Clearly it was then proved that the book was sanctioned by the Romish Arch-Bishop of Dublin, and set up as the conference book of the Roman Catholic Clergy in the diocese of Leinster. The Clergy of the Church of Rome were ashamed to acknowledge themselves as the patrons of such views, which they felt were too open and glaring, and they knew that if a prompt denial were not given, their cause might be injured in the estimation of a Protestant people : But a worse than Dens is here! One who is more open, explicit, and less guarded in the exposition of Roman Catholic Principles. The moral theology of Liguori cannot be repudiated. Every Romanist is bound to pray that he may be taught by his admonitions,-the nature of those admonitions is unfolded in the "Awful Disclosure" which follows,— and God grant that the exposure may lead to the enlightenment of Protestants on this momentous question. Let Romanizing and guilty rulers know that Popery not only destroys the soul by its damnable idolatries, but even the fairest temporal interests of mankind. Popery is a system of spiritual and corporeal despotism. It is a prolific source of vice, it is a tremendous conspiracy against the welfare of the human family, the "very master-piece of the devil." There is no immoral principle which it would not adopt, no unhallowed means of which it would not avail itself to accomplish its nefarious designs. By the device of Popery, Hell has made its greatest effort for the destruction of man's temporal and eternal well-being.— Satan can devise no more powerful engine whereby to dishonour God and debase man. Wherever Popery prevails it must bring a curse, and the more devoted and religious the members and priests of that Church are, the less can they be trusted as members of society. May God convert the deluded votaries of so foul a system, and awaken protestants to a sense of their privileges and duties. CONTENTS. No. 1.-Brief memoir of Liguori-A miracle wrought by him-His austerities and penances His canonization-The authority of his works-Rome prohibits the free use of the Bible.. Pages 1-12 No. 2.-Brief view of the rise and history of the practice of prohibiting books-Scriptures forbidden in their free use and circulation-Various Romish councils by which the Bible was forbidden-The fourth rule of the index-No Romanist can have a Bible without the written permission of the superior-If he have, he shall not receive remission of his sinsAwful consequence of violating the rule-The rule of the index relaxed in heretical countries to accomplish a purposeRome accomodates herself to, circumstances to accomplish her ends... .Pages 13-24 No. 3.-The dissimulation of religion-It is not lawful absolutely to deny the faith, but it is lawful to dissemble-A Romanist interrogated even by authority is not bound to profess his faith-He may lie concealed amongst heretics, if he can thereby accomplish a greater amount of good-A Romanist passing through an heretical country may eat flesh meat on fast days to accomplish the purpose of dissimulation -For a good cause he may attend the funerals of heretics, and stand as sponsor for their children-Liguori teaches that it is lawful to do evil that good may come, for example, to persuade a man to commit fornication instead of murder. Pages 25-36 No. 4.-Such principles anti-christian-The ruin of a neighbour may be permitted that a greater evil may be impeded-A master may not take away the occasion of stealing from his servant-A husband suspecting his wife of unfaithfulness may afford her an opportunity of committing adultery for the sake of detecting her-For a good cause it is lawful to co-operate in sin, provided that the co-operation be only material-A servant in fear of great loss may be excused if he accompany his master to a brothel, or convey a concubine to him-A servant may assist his master, by submitting his shoulder, or bringing a ladder, in ascending through a window to commit fornication-It is lawful to let houses to harlots.... Pages 36-48 No. 5.-It is lawful to curse insensible creatures when it is done without relation to God-Equivocation for a just cause lawful, without a just cause only a venial sin-Distinction between double speaking, or equivocation, and mental reservation-Exemplifications of equivocation, with which it is lawful to swear-Definition of a just cause-A confessor can swear that he does not know a sin which was revealed to him in confession-The equivocation by which it is justified. Pages 49-60 No. 6.-The accused can deny his crime-Not however, if the crime be well known-The culprit who thus swears may be absolved-The accused even legitimately interrogated can deny with an oath his guilt, if his avowal would be attended with great disadvantage-A poor man absconding with goods necessary for his sustenance may deny his guilt-He who receives a loan and afterwards returns it, may deny that he ever received the loan-He who was forced into matrimony may deny that he ever contracted it—He who hath promised marriage, but is not bound to it, may deny the promiseHe who comes from a place falsely thought to be infected, may deny that he came from the place-A wife, to whom her marriage appears null and void, may promise to a judge that she will live with her husband and not fulfil the promise -A witness asked by a judge if he spoke with the accused, may deny that he did-A guest asked if the food be good, may say that it is, when it is bad-A man asked to lend money, may deny that he has any-An adulteress may deny her guilt-A servant asked if his master be at home, may lead the enquirer to believe that he is not, when he isThose who take degrees may subscribe in a non-natural sense. Pages 61-72 No. 7. Various instances of equivocation-Discussion between Venn and Waterworth-Mr. Waterworth's false statement His unfair quotation-Distinction between "restriction mental" and "purely mental." Pages 73-84 No. 8.