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 PHILOSOPHY AMONG THE JESUITS. 261 St. Thomas repeatedly employs expressions that can without difficulty be interpreted in the sense of 'physical promotion' ; and there is no doubt that the further a Catholic keeps from any popular heresy, the safer it is for him, so long as he does not fall into the contrary error. The question remains, of course, whether the Jesuits really did avoid Pelagianism ; but they certainly were convinced that they did. A practical problem had arisen, from the moment when Bannez' theory saw the light. How could they possibly resist Protestantism with success, if they admitted as true, or even possible, a doctrine separated from Lutheranism and Calvinism only by the finest-drawn distinctions, which many were inclined to say were no distinctions at all? And when, after the Jesuit Father Monte-major's attack upon Bannez, they found the latter expressly approved by the Dominican Order, they could not help protesting en masse, in order to keep their hands free. Two courses now lay open before them. One was to confine themselves strictly to an onslaught upon ' physical promotion,' without attempting to bring forward a view of their own : in a word, to attack what was dangerous without endeavouring to solve what was insoluble. The other was to bring forward a rival theory ; and the latter course, as we know, was taken. This seems to me a slight deviation from the ruling idea of St. Ignatius. Louis Molina was a man whose genius at least equalled that of Bannez ; and his theory ' de scientid media ' is worthy of the best times of Scholastic theology. The Society, I am afraid, was not able to resist this splendid opportunity of ' showing off ' ; and perhaps jealousy of the Dominicans counted for some- thing too. Still, 'showing off' and the humiliation of a rival Order have nothing in common with the defence of the Church. I know very well that they had the right to do as they did ; what I contest is not the right, but the expediency of their decision. And what w r ere the results of this one false move ? Years of interminable discussion ; the reputa- tion of being Semi-Pelagians ; the danger of a public con- demnation as heretics ; an incalculable amount of labour that might have been more fruitfully employed ; the death even of two of their number, FF. Valentia and Arrubal, struck down in the ardour of debate ; and, as some say, the death of Pope Clement VIII., caused by his soli- citude and fatigues in these disputes. All this to what end, either as regards the Church or the Jesuits themselves ? They avoided being branded as heretics, it is true, and that was a triumph, if we remember the immense influence their