to be found, the same doctrines are expressed concerning the mysteries of the Christian religion, and the same religious rites and practices, with some accidental differences, are prescribed to be performed, which have been constantly, and are at the present time professed and performed by the church, which is in communion with the see of Rome; in this case, the identity of the faith and religious observances of this church, with those of primitive Christianity, and of all ages, will appear evident from the most authentic documents. If men are ever sincere, surely they must be so when they address prayers directly to the great Searcher of hearts. (See note B.)

It is a fact, then, that in the most ancient forms of religious worship, and of the administration of the sacraments, the clearest expressions are found, by which an explicit belief in one God, and three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of mankind, is proclaimed. (See note C.)

It is a fact, that in the sublime prayers recited by the priests and people, during the celebration of the mass, according to the most ancient liturgies, a strong and lively belief is expressed, that the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ, that the body and blood of Christ are, in this mystery, offered up to God the Father as a true sacrifice, and really received as a sacrament, in the holy communion. (See note D.)

It is a fact, that in the course of the holy sacrifice, the intercession of the apostles, martyrs, and other saints, and most particularly of the ever-blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, was always solemnly invoked; and that supplications were always offered up through Christ, for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. (See note E.)

These acts of piety were public professions of the belief of those churches, in which such prayers were offered, respecting the present happiness of the saints in heaven, their interest with God, and the utility of imploring their intercession; and also a public profession of the faith of the church concerning purgatory, or a middle state of souls after death, in which they are detained for a while from the enjoyment of God in heaven.

It is a fact that the sign of the cross was used in acts of religious worship as a profession of faith in Christ crucified, and

of confidence of obtaining protection, mercy, and grace, through his merits. (See note F.)

It is a fact that, according to very ancient liturgies, a relative veneration was shewn to the material cross, on which Christ suffered for our sins, and to other crosses, as representing that great mystery of our redemption. (See note G.)

It is a fact, that in the solemn administration of baptism, not only faith in the mystery of the Blessed Trinity was professed by the form or words, used in the administration of the sacrament, "I baptize thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;" but also, that the faith of the church concerning the state of original sin, in which man is born, was declared by the very ancient ceremonies of exorcisms and exsufflations, performed before the act of the administration of the sacrament; and likewise, that faith in the effects of the sacrament was expressed, by the ceremony of clothing the person with a white garment, after he had been baptized. (See note H.)

It is a fact, that in the most early ages of the church, the sacrament of confirmation was administered, not only by the imposition of hands, accompanied with prayer, but also by the unction of chrism; and that the oil of chrism was solemnly blessed by the bishops of the church. (See note 1.)

It is a fact, that the particular confession of sins, which had been committed after baptism, and the sacramental absolution of penitent sinners, were practised in the primitive times. (See note K.)

It is a fact, that the fast of Lent, or of forty days before Easter, is an apostolical institution, by which the manner of observing the law of penance was practically determined; as it is also a fact, that this fast was observed, in the earliest ages, by the whole Christian church, as a duty of conscientious obligation. (See note L.)

It is a fact, that the sacred rites of holy orders, of matrimony, and of extreme unction, were administered in the earliest ages of the church, as sacraments or institutions of Christ, by which grace was conferred on the ministers of the church, on persons contracting the matrimonial engagement, and on the faithful, when in danger of death, that they might be strengthened to perform the duties of the sacerdotal and matrimonial states of life, and to die happily. (See note M.)

It is an historical fact, that in the most primitive times, the particular church of Rome was considered as the first church in the Christian world; with which, on account of its superior authority, it was necessary that every other particular church, and the faithful disciples of Christ, wherever they were dispersed, should be in communion. (See note N.)

It is an historical fact, that from the earliest ages the bishops of Rome, as successors of St. Peter, have been ever acknowledged as the supreme rulers on earth of the whole church of Christ; and that they have, in all ages, exercised an acknowledged spiritual jurisdiction, as of divine right, in every part of the church, wherever the state of affairs called for the exercise of their authority, in order to preserve unity in faith, and in ecclesiastical government, and to enforce, in all nations, the observance of the law of Christ. (See note O.)

