the antient Orators, and this is what neither Francolin nor his whole Society will admit of. No doubt, a Question will arife here, What are the Difpofitions which the Jefuits require for approaching to the holy Table? But let none expect to find them fo rigid as the Romans were with regard to the Veftals. Thofe Priefteffes, while they were in the Service of the Goddess Vefta (r), and took care to keep in the Flame which was to burn for ever upon her Altar, were to preserve themfelves pure, on pain of being interr'd alive. This was a Purity that look'd well enough indeed in the Pagans time. But as for us, who are born in more happy Days, we are not oblig'd to be so much upon the Referve; and especially fince Father Le Moine the Jefuit is come, to give to Pleasure the Honour due to it (/), and to reduce it under Difcipline. Ask now the Jefuit Azor, Whether Nocturnal Pollution, fuch as (t) is defcrib'd by St. Thomas, 'hinders the Prieft who is therewith defiled from celebrating Mafs that Day?' he will tell you, That perhaps 'twas formerly a Command of the Church, not to facrifice during that time. But, he'll add, (u) whatsoever fuch Precept of the Church was, which does not appear to me to (r) Tho here we fet the Severity of the Romans in oppofition to the loofe Difcipline of the Jefuits, we don't expect that they fhould deal with their Penitents as thofe Pagans did with their Veftals. (S) Father Le Moine's Easy Devotion, p. 202. (t) Quæritur an quando nocturna pollutio talis eft, qualem S. Thomas defcribit, impediat miffæ facrificium eo die. Inftitut. Moral. Tom i. 10. c. 31. p. 1307. (4) Sed quidquid fit de hujufmodi præcepto Ecclefiæ, quod mihi non videtur impofitum fuiffe, multo verius eft quod alii docuerunt fas, effe facerdoti eo die facrificare, præmifsâ confeffione cum legitimo cordis dolore. Ibid. • have have been establish'd, 'tis much more true as • others have taught, that 'tis lawful for a Prieft to • facrifice on that Day, after having confefs'd his Sins with a legal Sorrow of Heart.' Now, the Reafon he gives for it is not unworthy of remark: For, fays he (x), there is no other mortal Sin whatfoever (provided it be expiated by a legal Sorrow and Confeffion) which is a Bar to the • Celebration of the facred Mysteries.' So that neither Adultery, nor Inceft, nor other Crimes yet more horrid, ought to hinder a Priest from celebrating Mass, after he has once confefs'd with a good Attrition: for that's what Azor means by a legal Sorrow. Mafcarenhas, another Jefuit, decides likewise, That he who is defil'd with any criminal Impurity, in what manner foever, may without Sin re'ceive the Communion the fame Day, after he has 'confefs'd. 'Tis true, he adds, that the Difficulty is greater upon the Perfon who has committed • Wickedness with another; whether it be Fornication, Adultery, or the Sin against Nature, &c.'(y) One would be apt to think, that now he is confounded. Not at all: For, continues be, 'fay, whoever is guilty of fuch voluntary and mortally finful Pollution, whether in fecret, or with a Partner (z), may receive the Sacrament upon I the (x) Nullum quippe aliud quodlibet lethale peccatum, modo illud fit dolore legitimo & confeffione expiatum, facrificium impedit. Ibid. (y) Sive habeatur, per fornicationem, five per adulterium, five per peccatum contra naturam, vel quocunque alio modo. Tr. de Sacram, tr. 4. de Eucharift. Difp. v. c.7. p. 239. (z) Dico, qui habuit voluntariam & mortaliter peccamino fam pollutionem, five cum complice, five fine illo, fi habeat debitum illius Dolorem, præmissä confeffione, poterit in eodem die communicare, quin in hoc peccet mortaliter, nec etiam ve njaliter. Ita Sylvefter, Navarrus, Pater Ægidius, P. Hurtados, the fame Day, after he has confefs'd in due • Sorrow, and herein he will not fin either mortally, or even venially. And this, be adds, is according to the Decifion of Silvester, Navarrus, and our Fathers Giles, Hortado, Azor, • Suarez, Layman, Henriques, Facundez, Johannes Sancius, and many others; all Vicars of the good Shepherd. But, fome perhaps will object, Suppofe a Fornicator has made a Vow not to receive the Communion on the very Day he has finn'd, ought he not to keep his Vow? No, fays Mafcarenhas, for there's no difficulty but he can get over (a). And from hence, says he, I infer, that a Vow made by a Perfon not to receive the Eucharist upon the Day that he has committed Fornication, even