Ver. 17.—For Christ sent me not
to baptize, but to preach the Gospel. Preaching and the administration of
the Sacraments are the two duties of Pastors, but especially the former. And
therefore the chief work of Bishops, Archbishops, and Primates is to preach the
Gospel: and this they are bound to do themselves, unless lawfully hindered
(Council of Trent, Sess. v. c. 2, and Sess. iv. c. 4). But they may with Paul
intrust the administration of Baptism and the other Sacraments to Parish
Priests and their assistants. (Cornelius à Lapide, The Great Commentary of Cornelius À Lapide, 8 vols. [trans. W. F. Cobb; Edinburgh:
John Grant, 1908], 7:12)
