I had done Mr Coppe did againe and againe under most dreadfull execrations professe his assent and that particularly to the principall poynts which were delivered by mee Whether willingly or unwillingly truly and syncerely or faignedly and Reservedly though I suspect God is his judge and knowes his heart and will reckon unto him all those curses which he reckoned unto himselfe if he were not right in this If Mr Coppe be a reall friend to these truths and as they were delivered blessed be God that once a blasphemer is now a Gospell-preacher If Mr Coppe be still an enemy and like the Divell appears in All formes for his advantage the World shall know the most diabolicall Hippocrisies of such blasphemers There was one passage as eminent among all the rest dropt from him Let me be accursed said he and that with an Anathema maranatha if I deny any one of all those things which were delivered by him Should this fall to the ground no through Gods help it shall not 1. Truth shall triumph as well as conquer 2. It shall not loose one testimony which may to good effect proclaime its soveraignty and divinity The Gospell would not loose a testimony from ehe devils mouth to the divinity of this sonne of God whose cause we now take up This testimony is considerable whether free or forc't if free see here what Truth will doe it will at length prevaile if Mr Coppes Recantation be right and God have chang'd his heart these lines will not offend him If forc't then see what God can doe for truth let the World know that at such a time and such a place God over rul'd his tongue suppressed his rage and made him speake for truth 2. As this may serve to proclaime Gods truth so Mr Coppes conversion and true returne if such to waies of truth and let those know who have been formerly deceived by him what he now professes that ye also if God will may be informed convinced and converted 3. But if ye know Coppes mind in this and he prove a dissembler and a deceiver still I say I will not judge him I doe professe I doe suspect him then let these lines the pillars in that house the stones in those walls within which these things were first delivered rise up in judgement and beare witnesse against the wretch in the great day of the Lord Jesus and let his damnation which of a long time slumbreth not be proved from God as just and himselfe as inexcusable As for the notes on the principall passages of his Sermon they serve 1. To cleare the truth by me asserted and by Coppe in the former part of his discourse with execrations owned 2. To vindicate the Scriptures purity verity and harmony 3. To let the World know that Familists have double tongues and can sometimes use both at once for their advantage A Familist before a Committee at Redding could say Christ was not God and yet at Ildesly could say the fiery deity of Christ did mingle and mixe it selfe with our flesh and was in the center of our Soules burning and consuming c. and at the same time at Redding could call in all with I meant not so Mr Coppe said Christ was crucified at Jerusalem Cursed were the man that should deny it and that Christ was crucified at Sodom and at Aegypt and Cursed was he that should not say it what 's his meaning I cannot tell but let that passe 4. These notes doe likewise serve to vindicate the Spotles purity and holinesse of God from those black and hellish imputations of sins originall approbation liberally conferr'd upon his Holy pure spotlesse being nature word and will and power One told me a while since professedly that the Divell was God appearing in darknesse and distance Coppe himselfe told me too once in New-gate that light and darknesse was all one to God speaking upon this account of sin there 's something in the wind to use his own expressions in his Sermon and Recantation The Parliaments Act concerning Ranters hath done blest be God for it much good but occasionally as Gods laws provokes some to sin the more if not in one kind yet another 'thas made the Divell break out in another straine he loves not Newgate so well as to speake directly however he is resolved he will be known to be the same Collaterally but more of this anon Christian friends for your sakes I have done this the Lord blesse it I shall desire but one or two things from you and so conclude First I beseech you study and keepe to the true Gospell recorded in the Scriptures of truth preached by the God of truth in our natures and those that heard him and received it from him the Sonne of God hath with his own blood sealed it To it even to this Gospel have the Apostles and Martyrs in severall ages with their bloods witnessed 'T is that Gospell which never can though to the price of your bloods too be overvalued 'T is that Gospel which will maintain it selfe and maintaine you by which you must be saved and its accursed despisers and blaspheamers damned ô be tender of Gospel-truths and the God of