A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF THE Absurd and Mischievous PRINCIPLES OF THE SECT, Commonly known by the Name of MUGGLETONIANS. LONDON, Printed for Ric. Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard, M DC XCIV. THE PREFACE. AFter that I had, for the use and satisfaction of a private Friend, made some enquiry into the Principles of the contemptible Sect, known of late times by the name of Muggletonians, I threw the Papers aside, as thinking the time not at all well spent, that I had employed in reading their Books, and in the Examination of what is made up of Impiety, Nonsense, and Absurdities. But however, I was at last prevailed with to permit them to be made public; which I did submit to, not so much for the sake of those poor deluded Souls that are won over to that pernicious Sect, that having no shadow of Reason for its support, will not submit to the trial of it; and so are uncapable of Argument; but for the sake of others: And to give the World an instance of the power of Enthusiasm, and how far it exposes Persons to be led away by the confidence or craft of any Pretender, how ignorant or selfish soever he be. And of this sort were the first Ringleaders of this Sect, John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton, in the year, 1651. a time of Universal Liberty; and which gave an opportunity for the worst of Men to vent the absurdest and most infamous Errors. The former of these, J. Reeve, by Profession a Baker, pretended that the Lord Jesus spoke to him by Voice of Words three days together; and with such a Godlike Majesty, that he saith of himself, I did not know whether I was a Mortal Man, or an Immortal God. That the Voice told him, that he had given him Understanding in the Scripture more than all the World besides: And that he had given L. Muggleton to be his Mouth, and that they two were the last Commissioners to the World; and the two Witnesses spoken of Revelation 11th. who exercised a Commission of an higher nature than those of the Prophets and Apostles; and that they knew more, and had a greater power than any of them; as they could bless or curse, save or damn, to all Eternity irrevocably. And therefore, whosoever should oppose or vilify this their Commission and Doctrine, would be guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. Accordingly when these two were tried, 1653. at the Old Bailie, before the Ld. Mayor Fowke; and ordered to lie in Bridewell six Months, they gave Sentence against the said Ld. Mayor, the Recorder See Letter to Ld. Mayor, and the Remonstr. Steel, and the Jury, after this manner. In obedience to our Commission received from the Holy Spirit, etc. we pronounce you cursed and damned, Soul and Body, to all Eternity. Now if we come to inquire into their Doctrine, there is nothing more absurd, false, and precarious: As they tell us, God has a Body like that of a Man, of very flesh and bone; and that the Trinity, or Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are only variety of Names: That God the Father left Heaven for a time, and became an absolute mortal Man; and died, and was buried; and that during his absence from Heaven, Elias did there represent him; and was the Protector of God, during his Minority in the Earth; and that God was raised from the dead by a compact with Elias, who surrendered up all again to him. They say farther, that there was but one Angel that fell, and that he entered into the Womb of Eve by her consent, and there died; and that Cain was the very Seed of that Serpent Angel; and so was Brother to Abel, only on the Mother's side. And that from him sprung all the Carnal Seed of Reprobates, who were not of the Seed of Adam, such as Cain and Judas, etc. They hold farther, that there is no Devil at all without the Body of Man; and that he is no other than Man's Spirit of unclean Reason, and cursed Imagination. Nay, sometimes they will determine as positively in matters of History and Philosophy; and tell us from the Lord, that the Epistles of the Apostles were wrote in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin: That the Sun and Stars are but little bigger than they appear to be: That the Sun's Eclipse proceeds from its nearness to the Moon; and that no one can foretell Eclipses but by Inspiration. Marvellous Discourses! And which our Astronomers and Almanac-makers are much beholding to them for. For whilst Men of Learning in that way thought they went by a certain rule of Nature, and constant Observation, they think too meanly of themselves. These new Commissioned Men instruct them better; and tell them, they write their Ephemerideses and Almanacs by Revelation, if they therein infallibly foretell Eclipses, as what Astronomer doth not? By this, we have a taste of these new Prophet's pretences; and may see that their History, Philosophy, and Divinity, are much alike, and the apparent Fruits of Ignorance, Confidence, and Imagination. But I shall leave these to be handled in the following Treatise. THE PRINCIPLES OF THE MUGGLETONIANS CONSIDERED. IN the treating upon this Subject, there are two Questions to be taken into Consideration; viz. 1. Whether John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton are sent from God? And, 2. Whether they are the Two Witnesses in the 11 th' of the Revelation? CHAP. I. Whether they are sent from God? I Here premise, That a man may pretend to be sent, and to have a Commission from God, when he is not sent, and has no such Commission. Remonst. p. 4. Transcend. Spir. Treat. p. 6, 7. So did John Robins, of whom J. Reeve and L. Muggleton say, that he is the last and great Antichrist spoken of in the Thessalonians. Such also were John Tanee, Bull, Varnum, Evans, as they confess. True Interpret. of Revelat. ch. 75. n. 3. 5. So they say the Ranters and Quakers were false Christ's and false Apostles. Therefore they plead, That there was a necessity of Look. glass. Ch. 22. n. 15. the witness of the Spirit, because of late and at present so many several Antichristian Spirits are come forth. From hence I infer, That unless I▪ Reeve and L. Muggleton can prove that they are sent and commissioned from God, more than those were whom they grant to be Impostors and Deceivers; we have no more reason to believe they came from God, and were sent by him, than they themselves had reason to believe that the forementioned Deceivers came from God. For do they say they were sent from God? So did the others also declare. 