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…

Surely if the order be so good and convenient / it hath met with a very barren patron / which can say nothing for it. And although there be enough said by the admonition / yet because this bold and hardy speech is enough to lead the simpler away / & to make them think that M. doctor hath a good cause / therefore I will also say something of these rites of burial.

Surely if the order be so good and conuenient / it hath met wt a very barren patron / whych can say nothing for it. And although there be enough sayd by the admonition / yet because thys bold and hardy speache is enough to lead the simpler away / & to make them thinke that M. doctor hathe a good cause / therfore I wil also say somthyng of these rites of buryal.

And first of all / as this almost is a general fault in them all / that they maintain in the minds of the ignorant the opinion of praying for the dead: so is this also another general fault / that these ceremonies are taken up without any example / either of the churches under the law / or of the purest churches under the gospel / that is / of the churches in the apostles times. For when the scripture describeth the ceremonies or rites of burial amongst the people of God so diligently / that it maketh mention of the smallest things / there is no doubt but the holy Ghost doth thereby show us a pattern / whereunto we should also frame our burials. And therefore for so much as neither the church under the law nor under the gospel / when it was in the greatest purity / did ever use any prescript form of service ⟨p. 201⟩in the burial of their dead / it could not be but dangerous / to take up any such custom / & in the time of the law it was not only not used / but utterly forbidden. For when the law did forbid that the priest should not be at the burial / ¹which ought to say or conceive the prayers there / it is clear y• the Jews might not have any such prescript form. And yet they had most need of it / for the causes of obscure knowledge / & weaker faith before alleged. Again / by this means a new charge is laid upon the minister / and a taking him away from his necessary duties of feeding and governing the flock / which being so great as a marvellous diligence will scarcely overcome / ought not to be made greater by this / being a thing so unnecessary. The Admonition doth not say that the Prayers which are said / are for the dead / but that they maintain an opinion of prayer for the dead in the hearts of the simple / and that they declare manifestly enough / when they say that it may be partly gathered. &c.