marriage, because it signifies the indivisible union of Christ and the Church; although on account of fornication it may be lawful to make a separation from the bed, yet it is not proper to contract another marriage: as the bond of matrimony legitimately contracted is perpetual." Canons of the Council of Trent concerning Marriage. 1. "Whoever shall say that marriage is not truly and properly one of the seven sacraments of the Evangelical laws instituted by Christ the Lord, but that it is invented by men in the church and does not confer grace; let him be accursed! 2. "Whoever shall say that it is lawful for Christians to have several wives at once and that this is forbidden by no divine law; let him be accursed! 3. “Whoever shall say that only those degrees of relationship and affinity, which are expressed in Leviticus can hinder marriage from being contracted, and annul the contract; and that the church cannot dispense in any of them, or appoint that more may hinder and annul; let him be accursed! 4. "Whoever shall say that the Church could not constitute impediments annulling marriage, or that in constituting them, she has erred; let him be accursed! 5. "Whoever shall say that the bond of marriage may be dissolved on account of heresy, or mutual dislike or voluntary absence from the husband or wife, let him be accursed! 6. "Whoever shall say that a marriage solemnized, but not consummated is not annulled by the solemn profession of a religious order by one of the parties; let him be accursed! 4. "Whoever shall say, that the Church errs, when she has taught and teaches that according to the evangelical and apostolical doctrine, the bond of marriage cannot be dissolved on account of the adultery of one or the other of the parties, and that neither of them, not even the innocent party who has given no cause for the adultery, may contract another marriage, whilst the party is living, and that he commits adultery, who marries another after putting away his adulterous wife, or she, who marries another after putting away her adulterous husband; let him be accursed! 8. "Whoever shall say that the Church is in error, when for many reasons she decrees that a separation may be made between married persons as to the bed, or as to intercourse either for a certain or an uncertain time; let him be accursed! 9. "Whoever shall say that the clergy constituted in sacred order, or regulars, who have solemnly professed chastity may contract marriage, and that the contract is valid, notwithstanding ecclesiastical law, or vow, and that to maintain the opposite is nothing else than to condemn marriage, and that all may contract marriage who do not think that they have the gift of chastity, even though they have vowed it; let him be accursed: as God does not deny this to those who seek it aright, nor does he suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. 10. "Whoever shall say that the married state is to be preferred to a state of virginity, or celibacy, and that it is not better and more blessed to remain in virginity or celibacy, than to be joined in marriage; let him be accursed! 11. "Whoever shall affirm that the prohibition of the solemnization of marriage at certain times of the year is a tyrannical superstition, borrowed from the superstitions of the pagans, or shall condemn the benedictions and other ceremonies, which the Church uses at those times: let him be accursed! 12. "Whoever shall affirm that matrimonial causes do not belong to the ecclesiastical judges; let him be accursed!" The Treatise on marriage is a developement of the peculiar views contained in the decree of the Council of Florence and the canons of the Council of Trent,-and a translation would not repay me for the labour of writing, nor the reader for the trouble of perusing such chapters as are fit for the publie eye. Topics are discussed in this connection, to which decency almost forbids me even to allude. I should disgust every modest person and for ever forfeit his good opinion, if I were to spread before an English reader the abominable obscenity in which Peter Dens wallows with perfect self-complacency. I will, however, give a few extracts in Latin, and if the priests think proper they may supply an English translation for the benefit of the curious. The following questions among the rest are gravely and systematically discussed. An copula carnalis inter conjuges licite habetur propter solam voluptatem? Quantum est peccatum exercere actum conjugalem ob solam voluptatem? An licet actum conjugalem exercere partim ob debitum finem, putá generationem prolis, et partim ob delectationem? An licitum est petere debitum conjugalì ex solo fine vitandi propriam incontinentiam, non concurrente fine generationis prolis, vel redditionis debiti? * * * Colligitur ex dictis, petitionem debiti esse venialiter malam, si uxor sit senex, aut sterilis, idque sive vir, sive uxor petat; quia non potest intendi prolis generatio: licite tamen reddi potest, quia redditio excusatur ob bonum fidei. * Certum est conjuges inter se peccare posse, etiam graviter, contra virtutem castitatis, sive continentiæ ratione quarumdam circumstantiarum. In particulari autem definire quæ sint mortales quæ solum veniales, perobscurum est, nec eadem omnium sententia; ut vel ideo sollicite persuadendum sit conjugatis, ut récordentur se esse filios sanctorum, quos decet in sanctitate conjugali filios procreare. Quidam auctores circumstantias circa actum conjugalem præcipue observandas, exprimunt his versibus. Sit modus et finis, sine damno, solve, cohære, 1. Ergo debet servari modus, sive situs, qui dupliciter invertitur: 1. Si non servetur debitum vas, sed copula habeatur in vase præpostero, vel quocumque alio non naturali: quod semper mortale est, spectans ad sodomiam minorem seu imperfectam : idque tenendum contra quosdam laxistas, sive copula ibi consummetur, sive tantum inchoetur, consummanda in vase naturali. 