treatise_n which_o i_o now_o publish_v require_v i_o to_o descend_v low_a and_o demonstrate_v that_o even_o in_o latter_a age_n it_o be_v the_o common_o receive_v opinion_n of_o the_o church_n that_o scripture_n be_v the_o rule_n of_o faith._n and_o this_o alone_a will_n as_o evident_o overthrow_v the_o plea_n of_o tradition_n as_o if_o the_o consent_n of_o all_o age_n herein_o be_v demonstrate_v for_o since_o tradition_n be_v the_o perpetual_a succession_n of_o any_o doctrine_n convey_v down_o in_o the_o church_n by_o word_n of_o mouth_n from_o the_o apostle_n to_o this_o present_a time_n if_o this_o succession_n be_v in_o any_o age_n whatsoever_o interrupt_v it_o can_v no_o more_o claim_v the_o title_n of_o tradition_n than_o if_o it_o have_v never_o be_v believe_v so_o that_o if_o it_o can_v be_v prove_v the_o doctrine_n of_o tradition_n be_v the_o rule_n of_o faith_n be_v in_o any_o age_n of_o the_o church_n disbelieved_a not_o only_o the_o proof_n of_o this_o article_n from_o 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against_o the_o lollard_n he_o shall_v himself_o depart_v from_o the_o church_n in_o her_o principal_a article_n and_o therein_o become_v a_o lollard_n since_o therefore_o he_o plain_o assert_n and_o teach_v that_o scripture_n be_v the_o rule_n of_o faith_n this_o undeniable_o prove_v that_o the_o belief_n of_o this_o proposition_n be_v not_o in_o the_o time_n of_o our_o author_n account_v any_o part_n of_o lollardism_n or_o suppose_a heresy_n but_o rather_o esteem_v a_o article_n of_o catholic_n belief_n at_o least_o a_o article_n which_o may_v be_v free_o dispute_v without_o violate_v the_o definition_n or_o dissent_v from_o the_o universal_a belief_n of_o the_o church_n and_o indeed_o our_o author_n in_o the_o begin_n of_o this_o discourse_n assure_v we_o that_o the_o doctor_n of_o his_o time_n disagree_v in_o determine_v whether_o the_o church_n or_o scripture_n be_v chief_o to_o be_v respect_v in_o the_o resolution_n of_o faith._n one_o thing_n may_v be_v object_v against_o the_o authority_n of_o our_o author_n that_o he_o be_v force_v by_o the_o roll_a clergy_n to_o recant_v several_a opinion_n and_o doctrine_n teach_v by_o he_o as_o erroneous_a and_o consequent_o that_o he_o can_v be_v esteem_v a_o doctor_n of_o the_o church_n but_o here_o not_o to_o say_v that_o the_o sentence_n of_o two_o or_o three_o partial_a bishop_n for_o no_o more_o condemn_v he_o be_v not_o to_o be_v account_v the_o judgement_n of_o the_o church_n of_o england_n this_o very_a recantation_n add_v no_o small_a strength_n to_o our_o argument_n for_o when_o the_o malice_n of_o his_o enemy_n oblige_v he_o to_o recant_v all_o those_o doctrine_n which_o they_o esteem_v to_o be_v erroneous_a they_o take_v no_o notice_n of_o his_o have_v assert_v scripture_n to_o be_v the_o only_a rule_n of_o faith_n nor_o oblige_v he_o to_o recant_v that_o proposition_n a_o manifest_a argument_n that_o it_o be_v not_o then_o account_v either_o heretical_a or_o erroneous_a or_o contrary_a to_o the_o receive_a 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imprimatur_fw-la libre_fw-la cui_fw-la titulus_fw-la a_o treatise_n of_o reginald_n peacock_n etc._n etc._n guil._n needham_n r._n r._n in_o christo_n p._n ac_fw-la d._n d._n wilhelm_n archiep._n à _fw-fr sac._n dom._n etc._n etc._n jan._n 12_o 1687._o a_o treatise_n prove_v scripture_n to_o be_v the_o rule_n of_o faith._n write_v by_o reginald_n peacock_n bishop_n of_o chichester_n before_o the_o