1743 Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New-England by Chauncy. Boston

1743 work by Charles Chauncy decrying the work of Jonathan Edwards and the burgeoning Great Awakening. Chauncy called for the continued status quo, a ceasing to revival preachers and religious enthusiasm... and in his posthumous work, The Mystery Hid from Ages and Generations, he revealed that he wasn't really a Christian but a Universalist (many paths to salvation).

This book is valuable as it shows there is nothing new under the sun. In 18th century Puritan Boston there were wolves among the highest levels of power, leading away from the saving power of the cross and opposed to Jesus' words, "I am the way, and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father but through me." Chauncy found worldly success pedaling the message that there are many paths to the Lord.

Wikipedia notes that Chauncy is considered a contributor to Liberal Protestantism.


About the Author -

Chauncy (1705-1787) served at Boston's First Church from 1727 on; he became pastor in 1762. He was the great-grandson of Harvard College's second President, for whom he was named.


About the Printer -

Printed by Rogers and Fowle. Interestingly, in 1755 Fowle was barred from printing in Massachusetts after questioning the conduct of several Massachusetts representatives, so he moved to New Hampshire and continued printing. He printed works against the Stamp Act, and after the Revolution he printed the state laws of New Hampshire.


Bibliographic Details -

OCLC catalogue number 1348876.


Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 20 x 12 x 2.5 cm. Leather binding. Spine with four raised bands; title, year and author in gilt on black morocco labels. Grey and white endbands.

Pages - xxx, (18 - list of subscribers), 424

Collation - A8, b-c8, B-Z8 (Z3 mistakenly signed Y3), Aa-Cc8, Dd4


Condition -

See pictures. Binding fresh but still with some rub marks. Labels on spine weren't skivved down at edges so they stand rather proud. Endpapers are fresh. Old blank binder's endpaper before title page toned and chipped at edges.

Toned throughout, with occasional foxing spots, page edge chips, thumbs, dog-eared corner, etc.

Title page has a small chip just at the upper corner, one along fore-edge, and a "C" in graphite at the bottom margin. Top corner chipped just at corner through first gathering (A8). Leaf b7 chipped at bottom corner, no text affected. Small 1 cm imprint in bottom margin pages 200-300, like something was once closed in the book. Damage to bottom corner of S1, no text affected. A little more toning towards end. Rear, blank old binder's endpaper ghosted with oiling of old leather binding turn-ins.