An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of…An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of…

Reason. 4 The fourth Reason, to prove it to be a sin, is because it is contrary to the good custom and practise of many Churches of Christ. Here J am to show two things.

Reason. 4 The fourth Reason, to prove it to be a sinne, is because it is contrary to the good custom and practise of many Churches of Christ. Here J am to shew two things.

First. That good customs, taken up by Churches upon good grounds should not lightly be broken & laid down. Wherein I do fully agree with the author of that elaborate commentary upon the fourth chapter of John, my reverend Countryman,¹ who now resteth from his labours, who, to prove this, produceth Paul alleging the custom of the Churches, to stop the mouths of contentious men, & commending sundry truths to the people of God, by this Argument, they had received them, and making that a further bond unto their conscience, for which end also he propoundeth that general rule given unto us, walk in the ⟨p. 152⟩ways of good men, ²and keep the ways of the righteous, and a promise which God hath made to them that will learn the ways of his people, ³and conform themselves unto them, then shall they be built in the middest of my people. To make this point more clear, I will add thereunto, from a manuscript,⁴ the judgment of the worthy author of the preface to that commentary concerning the binding force of good examples, who thus expresseth himself.

First. That good customs, taken up by Churches upon good grounds should not lightly be broken & layd downe. Wherein I doe fully agree whith the authour of that elaborate cōmentary upon the fourth chapter of Iohn, my reverend Countryman,