Light for Smoke, Postscript
A Poſtſcript in Anſwer to Mr. Saltmarſh his Poſtſcript, conſiſting of two teſtimonies of Claudius Salmaſius, the one againſt the forme of Baptiſme in the name of the Father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt; the other for Independency of Churches.
1. Of Baptizing in the Name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.
YOur allegation out of the excellently learned Salmaſius is lyable to manifold exceptions.
Firſt, In that you make him a German Writer, whereas he is not a German, but a Frenchman borne; nor is he a Writer in Germany, for he is an honorarius profeſſor at Leyden in Holland, where you ſay, he is imployed by the State to write.
I ſuppoſe (you are ſo addicted to noveltie) you will not for your defence have recourſe to a record of Antiquitie, whichaSalmaſ. de Primatu Papae. c. 17 p. 261. Salmaſius citeth out of Marcellinus, wherein both Germanyes and Belgium were comprehended under the name of France.
Secondly, But to come from the man to the matter, your allegation out of him conſiſteth of two particulars; the firſt whereof is of the manner of Baptiſme, for that you cite Salmaſius thus.
Firſt, That the Baptizing in the Name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, is not the way of Baptiſme practiſed by the Apoſtles.
Secondly, The Baptiſme of Apoſtolicall uſe and inſtitution is in the rivers, not with invocation of the three perſons, ſeeing the Apoſtles baptized onelyonly in the Name of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; the later of theſe you ſet down in the words ofbBaptiſma in aquis perennibus Apoſtolici inſtituti & moris, ſed non invocatio Trinitatis ſuper Baptizatum, cum Apoſtoli in ſolo nomine Jeſu Baptizarent. Salmaſ. in Apparat. ad lib. de Primatu Papa. pag. 193. Salmaſius in Latine; wherein three things are to be conſidered.
1. The forme of Baptiſme, In the Name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.
2. The matter of it, River water.
3. The ſcope of Salmaſi… in theſe aſſertions of Baptiſme.
Firſt, For the forme of Baptiſme, Salmaſius doth not, as you doe, Except againſt that forme of Baptiſme at all, much leſſe for this reaſon,cSmoke. p. 13, 14. of the firſt order of figures. becauſe Ieſus Chriſt left it not made up to the hands of the Apoſtles; for if the Apoſtles baptized onelyonly in the Name of the Lord Ieſus, it doth not appeare they had any forme for that left unto them by Chriſt, no more then of the other, In the Name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt. And if the Apoſtles uſed that forme, it was not becauſe the other was unlawfull, but becauſe it was that wherein the practice of Baptiſme began in the Miniſtery of Iohn Baptiſt. Act. 19.4. and yet from your owndSmoke. p. 14. n…. 6. Expoſition of Baptizing In the Name of Ieſus Chriſt in your next word … will follow, that it is as lawfull to baptize In the Name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, as in the Name of the Lord Ieſus.
Secondly, For the matter of Baptiſme, River-water, you differ much from Salmaſius, for he takes it literally, eSmoke. Ibid. pag. 13.you figuratively.
Thirdly, For the ſcope, Salmaſius his ayme in what he ſaid of the manner of Baptiſme, and other Rites, was to ſhew the diverſitie of them, and various uſe of them, for confutation of the ſuperſtitions of Papiſts; but you bring it in to plead for the preſumption, and countenance the continuacy of Antipopiſh Sectaries.
Your other Teſtimony you bring in thus, Salmaſius his Teſtimony againſt the preſent Preſbyteriall way.
