Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	law_n	life_n	sin_n	22,698	5	5.7840	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34470	A blow at the serpent; or a gentle answer from Madiston prison to appease wrath advancing it self against truth and peace at Rochester. Together with the work of four daies disputes, in the Cathedral of Rochester, in the Countie of Kent, betweene several ministers, and Richard Coppin, preacher there, to whom very many people frequentlie came to hear, and much rejoyced at the way of truth and peace he preached, at the same whereof the ministers in those parts began to ring in their pulpits, saying, this man blasphemeth, ... Whereupon arose the disputes, at which were some magistrates, some officers, and souldiers, peaceable and well-minded, and very many people from all parts adjacent, before whom the truth was confirm'd and maintained. The whole matter written by the hearers, on both sides. Published for the confirmation and comfort of all such as receive the truth in the love of it. By Richard Coppin, now in Maidston Prison for the witness of Jesus. Twenty five articles since brought against him by the ministers, as blasphemie, and his answers to them, how he was	Coppin, Richard, fl. 1646-1659.	1656 (1656)	Wing C6094; ESTC R215454	85,329	113

burne till it hath burnt up all the foundations and buildings of men in their several forms and Religions that are not founded upon Christ the Chief Corner Stone and this will be a Chaos and confusion and an end of the world to men And now what are you and what do you doe when you seek to imprison or banish this truth away from you which you know not and to stop those cleansing floods which the Lord hath opened in drie places for you and to quench those fierie coales which the Lord hath kindled amongst you to refine you you do but add a greater encrease to the truth for all that which is ungodlie selfish and wicked within you that hath opposed the truth shall be imprisoned by it and drowned with it yea it shall be burnt with the fire and melted with the heat until all be consumed and you dissolved into the nothingnesse of all things below God where you are all lost and you again swallowed up into his own Almightinesse where you are found in your true and everlasting Centre that sends you forth and takes you in at his pleasure And this is the begining and end of the world and of all your fighting against the truth to be lost and to be found to be and not to be and therefore look about you you that talk so much of the end of the world when Christ shall come do you know this end and when it shall be I will tell you my experience it is to your end and at your end that Christ doth come and therefore would you prolong his coming for his coming in will be your going out overturn overturn his rising will be your falling and his life will be your death for you are a lie and he is the truth therefore stay Lord Jesus and come not yet say you that know not his coming to be in you stay till the time of the end of the world which you would not have to be yet because your end must come with it but come Lord Jesus come quicklie say I and all those that know his coming to be in them that the world of sin death hell and all Devillishnesse may have an end in all men as in them that there may be no more wrath nor hatred no more fighting nor quarrelling disputing nor contending for the truth nor against the truth but that heaven and earth righteousnesse and truth may meet together and imbrance each other in all men and at all times places and things whatsoever according to the word and will of the Lord that there may be no more any thing at a distance neither truth nor error light nor darknesse day nor night but that in the evening there may be light and so but one day known to the Lord over all the earth one King and his name one But in the mean time you have here following Articles against the truth and answers for the truth The twenty five Articles called Blasphemy brought against Richard Coppin by the Ministers of Kent and for which he was sent to Prison with his Answers to them COppin First I denie all their Articles to be spoken by me as they are here laid down by them they having much abused my words and also my sense by their adding and diminishing yet for satisfaction to many people of the truth of that which may be in them I shall give a brief answer to them according to the plain sense of Scripture and the manifestations of God to men here on earth which so far as I ever knew in my self I alwaies declared and hid nothing of the counsel of God made known to men but for what God will do by man at the end of this life beyond what is revealed I leave also with him till he shall more reveal it Article 1. That all the Scriptures is but an Allegory that is all said he both Law and Gospel and that it is but an Allegory said he it is clear from Gal. 4. 24. Answer The whole Scripture of Law and Gospel the son of the Bond-woman and the Son of the Free-woman are the two Covenants in an Allegorie so saith Paul Gal 4. 