John Gilbert — Reflections on Dr. Fleetwood&Apos;S Essay Upon Miracles: Shewing the Absurdity, Falshood, and Danger of His Notions.

London, Roberts, 1706. Leather. A table-thumping defence of the importance and mystery of divine grace in miracles; levelled as a defence against more empirical attempts to qualify them. John Gilbert was born c1658 and educated at Oxford. Following a published criticism of Catholic doctrine, he was incorporated at Cambridge 1687, and took a living in Peterborough a year later. The Reflections are generally attributed to Gilbert; and comprise a critical response to William Fleetwood's works on Miracles. In the Reflections, Gilbert asserts that Fleetwood's thinking is dangerously undermining to Christianity in that they compromise the 'certainty of proof' which miracles give to 'revealed religion;' and that it in any event it is not man's place to set a definitive standard for what is or is not a miracle of God. In a full calf binding. Externally, generally smart with rubbing to the joints and extremities. Hinges are tender tender. Armorial bookplate of W. Wynne and bookplate of Professor David Arthur Pailin on foxed pastedown; half-title; faint signature of Wynne in old ink at top of title-page; "by J. Gilbert" written in old ink after title on title-page (a second edition of the work also published in 1706 had the author"s name on the title-page). Repaired tear in outer margin of title-page. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright. Edges of leaves lightly burnished; tear in outer margin of p. 267 and 269; bottom of p.269- 230 torn with loss of some paper and a few letters on bottom line of text. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .