Prophets even partakers of all his offices in Spirit he being the spiritual head of all his who are the spiritual body his Church The Christian under Episcopacy Prelacy Presbytery Baptism Independency c. THe whole world was divided into Jew and Gentile the Jew was that only visible Church of God to whom pertained the glory and the adoption and the Covenants and yet this Jewish Church was exceedingly faln from its glory and purity both of Priesthood and Worship and Administrations when Christ came So as now the Prophesy seemed to be fulfilled they were now without a King and without a Priest and without a Sacrifice and an Ephod and a Seraphim and were corrupted with many traditions and doctrines of men teaching for doctrines the traditions of men Thus was the Jew and their Church The Gentile had changed the truth of God into a lye and had worshiped the creature more then the Creator and had changed the glory of the incorruptible God and were given up to a reprobate mind and were therefore called sinners of the Gentiles alienated from the life of God strangers to the Covenants of Promise thus were the Gentiles full of Idols and Idol-temples sacrificing to devils and that way of the knowledg of God which was both in the law written in their hearts accusing or excusing and in the whole Creation where the eternal Power and Godhead was clearly seen even in the things that did appear even that way of the knowledg of God in them was darkned and they became vain in their imagination and their foolish hearts were darkned Now when Jew and Gentile were both thus yet God had his people amongst both amongst the Jew where Zacharias the Priest Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph and Simeon and Nicodemus a Ruler of the Pharises and Joseph of Arimathea with many such were like so many Starrs in a dark night Among the Gentile there was a Iob a Queen of Sheba a woman of Canaan the wise men that came to Ierusalem the Greeks that came to see Iesus Cornelius the Centurion so as in every Nation he that serveth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and God is no accepter of persons When Iohn came who was a burning and a shining light he preached to and baptized all Iudea who went out to the Baptism of Iohn and taught his Disciples by formes of Prayer and such rudiments to their weakness and God had his people here that were under no more knowledge of Christ not higher revelation then this washing to Repentance and to him that should come after him and this low way of communion with God in forms or rules of Prayer given out by Iohn for so John taught Disciples When Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and teaching in Parables and Mysteries he had a People and Disciples who knew little of his sufferings that he should dye and rise again as Peter and the rest and knew little of that glorious doctrine and truth which he spake and preached to them till he took them alone and expounded to them those Mysteries and his Disciples were under a form and rule of Prayer as Iohns were Lord teach us to pray as Iohn taught his Disciples They saw little more of him then his fleshly presence and miracles they loved him and clave to him and followed him but had very few discoveries of him in Spirit except some few of them Iames and Peter and Iohn before whom he was transfigured in the Mount which was but figurative and typical of a more spiritual revelation And when the Spirit of Christ was come and the Apostles were sent forth in clearer evidences and demonstrations of Truth then some were under Iohns Baptism and knew not of any Holy Ghost some were under the law and zealous of the Law and Circumcision some regarded a day some eat herbs some were eating such things as were sacrificed to Idols So as here Gods people were found some in a corrupted Church as that of the Jews some under false worship and traditions some under Legall rites under formes or rules of prayer some under Johns Baptism under bondage of dayes and times and other outward things under the ignorance of Christs death and resurrection and of the holy Ghost So as all these things considered there will spring these Conclusions That the Nations commonly called Christians who are under the account of others as fals in their Church-constitution worship forms and order yet these things are not exclusive to the true Christian in Spirit or one born of God but in these commonly called Christians though under Episcopacy or Prelacy or Presbytery yet there may be such as have the true seed of God in them partakers of Jesus Christ true Disciples of Iesus Christ respectively to regeneration or the new birth if they wait in the encreasings of Christ and revelation of righteousnes from faith to faith That there are true and spiritual Disciples of Iesus Christ under forms of Prayer who have little more communion with God then in those formes as of Common-Prayer Book-prayers outward rules of worship so as they wait in these to come up into higher revelations of Spirit when discovered to them That there are such who are Christians anointed by the Spirit of God under observations of days times meats drinks several opinions of Christ of the Holy Ghost of the resurrection of Church order of Baptism of Water which is Iohns Baptism called Anabaptists so as they all in these several measures pass on from faith to faith and glory to glory The Christian in truth THat which forms essentiates or constitutes the true Christian is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit so as a man is a Christian from birth as he is born a man so