A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.

Quest. 123. May the Communion-Tables be turned Altar-wise? and Railed in? And is it lawful to come up to the Rails to Communicate?

Answ. THe answer to this is mostly the same with that to the foregoing question. 1. God hath given us no particular Command or prohibition about these circumstances; but the General Rules, for Unity, Edification, Order and Decency: Whether the Table shall stand this way or that way, here or there, &c. he hath not particularly determined.

2. They that turn the Table Altar-wise and Rail it in, out of a design to draw men to Popery, or in a scandalous way which will encourage men to, or in Popery, do sin.

3. So do they that Rail in the Table to signifie that the Vulgar or Lay-Christians must not come to it, but be kept at a distance; when Christ in his personal presence admitted his disciples to commu∣nicate at the Table with himself.

4. But where there are no such ends, but only to imitate the Antients that did thus, and to shew

reverence to the Table on the account of the Sacrament, by keeping away Dogs, keeping Boyes from s••ting on it: And the professed doctrine of the Church condemneth Transubstantiation, the Real Corporal presence, &c. (as ours doth). In this case Christians should take these for such as they are, Indifferent things, and not censure or condemn each other for them; nor should any force them upon those that think them unlawful.

5. And to communicate is not only lawful in this case, where we cannot prove that the Minister sinneth, but even when we suspect an ill design in him, which we cannot prove; yea, or when we can prove that his personal interpretation of the place, name, scituation and rails is unfound: For we assemble there to communicate in, and according to the professed doctrine of Christianity and the Churches, and our own open profession, and not after every private opinion and error of the Minister. As I may receive from an Anabaptist or Separatist notwithstanding his personal errors; so may I from another man, whose error destroyeth not his Ministry, nor the Ordinance, as long as I consent not to it, yea, and with the Church profess my dissent.

6. Yet caeteris paribus, every free man that hath his choice, should choose to communicate ra∣ther where there is most purity and least error, than with those that swarve more from re∣gular exactness.