Gospel truths you shall finde as tender of your comforts You see whither men run when they forsake the Gospel whether the Scriptures or Ordinances or most especially the Christ of the Gospel the Imputative righteousnesse of our Gospel-Christ it seemes I mistooke Mr Coppe when I spake against a Righteousnesse within us of our owne though of Gods working as the matter of our Acceptance or the Gospel righteousnesse refined Familists are for this in opposition to the imputed righteousnesse of Christ the grosser sort of them know none at all but that which bears conformity to hell to whom light and darknesse purity and uncleannesse God and Sathan make but one the Lord rebuke you I say you see whether they runne they seldome stop till they come to irreligion to Atheisme nay what shall I call it Hell it selfe where I leave them unlesse God shew mercy to them which I suspect will never be 2. Let Accursed Gospellers be accursed by you their Doctrines their Persons with their doctrines bid them not good speed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordinary salutation least you be partakers of their sinnes and of their judgements I mean their plagues of which a reprobate judgement to refuse the truth and entertaine the wrong is not the least Contend earnestly for the faith which was delivered to the Saints I must conclude the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell rest upon you In the Gospel-Christ I am yours to further your Gospel-Interest in what I may J. T Abingdon Octob. 3. 1651. A Sermon preached immediatly before M. Coppe came in to Preach at Burford Sept. 23. 1651. GALAT. 1. 8 9. Though we or an Angell from Heaven should preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have Preached unto you let him be accursed as
I said before so say I now againe if any man Preach any other Gospel unto you then that which you have received let him be accursed THe words are the Apostles censure past on all false Gospels and such Gospel preachers 't is short but sharpe they are and let them be accursed As for the occasion of the words and the Epistle you may understand Galatia was a newly planted-Church the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ had lately broken in upon them in purity and with power the Apostles had so Preach'd it these Galatians had so received it It seemes it fell out with them as with most other Churches not onely in ours but the Apostles times where ever God had yet his Church there the Divell would have his Chappell Hee 'le have his Gospel and his Preachers too though both accursed There were some troublers perverters of this glorious Gospel of Christ crept in among them and as it seemed overthrew the faith of some I marvaile that you are so soon removed c. from him that called you into the Grace of Christ. to be removed from the sound profession of the Gospel which is the doctrine of the free and rich grace of God saving sinners by a Christ his righteousnesse his death v. 6. his blood his sacrifice is to be removed from God-Salvation-Grace to another Gospel any other doctrine of salvation beside that by the grace of Christ is another Gospel farre different from and directly contrary to that Gospel which God revealed and declared which is not another though the Divel and false Apostles may conspire to frame and devise another Gospel then the true Gospel revealing Salvation by the grace of Christ yet 't is no true Gospel there is but one Gospel there is not another Gospel beside that one which is indeed a Gospel brings glad tidings of salvation there 's not another Gospel to us there is but one God one salvation one Mediator one Faith one Gospel against such Gospels and Gospellers the Apostle opposes these two or three verses which I have read He tels them their troublers were the Perverters of the Gospell nay more then so these Perverters and their Doctrines were both accursed and so to be accounted by them whatever they might pretend themselves or theirs to be Might the Apostle say be sure there is no other Gospell no more to be revealed for Gospel truth â—hen what we have made known unto â—ou and what you have already receiâ—ed and entertained Talke not of new â—ight Revelations New-teachings this or that though we our selves or an Angel from heaven could you be infallibly perswaded he came from the throne of Glory c. yet beleeve him not there are no new Editions to be expected of the true Gospel No more additions or alterations to be past upon it Christ hath sealed it up with his own blood and revealed unto us fully clearly by his infallible and unerring spirit So we have Preached it so you have Received it I tell you there is no other Gospel though we or an Angel from heaven should Preach't c. Thus for the occasion and scope of this Text. I shall be very plain and briefe in what shall follow For observations take these 1. Obs Obs 1 It 's no new no strange thing