he is born a Christian both are from birth and seed the one of flesh the other of Spirit The Christian is one who is of the second Adam as all men are of the first and the second man is the quickning spirit the Lord from heaven and so are they that are heavenly The Christian is one in whom Christ is formed or figured as the Greek word implies one that bears the image of the heavenly man who is the Image of Iesus Christ as Jesus Christ is the Image of the invisible God The Christian is one who hath the incorruptible seed in him or the word which liveth and abideth for ever which word is the Lord Jesus Christ who quickens the Saint and is the life of the Saint you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins The Christian is one who is in fellowship and conformity with Jesus Christ in his crucifyings death and resurrection in whom the flesh and life of the flesh must dye as it did in him and the Christian as Christ did must live in Spirit to God The Christian is one who is the new creature or new man for
the Power and Iudgment committed to Christ Scripture and the gift of wisdom justice and righteousness are his unction now as the oyl or anointing was his unction under the Old Testament Magistracy for form is not one and the same but divers according to the several polity of Nations and Kingdoms by Kings singly or Kings and States joyntly as in this Kingdom or States singly as in the old notions of Monarchy Aristocracy Democracy and that each Nation is subject according to its polity and form to the respective government and that Scriptures cloath and invest that form in its very first being and constitution and that form receives an Image of God upon it as the first man who as soon as he became such a model of earth or clay became a man and had the glory of God upon him and dominion over the creatures These Powers and Magistratesupon earth are set up for the punishment ofevil doers and for the praise of them that do wel justice and righteousness being that very line or golden reed by which they are measured the very Scales by which Godweighs them where if they be found too light he gives their Kingdoms to another All lawful subjection is to be rendred honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute and subjection to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake Prayers and Supplicationsare to be made for them that we may lead a peaceable and a quiet life in all godliness and honesty Magistracy is set up not only to be an Image of Christ to the world but to administer Peace and Judgment to the world and Societies of men and more principally to his people in the flesh who while they are nursing fathers to them do administer truly and to Christ in his people when Persecutors Christ stil turns their administration though evil in it self into good for his all things working together for good to those that love God The high and glorious design of Christ in Magistracy is to open a way in all their kingdoms and dominions for the Spirit of God to breath in Kings shal be thy fathers c. and walk in in such outward administrations as it pleaseth the Spirit of God to appear in to the Saints who are in flesh and weakness and so far as concerns any outward administration of Christ Iesus Christ becomes a subject in his Saints to the power he hath committed to Magistracy they having power to hinder and further his spiritual design so far as it comes forth in the outward man therefore all power of Magistracy turned against the Spirit of God in this apearance shal and all such Kingdoms and Nations as proceed accordingly viz. to oppose that Kingdom Power and Dominion they receive from Christ against him in his spiritual Kingdom shal be dashed to pieces like a potters vessel Be wise now therefore O ye Kings and be instructed ye Judges of the earth But all such Nations States and Kingdoms as shal administer not only judgment and righteousness in the world but shal bring their glory and honour to Christ and hiâ— Spirit in his People Peace shal be within their walls and prosperity within their Palaces judgment shal flow there like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream The discerning of Spirits THere was such a Maniâ—estation of Spirit given to the people of God in the first Gospel-times as they could in the very unction or anointing of God discern Spirits and try Spirits Ye have an unction and ye know all things the same anointing teacheth ye to another the gift of discerning Spirits In this Manifestation of Spirit were all False-teachers Deceivers Antichrists and Hypocrites judged and discerned I wil come to you saith the Apostle and will know not the words of them that are puffed up but the power This Manifestation of Spirit is that in which Spiritual men are known and revealed to each other and have as ful assurance of each other in Spirit and in Truth as men know men by the voice features complexions statures of the outward man The Manifestation of Spirit may be darkned and clouded in Christians sometimes and hath been in the purest times when the Disciples did not know Simon Magus nor Demas nor Hymenaeus and Philetus nor those that went out from them nor Judas The Manifestation of Spirit hath been much lost and darkned in the Churches for many hundred years since the Antichristian darkness upon them and therefore they have judged Spiritual things in a mist and in much dimness and doubtfulness it hath been neither night nor day For supplement of this Manifestation of Spirit Christians walked by Candle-light and Star-light and set up marks and signs of