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fluenced by the bitter complaints and declama- || cles to the success of their counsels, and the tions of certain Jansenists, and not sufficiently fruits of their wise and salutary edicts, that instructed in the history of these ecclesiastical arose from the internal constitution of the contentions, have formed erroneous notions concerning that point which we have here endeavoured to examine and discuss.

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near

Romish church, and the very nature of the papal government; for, if the pontiffs were even divinely inspired, and really infallible, XXIV. The corruptions that had been com- yet, unless this inspiration and infallibility were plained of in preceding ages, both in the high- attended with a miraculous power, and with er and inferior orders of the Romish clergy, the supernatural privilege of being present in were rather increased than diminished during many places at the same time, it is not conthis century, as the most impartial writers of ceivable how they should ever entertain a nothat communion candidly confess. The bish- tion of the possibility of restoring or maintainops were rarely indebted for their elevation to ing order, or good morals, among the prodieminent learning, or superior merit. The in-gious multitude of persons of all classes and tercession of potent patrons, services rendered characters that are subject to their jurisdiction. to men in power, connexions of blood, and XXV. Though the monks, in several places, simoniacal practices, were, generally speaking, behaved with much more circumspection and the steps to preferment; and, what was still decency than in former times, yet they had more deplorable, their promotion was some- every where departed, in a great measure, times obtained by their vices. Their lives from the spirit of their founders, and the priwere such, as might be expected from persons mitive laws of their respective institutions. who had risen in the church by such unseemly About the commencement of this age, their means; for, had they been obliged by their convents and colleges made a most wretched profession, to give public examples of those and deplorable figure, as we learn from the vices which the holy laws of the Gospel so accounts of the wisest and most learned, even solemnly and expressly condemn, instead of of their own writers. But, in the progress of exhibiting patterns of sanctity and virtue to the century, several attempts were made to retheir flock, they could not have conducted move this disorder. Some wise and pious Bethemselves otherwise than they did.* Some nedictines, in France and other countries, reindeed there were, who, sensible of the obliga- formed several monasteries of their order, and tions of their profession, displayed a true Chris- endeavoured to bring them back, as tian zeal, in administering useful instruction, as was possible, to the laws and discipline and exhibiting pious examples to their flock, of their founders. Their example was foland exerted their utmost vigour and activity, lowed by the monks of Clugni, the Cistercians, n opposing the vices of the sacred order in the regular canons, the Dominicans, and Franparticular, and the licentiousness of the times ciscans. It is from this period that we are to in general. But these rare cultivators of vir- date the division of the monastic orders into tue and piety were either ruined by the re- two general classes. One comprehends the resentment and stratagems of their envious and formed monks, who, reclaimed from that liexasperated brethren, or were left in obscurity, centiousness and corruption of manners which without that encouragement and support which had formerly dishonoured their societies, lead were requisite to enable them to execute effec- more strict and regular lives, and discover in tually their pious and laudable purposes. The their conduct a greater regard to the primitive same treatment fell to the lot of those among the laws of their order. The other is composed of lower order of the clergy, who endeavoured to the un-reformed orders, who, forgetting the maintain the cause of truth and virtue. But spirit of their founders, and the rules of their the number of sufferers in this noble cause was institutes, spend their days in ease and pleasmall, compared with the multitude of corrupt sure, and have no taste for the austerities and ecclesiastics, who were carried away with the hardships of the monastic life. The latter torrent, instead of opposing it, and whose lives class is evidently the most numerous; and the were spent in scenes of pleasure, or in the majority, even of the reformed monks, not anxiety and toils of avarice and ambition. only fall short of that purity of manners which While we acknowledge, that, among the bishops and inferior clergy, there were several exceptions from that general prevalence of immorality and licentiousness with which the sacred order was chargeable, it is also incum-See bent upon us to do justice to the merit of some of the Roman pontiffs, in this century, who used their most zealous endeavours to reform the manners of the clergy, or, at least, to oblige them to observe the rules of external decency in their conduct and conversation. It is however matter of surprise, that these pontiffs did not perceive the insurmountable obsta

* Le Bœuf, Memoires sur l'Histoire d'Auxerre, tom. ii. p. 513, where an account is given of the first reforms made in the convents during this century. —Martenne's Voyage Literaire de deux Benedictins, par. ii. p. 97.

