain the possession of God and of eternal life.’

After this, the Abbot shew'd in Tanner, these words; Tom. 3. disp 2. de spe & charit. q. 4. dub. 4. n. 62. ‘The command which obliges us to love God, is like a first principle, known, and acknowleg'd by all the world.’

He found in Valentia, this which follows. ‘When we inquire, how and when the com­mand of loving God do's oblige us, we do presuppose, as a thing most certain, that there is such a command. For this is evi­dent both by Scripture and by reason. Tom. 3. disp. 3. q. 19. pun. 1. And a little lower, I say, in the first place, that we are oblig'd, by this command, to love God; not to love him with a common love, but as our last end, and by consequence with a soverain love, preferring him above all things in the world.’

Layman also speaks, in this manner. ‘The precept of the love of God, is call'd in the 22th. of Saint Mathew, the first and greatest command of all; because it relates to the first act of the most excellent vertue, and the most necessary to Salvation.’

See likewise, what Becanus's opinion is, De Sa­cram. c. 35. q. 6. n. 4. in this matter. ‘There is a twofold command of loving God, the first is general, and com­prehended in all parts of the Decalogue, which obliges us to keep the law of God: the second is positive and particular, and ob­liges us to make an act of charity, whether this act be produc'd by, or is the motion of our love to God, or a detestation of our sin for offending God.’

Thomas Sanchez thus argues. In decal. l. 2. c. 35. n. 1. ‘Nothing is more certain, than that there is a command of loving God; the reason is, because the act of loving God is necessary to Salvation; He that loves him not, sayd Saint John, is dead already; but all that is necessary to Salvation, is commanded.’

Have you then a mind, sayd Eudoxus, inter­rupting, and addressing himself to Timantes, that Mr. Abbot shou'd turn over, and con­found all your library? there is no more room on your table for these folio's; have you not seen enuff to convince Pascal, either of rash­ness or of lying? of lying, if he has, as he ought to have done, consulted all these au­thors; of rashness, if he has advanc'd, upon the credit of an other, That the Jesuits taught the love of God was not necessary to Salvation. These are the most learned and most famous of all their Divines; and most of the others do but copy, or abridge, what they have written. What answer can you make to all these matters of fact?

I answer, sayd Timantes, equally troubl'd and surpris'd, by another enumeration made by Pascal in the same place, according to which the Jesuits of France are of a contrary opinion. Observe but the words of Mr. Pascal's Jesuit. ‘Thus our Fathers have freed men from the troublesom obligation of actually loving God: and this doctrin, is so advantagious, that our Fathers Anat, Pintereau, le Moyne and A. Sirmond himself, defended it vigorously, when others had a mind to run it down.’ It seems to me, added Timantes, that F. Sirmond alone, is to be valued full as much as Sanchez, Suarez, and Layman, and perhaps many more all joyn'd together.

The Abbot, at these last words of Timantes, fell a laughing, what sayd he to him, do you believe the Father Sirmond here spoken of, to be that famous Father Sirmond, who, in spite of the Jansenists utmost envy and malice, preserv'd so great a name and reputation among all the learned, not only of the Catholic Church, but also of all other sects and partys whatsoever. He is not, at all, the person intended: your error nevertheless is very pardonable, since it is founded but upon Pascal's malice.

And, really, when after Father Anat, and Father le Moyne, men known, and, upon many accounts, very valuable, these words, and Father A. Sirmond himself, are seen to be added, by way of gradation, who wou'd not believe, but that this must be meant of the renowned Father Sirmond: he was the only one publicly known [Page 321]in the world, and known commonly, but by his surname. The preference, in point of merit and authority, which the word himself gives to the person here spoken of, above Fa­ther Anat, and Father le Movne, leaves no place to doubt, but that he must be the person in­tended. Among two thousand men, who shou'd read the Provincial Letters, there wou'd not be found six, that shou'd not believe the Society's reputation wounded by this reproach on one of their members, who is accounted the chief ornament of their whole body; and I do on this account, forgive your having op­pos'd him, to Suarez, Sanchez, Layman and Molina: and also to the two Cardinals, Bellar­min, and de Lugo.

But really, the man Pascal speaks of, is a man very little known, and of no conse­quence: however, it shall not ly at my door, if we examin not, what relates to him: for there wants a great deal to make the idea given of this Father Sirmond's doctrin, to be true: but first, let us see, whether Father Pintereau, Father Anat, and Father le Moyne, do vigor­ously defend it. For in this also, there is an equivocation, to say no worse of it, as great, as in the name of Sirmond. Have you, sayd the Abbot to Timantes, the Jesuits apology against la Theologie Morale?

I have, answer'd he, all that has been writ­ten on both sides in this matter; but I do, notwithstanding, own to you, that I have read very little of what the Jesuits have writ in their [Page 322]own defence. They are too serious, and do not divert me as Mr. Pascal do's; and besides, all he says, has a certain air of truth, which is of it self perswasive, and makes it unnecessary to read all those rapsodies, his adversaries have heap'd up together, with design to refute him.