tryal and demonstration in the letter and outward man so as any hypocrite might appear for a true Christian and therefore most of their way of Manifestation hath been from formal relations and confessions of faith and experiences according to the Law or standard of their own Spirits trying and judging all other measures of grace by their own The experience of Christians who have the Spirit of God in them is very clear concerning the workings and manifestations of the same Spirit in others as in Prayer Preaching Prophesying Conference Conformity to Christ Spiritual conversation so as Christians can in a manner say the Spirit of God is here and here or here I tast and see something of God here is a spiritual savour there is none as in natural things there is such a proportion betwixt the sense and object that the sense knows and discerns its own object as in smelling tasting seeing hearing so in Spirituals and as there is an outward a letter or Scripture Christianity by which men are distinguished as Jew and Gentile as Professors and Prophane as of the visible Church and of the world so there is in the true spiritual Church or Kingdom of God in Truth a more pure spiritual and glorious way of knowing each other according to that true spiritual glory nature and light that each walks in being all children of the day and of the light And this is no more then the fulfilling of that promise then shal ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not but it is in that day when the Lord makes up his jewels which the more glorious revelation of Jesus Christ in the Saints gathering his people into more unity and glory of Spirit All works and fruits of men as they are Christians and spiritual must either be judged and discerned in the same Spirit and measure of light and glory in which they are wrought and from whence they flow or else it is but a meer formal outward pretended false and fleshly way of judging in those that so judg and thus the tree is truly and purely known by its fruits and faith by works The same Faith
I left my adversary stil upon some account with me for passion and recrimination as all others do on all sides whom I see write therefore I rather made it my choice to enter into the chamber or retirement of Spirit and shut the door upon me till the indignation be over-past for we can set but letter to letter and Scripture to Scripture and argument to argument and interpretation to interpretation and nothing can be judged till the day or time of more revelation of truth till the Holy Ghost and fire sit upon each of us trying every mans work of what sort it is and burning up that in us which is hoy and stubble for writing book after book in such a line of Replies Rejoynders hath usually more of man then God in it and we seem to say with our lips we wil prevail our tongues are our own who is Lord over us I am not against contending for truth earnestly but that is in Spirit not in flesh nor passions and I know well that the Spirit of God is flowing in and is a fire in the bosome but still as a refiners fire trying and purifying not scorching nor burning up that which is pure and spiritual in one another and I know some allowance there must be on all sides to infirmities and darkness and several conceptions of truth in all which yet hath not been and I know not any of us that either preach or write on Scriptures in such a light of Spirit as the Apostles writ the Scriptures Heresie HEresie is a choice in the signification of the word and in the application of it in Scripture it is a choice of some other thing for truth then is truth by those who seemingly received truth though after they make another choice of that which is contrary to truth Heresie which was judged by the Apostles accordingly was a choice of some thing contrary to the faith and sound doctrine of Scriptures delivered by inspiration or in Spirit and Truth so as Heresie is something against the very Doctrine of Faith in the Word or Scriptures not against any interpretations doctrines conclusions glosses Comments or Preachings of men who speak not Scripture nor the word of truth originally nor infallibly as the Apostles did but so far as that is the very Scripture they speak and so far as they speak the truth in Jesus and in the Spirit of God else they teach for Doctrines the Traditions of men Schism SChism is a breaking off a renting or dividing from Christians who are in an outward profession of truth and in an outward fellowship of truth Now there may be Schism in visible Churches or fellowships of Saints upon this account but there can be none in the true body of Christ or the spiritual Church which is baptized by one spirit into one body for they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit and they are made perfect in one and so far as they are in that one Spirit cannot be divided nor can suffer any Schism so as the dividing from men meerly or the fellowships of men meerly or the errours of men or departing into higher attainments of truth while the rest of the visible fellowships sit still is no Schism for if so the Protestants were a Schism to Rome and Presbyterians to Bishops and all that go on from faith to faith from glory to glory to the rest whom they leave behind 9. Truth THere is but one Truth and that is Jesus Christ I am the way and the truth and he is Truth in the original or pattern and we see nor know no more Truth then we see and know in him this is called the truth as it is in Jesus For Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of all things and comprehends all essence and form