There is an account of all the convents reformed

in this century, in Helyot's Histoire des Ordres, tom. v. vi. vii. to which, however, several interesting circumstances may be added, by consulting other writers. The reform of the monks of Clugni is am.

ply described by the Benedictines, in the Gallia Christiana, tom. vii. p. 544. The same authors speak of the reform of the Regular Canons of St. Augustin, tom. vii. p. 778, 787, 790.-For an account of that of the Cistercians, see Mabillon's Annal. Benedict. tom. vi. p. 121; and the Voyage Literaire de deux *The reader may see these disagreeable accounts Benedictins, tom. i. p. 7; tom. ii. p. 133, 229, 269, of the corruptions of the clergy confirmed by a great 303. The Cistercians were no sooner reformed, than number of unexceptionable testimonies, drawn from they used their most zealous endeavours for the reforthe writings of the most eminent doctors of the Ro- mation of the whole society, (i. e. of the Benedictine mish church, in the Memoires de Port Royal, tom. ii.order,) but in vain. See Meaupou's Vie de l'Abbe de p. 308.

la Trappe, tom. i.

PART I.

HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH.

201

progress

their rules enjoin, but are moreover gradually || must be abundantly known, to those who have and imperceptibly relapsing into their former any acquaintance with the history and indolence and disorder. of learning in Europe, what signal advantages the republic of letters has derived from the establishment of this famous Congregation, whose numerous and admirable productions have cast a great light upon the various branches of philology and the belles lettres, and whose researches have embraced the whole circle of science, philosophy excepted.*

XXVII. Though these pious attempts to reform the monasteries were not entirely unsuccessful, yet the effects they produced, even in those places where they had succeeded most, came far short of that perfection of austerity that had seized the imaginations of a set of persons, whose number is considerable in the Romish church, though their credit be small, and their severity be generally looked upon as excessive and disgusting. These rigid censors, having always in their eyes the ancient disci

XXVI. Among the reformed monks, a particular degree of attention is due to certain Benedictine societies, or congregations, who surpass all the other monastic orders, both in the excellence and utility of their rules and constitution, and in the zeal and perseverance with which they adhere to them. Of these societies the most distinguished is the congregation of St. Maur,* which was founded in 1620 by the express order of Gregory XV., and was enriched by Urban VIII. in 1627, with various donations and privileges. It does not indeed appear, that even this society adheres strictly to the spirit and maxims of Benedict, whose name it bears, nor is it beyond the reach of censure in other respects; but these imperfections are compensated by the great number of excellent rules and institutions that are observed in it, and by the regular lives and learned la-pline of the monastic orders, and being bent on bours of its members. For, in this congrega- reducing the modern convents to that austere tion, a select number of men of genius and ta- discipline, looked upon the changes abovelent are set apart for the study of sacred and mentioned as imperfect and trifling. They conprofane literature, and more especially of his-sidered a monk as a person obliged, by the tory and antiquities; and these learned members are furnished with all the means and materials of knowledge in a rich abundance, and with every thing that can tend to facilitate their labours and render them successful. It

See the Gallia Christiana Nova, an admirable work, composed by the Congregation of St. Maur, tom. vii. p. 474.-Helyot, tom. vi. cap. xxxvii. p. 256. The letters patent of Gregory XV., by which the establishment of this famous congregation was approved and confirmed, were criticised with great severity and rigour by Launoy, that formidable scourge of all the monastic orders, in his Examen. Privil. S. Germani, tom. iii. p. i. op. p. 303. The same author, (in his Assert. Inquisit. in priv. S. Medardi, tom. iii. op.) gives an account of the dissentions that arose in this congregation, immediately after its establishment; but this account savours too much of that partiality with which he is chargeable, whenever he treats of monastic affairs.

