ORIGENIS ADAMANTII RENATI EPISTOLA AD DOCTORES WHITBEIUM, WATERLANDIUM, WHISTONIUM, ALIOSQUE LITERATOS HUJUS SÆCULI DISPUTATORES: CIRCA FIDEM VERE ORTHODOXAM, & SCRIPTURARUM INTERPRETATIONEM

London: prostat venalis apud J. Robertsium, 1720.. [4],35,[1]pp. Octavo. Extracted from nonce pamphlet volume. Half-title moderately soiled and spotted, with a small bit of thinning, but a good copy. First edition of this element in an extended controversy brought on by the English theologian's unorthodox views. "By the study of Origen and the other early Fathers, [Woolston] became possessed with the notion of the importance of an allegorical or spiritual interpretation of Scripture, and advocated its use in the defence of Christianity both in his sermons and in his [writings], while attacking what he saw as the shallow literalist interpretation of contemporary divines ... For many years he published nothing, but in 1720-1721 the publication of letters and pamphlets in advocacy of his assessment of the Old Testament, with open challenges to the clergy to refute them, brought him into trouble. It was reported that his mind was disordered, and he lost his fellowship. From 1721 he lived for the most part in London, on an allowance of £30 a year from his brother and other presents ... - Wikipedia. In 1729 he was convicted of blasphemy for some of his later works. He was unable to pay the fines and remained in jail until his death in 1733. ESTC T77532.