and life and Spirit of things in himselfe and all things of this Creation are but Shaddowes and Images of this Truth and the outward forms of that glory this Truth makes free that is the operation of it and therefore so much of Truth or of Christ any ones knows or receives so much freedom or liberty they receive and so much they are delivered into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty And therefore as Truth is in any so is spiritual liberty and the Spirit of bondage in them passes away and such are disburdened of the legal terrours fears of the lyes delusions false conceptions traditions under which they have lived as they grow up into Truth the Spirit of Truth only teaches and reveals this Truth and opens those treasures of wisdom and knowledg which are in Christ Truth though it be but one yet it shines forth in many streams of glory and opens like day in Jesus Christ this variety of truth appears that truth or glory or true brightness of God and all that truth of this Creation or forms of the world and all truth of Letter or Scripture or outward Ordinance is in its pure Essence and Spirit in Jesus Christ Truth gathers up men more into Christ from the flesh and loose vanity of the world and therefore we are said to have our loyns girt with truth the girdle of truth as it were binding us up and keeping close in Spirit to the Lord there is a fulness settlement establishment in truth and in things of this world there is a far more solid real enjoyment in the substance of things here then in their shadows counterfeits or pictures because there is a nature or Spirit and life in that thing to be enjoyed and answers the Spirit and life of him that enjoys by communicating something substantial solid and proportionable then images and shadows are So it is in the truth Jesus Christ in whom is life and more excellent glorious and spiritual form or life exceeding the nature of things here and communicating more true and solid glory then all things here which are but as shadows to that as other things are shadows to them therefore says David I shal behold thy face in righteousness I shal be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness as if the face or likeness of God which is Jesus Christ the image of the invisible God could only satisfie and the soul in such a prospect of light and glory is truly awakened til when it is but asleep and in dreams and visions of its own spirit all the life and discoveries of sense and reason being but dreams rather then true awakenings and therefore the more any one hath seen of truth in Jesus the more spiritually and highly they judg of all outward things being not satisfied in the meer letter or form of them but in the spirituallity of them and true life of them which is Jesus Christ The Mystery of true Christian liberty from God not from man or the power of men WE have hitherto filled much paper with Scriptures Reasons and
of true light in what is writ but more light to what is already writ to make it more clearly appear true light To Master KNOLLS The Authour of a Book called The shining of a flaming fire c. writ against me as to the point of Baptism Dear Brother I Have been long silent not because what you writ had prevailed in me to believe the Ordinance of Baptism by water so practised of that necessity or of that pure Apostolike practise in these times since the outward Court given to the Gentiles hath been troden down and the gifts of Spirit which was the glory and life of those visible administrations then now taken away But I was not very hastie because I know it is not man that teacheth Truth but God Ye shall be all taught of God There are three things I propound to ye with many other 1. That all that baptize now by the power of teaching Go teach and baptize do teach in the same gift the disciples that baptized formerly did teach that is as the oâ—acles of God in the pure manifestation of the Spirit of God else that Command Go teach and baptize belongs not to disciples of lesse pure lesse certain and lesse infallible teaching as all dâ—sciples now in mystical Babylon or the flesh are but to disciples of the first anointing or first fruits of the Spirit such as the Apostles were and such as Philip and Ananias and the brethren with Peter c. 2. That the Baptism of water is Christs Baptism or his administration but it is Johns and his Ministery I come baptizing with water but he shall baptize ye with the holy Ghost And therefore Christ never gave it to his disciples in their first Commission to preach to the Jews nor baptized he any himself that can be found nor doth it appear that this in Matth. 28. is meant of baptizing by water but by the Spirit or baptism of gifts which Christ baptized with in their administration saying Lo I am with you or in you c. 3. That the disciples of Christ baptized onely by water as in Johns Ministery though into Christ as all legal administrations were viz. to Christ and did it partly in honour to Johns Ministery for a greater prophet then John hath not risen and to the believers weaknesse as in that To the weak I was weak To them under the Law as under the Law c. yet saith he I was not sent to baptize It was no part of his Commission but of his spiritual liberty and to edification of the weak for he circumcised And there is another thing which hath caused much mistake and confidâ—nce in this point of Baptism by water and that is The not distinguishing the doctrine of Baptisms but interpreting the words of Baptism used in the Epistles which appear to be words of mystery and spiritual immersion as