MATTHEW W R E N, D. D. 8z

To the Seventh Article this Defendant answereth and denicth, that he en-join’d all the People to do Reverence before the holy Table placed altarwise.

But he faith, that by his Articles he only inquired, whether the Communi-cants did come up reverently before the Lord’s Table, and not sit still in theirPews to be sought all the Church over. And afterwards understanding by thePresentments, that in most of the Churches there was (by the Vicar-general’sOrder) a Rail before the Table, then his Direction upon the Suppolal, wasnecessary to be, that all Communicants should come up reverently and kneelbefore the Rail to receive the holy Communion.

And this he did upon these Grounds, i. The Conformity and Obedienceto the Rules of the Church as he humbly conceiveth ; for the Words of theInvitation before the Sacrament, are [to draw near ] and then, if there be aRail, that implies an Access to the Rail. For this Exhortation [to draw near~\is not to be understood, as made to the People beneath in the Church, for themto come nearer, that is to come up into the Chancel: But it was made, whenby Occasion of having offered, the Communicants were all present in the Chan-c ct, and ready to communicate, and yet they are required to draw nearer. Thisappears by the Rubrick after the Offertory in King Edward’s Service-book, di-recting that as many as mind not to receive the Communion shall depart outof the Choir, into the Church ; but the Communicants shall tarry there still,nigh unto it, and therefore to them that stood there, is that Exhortation after-ward spoken [draw nears\ it is also by our Service- book expresly call’d comingto the Table. As in the Prayer before the Consecration, we do mt presume tocome to this thy Table ; and before that in the third Exhortation, bewail yourSins, or come not to this holy Table: And before that in the second Rubrickfor the Order of Administration, in no wife presume to come to the Lord’sTable, &c.

2. For Uniformity among themselves; for where the most of the Parishio-ners did of themselves voluntarily come up before the Table, to receive theblessed Sacrament, there as he humbly conceiveth it might reasonably be de-sired of all the rest, that they would do so too, ne ejj'et j'chisma, to take awayall occasion of Difference and Division, especially in the holy Business.

3 * ^ or mu ^.b Convenience, i. Thereby to avoid all hazard of spilling theBread and Wine, consecrated for the holy Communion, which many times

happened by carrying the fame about.-2. Thereby to discover Recusants:

For in great and numerous Congregations, the Churchwardens had no suchready way to find, who did never communicate, as to stand by and take noticeof those which came before the Table to receive. 3. Thereby to discover asWell those that refused to kneel reverently, at the receiving, as those that afterthe Delivery of the Bread and Wine to them, yet would not partake of thelanae. 4. To avoid all other kind of lewd Demeanours, wherewith somehad been charged, as done by the Opportunity of carrying the Sacrament toprivate Seats. 5. For a readier Dispatch of the Service, Experience havingmewed them that in great Parishes, where one Man was to administer to two°r three Hundred, they did finish sooner, by an Hour or more in doing itthus j which was to the great Ease both of the Minister and the Communi-sts. For more convenience of the Communicants. For whereas themjunctio ns of Queen Elizabeth take care to have the Table so ordered, asthat the Communicants may more conveniently, and in more Number com-municate with the Minister, this Direction to have the People come up beforethe Table, did much conduce thereunto. But if they might remain wherethey would, and expect to have the Sacrament brought unto them, no Caret en yeeded to be taken where the Table should stand.

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