CHAPTER XI.

1600-1700.

DOCTRINES AND MORAL CODE OF THE JESUITS.

Acquaviva’s opinion of St Thomas’s Theology—Molina’s Doctrine on Free-will—The Dominicans oppose Molinism—The two parties hold thirty-seven Disputations in presence of the Pope—Clement VIII. adverse to the Doctrine of the Jesuits—Why he did not condemn it—He imposes silence on the two parties—Origin of Jansenism—Jansenius—Du Verger de Hauranne, Abbot of St Cyran—Jansenius composes the “_Augustinus_” and dies—St Cyran Chief of the School—The Nuns of Port-Royal and the D’Arnauld family—St Cyran Prisoner at Vincennes—The Jesuits embody the essential Doctrines of the _Augustinus_ in five Propositions, and oblige the Pope to condemn them—The Jansenists deny that such Propositions are contained in the Book—Alexander VII. declares by a Bull that they are contained in it—The Pope’s Infallibility in Matters of Fact—Why the Jansenists took such pains to persuade people that they were good Roman Catholics—How the Jesuits had become such a powerful Brotherhood—They are no more needed as Theologians—Many Kings and Nobles have each his own Confessor—Contrivances of the Jesuits to be chosen to this Office—Their very accommodating Doctrines—Escobar and his Moral Doctrines of the Jesuits on Sin—Invincible Ignorance—Pascal the Provincial—Probable Opinion—Mental Reservation—Impiety—Easy way to go to Paradise—The Book of Father Barry—Extracts from it—The Month of Mary—Ridiculous Ceremonies in honour of the Virgin during the Month of May—_Secreta Monita_—How originated—Why we believe them to be Apocryphal, 230