This method of hearing but one side, an­swer'd the Abbot, laughing, is very wonderful, for the enabling men to make a right and equitable judgment between two contending parties. Which words he had no sooner end­ed, than he took into his hands the book at­tributed to Father Pintereau, 2. part. p. 52. & 53. intitled, Les impo­stures & les ignorances du libelle intitulè la Theo­logie Morale des Jesuites: par l'Abbé du Boisic. He read in it the passage cited by Pascal; where the author do's but maintain these words of the Councel of Trent; Ses. 14.2.4. That Attrition, produc'd by the fear of hell, disposes the sinner to receive Grace in the Sacrament, althô, that, without the Sacrament, it is not sufficient to justify him. There this Divine shews, that the opinion, which holds, that Attrition, with the Sacrament do's justify, is the doctrin of, almost, all Divines, especially since the Councel of Trent; that al­thô these Divines do not treat the contrary opinion as heresy, yet many of them do esteem it very rash; because the words, of the Coun­cel upon this subject, do appear so positive and express; and which is more, he quotes a cen­sure of Sorbonne, in the year 1638, which says the same thing; a man cannot see in all this text of Father Pintereau, one single word, which [Page 323]shews the love of God is not necessary for Salvation. How then and by what rules of honesty, durst Pascal place this Divine in the number of those, who maintain the opinion he attributes to Father Sirmond, That the love of God, is not necessary to Salvation? Cannot one then defend, with Catholic Divines, the Coun­cel of Trent's doctrin concerning Attrition, without being suspected to destroy the precept of the love of God?

He! do you no see, replied Timantes, that in the words quoted by Mr. Pascal, your Je­suit treats the obligation of loving God, as a difficult and troublesom thing?

Nothing is to be chang'd in the terms, sayd the Abbot; Pascal thus sets them down. It was therefore reasonable he shou'd take away that troublesom and difficult obligation man was under, by the law of rigor, of exerting an act of perfect Contrition, to be justifi'd, and that he shou'd insti­tute Sacraments, which might supply it's defect, with the help of a more easy disposition: if he has sayd, that this obligation of a perfect Contri­tion, was troublesom and difficult, he has sayd so, after an infinit number of Divines; and this is very true, in the sense, wherein so many learned men have sayd it. An act of perfect Contrition, which includes an act of the pure love of God, is the most heroic act of Christi­an vertue; and most directly opposit to self­love; of which it stifles and excludes those motions, which appear the most lawful. He there speaks of a sinner, who by that means [Page 324]was to quit his sin, and make an effort to break his chains, and his will of iron, as Saint Austin calls it, which keeps him fast bound: for this act a man needs one of the strongest graces, that is in all the treasures of God's mercy. Infine, this is an act so hard, and so contrary to corrupted nature, that the Divinity of Port-Royal allows it to very few men in the world; and it was partly upon the account of the dif­ficulty of making on't, that they formerly ex­cluded from the Communion, so many peni­tents for whole years, and even at Easter, in spite of the commands of the Church.

Who then can doubt, if this doctrin be true, that Attrition, with the Sacrament, is suffici­ent to justify a sinner; but that it is a parti­cular favor, granted by the new Testament, to those under the law of the Gospel, and an ad­vantagious effect of the blood of Jesus shed for us, and apply'd to sinners in the Sacrament of Penance; since it is an easy way of return­ing to God, which they had not, who liv'd under the yoke of the old law. What occa­sion is there then of crying out, as Pascal do's immediatly after, O Father, you put a man out of all patience, and the things that you have sayd to me cannot be heard without horror? This is follow'd with a whole Sermon full of new impostures and calumnies; and wherein several passages of Scripture, concerning the love of God, are abus'd, to give the bloodiest wounds, that ever cou'd be given to brotherly love and Christian charity.

They made an end of reading what was in Father Pintereau upon this subject, and what related to it, in the Apologies of Father Anat, and Father le Moyne. Where the whole is re­duc'd, not to maintain the opinion of Father Antony Sirmond, such as is attributed to him, but to defend the man, by endeavoring to shew, that his accusers had not understood his meaning aright, and that there was nothing worse in his expressions, than in the expres­sions of many other Catholic Doctors, against whom, they had never objected any thing.

Timantes, whose trouble and confusion in­creas'd, in proportion to their going on, foam'd and sputter'd at this, and, after beating about the bush very much, to very little pur­pose, address'd himself briskly to the Abbot, and sayd: Infine Sir, declare your self, do you make any difficulty to give up and quit to me even this Father Sirmund? We shall soon see, answer'd the Abbot, whether we shall capitulate at last; but I wou'd gladly first try, at least, whether I, also, may not be able to defend him.

That do's not appear to me very necessary, sayd Cleander interrupting him, to satisfy our curiosity: Eudoxus and I, wish neither good nor harm to the Ghost of this good Father, who has it seems been dead above these fifty years: besides the reputation of the Jesuits, for which you interest your self more than all of us, is already sufficiently secur'd, Manifeste Apologet pour la doct des sesuites. by the croud of authors you have cited out of their Society; [Page 326] ‘This privat man, to make use of the Poëtic stile and terms of Father le Moyne, was nei­ther a Giant, nor a man like Geryon in the fable, with several bodys, that upon the au­thority of his little book, it shou'd be sayd of all the Jesuits together, The [...]l. Moral. They have gone so far in impiety, as to maintain, that an interior act of the love of God, was but counsel'd and not commanded.’

All this is very true, answer'd the Abbot, but you see, Timantes is not so easily conten­ted as you; he argues upon other principles, and I am going to satisfy him. Say rather, replied Timantes, that you are a going to wrangle and cavil with him.

