' iSx :i ^ ■>'-■• ,-v ^*-^ \'$ ^-•tf^' f < ^ ,-«*"^ ^ \ 1 m A .jpi«* ^-^v tij 23.7 '/' ans fill da Ions r tation ol int called ]\Iugg] Casseel. Si 101 COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE f LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY '?;«v M c#.^- -^mp^'^^^ y/ /l^liL- '^h^t" r7 t< J /-i I i ^ Ui T)yedthejT^ iB^'^thzfioAgedBd years y mirnthj.yZ. j^ Dayej . ^^ ■afc»»>^ I r «ia fi « 1 ■■■■ THE Muggletonians Principles PREVAILING: BEING An Anfv/cr in full to a Scandalous atiy things that are defpifed hath God chofen to bring to nought things that arey i Cor. i. 28. By r. r. -, Printed in the Year of our Lord God 1695. ,^Bsa ^.f"*. ^fi>i ^^^t'-^"^^'^ r 5 j The E^iflle to the iober Reader. Curtioiis Reader, IHave herCy in this iufning Treatis^ Vindicated the Principles of them Feople called Muggletonians^/r^?;// that JfperJiGn and Slander that envious Reafon hath caft upon it J I being a Member of that Body, and I^nomng thofe Principles to be Truth , having lived in the Knciv- ledg and PraBice of them above this Thirty Tears^ Now in that Providence (hould bring thee in^ to fee this my Ayifwer^ andjhalt find fome things very fir ange to thy Underftanding: And t ho, perhaps y thou canfi not ap- prehend it at firji View for Truth y yet if thou canfi pre- ferve thy fdf from difpijing ity thou doll well to thy own SouL Therefore k^ep thyfelf from Judgingy if thou wilt live , cor. 2. i u in Peacey becaufe that none can judg of Spiritual Things but Spiritual Men : And k^iow thisy that the un-judging Man is eajyy and may afterwards come to Believe y being in the time of a CommiJJiony andfo with the Five wife Vir- gins bring Oyle in their Lamps y before the Dore be jhuty ^^ ' ^^' '^* or Death aproach. But to Contend againfl Truth held forth by a CommiJJion from Heaven, is an evident Sgn of Reje^iony for it will prove a Sin againft the Holyghoft j Therefore I advife thee but to take care ofthefe Two Thilggs 5 the oney Not to break the Law^ the other y Not to defpife Prophefy, becaufe they are both Damnable; And more People are Damned for breaking the Law than any other 5V«, for the Sin againfi the Holyghofi is not committed in every Agey but only in the time of a CommiJJion ^ fo that more People have committed that Sin within this Forty four Tears then hath done of Thirteen Hundred and Fifty Tears before: hefoYe ; So that thefe Two things are to be fhun'd, the laft Mice. II. li.mofi efpecially, hecaufe there is no Sacrifife for that S/«, Rom. 6. ulr. ^^^ f/^^ ^^jj^y ^j Pardonable in the time of a CommiJJlony Efhc.z.i. * hy having Faith in the Dodirin thereof , and living free from the Breach of the havp after ^ as to the A^, This is the Benefit of a true Miniftry, but no true Miniftry, no true Converlion from the jlii of Sin : But the Ele6t are prefer'-jed from the AB of Sin y and k^vt in innocency of Life, at fuch Times ^ and in fuch Places as Truth is not ^own by their generated Faith, which leads them to Micli.tf, 8. that Threefold Precept of the Prophet yWch^. ifl". To do Juftice, idly. To loue Mercy, and 3dly. To walk humbly with God : This is the Subftance of pure and undefiled Religion : Stand faft here, and be Happy. So that from what thou finde(i here written, thou upon fight thereof mufi examine thy own Heart, and fee how it ftands in this Cafe 5 if thou canfi prove thy Flection by Faith in the true God, now he is made manifeft, it is well for thee, and the Benifit will be thine r, but if thou canfi not believe it, yet if thou di/pifefi it not, thou art not againfl us, nor againfl thy own Soul, neither are we againfi thee, be of what Religion or Opinion thou wilt 5 hutfhall leave thee as the Two Seeds /hall find thee at the iaft Day. Andfo wifhing well to allfober Men, but more efpect- ally, to fuch as are not offended with thefe plain Truths touching the Lord Jefus Chrift being that moft High and Mighty God J and Everlafiing Father, fo abundantly ex- alted through the Scriptures of Truth, as is now explain- ed and fully declared, by the Third and Laft fpiritual Commifiion, which was to finijh that facred Miflery of God's becoming Flefh ; and now it is finifhed, if thou canfi Belief: And he that hath Ears'to hear, let him hear. FAREWEL THE ^-, THE MUGGLETONIANS PRINCIPLES PREVAILING. CHAP. I. THe Church of God was never without oppofi- tion^ nor Truth without Hatred s for in that there are two Seeds , there muft be a War entroduced, becaufe the Seeds are in oppofition to each other, being from two feveral Roots, Faith and Reafon, Light and Darknefs , God and Devil 5 fo that the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent will hould continually Enmity. Now you that have Accufed the Muggletonians Principles for Impioufey and Mifche'vioiis^ let us come to the tryal of it, with you and of you, and fee how you durft be fo bold, as to make fo falfe a Repre- fentation of the Muggletonians Principles -, that you fliould Intitle your Diabolical Pamphlet by tlie name of a True Reprejentation of the Ahfurd and Mifchevious Principles y of the SeB called Muggletonians. If you the Writer thereof, had caft them Afperilons upon our Perfons, and not upon our Principles, we would have borne it with filence, but in that you B have W. ' f'^' 2 The Miiggletonian Frincipki^P^^z^aifi/m^^x have judged our Faith to be Blafpheiijous and Mif- chevious, which we have received from' the Bounty and Love of God-, therefore in difpifing and con- demning it, you difpife and condemn our God 5 fo in this Cafe we mull: refift you, and ftand forth for the defence of our Faith. And altho it fhould be where Satans Seat is, yet we will not let go our Inheritance, for our Inheri- tance lies in the Belief of our Principles, wherein we have the Charter of Heaven fealed to us ^ there- fore we will not only vindicate thofe our Principles, which you fo wickedly Reprefent, but will alfo^ ^ through Grace, feal to them with our Blood, if your Law can do it, and we be called thereunto. For we are able to maintain thofe Principles for Truths therefore let us now come to the Tryal of Truth, and let us fet our Principles each againft the others and them, whofe Faith and Wifdom is great- eft, let them hold the other under in Bondage for ever. 5/V, You are come forth to Curfe a quiet and ftill People, who meddle not with your Affairs, nor Ma- giftrates Affairs: We lift not up our Hand, nor make ufe of a Sword of Steel to flay any Mdii : We defraud no Man, we wrong no Man •, neither are we for thrufting you out of your Earthly PofleiTions-, no, not out of your Pulpits or Parifh-Livings-, we will have none of them : But on the contrary, we are O- bedient unto all the Civil Laws of the Land, and give to every Man the Refpeft due unto him. All therefore that we ddire of you is , That we ^ may pafs peacibly through your Country towards our Inheritance , but you are not willing that we jTiould> Hamb, 20. no more than Edo?n was with I/frael ^ but have pre- fumed to ftop our Courfe, by judging and condem- ing The Mugglctonian Principles Fte'vaili^ig. 5 ing our Faith : Now if our Faith be true, as we know it is, then you have given Judgment againft your felf 5 you were not aware of that Caution of our Sa- viours Saying, Judg not, and thou fhalt not be Judged ^ ,^^ ^ ^ Now in that we know that our Faith is of God, and ' is Truth, therefore is it of Power to reign over that Vvliich judgeth it. But if we might come to Reafon together, then I would demand of you, wherefore you did fend our your judging Pamphlet againft us, and would not fubfcribe your Name to it ? Were you afraid of hold- ing Tryal with us, for fear you fliould be worfted by us, as others have been heretofore 5 and fo were for working Mifchief privately, and yet \yin Cognito^tliink-' ingjbelike, that Faiths Power could not find you out, to give you an Anfwer 5 otherwife how could you find a Name to your Book, and a Name to the People you wrote againft, but have found never aName for your felf, but have left it to us to find a Name for you, which accordingto holy Writ is jE//WjiaCorrupter,a ^^^^ ^^, fworn Enemy to Truth, and the Accufer of the Bre- thren ^ being of a worthy Defcent, SuccelTor to &'- mon Magus ^^ being newly crept out of the CoUedg of Priefts, which came out of the Mouth of the Falfe^^^ ^^ Prophet 5 fuch a one as Jmazi ah the Prieft of J^^th-el^ ^^^^ ' ^^' who could not abide a poor Prophet, a Herds-Man, ^' that he ihould once fpeak near the King's Chappel, becaufe it was the King's Court, in which Learned Amaziah was the Doctor and Chaplain. Thus have you delt with thefe Prophets of the Lord •, and for fear that this poor Prophets Doftrin (which you, Yike Amaziah, call Mifchevious ) ihould ' take any Epheft amongft the People: From hence you have fecretjy fpred this your Pamphlet \into B 2 your '/ 4 The Muggleconian Prwdphs Frevailing. your Brethren, the Priefts, Hands, all the Nation o- ver^ and have endeavoured to make our Principles as Contemptable and Odious as poflibly you could, in order to make them feem the more Rediculous^ and this your Book muft be as a Pattern for them to frame tlieir Arguments by^ and thofe their Arguments mufi: be as Bulworks of Defence to them, and as Bullets fliot againft us. £?iher, 8. ^^^^ ^^^ '^^^'^ 2iCiedi in the very fame v^ay as Ha- '^* * man did againft Ifrael^ faying in this manner to the King, Hhere is a certain malitious and ?nifchevious Peo- ple fcattered abroad amongji the People in all places^ and their Larps are dijfering from ali People 5 neither keep they the King's Q Church-Laws ] ^Aere/c?re it is not for the King's profit to fujfey them '^ let them he dejiroyed-^ for their Principles are mifchevious. Now I being a Member of this difpifed People, fee- ing your Spite and Malice againft us ( who have broke no Law) am frojn hence moved to return an Anfwer, and this my Reply fhall not fpare you, altho I am gi- ven to underftand, That you are a Dodtorof the Na- tional Church, for God and Faith is no refpeder of Perfons in fuch a Cafe-, Therefore this my Reply ftiall perfue you until it overtake you ^ and when it hath overtaken you, it fhall faften a Witnefs inyourCon- fcience, that you have been a Fighter againft God, his Prophets and People, and againft the Sacred Scri p- tures^ and a falfe Reprefenter of the Muggletonian's Prin- ciples, and I fliall not be long in proving the fame : For, In the Preface of your Book you fay. That John Reeve was, by ProfefTion, a Bakery which Saying of * yours is utterly Falfe: So here you haue forfited your Title-Page, which inftead of a true Reprefentation is a falfe one. But The Muggletonian Principles Prevailing. But you bring him in as a Baker, to make him the more Contemptible with the Learned •, but if he had, would that have made Iiim more uncapable of being God's laft MelTenger, I tro not, no more than it did Amos J who was but a Herds-Man as aforefaid. For this is evident, that the Saints have found in all Ages, that the Learned have ever flood up as an Ene- my and Judg of fpiritual Truths as will moreappear in the fequel of my Difcourfe; But to proceed to The AcGufation againfl: us. In your Preface you call us, poor deluded Souls y and hy the Name of a contemptible and pernicious Sect 5 and blafphemioufly affirm, that it is made up qf Impiety, Nonfence, ^«^ Abfurdities •, and that rve have not fo much as the Shadow ofReafon tofupport us : From hence y fay you, we will not fnhmit tothefryalofit, being unca^ pable of Argument y and that you wrote not that your Trea- tife for onr Sak^Sy that have not Reafon and Argument (as you fay) to anjwer yowy but for the Salves and Sa- tisfaction of .the World y and of the Learned y who are capable ( fay you ) to hear Reafon and Arguments CHAR IL ANSWER. AS to them Judging and Condemning Cenfures againftus, fliall be anfwered C/?^/?. 15. And as to your Reafon and Argument, you fo much boll of, I am willing to allow it its Prerogative, and 6 The Muggletonian TrincipJes Frevailhig. Deut. 1. 13. give it its due of having Government as to all Ter- &t8.\';,^V refti^l Affairs. But wherefore fhould it enter upon God*s Prero- gative, fo as to take upon it to judg divine Things Luke 10. 1 4. that are Eternal, by its unclean ferpentine Reafon. MatM!. ^^ But to fuch as are learned in Faith's School doth know, that he that doth Minifter fpiritual Things, is to lay Reafon and Argument by, as. to the find- ing out of any heavenly Secrets by the moft perlingfl: Reafon that is. James 3. 1;. ^ov Reafon is not Heaven-born, and fo is but Na- tural 5 and it is the natural or moral Law that en- lightens it 5 but Faith being of another Nature, which pP^j is Spiritual, and fo the Law of Faith ferves to quick- johli^^. 4' ^n and enlighten Faiths and When it is enlightened, then fhe Rules as Miftrefs over Reafon. Therefore, though the Kingdoms of this World lys in Reafon, yet the Kingdom of Chrift lys in Faith, John 18.35. which ever appears fimple, and yet it is this poor de- Luke 17-21. r -r J o J f • 1 /-> r 1 • 1 o* 1 a Cor, 1. 12. Ipiied Seed tnat receives the Golpel -, its the Simple Luke I. >'3. andtheFooUfii that catch Heaven; The Poor are ^* ^^ filled with the Subftance of fpiritual Truth, when as the Rich in Reafon;, Notion, and Argument, are fent empty away. Therefore away with your Arguments where Faith Matt. 4. 18. is fought, there the Fijher, the Herds-many the Ie«^ Amos I. I. maker '^ Ai, and he that you call the Baker ^ rather cdl 't I ^han ^J^e Vhilofopher, are to be trufted. Do you teach the World by your Reafon and Ar- gument, as you fay 5 this manifefts that you and your Brethren are the Worlds Minifters, and the World hears you •, and hence it is that you appeal to 1 John 4. 5, the World, for the World will Love its own. John 7. 7» Here 'The Muggletofiian FrwcipJes Pre'vailing. J Here now you appear to be a right Legolift, in imi- Y^^\ ^7* tation of the Levtts of old 5 for that Priefthood was ^"^f ^ J^j ig.' to teach Reafon, the Moral Law for its reafonable Service, that it fliould not Murder ^ Commit Adultery^ Steal y or harefalfe Witnefsy which Reafon is fubjeCt to do. But all the Prophets fpiritual Declarations belong- P^ai.n^. loo. ed to the Eie61: Seed of Faith, and was fpoken into that innocent Nature that cannot do Evil, and that in order to a further degree of Knowledge Love and Obedience. Wherefore then, if by your Teaching you can keep your Difciples in Sobriety and the Bounds of Reafon, this is a Virtue, and brings with it the Temporal BlelTing promifed that Seed ^ but if fo it hQy^^^"^- ^^* ^»5v that your Reafon will feek Lordfhip, and would be a 4» ^1 • Judgand Controwler of Faith, it is nothing lefs than J°^" Y* J' a Devil, and will be damn'd to Eternity. And herein appears your Blindnels, notwithftand- ing your earthly Wifdom, becaufe by it you cannot diftinguifh betwixt the Two Seeds of Faith and Rea- j^^^\^'/^^;^^^7» fon, or the Law and the Gofpel. But to proceed,i John i. 17, and come to the Matter in Queftion. Would you Priefts have us be tryed by your Ar- guments } Then you are like to have the Caufe, if you muft be your own Judges, like the Jews by our feviour, his Prophets and Apoftles. But this we prefume to tell you, that your Reafon, being but Natural, therefore it cannot try fpiritual ^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ Truth, but our Faith can try your Arguments, and it , john 4. i' can take up Reafon as a Servant, to argue with you ^of- ^2. in the Balance of your own Reafon, the Angels Na-gcjV,^*^ ture fallen *, neverthelefs we can no more agree than the Prophet Jeremiah and thofe National falfe Priefts did in tlae like Difpute. . Be- B The Muggk tonian Principles Vre^vailing. ' Becaufe Faith, when It takes up Reafon, it takes it up, not to expound and open the Sence of Scrip- ture Sayings, but as a Servant, to Illuftrate that Re- vealed Word by Argument, for the further Con- founding of that unclean domineering Reafon that doth oppofe its fpiritual Sence. But on the contrary, when learned Reafon takes up Words of Faith, it expounds it by the Imaginati- Rom. I. 2, on of Reafon, in refpeil its Reafon is Lord in its Rcvti. ^. 