England's FRIEND Raised from the GRAVE. Giving seasonable Advice To the Lord general, Lieutenant-general, And the council of war. Being the true copies of three LETTERS, WRITTEN BY Mr. JOHN SALTMARSH, A little before his Death. HEB. 11. 4. He being dead yet speaketh. LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the black Spread-Eagle at the West end of Paul's. 1649. To the Reader. THese Letters were written, and sent according to the superscriptions, by the Author a little before his departure; they might have continued in silence, as they have done ever since, but providence hath otherwise disposed, through the desire of many friends; and you have them truly printed according to the original copies. Mary Saltmarsh. For his EXCELLENCY the Lord FAIRFAX. Noble Sir, GOd having raised me up from the power of the grave, though he hath not made known to me yet, what further use he hath of me, but I wait on him whom I have found to be my God, both in sickness and health. Sir, at present I am pressed in spirit to write to you, & I yet know no other but it is from the Spirit of God. There is a mighty noise of unrighteousness and injustice in the proceedings at your counsels as to the Kingdom: And truly Sir, this not in most Counties only amongst the people, but amongst the choicest, and the conscientious Christians: the hearts of good people are departed from you very much, and from your Army and counsels: And Sir, whatsoever you or others may think and persuade yourselves, yet I am thus free to speak, that God hath at present brought a dark cloud over you, and the Lord show you a way out of it, which is presented to me to be this only way, stop not the breathings of God in mean private Christians; the counsels of God flow there, when the greater persons sometimes (for his glory) are left naked without a word of advice from him. I found this desolating evil beginning in your meetings. Be faithful to your engagements for Justice to the kingdom: you have many, and you promised speedy redress of many things. Consider and compare in the light of God impartially, how your first principles, and public promises and proceedings answer each other: and where you have been unrighteous, delatory, or unfaithful, be not discouraged speedily to depart out of those tents, lest God overtake you with a dispensation of more righteousness, and judge you. Sir, the cries, the tears, the prayers of the oppressed and afflicted, and the departing of many of God's people in their hearts from you, are and will b● burdensome stones, and cups of trembling. The Lord direct you in this your day, that you may not depart from your first love, lest he who is the holy One, the just One, the God blessed for ever, come against you with the spirit of his mouth. Sir, I have little more to write, the Lord having discharged me of this burden, which was as fire in my bones: And truly the shadows that some counsels of the flesh have brought upon this Army lately, hath reached to the darkening of all professing Christians in the kingdom, in the hearts of the people of the kingdom: for, where should redress come (will they think) if not from such as profess higher godliness than others? Sir, Your Servant, John Saltmarsh. From Laystreet in Essex, from M. Waddis house. For lieutenant-general Cromwell. SIR, I Have found the Lord appearing of late in my weak estate, and I cannot but from these sweet shinings of his desire, to behold the like and more glorious in those who are called to greater actions. Sir, it is the voice of people, but that which sounds loudest is the voice of choice, and spiritual desiring Christians, that your proceedings have much injustice, great delays, and the hearts of many good people are turning from you, as you are in these ways, you are much accused of unfaithfulness to solemn engagements: Sir, I was moved long since, you may remember, to tell you what would follow in stopping the breathings of God in private and poor Christians, and I must tell you, and I know other, but it is the voice of the Lord in me, that I observe you and some others to begin an estrangement to such who were godly, honest and spiritual, and to avoid discourse and communion with them: Me thinks I see in the light of God a black cloud over some of you in the Army, and I am satisfied in spirit, that there are great transgressions amongst you against public Justice and righteousness; behold, and you shall see before ye the Rock against which both King and Parliament were dashed, and truly Sir, by what I see in your proceeding, and hear of your counsels by honest men, some of ye hasten in the flesh to the same distress. Sir, break off this sin by righteousness, return to your communion with Christians, let not the wisdom of the flesh entice you under the disguise of Christian prudence, for that wisdom is not from above which is not pure and easy to be entreated; run not to the old shifts of the flesh in these your times of straight, lean not on Egypt, or any imaginary strength which is not of God, if the Lord in his goodness and wisdom will have some of your former glory which was his, and you might through temptation think your own, to perish: be not ashamed of the fiery trial, but close in with that which hath most of God in it, do you not hear an oppressed and afflicted kingdom crying out to ye? believe it Sir, all professing Christians in all places will suffer what evil is done by ye, the Lord show you wherein you have counselled in flesh, neglected Christians, delayed Justice, failed in public engagements, neglected or grieved some afflicted Christians whom you should have comforted, and then peace, glory, and excellent power will appear in you, and Christians will bless God in you, whilst you walk in that more pure administration: and Sir know, that you in your person will enjoy most of the good or evil that shall follow; Sir, God powers out fresh abilities freely and of mere grace, even rivers and streams of life in such weak vessels of his as we are, and at this fountain I desire you may now live. SIR, Your Servant, John Saltmarsh. For the council of war. Honourable, NOt to repeat to ye the sad outcries of a poor Notion for Justice and righteousness, the departure of the hearts of many Christians generally from you, the late testimonies of some in your own bowels, the withdrawing of that Glory the Lord formerly clothed ye withal, but this I know ye have not discharged yourselves to the people, in such things as they justly expected from ye, and for which ye had that Spirit of righteousness first put upon ye, by an Almighty Power, and which carried you on upon a conquering wing: the wisdom of the flesh hath deceived and enticed, and that glorious principle of Christian Liberty which we advanced in at first, (I speak as to Christians) hath been managed too much in the flesh. Now if the Lord hath opened to any of ye the unsoundness of any principles then, or in the management of them, I hope he will show ye a better course and path to walk in, and now ye are met in council, the Lord make ye to harken to one another from the highest to the meanest, that the Voice of God wheresoever it speaks, may not be despised; and think it no shame to pass over into more righteous engagements: that wisdom which is from above is easy to be entreated, look over your first engagements, and compare them with your proceedings, that you may see what you have done, what you must do; I know it is unsavoury to nature to be accused or taxed, but I hope there will be found that Spirit in you, that will esteem the wounds of a friend better than the kisses of an enemy. I write I know to such who in their first love were a people loving God, and his appearances in the meanest Christian, and such as pursued the good and happiness of the kingdom cordially: and if the Lord hath not thought to take off the Spirit of righteousness from ye, and put it upon another people, he will give you to discern this last temptation wherein Satan hath desired to winnow ye, and ye shall be a Diadem once more in the hands of the Lord: For myself, as I am myself, there is neither wisdom nor counsel in me, but if the Lord hath breathed on my weakness for your sakes, I shall rejoice in that mercy and grace of his. I rest, Yours in all righteous engagements, John Saltmarsh. Laystreet Octob. 28. FINIS.