1739 JEREMIAH WHITE. Rare Puritan Work, A Persuasive to Mutual Love and Charity Among Christians of Differing Views. Timely.

The precise history of the present work is unclear. It has long been attributed to Jeremiah White [1629-1707], a puritan of distinctive views who served as Chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and after the restoration to Mrs. Cromwell. 

He was a puritan in many ways, but also held the doctrine of ultimate reconciliation. He never conformed after the restoration, but continued to preach and publish. Many of his works were retained in manuscript until his death and some are no longer extant. The present work seems to have not been published during his lifetime, but Foulis located it and published it in light of the ongoing controversy regarding subscription to the Westminster Confession in the Scottish and Irish Presbyterian churches during the first half of the 18th century. 

Apparently, also, there was resistance from the American Presbyterian churches, who felt that subscription to the Westminster Confession violated the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and perhaps the spirit of the Reformation and the right of individual conscience. So an interesting contribution as well to the American doctrine of Religious Liberty.

Very scarce on the market and but a handful in institutional hands. 

White, Jeremiah. A Persuasive to Mutual Love and Charity among Christians who differ in Opinion. Drawn from the Motives of the Gospel, and Proper for Healing the Present Divisions among Us. By a Minister of the Gospel. Printed in the Year 1739. First [and only] Edition. 98pp.

Also bound with a 1753 edition of Joseph Addison's Of the Christian Religion and a 1745 Urie edition of John Ray's Persuasive to a Holy Life: From the Happiness which Attends it, Both in this World, and in the World to Come. 

Attractive 18th century quarter leather with geometric hand-pulled boards, some losses to foredge. A bit closely cropped at foredge on text block. Some handling, but good+ and very rare.