A curious little oration, deliver'd by Father Andrew: concerning the present great quarrels that divide the clergy of France. Translated from the fourth edition of the French, by Dan. De F-e.

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- [titlepage]

- THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER.

- POSTSCRIPT.

A CURIOUS Little Oration, Deliver'd by Little Father ANDREW, &c.

IT was one Lent, and about the Time that Monsieur Arnaud, had his Famous Disputes with the JESUITES; I mean, when JANSENISM was at the greatest height (a Fantome which the jealous Cunning of those good Fathers knew how to improve to the Detriment and Prosecution of many better Christians) that Little Father ANDREW, so famous for his Witty Jokes, preach'd at Alby.

ACCORDING to the Custom, this LITTLE Good Man, on the Samaritan's Day, did not fail to make a Discourse on Grace, and what was more, upon Efficacious Grace by it self: And solidly proved from St. Augustin's Principles, That no one ever resisted that Grace; not but that Men can, but will not; for its Attribute is just to inspire what we will not oppugn. He added, That sufficient Grace was a New System, broach'd by the JESUIT. Molina, to reconcile the pretended Contradictions of its Omnipotent Power with Freewill. In short, he asserted Jansenism to the last Degree.

THOSE of the Society who were present at this Sermon, being nettled to hear Molina's Reverend School used at this Rate, took it (as you may well suppose) in great Dudgeon, and resolved to load the Poor Preacher with the heavy Weight of their Holy and Implacable Fury. They extracted several Tenets, which, in their Opinion, contain'd the most poisonous Venom of Heresy, pack'd away to the Archbishop of Alby; and, giving the Contents into his Hand, Is it not an Errant Shame, (say they, with a Zeal animated not for the Glory of God, but of the Society) Is it not a Shame, my Lord, That this Little Whisk of a Monk shall come hither to preach JANSENISM Tooth and Nail; whilst the Pope, Bishops, Kings, Magistrates, and, indeed, all Powers, as well Ecclesiastick as Secular, are endeavouring to root this Cockle out of the Field of the CHURCH.

THE Archbishop, who knew by Experience how necessary their Good-Will was, at that Time, to the making of a Man's Fortune; and, on the contrary, the Danger as well as Inconveniency of being hated by them; the Archbishop, I say, came into their Resentments, and promised them condign and speedy Satisfaction. He cited Little Father ANDREW, and sharply rebuked him, for having preach'd up Heresy, not without terrible Threats, of inflicting on him the Punishments ordain'd in such Cases by the Canons of the Church.

THE Little Priest, who was too well acquainted with the JESUITES not to know that they were not to be offended with Impunity; and that whoever offered to contradict their Notions, was at least a Heretick, gave a shrewd Guess at what was coming; and therefore was not mightily dismay'd at the Bishop's thundering Reprimand; but, with a becoming Presence of Mind, made this Answer; God preserve me, my Lord, from Preaching Heresy I can assure you I never had the least Intention to deviate from the Sentiments of the Catholick Church; some unguarded Expressions may perhaps, in the Heat of Discourse, have fallenn from me; which, having met with an Evil Construction, have given Room for the Accusation now intended against me. Therefore, be pleased, my Lord, to let me know what Heretical Propositions I am charg'd with advancing, that I may confront them with my SERMON, which contains no such Matters; and if I have said any Thing that is not Orthodox, I will retract it next Sunday; and, by my Recantation, undeceive those whom I have scandaliz'd by my Imprudence.

THE Archbishop, satisfied with this Submission of the Little FATHER, deliver'd to him the Paper which contain'd such of his Propositions as were condemn'd by the JESUITES; and gave those Cunningham's (as [*] Guy Patin calls them) an Account of what had passed; who for once were out in their Politicks, and sung Io Paean before the Victory; loudly publishing, through the Town, the intended Recantation of Little Father ANDREW. They cloy'd themselves beforehand, with the mighty Pleasure they were to receive, from the great Shame which they pretended he would be obliged, at that Time, to undergo.

HEAVEN knows there was no want of them at Sunday's Sermon; and they had taken special Care to invite all their Partisans, and to place themselves over against the Preacher, that they might more fully rejoice at his Confusion. They that knew the LITTLE Father better, did not doubt of finding this Sermon curiously intermix'd with Scenes of Mirth: So that with those who were of the Jesuitical Faction, and those who came to the unravelling of the LITTLE Gentleman's late Discourse, there was a very numerous Audience.

