Admonition.
Now to the second point which concerneth ministration of sacraments. In the olde time the word was (t) 1.1 preach〈1 line〉〈1 line〉d before they were ministred, now it is supposed to be sufficient if it be read.
The second external note of the true Church of Christ is ministring* 1.2 of the Sacraments sincerely: you would proue that this Church of England hath not the Sacraments sincerely ministred: first by three generall reasons perteyning to both the sacramēts: then by certaine abuses which you find seuerally in either of them.
The first generall reason is this: In olde time the worde was preached before the Sacraments were ministred, now it is supposed to be sufficient, if it be red.
To proue that the word was preached before the Sacramentes were ministred, you alleadge the third of Matthew, vers. 12. VVhich hath his fanne in his hand, and vvill make cleane his flovver, and gather his vvheate into his garner, but vvill burne vp the chaffe vvith vnquenchable fire. I vnderstand not how you can of this place conclude, that there must be of necessitie preaching and not reading before the administra∣tion of the Sacramēts: If you say, Iohn preached vnto such as came vnto his baptisme, and read not vnto them, therefore of necessitie there must be preaching and not reading: I denye the argument, for* 1.3 it is a common rule, that we may not conclude a generall doctrine, of a singular or particular example: and I am sure it is against all rule of Logicke.