But M. Doctor riseth vp, and saith that a woman in time of necessitie, and where there is none other that eyther can or will preache, maye preache the Gospell in the Church.
This is straunge doctrine, and such as strengtheneth the Anabaptists hands, and sauoureth stronger that ways, than any one thing, in all the Admonition, which is so often condemned of A∣nabaptisme. His first reason to proue it, is that there are examples thereof. When we alleadge the examples (a) 1.1 of all the churches of the Apostles times, to proue the election of the minister by the Churche, and in other cases which are generall examples, approued and executed by the Apostles, contrary to no commaundement nor institution of God, yea, and as hath bin proued according to the commaundement of God, M. Doctor gyueth vs our answer in a worde, that examples proue not: now that the question is to make good womens preaching in the Church, examples, I will not say of all churches, but of no one Church, only of a few singular persons, not according to the* 1.2 commaundement of the word of God, but cleane contrary to the prescript word of God: I say now examples, and such singular examples are good proofes and strong arguments.
In what poynt doth he strengthen the Anabaptists? If you coulde haue told I trust it should not haue bin kept in silence. I haue charged the Authors of the Admonition with nothing, but I haue shewed my author for it, deale you with me in like manner and spare not: otherwise your wordes do but sauoure choler. Examples withoute* 1.3 preceptes make no generall or necessary rule: but they sometimes declare what was done, and what may be done extraordinarily, vpon like occasion, and the same circumstances, if they be commendable examples.
Women were the first that preached Christes resurrection: A woman was the* 1.4 first that preached Christ in Samaria. Io. 4. and yet vndoutedly none of these dyd* 1.5 contrary to the prescript word of God. Women may not speake ordinarily in the* 1.6 congregation, nor chalenge any suche function vnto themselues, but vpon occasion they may speake as I haue said in my Answer.