24. which things saith he are an Allegory for those are the two Covenants The Allegorie is in this , Abraham had two sons the one by a Bond-maid the other by a Free-woman the Bond-maid is the Law or first Covenant the Free-woman is the Gospel or second Covenant in a mysterie and these also are the two Jerusalems Sina and Sion the one which is below as in bondage the other which is above as in freedome which are also the two mothers of the children after the flesh and the children after the spirit they who live by the works of the Law under the conditions of the first Covenant and so not all their sins to be forgiven them are the sons of the Bond-woman after the flesh and are in bondage with their mother to this day persecu●ing the sons of the Free-woman born after the spirit that lives by free grace and sees their sins pardoned Secondly the carnal mind of man is the son of the Bond-woman after the flesh minding the things of the flesh which is death the spiritual mind is the son of the Free-woman after the spirit minding the things of the spirit which is life for so it is written To be carnally mindad is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace and this son of the Bond-woman is to be cast out as no more to be remembred for he shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman for he understands not the things of the spirit of God but they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but the spiritual man knoweth all things yea the deep things of God and therefore lives in God as in peace and freedome and is no longer in bondage Thus is the Scripture an Allegorie and a great Mysterie for great is the mysterie of godlinesse and saith Christ you erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Article 2. That our Jesus took our defiled nature with sin and was a sinner in that nature Answer That Jesus Christ took on him our sinful nature and in it destroyed the sinfulnesse of it is a truth according to these Scriptures Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood Jesus Christ himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might also destroy him that had the power of death which is the Devil c. and God made Christ to be sin for us laid upon him the iniquities of us all and he did bear them in his own bodie on the Tree which is no blasphemie to say but that he should be a sinner in that nature I never said it neither do affirm as you would have it Article 3. That he was a cursed Goat for the Goats on the left hand

which I know and which you say is a mysterie Secondly consider the death you are to be raised from and that is the death that all men died in the state of the first Adam and do still die by reason of sin from which death all shall be raised to life in Christ the second Adam Now the wages of sin is death and that death which sin doth bring on man is the same death that Christ doth raise him from For you who were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned and if ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above where Christ siteth at the right hand of God which is spoken in the Presentence and not in the Future and cannot be meant of the rising of our corporal bodies after laid in the grave which I question whether those that talk so much of that do yet know this spiritual Resurrection which I hereby declare to you all and if any one can tell us of another Resurrection of the same body of flesh blood and bones again as it was let him declare that as I have declared this for I denie nothing which by any other can be proved but the Scripture saith That flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption therefore blessed and happy are all they which have their part in this first Resurrection for of such the second death hath no power but they live and raign with Christ Thirdly As there is a bodie to be raised so there is also a bodie to be destroyed and that is the bodie of sin and death which is to die and no more to live For if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse that is of Christ And in Rom 6. there is a Resurrection from sin to newnesse of life spoken of by the Apostle that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorie of the Father even so should we walk before him in newnesse of life for if we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the bodie of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Rosewell 2 Tim. 2. 18. But there were false Prophets among them as there are false Teachers among you which say the Resurrection is past already and so bring in damnable errors to overthrow the saith and we see there were some in the Apostles daies which did deny a corporal Resurrection Coppin Do you instance that Scripture as to a corporal Resurrection which speaks nothing of it you do add to that Scripture the word corporal and you know the punishment of him that addeth thereto or diminisheth therefrom Again I do not say the Resurrection is past already for it is not yet come to you nor many more therefore your Scripture is to no purpose against me for I say it is to come as well as alreadie come and that it shall continue until the Day of Judgment be ended or till all that shall be are raised and set free in this spiritual Resurrection from death hell or the grave in which they lie imprisoned and buried by reason of sin but the Sadduces who denie the Resurrection hold there is neither Angel nor Spirit and that do not I. Rosewell I shall prove the Resurrection of the body from Job 19. Where Job saith He shall see God with those eyes at the last day 1 Cor. 15. Paul saith If the dead rise not then is our preaching vain and your faith is vain and you are yet in your sins And Job saith Though wormes destroy his bodie yet in this flesh in this bodie shall I see God which doth clearlie prove a corporal Resurrection but I shall give him rope till night Coppin Add not to the Scripture for there is no such bodily Resurrection spoken of as you declare 1 Cor. 15. 