1662 ALEXANDER PETRIE. Excessively Rare Scottish Covenanter History of the Church from 600-1600.

An excessively rare Church history, including original records of the Scottish Church published nowhere else and with the originals sinceost in the fire at the Lawnmarket, Edinburgh [1701]. 

Alexander Petrie [b.1594] was the minister of Rhynd in Perthshire and a heary participant with the Covenanters. Already, by 1638, he was a member of the general assembly held at Glasgow which overthrew episcopacy. In several subsequent assemblies he took an active part as a member of committees.

The Scottish church at Rotterdam was founded in 1642 for the benefit of the many Scottish merchants, soldiers, and sailors, living there. They were, however, without a minister until Petrie was selected and commissioned by the presbytery of Edinburgh. He was approved by the general assembly, and was inducted by the classis or presbytery of Rotterdam on 30 Aug. 1643. The introduction of puritan innovations in the church at Rotterdam soon afterwards caused much discord, as many of the members were warmly attached to the old forms prescribed in Knox's Liturgy. These difficulties were eventually overcome, mainly owing to Petrie's influence.

In 1644 Petrie published at Rotterdam a pamphlet entitled Chiliasto Mastix, or the Prophecies in the Old and New Testament concerning the Kingdom of our Saviour Jesus Christ vindicated from the Misinterpretations of the Millenaries, and specially of Robert Maton, in his book called “Israel's Redemption.’ Maton's book had been taken up by the independents and baptists, and had been widely circulated among Petrie's flock.

During the later years of his life he devoted much time to the preparation of his great work, that presently offered, A Compendious History of the Catholic [i.e. universal] Church from the year 600 until the year 1600, showing her Deformation and Reformation, &c., A massive folio volume, it was published at the Hague by Adrian Black in 1662. 

No copies traced in the auction record and none noted in the trade at the time of cataloguing. 

Petrie, Alexander. A Comprehensive History of the Catholick Church, From the Year 600 until the Year 1600, Shewing Her Deformation and Reformation. Together with the Rise, Reign, Rage, and Begin-Fall of the Roman Antichrist. With Many other Profitable Instructions. Gathered Out of Divers Writers of the Several Times, and Other Histories, by Alexander Petrie, Minister of the Scots Congregation at Rotterdam. Hague. Printed by Adrian Vlack. 1662. 587pp.

[bound with]

The Fifth age of the Church, or the History of the Church Rising, and of the Antichrist Raging, Containing the Space of 300 Years, from the Year of Our Lord 1300 Untill the Year 1600. Century XVI. Part I. 582pp.

A good + copy, bound in leather with the hinges breached and weak, but text is generally solid, with text remarkably fresh, being generally bright and having only very light foxing. Well worth preserving. 

Measures 12.5" X 8.25" X 3.5"