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BAptism administred by one that has no Vocation, is ab∣solutely Void.
The Author of Apostolical Constitutions contents not himself to forbid Women to Baptise, he also prohibits all Lay Persons, because they are not called to it; in effect, having employ'd the Ninth Chapter of the Third Book to shew that Women should not Baptise, he thus begins the Tenth. Neither do we suffer a Lay Person to Exercise any Priestly Function, as to offer Sacrifice, that is to say to
celebrate the Sacrament, or to Baptise, or impose hands, or to give the Benediction, whether more or less, for none takes to him this honor, but he enjoys it, which is called of God. St. Basil was of no other Mind, as the Jesuit Petau con∣fesses in his Notes upon St. Epiphanius, where he says, St. Basil seems to have believed that Baptism conferr'd by Lay persons was Null; and to speak the Truth, this Holy Doctor speaking of the Opinion of St. Cyprian, of Firmilian, * 1.1 and others, which taught that all those ought to be Re-Baptis'd which had been Baptis'd by Hereticks, he saith, * 1.2 That they had appointed they should be purisied anew by the true Baptism of the Church, no more nor less then if they had been Baptis'd by Lay Persons: St. Basil would not have spoke after this Manner had he not been perswaded that Baptism administred by Lay Men, is not true Baptism.
As for Baptism administred by a Woman, * 1.3 Tertullian had before condemn'd it in his time, in his Treatise of Baptism, and had shewn that they were not permitted to teach, nor to Baptise. St. Epiphanius in the Heresie of the Colly∣ridians, which is the 79, in order, inlarges much in pro∣ving the same thing, to stop the rashness of Women, who would undertake to Baptise, * 1.4 observing also that the Holy Virgin had not this power, for if she had it, Jesus Christ might have been Baptis'd by her rather than by John Baptist. The fourth Council of Carthage made this De∣cree, Anno 398, That a Woman should not presume to Baptise. It is not then to be wonder'd that St. Epipha∣nius in the forty two Heresie, observes as a thing blame∣able, * 1.5 That the Arch-Heretick Marcion permitted Women to Baptise.
Pag. 351.
Epist. ad Ampluit. can. 1. To. 3. p. 21.
cap. 17. p. 231.
pag. 1059 1060.
Tom. 1. conc. can. 〈…〉〈…〉.