to
defend all their corruptions), the refutation is easy; for the ancients
also themselves, with heavy complaints, have abundantly testified that
they did not approve of anything which was devised by the will of men." In
the end of the epistle he allegeth this testimony of Cyprian: "If Christ
alone be to be heard, then we ought not to give heed what any man before
us hath thought fit to be done, but what Christ (who is before all) hath
done; for we must not follow the customs of man, but the truth of God."

What can be more plain than that antiquity cannot be a confirmation to
error, nor custom a prejudice to truth?

Wherefore Dr Forbesse(873) also despiseth such arguments as are taken from
the custom of the church.

_Sect._ 14. 3. There was a custom in the churches of God to give the holy
communion to infants; and another custom to minister baptism only about
Easter and Pentecost. Sundry such abuses got place in the church.

If, then, it be enough to pitch upon custom, why ought not those customs
to have been commended and continued? But if they were commendably
changed, then ought we not to follow blindly the bare custom of the
church, but examine the equity of the same, and demand grounds of reason
for it.

St. Paul (saith Dr Fulk(874)) doth give reason for that order of covering
women's heads: "By whose example the preachers are likewise to endeavour
to satisfy, by reason, both men and women, that humbly desire their
resolution for quiet of their conscience, and not to beat them down with
the club of custom only."

4. Whereas the custom of some churches is alleged for the ceremonies, we
have objected the custom of other churches against them; neither shall
ever our opposites prove them to be the customs of the church universal.

5. A great part of that ecclesiastical custom which is alleged for the
ceremonies, resolveth into that idolatrous and superstitious use of them
which hath long continued in the kingdom of antichrist; but that such a
custom maketh against them, it hath been proved before.(875)

6. If it were so that we ought to pitch upon the church's custom, yet
(that I may speak with Mr Hooker) the law of common indulgence permitteth
us to think of our own customs as half a thought better than the customs
of others.

But why was there such a change made in the discipline, policy, and orders
of the church of Scotland, which were agreeable to the word of God,
confirmed and ratified by general assem