Not at all, sayd the Abbot, my design is only to extricat and clear things a little. I have, more than once, observ'd, that one of Pascals secrets, is to puzzle and confound mat­ters; that he possesses, in perfection, the art of magnifying objects, and that giving them afterwards to Wendrok, who is naturally, as is sayd, very fanciful, he turns them into specters, or bugbears, against which, Don Quixote like, he fights with all imaginable rage and fury; and with a heat and fire, which makes him, from time to time, commit very gross sole­cismes amidst those fine Latin phrases, that made him pass for the Cicero of the party, in the opinion of all those, who understood no­thing of the matter.

Solecisms in Wendrok, answer'd Timantes in a fret; those are the Jesuits calumnies: there is [Page 327]better Latin, and more elegance in his notes and translation, than there is in Petavius, Sir­mond, Maffeus, and all their writers put toge­ther. The dispute, at present, is not of Wen­droks solecisms, sayd Eudoxus, interrupting him, but certain it is, that Mr. Abbot shew'd me some lately, of which I had not taken notice, and which might, possibly, have escaped you also, as well as me: but let us put this mat­ter off to another time. You must, Mr. Abbot, now satisfy, if you can, Timantes upon the point in hand.

This indeed is my intention, answer'd the Abbot; let us therefore return to our subject, and read the passage in the tenth Letter, where­in he himself found these words. ‘I will pass by all that fooling, where the wit of the man so insolently sports it self with the love of God; but, pursu'd he, our Father Antony Sirmond, who triumphs upon this matter in his admirable book of the Deffense de la vertu, where he speaks, as he tells his reader, French in France, discourses thus in the 2d. to. sect. 1. p. 12.13.14. &c. Saint Thomas says, that a man is oblig'd to love God, as soon as he comes to the use of reason: that's a little too soon: Scotus says, every Sunday: upon what is this founded? others hold, when one is grievously tempted, yes, in case there be no way but this to avoid the temptation. Sotus says, when one receives a benefit from God; good to thank him for't. Others say at the hour of death, that's late indeed. Nor do I believe, that this [Page 328]ought to be done upon the reception of some Sacra­ment; Attrition with Confession, if they have convenience of making on't, is sufficient for that. Suarez says, that a man is oblig'd to it, some time or other; but at what time? he makes you your self judge of that, for he himself knows no­thing of it; nor indeed do I; for who shou'd know what this Doctor did not? And he con­cludes, at last, that a man in rigor, is not oblig'd to any thing, but to observe the other commands without any affection for God, and without giving him his heart, pro­vided he do's not hate him. And this he proves at large in his second treatise.’ When the Abbot had read thus far, he sayd to Timan­tes, you are Sir a Divine without doubt.

No indeed Sir, answer'd Timantes, neither was Mr. Pascal, but this did not hinder him, from arguing extreamly well upon all Moral matters; wherein a man needs but common sense to make a right judgment. A man must have something else besides that, replied the Abbot, to judge well of some subjects; and I cannot upon this, give you the satisfaction I desire, without entring a little into Divinity: bear with me I pray you but one moment, I shall not be long.

First, there never was a Divine, that absolutely denied we had a precept of loving God, and that the observance of it was necessary to Salvation: but after the Doctors had, for the better clear­ing of things, made a distinction in this matter of several kinds of precepts, they were divided upon some points.

2. This precept, they say, is, at once, both a general, and a particular precept; be­cause it is impossible to fulfil, or obey it, in it's full extent, without the observation of all the other commands; of which we cannot vio­late a single one, without wounding and destroy­ing the love which we owe to God. They account it a particular precept, because it en­joyns acts of a certain particular vertue, that is to say, acts of love, which, in their kind, are wholly different from the acts of the other vertues, by which we observe, or keep the rest of the commands.

3. The precept of charity, is, both nega­tive and affirmative, a precept is call'd nega­tive, when it is consider'd with reference to the things it prohibits to be done. 'Tis call'd affirmative, when it is consider'd with reference to the things it commands to be done. Thus, the precept of the love of God, is negative, in as much as it forbids us to hate the supreme good; which is to be understood, not only, of a formal hatred, a sin, of which, seldom any but the Devil is guilty, but also of every other sin; because that every sin comprehends, or includes a distance and separation from God. This precept is affirmative, in as much as it commands us, to make, on some occasions, acts of the love of God: for example at the hour of death, or upon our first coming to use of reason, which represents God to us, as our ultimate end.

The Divines farther teach, that a precept [Page 330]may oblige either, by it self, by it's own ver­tue, or by accident: their terms are per se and per accidens. It obliges by it self, from the moment it enjoyns me, independently, and without reference to any other precept, to do an act of the particular vertue, to which it has a relation: thus the precept of charity, will oblige me by it self, if, independently on all other precepts, it obliges me, to make acts of the love of God. A precept obliges by ac­cident, when I am bound to acquit my self of some incumbent duty, or to resist some temp­tation, and that neither the one, nor the other, can be perform'd without doing the act com­manded by this precept: thus finding my self, in some circumstance, oblig'd by the precept of repentance, to make an act of perfect Con­trition, the precept of charity, upon this oc­casion, obliges me, by accident; because that the act of Contrition, being a detestation of sin, proceeding from the pure motive of the love of God, I cannot fulfil the precept of repentance, without making an act of the love of God.