12. so on pray see friends Paul doth not speak of a corporal Resurrection but tells them of the Resurrection of the Dead and saith That if Christ be not risen then all our Preaching and Believing is in vain and we are yet in our sins Clearlie intimating that the Resurrection of Christ doth assure them of their being raised from sin to walk with God in newnesse of life For saith he you are sown a natural body but you are raised a spiritual body and a spirituall bodie is not flesh and bones therefore not the same bodie as you say it is and would have it to be Rosewell There shall be eyes hands and feet Coppin That there shall be eyes hands and feet you are yet to prove Rosewell Job saith He shall see God with those eyes and that in this his flesh he shall see God Againe the Scripture saith That they which are alive and them which are dead shall be raised and all of them shall meet the Lord only this corruptible must put on incorruptible and this mortall must put on immortalitie Again the bodies of Believers are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. and the Temples of Jesus Christ therefore the same bodies shall be raised at the last day Coppin You also bring Job to prove a Corporal Resurrection of flesh blood and bones and that this Resurrection and seeing God with those eyes was not to be till after the death of his visible bodie as you say but I say here is a mysterie and a spiritual sense to be understood in these words Job 19. where he saith I know my Redeemer liveth and that at the last day I shall s●e him stand upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not anothers though my reins be consumed within me But to understand this you must know how he is the Redeemer and when also what is meant by the last day and the earth which he shall stand upon and what eyes shall behold him c. Now his Redeemer was the Lord and did then live in Job though he knew it not that he should see him at the last day is a truth but what this last day was and the manner how he should see him that he knew not till the time came that he saw him in himselfe therefore you shall find that Job was then in darkness and under much affliction uttering words without knowledg for which he was reproved first by the Prophet Elihu secondlie by the Lord thirdlie he confest it first the Prophet reproved him Job 33. Chap. 35. 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vaine he multiplieth words without knowledg Job 38. 1. 2. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said who is this that darkeneth counsell by words without knowledg gird up now thy loynes like a

and such a one enjoyes it as possessingly and the other doth not and that makes it more especially unto him and so he have a greater assurance then the other hath because he trusteth in the living God who is the Saviour of all men of which all he knows himself one and so believes it upon a sure ground till which time I could not assure my self Article 15. That if there be but one man of all that ever were or shall be in the world damned no man can assuredly know that his soule shall be saved Answer And if Christ were not the Saviour of all men and I hear but of one man that shall be damned to all eternity and this man not yet pointed out as knowne from all the rest to be the man and Christ come to save the worst of sinners what full assurance then can I have of my savlation more then another of his salvation but some doubts and some feares will arise within me who shall be that man that is to be damned till I see a pardon come forth for all men to be saved and then I knowing my selfe to be one of that all cannot but have a good assurance of my owne salvation this axperince-in me doth witness as also saith the Scripture that I can no more judge any man to eternall damnation but that which is not of God in man Therefore who art thou O man that judgest another and dost the same things thy selfe for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that judgest dost the same things and who hath made thee to differ from another that thou shouldest be saved and not another wherefore think not better of thy selfe then of another for there is no respect of Persons with God that is more accepted with him but only Christ in all and all in Christ for he hath concluded all men as men under sin and unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all and then O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgment and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowne the mind of God or who hath bin his councellor for of him and to him and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Article 16. That the unpardonable sin of the Holy Ghost is nothing but flesh opposing and quenching the spirit till Christ come into the soule and destroy the flesh Answer To explaine this the Holy Ghost is the spirit the sin against the Holy Ghost is the opposition and war that is made against the Spirit by the fleshly carnall mind for the flesh wa 〈…〉 against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to another in man and so saith Paul I find saith he a warring within me that when I would do good evill is present with me 't is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for with my mind I serve the Law of God though with my flesh the Law of sin and this flesh opposing the Spirit is for a time in every man as a man of sin ruling in them till Christ come into the soule and