sanctity of his profession, to spend his whole time in prayer, tears, contemplation, and si

Simon's Lettres Choisies, tom. iv. p. 36, 45. These Benedictines have a third set of enemies, who are instigated by superstition; and it is not improbable that this superstition may be accompanied with a certain mixture of envy. To understand this fully, it must be observed, that the learned monks, of whom we are now speaking, have substituted an assiduous application to the culture of philology and literature in the place of that bodily and manual labour, which the rule of St. Benedict prescribes to his followers. The more robust, healthy, and vigorous monks, indeed, are obliged to employ a certain portion of the day in working with their hands; but those of a weaker constitution and superior genius, are allowed to exchange bodily for mental labour, and, instead of cultivating the lands or gardens of the convent, to spend their days in the pursuit of knowledge, both human and divine. The lazy monks envy this bodily repose; and the superstitious and fanatical ones, who are vehemently prejudiced in favour of the ancient monastic discipline, behold with contempt these learned researches as unbecoming the monastic character, since they tend to divert the mind from divine contemplation. This superstitious and absurd opinion was maintained with peculiar warmth and vehemence, by Armand John Bouthillier de Rance, Abbot of La Trappe, in his book des Devoirs Monastiques; upon which the Benedictines employed Mabillon, the most learned of their fraternity, to defend their cause, and to expose the reveries of the abbot in their proper colours. This he did with remarkable success, in his famous book, de Studiis Monasticis, which was published in 1691, passed through many editions, and was translated into different languages. Hence arose that celebrated question, which was long debated with great warmth and animosity in France;-" How far a monk may, consistently with his character, apply himself to the study of literature?" There is an elegant and interesting history of this controversy given by Vincent Thuillier, a most learned monk of the congregation of St. Maur; see the Opera Posthuma of Mabil lon and Ruinart, tom. i. p. 365–425.

†The Benedictines celebrate, in pompous terms, the exploits of this congregation in general, and more especially its zealous and successful labours in restoring order, discipline, and virtue, in a great number of monasteries, which were falling into ruin through the indolence and corruption of their licentious members; see the Voyage de deux Religieux Benedictins de la Congregation de S. Maur," tom, i. p. 16; tom. ii. p. 47. This eulogy, though perhaps exaggerated, is not entirely unmerited; and there is no doubt that the Benedictines have contributed much to restore the credit of the monastic orders. There are, nevertheless, several classes of ecclesiastics in the Romish church, who are no well-wishers to this learned congregation, though their dislike be founded on different reasons. In the first class, we may place a certain number of ambitions prelates, whose artful purposes have been disappointed by this ingenious fraternity; for the monks of St. Maur, having turned their principal study toward ancient history and antiquities of every kind, and being perfectly acquainted with antient records, diplomas, and charters, are thus peculiarly qualified to maintain their possessions, their jurisdictions, and privileges, against the litigious pretensions of the bishops, and have, in fact, maintained them with more success than their order could do in former times, when destitute of learning, or ill furnished with the knowledge of ancient his tory. The Jesuits form the second class of adversaries, with whom this learned congregation has been obliged to struggle; for, their lustre and reputation being considerably eclipsed by the numerous and admirable productions of these Benedictines, they have used their utmost endeavours to sink, or at least to diminish. the credit of such formidable rivals. See l literature. VOL. II.-26

*The curious reader will find an account of the authors and learned productions with which the congregation of St. Maur has enriched the republic of letters, in Ph. le Cerf's Bibliotheque Historique et Critique des Auteurs de la Congregation de St. Maur; and also in Bernard Pez's Bibliotheca BenedictinoMaurina.-These Benedictines still maintain their literary fame by the frequent publications of laborious and learned works both in sacred and profane

202

HISTORY OF THE ROMISH CHURCH.

