The place of the. 28. of Sainct Mathew is as strong agaynst womens baptizing as it is a∣gaynst theyr preaching. For (a) the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes can not be pulled in sunder, which ye Lord hath ioyned togither from time to time. For (b) Noah which was a preacher vnto the olde worlde of the will of God, was ordeyned also of God to make the Arke, whiche was a Sacramente and seale of his preachyng, touchyng the destruction of the worlde. And (b) Abraham whom the Lorde would haue to be the Doctour of his churche, whiche was then in his familie, was also commaunded to minister the Sacrament of circumcision vnto his familie. The (b) Priestes and Leuites whiche were appoynted to teache the people, were also appoynted to sacrifice and to minister other sacramentes in the Church. Lykewise the same Prophets which God stirred vp to preach, he also ordeyned to confirme the same by signes & Sacraments. The (b) same may be also drawne throughout the new Testament, as vnto euery of the twelue, and after∣warde to the seuentie, power was giuen bothe to preache the Gospell, and also to confirme wyth signes and miracles, whiche were seales of their Doctrine. And (b) Sainct Paule by the com∣maundement that our Sauiour Christe gaue hym to preache, vndertooke also to baptise, although there were no expresse woordes that licenced him therevnto, for hee knewe right well that it was the perpetuall ordinaunce of God, that the same shoulde bee the ministers of the worde and Sa∣cramentes. Wherevpon it followeth, that forasmuche as women maye not prcache the Gospell, no not by the lawes of the realine, that they ought not to minister Baptisme.
My reason alleadged in my Answere to the Admonition, why this place doth not make any necessarie conclusion agaynst the baptizyng by Women, is not an∣swered: but there is a newe collection made of the same place, whyche is of as great force as the other: for you myght as well conclude thus: Ergo, Pastors maye not preache, bycause Pastours bée not Apostles. I speake of the Argumente, not of the thyng. For I woulde not haue the Scriptures abused to confirme, no not a truthe, least it make men the bolder to wreast them at their pleasure, and for the confirming of errour. M. Zuinglius in hys booke De Baptisme sayth, that Christe did not in this place of Mathewe, institute baptisme nor prescribe eyther tyme, place, or any other circumstance, perteyning to the same.
I haue proued before, that the administration of the Sacraments, may bée com∣mitted to some, to whome the publike preachyng of the worde is not committed, and youre examples here alleadged doe not proue the contrarie, excepte you wyll haue vs to grounde poyntes of doctrine, vppon bare examples: whych if we should doe, many inconueniences would followe, yea euen baptizyng by women, whiche you so greately mislyke. A facto ad ius, or à non facto ad non ius, bée the vsuall rea∣sons of the Anabaptistes, but of no force.
The example of Noah helpeth you not, except you will either allegorie, or proue yt the minister of the worde may make Sacramēts, bicause Noah made the Arke, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Arke can not be proprely termed a sacrament in yt signification yt ours be, for it had no promise of eternal life annexed vnto it, neither was it any seale of gods promise: