Light for Smoke, Section 24
SECT. XXIIII. Truth not to be parted with for peace, the Magiſtrate diſhonoured, and the Preſbyterians ſlandered by Mr. Saltm.
Smoke. Pag. 55. YOu would prove truth to be pretious to the diſadvantage of peace, and therefore you bring in the Fathers againſt the Arrians, and no againſt the Papiſts, and Chriſt againſt Peace; but what, would you prove that truth ought to be eſtabliſhed againſt peace, and peace to be no way to truth? ſurely, truth and peace doe meet together, nay they are ſo much one, … there is even a truth in peace.
Light. In your exception againſt the example of Ely; you play the Antinomian, in this and the next enſuing paragraph you take up the Tenet of the Anabaptiſts againſt the lawfulneſſe of warre, though not theirs onelyonly, for ſome of the Fathers, and ſome famous Papiſts have been of that opinion, but I finde you not much verſed in the writings of the Fathers, and very averſe from the opinions of the Papiſts, and but too kinde and complying in conceipt with Anabaptiſts, therefore I ſuppoſe a ſymbolizing rather with them then with either of the other Sects; whereto I would make a returne, and that returne ſhould be a refutation of that fancy, but that I have done it in print already, inaIn my Sermon of the Fury of warre and folly of ſinne, p. 10. ad 15. my Sermon before the Honourable Houſe of Commons, April. 26. 1645.
Smoke. Pag. 56. You ſay there will be worke for the Magiſtrate enough to puniſh the contumacious, &c.
That is in Engliſh, the Preſbytery will keepe the Magiſtrate doing; and now who diſparage the Magiſtrates? who ſet them on work? who make them their Deputie puniſhers? nay who is the Satante whom the excommunicate are delivered? it is an expreſſion not much beſldes your principles; and who disparages the Magiſtrate in that?
Light.A little before you pleaded too much for peace, and now you would breake the peace, and play the make-bate betwixt the Magiſtracy and the Presbytery, and to that purpoſe you make crooked conſequences from right words, and upright intentions, that you may at laſt put the name of Satan upon the Magiſtrate in the name of a Presbyter; but take heed Sir, leſt ſome ſay (though I doe not) you deſerve the other name of that Arch-malignant, viz. foreign, to be returned upon you, which is a fit title for a falſe accuſer, and ſo uſed by the Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 3.3. For how could you with truth, ingenuitie, or charitie, make ſuch deductions as you doe from my words, in Anſwer to yours? you ſay, (to make the Presbyteriall Government needleſſe,)bNew Quere. p. 8. If morall tranſgreſſions ſtirre, let the Magiſtrate be ſet on in every place. I aske,cSect. 12. p. 41. of mine Exam. ſet out by whom? and how? Doth he meane that the Magiſtrate is as a ſhepheards dogge, to be ſet on the wolfe that cometh to make ſpoile of the flocke? we cannot have ſo meane a thought of the Magiſtrate, as to make mention of him in ſuch termes of diſparagement. Neither dare we take upon us, either ſo much intereſt in all Magiſtrates, or ſo much power in any, as to give them the watch-word when to draw the ſword, and to expect that they ſhould wield it as we would have them. And not withſtanding the preaching of the Presbyters, and exerciſe of the Presbytery, there will be worke enough for the Magiſtrate to bring them under a civill triall, &c.
Are theſe words capable of ſuch a gloſſe as you make of them, that the Preſbytery will keepe the Magiſtracy doing, and now who diſparages the Magiſtrates? who ſets them a worke? Not the Preſbyterians, but you, and your party rather; for your words are, Let them be ſet on. Who makes them Deputie puniſhers? Not the Preſbyterians, who take no ſuch power upon them as to appoint them to puniſh any one; nor (if they doe puniſh) accompt them Deputies to any, but doers of their own worke. Nay, who is the Satan, to whom the excommunicate are delivered? The Magiſtrate, as you imply, and impoſe that reproach upon Presbyterians; For you ſay, it is an expreſſion not farre beſide your principles, and who diſparages the Magiſtrate in that? But ſtay good Sir, what Presbyterians expound thoſe words of delivery unto Satan, 1 Corinth. 5.5. 1 Tim. 1.20. with an application to the Magiſtrate? neither Calvin, Beza, Marl…rat, Piſcator, Deodate, nordIn his late Booke againſt Eraſtus cap. 11. q. 7. pag. 354, 355. Mr. Rutherford, nor any Presbyterian that ever I read, make the Magiſtrate the Devill in theſe Texts; no nor Vatablus nor Aquinas, of the Popiſh Church; and I thinke it will be hard for you to finde any Authour of note, of what Religion ſo ever, that ſo takes, or rather miſ-takes the words as you doe; and impoſſible to produce any Presbyterian principles, which with any colour or probabilitie may be drawn, or by any violence and importunitie be drag'd to ſuch a ſenſe of diſparagement of the Magiſtrate, as you have ſuggeſted; and ſo the calumny and contempt of their calling muſt be laid at your doore, to father it as an ill-favoured brat of your own begetting.