INTRODUCTION. Every ingenuous Romanist, in common with the Protestant, must sincerely desire to know the teachings of the Holy Scriptures on all the essential matters of faith and practice. The Scriptures are an infallible guide to the way of eternal life. If others mislead, they will not. It is wise, therefore, to give good heed to their instructions; and it is dangerous to neglect and disobey them. Religious faith and practice are to mankind things of transcendent importance. They should be carefully compared with what GOD has revealed, and retained or rejected, according to their agreement or disagreement with His revelation. The following volume presents, in a brief compass, the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church on these matters, and it subjects them. to an impartial examination by the Word of GOD. It exhibits the system of Romanism more fully than any other of equal size known to us; and, to a certain extent, it most happily meets the wants of our Country at the present time. The teachings of Rome which are here presented, are extracted from the Decisions of Councils, and Works of acknowledged authority in her communion. To all classes, therefore, both Protestant and Roman Catholic-to ministers, Sabbathschool teachers, and heads of families, and all who wish to know the truth-the American and Foreign Christian Union respectfully offers this volume, and earnestly asks for it a candid and prayerful perusal. Such perusal, it is believed, cannot be given without profit to the reader. And if it shall contribute to enlighten and arouse the public mind in regard to the important subjects of which it treats, and to advance the Cause of Evangelical Religion, the end of its publication will have been accomplished. A TABLE OF ROMAN CATHOLIC DOCTRINES. Chap. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE. I. The Church of Rome teacheth, that the Holy Scripture does not contain all that which is necessary to salvation, II. That it is obscure, III. That it is not for the People to read, IV. That it is not the Judge of Controversies,. OF TRADITIONS. Page 11 14 15 21 V. That we ought to receive, with the Obedience of Faith, many things which are not in the Scripture, VI. That we ought to serve God according to the Tradition of the ancients, OF THE CHURCH. VII. That the Estate of the Church is always visible, 32 X. That we ought to follow those Teachers who have XI. That Multitude is a Mark of the Church, . 39 40 45 48 52 56 Chap. but also a Primacy of Dominion and Jurisdiction, XV. That the Pope is the Chief Priest, the Head, the Husband, and the Foundation of the Church, 58 . 64 XVII. That we ought not to separate from the OF PRAYER, AND DIVINE SERVICE. XVIII. That Prayers and Public Service may be per- formed in a Tongue not understood by the XIX. That there are some places more holy than XXIV. That the Virgin Mary was conceived without XX. That the Virgin Mary is the Queen of Heaven, the Door of Paradise, and the Salvation of the |