2. Therefore we must inquire into the Evidences and Proofs they bring of their Commission. This they grant a proper way. Ch. 27. n. 38. So [in the Book called a Looking-glass]▪ If divers Men appear as Witnesses, or Prophets, immediately sent forth by a Powerful Commission from the Everlasting God, are there not certain Divine Seals to distinguish between those Ambassadors which are infallible, and them that are but fallible? In treating upon this, I shall inquire, Q. 1. What are the Evidences they bring; and whether they are not such as other Deceivers have alike pretended to, and even exceeded them in? Q. 2. Whether there are not as great Evidences against them, as they have against other Pretenders? If we prove the former, we prove that they have no sufficient Evidence; and they have not those Divine Seals, which (as they say) distinguish between those Ambassadors that are infallible, and those that are fallible. If we prove the latter, than they are no better than Deceivers. Sect. I. Q 1. I shall consider what the Evidences are which they bring of their Divine Commission? And they are these, as I find them scattered up and down in their Books. 1. A Voice to J. Reeve, three several Mornings, in the Year, 1651. 2. That their Commission is such as never was before, viz. wholly Spiritual. 3. That there is no contradiction, and that throughout there is no point in the Book called the Looking-glass, Look. glass. p. 60. n. 36. contradicting itself, nor one another. 4. Because it discovers all irrational Opinions concerning God, etc. Look. glass. p. 60. n. 37. 5. Because it allows no Man to murder another, to cut off the head Magistrate, etc. n. 38. 6. Because it denies all Power, Spiritual or Natural, to be capable to act without a continued Light to n. 39 proceed from a Spiritual Body, etc. 7. It's from an unerring Spirit, because they were induced to write a Volume as large as the Bible, and as pure a Language as that is, without looking in any writing whatsoever. p. 112 n. 46. 8. That since the Apostles Worship ceased, which was in or at the end of the ten Persecutions, and above 1000 years ago, not a Man hath been commissioned Joyful News, p. 49. till they, J. Reeve and L. Muggleton, were. These they call Infallible Grounds. These I shall examine, and try whether they are sufficient Evidences, and Infallible Proofs of a Divine Commission. I. Character. A Voice. Of this J. Reeve saith, The See Transcendent Spir. Treatise, §. 1. p. 4. 5. Quakers neck. p. 67. Lord Jesus by voice of words spoke to me, saying, I have given thee understanding of my mind in Scriptures above all Men in the World, etc. This he makes a necessary and distinguishing Character Look. glass. p. 111. n. 43. of a true Commission; so he saith of others, for want of a true Commission by voice of words from the God Revelat. p. 40. n. 21. of Heaven and Earth, they do not declare, etc. It is God's speaking plain words to the outward Ear that doth make a Man a Commissioner. Now I shall show this is no sufficient and distinguishing Character. 1. This is no distinguishing Character according to Look. glass. 1 Epist. and p. 112. 117. 168. n. 8. 169. n. 15. 195. n. 34. 197. n 34. them; for they say others had imaginary and lying Voices. But if Voices be common, both to true and false Apostles, how can it be a proof of the truth of a Commission? and how shall we thereby distinguish the true from the false? 2. This is no sufficient and distinguishing Character, according to the Apostle, if it be alone without other Evidence, and much more is it not so, if contradictory 2 Peter 2. 17, 18, 19 to Scripture, we have a more sure word of Prophecy, etc. saith St. Peter. 3. It's not sufficient in itself; not to the Persons to whom the Voice is said to come: for they may be imposed upon by Men (as Pope Celestine and others were) or by Evil Spirits, or by imagination, as they grant, when they call them imaginary Voices. And much less is it sufficient to others that heard not the Voice, but only have it from them that say they heard it; and so are liable to be imposed upon by the Craft or Imagination of others. So that if they will pretend to a Voice for the proof of their Commission, we expect to have some proof that they had such a Voice, and that this Voice came from God. And especially, because they say that they Seal up Men to Eternal Life or Death irrevocably; and that whoever speaks against this Commission of theirs, Remonst. p. 9, 11, 12. Transcend. p. 3, 6, 8, 9, 41. Letter to Ld. Mayor, p. 3. Look. glass. p. 42. n. 10. hath committed the unpardonable Sin, and so is by them pronounced cursed Soul and Body to all Eternity. Which being contrary to the temper of the Gospel, and what they have no written Authority for, they are obliged to show such Proof for as is Infallible, or else are gross Deceivers. Transcendent. p. 41. Revelat. p. 158. ch. 77. n. 1. Muggleton's Epist. to Look. glass. p. 3. II. Character. Their Commission is such as never was before, as it's all Spiritual; and as they had more Spiritual Understanding than all the World besides; and such as never was revealed before. 1. I answer the pretence to its being Spiritual is no sufficient Evidence. For they grant that amongst those that were Deceivers, there was a great pretence to Spiritual and inward Voices of Power; to Spiritual Look. glass. p. 111. n. 43. 167. n. 1, 2. Transc. p. 7. appearances in themselves; to Spiritual Light and pure Worship; to Spiritual Power and Signs, to the being Spiritual Officers and Ambassadors. Revel. p. 156. n. 2, 3. p. 157. n. 1, 2, 4. 158. n. 3, 4, 5. Look. glass. p. 168. n. 11, 12. 171. n. 33. Which yet they themselves call Spiritual Witchcraft, and lying Wonders, and Counterfeits. And so theirs is no more true or Spiritual for their saying so, than those that they condemn. 2. To plead that they have more Spiritual Understanding, and that they reveal what was not before, is no more an Evidence that it is true, than it may be that it is false. John Robins pleaded that he came from God, nay, that he was the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and confirmed it (as Reeve saith) Transcend. p. 7. by great Signs and Wonders, such as the Popes could never show, to the amazement of many deceived by him, etc. And, without doubt, he would as readily declare, that he had more Spiritual Understanding than all the World besides; for the Letter of the Scripture is silent in it. And this they will grant was such Doctrine as never was before; and consequently it's no sufficient Plea, nor by which they can prove their Commission to be true, more than J. Robins could prove that he was God the Father. It is not then what they profess to reveal that is sufficient; but the point is, whether what they so profess is true? And that is to be proved by somewhat else, such as Scripture or Miracles. This shows the Vanity of what they so often appeal to: As when they say, This is a true Testimony, Transcendent. p. 41. Look. glass. p. 92. p. 93. n. 25. 