to the mysteries of God and of being made by one Spirit one with Christ one in his death buried with him by Baptism c. to be of a meer literal elementary signification and to be meant of water onely and from this pressing it as necessary c. And further there is no little mistake of that in the Hebrews where the doctrine of Baptisms is reckoned amongst the first principles of the doctrine of Christ whereas those first principles are reckoned in the Hebrews not as if all of them were things to be for ever the principles of every Christian but of the doctrine of Christ in some of those things as to that age those things being first brought forth in that ministration of Christ then for if it were otherwise and all they of necessity as the first principles then where is the other Baptism of gifts there mentioned in the Word For the word is Baptisms not Baptism And further the Apostle rather calls Christians up higher more into Spirit Wherefore leaving saith he the doctrine of Christ let us go on to perfection or to that which is perfect which is Christ himself As if he should say Let us be no more weak Christians but such as seek higher and more excellent things I refer you to the Doctrine of Baptisms here in my Book where I have not controversially written but in meeknesse and plain distinction of things Nor am I against Baptism by water if administred according to the measure of light ye are under and not in an Apostolical necessity and pressure and as a dividing Ordinance to the unity of the Spirit of God in Christians Dear Sir I love and tender those true appearances of God that are in you and rejoyce with you in beholding that glory by which we are all changed from glory to glory c. and am Your Friend and Brother in the Lord JOHN SALTMARSH {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Act. 26. 19 Rom. 3. 29. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Psal. 51. Psal. 51. Psal. Joh. 4. Joh. 14. Act. 9. Psal. Joh. 3. 8. Rom. 12. 6. Act. 2. 18. Psal. 68. 11. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Tit. 3. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 2 Thes. 3. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} See Mason Fox booke of Martyrs Beda Ephes. 5. 30. Act. 9. 4. Mal. 3. Psal. 105. 15. Thse 1. 5 19. Act. 7. 51. Ephes. 4. 30. Joh. 8. 32 36. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 13. 1 2 3. Rom. 13. 4 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Sam. 19. 22. 1 Cor. 9. 22. 1 Cor. 8. 4 7. Matth. Phil. 3. 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Eph. 4. 22 23. 1 Cor. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Eph. 4. 22 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rev. 21. â— {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom 5. 14. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Gen. 1. 26 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 1. 3. Psal. 36. 9. Gen. 1. 26 Ephes. 4. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Zac. 4. 12. 1 Cor. 17. 47. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 1. 20 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Gen. 3. 2 Thes. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} abolitionis Gen 4. 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Gal. 4. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rev 19. Eph. 4. 24. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Col. 1. 15. 1 Ioh. 1. 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Joh. 1. 1. Rev. 1. 18. Prov. 8. Mat. 1. Rev. 21. Ioh. 1. 18. Ioh. 1. Prov. 8. 1 Cor. 3. 18. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rev. 21. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 12. 2 Cor. 15. 1 Cor. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Heb. 9. 14. Luk.
in outward things of worship and disciplinewithout sin yet of no other but as the wisdom of God shall direct to edification and with care of offence and Scriptures allow To the weak I became as weak to them that were under the Law as under the Law to them that were without Law as without Law though not without Law to God Now in this Scripture liberty to things of former institution by God and of no such institution 〈◊〉 discovered those words under the Law contain liberty to things once instituted and those words without Law to things noâ—instituted and therefore the Apostlesaith We know an Idol is nothing Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge and again To the pure all things are pure and that that goes into the man defiles not the man And yet I know this very truth as well as that of the grace of God and all other truths may be turned into wantonness and licentiousness and not pure Christian liberty I am for the knowledg of God in the Father Son and Spirit and for true Christianity as it is in life and Spirit and power of godliness and for love to all but to the sins of all We are circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh I have spoken of the true Christian under that more grosse form of Episcopacy not approving that form but in order to higher and more spirituall discoveries and this I do because I finde God in lower as well as higher in purer as well as more corrupt administrations and in tenderness and respect to many thousands in this Kingdom and many other Kingdomes who are not yet out of this form and yet God may be in them as in Germany Sweadland Denmark in England formerly and of late God having his more spirituall times for them as well as others I have spoken of things here sometimes very briefly because I finde less of man in writing the substance