-Oaths-The man only sins venially who swears with the intention of fulfilling, and not with the intention of laying himself under an obligation-Such a man is not bound to observe the oath-Liguori's views more unsound than those even of Dens, Lessius, &c., &c.—To transgress only a small portion of an oath is only a venial sin-A Romanist who has promised marriage may break the promise and enter a monas. tery. Pages 85-96 .... ...... No. 9.-Waterworth's false statement as to the breach of promise of marriage-The Rev. R. J. Mc Ghee on the right of superiors in oaths He who hath sworn to a judge that he will tell what he knows, need not disclose secret things Rome weakens the obligations of oaths to accomplish her own purposes, but renders it stringent in the fulfilment of a sinful promise-The power of dispensatiou-The Rev. R. J. Mc Ghee on the declaration of Romish Bishops-The just causes for granting dispensations-Waterworth's false statement as to Liguori's sentiments on oaths-Dreadful perfidy of Romish principles.... . Pages 97-108 No. 10.-Adjuration on driving out of devils-Bishop Taylor on the same-The Lord's day and its observance Children may enter monasteries or convents in opposition to their parents-Indirectly it is sometimes lawful to slay oneself. Pages 109-120 No. 11.-Liguori's apology for the obscenity of his treatise on the sixth and ninth commandments-Filthy subjects of the confessional-A wife, for a good purpose, may deprive her husband of property-It is lawful to steal in cases of great necessity-A thief who steals in a state of great necessity is not bound to restitution .... Pages 121-132 No. 12.-A servant, if he think that he is not sufficiently remunerated by his master, may remunerate himself-Amount of stolen property necessary to constitute mortal sin-It is a mortal sin to steal a sacred relic, for example, the hair of the blessed Virgin-In certain cases the thief makes restitution to the Church-A wife may give a portion of her husband's means to the poor, though he may have forbidden it-An adulterous woman is not obliged to inform her husband of the illegitimacy of her children-Contracts-Passage unfit to be translated-The Pope for a good cause may change the will of a testator-Extreme view which Rome takes of heresy. Pages 133-144 No. 13.-Plurality of benefices lawful in certain cases-The Inquisition-The nature of heresy-Rules of the Inquisition-Heresy considered a greater crime than homicide, robbery, &c. Pages 145-156 No. 14.-The way in which the confessor is to conduct himself towards the accused-Account of the Inquisition by Piazza-The confessional-The seal-It is unlawful to reveal the knowledge acquired in the confessional, even when the safety of a nation is at stake-The wickedness of violating the seal-Things received extra-confessionally not under the seal.... Pages 157-168 ..... No. 15. On the disclosure of things received in confession-A testimonial of confession may be granted to those who were not duly confessed-A material and formal lie-Future as well as past sins fall under the seal if they are told with the intention of accusing, but they do not fall under the seal if mentioned in the way of simple narration-Though it is lawful to disclose the venial sin in general of Titius, it is not in particular-The sins of an accomplice fall under the sealA confessor can admonish an accomplice with the license of the penitent-That renders confession odious which drives away penitents-The manner in which the object of sin falls under the seal-Penance, if it be severe, falls under the seal -Things introduced "per accidens," and not pertaining to the subject, do not fall under the seal-Natural defects, viz. low birth, ignorance, deafness, &c., if made known in the explanation of sin, fall under the seal, but they do not fall under the seal if irrelevantly introduced-Sins of impatience, abusive language, &c., against the confessor or others, in the confessional do fall under the seal. Pages 169-180 .... No. 16.-The confessor cannot make known the scrupulosity of the penitent if it would redound to his loss-Scrupulosity in a confessor, prelate, &c., is a mark of a weak mind-The confessor can avoid the confession of a prolix or troublesome penitent, if his prolixity were generally known-The conduct of the confessor with a penitent who confesses indistinctly— The confessor can deny on oath things made known in confession-He may swear that he does not use equivocation when in reality he does-The persons who are bound to the seal-The person consulted with license of the penitent not bound to the seal. Pages 181-192 ..... No. 17.-He who reads a paper in which a confession is written, is not bound to the seal-Otherwise, however, in the case of the written confession of a dumb man -The confessor can act upon the knowledge acquired in the confessional, if he have a license from the penitent-Conditions requisite in a liccense-In case a doubt arise whether the confessor spoke with the license of the penitent, the confessor is to be believed and not the penitent-The confessor can speak to the penitent in confession concerning faults heard in a former confession-Peculiar cases in which it is doubted whether the seal be broken......... Pages 193-204 No. 18.-It is unlawful to use the knowledge acquired in the confessional to the detriment of the penitent-A superior cannot remove a subject from office on account of a sin heard in confession-In the election to a benefice that knowledge cannot be acted upon-It is a general rule admitted almost by all, that it is lawful to use knowledge acquired in confession, provided that there be no disclosure of the seal, |