destroy it which shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come but is the only enemy that God will destroy in man Article 17. That when a soule is once regenerated then he is free from all sin that the flesh is quite destroyed Answer Regeneration is a new birth and the new birth is to be in Christ a new creature free from all sin without which man nor his prayers nor any thing is accepted of God for he heareth not sinners and without holiness no man shall see God but if the Son shall make you free then are you free indeed and him that is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away and all things are become new by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Article 18. That no man shall receive any good by any good that he doth that it shall no way further his salvation Answer If man by his good works could merit heaven then salvation by Christ were made void or if any thing of man which is imperfect were to joyn with Christ in the work of salvation then mans salvation were not all by Christ but by man and would so far be imperfect and then man might boast and say he was able to help Christ to save his soul and so robing Christ of his work would rob him of his honor also but not of works saith Paul lest any man should boast neither by any other name under heaven but by Jesus Christ is any man saved that no flesh might glory in his presence but he that glories let him glory in the Lord that his soul was saved by the Lord Article 19. That no man shall receive any hinderance by any sin he committeth that shall do him no hurt Answer If any sin of man should hinder mans salvation by Christ then that sin would appear to be too strong for Christ to conquer and then no man could be saved for there is no sin but every man is guiltie of for all have sinned and all are guiltie but this I say with the Prophet Elihu that his bad works may hurt a man as he is and his good works may profit men but shall no way profit the salvation of his soul But because good works are good to men therefore would I have all men observe and do them doing unto others as they would others should do to them which is the sum of the whole Law for he that loveth God will also love his Brother Article 20. That our Lord Jesus Christ is the three persons in the Trinity God blessed Father Son and Holy Spirit and that the blessed Trinity is but three manifestation of God Answer The blessed Trinity Father Son and Spirit I acknowledg the Father as begeting the Son as begotten and the Holy Ghost uniting as being the compleat union of all three together in one spirit where they all meet as copartners together in one work that what the one is the other is the same and what the one doth the other doth the same as all but one God manifesting himself under various appearances of Father Son and Spirit to the creatures apprehension Article 21. That our Lord Jesus Christ himself was the Leper that was cleansed and returned to give thanks Luke 17. 15. Answer I say not that Christ was a Leper but there were ten Lepers that were cleansed and one of them when he saw himself cleansed turned back and glorified God and Christ saith Where are the other nine There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger and who was this stranger but Christ in that man that gave glory to God for the work done as Christ saith Father I have glorified thee on

hell or devill to be judged or condemned in man And that every eare and eye that heares and sees any thing besides Christ shall be made deafe and blind and every mouth that speaks any thing besides Christ the truth shall be stopped that so the Lord himself may be all in all and saith Peter The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God why all shall come to judgment every man in his order at the time when the Lord shall appear unto them And this is not a visible temporal Judgement on the bodies of men but invisible in the hearts of men which is the Temple unto which God will come and dwell in for the Lord whom you seek will suddainly come to his Temple and there sit as a Refiner and Purisier of silver and will take away his drosse and tyn and try them as gold is tried therefore he saith he will send the Spirit and he shall convince the world of sin of righteousnesse and judgement and when the Lord doth so come to judgement then shall everie mans book be opened and they shall be judged according to the things written in their books which books are the consciences of men bearing witnesse either for them or against them accusing or else excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to his Gospel and this is the manner of the Lords proceeding to judgement in the day of the Gospel which to the Lord is but as one day though thousand of years Head a Lawyer said This is damnable Doctrine what need a coming to judgement if all shall be saved you are a Blasphemer and destroyes the Fundamentals of Religion by your impudency Coppin Though all men shall be saved yet not without judgment But Sir I perceive you are a Lawyer it may be hath a fee given you then plead Law for it the Gospel allowes of none but though you may know the Law better then I it may be I may know the Gospel as well as you and you see I have declared a judgement according to the Gospel and have proved it all along if you understand it and if any man can prove any other Judgement day besides this which I have proved let him declare it And I also prove that this Judge the Lord Jesus doth accuse no man but he