Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 1 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. The Doctrine of Saltmarsh and Familists touching Magistracy, and Spirituall discerning of Saints amongst themselves.
MAgistracie (saith he, p. 135.) is a power ordained of God, an Image of the power and judgement committed to Christ; Scripture and the gift of wisdome, justice and righteousnesse, are his unction now. Page 138. They are set up more specially to minister peace and judgement to Gods people in the flesh.
Then Nero, the great Turk, the Indian Kings, being ordained of God, Rom. 3.1. as the image of Christ, must be his submediators and under Deputies, little spirituall Kings, and Prophets, and Priests under Chr…t as Mediator. And who gave the Scriptures, the Law, written Gospel, and such an unction to the Indian Kings? for they are Magistrates. The man cannot speak of Christian Magistrates; for Rom. 13. which he citeth, speaketh of Nero, whose head was dry from all unction of the Gospel, or new Testament. If the Magistrate be an Image of Christs power, and that power committed to him; they may under the Mediator Christ, ministerially judge of the doctrine preached by Ministers, if true or false. And if they be set up to minister justice more specially to Gods people in the flesh; then the people of God in the Spirit, and in all Spirit, as Saltmarsh saith most of them all are, shall be under no Magistrate; but this he saith of all, page 288, 293, 200, 201, 202, &c. And by this every Magistrate must be a Christian …f an image of the Mediators power; or then no Christian, or spirituall man can be a Magistrate.
2. They are set up to minister justice to the people of God in their flesh. But these that are spirituall, having no flesh, how are they under Magistrates? The flesh is to Saltmarsh that which is under Law,H.N. Spirit land, c. 34. Sect. 8, 9 c. 37. Sect 9▪ c. 8 4. One man of God …or…eth not ov… …nother: that were slavery. not under grace: then Saints are no more under Magistrates, then under the Law, to him; and when they are not under the sword of the Spirit, or any ordinances, are they under the steel sword of the Magistrate? And what judgement minister they to Saints, in whom there is no more sinne, nor in Christ? And is a beleever obliged to confesse murder, paricide, adultery, to a Magistrate who is a man, and to crave him pardon, when Saltmarsh saith, he is not to confesse any sinnes to God, page …92 He see…s to grant Magistracie, and so do the Familists in their petition to King James, But it was their doctrine there should be no Magistrate▪ 141, 142.
19. Spirituall men may know each other in Spirit and in Truth, as men know men by the voyce, features, statures of the outward man.Of the discerning of the Spirits that Familists have, & certain knowledge they … know one anoth…r.
An. Tis true, there is a spiritual instinct that will try the spirits, but dul in many, & cannot go in to election & reprobation, nor doe Seekers, and Familists any other thing then take their marks by the Moone, when they say, Presbyterians, Divines of the Assembly, to their spirits, are the Antichrist, the false Prophet.
2 Familists will have none judged Hereticks, because none can see whether they be truly Godly and selfe-condemned that hold such Doctrines. Here they say they know one another, whether they be Saints or Hereticks to be avoyded, as one man by sense knoweth another.
3 Let us judge none before the day: tares grow and goe for wheat even to the most spirituall.
4 The Familists of New England take on them to judge who are elect and who are reprobate: and Saltmarsh wil have one Saint to know another, as well as we know one another by voyce, features, statures of the outward man; then must the light of this new spirit be as certaine as our knowledge by sense, why then are we bidden, try the spirits, and beleeve not every spirit? Peter (sayth he pag. 150, 151, 152.) walked in his fleshly appearance with his sword, not knowing God was to call him out of that dispensation of the flesh to more glory, into the same glory he had with God before the world was. Eye for eye, and wars, are from the Law and legal principles.
Ans. Peter was not called to the glory that Christ had with his father before the world was, in this life, so long as his flesh needed the defence of a sword, except heaven and the resurrection be in this life while we are clothed with flesh, as Familists teach.
2 Sinlesse, Gallesse, selfe-defence and defensive warres, without malice, desire of revenge,Famil…sts are against all wars. are perpetuall morall duties under the Gospel oblieging the most spirituall man by the sixt Commandement (thou shalt not murther) to defend his owne and brothers life from unjust violence, Eph. 5.28. 1 Chro. 12.1.2.22.36. 1 Sam. 26.2. 2 Kings 6.32. 1 Sam 14.44. Pro. 24.11. So Fortunius Garcias Comment. in l. ut vim vi ff. de justit & jure. So the Law l. Gener. c. de decur. l. 10. l. si alius § bellissime ubique gloss. in vers. &c. Ferdin. Vasquez. illustr. question. l. 1. c. 8.11.18. the Gospel, the spirit looseth no man from the Law of nature (thou shalt not murther).
2 Eye for eye, was a judicial Law, falsly exponed by the Pharisees to maintatne hatred of our enemie, and private revenge, which both Law and Gospel forbids.
3 If because we are clothed with flesh, we may not in an innocent way defend our selves, as the wormes and all beasts doe, but the Gospel must forbid this, the Gospel must forbid to eat, drink, sleepe, cloth our selves.
4 Saltmarsh in this condemneth Christians and Familists to beare armes, or to be Magistrats, the contrary of which is their daily practice, (preserve thy selfe) and (deny thy selfe) are nor contrary as Saltmarsh imagineth, pag. 160. nor did God ever command contraries in Law and Gospel.