99 n. 37. that he hath sent us by his Holy Spirit; because there is none upon this Earth that beareth witness unto that Man Jesus that was crucified at Jerusalem, to be the only God and Everlasting Father, but we only. For so might J. Robins have said, there is none that beareth witness but myself, that the Trinity of Transcend. p. 7. Persons is Adam, Abel, and Cain (as J. Reeve saith he professed.) And so might John Tanee have said, there is none that beareth witness, but myself, that there Remonstr. p. 4. is no Personal God. It all rests upon their say so, but where is the proof? Where is the Scripture, where the Miracles, that they prove their Commission, and their Doctrine by? For to prove their Commission by their Doctrine, is much one as to Prove their Doctrine by their Commission. And yet this absurd way do they take. For ask them how they prove their Commission? They say, Because there is none upon Earth that beareth witness that Christ crucified was God the Father, but we. Ask them again, how they prove the truth of Look. glass. p. 99 n. 37, 38. their Doctrine? They answer, by their Commission. 3. The matter of Fact is not true; for there have been others before them of the same Opinion; so little reason have they to claim the first discovery to themselves; as I shall presently show. 4. It's an ill sign, that this should be the first discovery, and that for above 1600 years, the whole Christian World should know nothing of it, as they themselves acknowledge. III. Character, or Proof of their Commission, is, That throughout the Book, called the Looking-glass, there is no point contradicting itself, nor one another; which he calls an Infallible Proof of the Truth of this Writing. If there was no other proof of a Point contradicting itself, than what is here asserted, that is sufficient. For he saith, That to have no point contradicting itself nor one another in a Book, is an Infallible Proof of the Truth of that Writing. By which Argument, every Book consistent with itself, would be necessarily true; whereas nothing more evident, than that a Book may be consistent with itself, and yet be false. As for instance, They say that one Bull and Varnum, and others long before them, have pretended to be the two Witnesses in the 11th of the Revelation. Look. glass. p. 99 n., 6. Suppose we now that those two had wrote a Book (as L. Muggleton has done) and called it, a True Interpretation of the 11 th' of the Revelation; would that have been a sufficient proof of the Truth of that Writing, that there was no point in it contradicting itself nor one another? I trow not; and yet no one can deny but such a Book might have been so contrived. And I durst have put it to the venture, whether, if this be true, it would not have been as much a proof of their being those Witnesses; and they might have alike Subscribed their Book, as he doth his; viz. By— Bull and— Varnum, the two last Commissionated Witnesses. And as this is not an Infallible proof of the Truth of the Writing, so much less of the Divine Inspiration of it, and of their Commission: For a Book may in all points agree with itself, and contain nothing but Truth, and yet be of Humane Invention. If a Book be inconsistent with itself, it's to be sure not of Divine Inspiration; but it may be consistent, and yet be only of Man's Composition. And yet they fail in this point; for it will be a difficult matter to reconcile it to itself: For they say they write from an Infallible Spirit, which implies the Look. glass. p. 14. n. 29. highest certainty, and yet say, I am persuaded in my Spirit, and I do rather believe that there was seven hundred thousand, than seven thousand, though the Revelation Revelat. p. 143. n. 11. of John doth express it to be but seven thousand. To be persuaded, and to believe a thing to be so, are inconsistent with Infallibility; for that admits no less than I am sure of it. So again, Muggleton saith of the Angel St. Matthew speaks of, that perhaps it was no more to his visible sight; and speaking of St. John's Revelation, he explains it, so it may be said. Now these words perhaps, Revelat. chap. 60. n. 8. 15. 19 and it may be said, are doubtful Expressions, and not reconcileable to Infallibility. IV. V. VI Suppose these Characters to be true for the matter, yet that follows not that they are of Divine Inspiration, and Infallible. 1. Because than it would follow that all good Books and true were infallible. 2. The 5th is what others have held as well as they. VII. If the largeness of the Book, and the not looking in any Writing, were Signs of an unerring Spirit, than the Writings of several Quakers, as Burroughs and G. Fox, etc. might pretend to it, if they may be believed, who often begin their Books with The Word of God. And so would those of Jacob Behem, who saith, he writ without Humane Assistance. And if the Purity of the Language be a Sign of Truth and Infallibility, than I am sure that the Writings of these two are far from being either true or infallible. This, it seems, was notorious in the former Edition of the Looking-glass, 1656. And therefore L. Muggleton Epist. prefixed to it. doth wisely to lay it upon the Abuse it received in the Press. But if L. Muggleton was the Corrector, and was to rectify those abuses by his own unerring Spirit, it would have escaped no better than his True Interpretation of the 11 th' of the Revelation, which abounds with false English beyond number; and of which I never read a Page that wanted it. And even, that very Book (which this is immediately spoken of, viz. The Looking-glass.) after his Correction of it, fails in the propriety of the Words, the Concord, the Connexion. In the Paragraph just before this bold Challenge and the Appeal he makes to the Purity of its Language [n 45.] we find the Word Tosticated, a vulgar, but a much mistaken word, and is for Intoxicated. Where is the Concord in the See p. 76. n. 2, 4. p 92. n. 21. p. 108. n. 3. Phrase, Things of such Concernment requires. [Epistle 1. prefixed by Reeve] And Men takes upon them. [p. 165. n. 29.] My Brethren that hath. [p. 207. n. 8] Secrets that hath not been revealed. [p. 208. n. 17.] Where is the propriety, in Neither did he know not what Power he was endued with. [p. 127. n. 21.] and confounded of Conscience. [p. 96. n. 18.]. These are passages I casually met with; but if any one will have a Specimen, let him read L. Muggleton's Epistle annexed to that Book, and try what Purity and Elegancy is in it. It's a sign these Persons did not understand true English, nor often the Sense of what they wrote, that would venture upon this, and produce the Purity of the Language as a Note of an unerring Spirit, in the compiling of it. VIII. Character, or Evidence is, That since the Apostles Worship ceased, which continued about 300 Look. glass. p. 98. n. 31. Transc. p. 6. p. 18. years, and which was in or at the end of the ten Persecutions, not a Man hath been commissioned till they were. How many things are here taken for granted, which there is not a Syllable of Proof for? As, 1. That there was a time when the Apostles way of Worship was to cease, and actually ceased. 2. That this time was at the end of the ten Persecutions. 