Infine, all Divines agree, that there is a precept or command to love God; that this precept is negative; because it includes a pro­hibition of doing any thing against God; and that it is affirmative also; because it obliges us to some particular duties. They likewise agree farther, that it is a general precept, extending it self to the observation of all other com­mands; and that it is, also a special, or parti­cular [Page 331]precept, obliging us, at least, by acci­dent, as in the case of the necessity of Con­trition and some others. The whole current of Divines do, I say, agree in all these points; and Father Antony Sirmond also agrees with them in the treatise we are now upon. And it is not of this, he is accus'd, but in accusing him of another thing, they conceal, or dissemble his having taught, even this; which alone, if made known, wou'd have suffic'd to have les­sen'd a great deal, the horror they endeavor'd to bring upon his whole doctrin. The single question then, that can here be put with refer­ence to the doctrin of this Divine in particular, is to know, whether, supposing all these other obligations, wherein the whole world agrees, this precept, as far forth, as it is special, or particular, and affirmative, do's oblige us, not only by accident, but also by it self, to make formal acts of love, by which we say to God, My God I love you with all my heart.

To that this author answers, that there is one command of God, by which we are ob­lig'd to have this love; which he calls affective, Pag. 21. as there is likewise one, by which we are en­joyn'd to have this other love, which he calls effective, and the love of execution. Which, consists in an exact observation of his com­mands; but that the command of affective love, is a command of sweetness, which God do's not give under pain of damnation, because, sayd he, a Father do's not say to his Children, Love me, or I will kill you. And that, Pag. 27. on the [Page 332]contrary, the command of effective love, or of execution, is a rigorous command, because if we do not fulfil it, we must go to hell.

This is somewhat subtil, sayd Eudoxus inter­rupting him. A little too much, answer'd the Abbot, and if Timantes shou'd say but that, we shou'd soon agree. I say, replied Timantes, that this proposition, is execrable and imperti­nent, and tends to the subversion of all Morals, and the intire corruption of manners.

Forbear a while, I beseech you, answer'd the Abbot, your hyperbolies and exaggerations; such things are good for nothing but to blind and dazzle men, who are not us'd to make reflexions. Let us look into things a little nearer. Do you believe, that it is this love affective, which troubles and confounds the com­mon sort of Christians, and gives them pain in their way to heaven? no, truly, it is the love Sirmond calls effective; it is this exact fulfilling the commands of God, which discourages and overcomes nature. Let us, on the contrary, suppose, that there shou'd be no command at all, of affective love, but that the command of effective love shou'd subsist and be accompli­shed; behold then the world reform'd; there wou'd be no more injustice, nor envy, nor jealousy, nor dissentions, nor impurities, nor debauches; since this reformation, the exercise of effective love, and the observation of the precept, which commands it, is but one and the same thing. Let this doctrin then of Sir­mond, be as false as you will; to say it tends [Page 333]to the relaxation and corruption of manners, is to give the world a very false allarm.

Let us come a little closer to the matter, descend to particulars, and propose, according to the principles of Sirmond, this case. A man exactly observes all the commands of God, either out of that saving, pious, supernatural, fear, spoken of by the Councel of Trent, and by it affirm'd, in opposition to Luther, to be a guift of the Holy Ghost, or out of some o­ther good motives of a different vertue from charity: a Christian, for example, hears Mass very devoutly on Sundays and Holy-days, and he hears it out of a motive of the vertue of Religion, which obliges him to honor him, whose infinit excellence and perfection merits the homage and adoration of all the creatures in the world: he communicates often, with this prospect and consideration, fully perswad­ed, that God is infinitly honor'd by this acti­on, by reason of the victim which is offer'd in the holy Sacrifice. The same motive, hinders him from swearing, blaspheming, and from being immodest in the Church. By a motive proportionable to this, he honors his Father and Mother, as persons, who to him are in the place of God. He submits himself intirely to his other Superiors, by the motive of the Obedience he ow's his Maker. He gives alms to the poor, by the motive of mercy: he fasts for Mortification, and in Obedience to the Church. In one word, sometimes by one of these motives, and sometimes by another, he [Page 334]avoids offending God; or if he do's offend him, he presently returns again, and detests his sin in the Sacrament of Penance, encour­ag'd by the motives of some one of these ver­tues I have spoken of. By behaving himself in this manner, he observes the negative pre­cept of charity, and fulfils the command of effective love.

Now the question propos'd by Father Sir­mond, is, to know, whether a man living in this manner, without any other formal act of the pure love of God, wou'd violate the com­mand of charity, and sin mortally.

This is not altogether the case, sayd Timan­tes, interrupting him; you omit an essential circumstance, remark'd by Mr. Pascal, or ra­ther, you add such a one, as hides the poyson of this doctrin; it is, that Sirmond wou'd have it, that this man keeps the Commandments without any affection for God, and by consequence observes the law, not as a Christian, but as a Iew. Harken to what Mr. Pascal says upon it.

‘Father Sirmond, sayd he, at last concludes, that, in rigor, we are oblig'd to nothing more, than to the observation of the other Commandments, WITHOUT ANY AF­FECTION FOR GOD, and without giv­ing him our heart, provided we do not hate him. This is, what he proves at large, in his second treatise.’ Mind well, I pray sayd Timantes, these words without any affection for God.

I have observ'd them very well, answer'd the Abbot, and have also, at the same time, taken [Page 335]notice, that they contain a most notorious im­posture. Here's the book; I defy you, to shew me in it those words. Read the 16.19.24. and 28 pages, quoted by Pascal. If you find them there, I will own my self the impo­stor I have call'd him. Father Sirmond, in this whole question, where he opposes love affective to love effective, excludes nothing from effective love, but only the motive, or the sole affec­tion of pure charity, by giving it the motive of some other vertue. His design, in the trea­tise, is chiefly to examin this point, whether it be permitted, to act by hope, or fear, or any other motive, but the pure love of God; as he speaks in his preface, and as it is impossible, for any one, not to see, that reads this treatise, either in whole, or in part. But to convince you, we need but hear how he explains himself in his decision of this question.

The Abbot in the 22th. page, read these words. ‘He, who do's not find himself in­flam'd with this Divine fire, and yet not­withstanding, keeps himself, out of some other good consideration, so mindful of his duty, (observe, in your turn, sayd the Ab­bot, these words, out of some other good con­sideration) that he has no affection in his heart, thought in his mind, passion in his Soul, nor power in his person, whose in­terest he do's not quit, to accomplish, or fulfil, in all things, the main will of God. even in cases, where he may be disgrac'd, for governing himself as reason dictates, or di­rects. [Page 336]He that is in such a state, obeys the rigor of this great Commandment, and do's that, which is necessary and sufficient to Salvation.’

It is therefore false, pursued the Abbot, that this author is content, that Christians shou'd observe, or keep the law as a Jew purely, in an exterior manner, without letting his heart have any share in it; since he exacts, that it shou'd be done, by some, holy motive, and that it be strong enuff, to make us in all things prefer God's interest to our own. For liften, I pray you, to what he farther adds. ‘So that we never put any thing in ballance with him, nor waver between his service, and that of the creature, wilfully uncertain, to which of the two we shou'd give our selves up, much less, that we shou'd not prefer any thing to him, nor suffer our selves to act contrary to his will.’

And well, sayd Timantes, in turning the thing even as you say, and as you pretend, your Sirmond understood it, will you maintain this doctrin in all it's points?

I do not say that, answer'd the Abbot; for I am, with the multitude of Jesuits I have cited to you, of a contrary opinion; and believe, as they do, that the precept of charity do's, in rigor, oblige us to make, from time to time, formal acts, as they express it, of the love of God, and distinguish'd from the acts of obedi­ence, of fear, of religion, and of that love effective, whereof he speaks. But, without [Page 337]defending the doctrin, a man sometimes may, as I have already sayd, defend the author, and therefore see, I pray, what, I believe, a man may yet say to justify him.

1. He is not the first Divine, that has spoke in this manner: have not you, sayd he to Timantes, the book writ at Louvain, by Doctor Dubois, Royal Professor of the holy Scripture in that University, concerning the propositions in Morals condem'd by Pope Alexander VII in 1665 and 1666? Yes I have, answer'd Timan­tes, and nothing is written in that country, upon such kind of subjects, but is sent me by some of my friends among the Doctors of Di­vinity: look you here it is.

This author, replied the Abbot, seems to be a sincere man; he is not at all of the opi­nion you and I disapprove; Art. 1.ad prop 1. on the contrary he refutes it; but before he do's so, see how many authors he reckons to have taught it. Into which number he put Bannez a famous Divine of Saint Dominicks Order, Cardinal Cajetan of the same Order, Marchantius, John Sanchez, who must not be mistaken for the Je­suit Sanchez, Jansenius Bishop of Gant, Molanus a Doctor of Louvain, the greatest part of these persons wou'd have been, for their learning, quality, and characters, much more worthy adversaries for Pascal, than this good Father Antony Sirmond: but alas his business was to seek for adversaries, only from among the Society.

A certain person lately made me make a re­flexion which may be of some use to the Je­suits: it is, that the Jansenists cry Victory, [Page 338]and believe themselves secur'd against all their adversaries attacks, and shelter'd against the Churches excommunications, if they can but discover some Thomists, whose expressions come near theirs upon the subject of Grace, not­withstanding the contempt they have, at bot­tom, for the doctrin of this School: which they treat by the name of folly, when they speak in confidence to one another, believing it, with their Master Jansenius, very distant from the thoughts, ideas, and system of Saint Austin. Why, therefore, shou'd not a Jesuit be freed from blame, or at least excus'd, when he can produce, as may be done here for Sir­mond, famous Doctors, Cardinals and Bishops, rais'd to these dignities, by the merits of their learning and their vertues? Another author, with whom I am not acquainted, who calls himself Florimond du Plessis, cites in favor of Sir­mond, the most eminent and illustrious of all the old Divines. Saint Antonin, Sylvester, Al­main Doctor of Paris, the learned Tostatus, Gerson, and many others, whose expressions are perfectly like his.

In the second place, this Jesuit had shewn no inclination for this opinion, but because he believ'd it the opinion of Saint Thomas. Let us see, what he says pag. 15. ‘Saint Thomas sayd he, 2.2. q. 44. a. 6. seems to answer not, and to content himself, for avoiding damna­tion, that we shou'd not otherwise do any thing against sacred love.’ Wendrok, answer'd Timantes, has fully shewn, how much Sirmond [Page 339]was mistaken in attributing this doctrin to Saint Thomas.

