SALTMARSIL 73 will needs perish whether we will or no. I hope I rest in the bosom of Christ, with others of my brethren : rail, persecute, do your worst; I challenge all the powers of hell that set you on work, while Christ is made unto me wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. And I must tell you further, that since any of the light and glory of Christ dawned upon me ; since first I saw the morning star of righteousness, any of the brightness of the glory in my heart, that heart of mine which once lived in the coasts of Zebulun and Napthali, in the region and shadow of death, I can freely challenge you, and thousands more such as you, to say, write, do, work, print, or any thing ; and I hope I shall in the strength of Christ, in whom I am able to do all things, giveyou blessings for cursing, and prayers for persecu- tions."* Mr. Edwards, in answer to this, observes, " That Mr. Gataker had proved his opponent to be a shadow without substance ; had taken off the shadows he had cast on many truths of the gospel ; had shewed this new light, with his dawnings of light, to be only a shadow of dark- ness and death ; and had caused this great light to go out in a smoke and snuff." He proceeds in his usual style of raillery, concluding that the former accusations were still unanswered.t The death of Mr. Saltmarsh was very extraordinary, and is thus related.. December 4, 1647, he was at his'own house at Ilford in Essex, when he told his wife that he had received a special message froin God, which he must deliver to the army. He went to London the same evening, and early on Monday morning, December 6th, to Windsor. When he came to the council of officers, he addressed them as follows: " I am come hither to reveal to you," said he, " what I have received from ,God. Though the Lord bath done much for you, and by you, yet he bath of late left you, and is not in your counsels; because you have forsaken him. God will not prosper your consultations, but destroy you by divisions among yourselves. I have formerly come to you like a lamb, but God hath, now raised in me the spirit of a lion; because you have sought to destroy the people of God, who have always stood by you in the greatest difficulties. I advise all the faithful to depart from you, lest they be destroyed with you." He then went to Sir Thomas Fairfax, ,the general; and, without moving his hat, said, " I have received a com- Saltmarsh's Answer toEdwards, p. 9-11. Edit. 1812. $ Edwards's Gangrmaa, part iii. p. 293.
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