Gods Arrow Against Atheists. de Smith, Henrie [Henry] - 1609.

London:: Imprinted by F[elix].K[ingston] for Thomas Pauier,, 1609.. Third edition. Rare.. 4to.. A-F8, G4. Rebacked modern calf, gilt borders to bands, red title label, over new marbled boards. New endpapers. Corners slightly rounded, minor soiling and some light dampstains to outer margins, title with contemporary ink note ÒABÓ at inner margin. Lacks blanks. Overall, a nice copy of a scarce work. ÒThis work by Henry Smith (1550-1591) is a gem. However, Henry Smith is little known. SmithÕs works are comprehensively outstanding... He lived only a short time (dying at the age of 41, although some documentation exists showing he may have died at 51). He was a second generation reformer and a precursor to Puritanism... he fills a gap in his lifetime of rubbing shoulders with the fathers of puritanism (men like William Perkins, William Ames and Thomas Cratwright, as well as his mentor Richard Greenham. In his day he was known as a powerful preacher - the Òprime preacher of the nationÓ. This particular book was one of Smiths most popular works, and went through dozens of editions and reprints during his lifetime (his sermons in general had gone through eighty-five editions by 1620). Gods Arrow focuses on utterly destroying paganism, Islam and Roman Catholicism, with an exhortation to unite ChristÕs church in the truth rather than divide it.Ó [-McMahon, editor, preface to Gods Arrow Against Atheists, 2012].ÒHis (Smith) preaching brought him such fame that he was known as Ôsilver-tongued-SmithÕ... In Gods Arrow Against Atheists he not only attacks Muslims but other opponents of the Christianity of the Church of England, from atheists, infidels throughout the world, and Roman Catholics, to Brownists and Barrowists. His conclusion is that Ôthe Church of England is the true Church of God from which it is utterly unlawfull to make a separation.Ó [- Pailin, Attitudes to Other Religions, 1984].STC 22725 mentions that editions of STC 22737 and 22667 are called for in the table of contents of ÒThe Sermons of Master Henry SmithÓ (1604). Because different publishers held the copyright of each book, editions were not often printed simultaneously. Therefore (like our edition), each book is treated as a separate entity. ESTC: S106236. STC (2nd ed) 22668.