Virgil, a famous Poet of Mantua. Xenophon, the Son of Gryllus, Diftiple to Socrates, born at Athens; he wrote many Books, and was before Chrift about Three Hundred and Fifty Years.

Zeno Eleares, a Philofopher, Son of Pyrethus; 'tis faid, he defpifed all Pomp and Glory, and for Justice and Truth fake fuffered many kind of Torments. Zeno meeting a Friend of his who look'd heavily, ask'd him the Reason of it? who faid, A Friend of mine requefteth me to bear false Witness for him. What (quoth Zeno) Art thou fo foolish, that feeing him void of Shame or Fear, to request Unjust and Wicked Things of thee, thou haft not the Heart to deny him, and to put him back, upon Fuft and Reasonable Confiderations?

Note, The Authors with this Mark at their Names, were Chriftians, whofe Sayings are not computed to the Number of Fifty; the whole amounting to about One Thoufand.

FINIS

An Apology for the foregoing Treatife, and thofe People, pho neither in former Ages had, nor at this Day have the Holy Scriptures afforded to them.

Onfidering the Nature of this little Treatife, Intituled, Gentile Divinity and Morality demonstrated, &c. and the Author's Defign therein, namely, To Promote Piety towards God, and Righteoufnefs among Men; one might be induced to think, that the Book fhould come forth with that General Acceptation, as to stand in no need of an Apology for its Publication. And yet fuch are the fad Circumftances of the Times we livein, that not only many who Profefs themfelves Chriftians, tho' they Reproach that Profeffion by their Immo

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ral Converfations; but also fome,who walk uprightly as towards Men, and reckon themfelves Chriftians indeed, yea, Veffels of Election, and breath nothing fhort of an Affurance of Eternal Bleffednefs (from a Narrow Opinion they have entertain'd concerning the Covenant of Grace, and God's Love therein exhibited to the whole Race of Mankind, the unhappy Refult whereof is, an Unfavourable Cenfure of that Part of the World, unto whom the Holy Scriptures have not been afforded) may be ready to object against the Author, as having a Defign to introduce Deifm, or what they call Natural Religion, in Prejudice of, or in Oppofition to Scripture - Revelation. And therefore, I have thought it neceffary to offer a few Things to Confideration, for Removing the Objection, if any fuch fhould be made, and Vindicating the Author from the Imputation of fo Ungrateful a Defign.

I. First then, I defire the Reader to take Notice, that not the Author only, but We, the People call'd Quakers, have fo great an Esteem of the Holy Scriptures

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of the Old and New Testament, that we Prefer them to all other Writings extant in the World. For tho' it hath often, and with great Confidence been Reported and Printed by our Adverfaries, that we Undervalue those Sacred Records, and fet our own Writings upon an Equal Bottom with them; ; yet as the Charge is wholly groundless, being the Product of fome. Men's Intereft, Malice or Ignorance; fo we fincerely declare, as has been. done in Print again and again, that we do not Equalize any of our Books or Writings with the Holy Bible, but do believe it to be the most Excellent Book that ever was written. That which we do, in Truth and Humility, Affert and Contend for, is not an Equality of our Writings with thofe of the Holy Prophets and Apostles, but a Measure of the fame Spirit which they had, of whom the Apostle testifies, That Holy Men of God fpake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, 2 Pet. i. 21. We fincerely Believe and Declare, that the Holy Scriptures are able to make Men wife unto Salvation, through Faith which is in Chrift Fefus; and that K 2

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All Scripture given by Inspiration of God, or, being Infpired by God * is alfo profitable for Doctrine for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteousness; that the Man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good Works, or, for every good Work, 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. This is our Sincere Belief concerning the Divine Authority, Sufficiency and Ufefulness of the Holy Scriptures. And we farther add, that in Order to make the Knowledge of God and Chrift, which is convey'd to Men by means thereof, of Saving Efficacy to their Souls; the Illumination and Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, by way of Inward or Immediate Revelation, are of Abfolute and Indifpenfable Neceffity. We also do Believe, that the Holy Scriptures are the best Outward Rule or Standard, for the Trying and Examining the Principles and Doarines of Men by; that nothing ought to be Required or Impofed, as a common Article of the Chriftian Religion,

*See Dr. Hammond's Paraphrafe in the Margin, upon the Place; who there gives the fame Bendring as I have done,