'c^l Sou], andfo turns Truth into a Ly^ and the Elo- gancy of its Speech muft form the Subftance of the iCor. 1. 20. Matter, and then War is proclaimed againft the Re^ei. II. 2. Truth, and fo Truth muft be trod under Foot. Thus did the falfe Priefts deal by Jeremiah^ Come, Jcr. II. ip. (^ly they, let lis devife Devifer again fl hiniy and let us deftroy the Tree mth its Fruity and let us cut him cjf that his Name may he no more Rememhred: That is, let us deftroy his Perfon, which is the Tree 5 and let us deftroy its Fruit, that is, his Doftrin or Declarati- ons, for he isie-bringingin another Priefthood, there- jer. 18 18. fore Report and we will Report^ let us frame our &2C. 10. Arguments againft him, for he faith. That they that Ma^' 2^.' 7. f^^^i^le the Laiv kl^ow not God, when as it is written, That the Laivjhall not per ifh from the Friefis, nor Coun- felfrom the Wife, Mifreprefenting Doctor ,are not your Arguments an- fwerable to theirs, even to a Hair: Therefore as true Wifdom was departed from them, fo it is now from you, and from all thofe National pretended Gofpel- iMinifters, tho you boft as they did 5 yet have you no- thing but an-empty Title, not fo much as a grain of fpiritual Senfe appeareth-, but as it was their Blind- nefs, fo it is yours, who underftand not, that the Spiritual Law of Faith will never depart from that fpiritual The Miigglctonian Principles PrevaiUng^ p Spiritual Prieft, the true Chriftrian, but his Lips (hall e^^^'- 7- 2^» ever preferve true Knowledg: And this Priefthood will ^ never terminate, but will be with them to the end of the World. ' f ^ For after Faith is enlightened by a Commiflion from Heaven, then it needs no other Teacher, but that Undi- 1 John 2 27^ on which it hath received^ for the Spritit of Faith is Chrift^s Vicar. But your outward vilible Worfhips that are taken up from former Commiflions, they are ended, and the fpi- rit of God is gone out of them 5 but this will bring a Box upon my Cheeks, by you Non-Commiflionated Minifter, as your Predeceilbr did to Micaiah the Prophet, witha, ,Kings j,^^ Which way went the fpirit of God from me to thee. But as the Law of Faith, which we have known andffj. ^^^ 21. received, will never depart from us, fo we need not toHeb. 10. 58. your afiumed counterfit Priefthood, but live by our own generated Faith now awakened, or eluminated,^ .^^^^ by the Doctrin of this Cemmilnon of the fpirit ^ for we have no new Faith given, but the old awakened, as a- (forefaid 5 for Faith was but once given, and every Com- 2 i>er. ;, j g. miflionated Prophet, Meflenger, orMinifl;erofGod, Ads a further Light and Knowledg to it. So that now, through Grace, we have attained to a imore principal Degree of Knowledg of the true God, [and the right Devil, than others had before us ^ fothat [from hence, we are not v/anting in Wifdoin to anfv/er (your ftrongefl; Arguments yourReafon can devife, ^'''* -•^* ^ Therefore mufter up your Army, raifeall your Forfes, from all parts, and from all your Priefts that you have diftributed your Books to •, yet fhall you never be able to difprove by your Subtilty, quell by your Power, or.f^ .^ ^^ fubdue by your Force, th^MuggletoyuansWrnQV^lt^^ be- caufe Salvation, and nothing lefs is their allured Walls and Bulworks. C But I o The Muggletonian Frincipks Frevailing. But to your following Arguments , I apply myfelf to Anfwer by trutli of Scripture. The Accnfation dgainfl Uf. In Page the Firft, you make your Book to confift oi Two Queries. Firft, Whether John Reeve y and Lodoivict^ Muggleton, are fent of God. Secondly , Whether they are the VVitnedes fpoken of in the i ith, of the Revelations. ,. To your Firft Querie ^ You have largely repeated fe-| veral of their Saings, whicl^you fay, they pretend to bej true Characters, and Evidences of their Commiilion. Now, after your Ramble in Page the ^th. your Firft Evi- dence is, That John Reeve faith, That Godfpake to him three Mornings together : And fay you, Muggleton iaAthjt^ati^< h God's /peaking plain Words y to the hearing of the outvpard Eary as rvell as the inward Soul^ that doth 7nak§ ^ Man a CommiJJloner. This Evidence y fay you, is of no value \ becaufey fay you 1 cannot tell, whether it be a true Voice, or an imaginary ly^ ing Voice, fuch a one as John Reeve faid was in John Ro- bins : It is, fay you , but their fay fo. And then you conclude faing*. For let their Voice be never fo true, if it be alone, and without thevijible Evidence of working Miracles y it k of no value: As alfo, you lay, it muji be proved by Scrip- ture-^ without which you make it of no value, (sfc be or CHAP. I T/^eMuggletonian Frirtcipks FrevaiUng. 1 1 CHAR 11 L ANSWER, I. TpHis your way is to overthrow all Prophefy : You Nj.iib,i 1.29. X. will tie God to worke Miracles, or you will not ^ ^^^^; i- »^- belive him ; Either God muft do as you will have him, ^ ^^ ^ ^o. or he muft not be God. It is no wonder that you cannot diftinguifh between I true Voice and a falfe ^ becaufe God never chofe you vy Voice, nor never will. But how fhouldyou believe a vocal Voice, when as your God has never a Tongue ; You have made it here plainly appear, that you are of the fame Spirit of thofe murthering feivs who bid Chrift, come down from theCrofs and they would belive in him. True Matr. 17. 42. iDoiftrin, without Miracles, is to you moft deteftable. 2. Again, was not all true Prophets chofen by voice ifa.^. s. & of Words •, neverthelefs the Seed of the Serpent qould ne- ^^* '* ver believe them, neither could the Priefis W^ Rulers jcr. 15. 10. ever abide them 5 and there was few of them but what was either Perfecuted or put to Death, by the Magiftrates and their National Priefts: Tliere was45o.falfe Prophets, ^^'"^s ^8.22. muftred up againft Too or Three true Prophets^ as £- li]ah and Micaiah 3 and one of them muft ftrike Mtcaiah one the Cheek •, as aforefaid, and this Prieft and Ahah\s Son flung him down to bracke his Neck. iiut Elijah, the Reprefentor of God's Perfon, by Word of Power (lew them all, as a Tipe of the Deft ruction ofz:p]\ i. 4. all falfe Prophets, and falfe Priefts, at ^the end of the World : Such a Miracle you want. When Ifaiah P^ophefied of his God's becoming Flefti, not one would believe him, neither Prieft nor People :'^'^-'" '5 ^• C 2 Therefore, L I 5 J he Muggletoiiian Vrinciphs Pret/ailnig. Tlierefore, faid he, Lord^ ivho hath believed our Re- I Kings ip. port -J find Elijah faid, that all were gon after Baall. Nor regarded Truth, for that was ever hated ^ I hate him^ faid I Ki;-:f,;22 %,Ahahj for he never faid Good of me, but Evil-j It's now as it was then, unlefs we could bring Fire from Heaven, as Elijah did, there can be no Belief*, and it muft be to de- rtroy ilieiu ^ it might Convince them, but it would ne- riai. 78. 32. ver Convert them. If Miracales were wrought now, what would it avail toth'is bloody unbeliveing Worlds they would but fay as f^act. 11. z.i. the Jeifs faid of Chrifl:, Ihat they nere don by the Devil. But what faid Vaulj Toungues and Miracles are but for a Signe, not to ihem that believe, but to them that : Cor. 14. j2. believe not^ but Prophefy ferveth for them that be- l-^hn 10.41. lieve only: Jo/m thQ Baptlfl, a great Prophet, end yet did no Miracle. Thus you call in queftion the glorious Truths of God, under pretence of John Reeves's Weaknefs, as to outward Miracles, that you might believe, when as his Commi- flion is all fpiritual. Now the Seed of Faith believes not, becaufe of the Miracles wrouglit, by the Lord or his Prophets •, but in that they were of the Election, and fore-ordain'd to believe, for the faving of theSoul ^ and as the Chrifti- an Dove waits for a Sign within him, or from behind ^■4. 30.2:. Reafon, for a Word faying. This is thelVay, walk^iu it: Even fo, on the contrary, the carnal Serpent, he re- quires a natural Sign before his Reafon, that may be feen with his outward Eye, to make him believe fpiri- tual Truths 3 and therefore Reafon Cries, faying, JVhere are your iMtracks, and ivhere is your Scripture Evi- dence to prove it: Prove by Scripture. Now if this Witnefs fhould write gothing but what is exactly fet down in Scripture, then fhould they write The Muggletonian Prwciples Pte-vailwg. i j^ write nothing at all : But always true Prophefy hath fomthing new to deliver. J^r. ^r. n. \-Again, Did the Prophets and Apoftles write, by Imitation, or Study, or by Infpiration only •, they might "^arr. re. 32. allude fomtimes to the Prophets Words for Convincing ^ ^'^^' ^* ^^' bf Gainfayers. < Furthermore, the Scriptures in themfelves are Words ' of pure Truth, to all that fpiritually differn them ^ and that IS, fuch as have the Life and Povv^er of them in their own Souls ^ butthev that have not the inner LifeJ-hn 5. ^3. and Meaning thereof, they ftudy the outward Letter by their Reafon, to find the Life and Meaning thereof, and then,this their Imagination,the Child of ftudy, trumpits^^l^'^* ^- ^• out it's own Conceptions upon it. '' ^^" ■ This is the work and way of al 1 the feven Anty Church- ^es of Europe y every one of them endeavouring to prove thrir Miniftry by the Letter of the Scripture, or by the Light within them •, but never a one from the glorious Voice of the everliving God without them : And from hence, though they Judg and Condemn each other for falfe,whilft they are all falfe, yet can they agree to Fight aginfl God and his true Prophets, by the Letter of the Scripture. And you keep thefe Chefts and Boxes of prefious things, but the Jewels and Treafure is quite gon, and is a Stranger to you^ you know it not, but do Defpite unto it, and put your own huaginations into the Letter, i Ptc. 2. 18. and fo turn and wind it about like a Nofe of Wax, and . ^^ ^.'^''^ < make it fpeak for your Honour and Riches. Ohi how * *^'^ ' profitable hath this Letter of the Scriptures been to Reprobate Preachers. Wherefore then, we who are called Muggletomans, in fcorn do boldly affirm. That though you have got the Letter of the Scriptures, and run away with it, as a Dogg Tim. *i 4 The Muggletonian Principles Pre'vailing, Dogg doth with a Bone, yet none of its fpiritual Deck- Rom. i)-.^. rations were ever written for your Inftruftion, but for Dcut. 4. 6, the Inftrudion of the Seed of Faith: For the Law only jcr. 5?. !:• belongs to you, and it may make you wife, but not unto Salvation*, that's the Property of the Gofpel to the Seed of Faith, the Seed of the Lord's own Body ^ for v.it is the Man of God that is made Wife unto Salvation 5 I fothat he muil be a Man of God, and have Faith in thofe Scriptures, before he can be Wife unto Salvation, becaufe they are given by Infpiration of the holy Spirit, and no Man can know^ them but by the fame Spirit as thofe had that wrote them. Thefe things confidered, how then is it polnblethat you fhould apply Scripture to purpofe, when your Wifdom ? Cor. 4. :o. is not Infpiration, but Education*, what will your Form do to you without the Power : If you have the Words of ' God, and not that Word which is God, what good will your Word do you. What CommiiTion have you to preach to the People 5 Chrift tells you that you are but Thieves and Robbers climbing up to Heaven by Ordinances of your own, and John 30,1. y^^^ dwn ftollen Doctrine ^ for you fteal the Words from your Neighbour, the Seed of Faith, and then Cry , Thus faith the Lord. * What do you bring as an Oftering, but what you have ftolen from others*, do you delver anything but Tralcriptions and Hiftorical Notions, the Repetitions oftiie Letter of the Scriptures, and the Sentences of c^ the antient Fathers^ there is the Line you boaft in, fo that you do no more, in ephect, but rob the Dead to cloath the Living: For have you fo muth as openedthe Meaning of one Text of Scripture in all your blind Pamphlei:-, you have named the Words, and then left^ them to Anfwer for them felves, as I lliall fliew here- ' after. Again, 1 Cor. 10. ii The Muggletonian Frwtrples T retailing. 1 5 Again, you further Objed againft their DoArin of Infalibility, in that they fay. They write by an unerring Spirit : Noiv^ fay you, an Inf alible Spirit implys the higheji Certainty: But, fay you, his Book^is Inconjiftant with it felf'y for Muggleton {^dith, 1 amperfvpaded inmyfpirit, and I do rather be live that there were Seven Hundred Thoufandsy than Seven Thoufands , though the Revelation qf John doth^^^,^^ but exprefs it but Seven Thoufands : Now, fay you, to be perfwaded, and to belive a Thing to he jo , are Inconjiflant to Infalibility j for that admits no lefs than I am fure of it, fay you. II. I / ■> C HAP. I V. ANSIVER. r THE Prohets did both of them write, by an infalli- ble an3 un-erring Spirit, the Dodtrine of themSix Principles, the Knowledg of which, Salvation dothj^.^^^ depend upon^ but as to fome perticular Points that are belides the Foundation, there is not that NefTelfity to be fo politive. But as to the Eilential Points of Faith, they were written by an un-erring Spirit, and are infallibly True^ and againft Men and Angels they affirm it, and we as truly believe it, to the great Peace and Satisfaction of our Minds ; For vv^hat is it that can fatisfy the Mind of Man but Truth, having the Seal of Life in it, as every true Minifter of God hath. For every true Minifter of God hath Power to fet Life and Death before Men and can fay. Now is fulfilled Mm. is. i Juch and fuch Things : Alfo he that is fent of God, knoweth the Things of God, and he that believeth in' fuch a One, knoweth the Things of God likewife. But 2- I^ 1 6 T^hc Miiggletonian Prwcrplcf Prevailing, But how can you judgeof Infalibility^ that do not own your felf Infalible, but Falible? What is Falible but a Lye, and muft a Lye be the Judgeof Truth? He that knoweth the Mind of the Lord, he may Inftrudl: I Cor. 2. rj. from the Lord ^ but he that hath not thelnfalibleSpirit, Vcri'e 1^. doth from his lying Spirit prefcribe Rules to God, and would be God's Counfellor. Now muft fuch ignorant, carnal, flefhly Men as thefe Judgelnfalibility, that have, nor own no other Spirit but what is Falible: But to come to the Point and Charge againft Lodomck^Muggleton. For although the Prophets and Apoftles were Infalible, as to all elTential points of Faith-, yet as to other things that were circumftantial, and not fo edential, in fuch things Prophets and Apoftles may differ about them in their Experience and Judgment. «ai. 2. II. Thus Paul withftood Peter, and Reproved him 5 and though Paul there gainfaid Peter, yet in fomf other things Paul himfelf was not pofitive : As for Inftance, Paul treating on Marriage, lie fpeaks as tlie Prophet Mugglet- c?2 doth here, and tells the Believers, that h was his Jud- ment, That it were better for them not to Marry : And fur- vrfe . o ^^^^^ ^^^^ "^^^^ ^^ [thinks,] that this his Judment is right, and that it rvas from the Sprit of God, Now, I prefume, fby what you have faid of thefe) that had you been living then, and had heard of Paul's talking of having the Infalible Spirit of God, you would prefently have judged him a falfe Apoftle, notwithftand- ing the Miracles he had done •, and that he had contradift- ed himfelf 5 and that his [_thinkjng'} wr.s inconfiftant to his Infalibility, arid fo was not to be Believed. Again, if you had heard that Paul Circumcifed Tiyno- Afts i5. 7,. -i^thy, and yet neverthekfs told the Galatians, that if they .* irere Circumcifed they could not he Saved, I fay, liad you been r Cor. 7* 6.. The Miipgletonl-an Principles Fre^uaiHng^ 1 7 • been in thofe Days ^ Would not you have faid, Ihat Paul had ContradiBed himfelfy and the Scriptures - both? and would not you alfo have judged the Four Evangelifts to have Contradia:ed one another in fe-J^lj"^'^'^*^'^" veral places^ for as you Judg and Condemn thefe,fo you would have Judged them, for thefe were fent by Je- fus Chrift, and Faul was fent by no other God. Again, in Vage p. you quote John Reeve ^ faying, that he faiih, "that he is Indued with a divme Gifty to ivrite aVolom as large as the Bible -^ and a f pure a Lan- guage as that isy without lookinginto any Book^y or having any real Gontradiditon tn it. Upon thefe Words you make the Reflection fallowing. Toptr Accufation runs thus, fiying. That if the purity of the Language he a Sign c;/ Truth. Hheny fay you , I am jure it is far from being either True or Infallible. For, faid you, they do not write true Englifh, nor good Sence-^^s likewife, it often fails in the propriety of Words ^ in Concord ^ and Connexion ^ being without Method^ Purity, or Elogancy, dec. D CHAP. . 