CHAPTER IV.

MAXIMS OF THE JESUITS.

AND HE SPAKE AS A DRAGON."-Verse 11.

THAT We may see whether the Jesuits do, or do not,

speak as a DRAGON," we will put down their maxims respecting various subjects, arranged alphabetically.

ABSOLUTION.

'Absolution ought to be neither refused nor delayed to such as are in the habit of sinning against the laws of God, of nature, and of the church, though no one can see any hope of amendment.'-Father Bauny.

'When those who have often lapsed into sin without manifesting any signs of amendment, shall present themselves before a confessor, and tell him that they repent of what they have done, and resolve to be better in future, he ought to believe their declaration, though it be presumed that such resolutions only proceeded from the lips, and not the heart:

and though afterwards such persons plunge into the same excesses, and even with greater licentiousness, they may, notwithstanding, in my opinion, receive absolution.'-Father Bauny.

'It is not necessary that the confessor should be convinced that his penitent will execute his good determination, nor even that it is probable; but it is sufficient that he thinks the general purpose exists in his mind at the moment, though in a very little time he is likely to relapse.'-Father Suarez, one of the four living creatures.

The priest ought to absolve the penitent, though he supposes that the penitent will return to his sin. The theologians teach that though the penitent himself believe that he shall soon repeat his crimes, he is nevertheless in a state for receiving absolution, provided his sin be displeasing to him at the time of confession.'--Father Pirot in his Apology for the

Casuists.'

When you perceive that your penitent is strongly attached to any sin, you should take care not to require regret for that sin in particular; for it is to be feared that he would not truly detest it while reflecting on the commission of it. You must be satisfied with his general hatred of it, in which he will find little or no difficulty.'-Father Tambourin in his Easy method of Confession.'

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The absolution of habitual sinners must not ordinarily be deferred till they be actually reformed. This is taught by so many of the theologians that I could produce thirty, belonging to the different schools,

whom I have carefully read and examined, and whose authority is indisputable. Amongst these are our fathers Suarez, De Lugo, Dicastillus, &c.'-Father Archdekin.

To withhold absolution from sinners till they shall be completely cured of their wicked habits, is not the conduct of a vicar of the good Shepherd; on the contrary, this would be to plunge them into despair.'-Father De Reulx.

Absolution is not to be refused or deferred precisely because a sinner may not wish to avoid temptation to some mortal sin, when he has a good reason for not avoiding it.'-Father Mäes.

'He who has defiled himself by any criminal impurity, may, without sinning, communicate the same day, after confessing. It is true that the difficulty is increased in case of fornication, adultery, or the sin against nature. He who has committed any of these may communicate on the same day, after making confession with the requisite feelings of grief; and in doing so, he will sin neither mortally, nor even venially. Such is the decision of Sylvester, Navarre, and our fathers Ægidius, Hurtadus, Azor, Suarez, Laiman, Henriquez, Facundez, Sancius, and many others."-Father Mascharenhas.

Strictly speaking, there can be nothing improper in communicating soon after we have committed a mortal sin, supposing a due confession be first made.' -Father Suarez, one of the four living creatures.

ALMSGIVING.

That which is accumulated for the purpose of aggrandizing our own condition, or that of relatives, is not called superfluity; for which reason persons can seldom be said to possess superfluity, not even kings themselves.'-Vasquez, one of the four living creatures, in his treatise on Almsgiving.

Hence Diana, who usually builds upon the foundation of the Jesuitical Fathers, deduces this strong conclusion, that, as to the question whether the rich are obliged to give alms out of their superfluity, although the affirmation be theoretically true, it will scarcely, if ever, happen to be necessary in practice.'

AMBITION.

Ambition, which is an inordinate appetite for power and glory, is of itself a venial sin; but when greatness is desired in order to offend God the more readily, these external circumstances render it mortal.' -Escobar.

ASSASSINS.

By the term assassins, we understand, those who have received money to kill another in a treacherous manner. Hence those who have not committed murder for hire or reward, but only to oblige their friends, are not called assassins.'-The four-and-twenty elders.

AVARICE.

'I know that the rich do not commit a mortal sin

if they refuse to bestow alms out of their abundance upon the necessitous poor.'-Escobar.

CONFESSION.

Two confessors may be allowed, the one for mortal and the other for venial sins, for the purpose of maintaining a good reputation with your ordinary confessor; provided only that advantage be not taken from this circumstance to continue in a state of mortal sin.'-Escobar.

Another ingenious contrivance is afterwards suggested for confessing to the ordinary confessor, without his perceiving whether the sin was committed previously to, or since, the last confession.

This is managed by means of a general confession, and confounding your last sin with others, to which your self-accusation refers in the aggregate.'— Escobar.

CONTRITION UNNECESSARY.

'All the Fathers unanimously teach that it is an error, amounting almost to a heresy, to represent contrition as necessary, or to affirm that attrition alone, arising solely from the fear of hell, which preserves the will from sinning, is not sufficient with the Sacrament.'-Father Pintereau.

• Contrition is not necessary even in dying moments, because, if attrition with the Sacrament be not sufficient at the point of death, it will follow that attrition would not be sufficient with the Sacrament.'-Escobar.