*

SECT. II.

if credit may be given to the accounts of writers who seem to be well informed, it is degenerating gradually from the austere and painful discipline of its famous founder.*

XXVIII. The Romish church, from whose prolific womb all the various forms of superstition issued forth in an amazing abundance, saw several new monastic establishments arise within its borders during this century. The greatest part of them we shall pass over in silence, and confine ourselves to the mention of those which have obtained some degree of fame.

lence; in the perusal of holy books, and the || hardships of bodily labour: they even went so far as to maintain, that all other designs and occupations, however laudable and excellent in themselves, were entirely foreign from the monastic vocation, and, on that account, vain and sinful in persons of that order. This severe plan of monastic discipline was recommended by several persons, whose obscurity put it out of their power to influence many in its behalf; but it was also adopted by the Jansenists, who reduced it to practice in some parts of France, and in none with more success and reputation than in the female convent of Port Royal, We begin with the Fathers of the Oratory where it has subsisted from the year 1618 to of the Holy Jesus, a famous order, instituted our time. These steps of the Jansenists ex- by cardinal Berulle, a man of genius and tacited a spirit of emulation, and several monas lents, who displayed his abilities with such teries exerted themselves in the imitation of success, in the service both of state and church, this austere model; but they were all surpassed that he was generally looked upon as equally by the famous Bouthillier de Rance, abbot de qualified for shining in these very different la Trappe, who, with the most ardent zeal, spheres. This order, which, both in the nature and indefatigable labour, attended with un- of its rules, and in the design of its establishcommon success, introduced into his monastery ment, seems to be in direct opposition to that this discipline, in all its austere and shocking of the Jesuits, was founded in 1613, has properfection. This abbot, so illustrious by his duced a considerable number of persons emibirth, and so remarkable for his extraordinary nent for their piety, learning, and eloquence, devotion, was so happy as to vindicate his fra- and still maintains its reputation in this respect. ternity from the charge of excessive supersti- Its members however have, on account of certion, which the Jansenists had drawn upon tain theological productions, been suspected of themselves by the austerity of their monastic introducing new opinions; and this suspicion discipline; and yet his society observed the se- has not only been raised but is also industrivere and laborious rule of the ancient Cister- ously fomented and propagated by the Jesuits. cians, whom they even surpassed in abstinence, The priests who enter into this society are not mortifications, and self-denial. This order still obliged to renounce their property or possessubsists, under the denomination of the Re- sions, but only to refuse all ecclesiastical cures formed Bernardins of La Trappe, and has se- or offices to which any fixed revenues or hoveral monasteries both in Spain and Italy; but,nours are annexed, as long as they continue See the Memoires de Port Royal, tom. ii. p. 601. Martin Barcos, the most celebrated Jansenist of this century, introduced this austere rule of discipline into the monastery of St. Cyran, of which he was abbot. See the Gallia Christiana, tom. ii. p. 132, and Moleon's Voyages Liturgiques, p. 135; but, after the death of this famous abbot, the monks of his cloister relapsed into their former disorder, and re

sumed their former manners. See the Voyage de

deux Benedictins, tom. i.

† Helyot, tom. v. chap. xliv. p. 455.

This illustrious abbot showed very early an extraordinary genius for the belles lettres. At the age of ten, he was master of several of the Greek and Roman poets, and understood Homer perfectly. At the age of twelve or thirteen, he gave an edition of Anacreon, with learned annotations. Soine writers alleged, that he had imbibed the voluptuous spirit of that poet, and that his subsequent application to the study of theology in the Sorbonne did not entirely extinguish it. They also attribute his conversion to a singular incident. They tell us, that returning

from the country, after six weeks' absence from à lady whom he loved passionately, (and not in vain.) he went directly to her chamber by a back-stair, without having the patience to make any previous inquiry about her health and situation. On opening the door, he found the chamber illuminated, and hung with black; and, on approaching the bed, saw the most hideous spectacle that could be presented to his eyes, and the most adapted to mortify passion, inspire horror, and engender the gloom of melancholy devotion, in a mind too lively and too much agitated to improve this shocking change to the purposes of rational piety; he saw his fair mistress in her shroud-dead of the small pox-all her charms fled-and succeeded by the ghastly lines of death, and the frightful marks of that terrible disorder. From that moment, it is said, our abbot retired from the world, repaired to La Trappe, the most gloomy, barren, and desolate spot in the whole kingdom of France, and there spent the forty last years of his life in perpetual acts of the most austere piety.