FATHER ANDREW got into the Pulpit and after having cross'd himself, said, Sirs▪ before I take my Text, give me Leave to recount to you a Vision I had the other Night▪ You may now, perhaps, think me a superstitiou• Coxcomb, for coming hither to tell you my Dreams▪ yet when I let you know, that I hope I am in the Number of those Servants to whom our Lord is pleas'd to manifest his Will in a misteriou• Manner: As I think my Vision Instructive; and besides, that it will not be tiresome to you, I can boldly beg your Attention to what follows.

THIS Exordium attracted anew the Ears of all. Sirs, continues this Little Father, The 〈◊〉 Night I dreamt that I was carry'd before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ, to be Judg'd. T•…ink with your selves what a Terror invaded me, an unpenitent and unprepar'd Sinner. I was horribly frighten'd, and my Fears increas'd when the Son of God thus accosted me: Come near, 〈◊〉 Andrew, that I may judge you. Seiz'd at once with Fear and Respect, I threw my 〈◊〉 at his Feet: Hark'ye, says our Lord to me, with an irritated Aspect, Was it not to lead My Flock of Alby into saving Pastures, that I gave you to that Fold; and yet, instead of nourishing them with sound Doctrines, you are accus'd of preaching Heresy. My God, says I, I preach Heresy: You who search the Reins and Heart, know perfectly I had no such intention; and if by Ignorance or Weakness I have had the Misfortune to advance any Doctrines that are inconsistent with Thy Holy Verities, I am here ready to suffer whatever Punishment Your Divine Majesty shall please to inflict on me. Have not you, return'd our Saviour, preach'd up such and such Tenets? (And then Father Andrew cited the very Passages condemn'd by the Jesuites.) My Dear Redeemer, continued I, I confess I have, but hitherto, I thought they were not in the least Heretical; for I took them from a very Great Master. What Mighty Master is this, says our Saviour? 'Tis St. Thomas of Aquin, that Angel of the School, which You, of late Ages, have rais'd, to be the Pillar of Truth, and Scourge of Heresy: And 'tis so evident that this Great Doctor has taught what they condemn as Hetorodox in me; that my Quotationi•s Word for Word; his Sentiments—(And then the LITTLE PRIEST made a Repetition of what St. Thomas had written on that Subject; [a]which Passages were exactly consonant to those the Jesuites had declar'd Damnable.

HO! HO! says our Lord, Let him come before me. Appear Thomas! Is it possible that you who have been so highly honour'd by Me; that you of whom I have render'd so glorious a Testimony, as that you have well written of Me: Is it possible that you could, notwithstanding all these Favours, pretend to teach, that My will must infallibly and necessarily be accomplish'd when I am pleas'd that Man shall consent to My Grace; not from an Absolute Necessity, but from an Infallible Necessity, which nevertheless does not obstruct Free-Will? Yes, my Dear Saviour, reply'd Saint Thomas, I did teach this Doctrine; I assert it: And I took it from St. Bernard, that Devout and Famous Doctor, who is accounted the Last of the Fathers of Thy Holy Church: 'Tis he that has taught such and such Doctrines, in such and such Places of his Writings. (And then Father ANDREW recited all the Passages in St. Bernard,
[b]
concerning Efficacious Grace▪ What means all this, says Jesus Christ? Is sweet St. Bernard a Jansenist then? Call him. What, Bernard, with your meek and sanctify'd Air; would one think you capable of asserting that My Grace has an absolute Power over Free-Will; and yet that this same Grace does not hinder the Free-Will; and that every Man acts infallibly as well as freely, when I please to attract him to Me by the Sweetness of My efficacious Inspirations? Can it be true that you have taught all this? Yes, (my Saviour) says St. Bernard, I'll stand to't; but St. Augustine is my Guarantee; and I ought to refer to him; because Your Church not only approves what he has written concerning Grace; but has, in a Manner, canoniz'd his Opinion of it, in making use of that Doctor's Sayings only, to exemplify its Sentiments on that Matter. (And then the Little Man set himself to work to give the Audience divers Texts in St. Augustine
[c]
that prov'd the invincible Efficacy and Omni¦potence of Grace.