It is very hard, replied the Abbot, for any man to argue more in the air, to shoot at ran­dom, or wider from the mark, than Wendrok has done about this article, in his long disser­tation. Whoever rightly understands the state of the question, and the Divines doctrin, which I have endeavor'd to explicat and unfold upon the command of charity, will see, that almost all Wendrok quotes out of Saint Thomas against Father Sirmond, may, by this Divine be ad­mitted, without any danger, and do's not at all prove, that Saint Thomas's thoughts were any way different from his. But this is not the question now in debate, whether this author be, or be not mistaken, concerning the opi­nion of this holy Doctor, or whether Wendrok has reason'd well, or ill upon the point: it may be always, truly, sayd, that Saint Thomas's opinion, well or ill understood, was Father Sirmond's rule: and it is also most certain, that Saint Thomas's way of expressing himself, gave him the occasion of thinking as he did. Let us see, sayd Cleander, in Saint Thomas the pas­sage, by which he supports himself; we shall easily judge by that, whether his mistake be excusable, or not.

The place cited by Sirmond, was immediatly open'd; the Angelical Doctor there puts the question; 2.2. q. 44. a. 6.2. ‘Whether a man in this life can fulfil the precept of the love of God;’ and among other difficulties which he raises in this [Page 340]matter, he makes this objection; ‘Whoever do's not fulfil a precept, sins mortally;’ if then in this life no man can fulfil this precept, no body can be without mortal sin. After he had explain'd in what sense a man might, and in what sense he might not, in this life, fulfil this precept, he thus answers the objection: ‘It must be sayd, that as a Soldier, is not to be blam'd for not getting the victory, pro­vided he fights valiantly, in like manner he, who in this life do's not fulfil this precept, do's not sin mortally, provided he do's no­thing against Divine love.’ Ita etiam qui in via hoc praeceptum non implet, nihil contra divinam dilectionem agens, non peccat mortaliter. This pas­sage, sayd Cleander, might have deceiv'd any other, as well as Father Sirmond, supposing he be deceiv'd.

After all, answer'd the Abbot, I believe he did not rightly understand Saint Thomas in this place: but the manner alone, wherein this good Father concludes the question, wou'd deserve his pardon, althô he shou'd have been the first author of this opinion; which before him, so many others held. See how he ends this article. ‘It is our duty, Pag. 29. not to abuse his fatherly goodness, but to act as much and as soon as possible by a principle of love, of disinteres­sed love, of filial and of cordial love: for this is to be carefully heeded, that, althô God, of his great goodness may save us, by the paternal conduct of fear alone, by which he disposes us, to receive the effect of the Sacra­ments, [Page 341]nevertheless, as this way is the least pleasing to him, so is it also, neither frequent, nor lasting, and we are easily turn'd from it ...... God has sayd, He, who has my Com­mandments and keeps them, is he that loveth me. He loves me by his works: to this he is in rigor oblig'd by my law: but also, adds he, he who do's not love me, do's not keep my sayings; no truly he do's not keep them long: for which reason, the great Saint Antony sayd, there was no sure defence against the attacks of the Devil, but the love of Jesus Christ: all others, are transitory and uncon­stant.’ Is to speak in this manner, added the Abbot, the way to ruin and destroy the love of God in the hearts of Christians?

As for my own part, sayd Eudoxus, I am mercifully inclin'd, and clearly of opinion, that if there shou'd, ever be a new edition of Wen­drok, the title of his third note, ought to be chang'd, Antonij Sirmondi adversus hoc praeceptum intolerandi errores proponuntur. It is enuff to call it a mistake, a vain Theological refinement, and as Mr. Abbot was willing to term it, a false subtilty, impertinently inserted in a spiri­tual treatise. Sirmond, without it, might very well have maintain'd, as he has done, the do­ctrin of the Councel of Trent, against those who had the confidence to teach, that every action, which has not the pure love of God for the motive, is a sin.

I will not go back, answer'd the Abbot, from what I sayd, to make you hope, I might capi­tulate, [Page 342]after I had for some time defended my self; I think I have done this well enuff, and I am ready yet to add, even somewhat more, provided Timantes wou'd, on his side, use the same kind of freedom. We must see, sayd Timantes, what new propositions you have to make, to induce me to this capitulation.

I will own, continu'd the Abbot, that Sir­mond's distinction of The Commandment of rigor, for the love effective, and The Commandment of sweetness, for love affective, is a little chimeri­cal. Who speaks in this matter of a command, speaks of a thing oppos'd to counsel, or ad­vice, and by consequence, of a command of rigor. I will also say, that this doctrin, se­parated from the text, where it is very much soften'd, has in it self something very hard, and fit to be rejected, and that the pretended authority of Saint Thomas, or of Cajetan, Jan­senius of Gant, or others, ought not to make it current.

This is something, sayd Timantes, but what wou'd you have me grant you in exchange? I only ask, answer'd the Abbot, that the Divines of the Society, of whom you have heard me cite a great number of the most considerable, having all thought, and spoken quite differ­ently from Father Antony Sirmond, you wou'd not, for the future, say The Jesuits teach, that the love of God is not necessary to Salvation: nor call that, the doctrin of the Society.