Therefore it is an historical fact that the same doctrines of faith, the same sacrifice, the same sacraments, and the same form of ecclesiastical government, which at the present time are uniformly professed, administered, and observed in every part of the world, by that church, which is in communion with the see of Rome, may be traced back in the ecclesiastical history of every Christian country, from the present period up to the first establishment of Christianity in that country, as always and uniformly the same; or at least, that they may be traced back so far, that no later date of the first introduction of these doctrines and religious institutions can be truly assigned, than the period of the first conversion of those countries to the faith of Christ.

It appears, therefore, clear, that the doctrines of faith, which are at present taught in all Catholic churches throughout the world, may be traced back, like streams of water, from every place where they are now flowing, up to one common apostolical source; they are as so many rays of light diverging from one common centre. This faith is Catholic; it is universally one and the same, just like the light of the sun diffusing itself over the whole earth.

CHAPTER IV.

ΤΟ

UNITY AND UNIVERSALITY CONSIDERED IN RESPECT CHURCHES SEPARATED FROM THE COMMUNION OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.-Unity and Universality are not found in all, or any of those particular Churches, which are separated from the Communion of the See of Rome.

THIS assertion does not, any more than the preceding, relate directly and in the first instance, to the question concerning the quality of the doctrines, religious rites and observances of all, or of any of the churches alluded to, viz. whether they be true or false, religious or superstitious, good or bad; but it is again, in the first instance, merely a question of fact, viz. whether unity and universality are actually found in all, or in any one of those particular churches, which are separated from the communion of the church of Rome; or first, whether these, taken collectively, are all united together at the present time, by the uniform profession of the same articles of faith, by the same spiritual communion, and by submission to the same spiritual authority; and also, whether their present faith, communion, and ecclesiastical discipline can be regularly traced back through all past ages to the first ages of Christianity, or to the period of the first establishment of Christianity in the countries, where all these particular churches, which are separated from the church of Rome, exist. And secondly, if this cannot be verified in the state of these churches, taken collectively, whether it can be verified in any one of them, taken separately.

The present question of fact may indeed affect the quality of the doctrines of all or any of these churches, but only on this general principle, that two contradictory propositions cannot both be true or both false, at the same time.

Hence it will follow, that if any one of those churches do teach a doctrine of faith contradictory to that of another church, then the one or the other of these churches is in error on that point. If these churches collectively, or any one of them

individually, teach a doctrine contradictory to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic church, either these churches are, or one of them is, in error on that point, or else the church of Rome.

The first point, therefore, which we are inquiring into is this, whether the churches in question, taken collectively, are all united together, at the present time, by the uniform profession of the same articles of faith, by the same religious communion, and by submission to the same ecclesiastical authority?

It is difficult to conceive how all those churches can be well united together in the profession of the same articles of faith, which hold as a general and fundamental principle, that every man is at liberty to determine, by his own private reason and judgment, what doctrines are, and what are not, articles of faith. Under the guidance of this principle, it is not reasonable to expect much unity in faith amongst these churches, or amongst the individual members of each particular congregation or sect.

But if we consider these churches collectively, and observe the titles and denominations which they have assumed, and the distinguishing tenets which, by their titles, they are understood to profess, we cannot help seeing that there is neither unity nor universality in faith, communion, or discipline, among them.

It is an existing fact, that among the churches separated from the communion of the church of Rome, one is called the Lutheran, another the Calvinist; one the Presbyterian, another the Episcopalian; one the Anabaptist, another the Quaker; one the Moravian, another the Independent; one the Methodist, another the Socinian; one the Unitarian, another the Church of England; in short, that the churches are divided and subdivided into a countless number of sections of different religious denominations, still multiplying and increasing every day.

It is an existing fact, that the distinguishing tenets which each of these churches professes, are in contradiction one to the other that one professes to believe in the doctrine of the Trinity, and another to deny it; that one professes to admit the divinity of Christ, and another to reject it; that one professes the doctrine of original sin, and another condemns it; that one admits baptism in water, and another only the bap