and truth of things so far as revealed in us then in tedious discourses and Paraphrases which are many times rather the works of reason and wit and art then of the Spirit of God and I have writ not in that common method of men because I received it not accordingly I finde two things which make some outward Ordinances so exceedingly and in divine right stood for the one is an opinion that there is a very modell in the Letter of Scriptures to be discovered which is to reduce Christians to bondage again and to a form without those very gifts which is not to be found in the word The other opinion is that the setting up such a form is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it which indeed is a finer kinde of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outward things and conveighs his all glorious and Almighty Spirit by them when as they are only signs figures and Images of more spirituall things enjoyed or to be enjoyed and that of Gods appearance and conveyance of himselfe in outward things according to this opinion is such as the Papists hold as to Images to things conferring grace Ex opere operato and all Idolaters accordingly conceiving that God immediatly informs glorifies and spiritualizes those formes and figures to the beholders as the Israelites when the Calf was made cryed these are they Gods O Israel I know Ordinances used in their true nature and as things that are the Parables figures and types of spirituall things are not to be rejected but many christians do sweetly partake of them in this their state of weakness and bondage wherein God makes heavenly things appear by earthly that men as Thomas may see and believe though blessed are they that have not seen and yet do believe All I have now to say to ye is this Something of a mysterie of God and something of a mysterie of Satan That of God is this that the Lord doth in much wisdome suffer the weaknesses of some spirituall men to come forth and by this he carries spirituall things in more mystery and manages the glory of his spirit through wayes and things which are an offence and scandall before the World by which some stumble and fall and are broken Christ was set up for the falling as well as rising of many in Israel That of Satan is this to observe how he fortifies corrupt nature against the spirit of God which spirit he knowes can only destroy his Kingdome and reveal the Kingdom of God and therefore counterfeits the spirit by false Revelations and appearances transforming himself into an Angell of light and then casting all this as a scandall upon the pure Spirit of God by reproaches viz. of praying by the spirit and preaching by the spirit and new Revelations and new Light thus making the world blaspheme and the weaker Saints afraid of the glory of the spirit lest it prove a delusion THE TABLE THE two Creations or Natures of Flesh and Spirit Pag. 1. The true Church 15. Antichrist within us 24. The Doctrine of Baptisms 26. The Baptisme of sufferings 27. The Baptisme of water or of John 29. The Baptisme of the Holy Ghost or gifts 33 The Baptisme of Christ 37 The diverse Ministery with the Ministery of Christ in his Saints 41 The passage from lower ministrations to higher 56. The Baptists 78. The spirit and life of outward Ordinances 84. The Christian under Prelacy Presbyterie Baptisme Independency c. 93. The Christian in truth 102. The Witnesses in Sackcloth what 105. Magistracy a power ordained of God 135. The discerning of Spirits 141. Principles of War and Peace 149. In order to Peace and Suffering and Love 1. The Will of God 154. 2. God changing dispensations 157. 3. The Law of nature and grace 159. 4. The Gospel method of victory 161. 5. How resistings in some are of the flesh and of the Law of nature in others 162. 6. The advantage Christians have of bondage 164. 7. upon what account the purest and freest outward liberty is 166. 8. A word concerning Heresie and Schisme 170. Heresie 173. Schisme 175. 9. Truth 177. The mysterie of true Christian liberty from God not from man or the power of man 182. A discovery of the highest attainments of the Protestants generally in the mysterie of salvation 185. Of Faith 189. A further discovery as to free-grace 190. A discoverie as to the generall point or Christ dying for all 196. The last discovery and as some say the highest and most glorious concerning the whole mysterie of God to men and this Creation 198. An additionall concerning Antichrist and the mysterie of iniquity 208. The severall attainments of the Common Protestant 218. The generall Redemptionist 219. The free Gratian 221. A discovery of prayer 223. A discovery of the Law 235. A discovery of duties and works 242. A discovery of outward Ordinances 244. A discovery of the Jewes and their
