An Apology for the True Christian Divinity, Being an Explanation and Vindication of the Principles and Doctrines of the People Called Quakers

Birmingham: John Baskerville, 1765 . Leather. Good Only. 12" by 10". None. The first Baskerville edition of the influential Scottish Quaker Robert Barclay's theological 'vindication' of the Quaker doctrine. The eighth edition in English of this work, but the first to be published by John Baskerville. The work was first published in Latin in Amsterdam in 1676.With the inscription of Robert Barclay to the head of a front endpaper, and a charming further inscription to the same leaf: 'this book was given to my father Rev A Watt by Robert Barclay'. Due to the publication of this edition being after the author's death, this Robert Barclay is likely one of the seven children of the author, with the eldest boy being named after his father.Subtitled 'an explanation and vindication of the principles and doctrines of the people called Quakers', the work is termed by the Dictionary of National Biography as 'the standard exposition of the principles of his sect, and 'in many respects one of the most impressive theological writings of the century'.Lacking the errata leaf, as is common with this work.ESTC T86111. Gaskell, 30.A further inscription to a front blank reads: 'Presented by William Ridgway Jackson to his father 26th of July 1883'. Jackson as an architect and engineer based in Belfast.With the armorial bookplate of John Natt to the front pastedown.An association copy of an important edition of this significant theological work. In a full calf binding. Small loss of leather to back strip head. Front board detached. Rear joint starting, with board tenderly held by two cords only. Bookplate to front pastedown. Inscriptions to a front blank. Internally, generally firmly bound, but with binding tender between pages 306 and 307. Pages clean and bright. Good Only