showing particular liberality to the Order may be made partakers of its advantages, favored with a special indulgence from the • Provincial, and allowed whatever pleasures they have an inclina• tion to, so that public scandal be avoided: women who are young, and descended from rich and noble parents, should be placed with those widows, that by degrees they may become subject to the ⚫ same directions and mode of living; and the family confessor must appoint them a governess-That the widow may dispose of her property to the Society, she must be told of those who have • devoted themselves to the service of God, and be led to expect canonization from the Court of Rome. The Confessors must persuade them to pay small pensions in support of Colleges, but especially that of the Jesuits at Rome, and if a widow does not • make over her whole estate to the Society, when she is seized ⚫ with sickness or in danger of death, the poverty of the colleges 'must be set forth, and she must be induced to such a liberality as will lay a foundation for her eternal happiness-The same means 'must be used with Princes and other benefactors, who must be led ⚫ to believe that these are the only acts which will secure them eternal glory, and if the ill-disposed alledge the example of our Saviour, who had not where to lay his head, it must be seriously inculcated, that the Church of God is now changed, and become • a monarchy which is to maintain itself against mighty enemies by • authority and power-those who are charitably disposed should be taught that the height of perfection consists in withdrawing < their affections from earthly things and resigning them to Christ and his followers-The members must converse familiarly with widows' sons, and if they seem fit for the Society, introduce them ⚫ occasionally into the College, and let every thing be exhibited • with the best face, to invite them to enter the Society, and the ́easiness of the rules must be pointed out-They must be pro'vided with tutors who are attached to the Society, who will constantly watch over them-The increase of the Society must be regarded above all things, and in every action, for ends known • to the Superiors, who are at all events agreed in this, that for the 'greater display of God's glory, the Church should be restored to its ancient splendor-It must therefore be frequently published, < that the Society consists partly of professors so very poor, that excepting the daily alms of the faithful, they are entirely destitute of the common necessaries of life. Confessors of persons of rank, widows, and others, must with great seriousness inculcate the impression, that while they are served in divine things, they • at least should in return contribute of their earthly substance, and ‹ Prelates and other dignitaries must be allured to the exercise of religious acts, that through their affection for holy things, they

1

may be gradually gained to the Society, and made its benefactors -Confessors must also inquire of their penitents, what family, • relations, friends, and estates they possess, and what they have in expectancy, as also their intentions, which they must endeavour to mould in favor of the Society-Merchants, rich citizens, and • married persons without children, must be thus addressed, whose • entire estates the Society may often acquire, but chiefly are rich "female devotees to be thus won-Their Rectors of Colleges must procure thorough information of the houses, lands, and other effects of the chief nobility, merchants, and others, and whenever a Confessor has a rich penitent, he must immediately inform the • Rector of Jesuits, and try all means to secure him-The whole success of the members must consist chiefly in studying a compliance with every one's humor, and ingratiating themselves into the favor of their penitents and others-The daughters of widows, or rich married persons, friendly to the Society, must be persua⚫ded to choose a religious life, in order that, a small fortune being left to them, the society may obtain the rest-Such of their sons as are fit for the purpose, must be allured into the Society, and the others be induced, by the promise of small rewards, to enter themselves of different orders; but should there be an only son, no means must be omitted for bringing him over to the Society, and he must be persuaded it is a call from above, and shown how acceptable a sacrifice it will be to God. If there are both sons and daughters, the daughters must be first disposed of in a nunnery, and afterwards the sons invited into the Society, when they ⚫ are in possession of their sisters' effects-The superiors must borrow money on their notes of some rich friends to the Society, and • when due, delay the payment; afterwards the person who lent the money (especially if dangerously ill) must be constantly visited, and wrought upon by all methods to give up the notes-thus the Society will not be mentioned in his will-and yet gain largely without incurring the odium of his heirs-Money must also be borrowed of some at a yearly interest, and disposed of to others• at a higher rate; and, in the mean time, the first lender, com⚫ passionating the necessities of the Society, may, by will or donation, forgive the interest and perhaps the principal-Wherever the members may reside, they must never omit to provide a physician devoted to their interests, to be recommended to the sick, that he in return, by extolling the Society, may call in the mem⚫bers to all persons of distinction when sick, but especially when • past hopes of recovery-The Confessors must be assiduous in visiting the sick, particularly those in danger; and care must be taken that when they withdraw, others may immediately succeed, and keep up the sick person in his good resolutions: he may be then

