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56 THE HISTORY OF HERESIES,
Apostolicis Constitutionibus debitam non requiri, ut quis pnedicti
Janseniani libri sensum in antedictis quinque propositionibus,
sicut prsomittitur, damnatum interius, ut ha3reticum damnct, sed
satis esse, ut ea de re obsequiosum (ut ipsi vocant) silentium
teneatur. Qua3 quidem assertio quam absurda sit, et animabus
fidelium perniciosa, satis apparct, dum fallacis hujus doctrina)
pallio non deponitur error, sed absconditur, vulnus tegitur, non
curatur, Ecclesia? illuditur, non paretur, et data demum filiis ino-
bedientiae via sternitur ad fovendam silentio baeresim, dum ipsam
Jansenii doctrinam, quam ab Apostolica Sede damnatam Ecclesia
Universalis exhorruit, adhuc interius abjicere, et corde improbare
detrectent," &c. Hence, also, the French Bishops assembled in
1654, by a general vote decided that the five propositions were
really and truly in the Book of Jansenius, and that they were
condemned in the true and natural sense of Jansenius, and the
same was decided in six other assemblies ; afterwards Alexander
VII., in the Bull expedited on the 16th of October, 1650, de
declared :
finitively and expressly
"
Quinque propositiones ex
libro Cornelii Jansenii exccrptas ac in sensu ab eodcm Cornelio
intento damnatus fuisse." About the same time the Faculty of
Paris censured a proposition of Arnauld, who asserted (8),
"
Duas
propositiones nee esse in Jansenio nee ejus sensu damnatus fuisse,
adeoque circa partem illam Apostolica3
silentium
Religionem."
constitutionis sufficere
14. The Gallican Clergy, from 1655 used a Formula as
follows :
"
Quinque Propositiones ex libro Janseni extractas tan-
quam hrercticas damnatas fuisse in eo ipso seusa quo illas docuit,"
and prescribed that every one taking Orders should sign it.
Several, however, refused obedience, on the plea that unless the
Pope commanded them, they could not be obliged
to subscribe.
A petition was, therefore, sent to Alexander VII., begging him to
order it to be done ; he consented to the prayer, and issued a
Bull on the 15th of
February, 1665, sanctioning the formula of
an "
oath to which all should subscribe. Here it is : Ego N.
Constitution! Alexandri VII., data) die 16. Octobr. an. 1656, me
subjicio, et quinque Propositiones ex Jansenni libro, Augustinus,
cxcerptas, et in sensu ab eodem Auctore intento, prout illas sancta
(8) Libell. inscrip.
Second letter de M. Arnauld.