This is, answer'd Timantes, a large article, and of great importance, which I cannot grant, [Page 343]without first consulting with the Gentlemen, who speak so every day; and whom I value too much, not to continue to talk as they do.

Since you will not then, replied the Abbot, conclude any thing, without these Gentlemen's consent; it is fit, when you consult them up­on this point, to tell them, that a world of men are scandaliz'd at the doctrin, and falsifi­cations of Pascal in his tenth Letter; where pretending to attack the doctrin of the Jesuits, or rather of the most celebrated Divines upon Attrition, he do's, not only, propound it, in such a manner, as that it is not to be known by these Fathers, but that it is also easily per­ceivable, that under this pretext, he wou'd fain run down some points, decided by the Councel; that this proposition Attrition with the Sacrament is sufficient, and this, The act of the love of God is not necessary to Salvation, have no relation to one another, as he wou'd have it to be understood: that the Jesuits, defending the first, after an infinit number of Divines as conformable to the doctrin of the Councel of Trent, do, at the same time, fight against the second; that the one ought not, nor can­not be drawn into consequence, for the other; not even in any particular case, which some may think ought to be excepted, out of the general thesis; that they will shew them rea­son, and very good reason, when they desire it, for the diversity of the Divines systems, touching the time, wherein a man is oblig'd to make an interior, formal act of the love of [Page 344]God; but on condition, these Gentlemen will, also, propose their hypothesis, and opinion upon this matter; to the end it may be ex­amin'd by the rules and principles of true and solid Divinity .........

You are there cutting out a great deal of work for Timantes, sayd Eudoxus interrupting him; let us I pray you leave all these particu­lars, and speak of an accommodation, but of an intire, universal accommodation. I have a proposition to make, which, at first, will be surprising to you; but you shall hear the con­ditions. It is to unite us four in the same party, and the same interests. Mr. Abbot has been hitherto devoted to the Jesuits; you Ti­mantes, to the Jansenists; Cleander and I have always kept a kind of neutrality; it is not fit to see, such friends as we are, thus divided; to what ever side we turn, we shall be well re­ceiv'd; the Jesuits wou'd esteem themselves happy in a friend, and a defender, so zealous, so quick, and so resolute as Timantes: and if Mr. Abbot wou'd become a Jansenist, his conversion wou'd, no doubt, make the party great gainers.

What you propose, is a matter of conse­quence, sayd Timantes, interrupting him; let us hear what are the conditions. The conditions, answer'd Eudoxus, have nothing in them, but what is just and reasonable; you that are so equitable, will accept them without boggling; and I am also confident, that neither Mr. Ab­bot, nor Cleander will reject them. It is not, [Page 345]to make a discussion of the justice, or injustice of both partys, nor to enter into the particu­lars of all the points of doctrin disputed be­tween them. Let us lay aside all prejudices, by which each party endeavors to gain an advan­tage over the other, and only mind one thing, to wit, the advantage of sincerity and fidelity.

This I agree to, very willingly, sayd Timantes; you know I pretend to those vertues more than any man living; and you take me on my blind or weak side; but this point is of large extent, and the Jesuits will have need of a great many apologies, before I can be drawn to 'um by this way. I intend, replied Eudoxus, to re­duce the matter to one single point, wherein you are fully instructed, and which you need but just run over agen. To what point de­manded Timantes?

To the very Provincial Letters, answer'd Eu­doxus; do but only justify the fidelity and sin­cerity of your Gentlemen in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh Letters, of which we have already begun to have some doubts and suspi­cions, and Cleander and I are yours.

This is a small thing, a very easy business, sayd Timantes, but I wou'd be glad that Mr. Abbot wou'd, also sign the treaty on these terms. I do engage to make my self a party to it, answer'd the Abbot; but be sure you keep your word upon the penalty of valuing your self hereafter, as much upon the name of an Anti-Jansenist, as now you do upon that of a Jansenist.

I accept the condition, replied Timantes, so certain am I not to hazard much by the bar­gain. More than you are aware of, sayd Cle­ander; have you ever confronted, or compar'd Pascal's citations, with the texts of the Society's Divines? I have not, answer'd he, but we will immediatly do it if you please. The most un­necessary and unprofitable labor, will be always agreeable, when I undergo it for your sakes. It is too late to begin it to day, replied Clean­der, do it at your leisure, but be sure you do it exactly, and when you think fit give us an account.

It is fit, sayd the Abbot, that we shou'd make this peece of drudgery as easy to you as is possible, considering that to a person of your brisk, lively humor, such a task shou'd not be a very pleasant pastime. I will therefore quit you for four or five points: of which the first shall be, to shew, in the assertions, or principles of one single Jesuit, the whole, or the least part of what is attributed to all the body in the fourth Letter, concerning the sins of libertins, or harden'd and impious men. The second, to make good the accusation a­gainst them in the fifth Letter, of their per­mitting Idolatry to the new Christians in China, and of their having, for that end, put in pra­ctice, the direction of intention, and teaching their Converts, that they may outwardly adore Idols, provided they do but inwardly direct their adorations to a Crucifix, hid under their garments; and that also which is added, that [Page 347]these Fathers do not expose in that country in the assemblies of their new Converts, the Cru­cifix, but only discourse to 'um of the glorious Mysteries of our Savior, without saying any thing of a suffering Jesus.

