Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
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A93533
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Sal Scylla: or, A letter written from Scilly to Mr John Goodwin, minister of the gospel in London.
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Salter, Christopher.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing S462; Thomason E702_5; ESTC R207103
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3,279
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8
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Sal Scylla OR A LETTER Written From SCILLY TO Mr JOHN GOODWIN Minister of the Gospel IN LONDON LONDON Printed by J. M. for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their Shop in Popes-head Alley 1653. The Printer to the Reader Gentle Reader THis Letter coming from a Stranger residing in a place far remote for the Christian ingenuity therein exprest and the symphony it bears in the truth with the minds of those that have perused it and for the service that it may yet farthrr do in several respects It was the desire of many that it might have the honour and they themselves the ease of its being made more facilely publique then the transcribing of many Copies would afford and therefore a Copy of it coming to my hand though without the knowledg of the Author or the Owner of the Original it is put to the Press VALE Scilly May25 1653. Brother I Dare be bold so to call and esteem you considering what spirit you are of though I be but the least too of that body whereof I beleeve you are an eye at least And Providence having brought your Book of Redemption to my hand and given me time and opportunity to read it over once and again as also seriously to ponder the full-mouth'd Authority of Scripture Reason and the most godly Learned in vindication of that Foundation Truth the face whereof hath been and still is by most almost as much mar'd as was the face of the Lord and Master of it I should be injuriously unthankful to God and man if I should not acknowledg you so to be For the light of the body is the eye and this light which by reflection of the true light hath enlightened your eye doth from thence again reflect upon many members to guide their feet in the way of Grace Mercy Truth and Peace About four or five years past I met with two or three small Tracts upon the Point as L. S. Stocks Horn contra Owen The first mentioned coming first to hand undermined my Tabernacle as it might easily do having but a sandy foundation and blew up the whole fabrick about mine ears spoiled all my goods which I had layd up for many years and I escaped only with my life wounded and naked destitute of house or home food rayment and medicine yet withall shewed me a Stone choyce and precious wherewith I might lay a more sure foundation for a better house that could not be shaken yet this Stone was rough and uneven and I knew not as yet how to square and fit it to build upon neither have I or heard I of any other that could till I found out Horn who squared this stone to my mind at that time also he provided me with many materials to build upon it Having therefore so good Benefactors to bear the cost I thanked God and them and fell to work But having built two or three stones high their materials failed me Wherefore my house being not yet covered and I weary of lying by the hedges I made use of some of the ruines of my old house to finish my new building and so patched it up as I could but entering into it I found it every showre like a contentious woman a continual dropping until I met with your Model which having throughly viewed within and without I found every stone so close compact and cemented as if it had been one entire Rock wherefore I pulled down so much as was faulty and built up again according to the last pattern And now I thank my God through the grace given to you and me I have an house wherein to shelter me from all winds and weathers whatsoever and not only so but which is well furnished with all things necessary for my being and well-being And that in such abundance that they can never fail me to eternity unless I turn prodigal which I have no more cause to fear then of cutting mine own throat I need not expound my parable the Moral I believe is obvious to the meanest member of your Church To relate the divers transactions between the Father Son Spirit and my Soul from the 20. to the 45. year of my pilgrimage would exceed the bounds of an Epistle and the limit of many sheets of paper Therefore be pleased with this brief and general accompt From the 20. to the 39. year of mine age I lived upon the husks of the common faith of Election yet did not then so accompt it though since I have found it to be no better In which time I was under many Eclipses and relapses and once even at the gate of despair In this Epilepsie I made use of the common Antidote Whom God loveth once he loveth to the end The Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance c. But this was but a paliative cure the cause still remaining depending upon the common notion of Election during this time I was counted a Puritan except in my relapses wherein I was only a scandal to those so called then I turned to the Presbyterian after that to the Independent thence to the Anabaptist then to the Seeker where seeking for that which could not be found I had almost lost my self Then I faced the Ranter but found him to be set on fire of Hell and knowing by woful experience that the burnt child dreads the fire I durst not come near Here I was at a loss and at as great a strait as the Lepers before that Gate of Samaria If I stand here I must perish If I went back to any of the former dispensations the Famine was there Therefore I resolved to yeild my self to the mercy of the Gentiles which I did accordingly where I continued the space of two years not without hope nor wiihout God in the World though I had rejected the Scripture and all mens interpretation upon it the vision of all being to me as a Book that was sealed which neither learned nor unlearned could open or read yet during this time I had hope in God and committed my soul and body to my faithful Creator who did speak peace to me in this strange Land And many times would lead me by his Spirit to the Scriptures where I should yet read with as little understanding as the Eunuch At the end of this dispensation I was led by the Spirit once more to the Scriptures then opened he my understanding and prest me farther to search and try all things which I did accordingly and so by the grace of God I am what I am And now my Father the Chariot and Horsmen of the Israel of God ride on because of the word of truth charge through all opposition and Jesus Christ who hath shewed you so great things as the despisers and wonderers of the world will not believe though it be so plainly declared to them shall shew you yet greater things that they may marvel I know but two or three in all these West-parts like-minded in this point the rest which are many and zealous though they might know that the foolishness of God is wiser then men and the weakness of God stronger then men yet are so bewitched with tradition that seeing the visions of God will not answer the visions of their own hearts they will make the Divel a Seer according to that of the Poet. Flectere si nequeo Superos Acherent a movebo If the Pow'rs above I cannot bend He move the Fiend some aid to send And therefore they rejoyce in and boast of Master Kendal's Answer the word Answer being I believe the strongest argument for the confirmation of their errour or the eviction of their truth yet these I bare them record have all zeal for God though not according to knowledge for they being iggnorant of the righteousness of God and also of his love goodness mercy wisdom equity and truth and going about to establish his will and power alone have not submitted to either If your promise upon Rom. 9. be fulfilled I pray send it down amongst us that the deceiving and deceived may if possible be undeceived I pray also send us word whether your second part to the same tune be finished or when probably it may when happily the grand Objection the want of means to them that never heard of Jesus Christ may be convincingly answered to the satisfaction of the most judicious of them who chiefly stumble at that stumbling stone I need make no Apologie for my boldness in thus writing believing that your Greatness is in being least and servant unto all Therefore follow on Oh man of God to serve your God and your Generation that you may finish the work that is given you to do with joy to the joy of many And that both you and they may attain to the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls For which the weakest and unworthiest of all the members of Christ shall cast in his mite of prayer into the Treasury of the Almighty My duty I commend to you and all that love and wait for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which is by love to serve you all Christopher Salter Chyrurgion of the Islands and Garrison of SCYLLY FINIS