The grand debate between the most reverend bishops and the Presbyterian divines appointed by…

Reply. If we had said, that the Church is contentious, if it adore God in kneeling on the Lords days, or use not the White Garment, Milk and Honey after baptism, which had more pretence of Apostolical tradition, and were generally used more anciently than Lent, would you not have thought we wronged the Church? if the purer times of the Church have one Custom, and later times a contrary, which must we follow? or must we necessarily be contentious for not following both? or rather may we not by the example of the Church that changeth them, be allowed to take such things to be matters of Liberty, and not necessity? If we must needs conform to the Custom of other Churches in such things, or be contentious, it is either because God hath so commanded, or because he hath given those Churches Authority to command it: If the former, then what Churches or what Ages must we conform to? If all must concur to be our pattern, it will be hard for us to be acquainted with them so far as to know of such Concurrences: And in our Case we know that many do it not; If it must be the most, we would know where God commandeth us to imitate the greater number, though the worse; or hath secured us that they shall not be the worst? or why we are not tied rather to imitate the purer Ages than the more corrupt? If it be said, that the Church hath Authority to command us, we desire to know what Church that is, and where to be found, and heard, that may command England, and all the Churches of his Majesty's Dominions. If it be said to be a General Council; 1. No General Council can pretend to more Authority than that of Nice, whose 20th Canon, backed with Tradition and common practice, now binds not us, and was laid by without any Repeal by following Councils. 2. We know of no such things as General Councils, at least that have bound us to the religious observation of Lent. The Bishops of one Empire could not make a General Council. 3. Nor do we know of any such ⟨p. 65⟩power that they have ever the universal Church, there being no visible head of it, or Governors to make universal Laws, but Christ, (as Rogers on the 20. Article fore-cited shows) our 21.

Reply. If we had said, that the Church is contentious, if it adore God in kneeling on the Lords daies, or use not the White Garment, Milk and Honey after baptism, which had more pretence of Apostolical tradition, and were generally used more anciently than Lent, would you not have thought we wronged the Church? if the purer times of the Church have one Custome, and later times a contrary, which must we follow? or must we necessarily be contentious for not following both? or rather may we not by the example of the Church that changeth them, be allowed to take such things to be matters of Liberty, and not necessity? If we must needs conform to the Custome of other Churches in such things, or be contentious, it is either because God hath so commanded, or because he hath given those Churches Authority to command it: If the former, then what Churches or what Ages must we conforme to? If all must concurr to be our patterne, it will be hard for us to be acquainted with them so far as to know of such Concurrences: And in our Case we know that many do it not; If it must be the most, we would know where God commandeth us to imitate the greater number, though the worse; or hath secured us that they shall not be the worst? or why we are not tied rather to imitate the purer Ages than the more corrupt? If it be said, that the Church hath Authority to command us, we desire to know what Church that is, and where to be found, and heard, that may command England, and all the Churches of his Majesty's Dominions. If it be said to be a General Council; 1. No General Council can pretend to more Authority than that of Nice, whose 20th Canon, back'd with Tradition and common pratice, now bindes not us, and was laid by without any Repeal by following Councils. 2. We know of no such things as General Councils, at least that have bound us to the religious observation of Lent. The Bishops of one Empire could not make a General Council. 3. Nor do we know of any such