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murder, use, say Liguori, Cajetan, Sanches, &c., all the influence you possess, to induce that man to commit adultery, if thereby you will save him from committing murder. It is not only the duty of private persons thus to act, but much more of confessors, parents, &c., upon whom the duty is especially incumbent. If then a man reveals in the secrecy of the confessional his determination to take away the life of his fellow, the Priest must induce him, if possible, to commit adultery or some other crime in lieu thereof. How chaste are the principles of Popery! How sanctimonious is the tendency of the confessional ! This principle of doing evil that good may come, arises from the fact, that the spirituality and requirements of God's law are not regarded. All transgressions equally and alike merit the curse denounced; any thing which falls beneath the high standard of the law is sin, the wages of which is death. Even the eating of an apple "brought death into the world, and all our woe;" "the thought of foolishness is sin." The Christian will abhor, discountenance, and discourage in every way that which is displeasing to his God; he feels his own guilt—he hates sin-he regards fornication, adultery, and murder, in the same light, as alike displeasing to the Lord; and the man who is set upon murder he will not induce to commit adultery in lieu thereof,-the man who is set upon adultery he will not lead to the commission of fornication as a lesser evil; but he will boldly rebuke such ungodliness, preach the Gospel in its fulness and freeness-that Gospel which is effectual in turning sinners from darkness to light, which can make "the wilderness and the solitary be glad, and the desert blossom as the rose."

Let the sinner be ever so determined to commit certain crimes, it is absolutely anti-christian to induce him to

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commit what is esteemed lesser crimes, that he may not be guilty of the intended greater ones. The power of the preaching of Christ crucified can change the will and most inveterate determination of the greatest and most abandoned profligate, so that he will gladly abandon his wicked ways, and take up his cross to follow Jesus in the way everlasting. Behold the persecuting Saul of Tarsus, he breathes fury against the Saints of the Most High, and receives authority to scatter and slay the flock of Christ's sheepfold. With a murderous intent he goes to Damascus at the head of an armed band; but vain are the determinations of impotent man, when the potent Jesus makes bare his arm. The Persecutor is converted -he becomes a meek and lowly follower of the meek and lowly Saviour; and there is some reason for believ ing that we of the British Isle are indebted to that very convert for the knowledge of Christ. THE GOSPEL IS ALL POWERFUL. No determination is too firm—no heart too hardened-no nature too wicked to obey its mighty energy and power, when that power is put forth. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, can cause the light of the Gospel to shine upon the moral chaos of the sinner's heart. God, who by the influence of his Spirit brings all his people to a knowledge of the truth-though once not his people, but " without hope in the world,"-can make the murderer, the adulterer, and the fornicator abandon their iniquitous intents, and "Count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus;" and the Christian-the follower of the lamb -the inheritor of the mind of Christ-will never seek to turn the sinner from one abomination by presenting to him another. He will recognise the Gospel alone, with all its saving power, as the blessed means of renewal. Is it possible that Rome teaches sentiments such as those

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quoted from Liguori ? Yes! she has declared that the works which give them to the world are "not worthy of censure in one word." Yes! she has canonized the author; nor was that commendation hastily pronounced, for we are assured, by Rome herself, that all the writings of the Saint underwent " more than TWENTY TIMES a RIGOROUS EXAMINATION," before they were sealed with Papal authority. My bosom heaves with amazement-I could shed tears of bitterest sorrow, when I reflect on these opinions, and remember that these are the doctrines of a community IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY! Is there any language too strong with which to denounce-is there any indignation too great with which to feel against such principles ? No; for they are soul-destroying-they are demoralizing-they are earthly, sensual, and devilish." No wonder that when Popery prevailed, the Church of Rome was the participator in as well as the propagator of vice; but let us pity the Romanist, and pray that he may be led into the way everlasting. Liguori considers various cases in which it is lawful for man to co-operate with his fellow in sin. Here there is some variety of opinion between Liguori, Sanches, Becs, &c. &c., as on other points. The detail of these various sentiments will serve to show the nature of the morality which is taught by Rome through her authorized teachers and expositors.

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Resp. 6. Potest aliquando permitti proxima ruina, quando is paratus est ad malum, et alter non intendit, ut peccet, sed tantum, non auferendo occasionem, permittit unum peccatum, ne fiant plura, ita ut permissio sit impeditiva majoris mali."