3. That none was Commissioned from that time. 4. That J. Reeve and L. Muggleton are now Commissioned. After all that has been said, where is the Evidence of these men's Commission? They did wisely to lay aside Scripture and Miracles: as they do. Of Scripture, they say, The Commission of the Spirit agreeing with, and explaining of the former Commissions Title page to the Looking-glass. of the Law and the Gospel, differing only in point of Worship. Transc. p. 4, 5, 6, & 41. Look. glass. p. 158. n. 24. 186. n. 33. Revelat. p. 162. n. 4. And as for Signs, they are for those that are Spiritual, Invisible Fire, and Burning within; but as for Natural Visible Signs, they leave them to the first and second Commission, to Moses and Christ. But yet after all, we think we may as well say to them, as they to others; If thou shalt imagine thyself fit to Minister, I would fain know of thee, whether thou art endued with a Ministerial Power? Doth Christ immediately pour forth the Gift of his Spirit, or cure the Sick when thou prayest over them? or doth he own thee in casting out Devils, by thy Word? or doth he own Joyful News. p. 51. thee by raising the Dead, curing the Lame, etc. Thus far we have considered the Evidences, which are such as are no distinguishing Characters, and what others may equal them in; and so we have no more reason to accept them as Commissionated, than they had to accept Impostors; and have as much reason to reject them, as they had to reject other Impostors. For what is there they pretend to, which Impostors have not, or might not have pretended to? Nay, if either be accepted, they are so to be that exceed these in their Evidence, as did J. Robbins, who showed many Signs, and presented his Person to some riding upon the Wings of the Wind, like unto a Flame of Fire, etc. and did plague the Bodies and Spirits of others at his pleasure, in a most dreadful Transcend p. 9 manner, as they report. Here was a sensible Evidence; it was conspicuous, he plagued the Bodies and Spirits of Men: But these Men pretend only to a Voice that one of them heard, and to a Power of pronouncing Men damned to all Eternity irrevocably. Sect. II. Q 2. I shall consider whether there be not as great Evidence against J. Reeve and L. Muggleton, as they had against other Pretenders; which if it be, they are as much Deceivers as the others? 1. They are Deceivers, and have no Commission, who contradict, and make void a former Commission, without sufficient Authority or Commission for it. 2. They are Deceivers, and have no Commission, who pretend to Inspiration and Infallibility, and yet have actually mistaken in what they pretend Infallibility and Inspiration for. 1. They have no Commission, who contradict and make void a former Commission, without Authority or Commission so to do. They say in the Title to the Looking-glass, The Commission of the Spirit agreeing with, and explaining of the two former Commissions of the Law and Gospel, differing only in point of Worship. 1. I shall consider how they differ in Worship from the former Commission (as they call it.) 2. I shall show, That if they differ (as they say) only in point of Worship, yet in so doing they do contradict, and so far make void the former Commission. 3. That they differ from the former Commission in many other things, as well as Worship; and which are of such consequence, that did they agree in Worship with the former Commission (as they grant they do not) yet those alone would be sufficient to show that they do thereby make void the former Commission. Which if it be made good, than what remains for them, but to show their Commission for so doing; and if their Authority for it be not proved by as good, clear, and sufficient Evidence, as the former Commission was confirmed and established, we have good reason to think no better of them than they did of Robbins, Tanee, and other Impostors. 1. I shall consider how they differ in Worship from the former Commissions of Moses and Christ. Of this, let us hear them. This Commission of the Spirit doth hold forth no visible nor external outward Worship, as the other two Commissions [of Moses and the Apostles] did; [so Muggleton 's Epistle to Looking-glass.] that is, All visible Worship from men's Tongues, Eyes, and Hands, was to be done away; and is now but as a Golden Calf of men's own imaginations; and no more accepted by Christ, than the cutting off of a Dog's neck. 'Tis not outward Praying, Preaching, Fasting, or Thanksgiving, to be seen of Men, but it is an inw●rd, spiritual, silent Praying and Praising, Joyful News. p. 40, 43. etc. And yet they grant this Visible Worship was the way of the Apostles, which did last till the end of the ten Persecutions; and which was then in great force so long as that Commission stood, as Muggleton acknowledges in the foresaid Epistle. So that in this point the Commission of the Apostles, and theirs, are inconsistent. 2. I shall show, that supposing they thus differ from the second Commission (that of Christ and his Apostles) only in Worship, yet, in so doing, they so far make void the former Commission. This is granted: for they say, When God doth give a Muggleton's Epist. to Look. Glass. New Commission, the Old is made void, as with reference to the Visible Worship. Therefore you know, that the Apostles Commission did wholly thrust out the Visible Worship which was set up by Moses. So likewise it is with this Commission of the Spirit; because this Commission of the Spirit doth hold forth no visible outward Worship, as the other two Commissions did. They own Christ's Commission did appoint a Visible External Worship, but this of the Spirit (as they call it) doth not, but forbids it; and so the latter doth make void the former. Now then, since their Commission doth as much make void the Commission of Christ, as to External Worship, as Christ's Commission did that of Moses; we may inquire who gave them this Commission, or how do they prove they received it from God? For certainly, they who will make void the Commission of Christ and the Apostles, aught in Reason to give as good Evidence of a Divine Authority for so doing, as our Saviour gave of his; and so much the more, as Christ is above Moses. Our Saviour did not expect the Jews should give credit to him further than he gave them Evidence; and 'tis surely then unreasonable to give credit to these persons without it. And our Saviour's Evidence would have been none, had he only that to say for himself, which these pretend to. Would it have been enough for our Saviour, when the Jews required a Sign, to have said, as these do, This is the old Serpent that arraigns the glorious God at the Bar of thy Carnal Reason? Look glass., p 185. n. 26, etc. No: Though our Saviour called the Jews an adulterous Generation, because they continued incredulous, after the Miracles wrought among them; yet at the same time, he tells them that there was one in reserve which would convince them, or nothing would; which was his own Resurrection. Matth. 12. 39 It is not necessary every one sent from God should, in every case, have this Testimony of Miracles, as it was with John Baptist, John 10. 41. But had John come to make void the former Commission of Moses, he must have produced the Evidence. And this our Saviour did, and so ought these to do; or else must be reckoned among the false Christ's, and false Apostles. 3. They differ from the former Commission in many other things as well as Worship; and that of so great Consequence, that these alone would be sufficient to show, that they thereby make void the former Commission; and so must be Deceivers, if the former Commission; be in force; and it is in force, if they have no Authority to make it void; and they have no Authority, if they have not sufficient Evidence for it. Sometimes they say, there are six Principles, viz. 1. The Person of God. 2. Person of Angels. 3. Person of the Devil. 4. Adam's Condition. 5. Joy of Remonstr. p. 7. Heaven. 6. Eternal Death. At other times they say, there are two Foundations of all Spiritual Understanding, viz. The form and nature of the true God, and the form and nature of the right Devil. But the things of this kind I shall refer to these Heads, viz. God, Angels, and Men. 1. Let us take a view of their Principles that respect God, concerning whom they hold, Transc. p. 14. Look. glass. c. 18. n. 9, 10. Look. glass. p. 195. n. 34. 1. That God is not a Spirit, but hath a body; and is very Flesh and Bone: and so they call an infinite Spirit an infinite nothing, a cursed, lying, and imaginary Transcend. ibid. Look. glass. p. 79. n. 25, 31. p. 49. n. 13, 14. God, and a pretended Spiritual God. 2. That God was in the form of a Man, and like unto the first Adam from all Eternity. 3. That the words Father, Son, and Spirit, are only Look. glass. p. 12. n. 11. 81. n. 14. variety of Names, and are the same Godhead, in a threefold Condition; and that the Man Christ Jesus Look. glass. p. 36. c. 9 Rev. p. 164. n 4. Look. glass. p. 2. n. 10. is the Father, Son, and Spirit in one Person; and that by Declaration of the Spirit, the addition of two Persons more proceeds only from the Serpentine Antichristian Devil in Carnal Men. Transcend p. 2. 11, 23, 26, 28, 29. Letter to Ld. Mayor. p. 23. 4. That God the Father uncreated himself from his Eternal and Immortal Glory, and entered into the Virgin's Womb, and became Flesh; and for a Season became an absolute Mortal Man. Transc. p. 41. Gen. Epist p. 5. Look. glass. p. 64. n. 27. 5. That the Man Jesus that was Crucified, is the only God; and that the whole Godhead died, and was buried for a Moment. 6. That Elias was taken up bodily into Heaven, that he might represent God the Father whilst he went his journey into the Flesh; a Trans. p. 31. and so was the Protector of God for a Moment, when God became a Child, b p. 35. and was an absolute Creature; c p. 36. and watched over him all the days of his Mortality, from his Birth to his Ascension: d Revel. ch. 60. n. 10. and that filled him with all those great Revelations of his former Glory, when he was the Immortal Father. e Trans p. 35. That Elias was the God and the Father to whom Christ said, My God, my God— and Father, into thy hands— and to whom he prayed, Father, if it be possible, etc. f p. 36. 31. That Moses (who was also Glorified, and never died, but was Translated g Revel. ch. 59 n. 3. 5. and Elias did represent the Person of God the Father in Heaven; and were the Angels of whom it's said, He shall give his Angels charge over thee, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone; that is, lest he should at any time be overcome by the Temptations of Reason, which is the Devil. h Trans. p. 31. Revel. ch. 60. n. 4. That Christ was raised from the Dead by a Spiritual Compact with Elias i Trans. p. 37. ; and that he surrendered all up to Christ when he ascended into the Right hand of all Power k p. 38. : And all this, they say, they speak by Revelation from the Holy Spirit. l p. 35, etc. Look. glass. p. 96. n. 18. 2. As to their Opinions concerning the Holy Angels and Devils, they say, That the Angels are Persons Look. glass. p. 9 n. 3. in form like Men. As to Devils, they affirm, Look. glass. p. 8. n. 8. p. 130. n. 4. 1. That there was but one Angel fell. 2. That the Angels (cast out with him) were of his Seed and Generation, through his Union with the Quakers neck. n. 14. Transc. p. 21. Look. glass. p. 130 n. 5. 134. n. 26. 153. n. 15. Entrails of Eve by her consent; into whose Womb he presently entered, where he died, and became essentially one with her: That Cain was the very Seed of that Reprobate Serpent Angel; and so Cain was Brother to Abel only on the Mother's side. Transc. p. 21. Look. glass. p. 154. n. 22, 23, etc. p. 156. n. 34, etc. n. 44. 3. That Cain, and none but he alone, is Beelzebub the Prince of Darkness, and the Father of all the Angels of Darkness; and so the two Seeds of Adam and Cain, though mixed together by Carnal Copulation, yet are distinct; and so Cain and Judas were not of the Seed of Adam. Trans. p. 25. Remonstr. p. 8 Look. glass. p. 147. n. 21. 27 148 n. 31. 4. That there is no Devil at all without the body of a Man; so that that Devil so frequently spoken of in the Letter of Scripture, that tempts Men to all Unrighteousness, is Man's Spirit of unclean Reason and cursed Imagination. 3. As to Men. They say, that the Spirit of a Man is Mortal, dies, turns into Dust, and is utterly annihilated until the Trans. p. 50. 54. Look. glass. p. 100, 101. Resurrection. And therefore, when Solomon said, The Spirit returns to God who gave it; those words proceeded Joyful News. p. 10, 12, 13. Look. glass. ch. 30. n. 25 p. 126. n. 15. 128. n. 30, 31. Look. glass. p. 5, 6, 28, 29. not from the Spiritual Knowledge of God in him, but from his own Carnal Reason. And though he was a wise Man, his Wisdom was not Prophetical, nor was he a Penman of Holy Writ. 4. By Inspiration from the unerring Spirit, they positively affirm the Substances of Earth and Water were from all Elements. I shall briefly reflect upon these. As to God. 1. He saith, God is not a Spirit, but hath a Body. I answer, 1.) The Scripture makes a Body and a Spirit two opposite things; so that a Body is not a Spirit, nor a Spirit a Body. Eccles. 12. 7. The Body returns to the Dust, and the Spirit to God. So a Spirit has not flesh and bones. Luke 24. 37, 39 2.) The Scripture calls God a Spirit, but never a Body; which it might do, if he was a Body and not a Spirit, or if a Body as well as a Spirit. 2. They say, God is in the form of a Man. I answer, 1.) The Scripture saith, God is invisible, Heb. 11. 27. and as no Man hath seen him, so whom no Man can see, 1 Tim. 6. 16. 2.) It especially takes us off from all such gross conceptions of him. John 5. 37. Deut. 4. 12. 3. That the words Father, Son, and Spirit are only various Names. I answer. John 1. 14, 18. John 5. 37. 14. 6. 1 John 2. 1. John 14. 28. If so, then Christ must be begotten of himself, and be in the bosom of himself. He must then send himself, and come by himself to himself; and be an Advocate with himself, and be greater than himself. John 5. 22. 1 Cor. 15. 24. John 5. 18. He must judge no Man, and yet commit and take all Judgement to himself. And after he has administered the Kingdom, he must deliver it from himself to himself. And to conclude this point, he must be the Father of himself. 4. God the Father became flesh. Answer. Quite contrary to Scripture; which saith, God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, Gal. 4. 4. And God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh, Rom. 8. 3. And the Word, the only Begotten of the Father, was made Flesh, John. 1. 14. And his Son was made of the Seed of David, Rom. 1. 3. 1 John 4. 9 But there is not one word, that the Father was made of a Woman, and was made Flesh, etc. and became the Son. 5. That the Godhead died, etc. Just contrary to Scripture; which saith, God is immortal, 1 Tim. 1. 17. and that he only hath Immortality, 1 Tim. 6. 16. 6. Elias is all Fable. Let any one read the Divine Prayer of our Blessed Saviour, just before his Apprehension, John 17. and see how it would look, if applied to Elias. Did Elias give him Power over all flesh? etc. Was Elias the only true God? And would it be Eternal Life to believe in Elias, as the only true God? Did Elias give him the Work he was to do? And had he a Glory with Elias before the World was? Did Elias give him the words he was to give to his? and did the Apostles believe that he came out from Elias, and was sent by him? was Elias in him, and he in Elias? and were all Believers to be one in Elias and him? etc. O horrid Blasphemy! I think that Chapter alone is enough to rid any of this Frenzy. So one while they say Elias, had charge of God for a Moment, [Transcend. p. 35.] and yet elsewhere, from his Birth to his Ascension: [Revelat. p. 130. n. 16.] that he was quickened by the Compact of Elias; [Transcend. p. 37.] and yet by his own Power [General Epist. p. 5.] As to the Devils, they say, 1. But one Angel fell. Just contrary to Scripture, which tells us of the Angels that fell, Judas 6. And this cannot be applied to Cain and his Posterity; because, according to these men's Principles, they never fell, being Devils by Extraction and Propagation, and not by Transgression and Apostasy. 2. That the Devil entered into the Womb of Eve, and there died; and out of him came Cain, etc. The Scripture plainly saith, that Cain was the Son of Adam as well as Eve. Gen. 4. 1. Adam knew his Wife, and she conceived and bare Cain. Reeve wisely observes, that in the Genealogy of Look. glass p. 158 n. 5●. Adam unto Jesus, there is no mention made of Cain. This is said for want of Knowing that Jesus was descended from Seth; and he might as well have said there is no mention of Abel: For as Abel died without Children, so all the Posterity of Cain perished in the Deluge: And it was only the Posterity of Seth that survived and peopled the World again. 3. That Cain, and none but he, is Beelzebub, etc. Answer. The same Scripture that speaks of Beelzebub, being Prince of the Devils, speaks of him as casting them out, and so supposes Beelzebub then in being in his own Person; but that cannot then be applied to Cain, who is not in Being at all (as they hold) in his Person. 4. There is no Devil without the body of a Man, and Devils are only men's Lusts and Imaginations. Answer. 1. Then the Devils which the Heathens and Israelites offered their Sacrifices and Children to, were their own cursed Imaginations. Levit. 17. 7. Psal. 106. 35. 2. Then the Devil that transported Christ, and argued with him, and that hurried him into the Wilderness, set him upon a Pinnacle of the Temple, must be his own imagination. 3. Then the Devils that enabled the young Man to break his Chains; [Mark 5. 2. etc.] and that tore and bruised the Child, [Luck 9 39] and that go about to and fro in the Earth, [Job 1. 7. 1 Peter 5. 8.] and that contended with Micbael; were only the Lusts of Men; that is, the Lusts of Men broke Chains, bruised and tore Persons, walked to and fro in the Earth, etc. which is irreconcilable. As to Man, they say the Soul is Mortal, and turns into Dust with the body. Answer. The Scripture on the contrary tells us, that the Souls of Men are alive after their Departure hence. So [Matth. 22. 32.] Our Saviour proves from that Saying, I am the God of Abraham, etc. that God is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living; that is, God is said to be their God after they were Dead; and that he could not have been, had they not been in Being after their Decease. This again our Saviour's argument shows, Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the Soul; where he not only makes the Soul and Body two distinct things, but so really such, that the one may be killed, but the other cannot. But if the Soul was mortal and turned into Dust, they would as well kill the Soul as the Body; and would kill the Soul, by killing the Body. So Luke 16. 22. The Beggar that died was carried into Abraham's bosom, and the Rich Man was in Hell. How! not as to their bodies surely; for they were left in this World, the Rich Man was buried. And this was before the Resurrection, for it was while their Brethren were alive, v. 28. And therefore it must be as to their Souls alone, that one was with Abraham, and the other in Hell. II. They are Deceivers; That plead Divine Inspiratition and Infallibility, and yet have been guilty of Self-contradiction; and have actually mistaken in Principles and matter of Fact. It has been just before showed, that they have grossly erred in their Principles, which are contrary to the Word of God. Let us then now proceed to their Self-contradictions, to Errors in matters of Fact, by which it will appear that what they say of themselves, that they are infallible, and not guilty of any mistake, is one of the number. 1. I shall consider their Self-contradictions. In one place they say, If any man despise this writing of theirs, he commits the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost. So the General Epistle, etc. And yet Look. glass. p. 42. n. 11. in another it is, To persecute others for the sake of Christ, is that Sin. At one time they tell us, that they two were the Forerunners of the End of the World, and that this was to be Transcendent. Spir. Treat. Remonstr. p. 5. suddenly after they had delivered their Message. At another time it is, Whosoever shall live to see an end of them two, shall suddenly see the Dissolution of the World. Remonstr. p. 6. By the first suddenly, they are to be understood of what was immediately to come to pass; for they say John Robins, the Man of Sin (as they make him) was to appear a little before the Personal Visible coming of Transcend. p. 6. Look. plass. p. 194. 