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

CHAP. XVII. The complaint of Ministers to Magistrates, against those that Preach without Orders from the Ʋniversitie, 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, where∣of * 1.1 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 a∣gainst 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 ty∣dings of the Gospel, and as everie man hath received the Spirit, * 1.2 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 in∣courage 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Numb: 11. 16: to 29.
• * 1.2

  Luke 4: 18: 1 Pet. 4. 10: