X27) Communionof the whole Church ; 4. Theexprefs words, and the Context and fenfe fully thew that it is perfonal prefent Communion that is here fpoken of, and therefore in one place. 5. The common ufe of the word in other Writers, fheweth it, (as beingintra vet extra Altare, and Petting up Altere con- tra Altare, that is feparated Affemblies for fuch Communion. (6. The molt learned and famous Expofitors fo expound it ; fuch as Mailer Mede before ci- ted, and Arch-Bithop Vther and others. y. The Contradi6tors can feign no other probable fenfe. For, i. Ifby the Altar they fay is meant [ One Chrifl,] 2. or one Specks ofAl- tars, there are before confuted, and are palpably falfe. He that is in another part of the World may come to an Altar of the fame fpecies, which is nothing to the unity ofa particular Church here fpoken of. 3. If they fay, It io called one Altar becaufe under one Bithop, this makethnot many to be one, no more than many Temples. And if tropically it were fo meant, it would be but a vain repetition, One Bithop being mentioned betides. And it is an Altar which the Bithopwith his Presbytery is fuppofed to be prefent at, which cannot be All in a Diocefs called One. Partiality can give no other probable fenfe. Objeâ. a. One Church it is known had many Altars. Anfw. Not then ; no nor long after except at Rome and Alexandria : and then they werebut as parts ofChappels, and not of Churches. Objeët. 2. It it faid álfo, There it one Body ofChrift and one Cup, which can- not be meant literally. Anfw. It is well called One agreeably to our prefent fence : For, r.. It is one and the fame Bread, though not one piece, which is there prefent, confe- crated and divided to them all ; and one Cup or prefent quantity of Wine which is there diílributed among them. 2. And it is One body and blood or facrificed Chrift, which is in everyChurch reprefented and offered by One Bi- fhop at one Altar. This doth but confirmour Expofition. But what can be fo plainas to convince the prejudiced and unwilling ? 2. Pag. 45. he willeth [" the Church to find a Deacon to Antioch as other neighbour Churches fent Bithops, and fame Presbyters and Deacons.] And can any man think that a Diocefs met to chufe a Deacon to go on-a vifit,or that it was a Diocefane Bithopthat was Pent by a Diocefs, yea that all thefeneighbour Churches that Pent them were fo manyDiocetfes? VI. The next is the Epifile ad Tralleflos. Where he faith ofthe Bithopthat came to him, [That befaw allthe multitude inhim ; ] that is, the Affembly. And as before he bids them, [Do nothing without the Bithop, and befubjeEl to the Presbytery ; and that as to the Counfel ofGod, and Conjunelion of "'potties] ad- ding, [For without thefe the Church is not called: ] what can be plainer to, thew that it was a Church that had a prefent &ifhop and Council of Presbyters conjun/l, without whom the Church was not lawfully called together -? So that eve. ry Church had fuch. 2. Andpag. 5o. he faith again, ( Not inflated, but beinginfeparable fromGod, Jefue:Chr /, and the Bithop and the Orders of the Apofiles (that is, the Confers of D 2 Presbyters)
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