‎WILLIS, THOMAS. ‎
‎A word in season, for a warning to England: or a prophecy of perillous times open'd and apply'd.‎

‎London, Tho. Ratcliff for Tho. Underhill, 1659. 8vo. In contempoteray full calf. Small paper-label pasted on to top of spine. Light wear to extremities, a few scratches to boards and corners bumped. Inner hinges split. Internally nice and clean. (18), 430, (20) pp.‎

Reference : 60839

‎Rare first edition of Willis’ enlarged sermon first preached in Westminiter Abbey. The sermon addresses the social, political, and moral concerns of the timevemphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs of perilous times and offers guidance on how to navigate through them as good Christians. “Thomas Willis (d. 1692), was educated first in his father's school and afterwards at St. John's College, Oxford, where he was created M.A. on 17 Dec. 1646, by virtue of the letters of Sir Thomas Fairfax. He was possibly the ‘Mr. Thomas Willis, minister, who was chaplain to the regiment of Col. Payne, part of the brigade under the command of Major-general Brown.’ In 1646 he was appointed minister of Twickenham in Middlesex, and was instituted on 8 Oct. In 1651 he had his stipend increased by 100l. a year from tithes belonging to the dean and canons of Windsor. He was one of the commissioners for the county of Middlesex and city of Westminster for the ejection of ignorant and scandalous ministers. In August 1660 the inhabitants of Twickenham petitioned parliament for his removal. In the petition he is described as not having been of either university, but ‘bred in New England,’ and not ‘a lawfully ordained minister.’ In 1661 he was deprived of the living, but afterwards conforming he was instituted to the rectory of Dunton in Buckinghamshire on 4 Feb. 1663, holding it in conjunction with the vicarage of Kingston-on-Thames, to which he was instituted on 21 Aug. 1671. At this time he was chaplain-in-ordinary to the king, and had been created D.D. in 1670. He died on 8 Oct. 1692, and was buried at Kingston, Surrey.” (DNB).‎