The journal of Monsr. de Saint Amour doctor of Sorbonne,: containing a full account of all the transactions both in France and at Rome, concerning the five famous propositions controverted between the Jansenists and the Molinists, from the beginning of that affair till the Popes decision. / Faithfully rendred out of French. ; A like display of the Romish state, court, interests, policies, &c. and the mighty influences of the Jesuites in that church, and many other Christian states, being not hitherto extant.

CHAP. I.

Of what pass'd at Paris and at Rome during the first three weeks of Ja∣nuary.

THE first thing which we did this year, was to go on Tues∣day January 2. to the Pope's Presence-Chamber, in order to being introduc'd to audi∣ence; which we could not obtain that day, because the Prince of Luneburg who had the first, and Cardinal Ʋrsin who had the second, took up all the time. We repair'd thither every day afterwards that we could hope for it, till at length we obtain'd it on the 21. of the same moneths, as I shall relate in its due place.

In the mean while we employ'd our time as the necessity and advantage of our affair or the rules of Decorum required: That Tuesday afternoon I went with M. Brousse to M. le Cavalier Pozzo a person of note in Rome and of great worth; He told us in his entertainment a pleasant Conceit of a Jesuite, whom he formerly knew, and who was the present Pope's Confessor; This Jesuite maintain'd and would needs print his Opinion That the Pope might choose his successor before his death, and establish him as a Coadjutor in that highest Ecclesiastical dignity.

The same day at Paris a person nam'd Sangui∣niere who had been a Jesuite, but thrust him∣self into the Faculty of Divinity, so far as to maintain a Thesis in a Tentative Question, have∣ing demanded in the Assembly Letters concerning his time of study, was deny'd, though he was backd by the favorers of the Jesuites, and more then any by M. Hallier.

The same Doctors appear'd also very displeas'd with the News which they receiv'd at that time of the arrival of my Collegues at Rome: but yet they comforted themselves for all that, by pub∣lishing abroad that that whould not hinder but the Pope would speedily pronounce a Judgment a∣gainst the Propositions, and that if he gave us a hearing before he pronounc'd, it would be but as I had been heard in the businesse of the Houres. Which coming to the ears of the Bishops who de∣ligated us, they enjoyn'd us again by a Letter which they caus'd to be written to us on the fifth of that moneth, to beware of engaging in a se∣cret or private Conference; but to coniinue suing for a solemn one, like those which had been held under Clement VIII. and Paul V. before which, we should not be contented with answering for the Catholick sense which the Propositions im∣puted to us might admit, in which alone they were to be maintain'd as Orthodox, but also should ac∣cuse the erroneous sentiments of Molina, and demand the condemnation thereof against the Je∣suites.

On Monday the 8. we accompani'd Cardinal Barberin to the Consistory, and he did us the honour to desire us to dine with him the next day. Accordingly having treated us with very great magnificence he carried us to spend the afternoon in his Library, and afterwards himself conducted us home.

On the 11. M. Brousse and I went to see the

Ambassador, and accompani'd him to the Palace of S. Mark to the Ambassador of Venice, and from thence to the profess'd House of the Jesuits call'd le Giesu, which is not far from his Palace. The Ambassador, as he told us, went thither to speak with one of those Fathers with whom the King was not well pleas'd; which he did, after he had heard Masse. I observ'd that assoon at F. Annat recei∣ved notice of the Ambassador's coming, he went away without staying for him, to get audience of the Pope.

On Fryday the 12th. we began to visite the Cardinals who we knew were design'd for our Congregation. That day we visited Cardinal Spa∣da, who receiv'd and entertain'd us very well. But this was considerable in the audience he gave us, that there was not spoken so much as one word concerning our affair on one side or other. After which I going alone to see the Cure of S. Saviour, he gave me a very remarkable Item, which we alwayes endevor'd to Practise, viz. That the half of an Affaire, especially at Rome, consisteth in the manner of well managing it, La Meta d' un ne∣gotio consiste nel modo di ben portarlo.

