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