Confirmation and restoration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of…Confirmation and restauration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of…

This much from Scripture, for Imposition of hands, is more then Nothing, though it may not be so full as you expected: But on the contrary, Nothing is brought to prove it unlawful, that's worth the mentioning.

This much from Scripture, for Imposition of hands, is more then Nothing, though it may not be so full as you expected: But on the contrary, Nothing is brought to prove it unlawfull, that's worth the mentioning.

The last thing that I have to do, is to argue from the Practice of the Church, as the Exposition of these texts of Scripture. If the Universal Church of Christ have used Confirmation by Prayer, and Laying on of hands, as a Practice received from the Apostles, and no other beginning of it can be found; then have we no reason to think the Ceremony to be ceased, or to interpret the forementioned Scripture, contrary to this Practice of the Universal Church: But the Antecedent is true, as I now come briefly to prove, supposing what Mr Hanmer hath said. It is commonly known, that the Ancientest Canons of the Church do speak of this as the unquestioned Practice and duty of the Church: So that to recite Canons were loss of time in so known a case. And if any say that Anointing and Crossing were Ancient; I Answer, 1. That they were as ancient in the Popish use, as the Matter of a Sacrament, ⟨p. 125⟩or as necessary signs, is not true, nor proved, but disproved by our Writers, against the Popish Confirmation frequently.¹ 2. Nor can it be proved that they were as Ancient as Indifferent things. 3. We prove the contrary, because they were never used in Scripture times, their being no mention of them. 4. So that we bring Antiquity but to prove the continuance of a Scripture Practice, and so to clear the sense of it: But the Papists plead the Fathers, for that which Scripture is a stranger to.

The last thing that I have to do, is to argue from the Practice of the Church, as the Exposition of these texts of Scripture. If the Universal Church of Christ have used Confirmation by Prayer, and Laying on of hands, as a Practice received from the Apostles, and no other beginning of it can be found; then have we no reason to think the Ceremony to be ceased, or to interpret the forementioned Scripture, contrary to this Practice of the Universal Church: But the Antecedent is true, as I now come briefly to prove, supposing what Mr Hanmer hath said. It is commonly known, that the Ancientest Canons of the Church do speak of this as the unquestioned Practice and duty of the Church: So that to recite Canons were loss of time in so known a case. And if any say that Anointing and Crossing were Ancient; I Answer, 1. That they were as ancient in the Popish use, as the Matter of a Sacrament,