in the place appointed proclaiming amongst his Auditors that day his undertaking for the next day that he might have as considerable a party of his own proselytes at the meeting as was possible The next morning by nine of the clock was a great concourse of people in the Cathedrall and Coppin before either the Maior or Capt. Smith were come possest himself of the Pulpit where ad populum faciendum he took upon him to make a prayer introductory to what was to follow as if he had been a very consciencious devout man in prayer when God knows and those that know him know him to be a man that takes himself to be such a high Attainer as hath gotten above prayer which he looks upon as a needless and low form to the use whereof he doth rather condescend for the infirmity of others then conform out of any necessity of his own His prayer being ended and Mr Maior Mr Robinson and Capt. Smith with a very great assembly being present after a short prayer that God would appear for the vindication of his truth and detection of errours I propounded this Proposition to Coppin He that perswades the people to beleeve that Jesus Christ was a sinner and that the humane nature of Jesus Christ was polluted with sin he is a perverter of Scripture a blasphemer of Jesus Christ and a venter of damnable heresie Having laid down this Proposition before I proceeded to the Assumption I thought fit to require his judgement of the Proposition which he needed not have stuck at had his judgement been sound but being conscious how heavy it would fall upon him if granted yet not daring to deny it he spent many words to no purpose neither granting nor denying it till at length being weary of pressing him to give his answer in that particular when the Assumption was on my tongues end it pleased God that in stead of granting or denying my Proposition he gave me a clear and full proof of my Assumption before I could bring it forth declaring it to be his judgement that Jesus Christ in his humane nature was a sinner and that the humane nature of Jesus Christ was polluted with sin Whereupon acknowledging and admiring the good hand of Gods providence I added my Assumption to the former Proposition That Rich. Coppin was a perswader of the people to beleeve that Jesus Christ was a sinner and that his humane nature was polluted with sin and so inferr'd the Conclusion That he was a perverter of Scripture a blasphemer of Jesus Christ and a venter of damnable heresie but then being pincht with the Syllogism he denied what he had spoken in the hearing of so many witnesses which not only Mr Head did witness to his face but many more were ready to witness and are ready to testifie upon Oath if called to it yet in effect he did afterwards avouch the same blasphemy though in other terms and more covertly Being charged with the Doctrine of universall salvation he at large avouched it adding that all the good works that men did should do them no good and all the evil works which men did should do them no hurt Being charged with blasphemy for asserting That Christ was a cursed Goat for the Geats at the left hand he made a long discourse to justifie that assertion by Scripture wherein how miserably he did abuse Scripture is to be seen in part by what himself hath printed Severall other errours at this meeting he openly asserted which were so gross that I am very confident all that feared God and heard them could not but have their spirits mov'd with just indignation against them and the broacher of them I shall not now trouble the world by giving any further account of what further pass't between Coppin and my self at this meeting only thus much I must needs say and 't is well known to many I speak but the truth in it Coppins printed relation represents neither the title nor for the most part the truth of what I spake there is no man of any judgement that knows me and reads his Pamphlet but will conceive so by what he hath printed for his own speeches he mis-reports them to leaving out and putting in what he pleaseth he uses those terms of Art and distinctions in print which neither I nor any man else that heard him heard from his mouth at that time nor did he seem to have any knowledge of them what tale soever he now tels for himself which yet is bad enough In the conclusion of that meeting it was some content to my spirit that God had made me instrumentail to unkennell such a Fox and make him so to stink that all the sheep of Christ which heard him or heard of him would thenceforth take heed how they came near him or had to do with him one thing by the way I may not omit to mention When I had ended this daies contest with Coppin Mr Gammon came to me and thank't me telling me I never did better service for Christ in all my life to which I answered I should have a time for him to and so left him The next day being Tuesday Mr Sandbrooke having preacht his Lecture propounded two Queries which he was resolved to maintain against Coppin the Thursday seven night after and that Coppin might have notice of them they were fixed upon the Church-door but before Thursday came about by Mr Robinsons means it was agreed that Coppin and I should have another bout and Coppin having choice of his day pitcht on Tuesday December 11. Sabbath day December 9. Mr French came to the Cathedrall and had some Discourse with