The Rule of Faith: Or an Answer to the Treatise of Mr. I. S. Entitled Sure-Footing, etc. To Which is Adjoined A Reply to Mr. I. S. his 3d Appendix etc. (Tractatus cui Titulus) by Tillotson, John and Edward Stillingfleet - 1666

London, UK.: A. Maxwell and Sa. Gellibrand. Very Good. 1666. Hardcover. 12mo - 18 x 10.5 cm.; (8) - 333 - (5) - 116 - (12) pp. Mottled brown full calf over boards with a six panel spine. Intricate gilt filligree work on the spine panels with no external lettering. Tillotson's "The Rule of Faith" is the first paginated section proceeded by a two page 'note' to Stillingfleet complimenting him on his work and explaining the need for his (Tillotson's) contribution and followed by a page of errata. This in turn is followed by Stillingfleet's work "A Reply to Mr. I. S his 3rd Appendix, Containing some Animadversions on the Book Entituled - A Rational Account of the Grounds of Protestant Religion." Following this is a six page postscript by Stillingfleet and then two pages of advertisements for other books sold by Henry Mortlock in St. Paul's Church-yard. Previous owner's name on the front paste down end paper, the front free end paper is almost detached with an inked note on the fore edge margin (not recent). Another previous owner's name is on the back free end paper and again not recent. The text is clean with very random and few pencil marginalia neatly done by the most recent owner in the first 45 pages. The foxing is minimal and confined to the surface of the text block edges which themselves are quite darkened as expected. The trimming of the text block when it was bound has left quite ample tail and fore margins yet the head margin is a tad tight with no loss of text though. The externals show rubbed corner and spine tips and a wee bit on the bands themselves. The binding, aside form the loose front free end paper, is solid and quite supple. .