custom as to be contentious. So is the place expounded by Chrysostom,
Ambrose, Calvin, Martyr, Bullinger, Marlorat, Beza, Fulk, Cartwright,
Pareus, and our own Archbishop of St. Andrews, in his sermon upon that
text. And for this exposition, it maketh that the Apostle, in the
preceding part of the chapter, hath given sufficient reasons for that
order of covering or veiling the women; wherefore, if any would contend
about the matter, he tells them they must contend with themselves; for
they nor the churches of God would not contend with them,--they had no such
custom. But if we admit Bishop Andrews' gloss, then why doth the Apostle,
after he hath given good "reason for the veiling of women, subjoin, if any
man seem to be contentious," &c. The Bishop resolveth us, that the
apostles saw that a wrangling wit would elude these reasons which he had
given, and he had no other reasons to give, therefore he resolves all into
the church's practice,--enough of itself to suffice any that will be wise
to sobriety. _Ans._ If any seem to be blasphemous, we have no such custom,
neither the churches of God. What! shall a wrangling wit elude the reasons
given by the Spirit of God, in such sort, that he must give some other
more sufficient proof for that which he teacheth? Then the whole
Scriptures of God must yet be better proved, because the unstable do wrest
them, as Peter speaks, 2 Pet. iii. 16.

(Transcriber's Note: There is no section 12 in the original book.)

_Sect._ 13. 2. The custom of the church is not enough to pitch on, and it
is found oftentimes expedient to change a custom of the church.

Basilius Magnus(865) doth flatly refuse to admit the authority of custom:
_Consuetudo sine veritate_ (saith Cyprian),(866) _vetustas erroris est.
Frustra enim qui ratione vincuntur_ (saith Augustine),(867) _consuetudinem
nobis objiciunt, quasi consuetudo major sit veritate, &c. Nullus pudor est
ad meliora transire_, saith Ambrose(868) to the Emperor Valentinian.
_Quaelibet consuetudo_ (saith Gratian),(869) _veritati est postponenda._

And again,(870) _Corrigendum est quod illicite admittitur, aut a
praedecessoribus admissum invenitur_. A politic writer admonisheth(871)
_retinere antiqua_, only with this caution, _Si proba._

Calvin(872) (speaking against human ceremonies) saith, _Si objiciatur,
&c._ "If (saith he) antiquity be objected (albeit they who are too much
addicted to custom and to received fashions, do boldly use this buckler