A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

Tell me M. doctor why there should be any such confirmation in the church / being brought in by the feigned Decretal Epistles of the Popes / and no one tittle thereof being once found in the scripture / and seeing that it hath been so horribly abused / and not necessary / why ought it not to be utterly abolished? and thirdly / this confirmation hath very dangerous points in it. The first steppe of popery in this confirmation / is the laying on of hands upon the head of the child / whereby the opinion of it / that it is a sacrament is confirmed / especially when as the prayer doth say / that it is done according to the example of the Apostles / which is a manifest untruth / and taken in deed from the popish confirmation. The second is / for that the bishop (as he is called) must be the only minister of it / whereby the popish opinion which esteemeth it above baptism is confirmed. For whilst baptism may be ministered of the minister / and not confirmation / but only of the bishop / there is great cause of suspicion given to think / that baptism is not so precious a thing as confirmation: seeing this was one of the principal reasons / whereby that wicked opinion was established in popery. I do not here speak of the inconvenience / that men are constrained with charges / to bring their children oftentimes half a score miles for that (which if it were needful) might be as well done at home in their own parishes. The third is / for y• •• the allegation of the second cause of the using of the confirmation / the book sayeth / that by the ⟨p. 200⟩imposition of hands and prayer / the children may receive strength and defence against all temptations / whereas there is no promise / that by the laying on of hands upon children / any such gift shall be given / and it maintaineth the popish distinction / that the spirit of God is given at baptism unto the remission of since / and in confirmation unto strength / the which very word (strength) the book allegeth / and all this M. Doctor confuteth by calling of the authors