He hath certayne other (*) 1.1 to proue that women may baptize, whereof the first is in the. 93. page, and that is that Sephora Moses wife, circumcised hir child, wherevnto I haue answered partly before, that particular examples especially contrary, to generall rules, are not to be followed, and will further answer if I first admonish the Reader, wherevpon this baptisme of midwiues, and in priuate houses rose, that when we know of how rotten a stocke it came, the frute it selfe may be more lothsome vnto vs. It first therefore rose vpō a false interpretation of the place of S. Iohn. V nlesse a man be borne againe of vvater and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of hea∣uen.* 1.2 Where certayne do interprete the word water, for the materiall and elementall water, where∣with men are washed, when as our sauioure Christ taketh water there, by a translation or borro∣wed speach, for the spirit of God, the effect whereof it shadoweth out. For euen as in another place by the fire and spirit, he meaneth nothing but the spirit of God, which purgeth and purifyeth as the* 1.3 fire doth: so in this place, by the water and the spirit, he meaneth nothing else but the spirit of God, which clenseth the filth of sinne, and cooleth the broyling heate of an vnquiet conscience, as water washeth the thing which is foule, and quencheth the heate of the fire. Secondarily, this erroure came by a false and vnnecessary conclusion drawen of that place. For although the scripture should say, that none can be saued, but those which haue the spirit of God, and are baptised with materiall and elementall water, yet ought it to be vnderstanded of those whiche can conueniently and order∣ly be brought to baptisme, as the Scripture saying, that who so doth not beleeue the gospell, is* 1.4 already condemned, meaneth this sentence of those which can heare the gospell, and haue discreti∣on to vnderstand it, when they heare it, and cannot here shut vnder this condemnation, eyther those that be borne deafe, and so remayne, or little infants, or naturall fooles that haue no witte to con∣ceiue what is preached.
And herevpon S. Augustine concludeth, that all not baptized are condemned, which is as ab∣surdly* 1.5 concluded of him, as that of our sauioure Christes words: excepte one eate the flesh of the sonne of man, he hath not life, he concludeth, that whatsoeuer he be whiche receyueth not the Sa∣crament of the Supper, is damned.
Upon this false conclusion of S. Augustine, hath risen this prophanation of the sacramente of baptisme, in being ministred in priuate houses, and by women or lay men, as also vpon his other absurd conclusion, sprong a horrible abuse of the Lords supper, whilest they did thrust the bread and wine, into yong infantes mouthes, for that menne were perswaded, that otherwise if their children should die, before they were baptised, or had receyued the supper, that they were damned for euer. And what better token can there be, that this was the cause of this blind baptisme, than that the Papistes, from whome this baptisme by women is translated, were of the same iudge∣ment, and for that cause brought in their baptisme by women. Herevnto may be added another cause, which is, that as (when the Churche began not only to decline, but to fall away from the sinceritie of religion) it borrowed a number of other prophanations of the heathen: so also it borro∣wed this. For as the heathen had women priests, so it would haue also hir women priests, and* 1.6 that this was another occasion of bringing in the baptisme by women, it appeareth by your Cle∣ment, if he can speake any truth.
It is vntrue that I vse any reasons at all to proue, that women may baptise: onely I bring this and such like examples to improue this generall assertion of the Admo∣nition, that then sacraments were ministrred by ministers only, and not by midwiues or deacons. For Deacōs then did baptise, and Moses wife long before that time did circumcise. I know that particular examples make no general rules: but you are not ignorant that* 1.7 particular examples may in the like cases and circumstances be followed, when ther is no rule to the contrary.
The place in the. 3. of Iohn by you alleadged hath diuers interpretations, and the most part of the auncient writers, do take water in that place, for materiall and ele∣mentall water: as Augustine, Chrisostome, Ambrose, Cyrill, and sundry others, euen as* 1.8 many of the auncient fathers, as I haue red vpon that text. But bycause I do mis∣like as much as you the opinion of those that thinke infants to be condemned, which are not baptized, therefore I will not contend with you, eyther in the interpretation of that place, or in anye other thing that you haue spoken touching this er∣roure: onely this I saye, that you must take héede, least in auoiding an errour, you fall into an heresie, and giue place to Anabaptistes, in not baptising in∣fants. And I knowe not what you can saye agaynste priuate baptisme, in that case of necessitie, whyche they doe not in lyke manner alleadge a∣gaynste the baptising of yong Infantes. Master Caluine in his Introduction