Opening the text

The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'CriePascal, Blaise

Religion

The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'Crie

Name: The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'Crie
Author: Pascal, Blaise

Pascal, Blaise

Jansenists -- France -- Early works to 1800; Jesuits -- Early works to 1800; Port-Royal des Champs (Abbey) -- Early works to 1800

To this conclusion, then, reverend fathers, must we come at length, that
as your probabilism renders the good opinions of some of your authors
useless to the Church, and useful only to your policy, they merely serve
to betray, by their contrariety, the duplicity of your hearts. This you
have completely unfolded, by telling us, on the one hand, that Vasquez
and Suarez are against homicide, and on the other hand, that many
celebrated authors are for homicide; thus presenting two roads to our
choice, and destroying the simplicity of the Spirit of God, who
denounces his anathema on the deceitful and the double-hearted: “_Væ
duplici corde, et ingredienti duabus viis!_—Woe be to the double hearts,
and the sinner that goeth two ways!”[254]

-----

Footnote 248:

  The Church of Rome has not left those whom she terms heretics so
  doubtfully to “take advantage” of Jesuitical aberrations. She has done
  everything in her power to _give_ them this advantage. By identifying
  herself, at various times, with the Jesuits, she has virtually stamped
  their doctrines with her approbation.

Footnote 249:

  The reference here is to an affray which made a considerable noise at
  the time, between Father Borin, a Jesuit, and M. Guille, one of the
  officers of the royal kitchen, in the College of Compiègne. A quarrel
  having taken place, the enraged Jesuit struck the royal cook in the
  face while he was in the act of preparing dinner, by his majesty’s
  order, for Christina, queen of Sweden, in honor, perhaps, of her
  conversion to the Romish faith. (Nicole, iv. 37)

Footnote 250:

  In Prælog., n. 15.

Footnote 251:

  The doctrines advanced by Lamy are too gross for repetition. Suffice
  it to say, that they sanctioned the murder not only of the slanderer,
  but of the person who might tell tales against a religious order, of
  one who might stand in the way of another enjoying a legacy or a
  benefice, and even of one whom a priest might have robbed of her
  honor, if she threatened to rob him of his. These horrid maxims were
  condemned by civil tribunals and theological faculties; but the
  Jesuits persisted in justifying them. (Nicole, Notes, iv. 41, &c.)

Footnote 252:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'CriePascal, Blaise

Religion

The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'Crie

Pascal, Blaise

Jansenists -- France -- Early works to 1800; Jesuits -- Early works to 1800; Port-Royal des Champs (Abbey) -- Early works to 1800

To this conclusion, then, reverend fathers, must we come at length, that
as your probabilism renders the good opinions of some of your authors
useless to the Church, and useful only to your policy, they merely serve
to betray, by their contrariety, the duplicity of your hearts. This you
have completely unfolded, by telling us, on the one hand, that Vasquez
and Suarez are against homicide, and on the other hand, that many
celebrated authors are for homicide; thus presenting two roads to our
choice, and destroying the simplicity of the Spirit of God, who
denounces his anathema on the deceitful and the double-hearted: “_Væ
duplici corde, et ingredienti duabus viis!_—Woe be to the double hearts,
and the sinner that goeth two ways!”[254]

-----

Footnote 248:

  The Church of Rome has not left those whom she terms heretics so
  doubtfully to “take advantage” of Jesuitical aberrations. She has done
  everything in her power to _give_ them this advantage. By identifying
  herself, at various times, with the Jesuits, she has virtually stamped
  their doctrines with her approbation.

Footnote 249:

  The reference here is to an affray which made a considerable noise at
  the time, between Father Borin, a Jesuit, and M. Guille, one of the
  officers of the royal kitchen, in the College of Compiègne. A quarrel
  having taken place, the enraged Jesuit struck the royal cook in the
  face while he was in the act of preparing dinner, by his majesty’s
  order, for Christina, queen of Sweden, in honor, perhaps, of her
  conversion to the Romish faith. (Nicole, iv. 37)

Footnote 250:

  In Prælog., n. 15.

Footnote 251:

  The doctrines advanced by Lamy are too gross for repetition. Suffice
  it to say, that they sanctioned the murder not only of the slanderer,
  but of the person who might tell tales against a religious order, of
  one who might stand in the way of another enjoying a legacy or a
  benefice, and even of one whom a priest might have robbed of her
  honor, if she threatened to rob him of his. These horrid maxims were
  condemned by civil tribunals and theological faculties; but the
  Jesuits persisted in justifying them. (Nicole, Notes, iv. 41, &c.)

Footnote 252:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'Crie

The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal : $b A new translation, with historical introduction and notes, by the Rev. Thomas M'Crie

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