This good Cure was great friend and country∣man to Monsignor Ghiggi, who was lately return'd from his Nuntiature at Munster. He gave me an account of him as a man of great piety and learning, much in favour with the Pope, and one of his Secretaries of state, who would not fail to be Cardinal at the next promotion, and perhaps one day Pope, when there was pass'd another Papacy after the present. For these rea∣sons he advis'd me to visite him asson as I could, to informe him of the state of our af∣faires. Upon his motion I went for that purpose on Saturday the 13th of January; but finding that he gave no audience, I went tot S. Maria Mag∣giore.

There I saw the Dominican Confessor of the French Nation, who told me that the next day there was to be, a Chappel of Cardinals, to cele∣brate there a Masse of the Trinity for Pius V. That this Pope dy'd in such opinion of Sanctity, that on the first of May his tombe was strew'd over with abundance of flowers, and his Chappel was all full of ex voto. But since the Bull of Ʋrban VIII. for the Canonization of Saints, those ex voto were taken away and shut up in the Sacristy or Vestry, and the custome of strew∣ing flowers upon his tomb was abolish'd: I went afterwards to S. John de Lateran to see F. Cavalli and return him his little tract of Obser∣vations upon the Conection of the Hymnes which was made by a Jesuite in the name of Ʋrban VIII. which Jesuite was much incens'd against F. Ca∣valli because of the faults, both as to Grammar and sense, which he found in that Conection. F. Cavalli submitted his Reflections very humbly, to as many as would look upon them. The Car∣dinals car'd not to examine whether he had rea∣son or no; though some said it was a thing that deserv'd to be taken heed to. But that which is remarkable herein, is, that though those new Hymnes were introduc'd everywhere, as an order given by the Pope; yet the Canons of S. Peter withstood all the instances made to them to make use thereof, upon the sole account of the newnesse of those verses; wherewith their Chanters, being habituated and accustom'd to the old, were inconvenienc'd. And indeed their resi∣stance and their custome caus'd that they were left to the possession and use of the old, notwithstanding the earnest desire of the Authors of those new Cor∣rections that those Canons should confirm by their example the care that was taken to introduce them into all Christendom.

On Monday the 15th. we visited the Covent of Barefooted Carmelites of our Lady de la Victorie, where we were inform'd by one of those Fryers that the Pope having been lately confer'd with a∣bout our affair by a Considerable person who soli∣cited him to put an end to this great controversie de auxiliis, which troubled the Church for so many years; the Pope signifi'd that his mind and reso∣lution was to follow the example, of his Predeces∣sors who were contented with imposing silence in the matter to both parties; that enough had been done in condemning or rather prohibiting in ge∣neral the book of Jansenius; and that he would do nothing more. Wherewith the said Person not con∣tented, reply'd to the Pope that this was not the thing which the most considerable persons in the Church expected, but on the contrary they con∣ceiv'd that his Holiness was oblig'd to terminate the contests in the present case; and to perswade him to it, he shew'd him the Writing above men∣tion'd, whereof F. Mulard was the dispersor, in∣titl'd Ʋtrum sit sopienda, &c. Which he read to the Pope from the beginning to the end; and after the Pope had heard it, he made no other answer to this person to free himself from his instances, but told he might shew the said Writing to such of the Cardinals as he thought fit.

On Wednessday the 17th. I went again to Mon∣signor Ghiggi, to make him the visite which the Cure of S. Saviour had given him notice that I intended. He receiv'd me with much civility and gravity. After I had told him in few words the substance of our affair, and the importance it was of, I began to give him a particular account of all that had pass'd in it; but before I had done representing to him the reasons which were op∣pos'd to M. Cornet in the Assembly of the first if July, to hinder proceeding to any examina∣tion of the Propositions, Monsignor Ghiggi told me that he was expected by the Pope, and there∣fore pray'd me to dispatch and tell him the mat∣ter of fact without standing upon the reasons. So I was oblig'd to passe succinctly over the chief and essential points of this affair, as the False Censure presented to the Pope for confirmation; the de∣sign of M. de Vabres, seeing that way fail'd to get the Assembly of the Clergy to sign a Let∣ter wherein to desire the condemnation of the Propositions, upon assurance given him by the Jesuites that they would obtain it if the Clergy desir'd it; his resolution (when he could do nothing with the Clergy) to inveigle several particular Bishops to subscribe the said Letter; the care of those which sent me, to advertise the Pope of the ambiguity of the Propositions pre∣sented to him by that Letter, the surprise which was to be fear'd in it, the interest of the H. See to avoid that surprise, the importance it was of in refence to his Authority, the truth, and the

