Andisitallowabletocourtoccasionsofcommittingsin，orrather，arewenotboundtoshunthem？Thatwouldbeeasyenough，surely。\"\"Notalwaysso，\"hereplied；\"thatisjustasitmayhappen。\"\"Happen，how？\"criedI。\"Oh！\"rejoinedthemonk，\"soyouthinkthatifapersonexperiencesomeinconvenienceinavoidingtheoccasionsofsin，heisstillboundtodoso？NotsothinksFatherBauny。’Absolution，’sayshe，’isnottoberefusedtosuchascontinueintheproximateoccasionsofsin，iftheyaresosituatedthattheycannotgivethemupwithoutbecomingthecommontalkoftheworld，orsubjectingthemselvestopersonalinconvenience。’\"\"Iamgladtohearit，father，\"Iremarked；\"andnowthatwearenotobligedtoavoidtheoccasionsofsin，nothingmoreremainsbuttosaythatwemaydeliberatelycourtthem。\"\"Eventhatisoccasionallypermitted，\"addedhe；\"thecelebratedcasuist，BasilPonce，hassaidso，andFatherBaunyquoteshissentimentwithapprobationinhisTreatiseonPenance，asfollows：’Wemayseekanoccasionofsindirectlyanddesignedly—primoetperse—whenourownorourneighbour’sspiritualortemporaladvantageinducesustodoso。’\"
\"Truly，\"saidI，\"itappearstobealladreamtome，whenIheargravedivinestalkinginthismanner！Comenow，mydearfather，tellmeconscientiously，doyouholdsuchasentimentasthat？\"\"No，indeed，\"saidhe，\"Idonot。\"
\"Youarespeaking，then，againstyourconscience，\"continuedI。\"Notatall，\"hereplied；\"Iwasspeakingonthatpointnotaccordingtomyownconscience，butaccordingtothatofPonceandFatherBauny，andthemyoumayfollowwiththeutmostsafety，forIassureyouthattheyareablemen。\"\"What，father！becausetheyhaveputdownthesethreelinesintheirbooks，willitthereforebecomeallowabletocourttheoccasionsofsin？
IalwaysthoughtthatwewereboundtotaketheScriptureandthetraditionoftheChurchasouronlyrule，andnotyourcauists。\"\"Goodness！\"criedthemonk，\"IdeclareyouputmeinmindoftheseJansenists。ThinkyouthatFatherBaunyandBasilPoncearenotabletorendertheiropinionprobable？\"\"Probablewon’tdoforme，\"saidI；\"Imusthavecertainty。\"
\"Icaneasilysee，\"repliedthegoodfather，\"thatyouknownothingaboutourdoctrineofprobableopinions。Ifyoudid，youwouldspeakinanotherstrain。Ah！mydearsir，Imustreallygiveyousomeinstructionsonthispoint；withoutknowingthis，positivelyyoucanunderstandnothingatall。