members of this fraternity, from which they are, however, at liberty to retire whenever they think proper. While they continue in the order, they are bound to perform, with the greatest fidelity and accuracy, all the priestly functions, and to turn the whole bent of their zeal and industry to one point, namely, the task of preparing and qualifying themselves and others for discharging them daily with greater perfection and more abundant fruits. If, therefore, we consider this order in the original end of its institution, its convents may, not improperly, be called the schools of sacerdotal divinity. It is nevertheless to be observed, that, in later times, the Fathers of the Oratory have not confined themselves to this object, but have imperceptibly extended their original plan, and applied themselves to the

*Marsolier's Vie de l'Abbe de la Trappe.-Meaupon's Vie de M. l'Abbe de la Trappe-Felibien's, Descrip. de l'Ab. de la Trappe.-Helyot, t. vi. The Fathers, or Priests (as they also are called) of the Oratory, are not, properly speaking, religious, or monks, being bound by no vows, and their institute being purely ecclesiastical or sacerdotal.

I See Hubert de Cerisi, Vie du Cardinal Berulle, Fondateur de l'Oratoire de Jesus.-Morini Vita Antiq. prefixed to his Orientalia, p. 3, 110.-R. Simon, Lettres Choisies, tom. ii. p. 60, and his Bibliotheque Critique, (published under the fictitious name of Saint Jorre,) tom. iii. p. 303, 324, 330. For an account of the genius and capacity of Berulle, see Baillet's Vie de Richer, p. 220, 342.-Le Vassor's Histoire de Louis XIII. tom. iii. p. 397.-Helyot, tom. viii. chap. x.-Gallia Christiana Benedictino rum, tom. vii. p. 976.

of a warm and vehement opposition, and were, both in public and private, accused of the greatest enormities, and charged with main taining pestilential errors and maxims, that were equally destructive of the temporal and eternal interests of mankind, by their tendency to extinguish the spirit of true religion, and to trouble the order and peace of civil society. The Jansenists, and all who espoused their cause, distinguished themselves more especially in this opposition. They composed an innumerable multitude of books, in order to cover the sons of Loyola with eternal reproach, and to expose them to the hatred and scorn of the universe. Nor were these productions mere defamatory libels dictated by malice alone, or pompous declamations, destitute of argument and evidence. On the contrary, they were attended with the strongest demonstration, being drawn from undeniable facts, and confirmed by unexceptionable testimonies. Yet all this was

study of polite literature and theology, which || perienced, from time to time, the bitter effects they teach with reputation in their colleges.* After these Fathers, the next place is due to the Priests of the Missions; an order founded by Vincent de Paul, (who obtained, not long ago, the honours of saintship,) and formed into a regular congregation, in 1632, by pope Urban VIII. The rule prescribed to this society, by its founder, lays its members under the three following obligations: first, to purify themselves, and to aspire daily to higher degrees of sanctity and perfection, by prayer, meditation, the perusal of pious books, and other devout exercises; secondly, to employ eight months in the year in the villages, and, in general, among the country people, in order to instruct them in the principles of religion, form them to the practice of piety and virtue, accommodate their differences, and administer consolation and relief to the sick and indigent; thirdly, to inspect and govern the seminaries in which persons designed for holy orders receive their education, and to instruct the candidates for the ministry, in the sciences that relate to their respective vocations.†