1 8 ll)e Mugglcconian Friricipks FreViuUng. C \] \ P. V. ANSWER. O I R, in Anfwer to this, The truly Wife do know, ^^ that God's Meflengers never regard finenefs of Speech, but foundnefs of Matter ; Not fo much the Original of Words as the Original of Things, even fuch as they, are moved too by t!ie Holy Ghoft ^ and not fuch Language as you are moved too by your Educated Spirit of Reafon^ which is the Angels nature Fallen: But in that, you have no vv^here contradicted our Principle, which fhews v/hat the Perfon and Nature of Angels are^ therefore there is no Occafion given here to Difpute it^ but to Return to the matter aforefaid. Spiritual Truth, or Gofpel Life, was ever plain, and was never delivered wi^h new quined or high- ' Cor. 2. 1. flown Words of Man's Wifdom. This made an old learned Philofophical Bifhop Judgefo hard by the Revelation by John^ not thinking it John's^ becaufe of jyimfiyis theRudenefsofthe ftile: f(?r, (aid he, I fee his Greeks not exabily uttered^ the Diale^i and Phrafe not obfer-ved: ] find hiniy faid this Bifhop, ufing barbarous Phrafes. And l^aul was called a cloiiter of Skjus^ a Cobler by the Philofophers, and a Man of no Breeding: And he acknowledged himfelf but rude in Speech, though not in true Wifdom-, but he had taken fome Learning up at the Foot of Gamalialy but he laid it down there again, as foon as the Spirit of Faith became his Teacher : All his Wifdom that he now valued, was the Knowledge of Chrift Crucified, andj Rifen again J T/?eMuggletonian Principles Pte'vaiUng. t p again 5 which his former Wifdom could not know,Aas 2:. 5. but on the contrary, was the Perfecutor of him. Again , Spiritual Truth , or Faith, was ever brought in Naked and Simple, jnd in poor Array : But Falfhood doth ever indeavqr to Attire herfelf in all her Bravery, thefe Rafcah, faid the Fharifes, are Accurfedy they knovp not the haw: But faid Vauly That ^q^^^^ ,, g Learning of theirs will cormto nought But as for Trutli, That guides to Heaven^ it needs Johu i. 4. no Glofs to make it feem better then it is, for it hath Light enough in it felf, to ftiew it the way to Heaven. The Scriptures were written in as homely a ftile as Reeve's and Muggleton's were 5 only wife Men in Reafon, have put them into a better Form, and now boaft of their litteral Accutenefs, whilft they are out of all fpintual Power ^ and it muft be fo, for he that hath learned nothing of Truth, muft Teach by ^ ^'^^' '^' ^' an Eloquent Tongue of empty Words only. For Sophifters, who w^nt fubftance of Truth, muft ufe-their Sophiftry, to corrupt Truth, and adulterate the true Sence, and then cover their own Errors with Paint. And thus have you done, in this Libel of yours , for in Page 18, you affirm, Th^t John Reeve doth fdy, ( pretending to quote his Words ) That the Subfiances of Earth and Water irere from all Elements: When as John Reeve'sW0ords were in that place, That the Sub- fiance of Earth and IVater ira^ from all Eternity, Thus you turn their good Sence into Nonfence, and fo bely them ^ for by this your way of clowding their Words you would darken the Sence, and make them appear the more Rediculous •, and to prevent a further Difpute in that Suhipit^of the Subjiance of Earth D 2. and Rcvel. iS. t o ZVO^' Muggietonian Principles Pre'vailw^, and Water being made of nothings which you were not able to maintain-, and though you [-dy y^oun-oM confute thatTrincfple^ yetpaffed it by, and would fay no more of it: And fo you let it drop. Now, as to your Elogancy of Speech-, your Tongues and Languages you boll fo much of ( and ^ you have need of it to paint your Errors, as afore- H;vc!. 18 31. faid ) w^e will leave this all to you Bahal Builders, as acquired by your Study and Learning •, it being your Trade, which teacnech your Reafon to play up- on the Letter of the Scripture as upon a Harp, being very mellodious to the outward Ear : And by thefe mtdim you {Arts-Ma[iers) grovv^ Rich and Honoura- ble, according to your skilful Merchandiiing of the Letter of the Scripture, and Antient Fathers and Philofophers : Thefe mufi: all b^ made to agree toge- ther, for the Scripture mud either make good Philo- fophy, or elfe Philofcphy mufi: be brought to make good the Scripture 5 and in your wife handhng of this, you grow Rich s, (ome Hundreds , fome Thonfands a Year, equalling the gr at Men of the Earth ^ and as to others of your Brethren, though they be more inferior, yetmufl: they be called jVlafters, although they be but Servants ^ yet will they be well paid, for no Fenny, no Paternojter. So having found you all in the way of jB^/^;;/, to Biefs and Curfe for Mony, which is your Souls chief Delight, there I leave you to go on in your Trade, and receive your Wages of Men here, and of God Mur.^i 7. hereafter, whom you pretend to fervc^ then will | Mic.^ 5. I T. yQu i-^^yg a f^[[ Reward. 1 lodr/i'''' A further Accufation againft this Witnefs you ^ Phil y 19' have, {or 'lifviimng the Poirer of Sealing Men up unto ^'"'''' ''J^% Eternal Life and Death y as they Receive or Difpife their The Miiggletonian Frinciples Prevailwg, 2 i their DoBrin : This you deny, that any Man ever had this Power : Saying, that it is quite contrary to the Scripture y and the Temper of the Gofpely which is hove 5 and then bid us prove it by Scripture. C HA P. VI. ANSWER. IT is confefled by us, that tlie Temper of the Gof- pel is La'i;^' 5 but then that Gofpel and Eternal '^^'^'^^ 21. u. Love is but to the Seed of the Lords own Body, and^^^^ * ^' ^^' it muft needs befo, becaufethat Grace is written in Faiths Nature ^ and though that Seed did fall in Adaniy yet the Gofpel came to feek and to fave that JoIig 10..27, which was lo J: and fell in Adam-^ for the Serpent's Seed never fell in Adam^ nor never knew themfelves loft. So the Gofpel belongs not to them, but ac-'**^^'^ --^7' cording to their Obedience to their own Law, fo they have the Bleifmg of the Law, that the Rain may Rain J ayid the Sun may Shine ^ and the Earth bring forth ^, . her Incre^ife, vcith long hife and Health: And thus '-^ ^'* Chrift, which is the Gofpel, (hewed his Love to that Seed, when he wept over Jerufalem: Now as he w^as^^uke ^, ^, Man, he wept to fee what temporal Judgments they ^ ^*^' ^ ^* would bring upon themfelves. But then, 013 the other hand, as he was God, he^^.^,^ _ rejoiced at their eternal Deftruftion*, for upon tlieir John ^/'y "' defpiling thofe Declarations of his, he thereupon pro- ^^'^- ?•?.& « s- nounces upon them eternal Wraths calling fuch^'' ''•^^" Divelsy Serpents y and a Generation of Vipers^ and thatjohmi ao, they ^ 2 The Muggletoiiian Prwciples Trevaihng. they jhould not efcape the Damnation of Hell ; And John tlie Baptift pronounced the like Sentence 5 and allthe Apoftles had the like Power after they had received their CoinmifTion. matt. 5 44- As for that Saying of Chrifl's to them, To Elefs^and Curs not 5 that was but when they were but private Believers ^ as alfo, it taught that Clemency, as not to rejift temporal Injuries : But when they had received matr. i6f. i^. thcHoly Ghoft, then was the Keys of Heaven and Luke 10. 16. Hell Co?nmitted to their Charge-^ and they had Power by them, to Bind and to Loofe, to Remit and to Retain Luke 10. 25. ^jy^^ What was that but Bleffing and Curiing ? For Pui. 24. 7. the Blefling of a Commiflionated Prophet or Apoftle, it opens the Gate of Heaven-, that is, it opens the Heart in Love, to that God that fent fuch a Meflage of glad Tidings of Salvation : So on the Contrary, the Curfe of a Prophet, it opens -the Gate of HelU That Ads 7. ' . ^^' ^^ opens the Heart in Envy, Malice, and Pvcvenge^ and whofe Heart that fpiriiual Key doth open no Man can fhut-, and whofe Heart they fliut no Man can open. Therefore it was that Faul faid, That they were the I Cor. <5. 1, Saver of Life unto Li fey unto thofe that believed them y TheV'^^'o ^>'^'d the Saver of Death unto Death unto thofe that de- ' ' * fpifid them. Again, Taul and the reft of the Apo- ftles, did declare, That whoever denyed the Faith of Jefusy or defpifed Prophejiey or turned Jpofiate, that I John 3- 8. there could he no Sacriffe for fuch SinSy neither were fcor^"^-' 16 f^^ch to he Frayed for '^ but upon the contrary, to he fealed up unto eternal Death, ^ All the Spiritual Declarations of the Prophets reach to the eternal State of Man, for they pointing at their God's hecommg Flefh, and that, upon hts Death and Rcjurre^iion the eternal State of the Two Seeds of Faith The Mugglc toil fan Principles Prevcnliftg, 2 :5 Faith and Reafon takes heing-^ for the Refurrettion of Chrifi gains Power to raife the Dead, and give each Seed his Reward. And therefore the Gofpel apropriates David's Key to belong to it, which Key lyes infuch and the like*^^^* ^4^- ^' Sayings, The Lord tal^es Fleafure in his People^ he irill beautifie the Meek^ with Salvation 5 this is tlie Key that opens Heaven : And as follows, het the high Praifes of God he in their Mouth, and a two-edged Sword in their Hand-^ and then with the other Key and Sword, To execute I'engance upon the He at hen ^ and Punijhments upon the People ^ To bind their Kings with Chains, and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron , To execute upon them the Jndgment written : And this is the Key that opens and none can fhut, and fhuts and no Man can open.p^^i j. . ^. Thts Honour, {di^h David, belongs to all living Saints, ' For thefe Keys and Sword belongs to all Saints 3 and rfa $4. 17. I)^^7W himfelf, in thofe and the like Sayings, had^5 7'4- flung into the Fire all that difpifed his Spirit of Pro- phefie, of his God's becoming Fk(h, and Sealed them up in thefe Words-, Saying, divide their Tongues, /^^p-^j^ / ha^^efeen Violence in the City, Caft them down in thy Anger, Confmne them in Wrath, let not them come into thy Righteoufnefs, blot them out of the Bool^of Life, and ^ ' ^^' ^3- let them not be written with the Righteous; het burnings ^^i r^o. ig. Coals fall upon them -, let them be caft into the Fire, The Prophet Jeremiah likewife, meeting with the Seed of theSerj^ent, oppoiing his fpiritual Declara- tions, concerning God's becoming Flejh, and his SuiFe- rings by that Seed, Seals them up to Death Eternal^ for they were for deviling Devifes againft that Do- ftrine of his-^ therefore he powereth forth thefe Im- p^cafions againft them^ faing, O Lord, forgive not their Iniquity, neither blot out their Sin from thy Sight y^' ' ip/U. 7 4 T^f^^ Mugglt tonian Trirjcipks Fre'vailing. &c. And then changing his Words, he fpeaks in Jer. 25.. 14. the Pt^rlun of God faying, They are all unto me as Sodom. So that we fee that the Prophit's Curfe is Icr 6 -o God's Curie: And further faith he, the Saints jhall ' ' ^^' call them Reprobate Stiver. This is Gofpel Power ^ the La Vv^es Curfe penetrames Ez k, 31. 24 down into the Grave, the iirft Death •, but the Cof- ^-6>2'] z^. pgjg Power and Curfe raifes it again from the iirfl; Death into a fecond and eternal Death ^ being a liv- ing Death, and dying Life. And thus we fee, that every trueMinifter hathPow- er to fet Life and Death before Men: And that Mmi- Mn 2^i8^" ^"^y ^^^'^^ ^^'^^'^ not that Power, is no true Mmiftry. Now, what a blind Guide is this, that connot fee thefe plain Scriptures-, but cries out, trove this by Scripture. Woe be to all fuch as are led by dufe blind GuiJes ! Oh, that all the Eled were but delivered from their Captivity and Bondage under their Formalities, and might come to hear of Truth ^ v jat their Joy and Peace might abound, being the Scale of eternal Life. But it is a wonderful thing, that fuch Preachers as thofe, who cannot Believe that any Prophet hath Power asaforefaid, and yet they themieives iliull take upon them to Judge Mans Faith, and Condemn him for it. fo is it not a wicked thing to deny the Prophets and Apoftles Power of the Keys of Heaven and Hell , and yet prefume to do that thing ^hemfelves, whilft they ackiiowledg themfelves but falible Men : Doth not this Make you juitly damned in your felves ? But it is no wondring at it, for what faith the Scripture, John r- ^^ ^^^^ blinded their Eyes^ they Stumble at Noon-Day: They have all the Spirit of Slumber. And now I (hall return to Anfwer this Mifreprefen- tor's falfe R^-fleftions upon our main Principles , yea, fuch The Miiggletonian Trincipies FtevaiHfig^ ^ 5 fuch as the very Scriptures ftands upon^ and oa which eternal Life wholy depends. In Page the i%th, you bring in John Reeve fciteing him thus^ Saying, God is not a Spim, but hath a Body: Your Reflections are thus. The AccHftlion, The Scripture makes a Body and a Spirit Tow op- pofite things, fo that ^.Body is not a Spmt, nor a Sprit a Body Y.cc\es. 12. 7. A Spirit hath not ihfh and Bone y Luke. 24. 37. The Scripture calls God ^ S/?/m, but never a Body 5 God is not in form of a Man, but is invifible, and no Man ever Saw him or can. / 1: fl A P. VI L ANSIVEK. I. '^/'our Citation is falfe-. For John Reeve's Words J are thus, 'that God is not a Spirit without a Body. By your falfe Citation, you would have your worldly Difciples to think , That he affirms, That God is a Body vphhout a Spirit. But, to come to the Pointy I muft tell you, That the Body and Soul are not Two contrary Things •, and if your S^?/^??^?;, told you fo with one Breath, he tells you the quite contrary in another : But many times wife Solomons y\.^-r^ do not know the meaning of their own Sayings. Solomon was*a wife Man,but theWifdom whicli he ^ ^"P 3- '^■ craved, and that God gave him, was but naturah^ ^°^"^' '^^ fo that Solomon's Writings are but the Operations of his natural Reafon , and from fomeintrigate E . Sayings 7 '• * I ■fe 20. ^ 6 The Muggletonian Prificiples Prcvailwg. Mayings of his Father David :So they are no Scripture, Mart. 1 2. 41. for he was no Prophetical Man. 2. Again, Iftiie Body and Soul are two contrary things, (as you fay) and in Opolition to each other, then was the Body and Soul of Chrift at variance, with it felf •, and in Opofition with each other, and lo two opclite Things: If fo, then Chrift's Body did not go to Heaven, nor never would : And belike, you do not belive that Chrift's Body is in Heaven, any more than the Quakers 5 and I know not how you fhould believe it, becaufe your God hath never a Body: So Chrift is none of your Fatherly God if he have a Body. Can a Spirit live andfublift without a Body •, where do the Scriptures fay, That God is a Spirit without a Body : Did not you learn your own Catechife, or if you did, have you forgotten? doth it not teach ( fay- ing ) to your Pupils, That God is a Spirit y Or a Jpiri- tual Suhjtancej mofi Holy, Wtfe^ Juft and Infinite, Now if it be fo, that God hath a Subftance, then he muft on neceffity have a Body : And if he be Holy^ .Wife, and Juft, he muft have a Perfon to poflefs his ravifliing Glory in, and yet to be of uncompounded fcx:t^. i.T. :. Purity. Is it not faid. That God was a Man of War ^ that (hews that he is in the form of a Man: Alfo Chrift told the P/'^rz/ej", That there was no Man per- fj?]!* V. i\. fe^ly Good but one, which was God. 3. Moreover, if your Soul can be more Wife, Juft, and Holy without your Body, then turn it out of the Body, and fee what Holinefs and Juftice it can Aft ^ 1 Cor. 6- 19 without its Body. But the Truth of Scripture is. That God had a R Tel. zi. 2:. Body and Perfon from all Eternity ^ a fpiritual Bo- &i. 4&:]o i.jy^ brighter than the Sun, more clear than Chrifti- al. T/?eMugglctonian Trifidptes'Pf evailing, a 7 al, and that is the Reafon why Mortality cannot be-®' «2. 