HAS Augustine, says our Lord, who ha• shar'd so abundantly of my Love, and who is so indispensably bound to acknowledge the Effects of it, taught all this? I must find out his Master. Augustin, who taught you that My Grace has an absolute Influence over Man's Will; and disposes of it entirely by the Sovereignty it has over it, equally with the rest of the Creatures under My Canopy. Who was your Preceptor? St. Paul, my Sa¦viour. Is it St. Paul My Apostle? Yes, 't• Your Apostle St. Paul, and [d]he teaches that You promote in us whatever You think fit; and that 'tis You who form in us 〈◊〉 Will and the Action. What means all this, says our Redeemer? Then there are none but Jansenists in Heaven? Call St. Paul to Me, and let him answer this; I must find out the Root of this Circumstance. Come, Mr. St. Paul, tell us plainly, Have you taught the Doctrine you are accus'd of, concerning Efficacious Grace working by it self? Who taught you that My Divine Inspiration must infallibly prevail, because Man's Will must consent freely? Who should teach it me but Your Own Self, my God? Of whom should I learn it, but of the Holy Ghost, who replenish'd my Heart? I set my Hand to Paper, and the Divine Spirit dictated. And is not the Confirmation of these grand Truths palpable in a thousand Places of Scripture
[e]
? And have not You Your Self deliver'd them from Your Sacred Mouth▪ I have indeed, says our Redeemer; I have taugh• this Doctrine, and have left it to my Church as a precious Inheritance.

BUT I know very well the Origin of 〈◊〉 this. Call me hither Father Ignatius. Th• Good Saint, who could hardly be found amon• the Crowd, appear'd at last.

(And now the Jesuites trembled with In¦dignation.) Come hither, Father Ignatius, yo• are a very Good Man, and Humble; I wou•• not have you take it ill: But I suppose yo• you cannot have forgot, that when you wer• Five and Thirty Years old, you were like a Boy of Five, among the young Students in the College of St. Barbe, by the same Token that you were often Lash'd for your Childish Tricks. I have bestow'd my Heaven on you: Nor do I reproach you now: Seeing you are in it, you are welcome to it. But your Children are mere Firebands, Proud Priests, who would impose on the Faithful their new-foisted and erroneous Doctrines or the ancient and orthodox Belief of My Church. I charge you to humble them: 'Tis a hard Task, I own; but I command you again to go about it; and if you cannot accomplish it, I My Self will put a helping Hand; and humble them to the Dust, that think themselves the only Lights of the Church.

Sirs, This is my Dream; but since 'tis no more than a Dream, you may give what Credit 〈◊〉 please to it.

Notes

*
A French Burlesque Author.
↵

a

Man is converted by his Free-Will; but His Free-Will can never effect his Conversion, if God Himself works it not in him, according to the Words of the Prophet Jeremy;
Convert me, O Lord, and I shall be converted; because Thou art my God. S. Th. 1. 2. Q. 9. 109. Art. 6. ad 1.

Altho' Man has Grace, he cannot of himself do Good, and avoid Evil, without a new Aid and Incitement from God, which must lead him to, and ••rengthen him in the Performance of Good Deeds. •id Art. 9.

↵

b

What! Can you believe your selves to be the Principals (or Authors) of your own Merits▪ And that you have Power to insure your Salvation simply by your own Good Deeds? You that cannot so much as pronounce the Sacred Name of Jesus, with out the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost! Presumptuou• Men! Have you forgot his Words who says, With out Me you can do nothing? You will answer, W•… good then does Free-Will? And I in few return, 〈◊〉 sav'd by Grace: Thus, Take away Free-Will, there• nothing left to save a Man; take away Grace, Free-W•… loses the only Means it had to save. St. Bern. de Grace & Lib. Arbit. Cap. 1.

When a Man is fallen into Sin by his own prope• Will, he cannot by the same Will retrieve himself▪ God having been pleas'd to put it in Adam's Power to stand fast without falling; but not having give• him Power to recover himself after his Fall: And 〈◊〉 this any great Wonder? For as a Man ever falls easily down a Precipice, from the Hurt of which Fall he cannot so easily recover himself: So, when he ha• precipitated himself into a Profundity of Sin, he has no Power to go back; not being able to forbear Sinning, tho' his Desire may be clean conttary. Ibid. Chap. 7.

↵

c

The Holy Spirit so far inspires Men's Will upon Earth, that they do Good, because they will it; and they will that Good, because God works them a Will thereto. St. Aug. de Cor. & de Gr•… Chap. 12. N. 38.

When God will save, no Man's Free-Will 〈◊〉 resist this Salvation. Ibid. Chap. 21.

↵

d
It is God which worketh in you both
〈◊〉
Will and to Do, of His good Pleasure.

Phil• Chap. xiii. 2.

↵

e

No Man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him. John vi. 44.

It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every Man therefore that hath Heard and hath learn'd of the Father, cometh unto Me. Ibid. 65.

