Becan, Martin

Becan, Martin a noted French Jesuit, who flourished in 1550-1624, was for a long time professor of philosophy and theology in the colleges of his order. He was a favorite with the emperor Mathias, who retained him at Vienna, and with his son Ferdinand II, who made him his confessor. This position and his writings give us an insight into the zeal with which he supported that policy of which the Thirty Years' war was the final result. On sundry occasions he wrote against king James I, and he even went so far, especially in his Controversia Anglicana de Potestate Regis et Pontificis (Mayence, 1612), as to defend the legitimacy of attacking.the life of kings. The Roman see found it wise to condemn the work. His Opuscula Theologica (Mogunt. 1610-21, 5 parts in 4 vols.) contain the following treatises:

Vol. I. De Calvinistarum et Catholicorum Prtedestinatione; De Deo et Autore Peccati: De Juistificatione, Justitia Bouorlum Operum, Auxiliis Gratime Christi. De Circnlo Calvinistico contra Parseuin. 'Quaestiones Calvin. Aphorislmi Doctrinfe Calvin. De Differenltia inter Pelagianos, Calvinistas, Cathlolicos in Prsedestinat. De Off. Anlgelolrmn. Refut. Plesssei de Eucharistia. II. De Fide Haereticis Servanda; de Antichristo Reformato; an Ecclesia Rom. Defecerit.; de Coena Calv., Luth., Catholicor., Commuuione rsub Ut.raqne. Refntattio Apologis-e Reris Angl. de Primatun Ecclesise. Refut. Torturme Torti. De Puriatorio Calvin. De Sacrificio Naturre, Legis, Gratise. III. Exaimen PlagHe Regiae contra Graseri Calvin. Comment. in Apocal. De Fide Deo Servanda. Privilegia Calvinistarum. Qusestt. Batavicse. Dissidium Anglicanum. Duellum c. Tokero. De Pontifice Vet. Testam. IV. Tituli Calvinistar. De Primatn Regio Ecclesiae. Examen Concordia Anglic. Epist. ad J. Sartorium de Eucharistia. Ad Georg. N., ex Calviniauo factuln Catholicum, de compar. Eccl. et Synagogme. De Oratione pro Defunctis.v. vocatio Sanctorum. Judex Controversiarnm. Ad Pareum de Colloquio Swalbac., de Fide Haereticis Servanda. De Ecclesia Christi, Catholicorum, Luth. et.Calv. De Eccl. Republica contra Marc. Ant. de Dominis.

He also published Manuale Controversiarum hujus Temporis (Wurzburg, 1623; Heidelberg, 1759-60). His Opera Omnia et Posthuma were published at Wurzburg, 1649. See Lichtenberger, Encyclopedie des Sciences Religieuses, s.v.; Winer, Handbuch der theol. Lit. i, 18, 341, 401, 456, 461, 479; Alegarnbe, Bibl. Scriptorum Societatis Jesu; Val Andreas, Bibl. Belg. (B. P.)