10, 5. hold him as he is in his full Glory: If God was wil- ling at any time that fome of his Servants, the Pro- phets, Ihould behold him, he was compelled to vale his Glory, fo as that their frail Natm'e might be in a capality to behold him. And this we further affirm, That we can fooner find in Scripture, that our God hath, and ever had, a diftinft Body of himfelf, than you can find in Scrip- ture a Trinity of Perfons in one Godhead-, forif yo^ find Three diftincS: Perfons, then you muft find Three Bodies 3 and where then is your Spirit God become. 4. Again, is not the Scriptures clear, That the Fathers of old did fee God, and ever beheld him in^^^^'j^?' :• Form and Shape of a Man : Will you fay that God ^a 1^ ^ ' afTumed that Shape, and yet had no Shape of his own -John 5^. c, this is to make God a Conniver. Exod. 55. 13. It is no wonder, as I faid before, that you difpife John Reeve for faying that the Lord fpake to him to the hearing of the Ear ^ for you do not believe that God hath any Tongue to fpeak at all : ior^ fay you, a Spirit hath no Flefh, and hath no Body : For, fay you, Body and Spirit are Two contrary things. As tlie Scripture faith that God Jiath a Body, fo it djh, 7, 9. attributes to this Body, Hands, Eyes, Face, Nofe,^^^^^'-'o- »• Mouth, Ears, Arms, Leggs, Breaft, Heart, Back, |,.|';- ^^^"^^ tsfc. And yet muft he have never a Body, this isi'f'i. y^ 9 clearly to deny Scripture, for the Scripturian faith, ||^'^'.' ^^" ^* Hhat God hath a Eody^ but the Antefcripturian faith, that God hath neither Body, Parts, or Shape, but yet is an infinite vaft God, filling all things, and is in all f la- ces at one and the fame time, and fo can neither Affend nor Defcend, Come nor Go, hut is everywhere at once -, as your gr-eat Augufiin faith. E 2 This ■*» ' ' ■^\2 r-ii. 28 The Vluggfetonian Prwciples Trevailing. This is yours and the Worlds monftrous God; Are thofe the Men that are fo capable of Argument •, if we fhculd be as ignorant in the Scriptures as you, it were no matter if our Tongues ihould cleave to the Roof of our Mouths. I wonder you are not afhamed to pretend to Scrip- ture^ do you believe the Scripture ? Certain I am^ that there are many Doctors of your Church that doth net believe them at all ^ for inftance hereof ,there is one of your Doctors, namely Dv.More: This Man, in one of his Books, called his Cahila^ doth little lefs than give the Scripture the Ly ^ for treating upon the Creation of Man by -Mi9/6^j-, faith T/pat the Scriptures doth not alirays fpcak^according to the exatlnefs of truth. but according to their Appearance in Senfe and the vulgar Opinion 5 and he quotes Chrifojiim, Bernard, and Jqui- riusy as holding the fame things, and inftances it as to the Creating of Adam and Eve : Saying thus, God hath no Figure or Shape y alt ho Mofes faith he hath -^ he only permits the Ignorant and Vulgar People to Believe fo, it being his Prudence and Policy fo to do. Now is not this Odious, for what Prudence is it to Flatter, Difiemble, and ))eceive the People^ for muft Gods Prophets be but like Polititians of State, pretending one thing, and adiing another. Again, this Man brings in Mofes fpeaking thus-, God took^ofthe Duji of the Ground , wrought tt ivith his Hands into fuch a temper that it ivasfit to make the Body of a Man '^ -ivhtch ivhen framed , then comes near to tt with hfs Mouthy and breathed into his Noftrils the Breath of life. And ivhen God had made a Woman of one of AdamV Ribsy he takes her by the Hand , and brought her to Adam^ fo 'when Adam ivas awaked, he found his Dream to he true. The Muggletonian Prmciples Pre-vai/ing. op true, for he dream' d that God took^ d Woman out of him^ for Godjiood by him with a Woman in his Hand, Now it is true, fays this Dodor, Mjfes fpakes in this manner to fatisfy the rude Multitude, who was ever ready to think that God was in Forme and Shape as they were^ and thus Mcjcs complyed witii th^;r Humour, and permited them to belive fo^ yet, faith he, it is a ContradiBion to the Idia ofGod, to have Figure and Shape. Now what fay you to this, is not this giving Mofes the Lie ? Nfo/ex, you fee, would permit People to believe, That God was in the Form of a Man : - Now why will not you permit us to believe fo? Mofes did not count this Doctrine a mifchievous Principle, as you do^ but you, with thiS Man, fet your felves againft Mofes, and againft the Scriptures 5 they are counted no other than a Lie with you: Now it is clear by this, that many of you Doctors are flark blind Athills. your Proteftant Church is now grown as blind with Age, almoft as your Fathers the Papifts, and as Atheiftical as one of the Popes, who faid, that that Fable of Jefus Chrift had brought their Church great Riches : A.nd one of that Church faid to m.e, that the Scriptures were but balder da fh Stuff. Now as to that faying of Chrift's to his Difciples, That a Spirit had not tlejh and Bone as he had ^ it was only to inform them that there was no fuch Spirit as the World imagined, that could befeen, that had no Body; for Eyes of Flefh mud have a Subftance for its Objedt: Therefore faid Chrift, handle me and fee y for I have a Body ^ a Subftance of very tlefh and Bone -^ and they t^v..^ .^ felt, and believed him to be their Lord and God. For / - o Tlhe Muggletonian Prwciples Vre'vaiUng. For Chrift, from hence, would have them for ever after to know that all Spirits, whither of God, Men, or Angels, are always invifible^ for it is the Body that is viiible, for the Soul that is in it is always inviiible, which Spirit comprehends all vifi- ble things, yet cannot Live, Aft, or Operate with- out its Body. And fo much for that Principle. - Again, Page igth. you Reprefentor object againlfl that mod divine and mifterious Principle of God the Fathers becoming FleiTij and call this a DoBrme quite contrary to Scripture, and produce thofe Scriptures for Proof againftus^ namely, that God fent his Son made of a Woman ^ And the Word vp as made Flejhj but, fay you, there is not one Word, that the Father was made Flejh. CHAP. VIIL ANSWER. IT is confefled by us , that the Scripture faith, That God fent his Son, as alfo, that Chrijl came fe'io/iSr ofhimfelfy and that he laid down his Lifeof himfelf, Ep:\ T • 2> Now if he laid down his Life of himfelf, then where was the Father but in himfelf-, for it was his divine Spirit that was the Father, by which he could lay down his Life by that felf, and by that felf could take it up again; For God tranfmuteing his fpi ritual H.b. I. 3. Body into Flefli fo gained the Godhead and humane Nature together, and fo hath a' Twofold Self Humane and Divine. P Therefore, when he faith, he hath Vower of himfelf to 'i Titui 2. 14. lay down his Life, then he fpeaks as in Referance to his k T'he Mugpletonian Principles Pre'vailing. 31 his God-head 5 and when he faith, that he can of him- felfdo nothing, and the like, then he fpeaks as inifa.^^. 1^,21, relation to his Manhood : God then hideing himfelf ^j'^'^s- m that Manhood. Again, if it be granted, That Chrift is God and Man, then it muft be acknowledged. That where Qirift is, there the Father is^ and Chrift, affirms itjoh,, ,^. ■^.^. himfelf, faying, that he that had him ^ had the Father ^^'^\' i» -^^ and he that hadfeen him^ hadfeen the i at her, ^ '^^' ^* ^^ Now from all this, doth it not plainly appear, That he was the Father himfelf, as well as the Son : And John faith, that in the Beginning iras the .^^^ ^^ j^ Word ^ and the Word was vctth God: And this v^cife i.. Word was God 5 and that God, or Word became ^^^'- ^'*°' Flefh : Then furely that one God was Father as well as vSon, unle(s you can prove there were Two Gods, or with the Jriansy That Chnft was one with the Father in Union, but not in Eflence^ and if fo, then every Believer is as much God as Chrift is: But you have your Two Gods, one of which, you fay, took Flelh, the other did not-, here you divide the Sub ftance. What a Monfter do you here make of God^ for you had belore Chrifts Incarnation thofe Two Gods in Heaven, a Father Gody and a Son God-^ and that Son you fay, The Father Begot before all Worlds , and then Tfas hegot again in thts JVoyU--, fo your God the Sn was Twice Begot, or Twice Made: Is this good Sence, is this your Wifdom, is this good Divinity 5 nay, without all Cc^troverfy, this is quite contrary to Scripture, *and to fober Reafon alfo. ^-^^ ^^' >• For was there ever any more than one God, andifaiah ^^^'s. did not the Prophet Jfaiah fayj That God wotdd not give & 4^ ^ :. his Glory to another-^ and yet it is faid. That all ^^^Heb'r^/r Angels $ 2 The Muggl'v: tonian Principles Prevailing, p'f^'^^' ^y Angels of Godjhould Worfhip Chrift^ and that to him every Knee^fhould bow ^ and that not only in Earth, but Rc-< I 2 2. 6. in Heaven alfo : Who then could flhare with him, for o,mpa^'d «'///; lie yyas thc Lord God of ail the Prophets, teftih'ed by '^* the Angel unto fohn-^ which Angel bid 7^^^^ wor- fhip God J even that God of the Prophets, which was no other but Jefus Chrifl:^ Therefore it is faid,< / yefas have fent my Angel, and behold I come quicl^y,&cc. There is no other Go J to come, no other Father, ^]>\\v,2.2\. no Other Refurrcv^tion and Life, no other Name or z johny.^' ^'Power but Jefus Chrifl: our Lord, tho Men or An- Aas4. 12. gels fliould gainfay it-, as I have abundantly fhew'd in a Treatis intituled [_ None but Chriji, ] jjf.n 17. 3. Moreover, to profecute this Principle a little fur- ther here, becaufe it is our Life and Foundation Prin- ciple, and it is impolTible for any Man to be faved that fhall prefumptuoufly difpife this Doclrin of Je- fus being the everlafting Father after fo plain a Dif- covery. I am novv^ to inquire how you Trenitarians, Sojini- ansy and Jrians, bring Chrilt in for your Saviour ; You fay, That by the tall 0/ Adam all Men had incur- red Damnation, and jo ixere become God the Father s Debtors •, and the Father ftanding upon Jufltce irould not be Reconciled with them, without the full payment of that Debt, as Ltfe for Life. Noiv, fay you, the Father wa6 fo far pkafed as to fend his Son, to pay the full Debt : And, fay you, this Son came voluntarily and paid the Debt ', and by this jneans fatisfied the Wrath of his Fa- ther, andfo pur chafed your Life by his Ranfom. Wherefore, if it be fo as you Teach; That the Fa- ther is diftinfit from that Son, then are you not be- holding to the Father at all : For take this Similitude for the Eluftration thereof^ Suppofe, 1 owe a Man a 1000 The Mtigglctonian Principles Prevai Ung^ 5 3 a 1000 Pounds, or more, and I have not vpheremth to fay him, and he will not forgive me any of the Debt-, or I mufi either pay it all, or to Prifon ^ there to remain till I have paid the utmofl Farthing-, The Son of this my Cre- ditor fees the Strait I am in, Commifevates my Cafe-, Jtepsin voluntarily, arid pays the Father the full Debt, andfo fets me at Liberty, *Now in this Cafe, who am I mofi: beholding to, the Father, or the Son-, not to the Father at all, for he was for Juftice, and I wanted Mercy: The Son therefore was my Friend, and to him' only am 1 bound, and him only am I to Love, Serve, and Obay. This is the very plain Cafe-, it is the Son Chriftp^jj^ ,. 1 Jefus that all the Eled Seed of Adam are beholding Epiie. 6. 24. to, and not to any Father that either is, or ever \ ^Tm.t'X^ was diftintt from him: But the Father of Chrift was Revet. '^ 12. his own Godhead Spirit, which through his eternaU^E^^ ^^* ^* Love to the Seed of his own Body, was moved tOzjohn 9/^' change his Spiritual Body, ( which was his everlafting I<^'^" ^. §^- Son) into Fleih, to the end he might be capable to^^^' p/^; ^f* dye, and fhed his Blood for their Redemption-, asHcb. z. 14. alfo, that he might have Power to raife the Seed of the Serpent to a Second and eternal Death, for their Cruelty aded againft him and his Eled: Seed. Therefore his coming in Flefh was foretold by^^.^, Jfaiah, and all the other Prophets j and that the Son ^^" ^' that was to be born of a Virgin, fbould in lime be call- ed the mighty God, and everlafling Father: Now at this time this Prophefy is fulfilled, and by this Com- miiTion of the 5'pirit, he is both called and known to be the high and mighty God, and everlafting Father : This Scripture is poifitive, and ihall command all primative Scriptures to bow down to it, F Thus 34 T^^^^ Mogglctonian Trinciples Trevailwg. Thus the Scriptures are clear, to all that are a ppint- ed to Salvation, that Chrft Jefus is that one only, and alone true God, and everlafting Father : To this the Holy Patriacks agree, obferve their Teftimony, which is confonant toScripture^being grounded upon Enodi's Prophefy. Sim (liall be glorified, Vv^hen the great Lord God of IJJrael appeareth on the Earth as a Man to fave Adam-y for God "taking a Body upon him (namely of Flefli and Eone ) and eating with Men, fhall fave Men. Te fball fee God in the fljape of a Man ( fa id Zehukn) he i6 the Saviour, he w the f Father ^ of Nations -^ he that Belie-veth hi him {hall certainly Keign in Heaven^ faith Leiy and Judeth. God fliall appear and dwell amongft Men upon Earthy to fave Ifrael:, the Higheft lliall viht the Earth, eating and drinking as Man with ]V^an-, he fhall fave Ifrael: That is, God hiden in Man. At the laji Day ire fhall rtfe, e^very one of us, to hU own Scepter y faith Benjamin, IVorfhiping the King of Heaven, nhtch appeared in the bafe Shape of a Man ^j and as ma- ny as beheved in him fhall Reign with him at that time : And all faithful Men fhall rife again, and the Refidue to Shame, becaufe they believed not in God that came in the Fleih to deliver. Thus it is made Clear, That God the Father became Flefh^ but one Evidence more from i7^/7W,befor I con- clude this Point : He, in Admiration of his Lords I John 5. :. Love crycd out faying, O What Love the lather hath bejloired upon m, but the World k]^orveth him not, but ire kjioiv him. « Now, who was this Father of Love, w^s it any rther but the Apoftles Jefus ^ his following Words doth (hew it as clear as the Light -, faying thus, We, who ■^ ■ - , The Muggletonian Principles Trevailing. 3 c; who are his Apoftles do know him ; and we further know, that when [_He'] doth appear wefliall be like Jiim 5 for we fhall fee him as he is : That is, when ^'^'^- i- ^^^ he comes to change our vile Bodies, and make them like his own glorious Body, then fhall we fee himi as he is in himfelf, oneperfonal God Cloathed with Fleili afidBone, as a Garment of eternal Glory« this is the taith ( idixh John ) that makethFure^ and he whofe Faith abides in Jefus Chrift, that came by Water and Blood, hath the everlafting Father^ and he that holdeth this Faith finethnot: That is, he fineth not to Ad^ he may have the motion to Sin, but it preferveth from the Ad: 5 for that golden Grace of Faith crufheth that Co/Patrice Egg of the Motion of Sin, before it become a flinging Serpent, and fo Con- quers and Overcomes, This is the Doftrin of the Gofpel, and he that Imbraceth it hath the Father and the Son, where and i J hn ^o ^- to whom the Blefling and the Salvation of God-fpeed is given : This is the true God, and the Amen, and r Jo'^n r- ^o. all other Gods are Idols. ^ ^'^'^ ^^- '^• This is the Muggletoman's Principle, v/hich the Ante-Scrioturian calls a mifchievious Principle. Thus you curfe the true God, and defy the Holy one of Ifrael, chufing to your felf a God of your own lying Imagination. In Page ip. you further Obfed againft that Prin- ciple, how that the God-head dyed. This, fay you, is quite contrary to Scripture, which faith, God is Lnfnortal, a^^ that he hath Iminortaiiiy i. Tim. r. 17. & 5. 16. Alfo, you fay, That Mtiggleton teacheth, that the Soul of Man is Mortal y and turns to Duft : To this, fay you, the Scripture tells us, that the Souls of Men are alive after their Death. Matt. 22: 32. And, F 2 that 3 6 The Muggleconian Principles Tre*vailwg. that God is [aid to he their God after they are Dead Matt. lo. 28. Ayid that ire are not to fear them that can kill the Body and not the Soul, And that Lazarusy when lie dyed, went to Heaven, and Dives to Hell, Ijuke 16. 