( gs) places called Churches, where there were Altars', or ordinary Church- Cominu- nion in the Lord's Supper. (Or rather it is doubtful whether the nameof Al- tars with the form were introduced till two hundred-Years-after Chrift, which maketh fome the more quellion the Antiquity of Ignatius andClem. Con,fl. and Can. Apoft.) I yield to Baronies (adAn.57.) that the Chriflians had Churches, that is, places confecrated for Church-Affemblies, under thofe peaceable Em- perors that went before Dioclefian : For Eufebius ( beidesothers) exprefly tel- leth us fo : Spaciofas & amplas conftruxerunt Ecclefiai : But I delire the Reader to mark his words. " Lib. 8. cap. r. [ Aman might then have feen the Bi " (hops of all Churches in great reverence and favour among all fortsof Men, and withall Magiftrates : Who can worthily defcribethofe innumerable heaps " and flocking multitudes through all Cities and famous Af emblies frequenting " the places dedicated to Prayer ? Becaufe of which Circumflances, they not " contented with the old and ancient Buildings, which could not receive them, "have through all Cities builded them from the Foundation wide and "ample Churches.] Here note, r. That here is no mention ofany more Churches than one in each City : Cities and Affemblies arenumbered together. 2. That thefe Buildings are called Churches. 3. That thefe Churches were built greater than the old ones anew from the Foundation, becaufe the old ones were too narrow to contain the People : But not fuperadded to the old ones. 4. That the Bithops are called 7'he Bithops of all Churches in relation to the fame kind ofChurches as are here defcribed. So that then a Bithop's Church met in one enlarged place. Yet all thefe wereno Temples ; but fuck as the filenced Miniflers have of late built in force parts of London ; for the Chriflians were in continual dan- ger ofthe demolifhing ofthem : which fell out in Dioclefian's time. But till this Calm which Eufébius heredefcribeth, for about two hundred and fifty Years after Chrifl,. the Chriftians oft met in Vaults and ferret places, where they might be hid, and not in open Churches, unlefs now and then in a Calm between. Platina in vit. Xifti, tells us, that even at Rome it felf about the Year 120. therewere few found that durfi profefs the Name of Chrift. And fee what he faith, In Vita Clement. r. & Amulet. &Mantuan. lib. r. faftor. de Clem. A-, nacl.Evarilt. Alex. Xàft.Califl.Vrban. &c. In whole times, Killing, Bani[h- ing and Perfecuting caufed Scatterings, hidings, and as Pliny tells us many A- poflafies. See what Geri: Bucer faith, pag. 221, 222, 223. of all the Ages -now in quellion about this matter : As Tertullian faith, Apol. c. 3. adeo in ho- minibus innocuis, nomen innocuum Brat odio : Did the Rabble but fee or hear the Chriflians, they were raged againil them, and cried to the Judges, Tallite impios. Saith Pilydor. Virgil. de invent, rer. 1. 5. c. 6. Rome non reperio quod feiam abed antiquitu templum edificatum aut dicatum, eel ad ufem Sacrorumfu<fi cón- verfum, quam Thermas Novati in vico patricio, qua Pius Pontifex Praxidis eximir fanelitatisfamine rogatu,dive Pudentian.e ejusSorori confecravit ; qui fuit annue eir- cater 15o. But the name Templuvz here is not uCd by Polydore as by the An- cients,
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