after he has confefs'd with a true Sorrow, is not • valid for fuch a Vow is an Obftacle to a greater Good, and therefore cannot be a true Vow, nor ⚫ bind the Perfon who made it.' In a word, this Jefuit, in order to rivet his Maxim, and to crowd the Tables of Jefus Chrift with abominable Guefts, fays, that Confeffors ought to advise Sinners to receive the Sacrament on the very Day that they have abandon'd themfelves to the most criminal Impurities; Nay, fays • be, (b) fuch Sinners ought rather to be advised to receive the Sacrament, provided they are duly fitted for it by Confeffion.Can there be a bold P. Azor, P. Suarez, P. Laymanus, P. Henriques, P. Facundez, & cum multis Johannes Sancius. Ibid. (a) Et hinc infero non effe validum votum factum non fuscipiendi Euchariftiam die habite copulae fornicariæ, etiam præmifsá confeffione cum vero dolore; nam tale votum eft impeditivum majoris boni; ideo non poteft habere rationem voti nec vim obligandi. Ibid. (6) Imo potius confulendum quod communicent, dummodo fint per confeffionem ritè difpofiti. Ibid. er er Affertion against Jefus Chrift himself that we must give that which is holy to Dogs (c)? Yet, fuch is the Doctrine of which Mafcarenhas makes the Virgin Mary Patronefs, by the Dedication of his Book to her; wherein he declares, • That he teaches nothing in the Book, but what he learnt from her as his Miftrefs; and that it was by Infpiration from her that he compos'd it.' But if he had infcrib'd it to Venus rather than the holy Virgin, nothing would have been more true. The Father de Moya, a Spanish Jefuit, after haying copy'd the Paffages out of Mafcarenhas which we have before quoted, explains himself upon this Subject thus: Our most learned Father Francis • Suarez, whofe fingle Teftimony is worth a thoufand others,' (fo that this Spaniard throws in a thousand Jefuits upon us at once) contends alfo for our Opinion: And these are his Words; • One • need not stick to declare, that there is no Sin in ⚫ receiving the Sacrament foon after the Commif⚫ fion of a mortal Sin, provided the Sinner has first duly confefs'd.' Since this Paffage is worth a thoufand, we'll conclude this Subject with the following Extract of a Letter from M. Charles Brutart de Genlis, Archbishop of Ambrun, to M. de Harlai, Archbishop of Paris, dated June 28, 1686. The Pulpit of my Metropolitan Church, fays this illuftrious Prelate, having been for above a Century appropriated to the Jefuits College, they have preach'd before me, that the Sacrament of • Penance juftifies, if accompany'd with the Fear ⚫ of Punishment, without any Motive of the Love ' of God whatever. And that tho a Perfon fhould be guilty of all the Crimes of the Damned, yet if he confeffes, and promises his Confeffor to ⚫ amend, he needs nothing more to qualify him (c) Matth. vii. 6. for receiving the Communion, inftantly after fuch Confeffion.' What a Harmony is here betwixt this Doctrine of the Jefuits, and that which is authoriz'd by the Bull? viz, That a Man may draw near to God, and come before the Lord with brutifh Paffions, and demean himself with a Fear like that of Beafts.' But what a horrid Harmony is this! 'Tis much more pleasant to hear the Speech which Æneas made to his Father, when they went together out of Troy, Eneas was just come from a Battle with the Greeks, and his Hands being still befmear'd with Gore, he fays to Anchifes, Do you, Father, take the Holy Things, and the Images of our Houfhold Gods; for as I am but just come from the Battle, and all over bloody, I don't think it fit for me to touch them, till I have wash'd my self * in River-Water (d). What a Scruple was here; or rather, what Refpect! Eneas, with Hands which were rather pure than unclean, because he had been juft fighting for his Country, yet prefumes not to lay them upon Idols; while Hands that are altogether profane, are not afraid to touch the Holy of Holies, and bring him Hearts for his Tabernacle, which are reeking hot with the most infamous Crimes. How far might we expatiate on this Subject, if we were to take in all that we have already quoted from the Pagans in the foregoing Chapter, as to the manner of coming before the Lord? But as the Reader will undoubtedly call them to mind, we we will conclude with this fine Sentence from Seneca, That a Mind cannot take, in God, if it be not (d) Tu, genitor, cape facra manu patriofque penates. Virg. Æn. L. ii. pure |