22. -J , ^ C H A P. I X. AN S jr E K, Ads io. iS. '^'^^ Scriptures, fay that God purchafed the Church mth his Blood: Now the Blood of Chrift was no other bur the Blood of God, and when he power'd forth that Blood, then did he power forth his Life ^ for Life lay in that Blood. Therefore it is faid Ithat he powered forth his Soulun- iieb \;.V-'^' ^(? Death y and that he offered up htmf elf through the eter- nal Spint: What is that, but that the eternal Spirit entered into Death, or palled through Death, in a Moment, into eternal Life s Death being too weak Coji. 2.9. to keep him under ^ fo that whatever Life was in Je- I Cor. 15. u- fus did enter into Death. Rsve!. I. ig. Therefore he that was the Alpha and Omega, the F/V/? and the Lafl, Was Dead, but is now Alive ^ and behold he now lives for ever more, and is that immor- tal only wife God, blelled for ever : So that we do I r\n\.6. 16, affirm , That God is immortal •, and we alfo know Rclcly'i 7] 8. ^^'^^ Eternity did become Time, for Flefh was in Time, and Time did become Eternity again. Now, in that you Teach, That God cannot dye ^ it is evident that you do not belive that Chrift was a- ny The Muggletonian Frinciples Prevailing. 37 ny God at all j fo that you Trenh avians y Jrians, and Socinians, you are all a like, and that you are no more Chriftians then they: For it will neceffarily follow, That if it were nothing but humane Nature, or Life in Chrift, that died, then the Death of any other Man had been equevolent to Chnft'^ Sufferings, and as Me- ritDrious as his 5 and fo your Spirit God, without a Body, might have faved you by fheding of any other Man's Blood. But the tipue Chrijlian doth know that no Blood can make Attononent fojr Striy but the moft precious and un valuable Blood of a God ^ to believe tliis, is to , . ^ ^ drink his Blood ; And to believe that that hlejfed Bo-^^^ ' ^"^^ dyofhk was no lefs then the very body of God, this is to eate ImflePo , fo that whofoever eats his flefhy and drinks his blood fo, hath by fo doing gained the full alfurance of Eternal Life y this is a ftanding Truth, and ftall prevail. But how is it polTible you fliould believe this, when as you cannnot believe that any Life dies at all 5 for fay you, The Soul of Man is alive after Death --, here your Ignorance appears very great for all your Learn- ing '-, Wheie did you ever find by Scripture, That the Soul of any man was ever altve mthout its body ? The Scripture no where affirms it, if rightly underftood 5 they are but old Wives Fables, or Monks and Fryers .forgeries, and heathenifh Principles from their ov/n blind Imaginations* As for thofe Sayings concerning Dives and Laza-^^y^^^ ^^^ riiSy 'tis but a Parable, and fo mufi: have a Spiritual meanings for Souls without Bodies have no Tongues, nor Eyes, nor Bofoms, as that Parable fpeaks of 3 but that Parable was only to fet forth the two Seeds here in Mortality, which is largely opened by this Commiflion of the Spirit. And 5 8 The Muggletonian Fritfciples Trevailing. And as to Chrift fpeaking of God being the God of the livings and not of the dead, it was fpoken to the Sadticesy who denyed the Refurredion •, therefore Chrift fhews that there was a neceifity of a llefur- Aa 1. si.reftion, feeing that Abrahaynj Ifaac, andjfacob^ and the and 13. 3'''-yq{\ q{ ^\-^q Prophets were dead, and their Sepulchres are with us at this day s and if God do not raife them again to that Glory their Faith was pitched upon, then was he the God of the dead, and not of the living, in that all dyed to him inftead of living to 'him. And as to that faying, Fear not theyn vphich can kill the body, tffc. That is, fear not him that may kill both Soul and Body by a natural death, but rather fear him that hath an abfoiute power in himfelf to flay both Soul and Body with an Eternal or fecond Death. Moreover, when the Scripture faith the body dies, doth not that include the foul, or natural Life? What have you your natural Learning for, but to underftand the natural fence of words ? Do you not find, that that which our Tranilation calls body, the Greek calleth fouls ? as Numb, 6. 6. there it is faid, 7hat hefhall come at no dead body^ m our Bible ^ but after the Greek, your own Dodiors read thus , He jhall come at no dead Soul, Gen. 2. 17. Is it not faid, That man iras^nade a living fotd ? And was not the threatning charge given out, that that Ezck. 18. i^foul that finned, that foul j\)ould dye ? and yet fay you, ▼erf, 2c. ^j^g CquJ cannot dye. Now that which the National Miniftry do make a ground of the Immortality of the foul, is to ail fpi- ritual wife m.en, an evident proof of its Mortality 5 as where it is f-didjo fuch aonedyed,and iras gathered to his people '^ now whether is it, that they were gather- ed but into the grave ? As for inftance, fee 2 Kings^ %i. 20. It The Mugglctofiiaii Trwdphs Trevailing. ^f If the Soul can enjoy Heaven without its body, what matter of a Refurrection ? but it is certain that ^^^:j- 4- the Scriptures affirms the contrary, and that there ' ''^•^•^4- can be no Salvation without a Refurrection. When God fhall raife the dead, he hath his Angels -'^-m?- 4'- attending to gather the Saints together, as God raifeth J; ^"^^ \\\ them-, neither Gerfeciiti-fOen. 3, r>% on, lofs bf Goods, and Death natural -, the other ^"'--^^^.^o. having his Head bruifed by the Saints Weapons of War^ which reacheth to a fecond -Death. And this Devit that was caft down, was the Fa-i jehi^^,,^ thei: df'Ci^/«^ from whence all Wickednefs and Cruel- ' ty h^th flown-, for C!i//« was the very Eirji-born of that Devil , and the fulfiefs of that Serpent- Angel' s-God-Head lived Boddily in; C«/>iV and fuch of his Seed, that have in them a great Share of that piercing Reafon, Of God'head-powery became potent Angels, Lords and Governours of this World, it being given to that Seed •, and they labour in this their Kingdom, to imi- tate the grandure of that Glpi'y -thei4'UFathery the fallen Angela had before his Fdlly arid to GoniB as near to it as poflibly they can. ' "m Uu ^^s^ir^A ,... : And here it is, That the Prophet E^i^^^se'/'coyftparesE^ek. 2.9- 3. Pharaoh King of Egipt to tho great red Dragmii' Arid the Ajfman Monarch was (aid by the- P¥'opiiet,~i fo he in Dignity, F Giver, Glory and ButyyVliJ^^ unto his Fa- ^ ther the Angel before his Tranfmutatian into Fkjhy when^^^^' ^'' ^* he walked once in the Garden o/Eden, being greater than rvere caHed-after his Name yYjiQV^hQV the- Sun ofthe^Mor- nihg : And tliey are faid by the Prophet IJaiah, To be '^'cdfi'dqwt^ from Heaven^ which could not be, if they ^^'^ G had Ifa. 1 4. 12. 4» ^Z«k;2 8. 3. 7be Muggfctonian Principles Trea/ailing. had not proceeded from tlie fallen Angel. -> 1^ And ^s they were caft down from Heaven in that Angela even fo they were for exalting their Thrones above the Stars, and to be like unto Gods which d®th (hew. That they were evil Kings, and evil Beafts For good Kings, and fucli as proceed not from Cain, they are not • for exalting themfelves.fo high, as to that Heavenly Throne of judging of Mens Faith ^ndCofifcience 'j neither will they tiranife over their Subjeds, but do Juftice according to the Law. But to the Matter aforefaid. . ^ ... ^ . The great Kmg of Tyru^, feems to out-top all the foregoing Kings with Angelical V^vhOdon s for he is faid to ue die very anointed Cherub himfelf-j he having as great a Share of that loft Glory as his fallen Na- ture could afford him^ for that Angel that he pro- ceededfrom was a Cherub^ which was the higheft Or- der oi Angels*^ and this King was of the higheft De- gree of Wifdom, Buty, and Glory: And therefore ^"^^^^•'^' his Perfections was fuch, as that he was faid to be Wifer than Daniel y by which Wifdom he had goten him Riches of Gold and Silver in abundance 5 as al- fo in his Kingdom all forts of cunning Arts and Si~ ances, and a great Merchant, mighty in Traffick; All this from his Father the Angel, Therefore, faid the Prophet to this Prince^ 7hou haft been in Eden, the Garden of God-j every frefious Stone vpas thy Covering 5 yea, the Tabret and the Pipe was prepared in thee in the Day that thou rvaft Created : This was not Adam, but the Angel, &c. Again, Thou art the anointed Cherub *^hat coverethy -and I have fet thee fo. (^ Again, faith the Prophet ^ Ihou vpafl upon the Holy Mountain cf God, and haft voalk^d in.fh midft, of Stones of Fire : thou n>aft: perfeil m 43 in thy WayrJrO^tU Wdfmu i^a]^ ^CreMB^m '^/^«/. Vcrft-^.^. if ty ivhfomdin theer&ou hafi corrupted thy Wifdomy by reafojief tk/ Brighnefs.'': . lav^f/'obd .h^^'^^ ^w^mCi?> .r.Kow. can this Pririce of ReWbn, ifa exalted^ be de- rived from any other Roote, but that Angelicd R^ prohate, That ivascdfi dovphftomHeanjen. for his^Phde, in thofe hk great Perfe^ionl: Therefore his Wifdom is ^^^^^^ faid, to excel Danielitr'/And fa it might, be ifeid 'to excel -M^'s too. .^v^^i c^4i rrifibA tiivV^ ^^bIi^ov Therefore thefe Prince? are hot related ti:^ -4^i;», but to that Jng^ly that corrupted his Wifdom of pier- fing Reafonj for had his Wifdom flowM from Faith's Nature, it could not have Corrupted it felfv but the Wifdom of Reafdn is fubje(ft to Sin : Yea, Reafon it *^ felf, (tho fo noble a Nature, and fplendant, if not upheld by that Power that Created it ) is Sin it felf j and- here is the Off^ffringmARoot of all flefhiy Glory : So that, that which is adored for a God is damned for a Devil If this ^es Offence^ Iicmmt:helf h i But to -proceed. 'irjo to t^V Again, Whereas you, ( the Oppofer of ithe AT «^- £/e/M/^wj' Principles > fay V Firft, JyEv?; rCaiil vpoa of Adam*j iegetmg^ And tJ^n Secondly, Ihat^ all Qain'^ Off'fpriHg perijhed h tie' Flood : Theie ive both abfo- Jutely falfe ; For, ' :' firfiy It i3 evident. That Adam never begot Cainy neither do the Scriptures affirm it, if rightly under- wood: For thdJk&y^j- faith, That Adam knevp Eve ^^Gcn.4. r> W/fe, and Jhe conceived and bare Cmn-f yet ik&yei doth not fay. That (he conceived Cmn of Adams Seed: And therefore in Ithe very next Words after, Mofes^ hath thefe Words C J;2rf ft?^ again hare his Brother khtt^'^'^x^^ i> Without mentioning a Word of his . knowing of her after^^ and this was to keep the Seeds of afpiring Rea- G 2 foa (pmvL riie Gjarfe -^^for :j&&e had Idnceived tain of the S'fr/7e«^ ^^^^^/, before ever Adam knew herr>-.and that H-u*and,..- t^rb irjf! ,/;too;i -j-jrho {fif: fT'oil /jovii i ]oiin 3. li. c^^Agaiuy:^ T(Df dear ffiisfufdier, Doth not. th^ Apo- .^^:^^\t''JohiSky\ \thai Cmh was from that Serpent- Angel; mhkhhe mils by the name af^ick^d om, Kow dare you fay , That Adam iva6 - that Wicked .ons, from ,whe>he (as fohh Mth) the Spyit of Cmxjpmng\: iSure- fym\ for that were Wickednefs indeed. to Men that profefs Scripture.^ ^ ,:r!h t^i! Furthermore, Ga^n and S^^lr; a Itho they-$re faid to ?4att. I. i 5. i]^e Brothers^ . yet. their Brotherhood fcomes biAt/by tte 'Mother's fideyi'dv^en as it ijSi^pparent, that Hely and Jfacobf tHe Two Jattrihuted p$thejs of Jofeph^.xX-\Q ^Yhai- l}aiid>o£iter)'^ ';were Broriiers by the Mi^tl^eV's fid^/th t^^r^Now it is wjorthhAMirihdiiig here^ TJlmt j^V^^ ' ^btild^not 'b© the natiMl S^. of both tfiofe^Men'^T for obferve in the Gemalogy of our Saviour, J\'LzttMw -tf\2ikQ%Maiban to be the FatJier.of J^c^^, ^r\d Jacob '\the 'Father^ of^ Jofeph\: But huk§ xm^os^MdcJH tfae Fa- Lukc 5. 23. • tter -bf i/rf^) ind He/)' the-Fadier of 7^^/^- -■- ■'''Now here is a diffei^nt Race^ for Jacob y the natu- ral Father of Jofeph^ he proceeded from Solomouy but i/f/y fprung from Nathan^ ^nd yvasjpfeph% Fatheir by Law or Title, ' but not by Nature. ■ Therefore, as Heiy was the fuppofed : Father to Jo- ■Jephi and Jofeph the fuppofed JF^^^f/ of Chrijl-^^ even fo was Adam no more than the fuppofed Father of Cain •, nay he is no where called the father of Cam,. not in :dl the Scriptures : But on the contrary, that Cain's Father, vjas called that Wielded pm, ov Devil-:, for Hoicked one and Devil are both of one figniiication. See and Compare, 7lf/^/M 3.1 p. Lul^eSAi.Mark^/^.!^, Therefore »«>- IJieKliiggletoKian Prhiapks Pte'vailhigi 45' ^^;^ier^re it is without all Controverly, That Ad- ^i>i was not that Wicked One ^ Satdn, or Devily that be^Ot Cain : N^y your own Dodor Jinfer, upon &me^/Mth, that xl^m was fro?n the Devil i, and he- citeth fom& of . the Hebrew Dodtors for Proof of the l^.tie': Saying, 'that they Teach how that Cain rvas born of the Filthy and Seed of the Serpent ^ which vpas coT^iyed into Eve: And that one Menacham\ a Jew- ifli:Rabi faith/ jT/^^^a/i^o this World there cleaveth the fidret Filthinefj of the Serpent, which came upon Eve^ and becaufe of that Ftlthinefs Death is come upon Adam, &fc. But no more of this here, having w^rote largely upbnit in a-Trditis Intituled, truth's Triumph^ or the WiPiicp t(y thdTmWiheffesy which may fome time come to pubiick'vrew. &c6>^;/^/y,j as it 1$ proved that , Ji^;?i did not beget (T^ir- -fo'fr is'fdft for you to fay, that all CainV mngpjjKJjhed-ifi 'the Floud. [, Now you that affirm this, williincfittothecoiitrary', for if that had been fo asjoufay, then there would be no Damnation for anythat ha.ve been borne fince. ^ .^But tho Cain was dead, and moll of his Off-fpring,Q^^^ ^. ^^.g^ }^(^'4iis Seed was aliye in curfed Ham 5 fo that the 3- M' cowpa^ Curfe^iven to the Serpent-Angel in the Womb ofj^^"^, g, .^^ Eve run in a Line, even from Cain to Hani, and fo to 20. ti^omael-ax^ Ffau, ' and fp on to the end of the World : ^^"^' 3 ^ • 5. ; ¥or aldio Ham was begot by Noah, a good Man, and ; aji ele£t VefifelC yet w^as not Hain of that good Seed^ for 'Noah had in Iiini Two Seeds, as all Menelfe have, fincQ .the SoiiA of God faw the Daughters of Men y andQ.^^ ^, . took^them Wives of fuch as were the Seed c?j Cain : And ■fo theSeed of-J^^;?zand that Seed of Cain, through Copulation, did perticipate of each others Seed 3 and which Seed is uppermoft in Conception, that Seed ^^'^'^ '3- 57^ • - grows li' \6 ihe Mugglctonhn Prhiciples Trevailing. Watc. Id. 37 -grows to be Lord over the other ^ and fo a Man comes to have \m Denomination according to the l^redo- minancy of his Seed : And thus it was with liatn], for Cain'^ Seed was predominant m Hams Con^ ception. John 8.^8. ''^^ ^^ ^'^^ ^'^^'^ ^^^^^ J^^^^ ^'^^^ boafted themfelves ^i- i.7'44* ^^ h^oi Abraham: And tho they might be Abraham^s Seed according to the Flefh, yet Chrift branded them for Devilry telling them, That the Devil was their Fa- ther : Which was no other than Cainy being the firft Lverand Murtherer. Now, fronvhence, all fober Men may fee, that a Devil and a Saint is all one to you y for you can find > but one Scripture Seed ^ for God and Devil, Heaven and Hell, Saint and Sferpent, with you come all from one Root. Now, feeing it is fo with you, I would advife you to leave off playing the Hipocrite, and forbear tel- ling your Hearers, That ayiy.of them will he Damned x For if there be but one Seed, and that Seed tlie Seed of Adamy then all will be faved •, fo deal jplainly to your People, and Preach to them genefaf Redempti- on, and prove it from VauVs Words, where he faith, 1 Cor. 1 5. 22. 2>^^^ ti5 in Adam all dye, fo in Chrifi Jhall all be made alive. But will yea, or nill yea, this we muft tell you, Rom. 9. 17. 2Xj^ there is a Seed, namely Cain and his Oif-fpring, ^*^'^^* that never fell in hA^m^ but in the Serpent- Angel, and 2. Pet. 1. II. j-^ ^y^ uncapable of ever being Redeemed by Chrifi : For i TrniVi/^*. when on Earth, he never prayed for them: For tho Matt. 18. 1 1, he wonld have all Men faved, yet it is but all thofe Rom.^ l%t ri'iat fell in Adam, that he hath any fpirituai Salvati- on for. This •«■ .'il The Muggletoiiian FrincipleJ frevailmg. 4 7 This is that which makes that Seed fret themfelves, and call it a mifchevious Principle^ and it will prove ^^^^ s* »?• jTad to that mifchevious Man that Condemns true Prophefys and the true Believers thereof^ as like- wife, that juftifieth the Seed of the Wicked to be the j.-^ , ^^ Seed of A^n^ who was the Seed of God, Tour farther Accnfation Kiws thu r. In Tag, 20. You fay, That there is a Devil diJlinB from Man y and rvould Jeem to prove it from that T>qy\\ that tempted Chrift *, which you would have to he a bo^ dily 'Spirit J and you feoff at wicked Imagination being the Devil ; And from hence you query from that Scrip- ture , ^ikf^r^ 5. 