to heare of new Gospels true Cospel perverters false Gospel-Preachers You shall heare of such in the purest Churches the Primitive Churches Churches planted even by the Apostles themselves Gos Pist Rom. 1. Cor. 15 John mett with such as denyed the Divinity of the Sonne of God Paul such as denyed the Imputative Righteousnes of Jesus Christ the Resnrrection of the Dead Some there were that told them the Resurrection was past already of whom was Hymaneus and Philetus 2. Tim. 2.16.17 c. It cannot be more strange now in our daies on whom the very ends of the world are come Our blessed Saviour for 1600 yeares agoe foretold us this read through the 24th Chap. of Matthew and there you 'le see that even in these dais there are to be false Christs false Prophets shall shew great signes and wonders and if it were possible deceive the very Elect they shall say loe here is Christ and loe there is Christ but beleeve them not take heed that no man deceive you Here 's a Prophecy of false Teachers even the grossest in these latter Ages of the World note first their Doctrine they hold new Christs and many Christs severall Christs loe here and loe there a Christ even as many Christs as men Secondly their growth their ptogresse to deceive even the very Elect. The Temptation it seemes must fal hard even upon the Elect of God not the grosser part only of the world but even the very Elect should be quite were it not Impossible to be deceived by them Such as belong to Election given to Christ taken into an everlasting Covenant with God it may go hard with them but because of their Election they shall not be finally deceived Thirdly Their power signes and wonders but for lying wonders we have enough of those Fourthly Take this Caution think not this strange when it comes to passe see I have told you be not deceived there will be if Christ be true false Christs and false Prophets and shall deceive and utterly deceive many though the Elect shall stand So you have in 2. Pet. 2. throughout and in the Epistle of Jude there shall be false Teachers even denying the Lord that bought them Damnable Heresie they bring upon themselves swift destruction read the Chapter and the 3. verse of Jude ungodly men denying the only Lord God and even our Lord Jesus Christ turning the grace of God into Lasciviousnesse as some of these say let us sin that grace may abound even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange Flesh filthy Dreamers note that I have heard enough of them defile the flesh despise Dominion speak evill of Dignities c. these are spotts c. woe unto them Think it not strange if you meet with such now the Scripture is true they make it good you are forewarned their Gospel are cursed Gospels but of this anon 2. Obs Obs 2 From the Apostles Practise and his undertaking note this That it is the work of the Ministry of the true and everlasting Gospel of God in Christ as to Preach this Gospel to every Creature to take all opportunities for this and to lay out themselves in this so to defend this Gospel and to take all opportunities and to lay out their strength and to bestir themselves with might and maine in maintaining this true and opposing all false Gospels and perverters of the true You shall find this was the work of the true Prophets against the false the true Apostles against the false Apostles The Apostles themselves had as much to doe in preserving Churches as in
a spot get they I never knew any one yet though I have known many of this generation that ever came of roundly to the waies of truth to a Crucified Christ Some may escape but it 's an hard matter if they die not in these sinnes read Heb. 6.4 what hopes there are of such and 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. I cannot note it now it is a dreadfull word to me Oh what a curse goes there along with false gospels many of them professe to returne to waies of truth and some may write their recantations but lord shew mercy to them they have that abiding on them which denotes a curse a plague in error 3. An accursed gospel in gospel sence binds over to the curse indeed the wrath of God everlasting burnings the very bottomeles gulfe of hell 2 Pet. 2.1 if Christs blood dont sprinkle them as 't is rare if ever they are damned for ever I le speak it boldly as their doome such as wilfully blaspheame the name of Christ and turne apostates from him damnation is theirs there is no hope for them see a most dreadfull Scripture 10 of the Heb. and then judge whether this be true in the beginning you have Christ in his death and blood preacht to remission of sinne as we have now preacht it in the 26 you see the sentence on Apostates if we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth the truth that is in Jesus there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin I tremble to read this Scripture and to think of their forlorne condition there 's no hope no