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DEISM AND HERESY IN THE 1730s/1740s

Item Description

12 pamphlets bound together, each with separate pagination and register. 8vo. 5 x 8 inches; some half-titles and advertisements called for by ESTC have been omitted by the binder. Bound in original half-calf, over marbled boards; spine in compartments with raised bands, with contrasting maroon title label, gilt (Miscellanies). Extremities worn, joints weak but secure; generally clean and crisp interior. Gift inscription of James Wilson of Kendal to R. Wilson and later ownership of George Gilbertson, who listed the pamphlets on the verso of the first free endpaper. A few other early title page inscriptions and comments in text.

Notes

Contents: 1. [Harler, Joseph]. Memoirs of Mr. Thomas Chubb, Late of Salisbury: Or, A Fuller and more Faithful Accont of his Life, Writings, Character, and Death. Interspers'd with some Remarks on the Short and Faithful Account. In A Letter from another Gentleman of that City to his friend in London. Printed for James Fletcher. London. 1747. 76 pp. [Signed] Phialethes Anti-Chubbius. 2. Chubb, Thomas. An Enquiry into the Ground and Foundation of Religion. Wherein is shewn, that Religion is founded in Nature...To which are added, I. A Postcript, occasioned by the publication of Dr. Stebbing's Visitation-Charge, that had been delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Wilts. II. A short Dissertation on Matt. xix.21... Occasioned by Dr. Stebbing's unjust and groundless reflexion on the author... III. An Answer to a private letter...on the subject of God's Foreknowledge. Printed for Tho. Cox, London. 1740. 157 pp. 3. Hardy, Samuel An Answer to Mr. Chubb's Enquiry concerning Redemption. Wherein The Necessity of a Redeemer is fully proved...Being The Substance of Nine Sermons preached at the Parish Church of Layham, in the County of Suffolk.Ipswich: Printed for the Author. 1744. xvi + 138 pp. 4. [Chapman, John]. Remarks On a Book Intituled, Christianity as old as the Creation, With Regard to Ecclesiastical Antiquity. Part I Continued. By a Priest of the University of Cambridge. There is also added a Postcript, Defending Jerom and other Antient Writers against the Learned Mosheim. Cambridge: Printed at the University Press for Cornelius Crownfield. 1733. 104 pp. 5. Stebbing, Henry. A Letter to Mr. Foster on the Subject of Heresy. Printed for J. and J. Pemberton, London. 1735. 35 pp. 6. Stebbing, Henry. A Second Letter to Mr. Foster on the Subject of Heresy, In Answer to his First...Printed for...Pemberton...London. 1735. 84 pp. 7. Foster, James. An Answer to Dr. Stebbing's Letter On the Subject of Heresy. In a Letter to the Doctor. The Second Edition. Printed for J. Noon. London. 1735. 72 pp. 8. Berriman, William. Some Brief Remarks on Mr. Chandler's Introduction to the History of the Inquisition: So far As it relates to the Cause of Arianism, and the Two First General Councils; In which His Gross Misrepresentations of Fact are detected and exposed. Together with A short Reply to his Calumnies against Archbishop Laud. Printed for T. Ward and A. Wicksteed, London. 1735. 74 pp. 9. Chandler, Samuel. An Answer to the Brief Remarks of William Berriman, D.D...on Mr. Chandler's Introduction to the History of the Inquisition. In a Letter to the said Doctor. Printed for John Gray, London. 1733. 56 pp. 10. Chandler, Samuel. A Second Letter to William Berriman, D.D...In which His Review of his Remarks on the Introduction to the History of the Inquisition is considered, and the Characters of St. Athanasius and Martyr Laud are farther stated and supported. Printed for John Gray, London. 1733. 52 pp. 11. [Anon.] A Letter to a Friend Occasioned by Mr. Chandler's History of Persecution. London. 1733. 31 pp. 12. [Grey, Zacchary]. An Examination of Mr. Samuel Chandler's History of Persecution, So far as it relates to (what he calls) Persecutions in Great-Britain: In which his great Prejudice and Partiality are Detected, and Exposed in the manner they deserve... Printed for J. Roberts, London. 1736. 84 pp.

A collection of pamphlets on the religious conflicts of the 1730s and 40s, centring on such issues as deism and the Trinity, heresy, persecution and doctrinal orthodoxy. There are three principal sequences of argument and counter-argument; Chubb v. Stebbing (plus Hardy v. Chubb), Stebbing v. Foster and Berriman v. Chandler. Thomas Chubb (1679-1747) was a self-taught religious controversialist from the Salisbury area who, in more than fifty tracts, moved towards a position of deism and increasing scepticism, although he continued regular attendance at Anglican services. Dr Johnson considered him a 'Wicked wit' and dangerous to read. One of Chubb's clerical opponents was Henry Stebbing (1687-1763), a wealthy pluralist, who, perhaps not surprisingly, is is chided on the subject of clerical poverty: 'the Doctor's conduct, as a disciple of Christ, is very preposterous; who has not only added to those worldly advantages which arise to him from his two livings in Norfolk and his being Preacher at Grays-Inn...the Archdeaconry of Wilts; but he is also adding... the Chancellorship of the Diocese of Sarum.' Stebbing was a major controversialist, who engaged anyone who opposed his vision of high church Anglicanism, including James Foster (1697-1753), preacher and baptist minister, who developed anti-Trinitarian views and was therefore accused by Stebbing of heresy. The orthodox theologian, Walter Berriman (1688-1750), who held various London livings, clashed with the rationalist dissenter, Samuel Chandler (1692-1760), who was against any form of imposed religious practice. Two of the pamphlets are scarce; the Ipswich publication of Samuel Hardy's attack on Chubb (ESTC records only three libraries holding copies in the British Library, National Library of Ireland and Suffolk R.O and one in the US) and the anonymous A Letter to a Friend (1733) (four copies in the British Library, Oxford and Cambridge and Sion College and three in the US.)