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Chap. VI. book; though in feveral fealed books which I have collated myself, I have always found it One, as it is generally in the common books. However, the words, as they are, are not a tautology, (as some object,) but very copious and elegant, and alluding to that portion of Scripture in Hebrews x. where the One Oblation of Chrift is opposed to the many kinds of facrifices under the Law, and the once offered to the repetition of those facrifices.

The Mini

at this

nion-office.

§. 5. Dr. Nichols, in his note upon this prayer, has defter to ftand livered his opinion, that it ought to be faid by the MiniPrayer, and fter upon his knees; and the reafon he gives for it is, bein the Poft-cause it is a prayer. But that reafon would hold for Commu- kneeling at feveral other prayers both in this and in other offices, which yet the rubric directs fhall be ufed ftanding. As to this prayer indeed, the rubric does not mention any posture that the Minifter fhall be in at the faying it: for as to those words, Standing before the Table, I am of opinion, that they only relate to the posture of the Minifter, whilft he is ordering the Elements: though in the Old Common Prayer-Book it is very plain that they referred to the posture in which the Minifter was to say the prayer; the rubric then being no more than this, Then the Minifier Standing up, fhall Jay as followeth. The rubric in the Scotch Liturgy is fomething larger, but, as I fhall fhew in the next paragraph, directly orders the Prieft to ftand. But as the rubric is now enlarged, the construction fhews that the word standing muft refer to another thing. However, fince the rubric, before the additions to it, was fo very express for the Minifter's ftanding at the Confecration; I think it is very probable, that if they who made those additions had intended any alteration of the posture, they would certainly have expreffed it. For Minifters that had been always used to stand when they confecrated, could never imagine that the new rubric directed them to kneel, when there was not one word of kneeling, but an express direction for standing, at the ordering of the Elements, without any following prefcription for kneeling at this prayer, even in this new rubric. And I take it for granted, that whenever the church does not direct the Minister to kneel, it supposes him to stand. Though Dr. Nichols will not allow of this; "becaufe," he fays, "there is not one rubric which obliges the Mi"nifter to kneel in all the Poft-Communion fervice; and yet he does not know any one that has contended for "the pofture of standing in the performance of that part

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"of the fervice." What the Doctor has known I cannot tell: but I can affirm the direct contrary, that I never knew one that contended for the pofture of kneeling in the performance of that part of the fervice. But if any have done fo, I am apt to think, that they act contrary to the intention of the church. For that the fuppofes the Minister to ftand during that part of the fervice, I think is plain from her not ordering him to ftand up whilst he gives the bleffing, which the certainly would have done, if the had fuppofed him to have been kneeling before. And indeed in moft part of the whole Communion office the Prieft is directed to ftand. In the beginning of the office he is ordered to fay the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect following, ftanding; and fo he is to continue whilft he repeats the Commandments: then follows one of the two Collects for the King, the Prieft ftanding as before. Whilft he fays the prayer for the whole ftate of Chrift's Church, there is no pofture mentioned: but fince both the Sentences before it, and the exhortation (at the time of Communion) after it, are without doubt to be faid standing, and yet no mention made that there fhall be any change of pofture during all that time; it seems very evident that the church defigned that prayer to be faid ftanding. At the general Confeffion indeed it is very fit that the Minifter fhould kneel, and therefore he is there directed to do fo. And though any one knows in reason that he should ftand at the Abfolution, yet that too is particularly mentioned in the rubric. From thence again to the Addrefs, before the prayer of Confecration, that being all an act of praife, he is to ftand: but there again he is directed to kneel: but then at the end of it he is ordered to stand up, and, after the ordering of the Bread and Wine, to say the Prayer of Confecration, without any direction to kneel. Nor indeed would that be a proper posture for him whilst he is performing an act of authority, as the confecrating the Elements must be allowed to be. Nor is he from hence to the end of the office to kneel any more, except juft during the time of his own receiving. So that through the whole office he is ordered to kneel but three times, viz. at the general Confeffion, the Prayer of Address, and at his receiving the Elements: which being three places where there least wants a rubric to direct him to kneel, (fince, if there was no fuch rubric, a Minister would of his own accord kneel down at thofe times,) and yet there being an express direction at each of thofe places for him to kneel; it is very evident, that where the ru

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Sect.

XXII.

Chap. VI. bric gives no fuch direction, the Minifter is always to

Whether the Prieft

standing

Altar.

Stand.

§. 6. If it be asked whether the Priest is to fay this be to fay prayer ftanding before the Table, or at the North-end of this prayer it; I anfwer, at the North-end of it: for, according to the rules of grammar, the participle standing muft refer before the to the verb ordered, and not to the verb Jay. So that whilst the Priest is ordering the Bread and Wine, he is to ftand before the Table: but when he fays the Prayer, he is to stand so as that he may with the more readiness and decency break the Bread before the People, which must be on the North-fide. For if he ftood before the Table, his body would hinder the people from feeing: fo that he must not stand there; and confequently he must stand on the North-fide; there being, in our prefent rubric, no other place mentioned for performing any part of this office. In the Romish church indeed they always ftand before the Altar during the time of Confecration; in order to prevent the people from being eye-witneffes of their operation in working their pretended miracle: and in the Greek church they fhut the chancel door, or at least draw a veil or curtain before it, I fuppofe, upon the fame accounts. But our church, that pretends no fuch miracle, enjoins, we see, the direct contrary to this, by ordering the Priest so to order the Bread and Wine, that he may with the more readiness and decency break the Bread, and take the Cup into his hands, before the People. And with this view, it is probable, the Scotch Liturgy ordered, that during the time of Confecration the Prefbyter fhould fland at Such a part of the holy Table, where he may with the more eafe and decency ufe both his hands.