You might have added, (as you Engliſh it afterwards) for the Independency of Churches. If he write for Independency of Churches againſt the Presbyteriall way, he is an Independent, and then I may retort the Teſtimony upon you, and make the Title thus, The Teſtimony of Salmaſius … Independent for the The Preſbyteriall way, againſt Independency; For I can bring as good evidence for the Presbyteriall way out of Salmaſius, as you can doe againſt it; and yet is not Salmaſius afThat Mr. Saltm. may not thinke me too youthfull in bringing in this paranomaſie, and ſo with an affected gravitie take upon him to reprove me for it, I will preſent him with ſome examples of paranomaſies in the Hebrew of the old Teſtament, as foreign God ſhall enlarge or perſwade Japhet, Gen. 9.27. and in that foreign Dan ſhall iudge his people, Gen. 49.16. and in that foreign Nabal is his name and folly is with him, 1 Sam. 25.25. and in the Greeke of the New Teſtament, as foreign. Rom. 1. verſ. 29.31. and in the Fathers, as in Auguſtine, who ſpeaking of Fauſtus the Manichee, ſaith thus, Legent qui volunt, & invenient aut falli imprudenter, aut fallere impudenter, Aug. contr. Fauſt. Manich. lib. 22. cap 32. and in another place; Nihil opus eſt ut e… cum diſcrimine definiantur, quae ſinc crimine neſciuntur: Aug. de Trin. lib. 8. cap. 5. Saltmarſhius, mutable in his Tenets, unconſtant and contradictory to himſelfe, as you are.
His words that ſeeme to make for you, you …t down firſt in Latine, which you ſo cite, as he that taketh you for a faithfull Scribe, muſt take him for a very poore Scholler, and ignorant of Grammer, (who is acknowledged by competent Iudges of his abilities, abundantly witneſſed in works, to be a man eminently furniſhed with all kinde of knowledge) for in fourteene lines you ſet down no fewer then ſeventeene errours, which muſt imply either groſſe ignorance, or ſupine negligence in your ſelfe, or in thoſe whom you employed in the printing of your booke, as he that diligently compareth his originall, and your tranſcript will acknowledge: and ſecondly in Engliſh, thus,
gDuobus modis haec Independentia Eccleſiarum accipi poteſt, ſi vel respectum non habeant ad viciu…s ullas Eccleſias, aut ſi non pendeant ab authoritate aliquot Eccleſiarum ſimul in unam Claſſem vel Synodum conjunctarum, cujus convent… partem & ipſae faciant; prior modus ſimilior reperitur primitivae Eccleſiae praxi, conſuetudini ac uſui, quo voluntaria haec communio inter Eccleſias fuit: poſterior magis convenit cum inſtituto quod poſtea juris humani dispoſitione introduction eſt. Hoc pos;teriore modo liberta… particularium Eccleſiarum magis imminuta videtur quam priore. Sed quod ab initio fuerit voluntatis, poſt… facta… eſt juris. Hoc jus ſane poſitivum, atque Eccleſiaſticum, humanumque, … divinum; juris eſt quidem divini ut una ſit Eccleſia Chriſti, unita… autem eju… non gregalium aut concorpor…lium plurium adurata collectione conſiſtit, ſed in … doctri… un…imi conſ…nſion…. Salmaſius in apparatu ad libr. de Primat. Papae; pag. 265. 266.This Independency of Churches may be taken two wayes; either as not having respect to any neighbour Churches, or as not depending on the authoritie of ſome Churches, that are ioyned in ſome Claſses, or Synod, of which the Churches themſelves may make a part; The former way is found to be more like the practiſe, cuſtome, and uſe of the Primitive Church, whereby this voluntary communion was among the Churches. The latter way doth more agree with the inſtitution which afterwards was introduced by a humane authoritie. By this latter way the libertie of particular Churches ſeemes to be leſſe (more, you ſhould ſay) diminiſhed then by the former. But that which from the beginning was arbitrary, afterwards is made neceſſary [as a law.] This law truly is poſitive, and Eccleſiaſticall, and humane, not divine. 'Tis by a divine law that the Church of Chriſt ſhould be one, but the unitie of it doth not conſiſt in the union [or collection] of many that are of the ſame flocke or body, but in the unanimous conſent, agreement in faith and doctrine.
