264 10elation oftbe Apocalypfe. C A P. 8. This thenwas that which the Holy mendefired, That the prefent controverfies might be decided,and the jars taken away by calling a Synode together, and that future evills might be prevented. Epipha- nito recordeth, that e/Ilexander the Bithop of Alexandria, didfa/mite Con/lantine, and earneflly befeech him to call a Synode, and that not of himfelfe, but by the common confent of the other BifhopsWhom he had confialted With in thin cafe,Booke 2. Totn.a.Heref.6t.Ruffia. Book. r. Chap. i. Out ofwhich a man may fee what was the common with of all men. C'onfl,tntine onely next to God, Was able to giveodour,. to this with ; that is, to bringit to fome happy effec`f, as Eufebiiu faith, It Wau in the polder of Almighty god alone, to remedy theft evils, and the only hopeful! inflrument for god toeffell this lògreat a benefit, did Conflantine appeare to be upon the earth, on the life ofCorft.Booke.3. 'Upon the golden Altar. That is, the Altar ofincenfe, Which Was be- fore the vaile, Exod. 30. 3. Here it noteth out a choyce company of the Saints, the firR fruits ofthe world, as Eu, e6iur fpeaketh, to wit, in as much as this Aflembly did Rand in the roome, of the moll holy place, as of old the golden Altar wealet before the Valle. And indeed, this Mutably ofmoR holy men, may by right be called agolden ,l_ tar, as whofe folemne meeting cometh next to the Majefy of God in likneffe,and in which the vifible gloryofGod dothChine forth ve- ry greatly : For, as Ch rift faith, where tWo or three are gathered toge- ther in my Name, there am I in the rnidil ofthem, Matth. 18. 19. It muff needs be therefore, that thisAlterably had the next place to the Holyof Holies, in the midíf whereof(brig himfelfe did fit. Which ù before the Throne. Within the compafhe ofthe Elders, for that is here, and elfewhere, laid to be before the Throne : which whole fpace God will have to be proper to the Eled upon earth, Who doe cleave next to the hig,hthThrone, and ,prof, further off by the coming of Angels between. 4. 2W thefmobe of the odours afcended. Hitherto ofthe prepa- ration of the Angel : Now followes his Minifiery ; and firft, as touching the EIeil, in this verle, in refpat of whom the fatol of the odours is laid to afcend; that is, they were made partakers of that thing which they did fo greatly delire. The reafon of fpeaking,is taken from the fame rite ofthe Levitical! Priefhood,Whore fimilitude hefull ssfeth. Once every ',core Was the Confer to be brought Within the Vaile, that the cloudof the Odours might cover tfoe Mercy,- feat Which it above the Arkof the tefzimouy,thao fò the Pricfl might not die, Levit.a 6, t 2, 13. Th: incenfe al, ô Was to 6e barrned every moral: 1,hcn
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