reformation_n about_o the_o year_n mcdl_o london_n print_v for_o james_n adamson_n at_o the_o angel_n and_o crown_n in_o s._n paul_n churchyard_n 1688._o preface_n if_o in_o any_o part_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n a_o undoubted_a certainty_n and_o most_o firm_a assurance_n may_v just_o be_v require_v if_o a_o scrupulous_a examination_n and_o curious_a enquiry_n may_v ever_o be_v allow_v in_o matter_n of_o religion_n certain_o a_o exact_a knowledge_n of_o the_o rule_n of_o faith_n will_v deserve_v as_o our_o first_o so_o our_o chief_n consideration_n for_o since_o the_o article_n of_o christianity_n be_v not_o in_o themselves_o self-evident_a nor_o can_v be_v find_v out_o by_o the_o sole_a principle_n of_o reason_n since_o all_o reveal_v religion_n be_v no_o far_o credible_a than_o as_o they_o can_v demonstrate_v their_o revelation_n to_o have_v be_v true_a and_o real_a some_o rule_n be_v necessary_a which_o may_v propose_v to_o mankind_n those_o article_n of_o faith_n which_o reason_n can_v not_o suggest_v and_o propose_v they_o also_o with_o such_o evidence_n as_o that_o the_o denial_n of_o assent_n shall_v in_o all_o become_v irrational_a what_o this_o determinate_a rule_n be_v have_v be_v the_o great_a controversy_n of_o this_o and_o all_o precede_a age_n however_o all_o party_n agree_v in_o affix_v some_o certain_a property_n to_o it_o whereby_o it_o may_v be_v distinguish_v and_o indeed_o without_o which_o it_o can_v never_o supply_v the_o office_n or_o serve_v the_o end_n of_o a_o true_a rule_n these_o may_v be_v reduce_v to_o four_o head_n that_o it_o be_v 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secure_o trust_v what_o be_v the_o necessary_a condition_n and_o qualification_n of_o a_o general_n council_n whether_o all_o these_o condition_n be_v ever_o observe_v in_o any_o council_n what_o these_o council_n be_v what_o they_o have_v define_v what_o be_v the_o true_a sense_n and_o intention_n of_o their_o definition_n from_o who_o must_v we_o learn_v the_o belief_n of_o the_o universal_a church_n if_o pope_n and_o council_n be_v reject_v from_o all_o christian_n or_o only_o from_o the_o clergy_n if_o from_o the_o late_a whether_o the_o assent_n of_o every_o member_n of_o the_o clergy_n be_v require_v if_o not_o how_o great_a a_o part_n may_v safe_o dissent_v from_o the_o rest_n from_o who_o the_o opinion_n of_o the_o major_a part_n be_v to_o be_v receive_v whether_o from_o the_o write_n of_o doctor_n or_o the_o teach_n of_o live_a pastor_n if_o from_o the_o latter_a whether_o it_o be_v sufficient_a to_o hear_v one_o or_o a_o few_o parish_n priest_n or_o all_o or_o at_o least_o 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all_o point_n in_o controversy_n between_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n and_o the_o lollard_n and_o large_o endeavour_v to_o confute_v the_o latter_a but_o as_o his_o zeal_n induce_v he_o to_o plead_v the_o cause_n of_o the_o church_n so_o copious_o so_o his_o learning_n enable_v he_o to_o discover_v the_o folly_n and_o gross_a superstition_n practise_v in_o that_o age_n which_o when_o once_o discover_v his_o piety_n inforce_v he_o to_o detest_v religion_n have_v now_o pass_v through_o so_o many_o ignorant_a and_o barbarous_a age_n the_o mean_n of_o greaterknowledge_n have_v be_v so_o studious_o hide_v from_o the_o people_n and_o the_o ignorance_n of_o the_o laity_n be_v so_o advantageous_a to_o the_o interest_n of_o the_o clergy_n that_o the_o true_a spirit_n of_o christianity_n seem_v to_o be_v whole_o lose_v and_o have_v degenerate_v into_o show_n and_o ceremony_n many_o of_o which_o be_v unlawful_a but_o almost_o all_o unuseful_a and_o not_o only_o this_o fatal_a stupidity_n and_o 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proclaim_v their_o falseness_n and_o
