Of the Power of Conferring Baptism.

Chapter XVII.—Of the Power of Conferring Baptism.

For concluding our brief subject, ⁸⁷⁰⁶ it remains to put you in mind also of the due observance of giving and receiving baptism. Of giving it, the chief priest ⁸⁷⁰⁷ (who is the bishop) has the right: in the next place, the presbyters and deacons, yet not without the bishop’s authority, on account of the honour of the Church, which being preserved, peace is preserved. Beside these, even laymen have the right; for what is equally received can be equally given. Unless bishops, or priests, or deacons, be on the spot, other disciples are called i.e. to the work. The word of the Lord ought not to be hidden by any: in like manner, too, baptism, which is equally God’s property, ⁸⁷⁰⁸ can be administered by all. But how much more is the rule ⁸⁷⁰⁹ of reverence and modesty incumbent on laymen—seeing that these powers ⁸⁷¹⁰ belong to their superiors—lest they assume to themselves the specific ⁸⁷¹¹ function of the bishop! Emulation of the episcopal office is the mother of schisms.  The most holy apostle has said, that “all things are lawful, but not all expedient.” ⁸⁷¹² Let it suffice assuredly, in cases of necessity, to avail yourself (of that rule ⁸⁷¹³ , if at any time circumstance either of place, or of time, or of person compels you (so to do); for then the stedfast courage of the succourer, when the situation of the endangered one is urgent, is exceptionally admissible; inasmuch as he will be guilty of a human creature’s loss if he shall refrain from bestowing what he had free liberty to bestow. But the woman of pertness, ⁸⁷¹⁴ who has usurped the power to teach, will of course not give birth for herself likewise to a right of baptizing, unless some new beast shall arise ⁸⁷¹⁵ like the former; so that, just as the one abolished baptism, ⁸⁷¹⁶ so some other should in her own right confer it! But if the writings which wrongly go under Paul’s name, claim Thecla’s example as a licence for women’s teaching and baptizing, let them know that, in Asia, the presbyter who composed that writing, ⁸⁷¹⁷ as if he were augmenting Paul’s fame from his own store, after being convicted, and confessing that he had done it from love of Paul, was removed ⁸⁷¹⁸ from his office. For how credible would it seem, that he who has not permitted a woman ⁸⁷¹⁹ even to learn with over-boldness, should give a female ⁸⁷²⁰ the power of teaching and of baptizing! “Let them be silent,” he says, “and at home consult their own husbands.” ⁸⁷²¹

Footnotes

677:8706

Materiolam.

677:8707

Summus sacerdos. Compare de Orat. xxviii., “nos…veri sacerdotes,” etc.:  and de Ex. Cast. c. vii., “nonne et laici sacerdotes sumus?”

677:8708

Census.

677:8709

Disciplina.

677:8710

i.e. the powers of administering baptism and “sowing the word.”  [i.e. “The Keys.” Scorpiace, p. 643.]

677:8711

Dicatum.

677:8712

1 Cor. x. 23, where μοι in the received text seems interpolated.

677:8713

Or, as Oehler explains it, of your power of baptizing, etc.

677:8714

Quintilla. See c. i.

677:8715

Evenerit. Perhaps Tertullian means literally—though that sense of the word is very rare—“shall issue out of her,” alluding to his “pariet” above.

677:8716

See c. i. ad fin.

677:8717

The allusion is to a spurious work entitled Acta Pauli et Theclæ. [Of which afterwards. But see Jones, on the Canon, II. p. 353, and Lardner, Credibility, II. p. 305.]

677:8718

Decessisse.

677:8719

Mulieri.

677:8720

Fœminæ.

677:8721

1 Cor. 14:34, 35.