A Relation of the Conference between William Laud, Late Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Mr. Fisher the Jesuit, By the Command of King James, of ever Blessed Memory. With An Answer to such Exceptions as A. C. takes against it
London: Printed by Ralph Holt for Thomas Bassett, Thomas Dring, and John Leigh, 1686. Fourth edition, Revised: With a Table annexed. Hardcover. Large quarto (11 3/4 x 8"). [14]pp (The Epistle Dedicatory), 253, [1]pp (Text), [12]pp (Table of Contents). Blind-stamped contemporary calf, rebacked but retaining the original covers, with gold lettering and blind-stamped tooling to spine. Raised bands. Modern endpapers. Title page in red and black lettering.
Originally published in 1639 under the title "A Relation of the Conference between William Laud and Mr Fisher by command of King James," this work is a first-hand account of the third conference between Father Perry (Fisher), a Jesuit, and bishop William Laud on May 24, 1622, before the lord marquess Buckingham, and the countess, his mother.
The conference was a direct result of the Laud-"Fisher" (Father Percy) controversies on the Infallibility of the Church. Laud was induced by his desire to escape from the trammels of Calvinistic dogmatism to take up a wider and nobler position. In what he himself believed he was as arbitrary as any Calvinist; but the only way out of Calvinistic influence was by adopting a position of greater width. He argued that not all points defined by the Church are fundamental; limited as far as possible the domain and extent of soul-saving faith; and urged that the foundations of the faith are the Scriptures and the Creeds. In case of any doubt about the meaning of the Articles, or superstructures upon them - ("which are doctrines about the faith, not the faith itself, unless when they be immediate consequences") - then, both in and of these, a lawful and free General Council, determining according to Scripture, is the best judge on earth.
Covers partly darkened and rubbed along edges. Closed tear to lower front joint. Previous owner's name in ink on inside of front free endpaper. Minor water-staining along upper margin of the last two leaves of the Epistle Dedicatory (not affecting lettering). Minor and sporadic offsetting / foxing throughout. Binding in overall good-, interior in good+ to very good condition. g- to vg. Item #42636
Price: $450.00