4. Saying, Doth Imagination breal^ ijhains, &c. And that their affirming, that Ely [hould be ChriftV Reprefentative ; This you call all Fable^ CHAP. XL A N S W EK. IF you will have a Dm/ without a Body, you muff go feek out a new-found World, to find out your unknown Devil : The Works of this Devil are ma- nifeft, and yet you cannot know him •, for is there any Wickednefs in this World but what flows from tliat Carnal Spirit of Men and Women^ who is a ^}^^'* ^^-^^ Kingdom of Wickednefs in that%to or Bodies of Gat";' ^^'^' theirs ^ for it is the Heart where the Court is kept, and is the only NuflTery of all evil Spirits conciv'd there by Imagination, ' ' Oh! i^.. 4^ The Mugglc conian FnncipUs^ Frevatliv^. Oh! the depth of this Imagination in this its^ bot- tomlefs Pit, and the uncleannefs of the fame ; Do but compare Scripture, and in it we may find a very hm ^' '^' 6 ^^^^'D^^^il • ^^'^ ^^^ Imaginations af Mans Heart, (faith iiaialiji.V.' God) arc Evil y and continually Evil: What's that but jci.i;.^. the Devil. And hath not this continual Work its firft Formation in the Heart, being its ou^n Wo{;k from its ow^n Seed ^ and its Worke is in this manner foUov^ing. For this is to be minded, That as the Spirit of Faith in the Heart of Man, is the Womb or Mother, for the Revelation of Faith to beget a Son out of the Seed of Faith. ■ . So likewife the Seed of Reafon is the Womb or Mother, for Imagination to beget a Son or famiiier Spirit, for all evil Spirits are conceived in the Heart : g£ 2. 1 $ i6> If Envy be conceived, then Murder is brought forth 5 James 4. i. if Lufl becouceived, then Adultery is brought forth -, and if a familiar Spirit is conceived, then it brings jcr. 23. 1^. forth fuch a Spirit as fpeaks forth Motional Voices^ and ifaiah. 8. i^. }f by j^s Transformation into Angelical Light, then Dcur. 18. ^° as falfe Prophets, it produces Vilions, Revelations, and internal Voices within them: Now this familiar Spirit is nothing elfe but a Witch ^ fo that when it — Eph. 6. M, Motions forth Spiritual or Religious Matters, then it becomes fpiritual Witchcraft, and when it Motions forth upon a Temporal Account, then it Iiecomes na- tural Witchcraft : The one or other of thefe Witch- crafts almoft all the World lies under. Therefore it follows, That this familiar Spirit that is begot by Imagination, doth fonietimres producefuch a Voice in it felf, as if fome Spirit without them did appear to them without Bodies, and Reveal things to ^ s ^8 ^hem, as it was by the Witch of Endor, and as 5*^- '^*^' ' ' ^' muel /poke in Sauh Confience. r ' *' ^r^a^ ' This This hath been a common thing in all Ages, and Gilt of Confcience can quickly quine an Obje6t, and produce a motional Voce^ thinking it is without the Body, whenasall is but from the Famihar Spirit, And when this Familiar Sprit y or new begot Wtf- dom is quickened in the e^^il Hearty it grows from Strength to Strength, from one degree of Knowledge jf^;^^; ^2'''' to a further degree of evil Knowledg and evil Wif- dom, Creating to it felf fuch things as God never Cre- ated ^ as an immortal Soul, or Spirit, without a Body : And it hath made it fo, as that it can appear in any Shape, Form, or Likenefs, whether k be God, Man, Devil, or J«gJ: AUaremade Spirits without Bo- dies, Alfo it hath Created to it felf, fuch a Devil as can »?/?/)!? into Man, and out of Man, at his Pleafure: And when Sin is Commited, then all the Evil is char- ged upon that boddilis Devil : And yet Men muft be hanged for Murder, whenas, they fay , it is a bodilis Devil that is the Murtherer, or temps to Murther. And more then this, the Devil muji be chained in Hell-fire -, and yet a bodilis Spirit, and in all places at one time, where he can tempt all the World to Sin, and yet no body can fee him -, and yet he is in Hell-fire in Chains, but may be called out at the Pleafure of a Witch: This is the Worlds Bugbare Devil, and the pitchy Darknefs all the World lies under. Thus we fee what Fruits the Imagination of Reafon brings forth : And whereas you fcoffingly ask, whether ^^rk $. ^. Imagination breaks Chains, pointing to that faying of • the Gofpel. Here you fhew your /^f2or^«c^, that cannot diflin^ guijh between Devils in Nature, and Devils produced by Accidents in Nature : Nay, you know nothing at H all. s4 ^ o T^^^ Mugglctoniaii Principles Trcvdiling. all, of neither the one nor the other, and fo make no difference of their ABions, For tho Dijiempers in nature are devilifhy yet not damned Devils : For this we find, that Chriji never called dijlradied or rnad Men Devils -^ for thefe may come through fome extraordinary Fright ^ Griefs or Lofs ^ and iu fome may increafe to that ftrength, as^cO break Iron Chains : F6r having broke the Brainy the Seat of Keafon is quite out of order, and fo makes them more ftrong then when their Reafon was in Order. And Chrifl never Judged and Condemned thefe, but caft thok fiery Dtflempers, and dwtlijh Difeafes out, and reftored them to their right Mind. So that it is not the Dtflra^led or Unreafonable tJiat Chriji Condemned, but the Learned^ and SenJibkydiAA Frudent Man 5 even fuch as commit Murder for Confci- ence fakey and condemn true Prophejy, from tlieir con- ceated Wijdom of high-flown piercing Reafon: This is evident throughout all the Scriptures, efpecially in Mark z. 6, -j-{|g Learned Scribes and Pharifeesy Who held a Counjely Matt, z^? •'l andReafoned in themf elves hovp they mjght intrap Jefus Luke 20» 5, in his Words. And that Devil that tempted Chrifl, he was one bf them, and no fuch bodili5 Devil as your Reafon hath created to it felf, that fliould carry Chrift up to the Pinacle of that outward material Temple in Jerufalemy no,, no : But againft all your Wifdom of Reafouy we affirm, thxt he was a Man-Devily being a hearned Scribe, well Read in Scripture, and could argue the • fame from this Pinacle of his fubtil Pa^e ^ but Chriji repulfed his Scripture Argument with Scripture again, faying, It is writteuy thou jloalt not temp the Lord thy Gody but him only thou jhalt ferve. New i The Mugglctonian Prwcfpks Trevailt'ig. £> t Now where ^N^% this Scripture written j was it not in Dent. 6. 13,16? Andwas it not 23?me«to Men in- dued with the Wifdom of Reafon ? It was not vpriten to a ^^^/& Devil '^ for Z^^?^//^ Devils do not commit Mr^r- ^er, Adultery^ or tempt Gcd, it is M^^i that doth all this 5 and it was to Man that the Law was given, and , fo the Law faith, Thoufhalt not Tefnpt the Lord ^^^Deuc.4.^13'. r^. Gody 06 your lathers tempted him : And again, Toufloall?Li\. 78. 18 & not corrupt your/elves, 4«-5 - Now, from what is here faid, it muft needs fol-jamcs I. 14. low, that if Pride^ Envy. Luft, Covetuoufnefsy and Hi- ^^^'J'J' ''' pocrijy be the Divels in Mew, are not Men and Women thofe Df^'/// that are brought under the Power of thoit Evils: When the Apoftie faid , That, the Devil Jhouldcajifojneofthem Saints into Prifon-:, the SaintSRcvci. i. ig. were not caft into Prifon by Devils that had no Bo- dies. Therefore lay not your Brats at other Mens Dores, John 6. 70. but charge your own Souls home with the Evil you^^^ ^^lo,"^' do 3 For 06 it k Man's own Soul that Sins, fo it is his ifaiah 3. 9! own Soul that muft fuger. This will prove true, and fo will that of Mofes and Eliasy altho you call it all E^We- : For why will you ty God up to your Imagination of curfed Reafon> Is anything too hard for God to do, when his divine ocr^. 22, i^. Wijdom moves him to it? Did not he Swear by him- felf, to himfelf, what he propofed to do? And maypr^i g, ^-. he not, by the fame Rule, change his own glorious Fi^H- 2. 7, s. Condition into Flelh-, and having humbled himfelf tohimfelf, may he not caufe his Humanity to Prayjoi-.n 17 5 19. and Cry unto his Divinity within him, or to hisfpi- ^^^^^'^^:f'^ ritual Charge, committed unto his Angels, without Luke 54. ^.^' him, for a further Manifeftation of his unferchable ^'^ts .. :o. Power in Shame and Weaknefs, as well as in Power ^''''^•^'* ^* and Glory. , H 2 Is * 5 2 The Mugglctonian Frhciples ? retailing. Is it not writen, How that his Angels had given them a Charge to watch over him? And did not Mofes and Elias do lb, from his Birth to his AfTention? Aifo is Mm. 4. '\' ^^ "^^ written, That John the Baptifl came in the Spi- Maii.4'. \'. rit and Power qf Elias? Which is plain that John the M3CM7.i2.3.Baptift had liisCommiiTion from EUaf, for there was none greater in Heaven then Elias was at that timab; for God was then on Earth, eating and drinking with Man as Ivtan, as was before faid. Thus much may ferve to fatisfy all fober Men, who will not violently oppofe plain Scripture. Again, you further obje6t againfl: that Saymg of theirs, where they affirm, That no one ever did declare the Knowledge of the true God, in his Form and Nature, 05 they have done. Now, in Anfwer to this, fay you, There was Sabu- lus and Noetus held hut one Per/on in the Diet}, called by different Names: Thefe, youReprefentorcallBro^c>&- ers of our Do5lrin, which you judg fo mifchevious. C H A P. X[[. ^ A U S HE K. IF thefe Bifhops of Sahulus and Noetus taught fo, they were in the right of it, and they might hint at Truth, but they wanted a full Revelation^ for it was not Revealed to them as it is now, and thefe Two Prophets never read any of their Writings, nei- ther do I think that there is any of them, that are truly theirs, in being : We have the Prophets and Apoftles The Miigglc tonian Frincip!es Fn vailing. ^ 3 Apoftles Writings through Providence^ to fheW that Chriftwas tlieonly God, altho they were very fpa- ring in tiieir Proof how God became Fiefh, to what this Commiilion doth, and Vvhtrefore^ why, becaufe the Miftery cf God was not to be tinilhed f according to John) until the Days of the Voice of the Seventh . Amy- Angels founding of his Trumpet, or Miniftry 3 ^^^^^' ^^•7- namely the Q^ak^rs : And Sabalus and Noetm were before the founding of the Firft Jnty-Jngel, the Fa- pji with Power. Sabalus the Bifhop being about Two hundred Years after Chrift, and Ncetm was Contemporary^. with him \ fo that this being in the time of the Ten Per- fecutions, there was Truth then in the World, and a Trinity of Perfons in one Godhead had not got Footing at that time during the Ten Perfecutions. But after Rehgion was fet up by Emperial Power, then Btfhops were chofen out of Learned and Philofo- phical Men, and Churches (as they called them) builded, and Riches given for their Support •, then were Sinods and Counfels called^ to eftablilli Error and formal Worfhip, and to fupprefs Truth : That was eve;' without outward Pomp and Glory, Thus was Noetus and Sabalm's Dodrin Judged Herefy, both hy Trenitarian and Jrian-j and tho they Curjed, Excojnmumcated, and Condemned each other, byfeveral Counfels^ 05 tf Hell was broke loofe-^. and' fo • it was for the Thoufand Years time after Satan s Binding was ended, as foon as the Ten Perfecutions Pvevei. 10, were over, for then the Devil went forth to deceive the World with falfe Worlhip, as John declareth. The Jriany being but as a Branch fprouted out of the Roman Catholkky altho in Conjianjim's Days, and fome tinie after a very great Branch, infomuch that the Mate. 27. 38. "P2). T/ji? Miigiilctonian Vrir:apJcs Fre^vjili/JQ. the Catholicks could not then bofi of Number , for in the Counfel of Jriminum and Seloicia there was 560 Btjhops, the gre^j;eft Convention that ever was known, and yet they Decreed the Jrian Faith : So that will you Catholrckj fay. That Number is an Ar- • gument of Truth. But whichfoever of them that got the Emperor 6i their fide gained Power over the other ^ fo that both of them, altho they perfecuted each other with dead- ly Hatred, as they got uperjnoft in Power, never- thelefs they could agree together, to kill Chrift in his Members, and to tread the Holy City under Foot, of innocent minded Men and Women, by their Pe- Rcvci. [I. r. ^^j Laws, that could not bow down to their out- ward Formalities and Antkhriflian Principles : Thefe were as Two Thieves that Trtuth was Crufified be- tween. Now thefe Catholkks prevailing, and they having, not only the Scriptures ordered by the Emperor Con- flantine to be Tranflated into their Tongue, but like- wife their learned Counfels coUevSed and gathered into a Heap, and all the other Writings of preceding Bifhops: Then muft them Books and Traditional Reports be viewed by the Learned, now made Bi- ihops, and what Agreed and Aquiefl with their Principles w^as counted Apoftolical ^ and what did hot agree, was rejected and counted Herefy 3 or elfe they Tranflated them falfly, playcing down lome things of their Sayings, and leaving others out that made againft them. . And when any Man was by thefe eftablifhed Bi- 'fhops Judged or Accufedfor Herefy, tho he lived be- fore their Days, then all his Books muft either be Currupted or Burn'd 5 for they muft be made to fpeak quite Revel. 2. 2, , The Mugpjctonian FrwcipJes Frezfailifjg. 5 5 quite contrary to what they did in feveral things, on purpofe to make thofe Autliors the more Con- temptible : For it was ever fo, that all that are Non- CommifiTionated Minifters of God, andfuch as head an Anty-Church, are for hideing Truth from the People, as the Papijls do the Scriptures, to the end Shey may keep up their flefhly Honour •, fo that there is but little known and received in the World at this Day, as well as heretofore, but the univerfal common Opinion. Therefore it is, that your National and Traditional Churches doth fo found forth their own Triumphs, raife heaps of Authors of the Firji Centimes, as agree- ing with their Catholick^ Principles •, Crying Jntiquityy Church-Ftf ability J famous Men av^e on our Side, &c. When as the Truth ont is, all is hut Clamour and Noife-^ for many of your Authors are meer For- geries and Lies, 1. There be feveral Books that have the Name of fuch Mens Works, as were never their Works 3 as jfbdyus Bifhop of Babilon, is faid by fome of your Ca- talogue Makers to live in the Days of Chrift , others fay that he knew their great Church-Hiftorian Fgiji- pus, that lived near Two Hundred Years after : Now the one of thefe muft be a Ly 5 and they make the Subftance of this Book to be of curious Talk with Bodilis or Infernal Devils, which is a mear Roman Forgery, ' 2. Therels alfo that which is called Saint James the Apoftles Leturgie, which hath a Prayer in it for all that live in Monaftries, and yet there was none built of fome Hundreds of Years after the Apoftles Days. 3. And 1) 5 (5 The Mnggl'. ton tan Vrvicipks Vrez^iiiifm^ 5. And that Egijipti^^hdovt fpokcn of, hath Five B'doks under his Name :. But it is faid byfomeofyour Church Writers, that Jmbrofe thin Roman-Church- Bijhcp ( who lived in the Year 380.) was not only the Traflator, but'the Author of them Books ^ which is like enough, for he was not chofen Bifhop for his Goodnefs, but for his Greatnefs:, even as one of tl:^ Dukes of Savoy was chofen Pope for his Greatnefs fake, as your Church Hiftory doth fhew. 4. Thefe Corruptions have been very Common, and vdl*y Antient •, for DioniJiu6 Bifhop of Corinth^ who lived about the Year of Chrifl: Two Hundred, complained fadly of his being abufed in this Nature : Therefore, faid he, in one of his Books f if that Book was his) 1 7vrotefevefal Epiftlcs, hut the Me/fengers of Satan hath fown them vpith lares , pullmg away fome things J and puting to other fome^ for whom ( faid lie ) Condemnation is laid up. And as there was thefe Forgeries and Corruptions aforefaid, fo like wife there is many of your other great Authors which you would make Apoflolical, and yet they do not agree with. you in feveral things that you quote them for ^ nay fome Difterences are fo great between you, that I wonder you donot^Con- demn them for Hereticks, as for Example. T. Turtulyony who lived in the time of the Ten Per- fecutions^ being a great Hiftorian, and by your Church counted famous, did not much contend for Bifhops, nor much valued Ordination-, but faid. That Lay- men were Priefisy and gave this Reafon for it ^ faying, That after Faith is Received^ then Man lives by his Yaith, and that ¥aith, laid he, becomes Chrifl's Vicar -^ and from hence he concluded that Three Believers will m ike a Church, He The Milgghtonhn Principles Frez^aiUng^ ^7 He alfo denyed ChiUrens Baptifme 5 aad therefore, faid he, Why haflneth this Innocent Age to the RemiJJton of Sins J vpe ate niuoh more wary In worldly Things ^ Is it 'meet we fhould tdmmit the Sacrament of Baptifme ^ rvhich is d divine Things mtd'ihhn tte vcould not commit the Things of this Earth : He alfo condemned Second Mar- lyageSj and much more Perftcution for Confience: Ail thefe things are quite contrary to you. 2. Irinim y^iWio^ of Lyons ^ who, it is, faid, knew 'Ignafm and Policarbusy yet he" held and tought, the Souls Mortality. 