Mr. Richard Baxter's last legacy in select admonitions and directions to all sober dissenters

Of the Communion-Table, &c.

Q. 123. May the Communion Tables be turned Altarwise? and railed in? ¹and is it lawful to come up to the Rails to Communicate? Answ. 1. God hath not given a particular command, or prohibition about these Circumstances, but only general rules for Edification, Unity, Decency and Order. 2. They that do it out of a design to draw Men to Popery, or to encourage Men in it, do sin. 3. So do they, that rail in the Table, to signify, that Lay-Christians must not come to it, but be kept at a distance. 4. But where there are no such ⟨p. 25⟩ends, but only to imitate the Ancients, that did thus, and to show reverence to the Table on the account of the Sacrament, by keeping away Dogs, keeping Boys from sitting on it; and the professed Doctrine of the Church condemneth Transubstantiation, the real Corporal-presence, &c. in this case Christians should take these, for such as they are, indifferent things, and not censure or condemn each other for them. 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, Situation, and Rail, is unsound; 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. Whether we shall receive the Lord's Supper at a Table, or in our Seats? Whether the Table shall be of Wood or Stone, Round or Long, or Square? Whether it shall stand on the East or West side of the Temple, or in the middle? Whether it shall have Rails, or no Rails? All these are left to Humane Prudence. As for standing at the reading of the Gospel, Page 148. he says, If I live where Rulers peremptorily command it, as a signified consent to the Gospel, I would obey them rather than give offence. And for kneeling when the Decalogue is read: That the thing it self is lawful, is past doubt;