In this ſaying of Salmaſius, you have not a word againſt the lawfulneſſe of the ſubordination of Churches in the Presbyteriall Government; and that which ſounds in favour of Independency, is but this;
Firſt, That the States of Churches by themſelves, without respect, or relation to any neighbour Churches, are more like the practiſe, cuſtome, and uſe of the Primitive Church, where a voluntary communion was among the Churches. He doth not ſay our Saviour did inſtitute that Government, nor that the Apoſtles gave any order for it, nor that it was the ſame that was in the Primitive Church, but that it was like the practiſe, cuſtome, and uſe of the Primitive Church.
And ſo we ſay of Baptizing in rivers, of receiving the Sacrament at night, of the love feaſts, greetings with an holy kiſſe, and communitie of goods, and many other particulars; but it will not follow that in our time, and State it is better to Baptize in rivers then in Churches, to receive the Sacrament at night then in the morning, and to continue thoſe love feaſts, and kiſſes of love, which for the abuſe of them were left off by the religious many hundred yeares agoe; nor that communitie of goods is better then the proprietie of them, as in the preſent age.
Secondly, He ſaith, The later way, that is, of union of Churches in Claſſes, and Synods, doth more agree with the inſtitution which afterwards was introduced by humane authoritie. To which I anſwer, that the Inſtitution of it might be before, and the practiſe of it according to the Inſtitution come in afterwards; or if it were but inſtituted afterwards by humane authoritie, it doth not follow that it was without, much leſſe againſt authoritie divine; for he ſaith, as you cite him, it is by a divine law that the Church of Chriſt ſhould be one; if ſo, it is a dictate of naturall prudence, which is a beame of divine light, (though not an expreſſe and poſitive law of God) that all juſt and fit meanes to preſerve this union, ſo farre as the State and condition of the Church, and time will permit, be made uſe of it; and that is an union in Claſſicall, and Synodicall Aſſemblies.
Thirdly, That by this later way, that is, the way of aſſociation, and ſubordination in, and to both Claſſes, and Synods, the libertie of particular Churches ſeemes to be more diminiſhed; where he ſpeaketh cautelouſly, ſaying, it ſeemeth to be more diminiſhed; it may ſeeme, and yet not be as it ſeemes; but if the libertie be more diminiſhed, the ſafetie of it by that meanes is more aſſured, and the authoritie of it the more ſtrengthened, while it governeth aright, in that if the cenſures of it be ſlighted, while they are juſt, they will be ratified by the ſuperiour Aſſembly, and the contumacy of offenders the more kept down.
Fourthly, That what from the beginning was Arbitrary, afterward was made neceſſary as a law, this law truly is Poſitive, Eccleſiaſticall, and Humane, not Divine. It might be arbitrary from the beginning, while there were few Chriſtians for Churches, few Churches for union, and thoſe perhaps not ſo ſituate that they could with convenience, or ſafetie come under ſuch a combination, or ſubordination as was requiſite for the Churches ſecuritie againſt hereſie and ſchiſme; but if after the beginning (how long, or little a while is hard to know) it were thought ſo neceſſary, as to be formed up into a law, (though it were not divine but humane, poſitive, and Eccleſiaſticall) and coming under no complaint for impietie againſt God, or injury to man, and withall conducing directly to ſuch ends as but now I noted, it is more for ſubordinate Presbytery, then that which hath been alleadged for the Independency, wch you and your party ſo importunately plead for.
All this conſidered that you have produced in the name of Salmaſius for the Independent, and againſt the Presbyteriall way, will doe you little good, eſpecially if it be known what he writeth againſt Independency, of which, ſince you ſilently ſmother it, I will make ſome ſupply.
An expreſſe and cleare Teſtimony of Salmaſius againſt Independency.