that is the accuser of the brethren is the devil who shall be cast out and his accusation made void for man while he lives under the law lives under wrath and is accused by the law but when the Lord Jesus comes to any soul as a Judg to fulfill the law he declares himself accused and condemned for that soule and so frees him from the law and quiteth him of the accusation and now Christ accuseth not but Moses and yet saith he You will not come to me that you may have life but though you receive another that comes in his own name father then me that comes in my Fathers name yet doe not think that I will accuse you to the Father no but there is one that doth accuse you even Moses in whom you trust Rosewell John 5. is meant Christ will not accuse them to the Father yet Christ doth accuse them which doth oppose his Gospel and will doe it and will throw them to the nethermost hell at the last day in everlasting torment soul and body and therefore I desire you all as you tender the glory of God and the good of your own souls have a care of such a dangerous blasphemer as this which in such a high nature doth blaspheme the great God of heaven Isa. 26. Thy hand is lifted up and they will not see it but they shall see it and be ashamed for their envie at the people the fire of thy enemies shall devoure their persons at the last day Coppin You may apply this unto your self for your own envie that hath appeared at this and other times but doe you bring this to prove destruction of persons eternally at the last day which is no such thing here meant Rosewell I doe confesse a Spirituall Judgment Day Coppin That have I affirmed all this while for the which you crie out against me to be a blasphemer c. Rosewell But there is another day of judgment which will be at the last day Coppin Pray doe you prove a second day of judgment you have confest the first which I proved to you and I denie not your second if you can prove it to me also prove the destruction of persons as you say Rosewell Faelix did tremble when he did heare of judgment to come Coppin This judgment was to come on him then and is to come on all now on whom it hath not yet appeared for the destruction of sin Rosewell It doth appear there is no such judgment known unto you Jude 15. but the Lord will come visibly as a man from heaven and all his Saints with him to sit upon his Throne and to execute judgment and to convince all that are ungodly Coppin You should declare where this place of Judgment is and when it is and what this Throne is on which he sits Rosewell I will not tell you you shall know it when it doth come and therefore cease to pervert Scripture Coppin I do not at all judg or condemn you for speaking your judgment in what things you know though you do judg me for you can but speak as you have received according to your measure and so do I. Rosewell He doth mainly labour to deny any Judgment to come on any mans person Coppin I tell you again I denie nothing which you can prove to be true it is your work now to prove this Judgment Day you speak of as I have done mine Rosewell There is a Hell of fire and brimstone for ever Coppin You would do well to prove what you mean by it now before this people Rosewell You have here said that Christ was a sinner Coppin You said these words I never said them but said that he was in himself holie harmlesse just and good Rosewell You said the nature he did take was sinful and you have denied the Resurrection of the Body and do affirm that all men shall be saved Coppin It is a sign there is no more in you to declare because you go over with the same things again and again But how are you assured of your own salvation tell me that Rosewell I do believe he hath saved me and that one day he will do it Coppin If he hath done it alreadie then it is no more to do and it is better to believe that you are saved then that you shall be saved CHAP. XIII The practise of Magistrates and Ministers discovered how they one uphold another to serve not the Lord but

in due time it shall be manifest to all for there is but the want of faith in men to believe it which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen by which all men are assured and draw nigh unto God which in due time shall be manifest to all men Now if this Spirit of Faith and faithfull Witness the Lord Jesus thus manifest in men for the salvation of their soules will not keep men from licentiousness there is nothing will for which seriously consider the Apostles words in Titus 2. 11. We were wicked and sinfull saith he as well as others but when the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men had appeared to us teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously in this present world speaking evill of no man for we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie and hating one another as well as others but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercie he saved us how why by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost and so saith Peter see that you lay aside all malice guile and hipocrisies and envyings and evill speakings and as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby if so be you hav● tasted that the Lord is gracions CHAP. XVII The complaint of Ministers to Magistrates against those that Preach without Orders from the Vniversitie the dutie of Magistrates not to forbid any but to reprove such complainers AGaine you say you would have men learn and study the Scriptures but not to Preach of them but