which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chrift? 218 John vi. 51,53. I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven-And the Bread which I will give, is my Flefh, which I will give for the Life of the World, 222 I Cor. xv. 35, 36. But fome Man will fay, how are the Dead raifed up, and with what Body do they come? Thou Fool---- 232 I Cor. xv. 37.-Thou foweft not that Body that shall be234 1 Cor. xv. 50.-Flefb and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 235 Heb. ix. 23-Shall appear the fecond Time, without Sin, unto SalvationLuke xvii. 21.-The Kingdom of God is within you, 243 241 The Names of the Quaker Authors quoted in this Book. George Fox, George Whitehead, Richard Hubberthorn, William Penn, Robert Barclay, Thomas Elwood, Christopher Atkinson, Ifaac Pennington, -William Shewen, William Smith, William Dewsberry, Solomon Eccles, John Whitehead, James Parnel, A PRE A PRESERVATIVE AGAINST QUAKERISM: By way of Conference between AMINISTER and his PARISHIONER. The INTRODUCTION. Min. N EIGHBOUR, I have been very much concern'd to hear, that you are become fo wavering and unfettled in your Religion, and that you have been so often abfent from the Church of late, and at the Quakers Meetings. And therefore I have fent for you at this time, on purpose to have fome ferious Difcourfe with you, and to endeavour to confirm you in the true Principles of Religion wherein you have been educated, educated, and to guard you against the grofs and dangerous Errors of the Quakers. Par. Sir, I am very much obliged to you, for your kind and good Intention in fending for me; for I had Thoughts of coming to you myfelf, to ask your Opinion about the feveral Points in Controverfy, between the Church of England, and the Quakers. Min. You did well to have fuch Thoughts; for as it is my Duty, to afford you the best Inftruction I can, in matters of Religion; fo it is no less your Duty, before you forfake the Principles or Communion of our Church, first to propose your Doubts and Objections to me, to fee if I cannot fatisfy you therein. Par. I have endeavoured to acquaint myself, as well as I could, with the Quakers Principles; and I find them in fo many things fo directly contrary to thofe of the Church of England, that I have a great many things o ask you about them, if you can have the Patience to hear me. Min. I only defire, that you would be an Impartial Enquirer after Truth, and ready to embrace it, when it is propofed to you with fufficient Evidence; and then you may ask me as many Questions as you will, and I will patiently hear you, and be fure you omit nothing that you think is Material. Par. I will very gladly accept of the Favour you allow me; there being nothing I more earnestly.defire, than that I may difcover the Truth, of which Side foever it be. And therefore I will ask you a great many Questions, not as a Mafter or Teacher, but as an humble Scholar or Learner. And as foon as I am fatisfied with your Answer to any Question I shall propofe, I fhall not give you you any needlefs trouble, by acting the Part of a cavilling Difputer, but will immediately proceed to ask you fome other Question for my further Benefit and Inftruction. Min. I hope you will have the Goodness alfo to hear me out, if my Anfwers to your Questions prove fometimes pretty long; for I will endeavour to make every thing very plain: And now you may begin and ask me what you please SECT. I. Queft. The first thing I fhall ask you, is, W. Penn's Whether every Man that lives a moral good Address to Life, and is a fober, honeft, juft Man, is not Proteftants. a good Chriftian? Anf. I anfwer, No. For if there were no more required to make a Man a good Chriftian, but only to live fuch a moral good Life, as to obferve the Rules of Temperance and Sobriety, Honesty and Juftice, and other Duties of Morality and natural Religion; then, every fober, honeft, juft Heathen might be a good Chriftian, without any knowledge of Chrift, or Faith in him, as he outwardly came in the Flesh, and died for our Sins, and is now our Mediator and Advocate in Heaven. But this is directly contrary to the whole Tenor and Design of the Chriftian Religion, and would make it the fame with mere Deifm, and Natural Religion. And this is what many of the chief Authors among the Quakers feem too juftly chargeable with, while they call the making any Diftinction between a moral Man and a Chriftian, a deadly Poison, that these latter B 2 Ages 2 Edit. a new Nick W. Penn's Ages have been infected with; and will not Quakerism allow any Knowledge or Faith of Chrift's outname, p. 6. ward coming in the Flesh, to be Effential to Christianity; but fay, he that believeth in the R. Bar- Light within, believeth in Chrift, and is a Christian, and his Religion Chriflianity. clay's Colle&t. p. 895. Queft. Is there any other Difference, between a moral Heathen and a Chriftian, but Tho. Ell- only that outward Character, or difcriminawood's ting Difference of an Hiftorical Faith of Answer to Chrift's outward coming, and Death and Suffirft Nar- ferings in the Flesh? Whereas, a moral Hearative, p. then hath the Kind and Nature of a Chri74, 75 stian, which is much preferable to the outward Difference between them. G. K's Ans. The true Difference between them, does not lie only in an Hiftorical Faith of Chrift's outward Coming, and Death and Sufferings in the Flesh; but in a lively Faith thereof for the Remiffion of our Sins, and a true Chriftian Life, as the Fruit of fuch a Faith; which is the true Kind and Nature of a Christian, and much preferable to the Life of a mere moral Heathen. But because we can have no faving Faith of that of which we have no Knowledge, therefore the Historical Faith and Knowledge of Chrift's outward Birth, and Death and Sufferings in the Flefh, is a Neceffary and Effential Part of Chriftianity, without which it cannot fubfift. Queft. What is it then that makes a Man a good Chriftian? Anf. It is truly to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith, and duly to observe all the Precepts and Inftitutions of Jefus Chrift, as they are delivered to us in the Scriptures; and |