JANSENISTS

A denomination of Roman Catholics in France, who followed the opinions of Jansen, bishop of Ypres, and formed a considerable party in the latter half of the 17th century. The Jansenists were Calvin is tic in many of their sentiments, and in several respects approximated to the Reformed opinions. They did not, hoivever, separate themselves from the Catholic church; nor did they long survive the decree of Alexander VII., by which certain propositions extracted from their writings are condemned as heretical. The Jansenists are chiefly celebrated for the contest they maintained with the Jesuists, by whom they were at last overcome, and subjected to the enmity both of Louis XIV. and the Pope. (See Leclerc, Bibl. Univ. vol.xiv.; Racine, His to ire du Port Royal; Fontaine, Me moires pour servir d. IHist. du P. R.; Saint Sifnon's Memoirs j Palmer, E ays on the Church, i. 320. .; Hallam on the Literature cf Europe, yo\.n\.\ Schrokh, Kirchengeschichte, seit der Reformation, parts iv. and vii.; Mosheim, translation, ed. 1790, vol. v. 208. .) [s. 630]