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

The Epistle to the Reader.

Friends and Brethren,

BE it known to you all that know me, and can in any measure witnesse with me the hidden mystery of God, and of the * 1.1 Father, and of Christ, which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory, how that according to the measure received, I have been faithful in the acknowledgment of this my∣stery, whereby your hearts might be comforted, and you knit together in love, unto a full assurance of the understanding of this mystery in your selves, an〈…〉〈…〉 discover and lay open to you the loose, sandy, and rot∣ten foundations, and buildings of all mens pretended Religions; in forme, and not in power, as things below Jesus Christ, to have an end, which hath beene my work in the Lord, and to make knowne that Rock, the Lord Jesus, as the true sound and unmoveable founda∣tion of our Religion, and undefiled, laid by God the Father from all eternity, as that which will stand and indure for all men to rest upon, walk in, and be saved by, which things to declare, I have not been partial in,

towards God, nor towards man, but have given to each one his due, both as they are one, and as they are di∣stinguisht, that is, first for God, as God to be all in all in every thing, to every creature of mankind mani∣fest in due time, as to himself, he ever was, is, and will * 1.2 be, and for man, as man, to be nothing but a poore worme, a weak, empty, passive, nothing creature, as he ever was, is, and should be, and to have all strength, wisdome, and fulnesse of knowledge and understanding in life and glory with that one Almighty God, the all of all things.

And in which work the Lord hath been with me to support me, to make sweet, pleasant, and delightful un∣to me, all his wayes of sufferings, persecutions, and tri∣alls for the truth, through which the enemies thereof are confounded; and now last of all, my present im∣prisonment, all which are things that accompany truth in the manifestation thereof to men, and to the advance∣ment of it self over all its enemies, by discovering them in the way of their opposition against the truth, where they are taken in their owne Net, and destroyed: For the Devill was never knowne to be a Devill, and to be cast out as a Devill, till he made war with Christ and * 1.3 his Seed, and seeking to be something, became nothing, was cast out of heaven to the earth, that is, all his ways and actions was made appear to be but earthly, sensual, and devillish, as having no part in Christ, and so was cast out of heaven, and as with him, so with all in him, that are found Fighters against God, and that act in the way of the Devil, against the appearances of truth by the Lord Jesus, which in those following discourses you will find to be acted by those who set themselves in malice against me, to betray me, and to quench the

appearances of truth which had been delivered by me, for which they in their Pulpits did often revile me, as a Blasphemer, & a devil, telling the people their own emp∣ty pues would rise in judgment against them, for coming from them unto me, wishing confusion to that power that should tolerate such Doctrine, by which the love of God to all men appeared, and which in these Di∣sputes they opposed against me, contrary to the practise of a Minister of Christ, but the Lord still appeared be∣yond the expectation of man, in which he did inable me with faithfulnesse and boldnesse to make known to the people this mystery of the hidden wisdome and counsel of God for the salvation of mankind in the Lord Jesus, though for the same I my selfe now am a Prisoner, but the truth which cannot be imprisoned is free, which is my joy and Crowne of rejoycing, and which in due time will be the joy of those that oppose it (though it be now their sorrow) when it shall have made them free, as it hath done me, by destroying the enmity that is in them against it.

And now my friends & brethren, you that know this truth, and are set free by it, I desire you may be an or∣nament to it in the exercise of it, for which I leave you all to the Lord, and rest together with you in the Lord, who only is able to make us stand, farewell.

Richard Coppin.

From my Prison-house at Maidston in Kent, Feb. 12:

Notes

• * 1.1

  Coll. 2. 2. Chap: 1. 27.
• * 1.2

  Tim: 2:
• * 1.3

  Rev. 12: 7: 8: 9: