Protestancy Without Principles, or, Sectaries Unhappy Fall from Infallibility to Fancy. Laid forth in four Discourses by E.W. (Edward Worsley). Antwerp: Michael Cnobbaert, 1668, 8vo.
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This work has two purposes: to rebut the English theologians Edward Stillingfleet and Matthew Poole's attacks on Catholicism, and more generally, to defend the truth of Catholicism against Protestant attacks. The author, Edward Worsley, was an English Jesuit theologian, possibly an Anglican convert to Catholicism. He was an acclaimed professor in Belgium of philosophy, logic, and Scripture. Interestingly, Stillingfleet defended an Arminian view of justification rather than the typical Calvinist views of English Protestant theologians of the period. This book is a really interesting witness to this tumultuous period of theology and philosophy, being the exceptionally scarce first edition of this title.
USTC records 40 copies held institutionally worldwide, but it is exceptionally rare in commerce. This is the only copy we can trace to have appeared for sale.
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Size: 155 x 192 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), t.p., 30pp., 527pp., 13pp., 44pp., (2)]
Modern half calf over marbled paper backed boards with gilt title, author, and date, to the spine in compartments between raised bands, other compartments with simple decorative gilt. Binding near fine with very minor signs of wear. Both boards securely attached. Very minor shelf wear. Page edges toned. No attached bookplates. Lacking errata leaf. Star pen mark to the title page. Text block very clean with some toning, and very sporadic foxing. Very small wormholing to a few side leaf edges.
[ESTC R34759; USTC 1555373; Wing W3616].