Coppin whereof Coppin himself gives such an account as doth abundantly discover that he then betraied many of his damnable errours concerning Heaven the ascension oâ— Christ into heaven and his second coming to judgement though I make no question but he was more gross in his expressions 〈◊〉 that time than his Printed Pamphlet makes shew of which is gross enough and clearly discovers his Fanaticall Familisticall spirit When Tuesday was come there was again a very great concourse of people in the Cathedrall and Coppin by ten of the Clock or before possest himself of the Pulpit again as before he had done though at that time I should have had the Pulpit to preach mine own turn in the Lecture having preacht that day fortnight anothers turn that was not well yet I was content to pass that by without taking notice of it having a design so to mannage my Arguments against Coppin as in my Propositions to lay down the Doctrine of the Scripture contradicted by Coppin and then to addeâ— pregnanâ— Scripture-proofs withâ—â—â— vindication of those Scriptures which were wrested by Coppin before I added my Assumption as a charge upon Coppin and this I did the other desire to do because at the former meeting I saw that Coppin would not be held to a Dispute but was resolv'd to word it out
damned he might suspect himself to be that man 5. That all the good works that men do can do them no good 6. That all the evil works men do can do them no harm 7. That the Scripture speaks only of a spirituall resurrection and there shall be no resurrection of the bodies of men 8. That Jesus Christ is all the three Persons in the Trinity the Father Son and holy Ghost and that all the three Persons are but so many manifestations of God 9. That the everlasting Torments of hell shall have an end 10. That hell is within men before they beleeve and that there is no such hell as is commonly beleeved to be a place of torment to any after this life 11. That the doctrine which affirms no redemption out of hell is false That there is redemption out of hell 12. That there is no eternall judgement to come wherein Jesus Christ appearing in a visible way shall judge the world 13. That the Doctrine of Vniversall Salvation is the most effectuall Doctrine to promote sanctification These devillish doctrines which yet were not one half of what he had vented being read in his hearing he did not could not deny one of them but spent many words to justifie the third and the last of them adding severall more at this time this among the rest That Jesus Christ himself was that one Leper of ten who being made whole returned to give God thanks quoting many Scriptures but allegorizing and wresting all against the truth insomuch that I could not but declare my judgement that if St Paul were present he would bespeak him as once he did Elymas Act. 13.10 11. and that with like success causing him to grope his way out of the Church and because I knew we had a very ingenuous Gentleman living near who had been stumbled by Jesuites not to acquiess in the sufficiency of Scripture to determine all Controversies of Religion supposing this Gentleman might be present and that the horrible wresting of Scripture by this wretch might be no small offence both to him and others furnishing the Jesuites with some advantages to insinuate the necessity of some other Judge besides the holy Ghost speaking in sacred Scripture to decide Controversies in Religion therefore I desired any Jesuites whatsoever that might be present or their friends to take notice that there were hundreds of godly learned Ministers in England whose Books I was not worthy to bear after them and yet I should not doubt in the strength of Christ to encounter any Jesuite of them all in maintaining that great point of Doctrine That the holy Ghost speaking in Scripture is the supream Judge to determine all Controversies of Religion adding other things to the same effect taking notice of the wiles of Jesuites who being beaten out of the field themselves by their Learned Antagonists did now seek to baffle us out of our Religion by a company of ignorant impudent praters that take upon them to be Preachers of the Word of God and whereas Coppin had again and again suggested that we Ministers did envy the knowledge of the people desiring to keep them in ignorance I profest I heartily wisht that all men knew as much of God in Christ as my self provided I knew no less then I did and if I knew any way more effectuall then other to improve the knowledge of others I should readily take it In fine I desired those that had given any countenance to this blasphemer to be humbled for what they had done and do so no more promising both by Preaching and Catechizing to endeavour that all sorts even children might be Antidoted against his errours and Coppin having pretended that the right hand of God signified the Gospel and favour of God under which all mankinde should at last be brought I alledged and paraphrased on that place Psal 21.8 9. with speciall reflection on Coppin and his errours but Coppin was resolved let me say what I could of him or his opinions he would say something after me though nothing to the purpose but only that like the Authour of the golden Legend he might shew himself to be a man Plumbei cordis ferrei oris I might adde aeneae Frontis When I had ended and was resolved to speak no more Coppin declaring himself against all water Baptism since the death of John Baptist as having neither precept nor example in Scripture Gammon he stands up and would fain have been saying something but Mr Robinson I well remember told him he was a very fit man to incounter Coppin for he had good lungs and his tongue was well hanged but now the time was spent and they could stay no longer When I saw Coppin would never end I took my leave of the Assembly with that of St Paul Grace be with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Eph. 6.24 and so I went out What Gammon said afterwards I know not I easily beleeve what Coppin prints of him may be the truth of what he spake for being a great dipper I know him to be dipt over head and ears in many dangerous errours and therefore no wonder if his bolt be so suddenly shot against those earnall Priests as he cals them whose weapons are too spirituall for him with his carnall opinions and practices as will appear I doubt not in due time These severall publique Discourses with Coppin being over and he having now openly discovered himself before multitudes of sufficient witnesses to be such a notorious blasphemer and monstrous imposter notice being given to Major Generall Kelsey of him he was pleased to direct his Warrant to Captain Smith December 19. requiring him to take Coppin into his custody c whereupon Captain Smith December 22 apprehended him and accepted security for his true imprisonment but the next day being Lords day he set a Guard of Souldiers in the Cathedrall with Order to hinder Coppin from preaching there in case he should attempt it though he and his security were engaged to the contrary yet so eager was this prater to be still spitting forth and spreading his poysonous opinions and so confident he should have found a party of Souldiers and others that would have tumulted and mutined for him rather then suffer an interruption of his deluding Sermons that when he saw he could not be permitted to preach in the Cathedrall which he endeavoured he then attempted a publique prating first on a Tombstone in the Church-yard and after that on a joyn'd stool in the Common where he wanted not for Auditors to flock about him but Captain Smith in pursuance of his Order soon silenc't him in both places and dispers't his followers confining him to his quarters causing him to keep himself private there and to be forth coming when he should be called before the Major Generall the next day being Moonday Decemb. 24. Generall Kelsey came to the Crown in Rochester accompanied with two or three Justices of the Peace where upon
THE Serpents Subtilty DISCOVERED Or a True RELATION of what passed in the Cathedrall Church of Rochester Between divers MINISTERS AND RICHARD COPPIN To prevent Credulity to the false Representation of the said Discourse published by the said R. Coppin from MAIDSTONE Goale By WALTER ROSEWELL Minister of Chatham in Kent 2 PETER 2.1 But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction LONDON Printed by A. M. for Jos Cranford at the Kings Head in St Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the RIGHT WORSHIPFULL WILLIAM PASK Maior of the City of ROCHESTER GEORGE ROBINSON Justice of Peace and Alderman of the same City WITH Captain SMITH Chief Commander of the Military Forces in and about ROCHESTER Worthy Sirs THough I may not do not exclude You from the number of those to whom I make the generall Address which follows yet I cannot but think it convenient and in some sort necessary to premise this speciall Address unto Your selves alone partly to give a publique Testimony of my due respects unto You all for Your ready compliance and assistance in a Regular Peaceable way to detect and defeat so dangerous and desperate an enemy of Truth Holiness and the power of Godliness and partly to give the world notice That as You are able to Witness against severall forgeries and falsehoods in Coppin's Relation so Your consciences besides multitudes more can bear me Witness concerning the Truth of whatsoever I have written in the following Narrative as to what publiquely passed between us from first to last You were present and heard whatsoever past either on one side or the other and therefore I dare appeal to Your consciences and make You Judges concerning the verity of that account I have given my own conscience bearing me witness in the sight of God That I have dealt faithfully in it I expect that Coppin and such as he is will be snarling at me when ence these lines are passed the Press but I bless God I pass not for their snarling nor do I fear their biting Magna vericas praevalet If I lie under a generall odium of hereticall spirits I cannot count it the least dishonour or be troubled at it St Jerome was certainly very right in his judgment when he wrote to St Augustine Quod signum majoris gloriae est omnes haeretici te dete stantur For my part I affect not the good words of those that speak such evil words of my blessed Saviour let them bark against me that bark against the Truth of Christ while they will They shall neither hurt the Truth nor me more than barking Dogs do the Moon Yet I doubt not could they get power into their hands answerable to the malice which is in their hearts they would soon make mad work against all such as