3, And ynfiinm, who lived in thofe Days, you cannot deny but that he did both hold and teach, That God was iyithe: jForrri 'of a Man from all Eternity, '4. And further,' There was never a one of all thef:^ aforefaid, that held a Trinity of Perfonsin one God- Head •, No not Ore^en himfelf, whom your Church _ doth fo extol, aftho he turned Apoftate, and denyed the Faithjand Sacrififedto Devils,to fave hisLife^ but what is he fo cry'd up, both by Papift and Proteftant, for ^ is it not for his lofty Stile, and philofophical Notions, and in that he would make his Divinity to ftoop unto his Philofophy ? For he held with FlatOy I. The Souls Infuji on y and tought that all Souls ivere made together y andfent down from Heaven to he Imbodyed, 2. He Tought, That after ire rife again^ ive fhall have all need of Baptifme to purge U6 cleim. jly. He in one place condemned Second Marriages ^ and in another Contradi^s it again, 4ly. He Tought , that Devils were BodiliS'Spirits ^ and alfoy that all Devils would he faved at lafi, Thfs fure is it.that pleafes you at a Haire. But as to his DoftriA (Concerning God, that can- not pleafe you fo well, for the Arians dialling him to be for them, and therefore they fay, That Oregen I denyed •JS. 1 8 The Muggletonian Ftincipks Trcvailwg. denyed 7'/;^^ the Son was to he Adored or Prayed too 5 for he ky faith Oregen^ not the Author y but the Procurer of the good things of God : So that we pray not to him, but to God for his fake. And Augufiin your Saint_ produces this as Oregen's Opinron: concerning God. And thus much as to your great Apoftoligal Fathers, as you call them, wJio lived in the time of the T^i Perfecutions. As to thofe other Antient Popesy BiJhopSy Fathers, and Counfelsy that have been fet up by the Roman Im- perial Power ^n& Authority y I fhall not treat on them here^ for he that hatk but a Grain of fpiritual Senfe predominating in him, will eafily fee them no other but the Mother of Harlots y or Mtflery Babilon, that fets upon Tonguesy Nojions, and Languages, as hath been unfolded in a Treacife intituled, The White Y)e- vil uncafed'^ which may come to be extant in time. This is the Sum ef your Church-Hiliory ^ fo that what Satisfaction can any Man have by all your Au- thors and Apoftolical Fathers y as you call them, as al- fo your 2r^z;{/Z^^f?rj' of their Works, who were moft of the^xi Conupters J each one endeavouring to force the Matter to fute with his own Opinions, as Epe- phayuMy Rufenusy and feveral others, who it is faid. corrupted feveral Authors. So that all their Books are but troubled Waters to drink, being not of that Ephecafy as to quench the ThirftofSin^ for their SWvtv is hecoine Drofs, their lohn^ ^ -"* Wine 15 mix'd with Water of a Jlanding Poole. This join 4. .^. ^.jj ^^^ ^^^^ currant yvith us, for no« Wine to us like the Wine of the Spirit 3 no Water to us but the Water of Life 5 no Balme for us but what is in Gilliady in one P erfonal -God-Man y Chriji Jefu^y blef- ftd for ever, that will be accepted of with us, the only "wv/'. i />^ Mugglctonian Prmciples Tre'v'ailhg. ^ 9 only true Chriftians in tlie World at this Day. Therefore take you all your Books and Learning to yourfelves^ we have but Three to Read^ to wit, the Prophets y the Jpqfilesy and the Witnejfes of the Spi- rit: In thefe is fulnefs of Perfections for the Light and Life of their Words, fhining in our Hearts, is the Rtde^ Prop^ Stay^ and Guide of our Faith 3 which is but one, and this one Faith hath one God of a iingle Perfon or Subftance for its Objed; to pitch it felf upon, and not a Trinity of Perfons, or Sub- ftance ^ hut Father J Son and Holyghoft is one fingle Subftance, and no more ^ which cannot be denyed, neither by Scripture, or fober Reafon 3 for, Firft, IVas not the Eternal God-Head-Spirit the ever- laftiug Father. Secondly, Wa6 not that glorious Body, wherein God the Father did eternally Direll, The eternal Son. Thirdly, Jnd was not that powerful Wordy irhich pro- ceeded from his God-Head-Spirit through his glorious Mouth the Holy ghofty or holy Spirit, by which he made the Worlds y ^nd governeth all things. Is not this Trtnity in Unity y and tlnily in Trinity y more agreeable to the Scripture of Truth, then any^^n i.* %. other Trinity y to all Men that acknowledge but oneEphei. 4. r. eternal Being, and no more? Now your Trinity op^^^p-^^^^^ Perfons y will neither be made to agree with Scripture -^ ' ' * Reafon nor Sence^ fo that your ftriving to explain it doth but the more darken theSence about your Airy God, and j/ou are quite loft in your Definition, and now of late more than ever : Are you made a con- founded Babely and your Clargie doth dafh one a- gainft another, which doth make your Hearers begin to ftager, as well it may : For, I 2 ifl. ' <5o X TheMi}g^\ttoriuv\Prif7aples Pre'vailh!^. jjK One Pai'ty of your Church do th Hold and Tcacli, that God is [^Three diflinH Perfons, and but one Stibfiduce"] which iS a Gon tradition. ily-. The other Party of your > Church Teacheth, That God Imth not only [_^Three ciijiin5l Ferfons^ but {Jthree diftint} Suhftances likeirife-^'^ and from hence doth boldly charge the Hcmaujlon, or one Subflancef with the Herefy of SabHiJin, as tliey call it. ^dly. The contrary Party makes their Rejoynder again, snd chargeth the other Party withholding of a plurality of Gods ; For, fay they, if there be Z 'three Subjiances ]] then there is ^ Three Gods, ~] which is true enougli. 4^^/>'.Again the adverfe Party Replys,faying,That if there hQ ^Three VerJons~] there muft beQKr^^S«^- //^^ic^-x J (which is true enough too:) .\\\A they give the Reafon why they are to hold Three Siibftances^ as well as Three Ferfonsy it being a forft-put, Fovy fay they, there is now a greater Necejjlty than e^er there rvasy to Hold and Maintain Three difiinB Subftances, a^ nell as Three Perfons : Othermfe^ fay they, ive are in great Danger to loofe the Catholick Faith^ by the re- vi'val of the Here/ie qfSabalus, which walks public kly a- broad *t ho under the Difguife of a new Name : And there- fore if we do not allow the God-Head imirely to be [^Thrc^ diflind Subftances ] as well as [ Three diftinct Per- fons ] then cojnes inS^hd\\{\'{\: And there's an end then ( fay they ) of the Trinity,' ^thly. To this,the other old dark Light Replies,fay- ing, That if by Retaining the old Words of y_ Three Per- fons and one Subftance] there is Danger ofloojing the . Catholick Faith, it muji be loft out of the Catholick Church : And the Revolt by Sabalifm f fay they ) muft be both the mojl lajiing, and the mo ft general Apftatije - ■ ' that The^ Muggtc tonia n Frwciples Prevailing. 6 1 that ever was foretold, or feared^ fhould happen to the Chriftian World. Butj fay they, we hope wee need not to be frighted out of our Religion, And thus, you fee what a Confufion is fallen up- on you 5 your Bahilon is now crying out, Alas^ Alas I '"^^' ' ' *°* Did not the Prophets and Apojiles fpeak^ of thefe things: J^ow is fuliilled that Saying of David's to the full, Divide their Tongues ^ O Lord, for I have feen Violence ^[-1 ^^, ^, in the Cm. Doth not this vour Divifion tend to Confufion, jr, .,,,,, or is it not Confun'on it felf in a fuperiative Degree? For tho you be divided, yet our God is not divided, ^ .y^^ but is one, Yefterday, to Day, and for ever : Eor ' i^. I demand, 'Sirft^ How can Chrifl: be called the greate, the^'^^^^y^- High and Mighty God, if he hath Two other Gods to /j^yn."*i/i7. ihare with him ? And, B16.12,. Secondly y How^ can Clirift be Eternal in your Greedy if he were begotten ? Thirdly, And how can that, which receives a Being from another, ever be made equal with that which hath its being of it felf alone? Certain! y, whatever you Trinitarians fay to the contrary, yet it is evident that you make Chrift no more than a titular God, the very fame with. John Biddky that you fo much difown in your PamphJet: But I cannot fee any great Difference between you^I am fure you are as much out of the Way of Truth as he. . For, faid John Bidle, Chriji is our Lord and God: But how, Whyy faid he, not Really , hut Apelttive, ^s Magiftrates are called Gods 'j and fo he makes him^ God by Deputation, as to Titles being God, MOt in Nature, but in Name^ and fo is fubordinate to God. Now 6'l Ihe Muggletonia n Frhieiples Pre'vailivg. Now, do not you do fo too ^ for you make the Son but to be begotten : And if you will make him God, yet he mu(l be divided from tlie Father and Holyghoft. Now^ this is certain, that if there be a Father diftinit from that bleiffed Body ofChrift, it muft then be as John Btdle faid •, and therefore it is, that John Bidle^ as well as Arim and Scjinm^ make him but Man ^ becaufe tliey would have but one llnglc God ; But you, if you make him. God, yet you will divide him from the Father, and from the Ho- lyghoft 5 and fo, at the beft, you make him but a Third part God. And whereas you are fo bold, as to condemn Sa- bulm and Noetm^ for worfliiping one perfonal God, (inder the Names of E3!^/?tT, ^on^ d,nd Holyghoji -^ con- demning and judging them for Broachers of Herefy, how will you free yourfelves from this Crime: As alfo thofe Counfels of Avians and trenitartans^ as cur- fed them and their Principles ^ together with thofe Counfels and Sinods, on bothlides judgmgand con- demning each other with deadly Malice, as your Church Hiftory doth (hew : What, were thofe the Church of God? No. But when God gathers up his Jewels, many of '^^^'^ i'"^ Is' ^^^^^ t'"*^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ judged Hereticks will rife Saints, Aa* 24/1^! and many of thofe that your Churches have Canoni- zed for Saints, will rife Devils : For no Perfecutors of Confcience will efcape the Stroke. If any Man objed Vaul's perfecuting the Church, they may know that Paul at that time acknowledged r)o Jefus at all 5 \ therefore when both fides acknowledges a Jefus, take heed how you Perfecute. ^ I have been fomthing larger than I intended, as to the Church-Hiftory, and that becaufe your Church doth 9 The Muo;gIetonian Trirjciples Trevailwg, S doth fo much boaft and Glory upon Antiquity, like the Papifts ^ for there is no great Difference between you nor the other Churches, only in outward things-, for the effential Points of Faith is one and the fame with you aiU for you have al^/one God, and one Devil, one Heaven and one Hell. So that if one of poubetrue, you are all true 3 and if one of you be falfe, ye are all falfe: Therefore it w^ere well, if your Reafon would be fo moderate, as to bear with, and forbear one another^ being you are all one, both in the Root, and in the Fruit, but that you will never do^ but on the contrary, you will ever be exciting the Magiftrates to Perfecution and Bloodflied; But Revel. 17. g; J>appy is it for that Nation in the Temporal, and that ^ ' ^ ^'l^' ^ Nation or Holy City in the Spiritual, whofe Magi- " ^'^' ftrates are fo prudent, as not to harken to the Priefts Inftigations^ but on the contrary, to flop the Courfe of the Violent by wholfom. Laws. Thefe are thofe good Beafls, or head Magiftrates^ Revel, ^j. 5. fpoken of by the Scriptures, who are faid to have i^yes before a^^id behind: The Eye of Faith before, which fhew^s theni that Confcience belongs to God 3 and the Eye of Reafon behind, to fee that all Affairs in the Temporal be kept well, exercifing Juftice and true Judgment-^ preferving and defending the Innocent Rom. jg. y who break not the Civil Law : And on the other ' hand, punifhing the Tranfgrefiors of any of the Ci- Aas 5 3?, vil Laws of the Land, according to their Demerit. Thefe, and fuch like Magiftrates, are the truly Nuriing Fathers, and (hall profper : %his we leave to Providence^ and proceed. In the latter end of your Pamphlet, you^ pretend 1^ great many of Contradid:ions committed by Lodcivick: Muggleton and John Reeve 5 but the Anf wer before might * / o C?4 '^'-^^ Miigglc tonian Tritmpks frezfailvig. might ferve for them all that are woith the Anfwer- ing-, yet Khali Anfwer to Two or Three Things more that you charge againfc them. In Vage 25. You lay, that John Reeve doth affirm, that no Man can for st el Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon, hut by Revelation : From whence, (ay you, the Aftrolo- gers are much beholding to him, who tells them they ivrite their Alminacl^ by Revelation , tf they therein forctel Eclipfes, 06 what JJirologer doth not. C H A P. XHI. ANSWER. i.TJERE you wreft their Words, and frame a XL wrong Senfe of them ^ for the Time when an Eclipfe falls out is one thing, and the Time of the Ephects of Working is another: Of fome of the E- clipfes, the Aftrologers fay, the Time of their E- phe& laft for fo many Months, others the Time of fo many Years, before the Ephe& will have done w^orking. Wherefore then it follows, that 'John Reeve doth not fay, That none of the Figurative Marchanis doth know when, or at what time an Eclipfe will fall, but their Ephe^ts, and time of them Ephevfts, how long they will be in working: T'hefe Things y faid John Reeve, can no Man kjiow, hut hy Infpration 5 which is poiitively True. Vh And thus you, Church-Do(ftorV«raife Slanders to blaft their Reputation 5 and fo Truth comes to be vi- lified, The Muggletonian Principle f Prevai hng^ 6 5 lified as I fhewed before, for Truth may be buried under Falfehood for a time. Again, pag.z^, you charge them with another Er- ror, faying, That they affirm that the Eclqjfe of the Moon is never but vphen it is near the Sun: When as, fay you, it is manifeft that its Eclipfe is when it is :oppofite to the Sun, and that the Earth is between them, which doth occafion it by with-holding its bor- rowed Light. But to this I anfwer. 2. Here again you ha^e abufed John Reeve y and in plain terms bely'd him j which one would think a Man of that feeming Purity would not have done: For John Reeve doth not deny its Eclips when oppo- iite to the Sun 3 but faith ("for thefe are his Words) the Eclipfe of the Moon is through her near conjunct- ion with the Natural Light or Ruler of theDay^ or a Planatarv Fire, anfwerable to its nature that occafi- ons the Eclipfe. Now this we do affirm, and your Aftrologers do not deny it but that there are Stars of a fiery nature, and Experience fhews it: For what is the reafon that there is more heat when the San is in Leo, then there is when it enters Cancer ^ when as the Sun is neareft to us, when it enters that Sign :, but only that the Heat is occaiioned by therifing of fome Fiery Stars, as that which they call the Dogg Star, and others of the like nature. So likewife the occafion of the Moons Eclipfe, it is not by the Sons not rendring its borrowed Light, by reafon of the Earths interpofing her felf betwixt thofe Lumenaries •-, but it is through her being near to fome of them Fiery Stars , as thofe which the Aftrologers call the Dragons-Heady or Dragons-Tail -^ one of which being always near to the Moon when flie fuffers an Eclipfe. K 3. We Gcp:.i. 1 6, ^$ 'The Muggletonian Trincipks Pre^ailwg. 