Theological  Books & Religious Tracks, Page 3

1. A Memorial of the Reformation:
(chiefly in England) and of Britain's Deliverances from Popery and Arbitrary-power,
Price : $750 Buy now

Published by John Clark;- 1716;- London;- 2nd. Edition with large Additions. & an extensive Index;-Title in black & red titles. 534 pages;- A very Scarce/Rare book;- Original Oxford brown leather binding with a re-bound leather spine, with gilt lettering to the top of the spine. A highly collectable copy of a scarce/rare book, no other copies to be found on the world wide web.

Benjamin Bennet (ca. 1674 – 1 September 1726) was an English Presbyterian Minster.

Bennet was born in Wellsborough, in Sibson, Leicestershire.  He received his elementary education in his parish school. He went next to Sheriff Hales in Shropshire, under John Woodhouse who ran a dissenting academy. Bennet began his public ministry as a preacher-evangelist at Temple Hall,  a village near his native place. He immediately succeeded John Sheffield on his move to Southwark in 1697. He was not formally ordained until 30 May 1699. This was done in Oldbury chapel in Shropshire by some of the surviving ejected ministers, along with three others, one of whom was John Reynolds of Shrewsbury. He became noted for his eloquence in the pulpit. In 1717 he published A Memorial of the Reformation, growing out of a sermon preached on George I's coronation; it was a Protestant view of the Reformation.  It preserved anecdotes from original sources not to be found elsewhere, as, for instance, of Judge Jeffreys’s visit to Newcastle in 1683. A second, updated edition (dedicated to Lord Barrington ) appeared in 1721 covering further episodes in English history such as the  Civil War. This work led to a disagreement with Zachary Grey,   with Bennet defending himself in his Defence of the 'Memorial of the Reformation' (1723).

2. Fides Christiana Patriarcharum AC Prophetarum;-      
Exhibita Dissertationibus Novem Philologico-Exegeticis Ad Selectos Textus (1730)
by Fabricius, Franciscus
Price : $1,500 Buy now

Fides Christiana Patriarcharum AC Prophetarum;-      
Exhibita Dissertationibus Novem Philologico-Exegeticis Ad Selectos Textus. Vet. et Novi Testamenti;- 1730;- by Fabricius, Franciscus;- Published: Lugduni Batavorum :
Apud Samuelem Luchtmans, 1730. 
  668, [28] p. ; 4to.Notes:"Francisci Fabricii Oratio de scholis prophetarum. ..." and "Francisci Fabricii Oratio de scriba edocto in regno coelorum. Have divisional half-titles on p. [601] and p. [633] respectively.
 Title page printed in red and black; with woodcut printer's device.Final leaf blank.Includes index Locorum;- Index Vocum Graecarus;- Index Rerum;- and Nomina. ThisOriginal Book is in Latin. Original parchment covers, with black handwritten name and date to the top of the spine.  A fine collectable copy of VERY SCARCE/RARE Book. Franciscus Fabricius, also Franz Fabritius;  Born April 10th. 1663 in Amsterdam and Died 27th. July in Leiden;- was a Dutch Reformed theologian. Franciscus Fabricius was a son of the pastor Johannes Fabricius, who died in Nieuwkerk, and his wife Catherine Felbier. He lost his parents at the age of five. His maternal grandfather John Felbier took care afterwards to the upbringing of the boy and sent him to the Athenaeum Illustre Amsterdam,  where he was to acquire a level of education which would enable him to take a theological profession. Here he learned the basics of oriental languages and earned a first skeleton in the theological sciences. In 1681 he entered the University of Leiden, , where he attended the lectures of the leading scientists in this field. In 1687, he was pastor at Velzen and 1696 in Leiden. There he earned such respect that the curators of Leiden University on him 8 November 1705 as the successor to Jacobus trigland the Younger  appealed to the professor of theology. After the Senate of the University of Leiden on 11 December 1705 had received an honorary doctorate in theology, he resigned on 15 December he transferred to the Department with the introduction speech De Christo unico perpetual motion ac Ecclesiae fundamento (Leiden 1717) 1705. He established himself as a theologian of the direction of  Johannes Cocceius  and participated mainly in the training of theologians in the field of  homiletics. This brought him on 8 November 1721 a professor of theological rhetoric, which task he 17 June 1722, took over the speech De sacro oratore. In addition, he also participated three times in the organizational tasks of the university and was in the years 1716/17, 1724/25 and 1736/37 Rector of the Alma Mater.  These offices he laid in 1717 with the speech De Scholis prophetarum in 1725 with the speech De scriba, docto regno coelorum in 1737, with the speech De provida Christianized praesertim theological senectute down. Due to his advanced age, he was dismissed from his Professorship. The British Royal Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 1726 took him on as a member.