advantageously moved by the terrors of hell, or at least of purgatory, and told that sin is extinguished by acts of charity, which • can never be better bestowed than in support of men who profess a desire to promote the salvation of their neighbour, by which ⚫ means he will be made a partaker of their merit, and atone for • his own sins; charity must also be represented as the wedding C garment, without which no one is admitted to the heavenly feast -Women complaining of the vices or ill humor of their husbands, must be taught to withdraw a sum of money secretly, that, by making an offering to God, they may expiate the crimes of • their husbands and secure a pardon for themselves-Such mem•bers as make a scruple of acquiring riches for the Society, must ⚫ be dismissed; and if they appeal to the Provincials they must not be heard, but pressed with the Statute which commands im•plicit obedience from all-Such as retain a love for other orders, " for the poor, or their relations, must be dismissed, since they are likely to prove of little service-All before dismission must be prevailed upon to subscribe and make oath, that they never will • directly or indirectly either write or speak any thing to the dis• advantage of the Order, and the Superiors must keep an account in writing of the sins, failings, and vices, which they formerly confessed, to be used against them if occasion require, in order to prevent their future advancement in life, and noblemen and prelates, with whom they may have credit, must be prevailed upon to deny them their protection-The strictest inquiries must be made into the lives and conversations of those withdrawn ⚫ from the Society; their occupations, and even their intentions; for which end an understanding must be kept up with their families, and the instant any failing is discovered, it must be industriously spread abroad, and their very virtues and laudable actions • must be depreciated, till all their esteem and credit with the world be destroyed, since it is essential to the interests of the Society, that those dismissed or withdrawn should be completely suppressed. • All must be caressed who are distinguished either for their ta• lents, rank, or wealth, especially if they have friends attached to' the Society, or possessed of power-Such must be sent to Rome ⚫ or some celebrated University for study; but if they prefer the • Provinces, the Professors must inveigle them into a surrender of • their effects to the Society, and the superiors must show a particu'lar regard to such as have allured any promising youths into the 'Society-The preceptors must not chastise nor keep in subjection young men of good genius, agreeable persons, and noble families, like their other pupils-they must be won by presents, and the indulgence of liberties peculiar to their age, but on other occa⚫sions, especially in exhortations, they must be terrified with threats

of eternal punishment, unless they obey the heavenly invitation of joining the Society; and since great difficulty occurs in gaining the sons of noblemen and senators whilst under the wing of their parents, who intend to train them up to succeed to their em⚫ployments, the friends of the Order (but not its members) must persuade them to send their children into other provinces • and distant universities where Jesuits are tutors, (private in⚫structions concerning their rank and condition being previously transmitted)-Young men must be taught that nothing is so pleas•ing to God as their devoting themselves entirely to him, as compa'nions in the society of his Son, and the easiness of the Institu⚫tion must be explained, and that no rule of the Order obliges so • far, as that the breach of it amounts even to a venial sin—If any • member expects a Bishopric or other dignity, he must take an ad⚫ditional vow always to think and speak honorably of the Society "—never to have a Confessor who is not a Jesuit-nor determine in

any affair of moment without first consulting with the Society• Confessors and Preachers must be cautious of offending nuns, ⚫ since those descended from noble families (especially rich Abbesses) can be very useful, either through their own interest, or that of their parents and friends; so that by the aid of the prin•cipal religious houses, the Society may by degrees form acquaintance with, and secure the friendship of almost the whole city; but on the other hand, female devotees must be forbidden to frequent nunneries, lest they should be allured by that kind of life, and so • disappoint the expectations of the Order as to their property— they must however be induced to take the vows of chastity and • obedience, and to communicate of their substance to Christ by • their bounty to those of his Society-Kings and rulers must have ⚫ this principle instilled into them, that THE CATHOLIC FAITH, 'AS MATTERS NOW STAND, CANNOT SUBSIST WITHOUT THE CIVIL POWER, by which means the members will be acceptable to men in the highest stations, and admitted into their most secret councils-The Society will contribute much to its own advantage by fomenting and heightening (but with caution and secrecy) • the animosities that arise among princes and great men, in order • that they may weaken each other-The nobility and populace must by all methods be persuaded into a belief that the Society was • instituted by the particular direction of divine providence-It • must be a great aim to obtain possession of all cures and canonries; and Abbies and Bishoprics must be aspired after, the obtaining which, as vacancies occur, may be easily effected, for it would greatly tend to the benefit of the Church, if all bishoprics were possessed by the Society, and even the apostolical see itself, especially should the Pope ever become an universal temporal

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< prince,' therefore no methods must be left untried, with cunning and privacy by degrees to increase the temporal power of the Society, and then no doubt a golden age will go hand in hand ⚫ with a general and lasting peace, and the divine blessing, of consequence, attend the Catholic Church; but should these hopes be blasted, since offences, of necessity, will come, these political ⚫ schemes must be adroitly varied, and princes friendly to the Society, who can be influenced to follow its councils, must be push•ed on to embroil themselves in vigorous wars one with another, to the end that the Society (as promoters of the universal good of • the world!) may on all hands be solicited to contribute its as⚫sistance, as mediators of public dissensions, by which means the chief benefices and preferments of the Church will be given, as a ' compensation for such services; and the Society must endeavour ' at all events to effect this point, namely, that having obtained the • favor and authority of princes, THEY WHO DO NOT LOVE THEM MAY AT LEAST FEAR THEM.'

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There is little doubt that Pope Clement XI. was a Jesuit.

NO. XI.

Pam.

VOL. VI.

K