28. Ibid. p. 198. n. 15. Christ. And that the Dissolution of the World was presaged by the many Fires then happened in London; and by the Condition of the People. Now this Message of theirs (which the end of the World was suddenly to follow) was declared 1651, as appears by their Remonstrance, which is above 40 years since: And Reeve has been dead above 30 years; for it was before Muggleton reprinted the Book called his Looking-glass, 1661. But why should we wait the end of these two? for if they be the Witnesses in the Revelation, they are to die by the hands of Violence, and to rise again, and to ascend up into Heaven in the sight of their Enemies. And Muggleton may as well tell us, that it was so with John Reeve; as he doth that Moses was Translated; of whom the Scripture saith, that he died and was buried. Revelat. c. 59 But let us proceed to their palpable mistakes, and which yet they affirm to be true, as well as themselves to be infallible. And this in the first place I take to be one, that they affirm, That they had more knowledge in the Scriptures than all the Men of the World besides; and yet every where betray the grossest ignorance in them. 1. As first of all, when they say that Moses was Translated, who, the Scripture saith, died and was buried, Deut. 34. 5, 6. 2. Muggleton supposes Matthew to have seen the Angel at our Saviour's Resurrection; and gives it as a Revelat. ch. 9 n. 8. Reason why he speaks but of one; saith he, perhaps he was no more to his (Matthew 's) Visible Sight. 3. He saith, that the Soldiers did see the natural Revel. ch. 63. 5. Veil of the Temple rend from the bottom to the top: Whereas the Veil was in the most inward part of the Temple, and the Soldiers were at Mount Calvary, watching the Body of Jesus. 4. He saith, we read not of Cain in the Genealogy from Adam to Jesus: forgetting that Jesus was not See pag. 20. descended from Cain, but Seth. 5. We may add to this, gross Ignorance, when he affirms, that the Apostles Epistles were written either in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin; and for the most in Greek and Latin. [Revelat. ch. 52. n. 6, 7.] Whereas those Epistles were written in Greek only. 6. He affirms, That the Roman Catholics were the first Professors of the Faith of Christ, and of the Apostles. Revelat. ch. 53. n. 4. Whereas it is notorious in Scripture, that the Jews Converted were the first Professors of it; and then the Gentiles in Judea. Let us proceed to another sort of mistakes. 1. They say, The first sort of Persons that affirm the Holy One of Israel to consist of three Persons, are Athanasius, Look. glass. p. 41. n. 2. Socinus, alias John Biddle. As if Athanasius and Socinus were of the same Opinion; whereas Athanasius was a zealous Assertor of the Trinity; and Socinus and Biddle Oppugners of it. And as for Socinus, he would not allow the Holy Spirit to be a Person at all; and Biddle would have him only a Created Angel, and so not God. 2. They affirm that no one ever taught their Principles, as that God the Father died, and that God had a Body, and was in the form of a Man, etc. Whereas there is hardly any thing new, but that there have been some as wild and fanciful as themselves in past Ages. As, (1) The Anthropomorphites, and Audians, and Manichees held, that God had a Human body. (2.) That there was but one Person in the Deity, only called by different Names; so held the Noetians, Colarbasians, and Sabellians. (3.) That the Father suffered; so the Cataphrygians, Sabellians (called therefore Patropassiani) and that the Divinity of Christ suffered; so the Theopaschites. (4.) That the Soul died with the Body; and that there was no Resurrection of the Body; so the Valentinians, Manichees, etc. (5.) That the Wicked are of the Posterity of Cain. So the Valentinians and Sethites. Without raking farther into this matter, this is sufficient to show, that they are not the first Broachers of these Doctrines. 3. They affirm, That the Reason of the Eclipse of the Moon, is through her near Conjunction with the Look. glass. p. 33. n. 50, 58. Sun; whereas it's manifest, that it is when it's opposite to the Sun; and that the Earth is between them. 4. They affirm, That no Man can know the time of Eclipses, but by Inspiration: whereas they may be as Ibid. p. 34. n. 59 well foretold, as the time the Sun will rise at to Morrow. 5. He positively affirms from God, That the Bodies of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, are in compass not Ibid. p. 31. n. 34, 35. much bigger than they appear to our natural sight: whereas its evident on the contrary, that every thing diminishes in its appearance according to the degree of its Elevation: And consequently those Heavenly Bodies, being vastly remote from the Earth, must be vastly greater than they appear to the Eye. Ibid. p. 31, 32, 33. 6. He affirms, That the Sun, Moon, and Stars neither borrow, nor lend light to one another: Whereas we see plainly that the Moon borrows light from the Sun; and that, according as the Earth is between it and the Sun, so it's proportionably obscured. 7. He affirms positively from the Lord, That the Sun, Moon, and Stars are only in one Firmament: Whereas its evident on the contrary, 1. That the Moon is in an Orb lower than the Sun, and both of them lower than the Stars. 2. That there are different motions, a slower and swifter in the Planets; and that those called fixed Stars only move all alike, and are in the same Firmament. Whether these are Errors or no, let all Men judge; and if so, what becomes of their Infallibility? what of their pretence to Divine Illumination? CHAP. II. IT remains now to proceed to to the second Question, viz. Q. Whether J. Reeve and L. Muggleton are the two Witnesses spoken of in the 11th of the Revelation? This they both do avow, and L. Muggleton has wrote a Comment upon that Chapter, in his way, foolish and absurd enough, to try how he can work it to his purpose. Interpret. of the Revelat. c. 79. n. 1. c. 82. n. 7. But like one that is not in himself over confident of his performance; he sometimes shrinks from it, and comes off with a may be: as, We may be said to be those two Olive trees; and the two Witnesses may be said to have finished, etc. Now what more sneaking and pitiful! After they have boldly challenged this Character to themselves, to give it over again, and retire from it, as if they fainted under a distrust, and the fear of inconsistencies in it. As a Specimen of which, I shall compare the Text of Scripture and his Exposition together. Revelation, Ch. 11. TEXT. Chap. 78, etc. EXPOSITION. Ver. 3. I Will give power unto my two Witnesses, and they shall prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in Sackcloth. V. 4. They are the two Olive-trees, and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth. WE, J. Reeve and L. Muggleton, shall