sure that is for feare your trade of Preaching should goe downe and you to keep it up will cry out to the Magistrates to forbid and suppress all that declare any thing of the love of God to their soules and have not the like Orders from the Universities as you have concerning which read Numbers 11. there was Moses a Magistrate of the Lord and the Lord commanded him to gather unto him seventy of the men of Israell to assist him in the work of the Lord and to bring them up to the Tabernacle where they should receive the Spirit and to prophesie Now there were two men which did not come up to the Tabernacle as the rest did but tarried behind in the Camp and there received the Spirit and Prophesied whereof complaint was made to Moses of them saying Eldad and Medad doe Prophesie in the Camp my Lord Moses forbid them why saith Moses enviest thou for my sake I would all the Lords people were Prophets and that he would powre his Spirit upon them though they came not up to the Tabernacle yet having the Spirit let them prophesie So now if any man do declare any thing of God which hath not been at the Universitie woe he is immediatelie cried out against to the Magistrate as a blasphemer to be forbidden but God is not tied to place nor persons nor learning it is not your your Schools will make you Ministers of the Gospel no it is the Spirit of the Lord that doth make a Minister of the Gospel and it was the Spirit that made Christ a Minister for saith he the Spirit of the Lord is upon me therefore will I preach glad tydings of the Gospel and as everie man hath received the Spirit so let them administer without any forbiding Now you Magistrates you are set up for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well but are you like that godly man Moses a Magistrate of the Lords to discern the good which is to be praised and the evill which is to be punished and so to doe justice and righteousness to countenance Godliness if you were you would fordid none to Preach that speaks their experience of the things of God but would incourage all men and wish all the Lords people were Prophets and that he would powre his Spirit upon them and so like Moses reprove any that would have them forbid and then you would appear to be Magistrates of the Lord as Moses was and to doe the worke of God as Moses did for which the Lord instruct you all CHAP. XVIII A childs condition is Christs Kingdome their coming to him his hand laid on them they blessed by him of his arm to all men and when AGaine there is one thing more which you have said and that I must open That is you say that thousands of Children are now in hell for their originall sin which is a trouble to many people to heare such things asserted therefore what the Lord may discover to me at this time concerning this thing that will I declare to you That when the Lord Jesus would declare unto his disciples who were subjects fit for the Kingdome of God he takes a little child in his armes and sets him in the midst of them saying except you become as this child you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven that is to become a child in the knowledg of things below Christ to know no more sin nor divell then a child doth and to be as meek and as humble as innocent and as harmlesse as a child is now Christ tells them they must be borne againe into a childs condition that is to be little even as nothing in their owne wisdome and not to know themselves able to act themselves forth in any thing neither in thought word or deed but in all things to be acted by another even God and this Spirituall birth Nicodemus a Ruler among the Jewes was ignorant of saying unto Christ How can a man be borne when he is old can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born no saith Christ not so but except you be borne of the Spirit of Regeneration and the new birth and so become as a little child to know no evill sin nor divell nor any thing of selfe wisdome knowledge or righteousness which he was concieved in by that Mother the flesh or carnall mind but to be as one dead in all old things borne by that Mother and liveing againe in a new life to behold all things made new in him and Christ knew that a little child was the fitest subject he could compare a soule unto whereby he might know himselfe a subject fit for the Kingdome of God free from all sin Againe there were some that brought little children unto Christ that he should touch them and his Disciples reproved those that brought them and Christ said suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdome of God this Scripture I know is brought by the Ministers to prove the baptizeing of children with water though I denie