The holy

to be de

the Minifter to

SECT. XXIII. Of the Form of Adminiftration. THE holy Symbols being thus confecrated, the ComElements municants must not rudely take every one his own livered by part; becaufe God, who is the mafter of the feast, hath provided Stewards to divide to every one their portion. Some perfons indeed have disliked the Minister's delivering the each Com- holy Elements to each Communicant; pretending that it is contrary to the practice of our Saviour, who bid the Apoftles take the Cup and divide it among themselves $6. But one would think that any one that reads the context would perceive that this paffage does not relate to the Eucharift, but to the Pafchal Supper; fince it appears fo

municant.

85 Smith's Account of the Greek Church, page 135.

86 Luke xxii. 17.

86

evidently

Sect.

evidently from the nineteenth and twentieth verses of the fame chapter, that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper_XXIII. was not inftituted till after that Cup was drank. But as to the manner of his delivering the Sacrament, the Scriptures are wholly filent; and confequently we have no other means to judge what it was, but by the practice of the first Christians, who doubtlefs, as far as was convenient and requifite, imitated our Saviour in this as well as they did in other things: and therefore fince it was the general practice among them for the Minifter to deliver the Elements to each Communicant, we have as much authority and reafon as can be defired to continue that practice ftill.

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§. 2. The Minifter therefore that celebrateth is first to Firft to the receive the Communion in both kinds himself; then to proceed Clergy, to deliver the fame to the Bishops, Priefts, and Deacons, in like manner, (i. e. in both kinds,) if any be prefent, (that they may help the chief Minifter, as the old Common Prayer has it, or him that celebrateth, as it is in the Scotch Liturgy,) and after that to the People alfo in order. And this is con- And then fonant to the practice of the primitive Church, in which to the Peoit was always the cuftom for the Clergy to communicate ple, within the rails of the Altar, and before the Sacrament was delivered to the People $7.

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§. 3. The rubric farther directs, that the Communion Into their must be delivered both to the Clergy and Laity into their hands. hands; which was the most primitive and ancient way of receiving In St. Cyril's time they received it into the hollow of their right hand, holding their left hand under their right in the form of a crofs 59. And in fome few ages afterwards, fome indifcreet perfons pretending greater reverence to the Elements, as if they were defiled with their hands, put themfelves to the charges of providing little faucers or plates of gold to receive the Bread, until they were forbidden by the fixth general council 9°. Another abuse the church of Rome brought in, where the Priest puts it into the people's mouths, left a crumb should fall afide; which cuftom was alfo retained in the first book of King Edward VI. though a different reason was there alledged; the rubric ordering that although it be read in ancient writers that the People many years past re

87 Conft. Apoft. 1. 8. c. 13. Concil. Laod. Can. 19. Concil. Tolet. 4. Can. 17.

88 Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. 1. 6. c. 43. p. 245. B. Chryf. in Ephef. i. Hom. 3.

x 3

tom. iii. p. 778. lin. 16.

89 Cyril. Catech. Mystag. 5. §. 18. P. 300.

90 Can. 101. tom. 6. col. 1186. A.

ceived,

Chap. VI. ceived, at the Priest's hands, the Sacrament of the Body of Chrift in their own hands, and no commandment of Chrift to the contrary; yet forafmuch as they many times conveyed the fame fecretly away, kept it with them, and diverfely abused it to fuperftition and wickedness: left any fuch thing hereafter Should be attempted, and that an uniformity might be used throughout the whole realm, it was thought convenient the people should commonly receive the Sacrament of Chrift's Body in their mouths, at the Prieft's hand1. But however Bucer cenfuring it, as favouring too much of an unlawful honour done to the Elements 92, it was discontinued at the next review, when the old primitive way of delivering it into the people's hands was ordered in the room of it. The Apo- §. 4. The Communicants are enjoined, whilft they reAles proba- ceive this bleffed Sacrament, to be all meekly kneeling. in a pofture What pofture the Apoftles received it in, is uncertain; but

bly received

of adora

tion.

we may probably conjecture that they received it in a pofture of adoration. For it is plain that our Saviour bleffed and gave thanks both for the Bread and Wine; and prayers and thanksgivings, we all know, were always offered up to God in a pofture of adoration: and therefore we may very fafely conclude that our bleffed Saviour, who was always remarkable for outward reverence in devotion, gave thanks for the Bread and Wine in an adoring pofture.

Now it is very well known that it was a rule with the Jews to eat of the Paffover to fatiety: and therefore, fince they had already fatisfied hunger, they cannot be suppofed to have eaten or drank fo much of the holy Eucharift as that they needed repofe while they did it and fince, as we have already hinted, they rofe from their feats to blefs the Bread, it cannot be imagined, that, without any reason, they would refolve to fit down again during the moment of eating it; and then, though they rofe immediately a fecond time at the bleffing, which was performed before the delivery of the Cup, that they immediately fat down again to taste the Wine, as if they could neither eat nor drink the smallest quantity without fitting.

This indeed does not amount to a demonstration, but is yet a very probable conjecture; and fhews how groundlefsly they argue, who, from the Apoftles eating the Paffover fitting or leaning upon the left fide, (which was the

91 See the laft rubric at the end of the Communion-office in King

Edward's firft book.
92 Script. Anglican. p. 462.
table-

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