helpe but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement a certaine ô there 's the dreadfull word as God is true these shall not live but dye read the 28s of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant a vaine thing or an unholy a common thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace once enlightning him and working somewhat on him still shining in the Scripture to him but rejected by him We know him that hath said vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord. it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Let me close up all with this exhortation which the Apostle in these words gave unto his people you see what the true Gospel is what false gospels are ô be perswaded to sacrifice your soules upon this Gospel and forall other gospels who ever bring them whether we our selves who have preacht this true Gospel unto you and which you have received I say whoever whether we our selves or others nay an Angell himselfe from heaven should he by infallible demonstrations make it out unto you that he came from the throne of God beleeve them not abhorre them their doctrines their persons and such Preachers looke upon them as upon the plague as upon the Divel himselfe they are accursed touch not with them their doctrines their principles Ioh. ep 2. least you be partakers of their sins and partakers of their plagues I beseech you in the bowel of the Lord Jesus Christ as ye love his person prize his righteousnesse expect salvation by him as you look that his blood his death his mediation his intercession should save your immortall soules keep and hold to this his Gospel let none deceive you let the truths of Christ the least of which is worth your soules the blood of Christ the ordinance of Christ the works of Christ the waies of Christ be pretious to you ô tender his name that he may tender yours stick close and cleave to him that he may cleave and stick close to you his gospel is the true Gospel the power of God to save y our soules though we or an Angel from heaven should preach any other gospel unto you then this which we have Preached and you received What I said before I say againe and not I but the Holy-ghost himselfe men may say we speak in passion and we rage and raile but God himselfe saies it and the Apostle by the inspiration of the blessed Spirit speakes it let them be accursed AMEN Animadversions on Mr COPPS Sermon at BURFORD Wherein is cleared the doctrine of the Gospel in generall in speciall the Person of Christ His Righteousnesse His union presence with us Scriptures harmony Gods purity c. WHen I had done Mr Coppe began he first Prayed and after Preached as for his Prayer I shall not meddle with it I heard but little of it and of what I heard I knew not what to make some told me he began as Aristotle ended Thou being of beings with another new-coyn'd appellation unlimited Almightinesse I referre these points to that God that heard it As for his Sermon it contained two parts the first had most relation to what I had spoken in my exhortation The second concern'd the text in Esay 40. ult Who gave Jacob to the spoyle and Israell to the robbers did not I the Lord. In these two was much to be observed I shall briefely note the chiefest in it As for the former part of his discourse which referd to mine something in it concerned my selfe and otherwhat the matter For what concern'd my selfe there was a hint of Vsurpation Ans My preaching there and then was not from usurpation I was called to it by God Mark 16. 2 Tim. 4.11 it s a generall Gospel warrant Goe preach the Gospel to every creature wee le take in the Apostles limitation in another generall Let every thing be done in decency and in order to apply it I found a people there to heare I had a word from God to Preach time and season suited with it for order had I known the Minister I would have craved his leave I had it after in the mean time though through a mistake I took it for Mr Osburnes turne on whom I would presume it made no stirre as farre as I conceite 't was done with decency and in order I was no Stage player I blesse God his presence was in mine eye his feare upon mine heart my matter was Evangelicall my method cleare and plaine I know not an exotick terme which Scripture does not use or the peoplet Mat heard it understand I thank God my desire was to observe the forme of wholsome words I wish others had done so too T was said some preacht they knew not what and talkt of Gospel but did not understand what Gospel was An. I ever took the Gospel to hold out the doctrine of salvation by Jesus Christ the son of God Contayning in it good news or glad tidings of salvation in that way to lost and undone sinners I am sure this was gospel with Christ and Paul and all saints as may appeare by the exhortation I desire to know no other If M. Coppe have another gospel beside that which Paul and after him I preacht