3. We do likewife affirm that the Moon borrows no Light from the Sun, but that it is a real created Light of it felf ^ for Mofes faith, That God made two great Lights ^ but your Jftrologers and you fay, That God made but one : Whether iTiould we believe, Mo- fes or you ? for faith Mofes ^ One of them u made to rule tlx Day J and the other is made to rule the Night. • ^ly. The Sun and Moon are of contrary natures, one is fiery hot; the other is cold and watery •, there- fore it is contrary to Reafon that the one fhould re- ceive any Light from the other, and therefore there can be no agreement betwixt them, for Experience fhews us that the Moon is cold and watery, being . made out of the Water, and fo is the Lady of the Water, and occafions the Ebbing and Flowmg of the Seas, and the running of all Rivers, drawing the Wa- ters after her, as the Loadftone doth Iron. But on the other Hand, the Sun is hot and firy , be- ing the Captain of all Fire, and fo draws combufti- ble Matter up to it felf, which occafioneth Thunder, which is a War betwixt Fire and Watery and thus they appear in their contrariety of Natures, w^hich we fee further by Experience, that the clearer that the Sun dothfhine, the hotter it is^ but the clearer the Moon doth fhine, the colder it is. So that from what is faid, may be feen who the Aftrologers are moft beholding to, whither to you, OY John Reeve ^ let all Men judg^ fov John Reeve , in this Prinliple, is as contrary to the Aftrologers, as the Sun and Moon are contrary in Nature. Furthermore, You object againfi: John Reeve^ for fayine that the Sun, Moon, and Stars move all in one Firmament : And for faying. That they are not 7nuch bigger then they appear to m. To this you fay, that The Muggletonian Trinciples Prez>ailhg. 6j that they are quite contravy^ and that they move in feve- ral Orbesy and that each Orbe at fo much dijiance from each other y as the Aftroligers affirm. G HAP. XIY, ANSWER. I. TS it not as good Senfe, and better, to believe, J. That the Sun, Moon, and Stars move all in one Firmament, or Heaven, as fo many as Nine fever al Hea- vens, as your blind Jftrologers teac$ you : And yet our flefhly Eyes can pierce through them all -, neverthe- lefs every one of thefe muft be fo rnany Thoufands of Miles beyond each other 5 and this blind Opinion muft be ratified forfooth, becaufe the Planets and fixed Stars have feveral Motions j and therefore from hence you u^ill have thefe feveral Heavens, and thefe their differences in Motion, muftihev^ their diffe- rence in Hight and Subftance. 2. Becaufe Saturn moves fo floly, as to be near up- on Thirty Years in finifhing his Courfe through the Twelve Signs, v/hereas the Sun finiflies his in one Year : Therefore, from hence, do you conclude, that he muft be of neceifity Thirty times higher, and Thirty times bigger than the Sun, and Thirty times further to go-, nay, and the next Orbe above Saturn to move fo flow, as to be Forty Thoufand Years in finifhing his Courfe: Pray how many Millions of Miles is it to that Heaven, or Primum Mobila ? One of your Mathematifians fay it is,One hundred and feventy Millions eight hundred and three Miles. K 2 Is m.^L^ 6^ //^^Mugglctonian Prwciples Prevailing. Is this your Wifdom, in which you fay weare not capable to anfwer you in ? I pray, Is this good Pul- pit Doftrin ? One of your Minifters that I did know, whofe Name was Mountney, did mount fo high, as to affirm, in the Pulpit, to his Parifliioners, that it was fo far fo tha primum Mobil, i, That if it were foffl- ble to fling ^ JMilljione down from thence^ that it wouldt he Seven Tears before it would reach thia Earth: And yet in another Dodrin he taught, that a departed Soul would be in Heaven in a Moment ^ which is much higher than that primum Mobila. And your reverend Dodor More, before quoted, muft be remembred here, for he Taught , That a Star of the firft Magnitude is Twenty thoufand times biger than this Earthy, and Nine hundred thoufand times bi^er than the Moon. Thefe are younrare learned Men, I wonder how they could get a Line of that length to meafure fo far, and yet to ftand upon this Earth : . But let them go on, for the time of their Sopheftry isalmoft at an end. But to conclude this Point 3 as you upon our Principles of the Sun, Moon, and Stars aforefaid, do call all Men to be Judges againft us -, fo we, to re- tort your Language, do call all fober Men to judge, whether your Opinion of Sun, Moon, and Stars be not an Error of the greateft Magnitude ^ and alfo, whether you have done lis Juftice, yea or nay. And fo much in anfwer to your firft QMery. Chap. The Mup[g!etonian Frwciples Pre^vailing, 6^ % C H A P. XV. SIR, your Second Query , or latter part of your Pamphlet, was to prove hodowick^Muggleton falfe from his Interpretation of the nth. Chapter of the Revelation of yohn.. But your Proof is but your Denyal, for you do not fo much as lliew the meaning of one Word in all that Chapter: If they could but aflended up to Heaven in a Cloud, as they had fliewed how Mofes and Jefus did, all had been well enough ^ even as the yews, if they could but have feen Elras to have come in Per- fon, as John Baptiji did, then they would have be- lieved as they faid. So, if you could but have feen thefe Prophets to affend up in a Cloud, then perhaps you would have faid you would have believed them : But foft (fay you) they are not the Two Witnejfes^ for they canmt ajfend to Heaven^ for John Reeve is dead : Bejides ( fay you ) they muft have been put to Death by the Hands of Vtolencey and then to have rifen again ^ and afcended to Heaven , in the fight of all Men. This is all the Interpretation ) ou can give of them, which is none at all, and all the Proof you have a- gainft them : And as to Lodowick^ Muggkton's Inter- pretation of that Chapter^ you feem to be at a great Lofs about it, being aftoniflied at his Worcfs : For, ( fay you) 1 cdnnot tell hovp to reconcile his Words 5 and from hence you fling all off to others, faying, Recon- cile them as can^ fdr I cannot. VPO 70 The Muggletonian Frinciples Tre*vailing. And what is the Difference and Matter that cannot be Reconciled : Why^ fay you, he Jaith, That they Tiro are the Two Witnejfes ^ and yet they fay, That the Body of thofe Two Witnejles are the Letter of the Scrip- tures ^ and that the Witnejfes^ or Letter, was Jlain 1350 Tears before^ and yet was flain in them again by the Beafl out of the hottomlefs Pit. To this I anfwer. • ijic Here you would have the Letter to be flain, whenas it was the Spirit and Life of that Letter tliat was flain •, for the Life being gone, therefore the Let- ter of the Scripture remained as a dead Body, in re- gard there was none living that could give a tme In- terpretation of it. Now this Spirit and Life was killed 1350 Years ago^ for the laft of the Ten Perfecutions did kill and root out all the true ordained Bifliops, or Minifters of the Gofpel ; fo that there was none left to give the Holyghoft to Others, by laying on of Hands 5 fo then there was no quickening Power remaining until a new Commiffion was given, which now is fulfilled at tliis Day 5 for the fame Spirit that gave the other Witnefles their Commiflion, hath chofe thefe to be Witnefles. ^dly. So that they having received that fame Spirit of Life from God, as the others hud^ therefore it is they only that can, and do Interpret the Letter of the Scripture -, for the Scripture is put into their Hands, as the Priefthood w^as into the Hands of Aaron^ and they by their Interpretation do put Life into the Scriptures, making it to ftand upon its Feet in the Confciences of Men and Women, with great Pow- er, both to the Seed of Faith, and to the Seed of Rea- fon, to fave'^and deftroy 3 for Words of Truth have John 6- 6'^, ^ , , 1 T 'r & I- 3e Muggletonian Prwciples frezfailitig. y x ^hly. Aird as that Spirit of Reafon did kill ^that Spirit of Life that did fpeak that Letter, fo that now that Spirit and Life is come into them again, they will ftand upon their Feet, and kill the Spirit of Rea- fon with a Death Eternal 5 for there is now both Body and Life in the Scriptures, and it is the Body of tfae Witnefles of the Spirit, which is not a dead Bo- dy, but a living Body now, and fo will remain to the end of the World, ^thly. Again, whereas you do affirm, Ihat thefe Witneffes do declare ^ that the Spirit and Life rvas killed in them by the Beaft out of the BottomlefsFity in their Per- fecutors : That faying of yours is utterly falfe, and ^ you ^id it malitioufly, on purpofe that his Words might not be reconciled ^ for Lodowick^ Muggteton did fay, that the Beaft; out of the Bottomlefs Pit made War againji themy and would have killed them ^ if their Law could have done it. And that roaring Lyon Jeffe- ries did fay afterwards, That he was firry that their Laws were fo unprovided^ that they could not take away MuggletonV Ltfe. So that it is apparent, that the Spirit and Life of V thefe Two WitnulTes is not killed-^ but after the Two Wianeffes of the Spirit are dead, the Spirit and Life will remain in vigour. 6thly. Wherefore as the other Two Witneflfes of Water and Blood did hH to the end of the appoint- ed time of their Commiflions, even fo like wife will the Revelation of this Commiflion laft to the end of the World 5 for tho the Dod^rin is declarea' as to the Subftahce 5 yet in that Dodrin will Revelation atife, grow and increafe, in fuch as hear it and underftand it, to their eternal Happinefs, Joy, and Glory ^ and (hall Prevail and Triumph over all Forms and Opi- nions 7'J T/?^ Miiggletonian Frinciphs FrevaiJvi^. nions in Religion, that now totters more tlian ever through its own Inftability. And now Sir, are you not either Blind or Maliti- ous, or both, that would forge Contradivftions where there is none ^ yea, and to make Lies, on purpofe to make Truth appear Infamous ? So that are not you a Shifter of iill Shifters, and know not where to fe, or what to fay, or how ro difprove it, either by Scripture or fober Reafon ? It's a poor Shift to falfl- fy the Words of your Oponant, becdufe you have not anything that feems plaufible to Anfwen ^ Sir, is this your Learning ? Pray do you believe that Book of the Revelation by St. John^ to be true Revelation, and a part of holy Writ? If you fay you do, then why will you not give your own Cen- timents of fo much as one Verfe, and tell the Mean- ing thereof? And if this Interpretation of theirs be not good Senfe, why do you not Reprove them with better ? But finding your Ignorance to be fuch, therefore it had been better for you to have let this Book alone, and plainly to havefaid, T^hat it vpos Sealed^ and you could not read it in its own Senfe. And it had been better for you to have let thefe Two Witneffes alone, and all the Believers of it alone-, but you were ap- pointed to that end, that your Lies and Slandees a- gainft it may bring you to a full Reward. For this Book of the Revelation by John was not writen^for your Edification, but for the Inftruftion of this laft Witnefs, and Benifit of the Seed of Faith, to the End of the World, as a peculiar BlelTing Seal'd to them from Heaven : And therefore by this Blef- fing of Faith and Knowledge in* the Scriptures of Truth, which is now given unto us, we do from hence I A. z . The Mugglctonian Principles FreTjailwg. fi^ hence WS\ that you have no part of the Blefling of this Book of the Revelation of St. John, as may appear by thefe Seven Particulars following. As lirjij This Conuniffion of the Spirit hath feen into the Book of Life^ wherein they have found the Names of the Prophets^ Apoftles, and the Witnefies ofch.;p is. ^ the Spirit Recorded there^ as true Commiffionated MefTengers of God 3 but your Name was not found there as a Minifter of God: This is the firft Evidence of your Exclujion. Secondly J Thefe WitneiTes, and the Believers there- of, have looked and feen thok Hundred forty and four ^..^^^ thoufand Virgins that were Ke deemed from the Earthy (landing irith the Lamb, their only God, on Mount Sion, pnging that new Song of all Praife to the Lamb : But you, not having learn'd that Song of, all Praife to the Lamb, were not found amongft them^ but we, l^^k-^ ^ % i«. r. ing about, have ken you in that great City, Miftery zc 22. 18. Babilony the Mother of all Harloting and Blafphem- ingPriefts-, who are'faid, by the Spirit, to have the Curfe of this Book, for ading and taking aiway from it. For you add your own Imaginations to it, and fo from thence will make your own confounded Rea- fon to be the Judgof it 3 as I fhew*d before in Chap 2. ThirJjy yAs we have feen you add your own vain Thoughts to it, fo likewife have we feen you taking away from the Words of this Prophefy, and the^,^^ Two WitneiTes thereof: For you will not fufferthofe ^^ ^* * * ^' laft true Prophets to have any Footing > here, but would thnifl them out of the Book of Life, andchap =8. 7. thruft yourfelf into it. / Btlt this Commiflion flleweth us, That God will take away your part out of the Book of Life j not that you had any there, but that you thought you ' L had. 74 Tf-^^ Mugglcronian Pri^nip/es Fre^faitn?^. had, and thought your Name was there ^ but you are not in the Book of Life to be found, neither as a Teacher, nor as a true Believer, as thofeTwo Wit- nefles are and the true Believers thereof : We have Chap. 3. 5. found our Names in this Book of Ijfe of the Lamb, the only and alone wife God, to our eternal Com- fort, and his everlafting Praife. * Forthlyj Again, you have further taken away from Chap. 11. 4. this Book, in that you denyed Gocl to Iiave any Bo- i:!&7. i;'.' dy^ Face, or Shape: So that as the BleiTmg of this Book is. That the Saints jhall fee kis Face-^ fo the Curie of tiiis Book is, Thatjhch as have denyed hinij-ds afore! aid, j})all never fee hu Face to their Comfort. Fifthly, you have likewife taken away from this Chap 1^1^ Book, in that you teach, that the Alpha and Omega ' &2.8 did not die: But this Book doth declare that the Jlpha and Omega, the Firft and the laft did die, and iTied his Blood-, by which he redeemed his Elect Seeds fo what part can you have in this Purcliafe, feeing you deny that God had any Blood, or offered up any Life by feeding of the fame. Sixthly, You alfo further add, and take away from Lvei"i^: i^^tWs Book of John, in that you fay, That there is a God 17.& ir. -:.diJlinB from Chrift: And further fay. That Chriji Je- ^ \'^^-^^^''^'fus our Lord is not the fole God: But this Book of si 1-^1. '.John owns no other God at all but Jefus Chrift ^ gi^ ving him the Titles of Firft and La^, the Jlpha and Omega, King of Kings, God, very God, true God, great and almighty God, ayid the God of all Frophets : Where then Ihould there be any other God befides Jefus Chrift our Lord 5 for this divine Apoftle, who lived and leaned in the Bofom of this Lord, knew not any other God, as is abundantly proved*. Seventh' Sei^^Kmul lajlljy This God, the Lord Jcfus, you have RenSncccij liis Prophets you have Perfecuted and Belied, the true Faith you liave defpifed^ for you have not only ContradiCLcd and Diipifed the Dov^trin of the Second Commiinon, which was the Commiiuonof Blood, but you haveaUo, to agrivate your Crime, called tiie Doctrin of this Third and Laft Commiirion, wliich is the CommiiTion of the Spirit (aad which is one of them three great Armies r{^.p^ , that in Heaven will follow the Lamb upon white Horfes, which is the Righteoufnefs of Faith in his blefled Perfon : I fay you have called this Commifli- on ) Blafpbemy, Delujion, Deccat : And that it is ( fay you ) made tip of Impiety y Nonfenfi: and Abfurdities : And in general, calls them mifcheviouf Principles, Confufion and ContradiHion ^ and that we are a pernici ous and contemptahk Setl, &c. So that, from hence, it doth plainly appear, That chap. i^. ly you have brought yourfelf under the Judgment and^°*^^^'^7' Senfure of that Book of John, and of this Commif- fion of the Spirit, which doth fo fully explain that Vrophcfy , being fent to finifh the Miftery of GodiQ^^ ^^^ And now behold it is (iniflied, and^^« .have heard, * ^' and now you will find, that Power belongeth unto p^ , . this God, and to this his Commiflion of the Spirit. i 1 N I S. I . . ^ ■■Ik. J..' irnxAt^ ■ '^'* V-m^, —.«».. r -•;.. J ^■^ V ^f^g. "^ t / T ■N. ^ ^t<^ /J