3. Palmer (Vol. 2. p. 76) says "It is not essential to the validity
of the Sacrament, that the bread should be whole and entire before
consecration, and broken afterwards: but the Universal practice of
the Christian church, derived from the apostles and from Jesus Christ
himself ought not to be infringed in this matter". Yet even Bp.
Middleton whom he quotes in the same page, says "When there were
many communicants, _in primitive times, there were several cakes or
loaves_, in proportion to the number: and it took some time after the
consecration was finished, to break and divide them for distribution".
Each person communicated from his own offering: hence S. Augustine
says "Erubescere debet homo idoneus si de aliena oblatione
communicaverit" Serm. 215 de Temp, any longer justification of the
general practice of the Roman church would therefore be superfluous.]

[Footnote 61: "From the frequent mention of _oil_ in scripture as the
emblem of spiritual gifts it was actually used in the primitive church
in the ceremonies of admitting catechumens, and in baptising". Tracts
of the Times, Vol. 1, no. 34.]

[Footnote 62: Our ardent love of this classic soil tempts us to insert
the following noble instance from Cicero (pro Milone XXXI) "Vos enim
jam _Albani_ tumuli atque luci vos, inquam, imploro alque tester
vosque Albanorum obrutæ aræ, sacrorum populi Romani sociæ et æquales,
quas ille præceps amentia cæsis prostratisque sanctissimi lucis
substructionum insanis molibus oppresserat: vestræ tum aræ, vestræ
religiones viguerunt, vestra vis valuit, quam ille (Clodius) omni
scelere polluarat: tuque ex tuo edito monte, Latiaris sancte Jupiter,
cujus ille lacus, nemora, finesque sæpe omni nefario stupro et scelere
macularat, aliquaudo ad eum puniendum oculos aperuisti: vobis illæ,
vobis vestro in conspecta seræ sed justæ tamen et debitæ pænæ solutæ