"The ruin of a neighbour can sometimes be permitted, when he is prepared for evil and the other does not intend that he should sin, but only, in not removing the occasion of sin, he permits one sin, lest more might be committed, so that the permission may be the impediment of greater evil."

Liguori notices the conclusions which follow. Here, however, in the carrying out of the principle, there is some variety of opinion. There is some difference between removing the occasion which already exists, of sin, and the affording of an occasion which did not before exist. Liguori, Sanches, and all the Doctors agree in this, that a man is not bound to remove the occasion of sin, but to permit its existence, even knowing that the thief, adulterer, &c., &c., will fall therein. But as to the affording of an occasion there appears to be some difference of opinion; Sanches seems to think it probable that such is not lawful, for it would be a positive concurrence in the sin; but Liguori and a host of Doctors who are cited, think that it is lawful to AFFORD an occasion of sin.

TO MAKE READY THE MEANS OF COMMITTING ROBBERY AND ADULTERY, FOR THE MAN WHO IS PRONE TO THESE CRIMES !!!

The following extracts will shew that this charge is founded in truth:

"Hero licet non auferre occasionem furandi filiis, aut famulis, cum eos nihilominus ad furandum propensos,et paratos, novit, ut sic deprehensi puniantur, et resipiscant: tunc enim rationabiliter permittit furtum unum, ut evitentur plura. Sanch. Laym. Bon. (Et hæc sententia videtur satis communis cum Sanch. de Matrim. 1. 10. d. 12. n. 52, qui citat pro ea Sot. Led. Nav. Sal. etc. Et consentit D. Th. in supp. 3. part. q. 62. art. 3. ad 4. ubi: Quandoque vir uxorem suspectam de adulterio habens ei insidiatur, ut deprehendere possit eam cum testibus in crimine

"It is lawful for a master not to take away the occasion of stealing from his children or servants, when, notwithstanding, he knew that they had a propensity and were prepared to commit theft, that, thus taken in the act, they may be punished and come to repentance; for, then, reasonably he permits one theft, that more may be avoided. Sanch. Laym. Bon.) (And this opinion appears sufficiently general, with Sanch. de Matrim, l. 10. d. 12. n. 52. who quotes in its support, Sot. Led. Nav. Sal. and others; and D. Th. agrees with it in supp. 3. part. q. 62. art. 3.

fornicationis; et sic potest ad accusationem procedere. Idem admittit Tourn. t. 3. p. 337. cum Antoine.)

ad 4. where it is said—Whensoever a man, having a wife suspected of adultery, lays a snare for her that he may be able, even with witnesses, to detect her in the act, and thus is able to proceed against her. The same, Tourn. admits, t. 3. p. 337. with Antoine.)"

So far there is no difference of opinion expreseed. All the quoted authors agree that it is lawful not to take away the occasion of evil, but whether it is lawful positively to make an occasion and place it willingly before the sinner is now the question. Sanches holds it probable that it is not, but Liguori, the approved and the canonized, HOLDS THAT IT IS! We proceed:

"Probabile est non licere talia ultro ponere, ant iis objicere, quia positive concurreret ad peccatum; et non tam auferret occasionem; quam poneret: Sa, v. Peccatum, et Sanch. qui ex eadem causa docet non licere marito dare uxori ansam adulterandi, vel adultero, ut tentet uxorem."

"It is probable that it is not lawful willingly to place such things or to put them in the way, because that would be positively a concurrence in the sin, and would be not so much the taking away of an occasion as the placing it in the way. Sa. (v. peccatum) and Sanch. who, for the same reason, teaches that it is not lawful for a husband to give to his wife the occasion to commit adultery, or to the adulterer an opportunity to seduce his wife, for the sake of bringing her virtue to the trial."

Here Sanches, while he holds that it is lawful not to remove the occasion of sin, thinks it probable that it is unlawful to afford the occasion, or to place it in the way, the distinction is a fine drawn one-but, as it will be seen Liguori, Laym, &c., &c., hold the reverse, and maintain that it is lawful to afford the occasion. To proceed:

"Interim probabiliter con- "Meanwhile, Laymn probtrarium docet Laym. lib. 2. t. ably teaches the contrary opi

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