being fast friends to Truth and Holiness shew themselves resolute enemies to their Hereticall filthy Opinions and practises Ingenium Haereticum est sanguinarium Truly Gentlemen I am perswaded You could not but observe and be very sensible how Coppin made it his Master-piece to mingle and winde himself into the bosomes of a many headed Monster the rude multitude having no minde to heed or answer any Argument brought against him but labouring to insinuate himself into the affections of a deluded party and engage them to a good opinion of him expecting no doubt to have found his interest so great and strong as would have born him out by club-Law whatsoever might be alleadged against him Nor can he have any better design in his Printed Pamphlet which he hath caused to be dispersed in City and Country so that in stead of the Title he gives it it might justly hear this Title A Wile of the Serpent or a Subtill endeavour from Maidstone Prison to increase and incourage a Deluded Party advancing it self against Truth and Peace in Rochester And whereas he makes a noise about four daies Disputes with severall Ministers in Rochester Cathedrall You all can witness that for three of those daies he would never stand to any Dispute but ranne out into wilde impertinent Discourses and his fourth daies carriage to have been as wilde himself doth witness in his own Printed Relation so that after that rate he might take upon him to Dispute with all the Ministers in the world I told You once and again would he stand to any thing I would not doubt by Gods help without study with what I knew already out of Scripture to answer him from morning to night But I trouble You too much and hold You too leng while I am raking into this dunghill The good Lord in mercy purge both City Country and Studiers from the leaven of this mans Blasphemous Hereticall and Atheisticall epinions awaking both us that are Ministers with You that are Civil Magistrates and Military Officers with all Christian prudence zeal and courage in our Places and Caelings to labour that the Mystery of Godliness being vigerously propagated the mystery of Iniquity may be profligated and the foggy mists filthy smoke of damnable Errours Heresies and Blasphemies being dissipated the Suâ— of Gospel Truth may break forth and shine with greater lustre purity and power Thus commending these Dedicatory lines to Your candid acceptance and the ensuing Narrative to Your perusall and Patronage I shall only subscribe my self what indeed and truth I am Yours Cordially obliged in any Gospel-service WAL ROSEWELL To all that fear God love Jesus Christ and have a care of their own souls health in Chatham Rochester and the adjoyning Parishes Dearly beleved Friends and Brethren in the Bord IT is now almost nine years compleat since it pleased God by a speciall hand of Providence to cast me upon this place where I found most of you and where some of you that came hither since found me Many changes there have been in this our British world since my first coming hither under all which I bless God I have been am no Changling My constant care hath been from time to time to shew my self a faithfull Watchman over the Souls committed to my Charge and a faithfull Witness for Jesus Christ against those cursed Errours and other sinfull abominations whereby his glorious Name was dishonoured and the pretious souls of his people were indangered My rejoycing hath been and is the testimony of my conscience c. 2 Cor. 1.12 and yet my Prayer with Nehemiah Neh. 13.22 my complaint the same with the Evangelicall Prophets Isa 6.3 and my present confession it is 1 Cor. 2.3 I cannot confidently say I know c. Act. 20.29 but truly truly my dear Friends I much fear it and I have but too much cause for my fears this I know by sad experience that while I have been with you grievous Wolves have come among you yea and amongst your selves have riâ—en up men speaking
perverse things to draw disciples after them I cannot but fear that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Antichrist may succeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many Antichrists as in his first rise so in his resurrection amongst you and what my fears are concerning all the Churches of Christ not only through this other world but through the whole Protestant world if the removing of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which lets do not make way for the Resurrection as well as the rise of Artichrist my conjectures fail me and if the loose Doctrine of unconscionable Liberty of Conscience prove not a back door to let in Antichrist Reverend Mr Cotton was deceived and so am I also yet with that transcendent Magazine of Learning and Piety Dr Usher I am of opinion that the prevalency of Antichrist will not be so much in a way of fraudulent seduction as in a way of violent and bloudy persecution The measure of Babylons sins will be made up in bloud before her finall ruine and just with God it should be so his Churches deserve it but wo be to the man by whom they are betraied and wo wo wo to Babylon her fatall downfall is at hand when the Antichristian Gentiles or Nations are angry the time of the Lords wrath comes Revel 11.18 and after the Everlasting Gospel hath been again openly preached and the downfall of Babylon clearly published wo to all wretched