—hQuod tamen nullo modo iis ſuffragatur, qui cenſent unamquamque Eccleſiam habere poteſtatem Independentem, nec probant plurium Eccleſiarum conjunctionem ſub directione Claſſium, ut vocant, vel Synodorum; & paulo poſt, Which notwithſtanding makes nothing for them, who thinke every Church hath an Independent power, and approve not the uniting of many Churches under the direction of Claſſes or Synods. And a little after he ſaith;iTotalis, inquit, Indepenentia earum ab omni alia Eccleſia minime laudanda, nec recipienda. Salmal. Apparat. ad lib. de Primat. Pap. p. 265. Their totall Independency upon any other Church is neither worthy of praiſe, nor of acceptation.
And again he ſaith,kSi eo tempore cum Spiritus Chriſti Eccleſias per Apoſtolos ſuos regeret, ac dirigeret, non tamen eae Independentes fuere, quanto minus nunc in hac Seculorum extrema colluvie, cum tot haereſibus, quaſi loliis & Zizaniis Eccleſia tota inquinata ſit, admitti oportet hanc Eccleſiarum ſingularum foreign abſolutam; qua non debeant ad vicinos referre conventus cum nodus apud ſc vi…dice dignus inciderit, nec a concilio plurium Eccleſiarum ſimul junctarum ex viciniae commoditate gubernari ſuſtineant. Ʋnit…s omnium toto orbe diſperſarum Eccleſiarum, ſub uno Paſtore Chriſto, & in unam Doctrinam conſentientium non poteſt conſtare abſque communione, nec communio abſque communicatione, communicatio autem nulla eſſe poteſt ubiom…s inter ſe ſunt Independentes. Salmaſ. Apparat. ad lib. de Primatu Papae. p. 267. If the Churches were not Independent at that time when the Spirit of Chriſt by his Apoſtles ruled and governed them, how much leſſe in this laſt colluvies of ages, when the whole Church is p…ſtered with ſo much cockle, and tares of hereſies, ſhould this abſolute ſelf-ruling of all Churches be admitted… according to which, if they meet with a knotty difficultie, they may not referre it to their neighbouring conventions, nor will they be governed by an Aſſembly of divers Churches, which vicinitie hath commodiouſly united. The unitie of all the Churches disperſed through the world, under one Shepherd Chriſt, and conſenting to one Doctrine cannot ſtand without communion, nor that communion without communica…ation, which can be none where all are Independent on each other.
And that this is the minde of Salmaſius, without impoſing any thing upon him, or wreſting his words to any other ſence then he in…ended, (as you doe) I am aſſured by the Teſtimony of a godly, and learned Divine, of great integritie and reputation with thoſe that know him, who had conference with Salmaſius in Holland, while his Booke was at Preſſe (and where, counting the time of printing and accidentall pawſes itlProdit ecce tandem noſter de Frimatu Papae Tractatus, & prima quidem tantum ſui parte, diu a multis expectat…, quia diu ſub praelo mor…s traxit, ob varias & Sonticas cauſas, mode abſentiae meae, modo valetudinis, interdum & aliarum occupationum ſaepius interruptus. Ante quinquenuium excudi coeptus hoc demum tempore lucem videt. Salmaſ. initio Epiſt. Lect. praefix. Apparat. ad lib. de Primatu Papae. continued five yeares together) and told me that his ſcope in that Booke was to oppoſe the extreames, Popery on the one ſide, and Independency on the other, and to aſſert the middle and moderate way of Presbyteriall Government.
Theſe two quotations out of Salmaſius, the one a little before, the other the next page after the Teſtimony produced by you, may give juſt cauſe of ſuſpition, that you meant to delude your Reader with a maimed allegation; omitting what made againſt you, by a fraudulent Aphareſis, and Apocope of the precedent, and ſubſequent words; unleſſe it be more like that you never ſaw the Booke, but had the Teſtimony ſent you in ſome piece of paper, which contained no more then you have made uſe of. Which we may the rather beleeve, becauſe the miſtakes were ſo many in Salmaſius his Text, as could hardly have been if you had taken your Teſtimony at the firſt hand.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Ley, Light for Smoke (1646)