The third, is, to justify Pascal's honesty and fidelity in reference to Filiucius's passage, touch­ing fasts. The fourth, is, to shew, in Valen­tia, the passage quoted by Pascal concerning simony. If a temporal good be given for a spiri­tual, that is to say, mony for a benefice, and that the mony be given as the price of the benefice, it is plain simony. But if it be given as a motive to induce the benefic'd person to resign, NON TAN­QUAM PRETIUM BENEFICII, SED TANQUAM MOTIVUM AD RESIG­NANDUM, it is no simony. The fifth, is, to tell us, what right he had to cut away from, or dismember the text of Bauni, touching the ob­ligation a Priest is under, of saying the Masses he has agreed for, with him who gives the re­tribution. This text, whole and intire, seem­ing to have nothing in it, but what all men may, and ought to allow, nor any thing con­trary to that, which Pascal do's oppose. If you give me but a good account of these five points only, continu'd the Abbot, I shall be wholly yours, and pursuant to Eudoxus's proposal, change my side. That shall not hinder, an­swer'd Timantes confidently.

If you fail in your undertaking, added the Abbot, I will not, however, oblige you, to change your party, at least till I have con­vinc'd [Page 348]you of some other things: which if I do not do, I will own my self vanquish'd and submit. 1. If I do not clearly shew you, that the doctrin of probability, is not an invention of the Jesuits; that it is not peculiar to them; and that they do not teach it, but with a croud of Doctors of all Schooles, all Orders, and all Nations; that they do not teach it, in the manner Pascal pretends; and that what he says of it in his Letters, is full of falsifications and impostures.

2. If I do not justify the Jesuits touching the Idolatry of China, by authentic peeces, and records, by most full and positive testimonies, such as will make you admire the boldness and impudence of the Societys enemies. 3. If I take not from you, all doubts and scruples, concerning the innocence and purity of Valen­tia's doctrin of simony, and that of Vasquez about Alms.

You speak, sayd Timantes, interrupting him, and very much astonish'd, with great confi­dence and assurance. Do's not Pascal, in his former Letters, set down the very articles, pages and numbers, of the Jesuit authors he quotes? do's he not put all his extracts out of them into Italic letters? he do's so, answer'd the Abbot, both in his former and in his latter Letters; and this draws the belief of all those, who do not examin the texts and compare them with his quotations, and the indignation, of all those, who do give themselves that trouble.

What, sayd Timantes, Pascal the honestest [Page 349]man of his time, to falsify, impose, and calum­niate? you are certainly in jest, this is not possible: nor cou'd any thing be more un­likely, according to the character I have had of him from good and able men of his ac­quaintance.

Let him be as honest a man as you will, answer'd the Abbot, what I say are matters of fact; which I undertake to prove; and when I have done it, choose whether you will pre­serve for him the quality of an honest man, or give that of cheats, impostors, falsifiers and calumniators, to those, who furnish'd him with memorials and extracts against the Jesuits. Make this division how you think fit, it is very indifferent to me.

Do you know, sayd Cleander, that what Mr. Abbot promises you to do, he has already done for us; and what he has affirm'd, we have seen, with our own eyes, in the authors themselves, having actually confronted and compar'd the Provincial Letters, page by page, with the texts, cited just as they follow in or­der, without any choice; and that, except one or two inconsiderable points, which Pascal had reason to find fault with, these Letters are one continued series, or complication of falsifies and impostures; which prepossesses a man with a terrible prejudice against the other articles, concerning the greatest part whereof, he has offer'd to undeceive us when ever we please?

The Jesuits, answer'd the Abbot, are so little of the opinions ascrib'd to them by Pascal, that they wou'd, without hesitating, subscribe to the condemnation of most of the propositions he contends against, taken in the sense he gives them. But that, which is wonderful, and a new calumny of their enemies is, that these propositions, for the greater part, as Pascal has fram'd 'um, the better to refute 'um, having been most justly condem'd at Rome, it was every where reported, that it was the Societys doctrin, which was there condem'd. The Je­suits in France, have suffer'd all this to be sayd, and indeed, they have done well, not to trou­ble themselves much about the matter. But the Flemish Fathers had not so much patience. For, they have fully demonstrated, that hardly any one of the condem'd propositions, had been taught by the Jesuits; and if any one of them be found, in one or two Divines of the Society, they were neither the first, nor the only persons that taught them; but that there had been always, some non-Jesuit Divines, especially among the Thomists, who lead the van: and that for one Jesuit, who fell in with those opinions, the main part, or body of the Divines of the Society, were of a contrary opinion.

These are very strange things, which you ad­vance, sayd Timantes interrupting him; and I am apt to believe, that what you say of Pascals being furnish'd with false memoirs, might have happen'd to your self; and that the Jesuits, [Page 351]impos'd upon you, and perswaded you they were true: but be it as it will, since you pre­tend to have been already fully inform'd in this matter; it is not my business any longer to make head against, or oppose you, at least, till I have satisfied my self, and taken the same pains, that you have done. Let us therefore, for the present take our leave of this subject, and talk of other things.

And thus ended the discourse upon this matter, whereof Eudoxus and Cleander did not expect so moderate a conclusion from their Jansenist: whom the Abbot's flegme and staid temper, had, all along, kept within certain bounds, which, on such like occasions, had been very usual for him to transgress.