History of the Jesuits: Their origin, progress, doctrines, and designsNicolini, G. B. (Giovanni Battista)
History
History of the Jesuits: Their origin, progress, doctrines, and designs
Nicolini, G. B. (Giovanni Battista)
Jesuits -- History
Great horror was now felt throughout France at these repeated acts
of regicide, with an abhorrence of the Jesuits, as the well-known
instigators of such nefarious deeds. The parliament, the interpreter
here of the public opinion (Henry having gained over to him many of his
former opponents by his clemency and generosity), by another _arrêt_,
January 10, 1595, ordered that Chastel’s house should be destroyed,
and a pyramid be erected in its stead, to perpetuate the memory of his
infamy and that of his associates. In consequence, four inscriptions
were engraved on the four faces of this pyramid, in all of which, the
name of Chastel was coupled with that of the Jesuits. In the first
inscription, the assassin was described as impelled to the commission of
the crime “by the pestilential heresy of that new sect (the Jesuits),
which, concealing under the garb of piety the most atrocious crimes, had
of late taught that it was lawful to kill the king.” In the second was
the _arrêt_ of parliament, condemning Chastel and the Jesuits, part of
which we have already given. In the third, the senate and the people of
Paris congratulate the king on his having exterminated “that pestilential
sect” (the Jesuits). And the fourth inscription was, “A house once stood
here, which was destroyed for the guilt of one of its inhabitants, who
had been instructed in a school of impiety by perverse masters.”[189]
In 1605, the Jesuits were again powerful enough in France, to get the
pyramid demolished; and in 1606 a fountain was erected in its place.
And this seems to us to be the proper place to lay before our readers the
political creed of the Jesuits. Observe, the following extracts are taken
from none but their most approved authors, and such as are held in high
estimation among their brethren.
Emmanuel Sa. _Aphorismi Confessariorum._ (Venet. 1595. Coloniæ, 1616. Ed.
Coll. Sion).—“The rebellion of an ecclesiastic against the king is not a
crime of high treason, because he is not subject to the king.”
“He who tyrannically governs an empire, which he has justly obtained,
cannot be deprived of it without a public trial; but when sentence has
been passed, _every man may become an executor of it; and he may be
deposed by the people, even although perpetual obedience were sworn to
him, if, after admonition given, he will not be corrected_.”
John Bridgewater. _Concertatio Ecclesiæ Catholicæ in Anglia adversus
Calvino-Papistas._ (Augustæ Trevirorum, 1594.)—“If the kings be the first
to break their solemn league and oath, and violate the faith which they
have pledged to God, the people are not only permitted, but they are
required, and their duty demands, that, at the mandate of the Vicar of
Christ, who is the sovereign pastor of all the nations of the earth, the
fidelity which they previously owed or promised to such princes should
not be kept.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account