A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

And these are his reasons wherewith he would prove / that the sacraments / and therefore also the sacrament of baptism / may be ministered in a private house. He hath certain other to prove that women may baptise / whereof the first is in the. 93. page / and that is / that Sephora Moses wife / circumcised her child / whereunto I have answered partly before / that particular examples / especially contrary to general rules / are not to be followed / and will further answer / if I first admonish the reader / whereupon this baptism of midwives and in private houses rose / that when we know of how rotten a stock it came / the fruit it self may be more loathsome unto us. It first therefore rose upon a false interpretation of the place of S. John. Unless a man be borne again of water & of the spirit, ¹he can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Where certain do interpret the word water for the material & elemental water / wherewith men are washed / when as our saviour Christ taketh water there / by a translation or borrowed speech / for the spirit of God / the effect whereof it shadoweth out. For even as ²in an other place by the fire and the spirit / he meaneth nothing but the spirit of God / which purgeth and purifieth as the fire doth: so in this place / by the water and the spirit / he meaneth nothing else / but the spirit of God / which cleanseth the filth of sin / and cooleth the broiling heat of an unquiet conscience / as water washeth the thing which is foul / and quencheth the heat of the fire. Secondarily / this error came by a false and unnecessary conclusion drawn of that place. For although the scripture should say / that none can be saved / but those which have the spirit of God / and are baptised with material and elemental water / yet ought it to be understanded of those which can conveniently and orderly be brought to baptism / as the scripture saying / that who so doth not believe the gospel / is already condemned / meaneth this sentence of those which can ³hear the gospel / and have discretion to understand it when they hear it / and can not here shut under this condemnation / either those that be borne deaf / and so remain / or little infants / or natural fools / that have no wit to conceive what is preached.

And these are hys reasons wherewith he wold proue / that the sacraments / and therefore also the sacrament of baptisme / may be mynistred in a priuate house. He hath certayne other to proue that women may baptise / whereof the first is in the. 93. page / and that is / that Sephora Moses wyfe / circumcised her chylde / whereunto I haue answeared partly before / that particular examples / especially contrary to generall rules / are not to be followed / and will further answere / if I first admonishe the reader / wherupon thys baptisme of mydwiues 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 therfore rose vpon a false interpretation of the place of S. Iohn. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of vvater & of the spirite,