3. John BUNYAN;-
The Pilgrim's Progress;-
Price : $300 Buy now

 Published by J Bennett;- London 1826 - Original black leather binding with gilt lettering & decorations to the spine.  With explanatory notes by W Mason and Evangelical reflections selected from Rev. J. Newton, J. Bradford, Dr Hawker and others. Engraved frontispiece with  hand- coloured Devine Emblems, black & white plates and a hand-coloured Map of the journey. 

A fine copy of a very collectable book.

The Most Well-Known Allegory Ever Written by John BUNYAN. The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come: delivered under the similitude of a dream, wherein is discovered, the manner of his setting out, his dangerous journey, and safe arrival at the desired country.

John Bunyan (28 November 1628 – 31 August 1688) was an English Christian Writer and Preacher, who is well known for his book  The Pilgrim’s Progress. Though he became a non-conformist and member of an Independent church, and although he has been described both as a Baptist and as a Congregationalist, he himself preferred to be described simply as a Christian. He is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on August 30, and on the Liturgical Calendar of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. on August 29. Some other Churches of the Anglican Communion, such as the Anglican Church of Australia, honour him on the day of his death (August 31) together with St Aidan of Lindisfarne.

4. Des. Erasmi Rot. 
Moriae encomium;-
cum Gerardi Listrii commentariis ; epistolae aliquot in fine additae unà cum Erasmi responsione adversus Martini Lutheri espistolam.
Price : $5,500 Buy now

Oxoniæ : Typis W. Hall : 1668 

Prostant venales apud S. Bolton ... re-bound in black full leather;- 331 pages;- The Scarce/Rare book is complete;- An early printing of this famous book. Fine collectable book.

In Praise of Folly (Greek title: Morias Enkomion (Μωρίας Εγκώμιον), Latin title;- Stultitiae Laus, sometimes translated as In Praise of More, Dutch title: Lof der Zotheid) is an essay written in Latin in 1509 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam and first printed in 1511. The essay was inspired by De Triumpho Stultitiae, written by the Italian Humanist Fraustino Perisauli,  born at tredozio, near Forli.

Erasmus revised and extended the work, which he originally wrote in the space of a week while sojourning with Sir Thomas More,  at More's estate in Bucklersbury. In Praise of Folly is considered one of the most notable works of the Renaissance and was employed as one of the catalysts of the Protestant reformation.  

It starts off with a satirical learned encomium,   in which Folly praises herself, after the manner of the Greek satirist Lucian,  whose work Erasmus and Sir  Thomas More  had recently translated into Latin, a piece of virtuoso foolery; it then takes a darker tone in a series of orations, as Folly praises self-deception and madness and moves to a satirical examination of pious but superstitious abuses of Catholic doctrine and corrupt practices in parts of the Roman Catholic Church—to which Erasmus was ever faithful—and the folly of pedants (including Erasmus himself). Erasmus had recently returned disappointed from Rome, where he had turned down offers of advancement in the Curia, and Folly increasingly takes on Erasmus' own chastising voice. The essay ends with a straightforward statement of Christian ideals.

Erasmus was a good friend of More, with whom he shared a taste for dry humor and other intellectual pursuits. The title "Morias Encomium" can also be read as meaning "In praise of More". The double or triple meanings go on throughout the text.

The essay is filled with classical allusions delivered in a style typical of the learned humanists of the Renaissance. Folly parades as a goddess, offspring of Plutus,  the god of wealth and a  Nymph, Freshness. She was nursed by two other nymphs Inebriation  and Ignorance,  her faithful companions include Philautia  (self-love),  Kolakia (flattery), Lethe (oblivion), Misoponia (laziness),  Hedone (pleasure),  Anoia (madness),  Tryphe (wantonness) and two gods  Komos (intemperance) and Eegretos Hypnos  (dead sleep). Folly praises herself endlessly, arguing that life would be dull and distasteful without her. Of earthly existence, Folly pompously states, "you'll find nothing frolic or fortunate that it owes not to me."