peace of the Faithfull; in fine, that I must come another time when his Lordship was more at lei∣sure, to give him more ample and particular in∣formations upon the whole, and that my Collegues would not fail to wait upon him, and pay their duty to him as soon as they had seen the Pope. Monsignor Ghiggi told me, it would be better that I came alone to acquaint him with the Case, then that many came to do it; because oftentimes in occasions of this nature, number did more hurt then good. He said the Pope had not yet spoken to him about this affair, and till the Pope did so, he would not meddle with it; Ne videretur mitte∣re manum in alienam messem: but probably the Pope would communicate it to him assoon as we had deliver'd him our Letters. I answer'd, that I had deliver'd them almost Six months ago. He reply'd, that then it would be requisite to leave a Memorial with the Pope when we were admitted to him, to refresh his Holinesses memory; and that when that Memorial came to his hands, it would be sufficient, that before it did, it was not needfull for us to make a visit to him, because Se∣cretaries of State receive none, but alwayes keep their doors shut, excepting for affaires. I told him, that we would do as he appointed, and I re∣new'd to him the declaration which I had made to the Pope, that we had no pretension against the Bull of Ʋrban VIII; and that of the Propositions upon which his Censure was sollicited, there was not any in that of Pius V.

On Thursday the 18th. we visited Cardinal Gi∣netti, who again gave us great testimonies of good will and earnestnesse ro apply himself seriously to this affair. He askt us also if our Adversaries were come. I answer'd, that none appear'd open∣ly; but the Jesuites were those with whom we had to do, and whom we would attaque as our prin∣cipal adversaries, who had set a work all these pro∣jects against the doctrine of the Church, to up∣hold that of Molina; that their whole Society was assembled ad Rome; that they might choose the a∣blest of their Fathers to defend themselves against the accusations and complaints which we had to charge them with; and so we should not want Parties. He approv'd what I said; but our confe∣rence was not long, and we ended it sooner then we should have done, out of decency, because we saw there was a Table prepar'd for a Congregation which his Eminence expected there.

That day I was told by one of the H. Office, that he to whom F. Annat's book de Incoacta libertate, then under the Presse, was committed to read, had made his Report of it eight dayes ago; that M. Al∣bizzi mov'd there might be given to it not only a Licence for printing, but also a kind of Approba∣tion; that there was nothing in it contrary to the Faith; but the Members of the H. Office conside∣ring it was not their Custom, M. Albizzi could not bring them to his intended innovation, and so the book was only remitted to the Master of the Sacred Palace.

I went to visit him on Saturday the 19. and re∣presented the Prejudice which the Cause of Grace Effectual by it self would receive by the Approba∣tion which F. Annat endeavour'd to get from the Congregation of the H. Office for the Book he was printing, and the advantage which the Jesuites would make of it, for the upholding of their Mo∣linistical Grace subject to Free Will, which could not be establisht but upon the ruines of many Chri∣stian Truths. The Master of the Sacred Palace pre∣sently agreed with me as to the prejudice which those truths receive from that Molinistical opini∣on, and particularly mention'd many truths that are subverted thereby. But he told me, that he did not believe F. Annat's book was writ in de∣fence of that opinion; That were it so, it could not afford any consequence as to the matter of the Doctrine, which would not fail to be maintain'd, when they came to the Decision; but till it were come to that, the Pope had prohibited writing of these matters without permission of the Congrega∣tion of the H. Office; That the said Congregation had given F. Annat such permission, and him (the Master, &c.) permission to peruse the book, and give his consent to the impression; That he had done so, and could not have done otherwise; That those people were Almighty, Ognipotenti; That he was in an office in which it was necessary to obey. By which I saw, that we must be contented either to behold that book publisht, with whatever ad∣vantagious Notes of Approbation it could be au∣thoris'd, or else stop its course by our complaint to the Pope against it, if we could get audience of him before it came forth.