The secret policy of the Iansenists, and the present state of the Sorbon. Discovered by a doctour of that faculty, who having learnt Iansenisme when he studied divinity, vnder a master that taught it there publickly, has been since disabused, & followes the Catholick party. / Translated out of the French copie.

The second Meanes. To remain in the Communion of the Church.

Yet for all this, they feard, that time, which discovers the most hidden things, would at last make known all their cunning tricks, & so stifle their whol project in its birth; That Catholicks having found out the track of Calvinisme would fly from it with horrour. And that as the Abbot of S. Cyran, sayd Calvin had a good cause, but knew not how to defend it, because he had not the knack of declining the name of Heretick, as he might have done, had he not openly forsaken the Churches Communion. For this reason, they layd it for a fundamental Maxime of their Po∣licy, never to depart out of the Catholicke Church, & consequently to acknowlege the Pope, and seemingly to submit to the Hierarchical go∣vernment. This important resolution, was also grounded, vpon thos reasons, which they took to be convincing. 1. That Pelagius, Ma∣cedonius, Eutyches, the Donatists, & all the most prudent Founders of new Sects, did con∣stantly conserve the name and outward shew of Catholicks, & by that meanes, got the advantages they wished for, whence they in∣ferred, that they ought to follow their exam∣ple,

& would have the like success. 2. That by this meanes, they might without difficulty insinuate themselves, into the esteem of Ca∣tholicks, of all sexes & conditions in religi∣ous & secular communities, Universities, A∣cademies, Soveraigne & inferiour Courts of Judicature; Courts of Kings &c. They might also speak converse; preach, write, direct consciences &c. And in this manner infuse their doctrine, establish their Maximes, de∣fend themselves against their Adversaries vn∣dermine their endeavours &c. blow vp all plots against their Sect, oppose them eyther secretly, or with open violence; sow divisi∣ons & practise a world of other artifices, to disunite & confound their enemies. The rea∣son is, because while they remain exteriour∣ly vnited to the Church, they will not be suspected, but will easily passe for friends, & yet may act the part of enemies, as being cloaked with the apearance of a true & sin∣cere friendship. 3. That men born & bred, in civil or Ecclesiastical Societies, do not ea∣sily leave them, to follow strange companies. And so we see many Hereticks, when they are convinced of their errours, to alleage this, for the only obstacle to their conversion: That it is hard for men to renounce their Religion, to embrace that which they take

to be false, & destructive of that faith, which they have allways professed But if they may be permitted, to conserve the forme & exte∣riour of their first Society, they are engaged by litle & litle, in the changes, which are brought in. The same we see in States, that Subjects suffer the change of their lawes & Customes, & of the whol government, when it is done by degrees, & so, as so retain in many things the apearance of the same States. Why then might not they, by remaining in the Catholick Church, by litle & litle chan∣ge the ancient doctrine, & bring in their new inventions in place therof. 4. That in case they should be condemned by the Pope, they might wipe off the blemish, by seeming to leave their party, & yet secretly adhere to it, & withal conserve their friendship, whom they had gained to their cabal, before their condemnation. 5. That contrariwise, if they should separate themselves from the Church, their name would be infamous, their con∣versation suspected, their Books discredited, their defence slighted, their whol doctrin odious, & consequently, it would not be pos∣sible for them, to set vp their new Sect. Thes. judicious reasons, have not deceaved their hopes, for infinite Catholicks have been il∣luded, & drawn to their opinions, while they

lay covered vnder the sacred vayle of the Church.