Essays on Several Important Subjects in Philosophy and Religion.

London: Printed by J. D. for John Baker, and Henry Mortlack,, 1676. The "new science", considered by its leading propagandist First edition of the sceptic clergyman's seven essays analysing the new philosophy of the scientific revolution. Glanvill (1636-1680) was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1664 and became a leading propagandist for the Society's empirical-experimental philosophy. In many of his works, he stressed the capacity of scientific enquiry to glorify God, while maintaining a firm belief in witchcraft and supernatural spirits. As any rejection of witchcraft and spirituality would be tantamount to atheistic materialism, Glanvill sought to reconcile religion with the new philosophy by seeking more empirical evidence for religious spirituality. The essays in this collection comprise: A) Against Confidence in Philosophy. B) Of Scepticism, and Certainty. C) Modern Improvements of Knowledg. D) The Usefulness of Philosophy to Theology. E) The Agreement of Reason, and Religion. F) Against Sadducism in the matter of Witchcraft. G) Antifanatick Theologie, and Free Philosophy. Most of these essays are revised from Glanvill's earlier philosophical texts: the seventh, which was written for this collection, integrates the Cambridge Platonists into a continuation of Francis Bacon's New Atlantis (1627). Provenance: Herbert Maynard Smith (1869-1949) and J. Outram Smith (1871-1954), with their library stamp to the front free endpaper and the front flyleaf. The Smiths, both Anglican clergymen, amassed a substantial collection of theology, history, philosophy, and literature. Quarto (189 x 143 mm). Nineteenth-century black half calf, spine ruled, lettered, and with purple morocco label in gilt, marbled paper sides, purple endpapers, edges sprinkled red. Light bumping and wear, slight loss to spine head, light browning and foxing to endpapers and contents, loss to upper margin of A2, not affecting text: a very good copy.