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THE history of the workings of spiritual life, and the gradual apprehension of Evangelic Truth amongst persons still in the professed fellowship of Romanism, is one of no small interest to those who really value the cardinal doctrines on which the Reformation was grounded.
Hence the annals of Jansenism, although exhibiting a considerable mixture of light and darkness, are well worthy of attention: in many points there may be seen a similarity to the measure of light in many minds prior to the Reformation; and the whole detail exhibits the hopeless opposition to all real knowledge of the free grace of God which must exist where that grace is not known or received.
One part of Jansenist history has been familiarized to English readers through Mrs. Schimmelpennick's "Select Memoirs of Port Royal." To her publications most in this country are indebted for the greater part of the information which they possess on the subject.
Little, however, has been known or apprehended in this country, as to the continuance of the Jansenists in Holland. Although Mrs. Schimmelpenninck refers to the existing Jansenists more than once, the fact has met with but little observation. Hence I have thought that it is not misplaced labour to direct the attention of English Christians to the Jansenists still existing as a definite body in the Archbishopric of Utrecht.
In fact, the following pages grew out of a visit paid to Utrecht, in September, 1850: I made notes of the information which was given me by Archbishop Van Santen, because in the details which he gave, there was enough to interest those who at all wish to understand the still continued workings of the Romish Court, and of the system of Jesuitism. To this it was needful to prefix a brief account of the continuance of the Jansenists in Holland as a body, because the subject is but little known to English readers. The first part of the following pages was written in order to trace briefly the rise of Jansenism -the points of doctrine condemned by Rome-the con­nection of Jansenism with Port Royal through the Abbe de St. Cyran-and the hatred manifested against all connected with that nunnery, in consequence of the truth which had been there received.
An endeavour has been made to present with accuracy the more important points in the History and Sufferings of Jansenism: of course, in a brief account, selection is absolutely needful; and this is not facilitated from the extreme diffuseness of many of the Port Royal writers and other Jansenist historians. In this brief sketch, con­siderable use has been made of Reuchlin's "Geschichte von Port Royal"; the Papal condemnations, etc., have been drawn from the documents themselves; and as to the Doctrinal points involved, and the workings of the Jesuits, Pascal's "Lettres a un Provincial" have, of course, been used as a paramount authority. 1
1 The principal part of the following pages appeared as an article in Dr. Kitto's" Journal of Biblical Literature" for January, 1851. The whole has now been revised, and in some parts enlarged.
In contemplating the actions and opinions of those who were circumstanced like the Jansenists, we must not forget the point of view from which regarded truth. A paramount thought in their minds was, "the unity of the Church"-a thought which, when lightly understood, will be responded to more or less all real Christians; but as they identified the Church with the Roman Catholic body, this paramount thought was a hindrance to their reception of truth. But let us make what deduction we find needful, the patient suffering and faithful adherence to known truth on the part of the Jansenists were such as are worthy of our and remembrance.
A fear has sometimes been injudiciously expressed, lest the mention of tilt; excellences of the Mere Angelique and other nuns of Port Royal should seem to favour the doctrines of the Romish Church or the monastic system. No fear could be more groundless. What caused the Mere Angelique to differ so thoroughly in her practical conduct from so many Abbesses around her? Simply the knowledge of free salvation through the blood of Christ brought to her soul by the Holy Ghost. This led to the desire of holiness; this was the spring of those good works in which Port Royal so much abounded. These fruits of righteousness exhibited themselves not through, but in spite of, the monastic system. And when a Christian eye contemplates the opposition which the Port Royalists and other Jansenists had to encounter on the part of the Romish authorities, then surely it must be felt that every excellence found in that institution, whether doctrinal or practical, is a testimony against the doctrinal and practical corruption of Rome.