A vindication of the miraculous powers, which subsisted in the three first centuries of the Christian church. In answer to Dr. Middleton's Free enquiry. By which it is shewn, that we have no sufficient reason to believe, from the doctor's reasonings and objections, that no such powers were continued to the church, after the days of the Apostles. By Thomas Church, with a preface, containing some observations on Dr. Mead's account of the demoniacs, in his new piece, intituled, Medica sacra [SIGNED]

London: John and James Rivington, 1750. First edition. Hardcover. g- to vg. Octavo (7 7/8 x 5"). [4], XLIII, [1], 383, [1]pp. 19th-century full calf, with gold lettering to spine. Raised bands. Decorative head-, tailpieces and initial. Signed and dated 1750 at top of title page.


Thomas Church's "A vindication of the miraculous powers" is one of the two written answers to Conyers Middleton's "A Free Inquiry into the Miraculous Powers," published in 1748, in which the author denied the credibility of the stories of miracles in periods subsequent to the first age of the church, attacked the character of the narrators, and explained the (truncated) origin of the narratives by the general credulity of the times in which they arose.

The other published refutation of Middleton's book was William Dodwell's "Free Answer to Dr. Middleton's Free Inquiry into the Miraculous Powers of the Primitive Church," (London, 1749).

British priest and controversialist, Thomas Church's vindication against Conyers Middleton, earned him the degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD) from the University of Oxford.

Binding rubbed along edges, with some abrasion to leather on spine. Head of spine chipped. Stamp of the University of California Riverside on inside of front cover, and at top and bottom edge. Binding in overall fair to good-, interior in very good condition. (Inventory #: 42024)