No Man can come unto Me, except it were give• unto him of My Father. Ibid. 65.

From that Time many of His Disciples went bac• and walked no more with Him. Ibid. 66.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the Branch can¦not bear the Fruit of it self, except it abide in th• Vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. 〈◊〉 am the Vine, ye are the Branches: He that abidet• in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth mucH Fruit: For without Me you can do nothing. Ibid. Chap. xv. 4. 5.

↵

A CURIOUS Little Oration, Deliver'd by Father ANDREW, Concerning the Present Great QUARRELS That divide the Clergy of France.

The Second EDITION. Translated from the Fourth EDITION of the French, by Dan. De F_e.

LONDON, Printed: And sold by J. Roberts in Warwick-Lane; and A. Dodd, at the Peacock without Temple-Bar; and M. Baldwin, in Stories-Passage, St. James's-Park, MDCCXVII. [Price Three Pence.]

THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER.

'TIS not so much the Itch of being thought an Author, nor of following, the Method of those Writers, whether Originals, or Translators, (especially the last) who think Prefacing so necessary; that, rather than forego their Opinion, they will spoil a good Work for the sake of a Half-Sheet of their own Scribbling, that induces me to attempt one in this Place: If I had had no particular Advantage in so doing, I must, without Flattery, inform you, that I had wav'd the Trouble: But since 'twas necessary, pray take it and make the best on't. And now all I have to say, is to make these Pages have a good Run; which I cannot pretend to do, by any Elogy on 'em; but refer you to the Perusal. It has indeed Two of the Best Recommendations Book can have, at this Time; It is like our Fashions, FRENCH. (And as the Gallican Mode, tho' never so ridiculously adjusted upon an English Person, meets not only with Reception, but Encouragement, I'm in great Hopes the very Place of this Pamphlet's Birth, will hide the Blunders of the Version.) And then 'tis against the JESUITES. If with these Two Qualities it should not meet Acceptation, I shall be apt to think Diogenes, who would be bury'd with his Face downwards, that when the World turn'd upsidedown, (which in his Days he expected) he might lye right in his Grave, has now got his Wish; and, by the Ill-vent of this Commodity, judge, that all the BEAUX, GOOD PROTESTANTS, and WELLMEANING PAPISTS, (if any such there be) are lost in the Hurricane.

POSTSCRIPT.

THAT the Reader of the preceding Pages may see how that Holy, that Sanctify'd Society is abus'd by those Varlet• the Jansenists, take a Character of the Founde• of the Jesuitical Order, St. Ignatius.

In his Youth (being Nobly Born) he behav'd himself like those of the present Age, wh• have the Opportunity and Means; we wi•… not talk of Whoring, Drinking, &c. as bein• unworthy of such a Founder, but—he liv•… some Time at Court; and, as the Courtie•… commonly use to do, he brought a Nob•… to _____

When he was reduc'd, God visited hi• and then he turn'd Saint, and wrought in•…¦nite Miracles.

And always in his Performances had 〈◊〉 particular Kindness for Women in Labour▪ For Ignatius's Name would fright the Chi•… from the Woman as safely and easily, 〈◊〉 a Jesuit denying Absolution would fright•… poor Penitent, that knows nothing of 〈◊〉 Matter.

Much more of this Good Saint's Life 〈◊〉 Conversation, you may read in that Celebrat•… Book intitled, The Provincial Letter: Writ••… by Monsieur Paschal.

FINIS.

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A curious little oration, deliver'd by Father Andrew: concerning the present great quarrels that divide the clergy of France. Translated from the fourth edition of the French, by Dan. De F-e.

Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.

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http://ota.ox.ac.uk/id/4492

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110601491X

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9781106014917

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K059169.000

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CW3321432596

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0745601600

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— A curious little oration, deliver'd by Father Andrew: concerning the present great quarrels that divide the clergy of France. Translated from the fourth edition of the French, by Dan. De F-e., Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.. The second edition.. 19,[1]p. ; 8⁰. London :: printed: and sold by J. Roberts; and A. Dodd; and M. Baldwin,. 1717.. [Written rather than translated by Daniel Defoe.] [Reproduction of original from the British Library.] [Moore, 361] [English Short Title Catalog, ESTCT69388.] [Electronic data. Farmington Hills, Mich. : Thomson Gale, 2003. Page image (PNG). Digitized image of the microfilm version produced in Woodbridge, CT by Research Publications, 1982-2002 (later known as Primary Source Microfilm, an imprint of the Gale Group).]

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