Places in Scripture concerning it, I never heard any fingle Quaker fay it might not be of Benefit ; for, to those who reft not fhort of the Heavenly, this Earthly Bread can be no way burtful, though it be unneceffary: Since the Performance of an imagined Duty will afford the fame Satisfaction of Mind as the Performance of a commanded one; the Sincerity of the Intention being the fame in each Cafe, and acceptable to Heaven, whatever Conftruction Men may chufe to put upon it.

FROM hence it appears, in a great meafure, how little we have merited that Virulence and those Hard Names with which we have been treated, for not seeing with the fame Eyes that others do in Relation to this Communion; whilft we have thought very favourably of their differing from us! How often, for our Practice on this Article, are we ftripped of the Christian Name, rank'd among the vileft Infidels and Apoftates, and pronounced unfit for Society! Nay, fuch is the Fondness of Mankind for their own fettled Opinions, Right or Wrong, that, for many Years, whatever we preached or practifed was prefently declared to be wrong, and contrary to Scripture, for no other Caufe than our Preaching or Practifing it. A very flagrant Example of which is, that Contempt of the HOLY SPIRIT which, twenty Years ago, fo univerfally reigned among the Vulgar of the Established Church, to the great Scandal of all who encouraged it, and in open Contradiction to the Principles of that Church which they fancied they were thereby ferving. And equally unchristian has been the Treatment we have met with on account of Baptifm and the Supper.--Heat on any Religious Subject is highly to be blamed; but in regard to thefe it is even ridiculous; fince what you call my Non-performance of them, must neceffarily be no more than an Error G

of

of Judgment, if it be an Error; for you cannot believe me in my Senfes, even as to my own Intereft, which too generally prevails, and believe alfo that I neglect an attainable and infallible Means of Happiness. Happiness is what we naturally purfue; and if in a Point of Religion a Man of good Morals thinks different from yourself, you must believe him fincere; efpecially where he can have no View of Intereft from fuch Difference. Should it be occafioned by the Weakness of his Intellects, or his Want of Difcernment, then he ought to meet with Pity; and a compaffionate Defire to reclaim his mifled Apprehenfion, fhould prevent the Appearance of Diflike and Refentment: So that in neither Cafe he can deferve Blame, much less Ill Usage. But, on the other hand, when a Man expreffes himself with no more than a modeft Concern for a Religious Obfervation, the Performance whereof is principally invested in his own Perfon, there is, even there, fome room to enquire narrowly, whether any felfifb View influences his declared Sentiment. But if on this Occafion he ufes unbecoming Warmth, and, as often happens, Ill Language, and contemptuous Treatment, a farther Enquiry will then be neceffary into the Causes of thefe; and, poffibly, they may be found to be no other than the Result of a Fondnefs for Reverence and Efteem, which are no way fo eafily attracted, as by performing fome religious Duty for others, which they are fuppofed not qualified to perform, as it is required, in their own Behalf. This Distinction, as it places a Man above his Brethren, is very grateful to his Natural Pride, and may therefore juftly be fufpected to bear too great a Share in any Argument for the Continuance of the Office that gains this Regard. From whence I only infer, that a Clergyman is not a fit Person to be confulted on thefe Occafions,

left

left the Love of Power and Reverence fhould biafs his Judgment, to which another Man is not fo liable, being temporally disinterested in the Iffue of Difputes of this Kind. Were this properly confidered, it is to be queftioned whether the feemingly zealous Vindications of feveral External Parts of Worship, would be fo favourably received as they generally are.

To conclude this Point, in fpeaking to which I have been unwarily led into fome Digreffions; I believe all the Scripture fays concerning the Body and Blood of CHRIST, and I endeavour to obey what is there directed. I find it a Spiritual Thing, without Scholaftick Names, or fub-divided Properties: I find it there affirmed that whoever eats the Bread. CHRIST fpeaks of, will LIVE FOR EVER; I find no more than ONE Bread mentioned to which this Bleffing is joined; and therefore I am convinced that Outward Bread cannot be the Bread recommended by CHRIST; fince I prefume you would not venture to affirm that all who partake of that are thereby made Inheritors of Eternal Life; and the Practice of what you call the Christian Church can be no Direction in this Cafe, their Opinions being no way obligatory upon me, fince I am bleffed with the fame Opportunity of knowing the Divine Will, which they enjoyed; and therefore am not under any Neceffity to regard their Examples, farther than I believe fuch Examples warranted by Scripture and Experience: The many Years that the Outward Bread was given as the Ordinance of Chrift, being no Argument for its Fitnefs; and, whenever you are disposed to contemn, or to entertain a Slight Opinion of any Doctrine, for being what you call an UP-START one, let me intreat you to confider what were the JEWISH Methods of Worship in the Time of Mofes;

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what the CHRISTIAN Tenets in the Days of CHRIST; and what the PROTESTANT Doctrines at the Reformation. Every Truth has been NEWFANGLED, fince you chufe the Phrafe, and Newnefs cannot properly be objected to any thing, while every thing muft have a Beginning. I fpeak this on Suppofition that the Doctrine I have been endeavouring to vindicate, is of as late a Date as you intimate; but I think it far otherwise, and hope its Agreement with the Scripture Account will prove it to be of the Age at least of 1700 Years; and its being re-preached by a MECHANICK, Can bear little Weight against a Doctrine whofe Original Promulgators had few felected DIGNIFIED DIVINES among them, nor ftood in any Need of Ceremonies to strike the Senfes of their Profelytes, to induce them the more willingly to contribute to their State and Grandeur; they preached without Oftentation, and demanded no Tythes for their Recompence; they

Here, my Lord, I interrupted, and faid: I FIND, Sir, you are willing, at any Rate, to bring in the Maintenance of our Minifters, which, I fhould have thought, would more naturally have fell under Confideration before: But, I believe, the ill Succefs of your Late Tythe Bill has made too deep an Impreffion on your Mind to be quickly erafed: Wherefore, fince you feem defirous of it, in Compaffion to your Disappointment, I confent that TYTHES, or the Settled Maintenance of our Clergy, be the next Thing difcuffed. But, as I have hitherto opened each Subject, I have a Right to defire you will please to introduce this,

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My Friend replied: I HAD not the Cafe of Tythes fo immediately in view, as you imagine; but ex

pected

pected your Reply to what I laft faid: However, though Tythes might more properly have been confidered fooner, I know not but we may both think it better to confider them here; for to have entred upon every Point under the Head of the Ministry, that would have related to that Article as much as Tythes, would far have exceeded the Limits of this Converfation; and as Tythes have been lately the Subject of much Difcourfe from the Pulpit, from the Prefs, and in Private Companies, it will not be amifs to close this Evening's Difpute with our Sentiments on that Article: I wish I could oblige you by opening the Subject, but it is not in my Power, fince a Negative cannot be proved: I deny that Tythes are due to the Chriftian Ministry; it lies upon you to fhew whence it appears they are.

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I answered: THIS will be no hard Tafk, if the Authority of Scripture is regarded on this Head; The Support of the Priests was the particular Care of the ALMIGHTY under the Law; and if, by Divine Appointment, the Jewish Priests received the Tenth Produce of the Land, furely they deferved it: And fhall the Chriftian Miniftry be deemed lefs worthy, and deprived of what They fo long, and fo peaceably poffeffed? Their Office is certainly as honourable, and their Service as Great: Wherefore then fhould their Reward be Lefs? Is not the Gofpel as beneficial to the LAITY as the Jewish Dif penfation? Why then must it be lefs fo to its MINISTERS only? Are thofe to whom the particular Care of its Propagation is committed, to be the only Sufferers by its Propagation? This were to compliment the Jews indeed! to let it appear that they contributed more largely and chearfully to their Priests, for the outward Services of killing and

offering