they never were accused at our tribunals of
teaching any such doctrine as is now imputed to them. Let us inquire of
those, who have been brought up in their colleges, who have frequented
their missions, their congregations, their retreats, we are persuaded there
is not a man in the nation, who can attest, that he ever heard them teach a
doctrine contrary to the safety of your majesty's person, or to the
received maxims of the kingdom. On the contrary, in justice to their
character, we must all confess, that the constant theme and subject of
their school exercises is to celebrate the memorable deeds and heroic
actions of our monarchs, and their whole study to impress in their hearers
the most dutiful sentiments of loyalty and respect towards your majesty.

ARTICLE III. "The conduct of the Jesuits with regard to their subordination
to bishops; and whether, in the exercise of their functions, they do not
encroach on the pastoral rights and privileges."

It cannot be denied but that, if the Jesuits were to avail themselves of
the many and great privileges which, at different times, have been granted
to them by the see apostolic, they could not be said to live subordinate,
either to bishops or to their ecclesiastical superiors. But {356} we are to
observe, that these privileges were granted them by a communication and
participation of such as had been granted to the mendicant orders, and to
the other religious, long before they came into the world; and, with regard
to these, we find a decree in the _explanation of their rule_ (art. xii, p.
447), that they are to make use of their privileges with the greatest
caution and moderation, and with no other view than for the spiritual
advantage of their neighbour; for, being bound by their fourth vow,
immediately upon the first notice of his holiness's command, to embark, in
order to preach the Gospel to the most remote and barbarous nations, these
privileges become absolutely necessary in places where neither bishops nor
other pastors are to be found. We may also take notice, both with regard to
the bull of Paul III, and those of his successors, that there is a wide
difference between their approbation of the first plan of the institute, or
of the additions that were afterwards made for the perfecting of the same,
and the _privileges_ granted to that society, which are merely accessory to
the institute; for these bulls, being written in the ordinary style of the
court of Rome, the d