Apostates that comply with Antichrist You may reade their dreadfull doom Revel 14 6 7 8 9 10 11. Arm your selves with the patience of Saints that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus as it follows ver 12. minde and meditate on what is added ver 13. For my part I have often by word of mouth warned you and now I am in a manner necessitated to write unto you concerning them that seduce you It is not long since I did publiquely face to face appear against one of them many of you being present and hearing with your own ears what passed between us little did I then think of appearing in Print against him having brought the Mole above ground and gotten him to appear naked in his own shape I supposed the least of the Flock the weakest Christian would be sufficiently Antidoted and armed against him able enough to deal with him yet since he hath told such a tale for himself as he hath done in Print wherein he impudently lies both against me and the truth I am perswaded to think it necessary in some respect though not to give a formall Answer to one that is Copiofissimè delirans as St Augustine speaks of a Maniche yet to draw up some true Narrative concerning this Seducer and what indeed passed between my self and him that not only you but others also may the better judge between him and me and that my testimony for the Truth may be as publique as his hath been against it Accordingly I have drawn up the following Narrative wherein my Conscience doth witness with me I have represented the truth and nothing but the truth whatsoever the adversary or any of his impure fraternity may grunt or bark against it I can appeal to many of your consciences also for whatsoever I have written concerning matter of Fact and for Judgement let all that are Godly Wise and Judicious judge of it I have yoked a pair of Seducers together that I might not white two wals with one brush as the Proverb is but that with one coal I might set a true mark on two white Devils whose most specious Opinions and Doctrines are as black as hell it self I shall therefore crave leave to present you with the ensuing Narrative and with my Judgement of the parties concerned in it and thus commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace I conclude what at present I have to say with the advice and doxology which you shall finde Jude v. 20 21 22 23 24 25. and so take my leave Resting Yours though not in person yes in affection inseparably WAL ROSEWELL TO THE READER READER THou art desired to take notice that when the following Narrative was drawn up Coppin was lying prisoner in Maidstone Goole his removall since by a Habeas Corpus with other things that have befallen him the Narrator is not concerned to take notice of them had he not abused the Narrator and the Truth in his Printed Pamphlet this Narrative had never been thought of When I first met with and read over his Relation I was resolved wholly to slight it as an impudent piece which refuted it self and could not do the least wrong either to the Truth or Me with any impartiall Reader which might possibly come to have the reading of it but when I considered that he had taken the boldness to present it to the Judges of Assises at Maidstone as a preparative to his supposed triall and that multitudes of Copies were dispersed in City and Country which might stumble some unstable souls ignorant of the Truth of Coppin and what had passed betwixt me and him I thought it my duty to draw up and publish this Narrative which now at length presents it self to thy view Christian Reader let me request thee to maintain in thy soul a holy revevence of sacred Scriptures with a sincere love of the Truth as it is in Jesus and then thou art safe for ever from the least danger of any hurt from this or any such like noon-day devill For not receiving the Truth in the love of it men are abandoned by God to beleeve such damnable lies and blasphemtes The truth is Coppins practicall impurities begin to break forth so notoriously that I hope is will awaken some at least of his seduced followers to be sensible of his Dogmaticall impieties and Heresies I am perswaded that as his Doctrines are the Doctrines of Nicolaitans Gnosticks and Borberits so his deeds are and will prove answerable Filthy doctrines and filthy practises being through the just judgement of God mutuall causes and effects one of another But we must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ ere long Reader whoever thou art beleeve it minde it and prepare for it So I leave thee to judge of me and this Narrative as thou pleasest W. R. IT is now some four or five years since one Joseph Salmon came first into these parts and after some flourishing discourses made in Chatham Stroud Margrets and Rochester Parish-Churches at length he set up a course of preaching every Sabbath day in the Cathedrall at Rochester where his manner was to Allegorize the Scripture and make a nose of wax of it forcing some Allegoricall sense on the plainest Historicall and Doctrinall passages of Old and New Testament He decried all forms whatsoever in Religion not excepting the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 he desperatly undermined the whole mystery of godliness and sowed the seeds of Ranting Familism yet mannaged his devillish designs so slily and cunningly that it