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promifes, they would have been induced to a more direct and candid treaty.

But as it hath occafioned the publication of this little treatise, so I am credibly informed, through the too bufy and malicious inquifition of fome concerning it, (which have amounted to no less than pofitive reports) it is currently difcourfed, how that a certain Quaker hath lately efpoufed the controverfy against R. F. and therein has perverted the Chriftian religion to that degree, as plainly to deny Chrift's coming in the flesh; with much more than was fit to be faid, or is fit to be answered.

But, reader, I shall afk no other judge to clear me from that most uncharitable accufation; fince firft, I am altogether unacquainted with R. F. nor ever did defign directly such a thing, being unwilling to feek more adversaries than what more nearly feek the overthrow of truth, although I doubt not but this plain and fimple treatise may prove fome confutation of his fentiments.

And laftly, as concerning Chrift; although the flander is not new, yet neverthelefs falfe: for I declare on the behalf of that defpifed people, vulgarly called Quakers, the grace, of which we teftify, hath never taught us to acknowledge another God than he that is the "Father of all things, who fills heaven and earth:" neither to confefs another Lord Jefus Chrift, than he that appeared fo many hundred years ago, "made of "a virgin, like unto us in all things, fin excepted;" or any another doctrine than was by him declared and practifed; therefore let every mouth be ftopped from ever opening more, in blafphemy against God's innocent heritage, who in principle, life and death, bear an unanimous teftimony for the only true God, true Chrift, and heavenly doctrine, which in their vindication is openly attested by

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PRESENTED BY WAY OF

APOLOGY

FOR THE BOOK ENTITLED,

THE SANDY FOUNDATION SHAKEN,

то

All ferious and enquiring Perfons, particularly the Inhabitants of the City of LONDon.

BY

WILLIAM PENN, jun.

"He that uttereth flander is a fool." Prov. x. 18. "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord.” Prov. xi. 1.

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Published in the Year 1668.

ELIGION, although there be nothing of greater concernment, nor which doth more effentially import the immortal happiness of men; yet fuch is the calamity of the age, that there is not any thing they are lefs folicitous about, or ferious in the profecution of, vainly imagining it to confift in the implicit fubfcription to, and verbal confeffion of, mens invented traditions and precepts, whilft they neglect that more orthodox definition of the apostle James, viz. "Pure religion and undefiled, before God, is, to "vifit the fatherlefs, and to keep himself unfpotted " from the world;"" and instead thereof, believe they are performing the best of services, in facrificing the reputation, liberty, eftate, if not life itself, of others, to their own tenacious conceptions; because perhaps, a Jam. i. 17.

though perfons of more virtue, they. cannot in all punctilios correfpond therewith: how much I have been made an inftance muft needs be too notorious to any that hold the leaft intelligence with common fame, that fcarce ever took more pains to make the proverb good, by proving herfelf a lyar, than in my concern; who have been moft egregiously flandered, reviled and defamed by pulpit, prefs, and talk, terming me a blafphemer, feducer, Socinian, denying the divinity of Chrift the Saviour, and what not! and all this about my late answer to a difputation with fome Prefbyterians; but how unjustly, it is the bufinefs of this fhort apology to fhew, which had not been thus long retarded, if an expectation firft to have been brought upon my examination had not required a fufpence; and if I fhall acquit myself from the injurious imputations of my adverfaries, I hope the cry will have an end; to which purpose, let but my innocency have your hearing in her own defence, who, as fhe never can detract from her intentions in what she really hath done; fo will fhe as easily disprove her enemies, in manifefting their accufations to be fictitious: judge not before you read, neither believe any farther than you fee.

1. That which I am credibly informed to be the greateft reafon for my imprisonment, and that noise of blafphemy, which hath pierced fo many ears of late, is, my denying the divinity of Chrift, and divefting him of his eternal God-head, which moft bufily hath been fuggefted as well to thofe in authority, as maliciously infinuated amongst the people; wherefore let me befeech you to be impartial and confiderate, in the perufal of my vindication, which being in the fear of the Almighty God, and the fimplicity of fcripture dialect, prefented to you, I hope my innocency will appear beyond a fcruple. The Proverbs, which, as moft agree, intend Christ, the Saviour, speak in this manner: "By me kings reign, and princes decree juftice; I (wisdom) lead in the midst of the paths

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"of judgment: I was fet up from everlasting; " to which Paul's words allude, "Unto them which are "called (we preach) Chrift the power of God, and "the wifdom of God;" from whence I conclude Chrift the Saviour to be God; for otherwife God would not be himself; fince if Chrift be diftinct from God, and yet God's power and wisdom, God would be without his own power and wifdom; but inafmuch as it is impoffible God's power and wifdom fhould be diftinct or divided from himself, it reasonably follows, that Chrift, who is that power and wifdom, is not diftinct from God, but entirely that very fame God.

Next, the prophets, David and Ifaiah, speak thus: "The Lord is my light and my falvation. I will "give thee for a light unto the Gentiles;" and fpeaking to the church," For the Lord fhall be thine ever

lafting light,d" to which the evangelift adds, concerning Chrift, "that was the true light, which light"eth every man that cometh into the world. God is

light, and in him is no darkness at all;" from whence I affert the unity of God and Christ, because though nominally diftinguished, yet effentially the fame divine light; for if Chrift be that light, and that light be God, then is Chrift God; or if God be that light, and that light be Chrift, then is God Christ. Again, "And the city had no need of the fun, for "the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb

(Chrift) is the light thereof;" by which the Onenefs of the nature of thofe lights plainly appears; for fince God is not God without his own glory, and that his glory lightens, (which it could never do if it were not light) and that the Lamb, or Chrift, is that very fame light, what can follow, but that Chrift the light and God the light are One pure and eternal light?

Next, from the word Saviour, it is manifeft, “I even I am the Lord, and befides me there is no

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