prophesy concerning the Spiritual Estate of Mankind to Eternity, and of the end of the World. Olive trees, because of the Oil of Joy in our Doctrine. Candlesticks, because God hath put the Commission of his Spirit into us, which is Light. V. 5. If any man will hurt them, a fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their Enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. Fire proceedeth, to pronounce blessing and cursing to Eternity. V. 6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. To shut heaven; that is, the Heaven of men's hearts. That it rain not; that is, after the Sentence of Eternal death, it prevents the motion of the Spirit. Turns water into blood; that is, the motions of peace and hope of men's Souls (which are as water to drink) into wrath, and so it becomes a Spiritual Plague. V. 7. And when they shall have finished their Testimony, the Beast that ascended out of the Bottomless Pit, shall make War against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Finished their Testimony; that is, the Doctrine of Truth, which is, that Jesus Christ is God the Father, Son, and Spirit, etc. The Beast; that is, the Spirit of Reason in the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and Jury. Bottomless Pit; that is, the Pit of their Imagination. Shall kill them; that is, would have killed us, if their Law would have done it. V. 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Dead Bodies; that is, the Letter of Scripture. In the streets of the City; that is, the Hearts of Men. V. 9 And they of the People, and Kindred, and Tongues, and Nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in Graves. For the meaning of this, he refers us to what was before, and that I find in ch. 51, 52. The People; that is, the Jews who owned the Letter of the Law. Gentiles; that is, those that owned the Letter of the Apostles, that is, the Roman Emperors, which overcame the Nation of the Jews, which was in the Destruction of Jerusalem, which was in the ten Persecutions. Three days and a half; that is, 1350 years; for so long the Letter of Scripture lay dead. Not suffer their bodies to be buried; because the Jews and Gentiles knew better what to do with the Letter than the Spirit. And so the Roman Catholics, and those that sprung from them, have seen the dead bodies of the Scripture lie dead 1350 years. V. 10. And they that dwell on the Earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send Gifts one to another, because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelled on the Earth. They rejoiced over the Letter of the Scriptures; the Spirit and Life of them being put to Death. And now they looked upon themselves as very sure, because there were none left upon Earth that had a Commission to torment them. V. 11. And after three days and a half, the Spirit of Life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them. The Spirit; that is, the Commission of the Spirit entered into the Letter of the Law and Gospel; and by a true Interpretation they made the dead Letter stand upon its feet, and that kills the Spirit of Reason with Death Eternal; which it never did this 300 years, till the year 1651. Great fear; so as to convince some, and make them silent: Others were filled so with wrath, as to be damned to Eternity; others received it to Eternal Happiness. V. 12. And they heard a great Voice from Heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud, and their Enemies beheld them. Of this Blank. Here he seems to be at a loss. I shall now draw all this together, and the Sum of the whole is this. That J. Reeve and L. Muggleton are the two Witnesses, the Olive Trees, and Candlesticks spoken of in this Chapter. That these two were to prophesy 1260 days, beginning in February, 1651. And had power to save and damn irrevocably to all Eternity, etc. That upon declaring this Commission, the Beast out of the Bottomless Pit, that is, the Ld. Mayor Fowk, the Recorder, and Jury, out of the Pit of their Imagination, made War against these two aforesaid Witnesses, 1653. and killed them; that is, the Letter of the Scripture. And their dead Bodies, which is the Letter of the Scripture, lay dead in the streets of the hearts of Men. And the People and Kindred saw the dead Letter of the Scripture lie dead three days and a half, or 1350 years, and rejoiced at it. But at the end of the 1350 years, in which the Bodies of the Witnesses, or the Letter of the Scripture, had lay dead, the Spirit entered into them, by the Commission given to J. Reeve and L. Muggleton, 1651. And so the Bodies of the Witnesses, or Letter of the Scripture, stood up again. And it should have been added, That the Witnesses ascended up into Heaven in a Cloud, and their Enemies beheld them. But soft— for J. Reeve has been long dead. Now reconcile all this who can? For, 1. He saith that they two are the two Witnesses, and yet the Bodies of those two Witnesses are the Letter of the Scripture. 2. If the Letter of the Scripture is the Body of the Witnesses, and that lay slain 1300 years before these two say, they received their Commission; then the Bodies of them were slain before, and 1300 years before, these two Witnesses were in being. 3. He saith, The body of the Witnesses, or Letter, was slain 1300 years before; and yet makes it slain again by the Ld. Mayor. And if it was slain in his time, than the three days and a half was to begin after his time, and a new 1350 years was to follow. 4. Observe, That in the Revelation, the two Witnesses had their Commission before the Bodies were slain: but if the Bodies of the Witnesses is the Letter of Scripture, and was slain 1350 years ago; then they were slain so long before these had their Commission, which was not till 1651. It's plain, this Shifter knows not where to fix. He would fain, like Simon Magus, be accounted some great One, and he and his Partner would set up for Broachers of New Doctrines, how sordid and contradictious soever; but he wants the skill to patch things cleverly together; they are at the best but tatters, and can never be brought into one entire piece. And this Exposition of his is so sorry and pitiful an attempt, that he might as well have undertaken to have proved himself and Reeve to be the two great Lights in the Heavens; and to as good purpose have in like manner wrote an Exposition on the first Chapter of Genesis. To conclude, If confusion and self-contradiction, may pass for Exposition; if confidence and self-assuming may pass for Inspiration; if nonsense and obscurity may pass for Illumination; if cursing and damning others may pass for Charity; if Blasphemy may pass for Religion; then these two may be allowed to be what they pretend. But if these things will not pass among Mankind; then they will no more be Prophets and Witnesses from God, than they will ascend into Heaven in a Cloud, in the sight of their Enemies FINIS.