deride_v their_o folly_n this_o denial_n of_o infallibility_n moderation_n towards_o the_o lollard_n and_o disesteem_v of_o legend_n draw_v upon_o he_o the_o envy_n and_o hatred_n of_o the_o clergy_n to_o which_o may_v be_v add_v his_o favour_n with_o and_o faithful_a adherence_n to_o his_o patron_n duke_n humphrey_n who_o have_v always_o manifest_v a_o moderation_n towards_o the_o dissent_v lollard_n and_o aversion_n from_o the_o superstitious_a practice_n of_o the_o clergy_n no_o soon_o be_v the_o duke_n oppress_v by_o a_o contrary_a state_n faction_n but_o his_o client_n the_o bishop_n be_v attempt_v and_o his_o ruin_n design_v several_a passage_n be_v take_v out_o of_o his_o write_n which_o his_o enemy_n accuse_v of_o heresy_n at_o least_o of_o error_n hereupon_o in_o the_o year_n 1457._o he_o be_v cite_v to_o appear_v at_o a_o synod_n hold_v at_o lambeth_n by_o thomas_n bourchier_n archbishop_n of_o canterbury_n attend_v with_o the_o bishop_n of_o winchester_n lincoln_n and_o 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of_o a_o christian_a bishop_n before_o all_o other_o thing_n to_o preach_v the_o word_n of_o god._n ii_o that_o human_a reason_n be_v not_o to_o be_v prefer_v to_o the_o holy_a scripture_n iii_o that_o the_o modern_a use_n of_o the_o sacrament_n as_o attend_v with_o so_o many_o superstitious_a ceremony_n and_o custom_n be_v lâ—ss_o advantageous_a than_o the_o use_n of_o the_o law_n of_o nature_n iv._o that_o bishop_n buy_v their_o admission_n of_o the_o bishop_n of_o rome_n do_v sin_n v._o that_o no_o man_n be_v bind_v to_o believe_v and_o obey_v the_o determination_n of_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n vi_o that_o the_o revenue_n of_o bishop_n be_v by_o inheritance_n the_o good_n of_o the_o poor_a vii_o that_o the_o apostle_n compose_v not_o the_o vulgar_a creed_n viii_o that_o the_o article_n of_o christ_n descent_n into_o hell_n be_v not_o former_o in_o the_o creed_n ix_o that_o no_o other_o sense_n be_v to_o be_v attribute_v to_o holy_a scripture_n but_o the_o first_o and_o genuine_a 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for_o to_o understonde_v what_o he_o redith_v in_o the_o new_a testament_n though_o he_o not_o leerne_v the_o same_o faith_n by_o eny_z general_a counseil_fw-fr or_o eny_z multitude_n of_o clerkis_n tokider_v to_o be_v gaderid_fw-la thoug_a peradventure_o he_o schal_n have_v need_n at_o some_o while_n and_o in_o some_o textis_fw-la of_o the_o seid_v scripture_n seche_v to_o have_v expositioun_n have_v by_o the_o eldist_a party_n of_o the_o church_n join_v to_o the_o apostlis_n and_o lyving_n in_o time_n of_o the_o apostlis_n as_o soschal_n be_v taugt_v in_o the_o book_n of_o faith_n in_o latyn_n and_o in_o the_o book_n of_o the_o chirche_n very_o as_o y_o may_v trow_v thoroug_n all_o the_o time_n of_o be_v during_o these_o xl._o year_n bitwixe_v ynglond_n and_o france_n wi_v y_o not_o scant_o iii_o or_o iu_o man_n which_o wolden_a accord_n thorug_v our_o in_o tell_v how_o a_o toun_n or_o a_o castle_n be_v win_v in_o france_n or_o how_o a_o batel_n be_v do_v the_o though_o thilk_o man_n 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