Ptōchomuseion [sic]. = The poore mans librarie Rapsodiæ G.A. Bishop of Exceter vpon the first epistle of saint Peter, red publiquely in the cathedrall church of saint Paule, within the citye of London. 1560. Here are adioyned at the end of euery special treatie, certaine fruitful annotacions which may properly be called miscellanea, bicause they do entreate of diuerse and sundry matters, marked with the nombre and figures of Augrime. 2.

One forme of Baptising of children.

It is lawfull in the action of baptisme, to recite goods promises, to re∣cite the Symbole, to require the faith, eyther of the adulte which come to

be baptised, or of them which bring infants to baptisme.

It is lawful also to pray and call vpon the Lord, which prayers in the beginning wer short, but in processe of time they grew without mesure, hauing added vnto thē not only long benedictions, but also diuerse rites and ceremonies.

Tertullian writteth, saieng:* 1.1 Aquam adituri sed & aliquanto prius in ecclesia sub Antistitis manu cōtestamur, nos renūciare diabolo, & pōpae, & omnibus Angelis eius. &c. Vvhen we come to the water, we staye somwhat before in the churche vnder the hande of the prieste, and do proteste, that we will renounce the diuell, his pompe, and all his Angels. After that we be thrise dipped in the water, answeringe no more then the Lord hath determined in his Gospell, and than being taken out we taste of milke and hony. And from that daye we abstaine from beinge washed by the space of a whole weke.

Here you may se by the wordes of Tertullian, what rites were added vnto baptisme: as abrenunciation, three immersions, tasting of milke and honie, abstinence from washyng. In his first booke against Martion he maketh mention also of oile.

Saint Hierom testifieth, that wine was added to the milke, he wri∣teth in his commentaries after this maner. Domiuus prouocat, vt non solum emamus vinum, sed & lac, quod significat innocentiam paruulorū,* 1.2 qui mos ac typus in occid. ecclesiis hodie vs{que} seruatur, vt renatis in Chri¦sto vinum & lac tribuatur, that is. The Lord doth prouoke vs not only to bye wine, but also milke, which signifieth the innocencie of infants, which maner and type is euen at this day obserued in the west churches, that wine and milke be geuen to them that be borne again in Christ.

Saint Augustine in certaine places of his workes doth shew, that di∣uerse prayers and maners were vsed about baptisme, he maketh men∣tion of exorcismes, and exusflations against the cōtrarie power: he spea∣keth of godfathers which promise fayth for the infants, he maketh men∣tion also of oile wherwith the christened were anointed.

Longe time after Augustine Rabanus Maurus bishoppe of Mens maketh rehersal of many more ceremonies of baptism, as to sign him that was baptised with the crosse in his forehead and in his brest to blesse salt & to put it into his mouth, of a whit cloth which we call the Chrisom. All these thinges and many such other were added from tyme to tyme by menne. But if antiquitie seme to defende the maner of these rites, who dare deny the authority of the Apostles farre to excel their autho∣rities, for the Apostles were longe before them. Therfore it shalbe best to cleaue to, and folow the steppes of the Apostles, aswell in the ministe∣rie of baptisme, as in other godly ministrations. As for the consecratyng

of the water by the prieste, which saint Ciprian requireth to be had in baptisme, I saye, that the exemplers of the holy scriptures ought to be of more force and value, then the authoritie of Ciprian.

The scripture recordeth, that Iohn the Baptiste and the disciples of Christ baptised in water not consecrated.

Vvho consecrated the water to the Eunuche, whome Philippe chri∣stened? and to many other.

If ye will vnderstande by consecration, not that the water oughte to be exorcised, annointed, crossed, &c. but only to be appointed to holy vses: we say, that that consecration ought to be admitted. In dede the water of baptisme is holy, not for any wordes spoken ouer it, not for any characters added vnto it, but by the institution of God, and for the holy vse, and prayers of holy men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De coron. militis
• * 1.2

  Li. 15. in Esa.