Chap. 3. that when the Difciples receiv'd firft the Body Queft.9. and the Blood of the Lord, they did not receive them fafting. But must therefore the univerfal Church be abus'd, because this Sacrament is always receiv'd fasting? For it pleas'd the H. Ghoft fince, that, in Honour of fo great a Sacrament, the Lord's Body fhould enter into the Mouth of a Chriftian before other Meats. For this is the Reason why this Custom is obferv'd OVER THE WHOLE WORLD. Our Saviour, to recommend more effectually the greatness of this Mystery, chofe to make this deep and laft Impreffion on the Minds and Memory of his Difciples, And therefrom whom he was to go to fuffer. fore he did not command in what Manner it Should be receiv'd for the future; but left it to the Apostles, by whom he was to direct the Church.

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Secondly, Baptifm, for the first thousand years and more, was generally adminifter'd by Immersion: that is, by plunging the Perfon who was to be baptiz'd, almoft naked, whether Man or Woman, under the Water. Which was a more perfect Reprefentation of the (4) Death,

a

tamen propterea calumniandum est univerfæ Ecclefiæ, quod jejunis femper accipitur? Ex hoc enim placuit Spiritui Sandto, ut, in bonorem tanti Sacramenti, in os Christiani prius Dominicum Corpus intraret, quam cæteri Cibi. Nam ideo PER UNIVERSUM ORBEM, mos ifte fervatur, Salvator, quo vehementius commendaret Myfterii illius altitudinem, ultimum hoc voluit altius infigere cordibus & memoriæ Difcipulorum, a quibus ad Paffionem digreffurus erat. Et ideo non præcepit, quo deinceps ordine fumeretur, ut Apoftolis, per quos Ecclefias difpofiturus erat, fervaret hunc locum, S. Aug. Epift. liv. olim Epift. CXVIII. ad Januarium. (4) Rom. vi. v. 3. 4. 5.

Death, Burial, and Refurrection of Chrift, and Chap. 3.
what the Name of (5) Baptifm did more pro- Queft.9.
perly fignify. But Pouring Water on the bap-
tiz'd Perfon, as it was the more decent, fo it
became the more general Cuftom in many
Places fince.

Thirdly, Tafting of Milk and Hony was an ancient Ceremony of Chriftian Baptifm, mention'd by Tertullian and S. Jerom. But being only a Ceremony of Baptifm, it was fubject to the Authority of the Catholick Church, and has been wholly laid afide by her.

Fourthly, Whilft Paganifim was the prevailing Religion of the Roman Empire, there was little or no Ufe of Pictures, or Images, in the Catholick Church. Nor was it fit, they should be frequently us'd, till Idolatry, and the Danger of it, was extirpated. But to think, that this Danger ftill continues, has more of Affectation, Superftition, and Pharifaical Zeal in it, I might fay of ftupidity, than of Chriftian Prudence, Religion, and Charity.

Tenth QUESTION.

Are Protestants the whole Catholick Church?
Or, are they in Communion with it?

ANSW.

THE

HEY grant, they are not the whole Catholick Church. And in this (I prefume) we may believe them. But whether they are fo happy; as to be in it, or

O 2

not

{5} ̓Απὸ τὸ βάπτειν, ἤ βαπτίζειν

Chap. 3. not, is a different Question. In which, when Queftio the following Reafons are anfwer'd, I fhall think myself mistaken.

First, The Catholick Church is only in One Communion, as was prov'd in Answer to the first and fecond Queftion of this Part. If therefore Proteftants are not at present the whole Catholick Church upon Earth, they are no Part of it. For it is plain Fact, that no Society, befides that of Proteftants, is in the Proteftant Communion. The Roman Church is not in it. The Greek and Ruffian Church is not in it. Eutychians and Neftorians are not in it. And what other Chriftian Society is there in the World?

I might add, that Proteftants themselves are not all in the fame Communion: and therefore can not be a Part of the Catholick Church, which is fo.

Secondly, The Catholick Church is always in Being, from its first Institution by Christ to the end of the World, as was prov'd in Anfwer to the third Question. But Proteftants are not in Communion with any Church, which was always in Being, fince our Saviour's Time. For what Church is that?

Thirdly, The Catholick Church is always a vifible and known Society from our Saviour's Time to the end of the World, as was prov'd in Anfwer to the fourth Queftion. But Proteftants are not in Communion with any Church, which was always a visible and known Society, fince our Saviour's Time, For what Church can that be?

Fourthly, The Catholick Church is always Orthodox, even in the fecondary Articles of

Religion,

Religion, as was prov'd in Answer to the fifth Chap. 3.
Question. But Proteftants are not in Commu- Questio
nion with any Church, which was always Or-
thodox, even in the fecondary Articles of Re-
ligion, from its Inftitution by our B. Saviour,
to the End of Time. For, pray, let that

Church be nam'd.

Fifthly, The Catholick Church is always the Church of all Nations, in a moral Senfe, as was fhew'd in Anfwer to the fourth Question, Proof the first. But Proteftants are not in Communion with any Church, which was always the Church of all Nations, or which was -the Church of any Nation, before the Beginning of the Reformation. They are not therefore in Communion with the Catholick Church.

Sixthly, If Proteftants are not in Communion with the Apostles, they are not in Communion with the Catholick Church. And, in the eighteenth Century, there is no other Way of being in Communion with the Apostles, but by being in that Church, which they built, which has in her Communion a continued Succeffion of Paftors and Doctrine from the Apostles to the prefent Time, as was prov'd in Anfwer to the fourteenth Question of the first Part.

Seventhly, It is an undeniable Fact, that in the year of Chrift, one thousand five hundred, there were no Protestants known in any Part of the World. England then acknowledg'd the Pope's Supremacy in Spirituals, and had been in his Communion, from the firft Converfion of our Saxon Ancestors to Christianity, that is, for the Space of almoft nine hundred 03 years.

Chap. 3. years. Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Queftio Portugal, Savoy, Denmark, Sweden, Halland, Flanders, Germany, Bohemia, Switzerland, Poland and Hungary, own'd the Popes Supremacy, and had been in his Communion, from their firft Converfion to Chriftianity. The Roman Bishops had then, according to Dr. (1) Heylin's Computation, challeng'd a Supremacy over all the Church, above eight hundred and ninety Years.

Luther began, in Germany, to preach against Indulgencies an. Chr. 1517, and, together with his Adherents, was excommunited by Pope Leo X. an. 1520. Here the Proteftant Sect began: But they took not the Name of Proteftants, till the Year 1529. And after fome Years, the Church of England follow'd their Example.

This was undeniably the Beginning of the Proteftant Communion, or Society, in the Sixteenth Century. How then are they in Communion with the Church of all Ages fince our Saviour's Time? Before their Separation from Rome (or of Rome from them; as they are pleas'd to call it) they were evidently a Part of the Roman Communion. And when they became a new rais'd Society; what ancienter Society of Chriftians was there upon Earth, which receiv'd them into its Communion? America was then peopled by Infidels, and by fome few Catholicks. Africa was inhabited by Infidels. And no Chriftian Society could be found in Afia or Europe, which would admit Proteftants into its Communion.

The

(1) Cojmography, Book 1. p. 91. an. 1669.