John Saltmarsh (clergyman)
Encyclopedia
John Saltmarsh was a radical English religious and controversial writer and preacher. He is considered one of the Seekers
. William Haller called him that strange genius, part poet and part whirling dervish. In his time he was a renowned prophet.
. He became a parish priest at Heslerton in 1635, then Brasted
in 1645.
He was a chaplain in the army of Thomas Fairfax
. From his deathbed, he rode from Ilford
to Windsor
to admonish Fairfax on backsliding.
and liberty of conscience. He considered that heaven on earth was possible. Samuel Rutherford
accused Saltmarsh of antinomianism
. Peter Toon
writes
He believed in universal salvation, and agreed with John Bunyan
on the lack of necessity for baptism
. He also regarded observance of Sunday as the Sabbath as not required.
A controversy with Thomas Fuller
brought forth his pamphlet Examinations. Fuller
Seekers
The Seekers, or Legatine-Arians as they were sometimes known, were a Protestant dissenting group that emerged around the 1620s, probably inspired by the preaching of three brothers – Walter, Thomas, and Bartholomew Legate. Arguably, they are best thought of as forerunners of the Quakers, with whom...
. William Haller called him that strange genius, part poet and part whirling dervish. In his time he was a renowned prophet.
Life
He studied at Magdalene College, CambridgeMagdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
. He became a parish priest at Heslerton in 1635, then Brasted
Brasted
Brasted is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish is located to the west of Sevenoaks town. The parish includes the settlements of Brasted Chart and Toys Hill, and had a population of 1321 persons . The single slightly winding street of the village has a...
in 1645.
He was a chaplain in the army of Thomas Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
. From his deathbed, he rode from Ilford
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
to Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
to admonish Fairfax on backsliding.
Views
He argued strongly for religious tolerationReligious toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
and liberty of conscience. He considered that heaven on earth was possible. Samuel Rutherford
Samuel Rutherford
Samuel Rutherford was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian and author, and one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Westminster Assembly.-Life:...
accused Saltmarsh of antinomianism
Antinomianism
Antinomianism is defined as holding that, under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation....
. Peter Toon
Peter Toon
Peter Toon was a priest and theologian, and an international advocate of traditional Anglicanism.-Early life and education:Toon was born to Thomas Arthur and Hilda Toon in Yorkshire, England in 1939...
writes
He believed in universal salvation, and agreed with John Bunyan
John Bunyan
John Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
on the lack of necessity for baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. He also regarded observance of Sunday as the Sabbath as not required.
A controversy with Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller
Thomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...
brought forth his pamphlet Examinations. Fuller
Works
- Poemata sacra (1636)
- Holy Discoveries and Flames (1640)
- Examinations, or, A discovery of some dangerous positions (1643)
- A Peace but No Pacification (1643)
- Free Grace (1645)
- Dawnings of Light (1645)
- Groanes for Liberty (1646)
- Reasons for Unitie, Peace, and Love (1646)
- An End of One Controversie (1646)
- The Smoke in the Temple (1646)
- Sparkles of Glory (1647)
- A Letter from the Army (1647)
- Some Drops of the Viall (1648)