Roman-Catholick Doctrines No Novelties – Serenus Cressy – 1663 | First Edition, Rebuttal to Thomas Pierce

1663 Roman-Catholick Doctrines Cressy is the first edition of Serenus Cressy’s reply to Dr. Thomas Pierce’s sermon “The Primitive Rule of Reformation.” Published during a pivotal period of English religious polemics, this work addresses contested doctrines of divine decree and church authority. Cressy, an Anglican-turned-Catholic, wrote to counter Pierce’s theological conclusions, maintaining that Roman Catholic beliefs align with the earliest ecclesiastical traditions. This edition is complete and preserved in an attractive modern binding modeled on the period.

Cressy’s text was one of several written in the 1660s countering Protestant interpretations of church reform and the authority of early councils. The final six pages provide a table summarizing key arguments. This edition presents Catholic reasoning through patristic and scholastic sources, challenging contemporary Anglican interpretations without reliance on later doctrinal developments. It retains value as both a historical artifact of 17th-century religious dispute and as an example of English recusant publishing during the post-Restoration period.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Roman-Catholick Doctrines No Novelties, or, An Answer to Dr. Pierce’s Court-Sermon, Miscall’d The Primitive Rule of Reformation
• Author(s): Serenus Cressy
• Publisher: [London], 1663
• Edition: First edition, 1663.
• Format: Octavo, single volume
• Binding: Modern full leather, gilt spine title, decorative tooling
• Size:  6.75in x 4.5in (17cm x 11cm)
• Collation: [14], 322, [6] pp
• Contents Include:
  • Prefatory discussion of doctrinal continuity
  • Response to Thomas Pierce’s theological claims
  • Discussion of divine decrees and ecclesiastical precedent
  • Summary index of subjects
• Reference(s): Wing C 6892

Condition:

Modern full leather binding with decorative elements and gilt titling to the spine. Structurally sound and recently executed to a high standard, with appropriate stylistic cues. Spine features raised bands and clear stamping. Edges are trimmed; internal leaves are clean and well-preserved with expected toning consistent with age. The text block is tight and square. Pagination complete. No signs of loss or major repair. Title page and terminal contents are intact.

Why Collect This?

• First edition of a significant Catholic response during Restoration England
• Rebuttal to Dr. Thomas Pierce, an influential Protestant divine
• Written by Serenus Cressy, noted Catholic apologist and liturgical author
• Modern leather binding with gilt title and decorative tooling