Moriae Encomium was hugely popular, to Erasmus' astonishment and sometimes his dismay. Loe X   thought it was funny. Before Erasmus' death it had already passed into numerous editions and had been translated into French and German. An English edition soon followed. It influenced teaching of  rhetoric during the later sixteenth century, and the art of  adoxography  or praise of worthless subjects became a popular exercise in Elizabethan grammar schools:

5. Robert BARCLAY,  [1648-1690].
An Apology for the True Christian Divinity, Being an Explanation and Vindication of the Principles and Doctrines of the People called Quakers. The Eighth Edition in English.
Price : $450 Buy now

    Published in Birmingham: by John Baskerville, 1765. - Large 4to. Pp. 6 p.l., [ii]-xiii, [1]-504, [16]index, Lacks errata leaf - which is "frequently missing" (Gaskell p. 30). Original three quarter brown leather with marbled paper, red label with gilt lettering to the top of the spine & Baskervile’s name and date in gilt to the bottom of spine;-  First Baskerville Edition of Barclay’s classic exposition of Quaker doctrine. First published in Latin at Amsterdam in 1676, and later translated into English by the author in 1678, Barclay’s "Apology" provides an eloquent defense of the principal Quaker tenet of ‘Inner Light’ against the sufficiency of external authorities, including the Bible. Strongly opposed to the extreme views of Calvinism, it "breathes a large tolerance, and is still perhaps the most important manifesto of the Quaker Society. [and] one of the most impressive theological writings of the century."

6. A. Bunn
A Letter to the Rev. J. A. James of Carr's 
Lane Meeting House
Price : $100 Buy now

Published in Birmingham - Printed by the Author, 1824. A scarce book, in re-bound blue marbled paper cover, a very fine collectable copy of a scarce/rare book. 34 pages. Letter to the Rev. J. A. James of Carr's Lane Meeting House. With Notes, Critical, Religious, and Moral by A. Bunn, manager of the Theatre Royal Birmingham. 1st. Edition. With an advertisement from the author to front detailing his reasons for writing this letter to 'The Reverend Gentleman [who] has expressed his determination to treat me with the greatest contempt. ' With a postscript to the last page.. 

Rare/Scarce

7. William Lewis;
MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
OF WILLIAM LEWIS,
Late of Bristol,
To Which Are Added Extracts From Letters,
 Addressed By Him to Individuals, On different Occasions.
Price : $750 Buy now

First edition, Printed for the Editors, at the Albion Press, by Wansbrough and Sanders, Bristol: 1820;- Original grey paper boards, with an old white paper label to the spine.133 pages and complete. A highly collectable book in this original condition.

Sancti Gregorii Papae 1 Cognomento Magni Opera Omnia Ad Manufcriptos Codices Romanos, Gallicanos, Anglicanos Emendata, Aucta, & Illuftrata Notis Tomus Secundus

Published by Claudii Rigaud, In Paris, 1705. Leather Bound. 1st. Edition. Elephant Folio. Original Vellum covers;- Old with age;- Title page with a religious crest within. Tomus Primus;- 1664 Pages and a extensive Index to the back of the book;- An engraving of the Pope  Clementi XI....and religious figures to the Opening pages and the Crest of the Pope within. Overall the book is in a fine collectable condition, with all pages present; A fine elephant folio;- Rare/Scarce.

8. Joannes Ernestus Grabe
Eiphnaiot
Price : $1,250 Buy now

(Oxonii: E Theatro. Sheldoniano, 1702 in Latin, Published in London;- Original brown full leather binding, with a re-bound spine with gilt lettering label within. Engraved Frontispiece and engraving within the Title Page;- Second Title page, and engraved opening tp page one with engraved letter;-No other copies to be found world wide..This scare/rare book is complete and in fine collectable condition.

9. Jeremy Collier;-
Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain:
 chiefly of England from the first planting of Christianity,
to the end of the reign of King Charles the Second
with a brief account of the Affairs of Religion in Ireland.
Volume Two Only;- 1714
Price : $250 Buy now

Published by Samuel Keble & Benjamin Tooke;-  London 1714 ;- The First Volume is dated 1708;- and the Second is dated 1714...so really two different  editions...Six years apart;- Title page in red & black titles. Extensive Index to the back pages. Rare in fine condition;-

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