A Treatise Tending Vnto a Declaration Whether a Man Be in the Estate of Damnation, or in the Estate of Grace

Item Details

London, Printed by Thomas Orwin for John Porter and Thomas Gubbin,, 1591, Calf bound

2nd Edition, Very Good

Published in 1591 during William Perkins’s lifetime, this Elizabethan theological treatise represents an important contributions to English Protestant thought. A leading figure of the late sixteenth-century religious landscape, Perkins sought to address one of the central concerns of Reformation spirituality: how a believer might understand their spiritual condition and find assurance of faith.

WILLIAM PERKINS — THEOLOGY MADE PRACTICAL.
Perkins was among the most influential English Protestant theologians of his generation. As a fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge, and a prominent preacher and writer, he became known for presenting complex Reformed theology in practical forms accessible to clergy and lay readers alike.

THE SEARCH FOR SPIRITUAL ASSURANCE.
The enduring importance of 'A Treatise Tending Vnto a Declaration Whether a Man Be in the Estate of Damnation, or in the Estate of Grace' lies in its engagement with deeply personal questions of faith, conscience, doubt, and salvation. In an age when questions of election and grace shaped religious life, Perkins offered readers a structured approach to examining their beliefs, actions, and spiritual experience.

Rather than treating theology as abstract doctrine alone, Perkins transformed difficult theological concepts into practical guidance for believers confronting questions of faith, doubt, and assurance.

This copy is further distinguished by manuscript notes preserved on the verso of the original rear endpaper, written in an earlier hand. The notes have not been fully identified or transcribed but provide evidence of historical engagement with Perkins’s text and its continued study by later readers.

KEY FEATURES 

• Visuals: Features Thomas Orwin's iconic griffin printer’s mark to the title page, ornate woodcut initial letters, and elaborate typographical head- and tailpieces throughout. 
• Binding: Full light-brown calf bound in in contemporary 17th-century style, outer and inner panels framed in blind-ruled filleting, spine with five raised bands, gilt-lettered maroon morocco label ('PERKINS'S TREATISE'), and date '1591' stamped in gilt at the foot.
• Content: Contains the full treatise on election and reprobation, including the famous dialogues between 'Sathan and the Christian' and pastoral 'Consolations for the troubled consciences of repentant Sinners.' 
• Imprint: London: Printed by Thomas Orwin for John Porter and Thomas Gubbin, 1591.  A significant Elizabethan imprint published during the lifetime of William Perkins, with early manuscript notes preserved on the original rear endpaper.
• Specs: 24mo format (trimmed to 5.5 inches tall).
• Reader Annotations: The original rear endpaper has been preserved and retains manuscript notes in ink on the verso, written in an unidentified secretary-style hand.

CONDITION: Very Good.  The binding is sound, square, and tight, holding the compact text block firmly. The text block has been carefully trimmed during an earlier rebinding, with no loss of printed text. Internally, the text is generally clean with expected light age-toning and mild evidence of handling consistent with a volume of this period. Complete in all parts but the original endpages.

The preserved original rear flyleaf shows expected light creasing and toning and retains manuscript notes in ink on the verso. The manuscript material remains legible and has not been conclusively identified.

THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND — THE MAKING OF A PROTESTANT THEOLOGIAN.
William Perkins was one of the most influential English Protestant theologians of the Elizabethan period. A fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge, and lecturer at Great St. Andrew’s Church, Perkins became known for presenting complex Reformed theology in practical and accessible forms for clergy and lay readers alike.

THE SEARCH FOR SPIRITUAL ASSURANCE.
Central to Perkins’s work was the relationship between faith, conscience, and personal assurance. 'A Treatise Tending Vnto a Declaration Whether a Man Be in the Estate of Damnation, or in the Estate of Grace' addresses one of the defining concerns of Reformation spirituality: whether an individual could recognize evidence of grace within themselves and understand their spiritual condition.

FAITH, DOUBT, AND THE LIFE OF CONSCIENCE.
The work reflects the Elizabethan emphasis on self-examination and 'cases of conscience,' offering readers a structured approach to questions of doubt, faith, and salvation. Through its practical treatment of spiritual anxiety and assurance, the book became an important example of the pastoral character of English Protestant theology.

A THEOLOGY OF CONSCIENCE.
A Treatise Tending Vnto a Declaration stands as one of Perkins’s most important examinations of the assurance of salvation. Through its discussion of signs of grace, spiritual doubt, and the examination of conscience, the text provides insight into the lived religious experience of sixteenth-century Protestantism.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES

• Design & Typography: Demonstrates the sophisticated small-format Elizabethan printing style of Thomas Orwin, utilizing black letter for primary emphasis alongside roman and italic types, designed for intimate, portable devotional carry.
• Scholarship & Casuistry: Represents one of the earliest systematic works of Protestant casuistry (cases of conscience), bridging strict Calvinist theology with practical pastoral advice for those suffering spiritual despair.
• Historical Influence: Perkins was the most published English author of the late Elizabethan era; his works directly shaped the theological framework of the early New England Puritan ministry, heavily influencing John Cotton, William Ames, and Cotton Mather.

SUBJECTS: William Perkins, Elizabethan Religion, Puritan Theology, Reformation Literature, Early English Printing, History of Reading, Reader Annotations, Predestination 
GENRES: Early Printed Books, English Theology, Elizabethan Imprints, Annotated Copies, Religious Ephemera 
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: STC (2nd ed.) 19747 / 19752 series; ESTC S114285 (cf.).

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