the broad and easy
way.

It is by this obliging and accommodating conduct that they open their
arms to all the world. Thus, if someone comes to them already determined
to make restitution of goods which he has wrongly acquired, you need not
fear that they will dissuade him. On the contrary, they will praise and
confirm his holy resolution. But if another should come wishing to have
absolution without making restitution, their position would be a
difficult one, if they had not the means of giving him his desire. It is
thus that they keep all their friends and defend themselves against
their enemies. And if anyone accuses them of extreme laxity, they
immediately bring forward their most austere directors, and certain
books which they have written on the severity of the Christian law; and
simple and uninquiring people are contented with these proofs.

They have proofs for all sorts of people, and make such ingenious
replies to every question that when they find themselves in countries
where a crucified God seems like madness, they suppress the scandal of
the Cross and preach only Christ in glory. This they have done in India
and China, where they even condone idolatry by a subtle device; they
allow their people to carry with them hidden images of Christ, to which
they should address the public worship ostensibly paid to their idols.
This conduct led to their being forbidden under pain of excommunication
to permit the adoration of idols, under any pretext, or to hide the
mystery of the Cross from those whom they instruct in religion, and they
have been forbidden to receive anyone in baptism until he has this
knowledge, and are enjoined to erect in their churches the image of the
crucifix.

Thus they have spread over the whole earth in the strength of their
doctrine of "probable opinions," which is the fount and origin of all
these irregularities. You may learn of this from themselves, for they
take no pains to hide it, except that they cover their human and
political prudence with the pretence of a divine and Christian prudence.
They act as if the faith and the tradition which maintains it were not
for ever invariable at all times and in all places, and as if nothing
more were required, in order to remove the stains of guilt, than to
corrupt the law of the Lord, instead of regarding that stainless and
holy law as itself the instrument of conversion, and conforming human
souls to its salutary precepts.

_II.--THE DOCT