but
former ones, as extremely efficient in promoting the worship, honour, and
glory of God, and eminently adapted to the salvation of souls; and has been
patronised by the most powerful and pious kings, and most celebrated
princes in the Christian republic: from its discipline nine persons have
been numbered among the saints, three of whom obtained the glory of
martyrdom; it has received the united praises of many men renowned for
sanctity, now enjoying eternal glory in heaven; the church has cherished it
in her bosom for the long space of two centuries, and has ever committed
the chief part of the sacred ministry to its professors, with great gain of
souls; finally, it was pronounced pious by the catholic church herself in
the council of Trent: yet there have lately {342} appeared some, who, by
wicked interpretations, have dared, not only in conversation but in
writings and publications, to call this very institute irreligious and
impious, to revile it, and represent it as wicked and shameful; and have
gone such lengths, that, not content with their own private thoughts, they
have endeavoured, using every art, to convey the like poison from country
to country, and to pour it out everywhere; nor have they yet ceased,
where-ever they can find any of the faithful off their guard, to instil
craftily their own notions into their minds; than which there can be
nothing more injurious, nothing more offensive to the church of God, as if
she had so shamefully erred, as solemnly to deem what is impious and
irreligious devout and acceptable to God, and had been the more
scandalously imposed upon for having so long, namely, for more than two
hundred years, with the greatest loss of souls, suffered such a stain to
remain in her bosom. Neither justice, which commands that all should
receive what belongs to them and be protected in their rights, nor my
pastoral solicitude for the church, can suffer any farther delay in putting
a stop to this so great evil, which shoots its roots the deeper the longer
it remains unnoticed.

In order, therefore, that we may remove so serious an injury from the
espoused church divinely committed to our charge, and also from this
apostolic see; and that, by our apostolic authority, we may check such
unjust and impious assertions, spread far and wide to the seduction and
ruin of souls, and entirely regardless of equity and reason; that the
constitution of the regular clerks of the society of Jesus may rema