it not to them that are free to do it though here were none of them baptized by Christ for he baptized not but his Disciples and they baptized no children but onely such persons as would then be under Johns administration of water which was onely to last Johns time and then to be made void and people did thinke then as some doe now that unlesse their children did recieve baptisme they shall not inherit the Kingdome of God therefore would say Oh give them that they come for lest they should die before they had it Now saith Christ who will forbid a little child that he should not inherit the Kingdome of God I say let such come to me for of such is the Lords Kingdom and they come to me as to their Saviour their Lord and Master therefore forbid them not though they were never baptized with water for they are subjects already fited for the Kingdome of God as a Kingdome of righteousness meekness truth and love having in them no unrighteousness as pride lying and hatred but they like Christ doe know noe sin being not borne in sin till they have the knowledg thereof and oh that all men were become such children free from all sin and so receive the Kingdome of God as a little child Againe he took them up in his armes laid his hands on them and blessed them and this he did to let the people know that they are the blessed of the Lord and that they are within the compass of his armes as being never out but always lodging in his bosom of goodness mercy love and favour as being heires of his Kingdome And of this arme God saith all the day long have I stretthed it forth to a disobedient and gainsaying people to bring them to this state of a little child into meekness and love from sin and rebellion and when this hand of the Lord shall thus come to be laid on any of you then shall you be as a weaned child from the brest of your owne haughtie and laughtie Spirit by which you were nursed up into the state of rebellion against God and of this the Prophet saith who hath belived our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed speaking of Jesus Christ the arme of God that took from us all our sins and laid upon himselfe as 't is written he hath laid on him the iniquities of us all and by which arme Daniel when he lay with his face on the ground was raised up upon the knees and palmes of his hands and from thence to stand upright upon his feet and when he knew it was by the hand of the Lord he stood trembling that is all things of himselfe trembled in himselfe when he stood upright in the Lord Now when this hand is laid on you and doe but touch you the first and second time which is the first and second coming of Christ in manifestation to the soule then shall you stand upright in the Lord and be for none but the Lord and saith Christ feare not for I have the keyes of the house of David which is Heaven and I have the keyes of death and of hell and I can open and none can shut and shut and none can open therefore feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer for behold saith Christ I know thy works and tribulation and the divell shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed and you shall have tribulation for a time but be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crowne of life therefore feare nor for I having the keyes will not suffer you to be shut up any longer then I please but will break open prisons and prison doores saith the Lord and all this is done by his laying his hand upon us and blessing of us therefore henceforth judg charitably of all men in all conditions and no more judge any childe to condemnation that knowes no sin nor Devil but rather this that the Lords mercy is over all his works and will lose nothing of his own Rosewell I desire to have no more to do with this man you see I hope what his aime and end is in all his discourse You say we would hide knowledge from the people but I wish all men did know as much of good as I doe provided I did know no lesse then I doe and I have taken a great deal of pains in my private Studies and publique endeavours for that knowledge I have and if I know any easier way I would spare my paines You labour to bring all men off from our principles of Religion therefore know there is many hundreds of able Ministers and thousands of good Christians which are furnished with arguments against you and all the Jesuites in the world for my part I am not worthy to carry their books after many of them and I say you are a shame to the world and the Turks and Papists may laugh at us to see our division in our Church and I would not have this Auditorie juggled out of their Faith and if any man hath given any incouragement to such a Blasphemer as this is let them be humbled for it and do so no more and I shall Preach against it to my utmost endeavour for he doth overthrow all Ordinances of Baptisme and Sacraments which our Antient Fathers have used which he saith are not necessarie to salvation since Christ and so is an enemy to God Psalme 21. 8. I will end with this Thine hand shall finde out thy enemies that hate thee thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine anger the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath and the fire of hell shall devoure them CHAP. XIX Of Baptism how man is a fiery Oven of the fire and fuel that is to be burnt the Oven cleansed man living in it and how COppin That which I declare concerning Baptisme is that they have no ground from the Lord Jesus Christ by precept nor example to baptize with water Gaman a Anabaptist Let me speak now a word or two because you deny all Water-Baptisme Coppin Pray let me make an end with one first and then if you have any thing to say speak on but I say Baptisme with water upon any subject hath no ground from Christ whether by example nor command to be used since the Death of John being then fulfil'd by Christ and yet I denie it to none whose tender conscience doth desire it for I am become all to all that I win them to the truth as it is in Jesus through my love to them and the manifestation of Christ in them Rosewell Capt. Smith Pray let 's have done Robison I think you will never have done Coppin So far as you speak I must answer and there is one thing more therefore pray have patience for I must answer to this Scripture by him hinted in Psalm 21. 8. 9.

