JANSENISM, strictly speaking, denotes both a theological system in the matter of grace and free will, and the Christian sect that has arisen from that system. In a loose sense, Jan senism is the rigid, straightlaced severity of the Jansenists in the application of the principles of morality, especially in the almost imprac ticable dispositions they required for Holy Communion. This article confines itself to the strict sense of the word Jansenism; and pre sents a brief survey of the origin and evolution of both the doctrine and the sect.
I. Origin of Jansenism. Imbued with the principles of Baius, Michel de Bay, former professor of scripture at the University of Louvain, Cornelius Jansenius, bishop of Ypres, wrote his 'Augustinus' to set forth what he deemed to be the teaching of Saint Augustine in the matter of grace and free will After his death the work was published, A.D. 1640, under the auspices of the University of Louvain. It was prohibited by the papal internuncio, con demned by a decree and by briefs of Pope Urban VIII, denounced and vigorously attacked by the Jesuits; and yet gained rapid vogue. The following year, 1641, a second edition was published at Paris with the approbation of the Sorbonne. A papal commission was then ap pointed to examine the 'Augustinus) and it was condemned, 19 June 1643, by Urban VIII in the bull 'in eminenti,' because of its defense of the condemned propositions of Baius.
The complete title of this epoch-making folio is 'Augustinus, seu doctrina Sancti Augustini de humane nature sanitate, egritudine, medi cina, adversus Pelagianos et Massilienses, tribes tomis comprehensa.> The first part expounds Pelagianism in such wise as to identify there with the teaching of the Jesuits on grace. The second part treats of Saint Augustine's three states of human nature: the state of innocence before the fall of Adam, that of corruption after the fall, and the hypothetical state of human nature that is neither elevated by grace nor degraded by sin. Herein the teaching of Baius is closely followed. The third part is on grace and predestination.
To make the condemnation of the (Augus tinus) more specific, a new papal commission (1651) selected therefrom five propositions, which are here subjoined and referred to their respective parts in the volume: I°. Some of God's precepts are impossible to the just, even though they desire an try to observe such, with the rength_that they at present have; nor have they the vacs which such precepts might be possible. (Pt. III, 13).
2°. In the state of fallen nature. one never resists in terior trace. (Pt. II1. Bk.ii, Ch. 24).
3°. For merit or blame, in the state of fallen nature, freedom from all internal determining force (Mertes a neces sitate) is not necessary; but freedom from all external de force Whereat a toactione) is enough. (Pt. III, Bk. vi, h. 38).
4°. The Semi-Pelagians admitted the necessity of an interior grace, that should precede each act. even the beginning of the act of faith; and they wese heretics in that they taught this grace to be such as mane will might resist or obey. (Pt. I. Bk. viii, Ch. 6).
5°. It is Semi-Pelagian to say that Christ died or shed his blood for all men without exception. (Pt. III, Bk. iii, Ch. 21).
These propositions were condemned as heret ical, by Innocent X, in the Constitution 'Cum occasion& (1653); by Alexander VII, in the Constitution (Ad sanctam B. Petri Sedem,' (1656), and in the tRegiminis Apostolici' (1664) by Clement XI, in the Con stitution 'Vineam bomini> (1705).
II. The Question of Right. Before the condemnation by Innocent X, the Jansenists ad mitted that the five mooted propositions were representative of the theological system of Jan senins. Fundamental to this system is the Baian theory of a never rejected grace (gratin vic trix). Without this great grace, man by the necessity of fallen nature yields to desire (vo luptas); against this grace, man is not free to follow desire. The elect are predestined to vic torious grace and to glory, and that previous to God's foreknowledge of their future merit; only the elect does ,God sincerely will to save, for them alone did Christ pray and give up his life. The reprobate are absolutely predestined to be deprived of this never failing grace, and that previous to God's foreknowledge of their future blame; and so God does not sincerely will to save the reprobate, nor did Christ die for them, That the condemned propositions of the 'Au gustinus' were a nucleus of this theory of mor ally necessitating grace, and of morally neces sitated will, was at first admitted by the Jan senists. Their defense was that the five propo sitions correctly set forth Saint Augustine's doc trine on nature and grace; and that they had not been rightly condemned.