2. Modus sive situs, invertitur, sic tamen, ut servetur debitum vas ad copulam a natura ordinatum, si v. g. fiat accedendo præposterè a latere, stando, sedendo, vel si vir sit succubus. Modus is mortalis est si inde suboriatur periculum pollutionis respectu alterutrius: sive quando periculum est, ne semen perdatur, prout sæpe accidit, dum actus exercetur stando, sedendo, aut viro succumbente: si absit, et sufficienter præcaveatur istud periculum ex communi sententia id non est mortale. Est autem veniale ex gravioribus, cúm sit inversio ordinis naturæ. Estque generatim modus ille, sine causa taliter coëundi, graviter a CONFESSARIIS reprehendendus. Si tamen ob justam rationem situm naturalem conjuges immutent, secludaturque dictum periculum nullum erit peccatum, &c." The following question is also asked: "An uxor potest se tactibus excitare ad seminationem, si a copula conjugali se retraxerit maritus, postquam ipse seminavit, sed antequam seminaverit uxor ?" "Confessarius potest etiam conjugatos interrogare sub his terminis: Confidis, quod utaris matrimonio honesto modo, non plus faciendo quam necessarium est ad generandam prolem? Non habes specialia dubia quæ te angunt? Si autem pœnitens det occasionem ulterius interro gandi, inquirat confessarius, an sibi vel comparti causaverit periculum pollutionis, vel perditionis seminis." The atrocity of these extracts will appear infinitely more flagrant when it is remembered that the confessor institutes inquiries in relation to all these things in order that he may ascertain the amount of guilt which his penitent has contracted! Language cannot portray the deep indignation and abhorrence with which every enlightened and virtuous mind must regard the ineffable arrogance and impudence of the Romish priesthood. Would to God that the Roman Catholic laity for whom as individuals we would cherish no other feelings than those of the utmost kindness, could but view these things in the light in which we see them! CHAPTER XLIV. In the Treatise which treats of the four last things, viz. death, judgment, hell and heavenly glory, we find in No. 15, the following remarks: CONCERNING ANTICHRIST. "Who is here meant by Antichrist? Ans. Some particular very wicked man, who will arise in the last days, saying that he is Messiah, and showing himself as God, 2. Thess. ii. 4. As to his rise and country nothing certain is held, except that Damascenus hands down the tradition that he will be born from fornication, and the ancients supposed that he will arise from the tribe of Dan, because Rev. vii. the tribe of Dan is not numbered with those who are to be saved. "He will excite terrible persecution against the Church, and will perform many lying wonders and signs, as is said, 2 Thess. ii. 9. in order to confirm the false doctrine. His persecution will last as is thought for three and a half years according to Dan. vii. 25: And they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time.' At length the Lord Jesus will kill him with the spirit of his mouth, 2 Thess. ii. 8. "From these remarks it is plain how foolish is the calumny of heretics of our time, who are not afraid to say that the Roman Pontiff is Antichrist. For: 1. "Antichrist will come at the end of the world; the Roman Pon- ' tiff rules the church now upwards of 1800 years, by a continuous succession. 2. He will be a particular person: there is a great series of Popes. 3. He will call himself Christ; the Pope calls himself Christ's vicar. 4. He will exalt himself above all that is called God: The Pope calls himself the servant of the servants of God. 5. The advent of Antichrist will be in all power, and signs, and lying wonders: no history relates this of the Roman Pontiffs. Some of them indeed have shone forth by true miracles, but many other saints by greater: nor among the Pontiffs was any distinguished by greater miracles than St. Peter: will they peradventure say that Christ himself appointed Antichrist over his own Church? "It is plain also, that they are in error, who have supposed that Nero or Mahomet was Antichrist; because he will come only at the end of the world. "Obj. 1. John ii. 18, it is said: 'Ye have heard that Antichrist cometh; therefore he will not come at the end of the world.' "Ans. Cometh in the present is put for will come on account of the certainty of the event. "You will reply: Immediately after the words cited it is maintained, Even now there are many Antichrists; therefore, &c. "Ans. By many Antichrists, John means heretics, on account of their resemblance to Antichrist; for, Antichrist signifies one who is contrary to Christ." N. B. Our reasons for conferring the title of Antichrist upon his Holiness will be seen at the close of this chapter.. OF PURGATORY. (No. 25.) “What is purgatory? Ans. It is the place in which the souls of departed just people, which were obnoxious to temporal punishments, endure sufficient suffering. It is said, endure sufficient suffering, because as souls there are beyond the state of probation they can merit no longer, nor properly satisfy for the punishment that is due, but they satisfy only in punishment, or expiate the appointed penalty so that they cannot help and liberate themselves from punishment, except by enduring sufficient suffering. What ought we to believe concerning purgatory? The council of Trent, sess. 25, in the commencement of the decree concerning purgatory, has settled two things which are to be believed, namely that there is a purgatory, and that the souls there detained are assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, chiefly, however, by the acceptable sacrifice of : |