man where I am not ashamed to speake the truth and now is my time to speak being accused for the truth and Sir you were once accused your self for Blasphemie said he What is that to you if I were the Law freed me Said I I doubt not but that it will me also when I come to have Law in the mean time do you do unto others as you would others should do unto you Then said the Major to Captain Smith Take him away let him not stay here to retort his words upon us I answered that what I speak is the truth and am not ashamed of it though others may of what they do And now Gentlemen I thank you for what you have done for in this you will bring much glorie to God and confusion to his enemies though which way you know not but I do and so farewell CHAP. XXI The confidence joy and freedome of a Prisoner for with and in the truth Christ and his Generation owned denied imprisoned judged and freed by whom and why of the power life and light of truth most advanced when most opposed and how ANd now my jorneuy to prison the same night was with so much joy and chearfulness as ever I had in any thing in my life I seeing the end with the begining the last with the first and the first with the last even God which is but according to my principle and the sum of my doctrine which I always declare to the world That if I goe to hell thou art there if I goe to Heaven thou art there if I goe to the ends of the earth thou art there also and thy right hand doth lead me that is he is always with me sweetening and refreshing making joyfull pleasant and delightfull unto me all times places and things with his presence for his owne glory and my peace though with much sorrow to many of my friends that a prison to me in my cause is a palace where I sweetly injoy the Lord my selfe and my friends all together in one unconfined Spirit that in the companie of one I injoy manie for when I am alone then are all with me yea you all in all parts of the world whose Spirit is my owne the Spirit life and power of all accompaning of me in the same work it hath done and is to doe by me for the perfiting of the Saints for the work of the Ministerie and for the edifying of the bodie of Christ till they are all come into the unitie of one spirit to the knowledg of one God in which word Christ saith I and my Father are one he works and I work saith Christ and I am not alone for the Father is with me and Christ when he was in prison yea when he descended into hell injoyed the company of his Father with him which was a Saviour unto him and forth of a prison doth our Saviour come Ah poore prisoners that are in prison and know not that their Saviour is with them that makes a prison a prison unto them It is written of Christ that he was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation who can pitie prisoners but he that hath all pitie and is prisoner with them who can shew mercy in judgment but he that is all mercy and himselfe under judgment with those that are judged this is Christ and his generation and no pitie nor mercy is shewed unto them but by him that is in prison and in judgment with them even the Father in Christ taking pitie of and shewing mercy to his owne Children generation after generation therefore a poor despised rejected cast out imprisoned generation to the world is the generation of Christ for in him is no form nor comeliness his visage is more marred then any mans so is his generation and who will owne it and declare to be for it to manifest this generation but onelie he that can be with all that can lay downe his life and take it up againe nothing of the world of man or the nature in its own outward excellency glory of righteousness Religion will acknowledg it but make it self a stranger to it though it be its own flesh onlie a poor despised scattered seed of the same Generation that hath nothing nor know nothing but the Lord to trust upon that will own it no it was that seed that men now seek to kill flay and burie and would not have grow or encrease that did own them when they were in their blood and yet they will not own him because they did not know him He came to his owne and his own reteived him not and why was it but because he came not to give them a Kingdome of worldlie glorie riches and honour but rather to take it from them to strip them of all their esteem among men and to make them denie themselves the world and all things therein to take up his crosse and follow him but this is a heavie burthen to bear a wearie step to tread a narrow path to go and few there be that find it this is the burthen that I am made to bear the steps I am made to tread and the path I am made to goe but having alwayes with me the companie of the Lord I can never faint nor be wearie but be refreshed and at rest in the Lord and so through him become a Conquerour over those things rejoycing with joy unspeakable and which is unlawful to be uttered unto men by the Lawes of men that now let men confine me banish me or do what they can unto me the Lord in whom I live will not leave me nor forsake me and now though my bodie be confined my spirit is at libertie contrarie to the will of my enemies who have sought to deprive me both of companie and comforts pen ink and paper as they themselves hath declared to wearie me of my principle to make me recant my judgement and to draw the peoples affections from it but the more by their endeavouring to make good their intentions the farther off is it from fulfilling that I freelie forgive them and leave them to the Lord who will render to everie man according to his deeds and bring glorie to himselfe through all things for the wrath of man shall turne to the praise of God and by imprisonment is Truths inlargement for it shall spring out of the earth and overflow the refuge of lies and the Lord will ride prosperouslie because of truth of meeknesse and of righteousnesse that the more you seek to stop it with the greater currant it will run till the parched ground is become a poole and the drie land springs of water for in the wildernesse shall waters break out and streams in the Desert and as fire among thorns so is truth among the enemies of the Lords people and the more you seek to quench it with the greater flames it will