Quakerism: A New Nick-Name for Old Christianity, Being an Answer to a Book, Entituled, Quakerism No Christianity; Subscribed by J. Faldo.

PENN, William.

Item Number: 109520

[Andrew Sowle]: [London], 1672.

First edition of William Penn’s reply to Faldo and defense of his first work of Quaker theology: The Spirit of Truth Vindicated. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments, elaborate gilt tooling to the front and rear panels, rebacked. In near fine condition. Scarce.

Penn wrote The Spirit of Truth Vindicated in 1671 in response to Henry Hedworth's attack on Fox, the founder of the Quaker Religious Society of Friends. In it, Penn defended Fox against Hedworth's charges of misquoting the scripture and concisely explained the Quaker's reliance upon the scriptures as an expression of the "True Spirit which guided humans through the Christ within". The work was swiftly attacked, in turn, by Faldo and he and Penn issued multiple replies to one another, this being Penn's first response to Faldo's initial attack.