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Why should we be more obliged to imitate the Pofture of our Saviour and his Apostles, in receiving the holy Sacrament, than to imitate the Time, the Place, the Habit in which they did it? Ought there not to be as much Regard had to thefe Circumstances in any Action as to the former? Are they not all of equal Moment and Confideration? If I must be bound to partake of the holy Supper only in that Pofture in which it was instituted, and taken at firft by our Lord and his Apoftles, then I muft likewise, by Parity of Reason, be bound to receive it in fuch a Place as they did, that is to fay, not in a Church, but in a Chamber. I must be bound to receive it at the Time that they did, that is to fay, not in the Morning and fafting, but after Supper. The Minifter that gives it me ought to have on fuch a Habit as our Saviour had, that is to fay, a long woven Robe without Seam, and not a Gown or Surplice. But now fince none do think themselves obliged to obferve these Things, why should they think themselves fo tied up as to the other? unless they can fhew that there is fomething peculiar and particularly obligatory in this Circumftance of Gesture, which there is not in the other three. But this no Man has ever yet fhew'd, nor, I believe, ever will.

But I would farther ask these our Brethren, Do they themselves observe that

Law which they would impofe upon others? Do they use that Gesture in taking the holy Supper that our Saviour and his Apoftles did? If what they fay be true, namely, that the Apostles received the Sacrament at our Saviour's Hands in a Table Pofture, then I am fure they do not. For the Pofture which our Saviour and his Apostles used in taking their Meals, was not fitting, as we practife, but lying or leaning on a Couch. As may be proved from feveral Texts of Scripture; and particularly from the Account that is given by St. John, of this very laft Supper of our Saviour's. But now I never heard that any of our Brethren ufed to receive the Sacrament in this Pofture, but they do it either fitting or ftanding, which is a quite different Gesture. But in Answer to this, they fay, that we are not obliged to obferve precifely that particular Pofture that our Saviour ufed, but only in general, that Pofture which is used at Meals, because he did fo. Now the Cuftom of our Country is to take our Meals fitting, and therefore in ufing that Posture at the Sacrament, we do fufficiently follow our Saviour's Example.

To this I reply firft, that this is gratis dictum; thofe that fay this, can give no Reason why they fay fo. If the Principle they build their Notion upon will hold Water, it will every Jot as much prove the

Neceffity

Neceffity of imitating Chrift in the particular Posture he ufed, as of imitating him in the general, that is to fay, obferving the common Table Pofture ufed in our Country.

But further; If the general received Pofture at Meals be the only allowable Pofture of receiving the Sacrament (as muft be concluded from this Doctrine, if any Thing can be concluded from it) then what will become of them that receive the Sacrament ftanding (as many do) that is no more the common Pofture at Meals than kneeling is. It is fitting that hath univerfally prevailed in our Country; and therefore to receive the Sacrament ftanding, or in any other Posture but fitting, must, according to this Doctrine, be irregular; which yet, I hope, none of them will affirm. But, laftly, to conclude; Pray let this be confider'd: Why should the Custom of any Country be fufficient to make ftanding or fitting to come in the Place of lying or leaning at the Sacrament, and yet the publick Law of a Nation fhall not be able to do as much for kneeling? Shall not a Law made by publick Authority, and confirmed by long Ufage of the Church, have the fame Force to establish kneeling in the Place of fitting, (there being no more Unlawfulness in the one Pofture than in the other) as a Custom brought in by little and

little,

little, and without any publick Authority, had to bring in fitting in the Place of leaning?

But I am fenfible I tire you with being fo long upon this Head. All the Apology I have to make, is, that I thought it would ferve fome Purpose to make this Matter as plain as was poffible.

I have now done with my Cafes of Confcience concerning the Extent of our Obligation to follow Chrift's Example, which, you fee, I have refolved in fix Proposi

tions.

The next Thing I am to do, is to propose fome of thofe Virtues which our Saviour was most eminent for, and which are of the greatest Ufe in human Life, and ferioufly to recommend them to your Imitation.

I pray God give a Bleffing to what has been faid.

Now to God, &c.

SER

SERMON III.

Chrift's Piety, and Diligence, and
Charity.

1 PET. ii. 21.

Leaving us an Example, that we should follow his Steps.

HAVE made two Sermons upon this Text. In the firft of them, I laid before you in general the great Obligation that lies. upon us to follow our Lord's Example. In the second, I endeavoured to fhew the Extent of this Obligation; how far, and in what Inftances Chrift's Life was an Example to us; in what Cafes we are obliged to the Imitation of it, and in what Cafes not. I now come to the third Thing I proposed upon this Text, and which indeed is the principal Thing I intended when I first pitched upon it; and

that

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