An ansvvere to a certen libel intituled, An admonition to the Parliament, by Iohn VVhitgifte, D. of Diuinitie

Answere.

Of priuate Baptisme I haue spoken before, here is nothing alledged agaynst it, but the. 28. of Math. Go ye and teache, baptizing them. &c. which texte dothe proue, that it was a portion of the Apostles office to baptise, but in what place, at what tyme, howe many at once, is not there prescribed, and therfore priuate Baptisme may abide this touchestone for any thing that I sée to the contrarie.

You say vntruly when you do affirme, that teaching in this Churche is diuorced from communions and sacraments, but such forged slaunderous spéeches be vsuall to you. Of this matter also I haue spoken in the former parte.

You say, women that may not speake in a con∣gregation, may yet in tyme of necessitie mini∣ster

the sacramente of Baptisme, and that in a priuate house. And to proue that womē may not speak in a cōgregation you quote. 1. Co. 14. 1. Tim. 2. wheras you should rather haue proued, that women may not in time of necessitie minister baptisme, for that is the question, and not the other. But hereof I haue also spoken my opi∣nion before. Women may speake in the congregation, if necessarie occasion doe require, as maister Caluine tea∣cheth in his Institutions chap. 13. secti. 32.

And yet (you say) this is not to tye necessitie of saluation to the Sacramentes: nor to nousell men vp in that opinion, no surely, no more than it is to teach, that children ought to be baptized, and not to ta∣rye vntill such tyme as they be able to answere for them selues. You shoulde haue proued this to be repugnant to the Scriptures, bicause you saye it is, and therefore you refuse to subscribe. When you set downe the Scriptures to the whiche it repugneth, if it fall oute so in déede, you shall haue me a conformable aduersarie: I will say with Saint Augustine, Errare possum, haereticus esse nolo: and I would to God you coulde learne that lesson.