* An account of this opposition to, and of these contests with the Jesuits, would furnish matter for many volumes, since there is scarcely any Roman The Priests of the Missions were also intrust- catholic country which has not been the theatre of ed with the direction and government of a fe- violent divisions between the sons of Loyola, and the magistrates, monks, or doctors, of the Romish male order called Virgins of Love, or Daugh-church. In these contests, the Jesuits seemed alters of Charity, whose office it was to adminis- most always to be vanquished; and, nevertheless, in ter assistance and relief to indigent persons, of controversy. A Jansenist writer proposed, some the issue, they always came victorious from the field who were confined to their beds by sickness years ago, to collect into one relation the dispersed and infirmity. This order was founded by a noble virgin, whose name was Louisa le Gras, and received, in 1660, the approbation of Clement IX. The Brethren and Sisters of the pious and Christian schools, who are now commonly called Pietists, were formed into a society in 1678, by Nicolas Barre, and obliged by their engagements to devote themselves to the education of poor children of both sexes.§ It would be endless to mention all the religious societies which rose and fell, were formed by fits of zeal, and dissolved by external incidents, or by their own internal principles of instability and decay.

XXXI. If the Company of Jesus, which may be considered as the soul of the papal hierarchy, and the main-spring that directs its motions, had not been invincible, it must have sunk under the attacks of those formidable enemies, who, during the course of this century assailed it on all sides and from every quarter. When we consider the multitude of the adversaries the Jesuits had to encounter, the heinous crimes with which they were charged, the innumerable affronts they received, and the various calamities in which they were involved, it must appear astonishing that they yet subsist; and still more so, that they enjoy any degree of public esteem, and are not, on the contrary, sunk in oblivion, or covered with infamy. In France, Holland, Poland, and Italy, they ex

The Fathers of the Oratory will now be obliged, in a more particular manner, to extend their plan, since, by the suppression of the Jesuits in France, the education of youth is committed to them. † Abely's Vie de Vincent de Paul.--Helyot, tom. viii. chap. xi.-Gallia Christiana, tom. vii. p. 998.

I Gobillon's Vie de Madame le Gras, Fondatrice des Filles de la Charite, published at Paris, in 1676. p. 233

Helyot's Histoire des Ordres, tom. viii. chap. xxx.

accounts of these contests, and to give a complete history of this famous order. The first volume of his work accordingly appeared at Utrecht, in 1741, was accompanied with a curious preface, and entitled, Histoire des Religieux de la Compagnie de Jesus. If we may give credit to what this writer tells us of the journeys he undertook, the dangers and difficulties he encountered, and the number of years he spent in investigating the proceedings, and in detecting the frauds and artifices of the Jesuits, we must certainly be persuaded, that no man could be better qualified for composing the history of this insidions into France, was discovered by his exasperated eneorder. But this good man, returning imprudently mies the Jesuits, and is said to have perished miserably by their hands. Hence not above a third part of his intended work was either published, or finished for the press. Some things may be added, both

by way of correction and illustration, to what Dr. Mosheim has here said concerning the history of the Jesuits and its author. In the first place, its author by the name of Benard, is supposed to be a Janseor compiler is still alive, resides at the Hague, passes ist, and a relative of the famous Father Quesnel, whom the Jesuits persecuted with such violence in France. He is a native of France, and belonged to the oratory. It is also true that he went thither from Holland several years ago; and it was believed, that he had fallen a victim to the resentment of the Jesuits, until his return to the Hague proved that report down than the year 1572, notwithstanding the exfalse. Secondly, this history is carried no farther press promises and engagements, by which our author bound himself, four and twenty years ago,* (in the preface to his first volume.) to publish the whole in a very short time, declaring that it was ready for the press. This suspension is far from being honourable to M. Benard, as he is at full liberty to accomplish his promise. This has made some suspect, that, though he is too much out of the Jesuits' reach to be influenced by their threatenings, he is not too far from them to be moved by the eloquence of their promises, or sufficiently firm and resolute to stand out against the weighty remonstrances they may have employed to prevent the farther publication of his history. It may be observed, thirdly, that the character of a traveller, who has studied the manners and conduct of the Jesuits in the most remarkable scenes of their transactions in Europe, and

*The translator wrote this note in 1765.