down to the feet or to his lowest appearance And God doth not fix himself upon any one form or outward dispensation but at his own will and pleasure comes forth in such and such an administration and goes out of it and leaves it and takes up another And this is clear in all Gods proceedings with the world both in the Jewish Church and State and Christians now And when God is gone out hath left such or such an administration of what kinde soever it is be it religious moral or civil such an administration is a desolate house a temple whose vail is rent a sun whose light is darkened and to worship it then is to worship an Idol an Image a form without God or any manifestation of God in it save to him who as Paul saith knows an Idoll to be nothing The pure spiritual comprehensive Christian is one who grows up with God from administration to administration and so walks with God in all his removes and spiritual encreasings and flowings and such are weak and in the flesh who tarry behinde worshipping that form or administration out of which God is departed A Postscript to Master GATAKER Authour of a Book called Shadows without Substance writ against me SIR THe Reasons why I did not answer you were these I mean your last Book called Shadows without Substance c. I found that Replies and Rejoynders did exceedingly confound and perplex the plainnesse and simplicity and glory of Truth and had much of self and passion and recrimination which I am confident the Lord will shew you in much of what you have writ For I am assured that God will reveal and convince you powerfully and mightily in many passages which your self writ and not the Spirit of God Lay your hand upon your heart and consider sadly if the advantage of the times the glory of reputation the passion of man in you and the multitude of yeers and fame of learning not willing to be convinced by days or months did not write most of your last Book What you wrote in the sincerity of Spirit and in that measure of Truth you received I rejoyce in and what you wrote in the artifice of your parts your wit and your other humane advantages or devices of flesh and blood whereby you laid on colours to make your own Arguments fair and comely to a man judging no higher then Reason or in your own measure of Truth and whereby you laid on your darker and more shadowish stuff upon me your adversary rendering me to the Reader both in your Title-page and thorowout your Book as one that denied the Apostles Doctrine and Christ's because I denied your conclusions and deductions to be that very Doctrine and the minde of those very Scriptures of Christ and the Apostles This I say must passe under the fiery trial and you must suffer losse so as by fire Surely to deny what Master Gataker or some Synods of men say is not to deny what Christ and the Apostles say unlesse the Spirit of God reveal in them one and the same Truth and that they all speak by one and the same Spirit in one and the same language Nor did I see that you in all your Writings had done any thing against the truth declared by me but had onely defended your self and your own measure of truth with rejection and reproaches of mine and all this in the form onely of argumentation and confutation not in the power so as I did rest without replying knowing that the substance of what truth I had writ was as I had received then and would abide because he who is the patern of all truth Jesus Christ abides the same yesterday and to day and for ever And for any expressions of mine or form of words which may make truth appear to some not one and the same I onely can as yet speak truth in the language given me when I can speak more tongues or the languages of several Christians of which the gifts of tongues were a signe then I you shall be better understood by our selves others Sir I have spoken one particular more clearly which you some others spake on in my Book And thus I take my leave of you desiring to love any appearance of God in you and to forgive any infirmities in you which are of man as I desire my self to be loved or forgiven of others And truely I do not expound that of contending earnestly for the Truth to be in reproaches and passions in Replies and Rejoynders and many Books but in Spirit and spiritual affection and pure manifestation of the same Truth SIR Your friend JOHN SALTMARSH A pretended Heresie THat which is pretended or at least believed by some to be Heresie in my Book of Grace is this which I desire to explain more fully that it may appear more clearly to be Truth That Christ hath believed perfectly repented perfectly mortified sin perfectly for us First That Christ hath done all for us is truth he hath fulfilled all righteousnes both that righteousnesse which is of the Law and that which is of the Gospel in graces c. and upon this account he is made unto us righteousnesse c. Secondly Faith Repentance mortification were all in Christ originally primarily as in their nature theirfountain their root or seed and therefore he is said to give repentance to Israel and he is the authour and finisher of our faith and it is called the faith of the Sâ—n of God and of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace for everygrace in him a grace inus And to say Christ hath done all these for us first in himself and then in us through himself I hope is such an Heresie as we all believe It may be my want of clearer explanation made it be taken for Heresie which I hope will now be judged more candidly to be a Truth Nor can this That Christ hath all graces and perfection in himself prove that we stand in need of none in us no Faith nor Repentance in us nor mortification of sin in us no more then Pauls Doctrine of Grace and Faith and the Christian to be under Grace destroy the Law or make void Faith or cause men to sin that Grace may abound I never yet denied the Graces and Fruits of the Spirit of God which appear in Faith Repentance new Obedience Mortification of sin as may be seen in all things I have writ It may be I may speak Truth in such a notion or conception or measure of light as I have received it in and not in anothers The Christian as the English or French can onely speak in his own Tongue or Language till the Lord be one and his Name one amongst us and in the mean time let us judge Heresie by the Truth in Scripture and in the Spirit not as it seems to us so or appears so perhaps not for want