Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume IV/Donatist Controversy/On Baptism/Book VI/Chapter 26

49.&#160; Privatianus of Sufetula said:&#160; "He who says that heretics have the power of baptizing should first say who it was that founded heresy.&#160; For if heresy is of God, it may have the divine favor; but if it be not of God, how can it either have or confer on any one the grace of God?"

50.&#160; This man may thus be answered word for word:&#160; He who says that malicious and envious persons have the power of baptizing, should first say who was the founder of malice and envy.&#160; For if malice and envy are of God, they may have the divine favor; but if they are not of God, how can they either have or confer on any one the grace of God?&#160; But as these words are in the same way most manifestly false, so are also those which these were uttered to confute.&#160; For the malicious and envious baptize, as even Cyprian himself allows, because he bears testimony that they also are within.&#160; So therefore even heretics may baptize, because baptism is the sacrament of Christ; but envy and heresy are the works of the devil.&#160; Yet though a man possesses them, he does not thereby cause that if he have the sacrament of Christ, it also should itself be reckoned in the number of the devil&#8217;s works.